5-Lug Fat Bob's Lift Install

Working with my friend with a 5-Lug 2006 Tacoma Access Cab to do a front and rear lift install as well as replace all his seized components. His truck has made it through 3 winters in upstate NY, and then 3 years near the water in MD, so most of the things on his truck are seized. The frame is in good shape for being through all of that, but the same cant be said for the bolts.

So, this will cover new struts, shocks, rear AAL and u-bolts, new lower control arms, top plate strut lift spacers, new eccentric bolts and a LOT of cutting. We are also doing the rear diff fluid and adding Jeep wheels and 30" tires.

Parts



The MEVOTECH with greasable LCA Ball Joint


Bought the Lower Control Arms from Rock Auto, as well as the KYB front Struts. Got the Lift Kit from Fat Bobs with the ProComp Shocks, and the long AAL and new bolts. Also got all the new eccentric bolt hardware and upper control arm hardware from Toyota, as well as new strut boots. Plan to reuse the front coils. New Sway Bar End Links are on order. And new tie rod ends are also on order before we go get it aligned.

We started with the front.





First major snag - upper control arm bolt was too seized and had to be cut, now we need to get the bushing out and replaced...


Removing the Bushing with the hole saw


Core removed




After cross cutting it, not time for the big hammer


Using a scissor jack and some heat to press it the rest of the way out




Also cutting 3 of the 4 lower control arm bolts and burning through sawzall blades...

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UPDATE - Day Two

Waiting for some of the pictures from my friends phone, but we got the front completely cut off, and had one of the upper control arm bolts seize and had to cut the bolt, and then get the bushing out. Figured out an easier way to get the bushing out, first we use a 1.25" deep hole saw without the center drill bit in it to cut the center of the bushing out, rather than burning it out. Worked great, then we went back to the trusted method of cross cutting the outer metal collar and hitting it with a screw driver and hammer. Took awhile, but there was a lot less rubber burning when using the hole saw. It was a short day ~4hrs, so we didnt get too far, just got everything cleaned, and painted some of the frame.

Front Drivers Side back on the ground.




Passenger Side waiting for UCA


Removed the UCA Bushing - Cleaned and de-burred.



We also did swapped over the other front strut, this one was a pain, the top nut on the strut was seized, and we ended up cutting the strut shaft, not may favorite thing to do, but the spring was safely compressed, and at the time was the only thing we could think to do, and it worked.

More Pictures Pending.

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UPDATE - Day Three

Started reinstalling the front, and got the drivers side front done, and cant finish the passenger side front until the bushing comes in. The KYB struts have the brake line mount on them, like the OEM ones, but needed to be bend out of the way of hitting the upper ball joint on both sides, not a big deal. Otherwise the front was just an exercise in re-assembly, and greasing. Waiting for new tie rod ends to come in, as well as new sway bar end links too.

Spring Perch Clearance...




Strut Brake Mount


Passenger Side


So on to the rear end, this was a lot easier. Sorta... We had to cut the shock shaft on both rear shocks as the top nut was completely seized... good thing they were trash. The rest was easy until we got to installing the new ProComp shocks. Surprisingly the factory u-bolts came off easily, and the old centering pin just need to be cut, otherwise the leafs were no harder than any other AAL work I have done on my 6-lug.

And then the FUN :/ started... The new ProComp Rear Shocks were a pain in the ass to get on. First the lower bushings were too wide, and the extra bushing they include with them had a hug inner dia so it couldnt be used. So after bending the lower mounts on the truck and taking a dremel to the bushings they finally fit with a lot of pushing and forcing, was not cool at all. Was getting pissed at ProComp. And I thought that was it, but nope, the fun with the ProComp shocks continued with the upper mounts. With the new upper bushings and plates installed, the nut had less than 1/2 of thread to catch, so with a clamp I tried to compress everything and this worked after several attempts on the drivers sider, and I thought I had it down to a science. Then came the passenger side, the clamping didnt work, and I had to trim the top of one of the bushings to get enough thread showing with the use of the clamp to get the nut started. And through it all I lost the first thread on the passenger side, so that made it even worse to do. In the end both rear shocks went on, and the top nuts have several thread showing and feel correct, but would it have killed Pro-Comp to give another 1/8" to 1/4" of threading on the top of the socks... I wont buy ProComp products ever again after this disaster. Also, the Pro-Comps come with bushing inserts to match the bolt dia you are using, and several other parts, they seem to be "universal" for several vehicles, which is why they likely dont work well on any of them.

Rear Shock Installed - Very Compressed


Lower Shock Mount


Rear AAL in, and super long U-Bolts installed


Rear up




New AALs - Long Fat Bobs Kit Ones






The one thing now that we noticed right off the bat was, once the rear was back on the ground, it looks like the rear will sit lower than the front, but I also know the front is not aligned, and that will likely lower the front end, and the front passenger side is still on jack stands. I hope it levels out, and doesnt sit front high after all of this... I also think the KYBs will settle after a few miles.

Another comment on the Fat Bobs Kit, is it doesnt come with 5-lug instructions, just 6-lug instructions, not a big deal for me, I have done this on my 6-lug several times and know how to do it, but if you have never done this before the 6-lig instructions are not helpful when working on a 5-lug. Also, the instructions didnt say which way to put the long side of the AAL, just said install it...

Also the provided u-bolts were extremely long for only adding 1 AAL, would recommend just reusing the factory ones. Also the provided ones were about 1/8" wider than the OEM ones, so we had to use a clamp to get them through the bottom plate.

Driver Side with Lift Installed


Passenger Side with Lift Installed, but missing UCA


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Day Four - TBD

We need to press in the new bushing.

We need to install the front UCA and finish that install.

We need to drain and fill the rear diff.

Take a torque wrench to everything.

New Tie Rod Ends.

Redneck alignment so we can drive it to the shop.

 

Questions for TW 5-Lug Owners

- Do you guys have issues getting your alignment back in spec after this lift? I know with 6-lugs anything over 2.5" likely requires new UCAs, which really isnt an option for 5-lug trucks. The Fat Bobs is a 2.75" lift, so I am not sure what to expect when it comes to alignment.

- Anyone else had horrible issues with ProComp Shocks?

- Any 5-lugs running without their sway bar? Comments?

- The Spring Perch on the front struts is extremely close to the UCA!

 

Cool, keep us posted. You're a good friend!

 

FINISHED! It is getting aligned tomorrow. Installed new tie rod ends and sway bar end links today.

We need to get a set of ES

$100 9.9104G Bump Stop

9.9104G bump stops for the rear, and new wheels and tires, but otherwise it is done.

My friend found another 5-lug stock Tacoma to park next to for comparison, his is on the right without the bed topper.







I think it looks good, and some new tires and wheels will make it sit even nicer.

Pre-Alignment it sits level, we put a level on the bed of it and it is almost perfectly level. it measures (from wheel center to fender) 21" all the way around, except for the front passenger side which measures 21 3/8", I am hoping after the alignment the front will be closer to level, and the back might sit about 1/4 to 1/2" high. Waiting to see.


Only big concern, is that the rear shocks look like they will bottom out way too easily, and I am wondering if they are too long...? I dont have a picture without the boot on, but there isnt much chrome showing.

 

I aligned mine myself (my high school had an alignment rack) and had no issues at all, just adjusted toe. But my front lift was spindles so the geometry of everything stayed about the same. Can't speak to anything else you asked.


Oh, and I'm a 1st gen so you can throw most of it out he window haha

 

Mine is on the Left (06' DCSB 6-Lug w/ 3" Lift) and my friends on the Right (06' Access Cab 5-Lug w/ 2.75" Lift)

 

Looks good. Was it a major pain doing the front end? Seems like a lot is involved, after watching the Readylift vid. Would probably take me all day weekend, for my first time.

 

The biggest issue was removing the seized parts. If the front wasnt seized, then it would have been easy. The next hardest part is changing out the struts but that really inst that bad.

 

We got two identical shocks in Pro-Comp boxes, but I wouldn't buy or recommend them to anyone, they just didn't seem right. But they function like a shock should, and my friend just uses it as a daily driver.

 

New wheels and tire installed! General Grabbers on Jeep Grand Cherokee Wheels Painted Black.

A little rubbing, so we trimmed the front drain hole part off, the rest of the rubbing is from the rear of the front fenders, we left it alone, as it seems that there is a piece of metal directly behind the liner. Overall a better ride, and it looks badass.

 

Would have never thought those wheels would work as well as they do. Congrats!

 

wow that looks awesome could you take a picture of your truck next to his with the new wheels/tires?