1999 Tacoma Rebuild Over the Years

I started out in 2003 stock coils/struts and leaf springs on T-100 shocks. I had a Cornbread 3" spacer with a 1/4" and 3/16" plate iron 'donut' stacked on the coil to keep the sagging springs as high as they once were. I had a set of 2" shackles in the back and eventually put a 2" AAL to keep the camper sag level. Finally fed up with this, I ordered a set of OME 880 front coils and Wheelers 5 leaf pack, as well as some Bilstein 5100s front and rear. All from Wheelers Offroad, which was a pretty painless venture. Only complaints is that he doesn't offer PayPal and I had to use a credit card. At that time he didn't list the extended and compressed lengths of the shocks/struts sold, just a recommended application. Not knowing my current ride height, this quickly became an issue. Lastly, the OME coils have height gains listed for V6 only, I have the 4cyl. The latter two complaints are of my own doing, so I'd give Mr. Wheeler . I ordered my wheels/tires from DiscountTire.com mounted/balanced and they came as easy and as painless as from Wheelers. The warranty is the clincher. Although, there are quite a few wheel weights on two of the wheels. Other than that, all good.

I found these sites the other day. They came in useful when deciding on wheels and tires:
http://www.rimsntires.com/rt_specs.jsp
and
I will say that I am dissapointed in the Bilstein 5100 series. They are nothing but an upgrade from OEM, as in same stroke lengths. The ride is better so the valving is better, though. The shocks would only have a 1/2" up travel had I mounted them. I was running some T-100 shocks, and they are 25" extended and 16" compressed. The 5100s are 21.5 extended, and 16 compressed.

33/1050-15 (new tires) and a 325/60-15 (old tires)











The dirty yellow one is the T-100


The night UPS dropped off the supplies


With the old Cornbred lift still installed


Fresh suspension.

 

I changed my wheel studs out for some '04 Matrix rear ones. I ended up using a small torch to heat the hubs so they'd swell and I froze the studs so they'd shrink. Used a few end wrenches stacked up on the stud and pulled the knurl through with an old lug nut.

Here is the first one to show how to get them in the hole. I had to hammer down this short side of the dust shroud under where the brake caliper mounts up at.

Some put in for reference

A completly side shot to show the diffence in lengths


I highly recommend these studs for any aftermarket wheel or the use of the simple plate spacers.

 

The PaceSetter is a cheap header that isn't 'tuned' for power. But it is, to me, a viable option for a cracked OEM manifold on the cheap budget, if it holds together. All the welds on mine looked good so there's hope.

Here it is getting a coat of high temp paint after I stripped all the regular black paint off. Notice all the tubes are different lengths.


Next to the cast one, it does look more efficient.


It's kinda hard to see, but there's 2 hair line cracks, and a 3rd larger one that you could actually see open up when you work the throttle.


This is the underside of the cast manifold and it's been cracked a while.


The engine bay is now a lot cleaner looking...less crowded, too.


It looks like it's real close to the fire wall, but it's just as close as the OEM manifold was.

 

I cut this out of some stainless steel and had it welded together.




I had an old 7' Firestik from my high school daze and thought I'd use it in the mock up.





The ring of rust around the bed rails is from a drop in bed liner. It's up for grabs if anyone wants it. I've got a can of Herculiner, some brushes, and sandpaper waiting on a good day and the time to sand down the bedrails too ruberize them.

 

I had to change out the power steering pump. This old pump amazingly didn't leak any, it was just the bearings that went. New belts while I was there with a parts house refurb pump.

 

I ordered these with intentions of mounting them as they were intended. But the longer they sat in my garage, the more I thought about it. I run a camper and really should've just ordered the regular ones. The kickout to me is just a step to get in the bed. So mounted correctly, they still defeat the purpose for me. I have FUBARed a front end alignment by turning while backing up in the woods and hitting a tree. So I came up with the conclusion to mount them this way to offer some protection for the front end, in reverse, and as a step to rake clods off the windshield without having to stand on the tires. Although I now don't like them this way.











This is on my short list to try to get these cut off and swapped around.

 

Moved the turn signals up to the corners.







The entire bulb assembly is a rubbery compound. Hopefully it'll seal and last another 100,000 miles as the OEM did. I had some cheap LEDs that weren't very bright and I had some 5w bulbs that were brighter. I'll be picking up some 10w the next time I'm in town.

 

Because of this


It still needs the frame end plates welded on and a 1/2" or so spacer to lower the entire bumper down some. I want almost a finger gap between the lights and grille.

 

Keep the posts coming. We have the same truck only yours is a TRD. Similar trim package and all. I like the tire selection as well as the OME. Who makes your bumper and side rails?

 

I haven't figured out why it has the TRD stickers. They were on it when I got it used in '02. The bumper is an EliteOffroad. Possibly the last one made after a sh!tstorm went down. There's another maker that split off that makes a similar style.

 

How are the 881 coils in the front working out with the plate bumper and the slightly lighter 2.7L 4cylinder model? Also, do you have Dakars in the rear? with OME AAL?

 

The 881s work and feel better with the added weight. Before the bumper and winch it handled just fine on he highway without the swaybar on.

The leaves are Wheelers 5 leaf packs and Toytec shackles, 1" IIRC.

 

Those 33'x10.5" tires working out well? I like the look.

How much lift did you experience in the front with those 881's? Did you get spacers?

 

I've gotten into some serious mud only once and it was bad. Real bad. The next set will be a set of 33/1250 or maybe a metric equivalent of some 32/1150 on a bigger wheel. If I get it on a set of 17" I can try them on and hopefully put them on the wife's gx470.

No spacing on the front end at all. I did preload the 5100s to the middle notch with the addition of the bumper and winch. A set of 10mm spacers on the coils would've been enough.

 

Who made your sliders?

 

I got them here. You'll have to weld them up yourself.
http://www.4xinnovations.com/955-04-Reg-Cab-Tacoma-Rock-Slider_p_69.html

 

So I got some 32x11.5 BFG KM2 and love the tires but am experiencing a fair amount of rub on my fenders at full lock, while backing up. It also will rub when stuffing the front.

The rear has been fine.

How in the world did you get 33’s to not rub?

 

His tires are an inch narrower. Adjustment on your caster from you alignment can help too. Wheel spacers or back spacing can give different results too.

 

Yep. 1050s, my man. Plus two 1/4” spacers up front and -12 offset.

 

Running some Procomp 15x8 D Slots with a 0.0 offset, same spacers, and some General Grabber X3s in a 33/1050 flavor again.