allenfab's 95 Tacoma build

Yeah, I can hardly wait for the install.
Brian @ Front Range Off-Road hooked it up. Contemplating on getting one for the rear w/ discs.

 

Hell yeah. Im looking forward to finishing my fj80 rear. Disks will be nice. I need to get a proportioning valve though

 

^^ Been looking at Wilwood.
So far, they're my best bet.

There is a post of a guy on this site that removed the ABS crap (horrible for off-road), installed that valve and says its awesome.
Here is the link: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/what-components-swap-for-abs.389790/
Let me know how this works for you.

Layt.

 

I installed a wilwood proportioning valve (I had no abs tho) and can't tell a difference. But, I haven't played with the valve yet with the new rear brakes (old rear brakes were beyond shot though).

 

Let me know what you think. I just replaced my rear brakes at the beginning of this summer and they are still effectively useless.

 

I guess I failed to mention in here that I got the rear axle 100% rebuilt from hub to hub about 2 weeks ago. All new seals, bearings, brake shoes, wheel cylinders, and of course the built differential from ECGS with 4.88 nitro gears, Detroit locker, and crush sleeve eliminator. I did the obvious diff breather and ran it into the cab.

I do however need a new transmission now. The 2nd and 3rd gear synchros are grinding more and more as I drive it, so I'm on the lookout for a lower mileage used unit from a salvage yard. Not in a hurry to get it though, the truck is still driveable but I probably won't wheel it until it's replaced.

Here are a few "completed" pics

 

No traction bar?

Sucks about the tranny. I feel your pain. I just noticed today that my rear brakes are dragging...again. It happened right after I put the locker in and I just figured I had the brakes adjusted too tight do to spinning the whole driveline while adjusting them. Now I'm not so sure. I backed the brakes off until the wheels spun fairly free and it was fine for a bit, but now they are dragging again. Guess I'm going to have to pull the drums and try to see what's going on some time before the October meet.

 

That's weird... I know nothing about drum brakes so I have no advice for you haha. Your problems with them alone are making me want to convert to disks asap.

And no traction bar yet. The brackets are already welded on the axle, but now that the transmission is acting up, I put the traction bar on the back burner so I can focus on some other things. As long as everything is done by the February citrus ride, I'll be good lol.

 

Haha, I know right? I loathe and despise drum brakes. Discs are simpler, easier to maintain, and just plain more effective. I watched a video on youtube about the 3rd Gen where Toyota's head engineer for the Tacoma and Tundra explained that the reason for disc brakes is superior heat dissipation and since people don't buy Tacomas to tow stuff they don't need the heat dissipation so they kept the drum brakes on the rear...because it keeps rocks out of the brakes. I had to throw the BS flag on that pitiful excuse and also had to wonder if he had ever driven any vehicles that had drums on all four wheels through water so he could see how ineffective they are when wet. Not to mention if rocks in the brakes was such a big issue, why are all the high-dollar, purpose built rock crawlers running four wheel discs?


I could go on, but...

Good luck with the "other things". I really want to see this rig in action in February. I'd like to get with you at some point via PM or something to discuss the entire process you've gone through to maybe make a checklist of parts and modifications needed for an SAS. Not that I'm likely to do anything in the foreseeable future, but if I knew what I needed I might be able to keep an eye out for parts to collect in case I find myself in a position to achieve that goal.

I am thinking I need to take a page form your book and go with a D44. Specifically, one from an '80-'91 Wagoneer. It seems the best fit. The Toyota straight axle is supposed to be 55" WMS to WMS while the Wagoneer D44 is 61". The Tacoma rear axle is 60.25" WMS to WMS.

 

I saw that beast in person yesterday . Pictures def dont do it justice

 

True dat. It wasn't quite as far along when I saw it, but it was still awesome as hell.

 

I got a rebuilt trans (r151 i believe, whatever the 3.4s have) from marlin since a) I had no idea wtf I was doing if I had to rebuild it myself b) they know what they are doing and c) it was almost the same price to get one shipped from them than what the junkyards wanted for one with 100k+ miles around here.

 

I wonder if you could get a 6 speed gear box out of a 2nd Gen to fit in there? That'd be pretty sweet as long as you didn't have to have new driveshafts made, being as you just had the front one built.

 

Pm me anytime you want to discuss things. You are on the right track with the wagoneer axle (mine is actually from an 82 jeep j10 truck with a 64.5" wms) as they are the perfect width and already 6 lug.

Be ready to be scared away when you see how much things start to add up, but that's highly dependent on what you want (leafs, links, etc...).

I've looked at the marlin ones, but they are 6-8 weeks out and more than I want to spend. I found one local with 64k miles or so for around $700.... Hopefully it is still there next month

I highly doubt it would work and like you said, I'd probably have to get new shafts made.... Not to mention I'd have to re-work the entire transmission crossmember and exhaust again. I'm not going down that road again lol

 

Exhaust is completed. I welded up a Walker quiet-flow muffler with a turn down right before the axle. Its not quite as quiet as I wanted, but it is fairly close to stock. Traction bar still needs to be finished along with a few other things, but those are still on the back burner. Need to work some more on a couple sets of sliders I'm building.

My back yard is still pretty wet and swamp-like

 

how are them sliders coming along?

 

slowly, but working on them as we speak and picking up the rest of the metal next week

 

Joining a last minute ride in 9 days, so figured I will knock out the last few things that I really want to be on the truck before I wheel. I got the stainless steel braided clutch line put on and now working on the radiator skid. I'll also knock out the traction bar as well.

 

Cool.
Let's see the traction bar when complete.

Thanks.

 

Got the u-bolts cut down and got very little done to the traction bar. It's the most complicated design I could think of....