What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Might it be your shackles hanging on the bumper.

 

I had thought about that haha, but no, sadly not it. I slammed on my brakes to see what that sounded like, was more of clang than a clunk. It definitely seems more suspension related. My plate bumper is mounted to the stock frame end caps / stubs that the original rode on. I didn't realize how chintzy those mounts were until I was able to move the current bumper back and forth a good 1 1/2 inches when I push on the grill guard. I assume it's the end caps flexing but the bolts are tight so it doesn't make sense. So I'm not sure why it's able to flex like that, unless something I can't see is loose, or the metal in the caps are just stupid weak and bending. I'm wondering if the clunk is from the bumper bouncing up and down over bumps, doesn't seem to be though, because I can see the grill guard while driving and it seems pretty static. I'm thinking possibly top strut bushings? I didn't realize the Bilsteins didn't come with bushings so I re used the old ones. Here's a pic of how the bumper is mounted, it's a piece of 2 inch square tube welded to that end cap / stub. The bumper rides on the square tube. So it is front heavy for sure. Doesn't seem to make the same clunking noise I'm after when I flex it back forth by hand though. Probly needs more reinforcing but for now I'm fine with it unless it is in fact clunking.

 

Replaced my steering rack bushings today, drives much better now.

 

Glad I'm not the only one that did that today. Hopefully you didn't struggle for 2 hours trying to put the U clamp on backwards like my dumb ass did until I realized what I was doing. Ah well, live and learn I guess.

 

Nah, only took me 30 mins to realize that one, my struggle was getting the center bolt to unsieze when you cant really get on it.

 

If you have access to a welder fixing the movement on the bumper is pretty easy. There's multiple ways to do it but I'm pretty sure there's a writeup on ttora.

 

I didn't mess around with that center bolt haha, I got a swivel ratchet and a 4 foot pipe to use as a breaker bar right off the bat. Whoever designed that is a moron. Could have easily just been a nut and bolt deal that would take 10 seconds to get off but no, lets make it way harder than it needs to be

 

I've got a welder but I'm so bad at welding I legitimately think a toddler could do a better job haha.

 

When it rains it pours! I just got under the truck to see if there was any noticeable play in the rack, there wasnt but my lower ball joints on both sides were leaking. Theyre oem, less than a year old. I just had a shop install new lca's, shocks and cv's, i think they must have accidentally sliced the boots

 

Is that a suicide knob on the steering wheel?

 

I'm sure you can figure a way to bolt something in.

 

That was the plan, hopefully get that done tomorrow.

 

Repainted / touched up my sliders

 

I came out of Walmart to see this pretty scene -

 

Yup

 

Bought this gem for $600

00, 144k on the clock 2.7 4wd... Small frame rust hole so got it for cheap

 

Are you kidding me!? Gonna get that frame replaced or what's the deal with that?

 

Even with the rust hole.... The truck is still worth 3-4 times that

 

Gonna patch it and sell it. Already got a guy wanting it as is but might keep it for a little while