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

I got a few things done today.


I got lucky. The transfer case came with a boot for the shifter. So I removed the one i cut and installed the right one.


I replaced the steering rack bushings that I got from wheelers off road. Thanks @BDN I used a bolt and washers to press the sleeves in.


The nuts are not tighten down on the tie rods yet because I still have to take some measurements when I put the rotors back on.
I replaced the old outer tie rods with new OEM ones. I Had to put the Tie rods on left on the right and right on the left because of the curve in the tie rod to be facing away from the secondary shock mounts on the LCA. I also added the TC extensions for the tie rod. I added the steel brake lines.



The right spacers came in for the drive plate. There are two of them one between the plate and block and the other on back. I used red lock tight and torqued them down to 61 lb ft is a star pattern.

 

what are people thoughts on just ordering all new oem upper and lower control arms along with the ball joints?

 

What are you trying to accomplish? Replacing bushings? Replace ball joints? Neither OEM UCAs or LCAs come with ball joints. The lower ball joints are super easy to replace, uppers are more tricky and pressed into the spindle. Zero reason to replace OEM UCAs with another set of the same thing.

 

I want everything new in the front.

 

There's all sorts of directions you could go with this. Depends on how much time, effort, and money you want to put into it.

• I've got poly LCA bushings. Was a fairly big job to replace. If you had to pay someone to do it, get new arms with bushings already in them. The labor would be way more expensive than the new arms. Be prepared to have to replace cam bolts and sleeves too. My bushings were only like $80, but took a weekend to install. New OEM lower control arms are around $200 each IIRC.
• Stick with OEM lower ball joints, like I said they're easy to replace. Replace the bolts at the same time.
• By the time you replace UCA bushings and upper ball joints, might as well look into aftermarket control arms. Look into Light Racing UCA as they're the most cost effective and for most a ball joint is better than a uniball.

 

my mechanic ordered me all new OEM upper and lower along with OEM balljoints. i'm guessing he will order any new part and bolts needed for the job. he will keep it for a couple of days.

 

Did some snow wheelin' today.. only pic I was able to take of my truck unfortunately too busy focusing on my friends rig

 

$8 iirc..I just picked some up.






How hard is it to replace the inner tie rods? Big O is now stating that my inner tie rods are shot...which I'm sure they are. I already have the outers

 

thank you for all your info.

 

I played in the snow too.

 

Who is the one that installed a switch panel in their headliner? I have the photo saved, but don't remember who did it.

 

Sander's '02 DC Build

 

Thanks!

 

Anytime bro!!!

 

How many of you buy all new hardware (bolts, nuts, etc.) when replacing your suspension? I don't want to be bothered with figuring out what all I'd need to buy.. at the same time i also don't want to be a dumbass. Reusing washers and bolts probably isn't the best idea.. yet take into account that I'm a lazy bum. So, there's that. Somebody give me a pep talk and hype me up for figuring out what hardware I need to buy!

 

You can reuse all of it if it's not rusted and needing to be cut off.
But the usual suspects are the rear leaf spring frame bolt, at least mine were rusted, replaced one side. And the bolts on the shackles. If I had it to do over again, I'd just replace the rear shackles instead of fighting them. Depends on the rust.

Front coilover problem is usually just the bottom bolt on the UCA but a big hammer and a large drift will usually push it through.

Soak every nut and bolt on the suspension with Liquid Wrench or something similar. before hand and you may not need to replace anything.

 

Well fuckinA thanks bud! That's great news. And of course, I will be doing the 50/50 master-of-penetration-mix for 48 hours straight before I attempt to remove anything

 

I saw a write up of a 2nd gen DTRL toggle switch mod. I was wondering if someone did there's in a 1st gen?

 

uh..its called..turning them on?

 

It's really not that hard if you have the right wrenches, if not you can use an adjustable cresent wrench and monkey wrench. There's some good write-ups I used, is share but my computer isn't working.