Diet Taco... trying to keep things light

Well, I'm not sure I would characterize it as a good response. Their product is not performing as advertised, and they will only refund the price of the part, not the original shipping, and then only if I pay the return shipping. They have offered a discount on another part, but other than a few bucks off of a 3-degree shim there isn't much on offer that I can use and/or would trust to work as advertised. Everything's been polite and professional, but not necessarily helpful. I won't be a repeat customer either.

 

I third that recommendation. I installed the 3 deg shim at the same time I did my Dakar full leaf + 29XL - overload spring. No vibrations.

 

Wheeler's has offered me a discount on a stainless 3-degree shim set, and I think I'll give it a try before throwing in the towel. If this takes care of the vibrations, I will give the AALs until spring to settle some more, and if they don't I'll add 1" of lift to the front via the Toytec Baja-specific spring seat spacer and some UCAs: http://toyteclifts.3dcartstores.com...A-and-Pro-Edition-Tacoma-4Runners_p_1065.html

 

I love that they are so easily adjustable. I went with bags & cradles on my dd as well. They don't take much air to adjust, you can use a simple bicycle air pump if you want to keep it light weight. Avoid a y splitter and keep the two sides separate.

 

I have made several significant orders from Wheelers over the last several years. They made only one error in one large order, and that was on a set of OME shackle bushings. I specified OME, and they sent their own version of the OME bushings, which are different, and which cost less. They would have worked, but they are a different design and not what I I specified, and I was under pressure to complete a lift before a 2-week trip to Utah. I found it annoying on general principle, and stressful given my circumstances. They quickly corrected the error.

That said, I have heard several complaints along these lines (wrong part shipped, or part appears available, but is on backorder) from other TW members. There is clearly a lack of attention to detail and process up there somewhere, and in my cases, it was clear that the picker and packer was not paying attention to the details on the invoice.

 

First order was 2 incorrect brake lines, the second time it was 2 different incorrect lines

 

Are you guys just winging it with the 3* shims? Or are you measuring difference between the T-case angle and the Pinion angle and shimming it to zero it out? Or are you trying to take out the angle between the drive shaft and the pinion? I'm a little confused, but based on this video I'm guessing the former. Any thoughts/recommendations?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkfndHDiH1M

 

Winging it.



Based on same/similar lifts of some TW members.

 

Seems like the 3-degree shim is the most common, and it's all that Wheeler's sells. Toytec has them in varying angles, but I'm winging it too.

 

Oh...and I'll probably remove the carrier bearing shims once the 3-degree axle shims are installed to see what the latter does alone. The bearing shims are super easy to remove and reinstall if necessary.

 

Winging it based on what has worked for people with similar lifts. Adding the shims after the fact is a bit of a pain while the CB drop is trivial to do whenever. So while in theory you could do the lift, wait for it to settle and then measure angles to order just the right shims the reality is you'd almost certainly end up having to put in some sort of shim and thus rip apart your rear end again. So I started with 3* as that offered the best chance of being close enough such that I wouldn't take the rear apart again.

In the end I didn't measure anything. I decided if I got vibes then I'd measure to figure out which direction I needed to adjust things. Well I didn't end up with any vibes so I haven't bothered to measure any angles. Of course the angles could be sub-optimal still but if they are they aren't bad enough to cause vibes.

 

My order had two issues. Missing some hardware with the U-bolt flip kit which they quickly mailed out when I called them. Other was wrong threads for the front bump stops. I didn't discover that until install time and just forced them which was a bit stupid - though I certainly didn't need any lock-tite. They mentioned in a thread I posted to that they had gotten a mis-marked box of bolts from their supplier and had been trying to track down all the wrong bolts but missed mine.

So in general with them I'd suggest carefully inventorying each order upon receipt and before you start your install!

 

Oh that's right, I had forgotten about that bumpstop nightmare. And I'll be getting those, too.

I'm seriously considering grabbing my dad's spare Honda for a week as a DD while I put my lift on.

 

Good call. Ask me how I know.

 

How do you know?

 

Another 2015 DCSB Flip-Pac build. I'd call this one "Extra Cheese Taco".

http://expeditionportal.com/featured-vehicle-jon-burtts-toyota-tacoma/

I like the TREDs mounted on the side of the Flip-Pac. I'd been considering doing something like that at one point. Rest of the build looks very inspired by Dave Bennett's old build.

I both chuckled and threw up a bit in my mouth with the dog in the sweater vest and the Tibetan prayer flags hung inside the Flip Pac. The guy also owns a food truck. Then I noticed in the comments section "My favorite build on Instagram!" and thought to myself it all makes sense now...

 

I bet he's a great guy to chat with, didn't mean to imply otherwise! I always think it is sort funny how we all fall into certain stereotypes - some of us more than others - and are often blissfully unaware of it. When we were in CA this past year we lived one block from our alma mater. When we were in school we always thought, "how do people know where we go to school before we even say?" Walking around there 25 years later and seeing the students around town we were like, "oh my god, how did we not realize how effing obvious it was?"

Well, I feel better about my horrible mileage now!

 

Wow!
I read through (most) your entire build/adventure thread last night/today and am impressed on many levels.

The family adventures are precious time you will never get back. Savor them! My daughter is 21 and I tried many times to get her to fall in love with the Eastern Sierras and surrounding deserts to no avail. She also has little affinity to aviation which is related to her presence on our blue marble. Your daughter has an attraction to both.

Your photography skills are quite evident and I'm now shopping IR filters for at least one of my cameras. New toys right, damn interweb/TWE. Your build is impressive and brings back memories of my flippac and first adventures off-road. Strangely I recently started a weight sheet to see how much stuff I usually carry on trips. If you don't already have it in your library I will suggest the John Muir Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada. Your family will enjoy it on trips to identify flora and fauna.

One picture/campsite really got me interested. The one looking down onto the Racetrack and Saline/Hidden Valleys. That is one of the places I've not explored much in DV. It will have to wait for warmer days though. The past two days brought a much needed storm to the Sierra and temps are extra cold up there. Spring or Fall for sure. There is a similar spot in the Nelson Range I call "The Promontory" at almost the same latitude. I've not camped at that one but do plan to in the future.

Glad I finally got in here to see what kind of party was goin on.

 

Thanks for the recommendation! I have some desert guides but don't have anything specific for the Sierras yet. Looks like a good one.

You mean this one:



Sorry for the crappy mid-day cellphone shot, that's all I've got of that camp at the moment. My old truck in the photo along with an REI product that was returned for not producing deep enough shade...

Anyway, the views are to die for from there. Almost 270 degrees of view. You can look across Saline Valley right over to Racetrack and you can see much of Lippincott. Fun to sit and just explore with binoculars. Look down on F-18s in the Saline MOA. Diet Taco will be returning there someday for sure. Early summer can be buggy. Unless of course it is windier than hell - which it often is.

Glad you stopped by! I've read your posts with interest for years on the various DV forums, ExPo and now here too. Checked out your Flip Pac build before purchasing mine too. Hard to imagine we haven't crossed paths yet, sure we will some day out there.

With any luck I'll be at Saline for the week starting on the 5th! Better finish my Mojave trip report before starting the next trip...

 

Dude....

Saved for future use!!!