"The End's" 09 SAS re-build w/3-link and 1-tons

Man, what you did for the double sheer is interesting, but also makes me anxious! There's just a tremendous amount of forcing going into that lower tab you welded at the bottom of the knuckle - well, the purpose of double sheer is to distribute the load - but still.

I considered doing a few creative things with mine but ended up going with aftermarket knuckles at the end...just for the added peace of mind.

 

I was unsure about it at first as well but I've seen two other Tacoma's that have the same thing done that wheel very hard and they've held up fine. Aftermarket knuckles will probably be added in the future though once more money is available. A set of Reid's and Artec arms would be perfect

 

Shit...If I haven't broke mine off, it isn't happening.

 

That's no help. Haha

 

I might never break or even crack, I am just paranoid about stuff like that LOL

I got a set of SOLID knuckles with Artec arms. Trust me, it was a difficult decision because with all the hardware and bling, after everything was said and done that upgrade added close to a grand to my axle build

I chose the SOLID knuckles over Reids because they are a bit cheaper and they are keyed. I kind of liked the idea of having keyed steering arms, plus they use bolts instead of studs...which makes maintenance/removal a bit easier.

What kind of set up do you have?

 

The one the OP based his off of lol. 3 years and running strong.



Whole build thread is here. Link brackets look almost identical to mine too, well, besides his welds which make mine look like poop



That's the whole reason my build thread has every detail in it to SAS one of these trucks...to make it easier for those that come next

 

So you are the one that started it all LOL

No need to spend all that money with aftermarket knuckles then. It is proven that the welding of the tabs works.

Good stuff man, glad to hear the set up has been strong. That's good tech right there. Always great when somebody figures something out that others can benefit from

 

Well...Wyatt started it, I just liked self locating brackets to take out the guesswork when people locate them

Don't forget to reinforce the top of the knuckle either:

Typical crack and area:



Repair on front and rear of knuckle:

 

yea I have heard those Ford knuckles tend to crack in that same spot.

I ended up with chevy knuckles from SOLID They are massive...but now based on what I am seeing from your pics; mine are probably overkill and expensive

 

Yeah and you have to source all chevy stuff from the knuckles out now too...

Dont get me wrong aftermarket knuckles are bling...but as you said they come with a nice price tag too.

 

@NwiTACO, I still look at your build thread on pirate at least once a week for ideas lol

A lot of people get scared when it comes to welding cast. It's very weldable though, you just have to know the right procedure to do it. I've done a ton of it at work so I knew what it took. But being that it is for the steering system, which is obviously very crucial, I was second guessing it. But with how well it welded and turned out, I don't think it is going anywhere.

 

Yeah my plan was to get aftermarket knuckles someday...now I have zero plans for that.

And thanks I think my build over here on TW actually has more info:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2005-bulletproof-taco-1-ton-sac.223362/

 

Still have it. Going back and forth on what i want to do. Everything is for sale.

 

I showed Todd your thread and said, "build this."

 

Lol. Nice.

 

Going to be a tight fit at full stuff. There is about 1/2" of clearance between the frame and upper link and a little less between the link and exhaust flange.

 

That's really tight!

In case you are bored and have nothing else to do...just notch the frame on that spot lol

 

Excellent fab work!

So why not use the original tie rod hole in the spindle? Could weld a piece on the added 'tab' that goes over the top as well as under the bottom and then you could run a bolt through so that all the force is not just on the weld between the steel and cast.

 

You mean bolt on the added plate instead of welding it? This is easier. Plenty strong. Really there's minimal force on the added plate due to the high-steer arms being so thick, and the tight tolerance on the fit with the 3/4" bolt. Its basically a moment connection at the high-steer arm.

 

This is a message that the original builder sent me, he's not happy with me...


But, we are finally ready for Coilover mounting. All links are in and all brackets are welded. Some of the components are very tight but everything clears just fine. This has been a long time coming... Here are some updated pics