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

Which truck is yours? Would like to get a better look at the rear bumper on the black one.

 

Not a 1/2" but here's the 1" I'm using.
http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/ToyotaTacoma.shtml

 

Mine is dark green. Bumper was a custom high clearance CBI that I built a swingout onto.

 

Awesome. Really like the way hc rears look ok these trucks. Wish there were more options.

 

Thank you

 

I didn't like those when you first posted them but damn those look good.

 

Got my Energy Suspension LCA bushings. Hopefully able to get all of the front suspension buttoned up this weekend.

 

Did some welding. Seems to be holding lol.

 

What is your welding procedure for those? The spindles have been known to become brittle if they are not pre-heated properly, causing failure at the UBJ.

 

Didn't give much thought to that but the knuckle assembly was room temperature when I started. After taking a grinder to it to expose the metal the temp probably got somewhere between 80-90 if I had to guess. Then spot welded so it didn't get too hot (I'd say between 100-110). I don't see it being a problem since I'm only adding support and I won't be using the stock UBJ. I'm installing the light racing UCA and it comes with much bigger and more durable UBJ.

 

I don't mean the ball joint itself fails, rather that the spindle fractures near the bend at the UBJ.

If you've only spot welded the gussets on, it's not too late to pre-heat and fully weld them.

I would recommend bringing the spindle up to 300-350 F and then weld the gussets out (I'm assuming you are MIG welding).

 

If I preheat the spindle to 300-350 F would i need to remove the hub and bearing? Or would they be fine left inside?

 

Id like to know the answer to this as well...was gonna remove my spindles and put the tc gussets on em pulling the hub n bearings will be a biatch

 

Pull the hub and bearing so its clean, pre heat it and weld it. when your done welding it return it to the oven and let it cool in there dropping the temp moderatly. Or wrap it in a welding blanket then wool.

The material turns hard and brittle from welding. Fordged is better then cast but still has issues. Lots of books to find out the correct way to weld diff materials. Along with the heating cooling and filler materials, hate to see a truck wad up and kill someome from un informed choices.

My step bro had a guy extend his pitman arm, dude grabbed the mig and zapped it. I gave my 2 cents, it broke in half in the sand.
He said it wasnt his fault he didnt know you had to weld cast a certain way. No bueno

 

You did fine.

Many claim that the spindle is cast. It is not. If they were cast, the weak point would break instead of bending like they do.

I don't actually know what the material is, but it is somewhere between forged and cast. Most likely some sort of Toyota proprietary recipe for the metal. I've straightened several using heat. The torch does not effect the longevity...unless you are routinely jumping the truck.

As long as you are aware that the spindle is a sacrificial part and it is supposed to bend when severe trauma is introduced to the front end of the truck, you will be ok. You added the gussets to make them stronger, and you did. Just remember something more expensive may break now.

 

Swaybar is gone.

 

Is it very wobbly now?

 

Pulling the hub on these is no easy task. You need a heavy duty press or need to pull it on the truck. I used a grill to preheat mine with the old hub assembly in and put in brand new everything after the gussets were done.

 

True that. Removing and replacing bearings on a 1st gen is a chore. Fortunately, they are not prone to failure.

 

Plenty of guys out in the desert have run gusseted spindles without preheating them before welding on gussets. It's not going to hurt anything if you do, but it's not needed by any means.