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

At this point the price is not something I'm considering when shopping this out unless features match 100%, I still want my rock solid camping rig and I'm willing to pay the premium to maintain that. The XLT seems to make sense because as you said, once you add the fabbed spindle to the normal kit, you are over the price of entry to the XLT and you don't get uniballs.

In regards to the Jon comment, I don't ever get so far in that I can't still use it with a couple weeks work (hence the two month rebuild). I would match with a Tundra rear and SUA though, but I'm not trying to make a race truck just finding the most overbuilt components for the job. I don't think you can paint components into a "race truck only" or "camping rig only" fashion and the front half of the truck doesn't have to match the rear. Besides a rear 4 or 3 link would way outperform any IFS no matter how good so why do we consider that the next logical step. Besides... I know someone with LT that has a rear that's basically stock (shock mounts and all ). I want an adventure rig, but I like to go fast, who makes the kit with that in the description for my ridiculous demands.

 

No I'm not saying get the xlt kit. Not at all especially with just a sua setup. You always want the rear to outperform the front. A sua setup will only give you 18" of travel. That means if you go through the hassle of putting in 10" shocks up front, which if you get the xlt kit you should because the extra width isn't worth it otherwise, then you have matched travel numbers. Not the end of the world I realize. But will hold you back.

The xlt kit isn't worth the extra width unless you do a 9" rear and 4 link it. And at that Pl point it is pretty hard to keep it an adventure rig so to speak. But not impossible as I can think of two examples on here that made it happen.

For me. The 14" up front made a huge difference and was super worth it. But I would not go wider. One of the downfalls of the xlt kit..2" wider than what I am now. No thanks.

Yeah my rear needs work. But I know what I want it to do and how I'm going to do it. I like going fast too but really. Most the places I drive you can't go much faster than I'm going now. So I'm not bothering with sua. IL going to leave it SOA and outboard the shocks. Should work great for what I do. Little tuning and hydro bumps and it'll handle the weight I need and go as fast as I like.

Granted your in AZ so wide open desert is kind of everywhere. So maybe doing full Baja race truck is the way to go.

I know if I went solos kit which is stellar..I'd skip the xlt kit currently. If I wanted to do more dirt racing and 4 link the truck....which actually I'd love to just not now...then I'd go for it. Guy with a 2nd gen has their xlt kit and 4 linked his rear in his backyard. Thing is sick af.

Just my thoughts though. Think of all the places you've been and being 9" wider...9.

That's nuts. Also need 6" glass up front or front end conversion just to cover part if the tires..haha I like wide but that's too wide for a mountain trails adventure truck.

 

@Speedytech7

 

Hmm, you're right about the width, that is the killer with the XLT. I think that would be too much to deal with on anything tight. I have zero desire to 3 or 4 link the rear, it wouldn't gain me anything and require a level of upkeep I can't regularly service. So unfortunately width alone is enough to rule out XLT kit and the Camburg kit cycles an inch less than MCM and costs more so why bother there.

BTW I see no issue matching 18 front and rear, better than 8.5 and 10 like now right? I think you see some hard and fast rules to all this that might be better as suggestions for perfectly ideal, but as we know from the real world ideal rarely is met and you can still have success with less than ideal.

Wide open desert is fun for the first five mins, then you realize you could have had the same fun on a bumpy stretch of paved road. AZ is not permanent for me and I won't design my truck around its terrain. So I guess it would be down to the basic solo kit or the MCM, either is a good choice at that point I suppose. Need to see how easy getting replacement parts would be then, that would be the deciding factor. I will say no matter what I'm getting some phat tires, I'm tired of rattling my teeth and kidneys.

 

x2

You could always get a 3.5 kit, solo's spindles and uniball conversion, and wind up 2k+ cheaper than the xlt.

Had an alternator party:



Thanks @BamaToy1997! I didn't know the place is half an hour away from me lol! The new unit is a little wider 1/4" or so between the two mounting holes, but I assume that will not matter due to the tensioner.

 

Haha in all honesty I know I opened a can of worms and his description would be ideal, but that ideal goes way beyond the scope of what this truck is used for. I'd start with a completely different platform if a linked rear and front IFS that could both cycle huge numbers was my end goal.

 

The giant link killer kit cycles 19" go on not giving a heck brother lol

 

I was cool with where it said 17" (before inner fender and outer fender reforming) because even that is plenty for how I'd use it. We need a company to make a beefy ass kit that isn't as wide. Super bummed on that overall width too, because otherwise that kit is too good even at that price point.

 

I guess everyone knows their application the best and what terrain they're using their truck for - but then a 4.5 over kit on a first gen is the same as a stock 2nd gen with 1.5" wheel spacers...

 

I was actually referring to the comment about getting too wide.

 

Oh, then we're on the same page haha. I completely overlooked it initially too, but we're in agreement there. I don't wanna be that wide.

 

DTF talked about a 3.5" kit and I was thinking about seeing if he needs a tester. My truck isn't going anywhere anytime soon so once the engine's back in I'll think about hitting him up. While you're daydreaming about lt, I can add rcv said they can make custom axle shafts for Tundra inner cv's to Tacoma manual hub outers. $700 or so...

 

May be late with this comment, wanna start doing other TW members as a lil side $$$?

 

Out of context, it sounds like you want to engage in a little prostitution.

 

Yeah I really like my mcm kit. The only thing I think the solo kit has over it is the fabbed spindle. But again once you go that route it doubles the cost.

Not a bad thing. I just couldn't justify it at the time. Uniball lowers will also require more maintenance as will heim steering.

Both though you can't go wrong with!

And yes fat tires plus lt...epic.

 

What do you think about adding their spindles and uniball conversion for $2kish? I think it would work with any lt kit out there. DTF said he's trying to make a 3.5 kit with a uniball lower that of course would probably have to to have a fabbed spindle as well.

 

I saw that too but I didn't get my hopes up...

 

Only way to have a lower unibal is with a fabbed spindle. There isn't room really on a stock one.

Honestly. Not sure I'm for it. The ball joints last longer. And at least with solos kit, the LBJ "assembly" is still help onto the spindle with 4 small bolt upside down. So you still could loose those.

If dft cam up with a better way to do it I'd give it more consideration.

Is it work another 2k? Idk..I've been close to saying fuck it and switching to that setup. But damn it's a lot of money.

Another thing is the beefed up cv's you have to get with solos kit. Which is cool. But with our front diff a recipe for blown diffs.

I'm much more impatient for the 8" clamshell retro fit kit from FROF.

But have a spindle that won't bend is very appealing to me. Just not quite 7k worth..yet

 

Are you saying you're considering the xlt or adding the spindles and uniball conversion?

Like you said there's always the potential for something breaking even if it's the diff or like Josh Cook recently, a bearing. I guess the benefit of a 3.5 kit is you can just have that many more spare cv's with you without spending a ton more money.

 

How often are first gen's bending gusseted spindles though? But let's face it Monte, you need anything that get's rid of the LBJ's on these trucks.