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

Just curious, what numbers does your truck need? That is correct that they won't do custom alignments but if it's within factory spec they'll do it. Max is 3.3° for caster for stock spec. Even with aftermarket UCAs now, as long as I have over 2.8° I don't get rubbing with 285s on the street, maybe once in a while if I'm reversing out of a steep driveway or something but very slight. No cab mount chop or even liner cutting. With stock UCAs had no rubbing at all (excet for offroading of course)

I just got the Firestone lifetime a couple of months ago & the one I go to always do a great job, going back on Monday for my 3rd alignment. Used to go to Sears before but now they suck.

I always avoided Firestone's cause they won't give you the lifetime if you have modified suspension but really it depends on the store, don't think it's actually their policy. My truck has aftermarket coilovers & UCAs listed in my account. I got fed up with Sears, never had a problem when I had stock UCAs, the techs they have at my local Sears don't know what they are doing. Told me my caster was maxed out at 1.3°

 

That's odd...the one I bought the lifetime deal from gladly sold it to me even though I had 5100s/881s and SPC UCAs at the time. I'll have to dig out the print outs but I've always had rubbing issues even with my 32s on the pinch weld. I suspect the aftermarket wheels are to blame but I don't know what they are (PO had them put on).

Which Firestone do you go to? You're not terribly far from me...the one I hear most guys go to in LA is the one in Downey...apparently they have a couple techs working there that have lifted Jeeps and know how to work with lifted vehicles. Seems like it's hit or miss depending on which location you go to.

 

Good times

 

One of the best things I ever did when I was younger. There's always something to do in Chico

 

Might as well diy then..

 

@eon_blue I read over the carrier bearing write-up, and whadya know? The author had the exact same issue as me.
"Slight popping at high gear-low RPM situations" that's me exactly. Mainly around 2k RPM and 60 mph. So glad Ive figured this issue out thats been bugging me for months. This job seems intimidating. Is it really though? Id like to do my U-Joints at the same time since I'll have the driveshaft out, are they particularly difficult?

As for parts, would Spicer U-Joints and a Spicer bearing suffice? I remember reading that Spicer was the OEM mfg for driveline components on these trucks. Is that correct? I also need a stake nut too right? Anything else? I'm gonna wait until later this fall/winter to tackle this when its cooler out.
Edit: and the transmission mount, is it necessary to replace it? I have a 5 speed by the way.

 

Ive not had any issues with their alignments yet, i have 3 different Firestone shops to pick from if I did anyways

 

Ah yes, wheel backspace is important too, wasn't thinking. With 32s I had 3.75 bs, with 33s I run 4.0 bs, 16x8 wheels. No rubbing on the pinch weld.

Yeah location is everything. I go to the one in Granada Hills. The store manager is really cool & used to be a tech so he knows what he's talking about. His name is Larry & is the one I usually deal with. Another younger guy that works at the counter is cool too, he said he has a Frontier or something, I foget, but he goes wheeling too. His name is Matt.

I never thought I would ever go to a Firestone but with my experience at this location I've been happy. Have had 2 alignments within 2 months & supposed to get my 3rd on Mon (I keep making changes). No hassle even thought Firestone's policy is 6 mo or 6K mi but again depends on the location.

 

Yay, I have 4wd again!

 

Man I shouldn’t have wasted my money on my ARB bumper

And the other pics of the truck looked as beat up as the hood.

 

That poor Tacoma, looks like something Hannibal Lector would do if he joined TW.

“I ate it’s sway bar with a side of Fava beans and a nice Chianti..ffffffffff”

 

Well I hit 270k today and just after I crossed that mark the truck decided to drop voltage for a solid 20 minutes then return to normal... A few months ago it was spiking and now it is dropping... Going to check all the connections tomorrow and go from there.

 

Ok so to cycle a leaf pack I just disassemble it to the main leaf, jack up the axle until bump, take measurements, jack the frame up till full droop, take another, correct? And Ive heard doing inward pointing shocks for the relocate gives a lot of body roll so rear facing parallel would be better right?

 

Got things hooked up and have it a test

https://youtu.be/wMlAn2wce3M

 

In the process of a Mad Max build?

 

I just got a a lifetime at firestone today. Feels way better than she did

 

Correct on cycling the suspension but you also need to add a spacer between the main leaf and spring perch to account for how thick the leaf pack is.

Inward (/\) mounted shocks will have more body roll and a harsher ride but may give more flex. Most shocks are meant for a 1:1 ratio so straight up and down is best but most will have to angle them in order to fit. So angled foward or back would be best.

 

Parallel is best. You can fit a 10" shock pretty close to parallel or parallel with a 1" body lift. Kings have a 1.1" shorter top cap and a 1" shorter welded rod end so 2.1" shorter than there general spec.

 

That would be nice. Alignments are 150ish here and there’s no such thing as a lifetime warranty.

 

Damn that sucks.