Yukikaze's build and BS: Utility Package AF

Lights are mounted up and wired up, and I'm loving them. The look (while not for everyone) is exactly what I was going for.
And it might not look like much / only be the entry level Baja Designs lights, but holy crap there is copious light delivered!

It's my little take on a throwback to the rally days:


Next steps on the build... sorting out the front suspension, and working on some sort of chase rack setup.

 

Looks great ^

 

Are the sliders for door protection? I also have a 4x2 and facing a dilemma if sliders would be worth the extra $$$ on my truck

 

Door protection, use as steps to get to the bed, jacking point in a pinch, lots of good reasons I have them other than being bashed against rocks, which is unlikely given the direction of my build.
They look mean AF too which helps.

Mine are from Avid offroad, very happy with them. Got them welded on because sick weight savings ( ) and they are local.

 

Christmas came early.

Also I ended up swapping my Pelfrey skid out for a TRD PRO skid, and then in a week I ended up ordering an RCI skid.
I think I might spring for a set of their LCA skids to match in a little while.

 

Swapped out the Falkens for a set of Continental Terrain Contact AT's in the stock 265/70R16 size. Perfect manners on the street without giving up those thick side blocks, and nice chunky center lugs. They are quiet and they balance out like a freaking cloud. One of my wheels took only 1/2 ounce, which for a truck wheel is jaw dropping. Highly recommend for majority street driven setups.


Also swapped on the Enkei RPT's!!! Loving them, although as it stands they are missing 3 things:
- Nice lugs in a titanium/black chrome style
- The Enkei decal on the outer ring
- Center caps


Center caps mainly to hide my shame of flaking paint on the hub covers.

 

Any full pics with the enkeis?

 

Sure thing, got some full pics today.
Had to switch out lugs and the local store did not have a full matching set.

So take a pick between anodized blue (barely shows up):


Or titanium grey:


I dig the titanium side better, so I'm gonna swap out for a good set of non-Dorman lugs that match side to side.

 

RCI Metalworks skids look mean AF even though the rest of the truck is filthy and grimy.

 

Hey dude, great work! I have a real similar Taco to yours (16', SR, 4x2, 2.7L V4). I'm way new to the glorious world of Tacoma but am real fired up to get a super reasonable front lift going.

Wanted to get your opinion on the Toytec spacers - full disclosure, just trying roll with them over upgrading shocks as I am pretty strictly driving on highway and carrying minimal gear in the bed (surfer/snowboarder here) - you have any vibration issues with the lift or smooth sailin'?

Any insight you have will be most appreciated (and please go easy if I sound like a bumbling idiot!).

 

The Toytec spacers actually don't do much of the lifting, to be honest. It's mostly the springs off the TRD Off-Road. It's all because the 4 cylinder (it's a straight 4 by the way, not a V ) and the lack of transfer case and front diff for 4x4 means you're running with a few hundred pounds less weight. Because of that, the springs that are designed to see their normal weight end up pushing you way higher.
I would say only about 1/2" or less was the spacer, and the other inch was the springs.

And at a very modest 1.5" front and .5" rear lift, vibrations are a non-issue.

So what I would recommend is browse the classifieds and see if you can snag a full set of front springs and front/rear shocks from a TRD Off-Road for like $150, then you'll get the lift plus a slightly better shock.

 

Why do I keep doing this...


well... I decided that if I was gonna install the headlight trim pieces from @mesojdm , I may as well go ahead and get the headlight blackout mod done too.




I think it adds a lot to the look of the truck but uhgggghhhh is taking the grille off a pain when you have a rack of baja designs lights blocking your access to getting it off!

 

Im really digging those wheels!

Did you notice any loss of light output after doing the bhlm? That was one of my concerns on doing it to my SR.

 

Subd

 

No output loss in terms of how far the beam goes down the road. The only effect would be less light “spill” if you were standing off to the sides, coming from reflections off the chrome. If anything it’s probably way nicer for approaching drivers!

The low beam is a projector light, and the turn signals and high beams are your regular old school reflectors, all of which you don’t paint over. Those parts are what do the collimating (focusing) of light and give you your “throw” so don’t mess with ‘em!

 

Swapped out the lugs today and added center caps.

I ended up going with just your plain old black gorilla center caps, but the short version because I didn't want them to stick out too far. Fit like a charm.
The lugs are courtesy of 949 Racing, a place I'm familiar with due to my extensive Miata work. Top notch lugs made from 7075 that won't break the bank. Really nice deep 60 degree seats, chamfered edges all around, about the only thing I am gonna say doesn't translate well to truck is the open end.

Moving in the right direction, I'm still not 100% satisfied with the overall look but we're getting there!

 

How did you remove lights

 

Two bolts on top, one bolt on the side (covered by the bumper) and one tab that you gotta push the whole assembly towards the other side of the car to unclip. There's got to be some writeups or youtube videos about it by now.

 

In other news, got weighed in with a CAT scale today:


Considerably lighter than most 3rd gens and pretty well balanced. This is with ~150 lb driver and roughly 3/4 of a tank. IFS and LCA skids are aluminum, plus sliders (welded). I'm basically straddling 4k depending on how full my tank is. Still have some things to add, other things to make lighter. Interestingly enough the adding is going to happen towards the rear axle and the removing will happen towards the front, so the weight balance should move even more neutral!
Overall pretty happy with the numbers though, and it gives me a good starting point to think about spring & shock rates.

Should I start calling this build the 4 buck taco truck?