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

Anything is possible... 57 Chevy Sonoma

 

I need new ones too. I’m tired of them looking so sun faded. The truck looks so much better when I put stuff on them to “restore” them but it only lasts a week or so.

 

That's the thing. I don't know what my preferences are here. That's why I was hoping to pick someone's brain that has done them.

Not committed to 63s by any means, just think they are an interesting idea. I will 100% be upgrading my rear suspension (now that 4x4 swap is complete, it's coming up but probably be after some armor and a high clear swing out).

Definite items for the rear suspension will include:
- Ubolt flip
- Shock relocation. Not sure exactly but leaning behind axle, just inside leaf |-o-| straight up and down.
- Superbumps.
- And probably 2.0 with resi. (I'm going to do a 1 inch body lift so I can get the xmember for the upper shock mounts up higher without going in to the bed, and hope I can fit 12 inch shocks)

 

If you buy a new one from Toyota it comes unpainted at $400....if you want, they'll paint it for you but that's probably another $400 lol. I asked when I inquired about a new one.

I just bought a $60 aftermarket one on fleabay, unpainted and primed...and bought a couple cans of OEM paint and clear coat. Gonna give it a go myself.

Don't expect it to look perfect but as long as it looks decent I'll be happy

 

I think he’s talking flare, could be wrong though

 

I have 63's, they're not hard to do at all if you are a decent welder/fabricator. Around $200 out the door, and you could shave 60 or 70 off that if you can make your own brackets, leaf perches, etc.
They ride great, handle a shit load of weight, flex awesome, and are cheap and easy to tune by adding/subtracting different length leafs, of which every junkyard in the country has plenty.

You're not fitting 12" shocks vertically unless you go outside the frame rails or go through the bed. Maaaaybe 11" short body shocks if you lean them back a bit.

 

oooh that makes sense, thought he meant his actual fenders were sun faded

 

Maybe I used the wrong choice of words. I realize they will have to lean back a bit. When I say |-o-| it is meaning opposed to
\-o-/ or /-o-\

How it the axle wrap with Chevy 63s? That's one of the other questions I had. Pretty sure that question would apply to any other leaf I do, if I go both shocks behind axle.

 

12" shocks would have to lean back a lot, it would be just as bad as leaning them in. I have 12" fox shocks, they're leaned in pretty good, but I don't do go-fast stuff very much so it's not a big deal.

Axle wrap is non-existant. The Chevy leafs are way bigger and thicker than Toyota leafs, and they don't move at all.

I would recommend getting a 4 or 5 leaf pack from a 3/4 ton truck, as I recall it was right around the turn of the century are the ones you want. Older ones have less, but thicker leafs, and they don't flex as well.

 

Ok, see this is good!

Obviously I'd have to make final measurements after I get things set up under there, before I go buy shocks. But it sounds like I'd be looking more toward 10inch shocks than 12 (if I'm following you correctly)

I'm not looking to do go fast stuff offroad, but t I would be looking for a good, stable, highway speed setup.

 

Yeah definitely wait to order shocks until you've got all your measurements done. See discussion in @turbodb 's excellent post about shock measuring:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ment-for-maximizing-shock-utilization.583280/

You can get 11" shocks from some manufacturer's, if you really want to optimize you can get short body shocks with welded rod ends, etc., to really stuff them in there.

 

Truck idles much better with the new front o2 sensor.

Just waiting on @Ace115 to get here to start our wheeling trip.

 

Truck says 36!

 

Chevy 63s are definitley a great budget upgrade. I'm in my setup for under $300, which includes the kit (RuffStuffSpecialties) U bolt flip, shock mounts, leaf springs (Junkyard pick-n-pull for $30), shackles, just not the shocks. Whats nice is with the Chevy 63s you can set the lift/ride height/shackle angle all as you see fit and all the while locating your rear axle centered in the wheel well without shims.

Project: DBL BLK ◇ by ToyRyd

 

Hah, Funny i did the same mod. Just achieved it in a less cool way.

 

No, i sheared all 4, Simultaneously too... Was a loud "POP POP POP POP" and down goes the truck.

 

I am too, looks like cheese grade fasteners, but even those should hold up

 

Never go full ugga dugga. Just ugga.

 

Replaced them with 10.9 bolts.
was a fun Sunday afternoon.
Getting the truck off the trailer was the most challenging part

 

Reason for this is, IIRC, they are hazmat. They contain an explosive charge in the locking assembly.

I am going to send mine in to be rebuilt. Of course, I'll have to have another vehicle to drive while it's out.