So you push your 1st gen offroad - what cracks next?

Did your ADS have the top-out bushing?

 

Have you all cycled your suspension with shocks in, no spring, to see if the bump stops are set right? I'm curious to know if there's additional stress caused by bottoming the shock out, coil bind, or if it's due to repetative harsh top out. Most of the pictures I'm seeing are with the coil bucket bulging up, making me think it's from bottom out not extension.

Regardless, I'm becoming more of a fan of limit straps, even on an MT setup.

 

FWIW Mike when I did all my cycling testing, I noticed the outer CV will rub the LCA before the CV binds (and this was the only binding force I dealt with at full droop) with my setup (delta joints). I think you should be fine not binding if those Kings are shorter than ADS'.

This is kinda how I am feeling as well. I feel the only solution here is beef whether that be a crossover bar like Brett wants to make (or already made, can't remember or maybe I am thinking of @austinmtb ), a extra strap of metal that goes down the bucket like @Rockymtntacoma, or an extra shock mount/support like this TC one:

https://www.chaosfab.com/accessories/1996-2004-Tacoma-Dual-Shock-Hoop-Kit-96602

Basically anything that puts any additional downward rigidity on the coil bucket.

 

@cynicalrider here's the one I built.

I also thought about building a support tube coming off of the frame similar to the TC shock hoop like you mentioned. That or doing a full U shaped tube that wraps entirely over the coil bucket and ties into the frame on each side of it.

 

@OG_BajaTaco You've put in a lot of travels in your 1998 Taco TRD... Have any stories to add to this thread about things breaking?

 

Nice water heater, I’m not quite as rough on my rig, but to each their own. Seems like a lot of the stuff that breaks on these rigs is likely due to the time and money many are spending at the edge of the operational envelope of the platform.
I wheeled a fair bit in high school with my old Willy’s CJ2A and had a quite few things break.
Bottom line, I guess is at a certain point it could be necessary to go all in and reinforce all the areas of damage as you learn them-via personal experience and from the forums, if you wish to continue going where you want to go there and deal with the carnage. In that regard off reading hasn’t changed that much.

Everything has limitations, and as versatile as the Tacoma platform is, for off-roading heavy duty style I like my 85’ just expect the trip to take longer, when I hit a spot that I can’t get past, then out comes the MTB!
The main thing is getting out there!

 

Subbed for the carnage.

 

Man you guys wheel your shit hard, I like it.
Just curious though, what type of wheeling are you doing?
Are you mostly doing mountain style 4wd tracks or more desert running? I wouldn’t expect that much damage from mountain tracks but honestly not sure, Ive seen some crazy vids of people going hard on the dunes

 

Both. Not so much dunes but lots of high speed stuff getting from one place to the other in high desert terrain. Then bouncing through technical rocky terrain. I'm pretty sure it's the speed that is the culprit though. Lots of vibrations happening then.

 

Speed and frequency of wheeling certainly play a large role in it, but I think weight has a lot to do with it too.


BTW - here's what the front mounts looked like on my bed, after finally pulling it to fix properly.

 

I just wanted to update this that my passenger side coil bucket was cracking a bit at the inner ring by the outer most bolt on my LT truck. I forgot to take a photo though..

So I think something is weird with the overall geometry of the trucks.

 

Didn't you have the top hat already reinforced? It still cracked?

 

No I didn't. I had parts to make a cross brace but never had time to finish it.

 

I cracked. I don't wanna work on my Tacoma any more

 

Same

 

Just discovered a crack on the axle housing at the spring perch...

 

I feel your pain. That sucks man!

I keep wondering at what point is it worth it to keep fixing things.

I really think lighter, simpler build for overlanding - SAS and 37s for actual wheeling. I'm about done with this do it all approach. Just wish I figured that out a little sooner and where I was a little less invested in my current setup.

#liveandlearn

 

I'm not sure where to go lighter. Finding the urge to slow down is what I think I need. Not sure if I want to fix it and put a strap under the perch like the T100 has or just find a new housing and start considering them disposable.

 

Drive fast and change axles like it's your underwear

 

Just get a 9" and be done. Or diamond housing.