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

A single bent/folded piece that gets welded on makes sense to me. Also, to really do it right, there needs to be a reinforcement strap that runs down the backside (the engine side) too. The TC kit definitely complicates things.

For a while, I thought @eimkeith was considering making something like this. But I could be wrong about that.

 

Wanted to make something very similar to Blackdawg's but one piece but I no longer have access to a CAD program. Had the idea to test fit one on my truck and possibly sell a few here.

The TC kit defiantly made things harder to install the UCA. Had to pry the Inner ends of my UCA to get that 1mm clearance to fit. Used the coil bucket as a pry point and saw the thing flex.

 

My passenger side coil bucket failed at 195K.

A full failure of the coil bucket has the potential totaling out the truck, even if it is only your truck that is effected when it happens. This is because of what it takes to fix it. A tremendous amount of effort and expense.

I sure wish that I had had the benefit of seeing the catastrophe coming like you have now.

 

Where's the projector lenses?

 

I have some cardboard pieces haha but I had to tweak the plate more.

Nope. For the hellas.

 

Worth a shot.

I've got no issues at the moment, but was thinking I might figure something out and sell them here for a bit more than the cost of material and shipping. Basically produce something like these as a training project, not a profit thing.

 

Let me know. I'd have some insight on it. If I had a bit more time to relearn CAD id do it myself. But no time for anything anymore hahaha

One thing that would be tricky overall is that none of the sides are the same I found. Each one was slightly different front to back.

 

Will do. Time is my issue as well, I can draw it no problem, but got a ton of other stuff for myself and others waiting at the moment.

That will be annoying.

 

Interesting. That's why there's a secondary insulator around those wires, huh? Glad I'd sent an email about extensions before just cutting and soldering in my own, hahahahaha. Still might end up going that route - the wiring (gauge) looks simple enough now that I know about the insulation.

 

Yeah I made my own. But learned the hard way. Nothing bad will happen your lights just won't fire. When you first turn them on it takes a lot of voltage to get the HID going. I figured it out by turning out all the lights and watching little lighting happen on my bed rack A whole roll of E tape latter and all was well.

 

Yeah, little things can turn into big things in a hurry sometimes. I ordered the plate from @eimkeith so I'll go from there. The pix from your's are pretty spectacular, it looks like it hammered the shit out of itself. I pretty much drive like an old lady but still, there is a crack
I've been driving junkass trucks for a long time so I pretty much look at them expecting some shit lurking in the shadow's. This is only the second one that has made it over 200,000 miles.
This was the first, still my favorite but I got tired of riding a tank

 

that thing's rad. Curious on what's going on with the backhalf of it. Ramp for loading ATVs or something? Work truck?

 

Poof

























Like magic

 

If you guys want side plates as an add-on option, let me know - I just happen to have my frame/strut tower chunk on the table next to my desk right now..

 

I'd take another set for the other truck. So...yes! Plus I know of at least 2-4 people that would be down for that.

 

Yes, and a good way to mechanically tie them to your top plate, I mean I can weld it. But if it was a bent part that would be amazing.

 

Yes I would def buy a set.
Would be even better if there was a way to tie it into the top hat reinforcement that you make. like what @Speedytech7 said.

There was a guy in this thread that made a top-hat & side reinforcement plate that was all one bent piece.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-what-cracks-next.631359/page-2#post-21685153

Edit: found it

 

I made my the top plate extend rearward for cantilever strength, plus I still believe that if you're properly bumped and strapped you don't need to put a suit of armor on the tower. :shrug:
- but if there's interest, I can make wings on the shear planes as well.

What you *might* be thinking of is the extended tower top I'm working on? (to run longer shocks for more travel)

One issue with making a single bent piece to add sides to the top plate is the radius around the top of the tower - hard to match that at the bend shop; much easier to use a little heat and tap a reinforcement over to match the curve. Also, doing sides may/may not involve pulling the UCA, depending on how you approach those shapes.

Regardless, if you guys want it, let me know - I'm committed to the 1st gen Tacoma/3rd gen 4Runner platform above all others, so I'll make time for that stuff, always.

 

I agree with you on the bumped and strapped part for most folks. I'm gonna be working with long travel and the inward angle of the shock makes me want the sides so the shock can't push the bucket toward the engine as easily.

 

give me an hour or so wifetime (just got home) and I'll come back with some thoughts (pros/cons) on this