MARYLAND TACOMAS

Im planning on setting up something with @dave5623 next month. Maybe we can set up a few people for him in/around Towson...

 

Finished stage 1 of first floor facelift... wife is happy now that the room is finished-

 

No sure.

 

ECGS!
Ok my Maryland mechanics… I’ve got an Eibach 2.0 coil over kit, Camburg UCA’s, and the infamous ECGS bushing. I have no worries about doing the lift myself… but the bushing is different story. I’m basically asking if anyone local has the removal and installation tools, but more importantly… done the replacement before? How about the CV boot slide? Anyone done this either?? To keep the angle of the axle from causing the boot fins to prematurely wear out… I’m hoping to get between 2.5-3” of lift in the front, so this is a concern.

I’m in the Westminster area, about 40min north of Baltimore. Still waiting on a couple miscellaneous pieces from kit that were on back order. But will be needing to get this all slapped on shortly. Any insight, info would be great!

Thanks all, Mike

 

@RobP62 has the removal tool. To put it in you can use pvc or something similar. It took me longer to get the cv axle out than to swap the bushing. I used a pry bar and started with a rubber mallet. Once I swapped to a normal 5lb hammer, it popped out. I did not remove the axle nut from the hub. I dropped the lca and slightly moved the hub so the cv can pop out the other side. Not much room to work that way and was really annoying. Took me about 2 hours and most of that was screwing with getting the cv in and out. You might also want to think about having fluid to top off the diff once your done. Mine was about .7 qt (I think) low.
At about 2.5” your lift should not be high enough that the boot fins rub. Mine was at about 3” and rubbed. I was going to slide the boots but decided to lower the fronts for a better ride and am not pretty happy.

 

Hey Mike, no problem borrowing my bearing puller. I also have a seal puller and a bearing & race kit. No slide hammer. I hear the 8 lb slide hammer is the ticket though. When my friends did mine on my previous Tacoma which included new UCAs, getting the axle out was probably the toughest part. They also pulled the bolt for the UCAs out through the top of the inside of the fender. They had to ben the sheet metal with a pair of vice grips that had a flat duck bill type of jaw. I think these are commonly used for HVAC sheet metal work. They removed everything in the way to pull that bolt out the top but it also made it a lot easier to put it back in. So basically two people. One to tap on the bolt and the other to align things. They also used a long steel punch and as the bolt went in, the punch came out. This helps keep the bushings and washers aligned. Bungee cords will help hold the calipers out of the way. Use caution because it's easy to break the wiring for the antilock brake controller. I also have a hand pump that you can use that fits in the quart of fluid. You'll need to buy some clear tube to go over the nozzle. This allows you to pump the replacement axle fluid back in. Since I did mine later rather than sooner after buying the truck, I replaced it all.

If you remove the axle nut, you'll need a serious torque wrench to put it back on. I can loan you that too. I forget the nut size but I have the socket too.

I have everything but the slide hammer.

@rnish did his recently too. He's a wiz and did it himself. Between him and Eric they should be able to provide any other information. I'm good at standing around, getting beers, or cooking on the grill. Mostly I get in the way

"Slide the boots" "lower the fronts" ????? What's that mean Eric?

 

I just need to stop spending my money on hookers and blow.

 

Great job!

 

Sliding the cv boot out by like 1/4” to make the fins not touch. Gotta remove the boot clamp for that.

I adjusted my front coils, lowering my lift about 1/2” or so. That got me in the sweet spot for cv fins not rubbing, lift height and ride quality.

 

Thanks!

I’ve been pushing a tune off since January, wife said that she needed ideas for my Father’s Day gift... KDmax here I come lol

 

No cool.

 

I don't know about the ECGS Bushing, but I do know about boot stretch

So normally the boot sits in this groove here in the first pic. For the stretch, you pull it past the groove and clamp it like on the second one.



Then I used aworm drive CV clamps to clamp it in the stretched position. They're slightly different from regular Home Depot Hose clamps, because the edges are rounded and band is narrower to fit the toyota boot. A bit pricy for what they are, but I used these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Set-of-8-Toyota-4Runner-CV-Axle-Repair-Clamps-Kit-Leaking-Boots-after-Lift-Kit/254198901505?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT. Make sure to really tighten them down in the stretched position, as the groove helps to keep them in place and sealed, and we are no longer utilizing the groove with the stretch


And here is a stretched boot vs a non stretched boot. Mines not lifted atm, and stock 4th gen 4runner CV angles are actually negative, so no the best comparison. but can see how it spaces the ribs out



Another upgrade is the 5th gen 4runner boots, which have stronger plastic inner boots and more pointed ribs. 4th gen 4runner and 2nd gen tacoma boots are rubber and more bulby/rounded, which makes them more likely to contact each other. Not my pics, but some a few guys sent on my writeup on t4r of 5th gen boot comparison pics

 

Hey, I've got the removal tool and seal remover also, along with a pry bar with a flat face that I used to pop the shaft out. I'm in Hampstead if you would like to use them.

Mike

 

Morning MD Crew, i’m headed to Frederick each morning for the next 3 days to do training for my new job. If you see me out or on the road, don’t be a stranger

 

Good Morning Everyone

 

Morning MD

 

Rolled with this kat for about 25 miles, Colorado has some clean yotas.

 

I had the misfortune of rollin on 70 with this kat yesterday for a bit.

 

My lifted & bobbed 85 Hilux came from Golden, Colorado. It was clean, no rust anywhere. I was young & dumb I let the road salt eat the frame, man I miss that little truck. That's why now I drive a already rusty cheap winter beater during the winter months when the roads are salty.