My mild Tacoma build and why I don't have money to buy you dinner; by rnish

One of the small rear weld nuts to which the IFS skid plate bolts, got knocked loose. Thought about getting another welded in or trying a nutsert. However, found this threaded handle on McMaster-Carr. Added a 3/8 inch 16 grade 8 bolt. The skid is now bolted solid.

 

New tires this week. Cooper ST Maxx 255/80-17's. Got a good deal on 4Runner takeoffs. Wire wheeled and repainted them last year. Just got around to buying new tires.

Notes:

• The spare is leaning against the tail pipe. I have to craw under there and decide what to do. Update: Cut the tail pipe after the rear axle. Beat the spare tire centering prongs halfway down so the 255/80 tire now fits.

• There was some rubbing at full lock. Removed both the small chin flap and the main mudflap on the front tires. Rubbing appears to be gone.

• New lugs nuts Toyota PN#
  $23 PT076-60200-02 Toyota Genuine 4Runner FJ Cruiser Tacoma Black PVD Wheel Lug Nuts (6 Pack) PT076-60200-02
  PT076-60200-02

 

Truck looks great rnish! I really like those Runner wheels on the 2nd gen. Do they have the same specs as the stock Sporties?

 

Thanks. I think stock Sport are 17 x 7.5” the 4Runner are 17 x 7”

 

What was your reason to go with a 255 spec tire over a 265?

Looking great btw and also love your follow ups and updates to specific line items. Makes for easy tracking to not have to go searching through all comments to find them.

Thanks.

 

I’m making the truck less daily driver and more play toy. So I went less street tire and more off road tire. The Cooper 265/70 ATW’s, came off and the Cooper ST/Maxx 255/80-17’s went on. Burying the lead, the 255/80’s are the largest diameter tires that will fit without cutting metal (CabMountChop).

 

Winter of 2020, Spring 2021

Old skids removed and sold. New Mobtown skids and new TrailToys UHMW gas tank skid installed.

Old warped skids



I contracted Tony to enhance some of the welds.



New Mobtown IFS, Mid (transmission) and transfer case skid installed.



New TrailToy UHMW gas tank skid installed.

 

Reupholstering the front seats is the summers Tacoma project. Started 7/17/2021, seats installed 7/22/2021, final electrical 7/23/2021.

Got a good deal on a set of new old stock Katzkin leather seat covers. Decided to add seat heaters. First bought “Dorman” seat heaters, because they were cheap. Sent them back, because they were cheap. Eventually went with Clazzio.com seat heaters. I like the controls, Clazzio said it would fit a 3rd gen escutcheon. Tryed it in a 2nd gen and it fits.

Since I had to strip the cloth covers I also replaced the driver seat foam. The driver seat was noticeably softer than the passenger seat. Considered refurbishing the old seat pad. Decided to replace the pad. There is no aftermarket pad option, replaced with a Toyota OEM seat pad ($$).

Passenger seat removed.



Headrests being recovered.



Removed the OEM cloth seat cover. Note: There was a post on TW saying that the seat cover had to be cut off. Thus the OEM cover was not reusable. In my case, totally erroneous, the OEM covers can be removed without destroying them. Cut the hog rings, not the OEM seats.



Seat heaters added



Seat back and seat covered (Katzkin)



Seat with headrest "ports" cut in. The leather is slightly wrinkled and the vinyl droops. The all knowing internet says install the seats and the natural summer vehicle heat will shrink fit the covers to the seats.



Seat heater control installed (Clazzio.com)

 

I just recently bought a 2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport, love this thread

 

whoa! what does it look like? You got one from the future?

 

I apologize,darn autocorrect correct.....2015 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport

 

Nice truck!! This is random but when you installed your read ome leafs, did you use stock shackle or did you get one from dobinsons or somewhere? Im installing ome dakars and fox 2.0's this weekend and just trying to cover all the bases.

 

Went with new Toyota shackles. I didn’t want to rehabilitate the original shackles. Got the new shackles without the OEM bushing. Installed all new poly bushings. There can be clearance issues with after market shackles and OME leaf springs. I did not want to trim the leaf spring (ends).

 

Love the Roof Rack!

Ed

 

StopTech 6 Piston Big Brake Kit (BBK) installation (Oct 28, 2021). Admittedly I went off the reservation on this one ($$$).

StopTech Rotors - 340mm x 32mm, OEM 320mm x 28mm (26mm minimum)

126.44174SR (slotted right)
126.44174SL (slotted left)
​

Hawk Ceramic Pads - HB122 Z.710

StopTech SS Brake Line Kit - 950.44006 (+3)


On the last outing my brakes were noticeably fading on the longer technical trails. Time to up grade the brakes. The installation is too new to give an opinion other that they are shiny. Lessons learned: Start with the 3 pound hammer to get the old rotors off.


OEM Brakes @ 60,000 miles and 7 years. The pads were replaced & the rotors were resurfaced @30K.



OEM Rotors vs StopTech BBK



OEM 4 Piston Calipers vs StopTech 6 Piston BBK



OEM Pads vs Hawk Ceramic



StopTech BBK Installed



Order Page and coupon (taco-gb)
Quick delivery. Ordered Oct 21, arrived in 2 shipment's (Calipers, pads, hoses Oct 25 & Rotors Oct 26).

NEW 6 PISTON FRONT BIG BRAKE KIT fits Toyota/ Lexus TRUCK & SUV

 

Installed Overland Custom Design sway bar end links (Oct 30, 2021).

I bought end links 2 years ago in a group buy. Since the truck was up on jack stands, I decided now was a good time to replaced the sway bar end links.

For considerably less Moog makes grease-able end links. Not as beefy as the Overland Custom Design but more stout than OEM.

$29 Moog K80948 Suspension Stabilizer Bar Link for Toyota Tacoma

Moog K80948 (Left)

$26 Moog K80946 Suspension Stabilizer Bar Link for Toyota Tacoma

Moog K80946 (Right)​

OEM Sway Bar End Links



Beauty Picture of new brakes caliper, rotor, hose, and sway bar end link.

 

Black Friday 2021 purchases have arrived. Ordered from Headstrong and Camburg, 11/26/2021, arrived 12/8/2021. Still waiting on bump stops and bolts from Wheelers. Order placed 11/24/2021, no shipping as of 12/09/2021.

• King 2.5" Coilover w/ Reservoir AND Compression Adjusters for 05+ Toyota Tacoma - 600 lb coil spring - EXTENDED. (25001-119A-EXT).

• Camburg Toyota Tacoma Pre/4wd 05-21 Performance X-Joint Upper Arm Kit

Un-boxing King Coilovers a Camburg UCA



Stock Preload (~2” lift)



Preloaded, +5 turns Driver, +4 Passenger (~3” lift, with drup hope to get 2.5 - 2.75”)



With spring compressor



To be installed when the weather turns sunny and 60.

 

Very cool build thread. Liking those shocks

 

King installation finished (6/16/2022). Truth in advertising. The truck has been on jack stands for a few weeks. The actual coilover and UCA removal and installation went fast (enough).

Issues:

Rust, A lot of time went into chasing the rust.

Issue with the King remote reservoir mount. It interfered with the original aftermarket frame bumper end mount reinforcement. I’m not the first one to have this issue. Some people notch the King mount. I ordered new reinforcements from BAMF. They bolt on to the frame differently (closer to the winch mount).

Issue with the BAMF reinforcement. It did not want to play with US Offroad winch mount. I had to cut about 3/8 inch off (the BAMF) to make it fit.


Original setup.



Cut out the OEM UCA. The bolt ate 3 "budget" blades. Ended up purchasing "Swiss steel" blades. Cut right through the UCA bolts.



Everything out (Coilovers, UCA's & sway bar).



Chasing rust.



Trimming BAMF bumper mount reinforcement and installed.



Kings & Camburg UCA installed.

 

great build thread. seems well thought out. great pics.