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

Yeah, this was $950 + gas money (second-hand).

Compared to what 2nd and 3rd gen guys pay for armor RF’s price is not a bad price. Then again, I’ve seen one vendor discontinue all his 1st gen fabrication and bitch in this very thread about us 1st gen owners being cheap, terrible customers so…I don’t know. I think it’s just an ever-reducing market due to lack of demand. Get it while you can.

 

I mean, people don't wanna work in general anymore, and 3rd genners might as well have a habit of flushing Benjamins so...

 

Thanks.

For mine, I just did a good compounding and wax. It cleaned-up nicely. Over the past year or so, I also installed new fender flares, wheels, tires, bumpers, mirrors, lower window rubber strip, headlights, and mud flaps which helps too.

Edit: On my '89, yes it was repainted about 2 years ago. Natural and Super white is fine, but the clear coat never holds up too long on my dark color Toyotas.

 

I've been having a clunking from my right front for a little while now. It has a new oem steering rack, new oem cv axles, new bilstein 5100's with ome 881 springs. Last Saturday I put new poly bushings on the sway bar and new end links. I searched and searched the forums for a solution, came across one last night referring to the sway bar, with a little lift the sway bar can make a clunking noise. So I went out last night, tools and light in hand and removed the sway bar, just to see if that was it, bingo. No more clunking and it drives and actually rides better.

 

So any idea why the sway bar would make a "clunking" noise? Hitting something after the lift? I assume this is on your '98 Taco single cab?

 

Yes, on my 99. From what I read, with 2" of lift, it kinda put the end links in a bind. I've got a sway bar drop kit coming, it drops it down a little from the frame. I may try it, not sure yet. I like how it rides and drives now.

 

Sorry, forgot yours was a '99. I bought these OCD forged end links when I added 2" lift with Kings, but when I tried to install they were too long no matter how I adjusted. I just install new OEM type with poly bushings and they work fine. I haven't heard any "clunking" noise - at least not yet. If anyone needs this set of forged sway bar links, I'd be happy to sell at a big discount (I'll take a pic and post later on the BST).

 

I wonder if this is what's causing the rattle sound that I've had on my 1996 Taco ever since the lift / extensive suspension overhaul I did in November. Thus far, I can't seem to find the cause. My symptom is a rattle at lower speeds only. Does this sound familiar?

 

Purely coincidental but I've seen lots of tacos with rocks in their catalytic converter shields

 

It's possible, but mine wasn't a rattle. Undo the end links, zip tie them up and out of the way of anything and drive it, if the noise goes away, then you'll know.

 

The sway bars make a popping sounds at time when lifted. Usually dead bushings and endlinks. But most the time if you have a lift, just remove the sway bar. It'll ride a lot better anyways. Especially offroad. It'll take like a day to get used to the change in handling, which seems worse than it is at first, but really isn't.

 

Totally agree. It rides and drives so much better without it.

 

Yeah, I’ve had a couple 4Runners where some of the cat. shield mounts rusted off and those things rattled like crazy. Thanks Toyota for taking the cheap way out! Some stainless hardware did the trick though.

 

Dang it! Guess I have to try now.

 

Good thing about it, it's a quick job to do and undo, in case you're not a fan.

 

Will limiting straps and bump stops be more important with the sway bar removed

 

I had a popping that i was sure was my sway bar, took the sway bar off and no change in noises. Now im at a loss lol

 

Ball joints maybe? Cv axles? Steering rack? All possibilities.

 

That's very possible, especially if you take it offroad we're alot of flex is possible.

 

This is where I get confused. Ball joints are new, tie rods new, new rack, new CV (driver is oem, pass is napa) but also manual hubs unlocked, brakes are new

My only thought is front diff bushings