Lowered Taco? LETS SEE 'EM!

Welcome to Tacoma World! Officially at least, since you been around a while already!

I think it looks good with both sets, any wider shots of the G35 wheels on the truck?

 

Hmmm… I’m running the G35 wheels w/ 235 & 245/50-19’s, I only dropped our reg. cab about 2 1/4 & 3 1/4 and I have the factory frame bump stop brackets removed waiting for my fabricator to cut & weld in the DJM notches.
I thought owners in HI were not allowed to notch?
I feel like larger tires fill in the fender well giving the appearance of looking lower, but that’s just me. Also how did you find G35 front 19 x 8 wheels that weren’t bent? The rear 19 x 8.5 were easier. I can’t even remember how many local sets I looked at to find some that weren’t bent. I just ended up sending emails to sellers on eBay asking if the wheels we’re straight / not bent? They all told me they were good, so the first thing I did after a wheel was delivered was go straight to the tire shop to have the wheels mounted on a spin balance machine with camera to video. Every one was bent so a few said just keep the wheel and we will refund. I then had them repaired and refinished, 5 sets of wheels to get 4 good wheels…

 

Luckily I live on a different island with no recon inspection. I use to work as a tow truck driver. My friend was scraping his G35, he pulled the whole drivetrain into his Infiniti suv. I got the wheels for the price if the tow ($100) with brand new tires. They are curbed but don't seem bent truck drives fine with them. Dang 50 series seems kinda thick. I don't want to fill up my wheel well with tire or go to 20s.

 

Ill try to take some today.

 

Here are some pics of my previous tacoma. I bought this off a guy who rolled it on its side. It was a 5spd and had the DJM kit on it. I drove it for a bit until i found the white truck. Sadly the white truck is auto. But i riped out the sub, DJM kit, manual transmission and parts needed to trans swap my white truck if i decide to do a motor swap and manual conversion. Ended up parting out the truck and getting my money back . I was running 350z anniversary wheels on it they somebody painted a horrible color. I lowkey muss this truck because I didn't care if somebody banged it and drove the shit outta it because it was a beater but AC blew cold. My GF hated it cuz it look like trash and the colors were horrible

 

Ya the green truck wasn't pretty. But i got a free DJM drop kit. (Arms and notch) and manual transmission, pedals etc out of it. And got to use it until i found my white truck so not bad. I forgot to take pics of my white truck with the G35 wheels. Maybe tomorrow.

 

May I ask what condition was the frame in where the notches were bolted in? From what I hear bolting them in sometimes causes the frame to crack where the frame is cut.
I’m having mine welded in!

 

It was fine. I know our frames had a recall for rusting, I'm sure that doesn't help either.
But i did have the shop weld them into the white truck to be safe.

 

@BananaMan knows

 

Yeah, although I can't say mine cracked purely because it was bolted. It got lowered to the point it rode on the bump stops, and on roads that are very unforgiving. Also whoever cut the frame did a pretty poor job. It's all fixed now though thankfully.

 

Your frame was cracking? I thought it was the djm notch plates that cracked. I’m probably not gonna weld but I do want to upgrade the bolts. I spoke with another lowered Tacoma owner and he didn’t do the frame notch, not sure how it rides, but I see him hauling furniture for local donation place

 

My plates both broke in multiple places, and the frame cracked almost all the way through on both sides.

 

Oh ok but you got it fixed up

 

Yep, I'll find the pictures in a bit and post them up. I did a post/write up of it when I did it, but I forget where it was now.

 

@BananaMan,
Yeah but you’re not the only one that I heard of the frame cracking. It most likely happens where the frame is cut and has a sharp right angle. Many times this is a point where a stress crack can and will start. It’s best to try to round off any cuts as much as possible. The cutout/s where the bump stop screws in & where the angle changes are going to be trouble spots. It’s best to drill a hole, then cut to the hole.
But it’s always going to be much stronger to have a Good Welder / Fabricator welded them in Solid!

@nightcrawler,
Sorry to say this but have the notches fully welded in it will be much stronger and safer!!!…

I took my notches to a powdercoat stripper and then purchased a can of “weldable primer” the stuff not cheap and fully covered the notches and frame where the factory bumpstop mounts were removed from the frame (What a pain in the the @$$!) My welder / fabricator said if I removed the stops that would save me half the price, now I see why‼️ You would think after using a thin cutoff wheel on the rivets the mount/s would come off easily. Hell NO they then needed to be Hammer / Pried / Ripped & Forced OFF‼️ I broke a chisel trying to get the Damn mounts off.
Cutting the four rivets off was nothing and took me less then 20 minutes, the only one I was very nervous about was the one next to the plastic gas tank as the cut off wheel was within 3/4”! One slip and I would have needed a new tank if I wasn’t burned alive (I was thinking what a piece of cake). Now the fun stated, Jesus Christ what a pain in the @$$‼️

When I do this next time I’m getting ear plugs and renting a pneumatic air hammer!

 

@nightcrawler @Hayrider @ohcaltexscar
The frame cracks were stop drilled, beveled, tig welded, primed, and painted. The reinforcement plates were ground back to flat metal, then tig welded, and primed/painted. New grade 8 hardware to reattach it all. With how poorly the frame had been cut previously, we didn't bother welding the plates to the frame. Also considering I use the truck for race duty only now, and I check the plates/frame every other event.

 

Sir, Thanks so much for documenting this! PM sent.
As I stated the crack/s started at the sharp right angles. The turns should be drilled with a larger drill then use a cutoff wheel to cut to the round hole.
I may have my fabricator weld the back side of the the notches now that I see they crack at the weld.

 

I remember this, heck of a repair.