2000 TRD OFFROAD MT (Black Betty aka Black Hole aka Tamiya Bruiser II) Rebuild Thread

You can't have your cake and eat it.

What's your end goal here?

Because these trucks, truly are very capable.

People are so easily influenced nowadays and have come to believe that unless they have a winch, huge tires, tons of armor, and fancy lights that they can't go off-roading.

It's a common idea not just in the Jeep world, but in every off-road community.

With that said, if your goal is just to get a 'big truck look'...have at it and you'll have others chime in with suggestions. But if it were my truck? I'd max out at 33's or so, and definitely getting rid of that drop bracket kit.

I'd lower it plenty and wouldn't go more than 2" over stock height.

 

Looks like you have a broken leaf in the second leaf spring pic. Third leaf down from the main [top] one.

 

I'd be inclined to get rid of the bed too if this were an extra vehicle.

Bob the rear, chop/fix whatever part of the frame is rusted through (the rust shown scares me).

 

It is kind of tough to get a good shot of the shaft but here is what I have.


I was under the impression that the only way to put different shocks on (Besides the Fabtech) was be using some kind of large spacer or custom length stuff. Show me im wrong. I'd love to put some 5100s on here as opposed to the Fabtech stuff.

 

37's with 4.10's should be fairly zippy.

 

whoa.... I would be VERY to EXTREMELY careful that front end apart. I don't think you have a bent shock, so much as another part (either the top plate itself, or a locating member) has given up. But you're going to need to dig into that before proceeding.

 

So you have some long ass shocks, usually those kits have a large spacer and stocks shocks. Either source some big spacers and regular shocks or get some long ass shocks.

Edit: i would source some large fabtech spacers and bilsteins.

 

Shock isn't bent, it just relocated itself.

 

I know the shock relocation mod is popular, but usually there's welding and cutting involved.

 

My goal is to have an off road capable vehicke that i won't feel bad about dragging across the rocks. I also need a truck.

The TRD OR's capabilities is why I paid so much money for a 22 year old truck.

As I stated before, I cannot afford to remove the lift at this time. I need to make the best of what I have. I do have cash I can spend getting this thing road worthy. Not total suspension swap money. The exact dollar amount is actually, $AsL,itt,leM,one,yAs,Hum,anl,yPo,ssi,ble. And zero cents.

 

You scared me for a minute! Just some grease or oil.

 

Well, at least you're honest and thick skinned.

Know that, your truck has several undesirable attributes at the moment.

Let's hit what's most important here and that's safety with reliability.

Remove DB kit. I heard something about a crossmember; see about having one fabbed up.

Replace upper and lower ball joints; go OEM on your lowers especially.

Upper and lower control arm bushings, steering rack bushings, and if applicable, sway bar end links.

Those tires couldn't have been good on other components so refresh everything with new fluids. I know this is a given considering some of the leaks you've mentioned.

Ensure, the frame is sound. I know you mentioned frame is good...but that rust on that leaf pack even is bad.

Look into replacing not just your shocks (front and rear) but your front coils as well as your leaf pack.

Then you could look forward to mods after daily driving it enough.

 

Need a truck... need bed... daily driver...

Truck frame and underneath are mostly rust free. I think they went through removed rust and painted everything when they did the lift. I'm going to do the same when I get into it.

The body has a few pretty bad rust spots. Mostly solid though.

 

This truck has a significant gear reduction, as stated in the first post. I'm assuming (yet again) 5.29s or some such. On the current tires (35s, if you didn't read the first post) speedo indicates about (estimated) 10mph over at 55mph.

 

Yes, the shock is bent and it looks like at least 2 of the bolts in the top hat have sheared.

 

Just a suggestion but, I'd consider getting some reinforcement plates welded on top of those coilover buckets.

It's not common that they crack, but enough hard wheeling can cause them to fail. I can only imagine what that truck's been through for a shock to get bent and it's for that very reason that I recommend reinforcing it.

 

What does "off road capable" mean to you? A bone stock 4wd SR5 in the hands of a capable driver can do things that are unacceptable to 99.999% of the population.

Yes, I have reading comprehension issues. Blame my parents! Is the 3rd gen sold? If this truck absolutely has to be a dd, then yes, you'll have to deal with what you have on limited $.

 

I really feel like no one is reading what I am writing...



I am NOT removing the crappy drop bracket! Its shit! Yeah, heard and understood! I get it!! It is not going away any time soon!!! I DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS!!!!



Phew!!

Now that that is out of my system.

Why not weld some steel tube (square tube, whatever) in place in place of the cut frame section? It would be substantially stronger. Probably cheaper too. This is the route I will likely go when I decide to remove the drop bracket lift. (NOT RIGHT NOW!!!!)

 

Reading comprehension fail on my end, never saw the objection to removing the drop bracket lift.

Any particular reason as to why not?

If funds are the only reason why you're swaying away from removing it, consider that you may be buying parts twice if you do remove it later which in turn...costs more money in the end.

 

3rd gen is not sold yet. It does great offroad. It is very capable on the 33s that are on there now. I went up St Vrain Trail a couple of weeks ago and beat on the skids pretty good. I cannot afford a $30k trail rig. So I'm letting it go for something I can rough up a little more. Once I pick up my $10k miata and get it in proper running order I will be able to afford to take the 2000 TRD OR out of service long enough to get rid of the drop bracket.