Frankenstein Build: Stock -> 37's on IFS -> SAS

Thanks! I'm so glad I tubed it last year, looking at you fight with the core support and inner fenders hurts haha.

 

Yeah, good call, especially when you go into it not wanting to cut it. I totally thought I could save 90% of core support. Now, its how much fender well can I save. You basically can't have any of the front.

 

I'm a Toyota guy, I know jack shit about motors. I just bolt other Toyota parts to it and it works.

 

I fucking love that answer!!! Well said!!!

 

I went on rock auto and went off the sizes, I'm guessing so if the 2.4 is the smallest motor they put in Tacomas.

 

I wish I knew more too. The closest I've ever come to working on Chevy motors is pulling the motor from a9 89' GMC Jimmy. All I know was it ran fine with the OEM radiator. I'd get whatever the biggest rad you can fit is and cross your fingers.

 

@slander couldn’t even keep a 4.0 YJ or an LM7 Sierra together so he bought a Tacoma and never looked back

 

2.4, 2wd Tacoma radiator is the ticket, smallest radiator put in a Tacoma. I bought mine at advanced 8 years ago and has survived Moab in July with the AC blasting

 

Heres what I used. Still using the mechanical fan and a hacked plastic fan shroud and haven’t had issues in 100+ crawling and dunes. I do have an electric fan I need to swap in but been lazy

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/gri-1-26182-ts

 

0 engine problems with both of those....

 

Regear/locker install is starting! 1st step was getting the axle off the ground so I didnt break my back. I rigged up a VERY sketchy system using a chain hoist, the rafters, and some galvanized pipe to lift the axle about 4' in to the air to set it on my pipe jacks:


Gonna watch a few videos/read some articles on regearing the 10.5 and then get to it!

 

Got my parts fresh from the laser! Frame plates and engine mounts. The KPO plate will be used to mount my motor while all the other pieces are for my frame. I also found a stainless steel tube on McMaster that works perfect for making the sleeves for my leaf spring bushings.


Here is how the plates will sit on my frame. Should be pretty solid!


Also started getting the gears/locker in the 10.5. Man these parts are heavy!


Hoping it starts to cool down so I can get back to working on this guy. 100° is where I draw the line!

 

Took a little break from building the Taco to work on another project (related to the Taco). I cleaned out my grandpas garage so I could work on the truck INSIDE a garage!

I just finished getting it cleaned out the other night. I wish I had a before pic, you guys would have thought I was insane for thinking I could clean it out AND fit a car in it.

I now have a 22'x11.5' space cleared for the truck. The garage measures 25'x24' but with the amount of stuff my grandpa has there was not way to clear out THAT much space.

Truck is 6'x18', axles are ~7' so I'll have the same, if not more, room that I did outside in the dirt.

Now the real question, how to move the truck in to the garage... It has to come down one driveway, then up another:


The truck has no wheels either. If anyone has any ideas I'm open to them! I have a few but they all depend on the space I have to work with and the width of the flatbed I have access to.

 

Buy 4 of these and push it around....

 

If only it had wheels on it...

I'd be worried the truck would go flying down the driveway lol.

I'm currently thinking of renting a flatbed.

 

Wheels? I had truck frame sitting on the dolly and pushed it around before... not down a driveway but up with manpower. That's what friends are for..

 

Got the old guy in the garage!!





Ended up renting a flatbed and with a little brain power my buddy and I were able to get it on the flatbed and offload it without hurting anyone or anything. Super stoked to start working on this INSIDE!!

 

Started getting my frame plating in. So far it's looking pretty good! You really gotta put some big tacks on the plates to be able to hammer them around the contours of the frame.

 

Started getting the rear axle in!


I am a little stuck on the pinion angle tho. From what I was reading the Taco has a double Carden joint so the pinion should be in line with the drive shaft:




So that's what I did and it seems super steep. I set the pinion ~1.5° lower then the DS to account for acceleration twist. Thoughts?

 

If your keeping the 2 piece driveshaft, point the pinion at the carrier bearing support. Then set pinion 1-3* lower to counteract axle wrap/pinion rotation on acceleration.