Not A Copy/Paste Tacoma Build

wondering if this truck will even look like a tacoma after its all said and done also hope you dont mind me asking, what inspired you to go this deep? I'm loving this build...

 

Instagram influencers told me it would be easy.

Honestly I never intended to go this deep. I just wanted to do a cage, but was always dreaming about more power. Then I bought a tundra, and suddenly really needed more power in the tacoma. every tacoma I drive now feels dead. so then I started on that, but the more I looked at my rotten frame, the more I realized it would be stupid to put all that money and time into a build with a rotten frame. As soon as you're swapping the frame and motor, you're pretty deep already, so no easier time to just go all the way.

I am kind of half-heartedly shooting a video series about the build and just put out the first one that shows a bunch of the frame rot and stuff:



Appreciate you following along! I really don't know what I'm doing at this point, a lot of this stuff is over my head, so I'm really enjoying learning a tonne!

 

I consider myself lucky to be learning from builds like this one. Thank you for taking the time to post this build so we all can learn.

 

Half way through tubbing mine I started to have second thoughts. That wiring pic gives me the same feeling.

 

cool pic right there....

 

I mean, on the plus side, it is WAY easier to tub now! On the downside, the tubbing is already done anyway... Maybe I should just take it further back just cuz I can haha.

 

Man that feels like an age ago... just little baby 35s, and a truck that wasn't falling apart.

 

Exactly. If I want to tub mine anymore I need to take the dash off. You have super easy access now. I don’t envy the project but I do the completely open cab.

 

Any of you guys have any advices for me regarding transfer cases?

I originally wanted to do things the "cheaper" way (first mistake), so I bought an NP 241 and a slip yoke eliminator. Then I realized (too late) that when I swapped from using the 6l80e to the 4l80e trans, my first gear ratio was way too high.

My tacoma, before this endeavor, had a 50.8:1 final drive ratio. It was okay, a little too low for sand/snow, and a little too high for rocks, but I got everywhere with it.

With the np241, I'm at a final drive of 32.9:1. That's way too tall for the rocks. So then I started looking into dual cases and underdrives. I can get an NWF blackbox underdrive that would bring me up to 89.5:1, but it needs a pump/cooler to be run on the highway, plus shifter, plus vss adapter ring. All in, including the 241+SYE, I'd be sitting at around $5000-5200 CAD.

On the other hand, I could cut my losses, lose some money, and just order an Atlas 4. It would be stronger, lighter, smaller, and easier to install. I would have 3 lower ratios instead of two (the np241 and blackbox both run 2.72:1), giving me a 32.9:1, a 46:1 and a 125.1:1, using the 3.8:1 option. That setup would come to around $6200 CAD.

Basically I can cut losses, and lose a couple hundred bucks, and then pay $1000 more to get the case I really should have just ordered from the beginning, or I can save money and make this setup work. Atlas lead time is around 22 weeks though, which does suck, but realistically, this thing won't be done that fast anyway haha

Or maybe there's another option. Been struggling with this decision.

 

I'd get the Atlas. Buy once cry once

 

I think I'm with you, but I really need justification from strangers on the internet. I've been doing a lot of buy-once crying lately... I know I brought this on myself.

 

I mean for 1-1200 more you get an extra gear ratio, lighter, stronger. It's a no brainer in my opinion. From the sound of it it'll be an easier/simpler install

 

Coming from someone who has spent his entire life doing thing the cheap way only to pretty much redo every single one of those “hacks” the correct way…get the atlas.

Also I think you are past the buy once cry once. It’s more like buy twice, lose 0.5, cry thrice.

 

thank you for providing the validation I craved. Hopefully I can get most of my money back from this other stuff. It's expensive to learn. This isn't the first thing like this I've come across, hence my frustration haha

 

Oh believe me know. There's quite a few things I wish I did different with my truck. But I'll have to live with it for it now because I'm broke as hell

 

Atlas, mine is a 2 speed but man are they stout

 

The 2 speed is sweet too, but with the 4l80e, even the 5:1 isn't quite deep enough. I bet it's rad with the toyota trans though! were you able to get it up above the frame like @Wishbone Runner ?

 

At LEAST that many times crying! haha

I messed up the seats I ordered too apparently. Pretty annoyed about that. I had sat in them before and liked them, so I ordered. Then when they showed up, it turns out that the harness comes out between my shoulder blades, way too low. I called to ask about it, and they said there's a 3" taller option that's not listed on their website... How was I supposed to know that?! So now I have seats I shouldn't really use, and it would cost around $800 just in shipping to exchange them... ughhhhhhh

 

Dose the atlas allow you to run just front or just rear?
The np241 and a maybe Dana 300 in doubler form would be interesting. Anyway good luck its a hard decision...... Whatever you go with will be awesome