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

Took it for it's first alignment in like 6 years. Was going to do it when I installed the ADS shocks and Icon UCA's in 2020 but then we had vacation, and then a pandemic, and then a baby so it just kept dropping on the priority list.



I'll just paint pen it at this position now.

 

I think it looks good. I like a bit of a rake so when you put stuff in the bed, it's less likely to sag.

 

Looks good!

If I may as, what did you do for the front bumper running lights?

 

Had a nasty belt/pulley squeal, last night me and buddy got into it it thinking it may a bad pulley or power steering pump itself. Ended up being loose PS pump pulley! Re-tensioned belts, torqued pulley down and bam no squeal!!! Sweet! No need of parts and weekend to knock it out!

 

Whenever I reinstall mine it takes a couple times to get it right. I usually go a little looser than usual because I'm afraid of toasting the bearing and it takes a couple start ups to get right. I also have an intermittent squeal that comes on wheeling/camping trips either from the battery being super low and the alt belt getting hot trying to give the juice or debris/moisture on the belts. The typical procedure is "turn it off, turn it back on, if still squealing hit the gas. if it doesn't resolve, turn it back off again, and repeat." Usually the second or third time the squeal goes away lol.

 

I had the exact same squealing situation you described. Eventually my voltage meters on my batteries also starting showing voltage spikes, which I assumed meant the voltage regulator was going out. Turns out the squealing was the bearing in the alt that was going out. When I replaced the alternator, all of those issues were solved. (squealing and voltage spikes)

Just food for thought.

This was on a CS144 (Cadillac) Alt.

 

JBA Finally installed, now just an alignment needed

 

Chevy 63 questions:

What are most people running for shocks? 12, 14, 16?
Does anyone happen to have dimensions? I.E. how far forward the front perch moves and how far back the shackle perch moves?

 

The chevy 63's are 63in long eye to eye. So just center your axle and measure from there to get an idea of where the perches are going to land.

 

I wish it were that simple. But it's really not that simple.

 

Dude I loooooove your roll bar / light setup. Where’d that come from? I want one for my 99!

 

12s if you are trying to keep factory style mounts. 14s if you angle and lower mounts hang down on the axle. 16s if you outboard. Iirc I moved my front hanger mount 7.75" forward from factory. 3+1 pack with 6" shackles.

Big thing is going to be actually setting the 63s for your ride height and then cycling where you plan to mount the shocks.

 

Looks good! I’ve been looking for awhile now for a roll bar for mine. I love the old school look.

 

Time to make some upgrades to the steering setup.


PXL_20230421_020802880.PORTRAIT by Cory Bechtold, on Flickr

 

Tell me more!

 

OEM steering rack, Energy Suspension bushing, Dirt King steering clevis kit, Total Chaos uniball conversion, ARB Bolts, 333 Fabrication rack clamp, FK heim joints, Kartek custom chromoly tie rods, and a Derale power steering cooler.

It's meant to be my "be all and end all" steering setup for this truck on IFS. I might add a rack saver later on, but I'm going to see how this holds up first.

 

please do yourself a favor and get the Total Chaos steering rack bushings and return those floppy ass ES bushings.

 

Funny enough, @betterbuckleup mentioned that when he was at my place the other day. I've actually never had a problem with them. My current rack in the truck has them for a few years and I've got zero issue with them. I've got the Total Chaos ones bookmarked, so I'll buy those next whenever I need to redo the bushings.

 

Same setup is doable with stock length arms, but my concern was with invoking bump steer by changing the pivot points at the lbjs. Also $$$

 

How insane is it to get a glass for one of these ?