Wisconsin Tacomas and bad financial advice

But, you know what, Carlos? At the end of the day you can say you built it! There's not a lot of people that can say that!

 

That would really look awesome with bronze paint!

 

Well, it's D Day (Dobinson's Day).

 

First impression: I think I'll keep 'em.

Went out for a little spin, about 10 miles, on some of the crappier roads around here. The first set of RR tracks, I knew they were keepers. The 730# springs are the goods. The shocks just suck it up!

Big thanks to Dan @Taco-Grinder and Jason @Supr4Lo for the input and insights. These guys know how to spend OPM (other people's money).

I wound up cutting the rear Bilsteins off, the top bolts were being a bastard, so I showed them the die grinder with a cutoff wheel! It was too warm to dick around and it's not like I planned on putting them back on...

 

Talk to us about the feel and the trucks behavior with these bad bois. (I'm not Christmas shopping or anything.... Yet....)

 

Well, first ride, the one road I hit has 3 culverts under it that were replaced about 2 years ago. The county did a shitty, fast fix which left a really bad bump, especially the 2nd one. With the stock shocks and springs (granted, they have 95k on them), the rears would bottom and the fronts would kick you off-line @ 55 MPH. Now, the truck just goes over it, no drama. Stability wise, I'm actually considering pulling the sway bar. I really don't think I need it anymore.

I have the IMS shocks front and rear, no reservoirs, their middle-of-the-road shocks. So far, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone. I had previously thought the stock shocks were OK, but now think otherwise.

 

Good to know about the ims

Shocks on my 2017 are starting to show their age. Been doing some poor man's thinking

 

They still aren't 'cheap', but they are rebuildable. Assembling them myself was easy, I'm sure you have access to a good spring compressor. Saves you $110 right there. Top hats aren't too pricey. Luckily, I found a set of rears really cheap, very low mileage (seller said approx 50 miles) takeoffs on the forum.

I bought the 730# springs (C59-352) because of the extra weight I'm carrying: skids/sliders/bumper/winch, per @Crikeymike's recommendation.

 

My thing is about having limited money to spend is it needs to be spent on quality stuff. Therefore... Much research and deliberating is done

 

Welcome to the club. I am quite happy with my Dobinsons set-up on the 4Runner. Not top notch but it does (mostly) what I want it to do, at a price that's not unreasonable. I felt it was the best value for my dollars.

This completes your research. Carry on.

 

I wound up in Elkhart Lake this evening at Concours D'Elegance. Mom's BF won an award, and I got a ride in a truly special vehicle!

 

I drove through Elkhart Lake today.

 

Need some specs, man. Hemi? 440? 4 speed? (1/4 times and speed?)
Damn that thing is nice.

 

'67 Plymouth GTX, convertible, Hemi (426). 1 of 16 made. Numbers matching frame-off restoration. Definitely a Mopar guy's fantasy vehicle!

 

Looking good! Now all you need is a full leaf pack to get the best possible ride and load hauling out back, and some Woolwax to stop that rust along all the chassis weld seams before it turns into something more terminal. Always a good idea to put a little lube on the undercarriage, in trucks and in life.

 

Have AALs for the rear, see if that helps. I'm hoping to stay away from complete leaf packs, the budget is already in tatters. Woolwax is in the basement...probably do that in Sept.

 

Having started there (AAL) with mine, you will be fine: however, there is no substitute for the real thing in life and trucks... you'll want the leaf pack. Understand the budget constraints. Get a good bump stop for an interim sanity helper (cuz your still gonna be there.)

 

Oh yeah, I have u-bolt flips with DuroBumps sitting on the shelf to go on with the AAL's.

 

I bet that does awesome smokey burnouts!

 

Returning from visitng my cousin and the Silver Lake sand dunes in Michigan - here's his sandrail main squeeze. 600hp LS engine and King shocks with 24 to 28 inches of travel.



I felt outnumbered by all the Jeeps! There was admittedly tire envy going on.



...and I was terrorized by a three month old puppy all weekend; he was absolutely ferocious.