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

I feel lame now for not taking pics, but it is the middle of winter and I am working on my truck outside in the snow so I just wanted to get the job done...
I did a full overhaul of my Aisin manual locking hubs.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this task but I am happy to report that it really was quite easy with special thanks to Wheeliepete on YouTube who has a couple of great videos on this for:
1. Freeing the cone washers so you can remove the hub body.
2. How to make sure your clutch assembly and springs are all assembled properly so they will function fully.

Anyhow, if you haven't done this job before, go for it! Super satisfying little bit of maintenance and it is so nice to feel my dial to switch between free wheeling and locked, now turning easily and smoothly!

 

Just this week I drove my Tacoma 1200 miles from Wisconsin to Texas. After 1,000 miles into the trip the 3600 mile Rotella T6 5W-40 oil looked like this

Very generous speed limits allowed for 17-19mpg on 87 octane gas



Mike

 

Some pre-Christmas work... replaced my long overdue broken sway bar links with long ones from a 2000 Tundra. Direct bolt in super simple. Also finally got around to painting my extra valve cover, will be installing that in the next month.

Finally ordered a new catalytic converter - been chasing a horrible rattle and sourced it to the interior of my cat. Its been throwing a 420 code for years and I've replaced just about every part except the actual converter.

 

Hi Chris,

What is the benefit of the longer sway bar links?

Just curious to understand if I should consider them as well.

Thanks.

Mike

 

Better articulation from my understanding. From the research I did, one wants their sway bar to be like 10ish degrees or whatever. When I was off-roading about a month back I ripped both links clean off there wasn't enough travel.

I'll find out in about 2 weeks when I take it off-road again, $40 "fix" hopefully.

 

how long are the tundra links? ball to bushing mount

 

Hope this helps? Looks like right around 5in, haven't taken it on the road yet to see how it feels but will know after I replace the master cylinder tomorrow and road test.

 

Hint: just take em off and never look back. Way smoother ride. You get used to the body roll. Or get some nice shocks/springs and you won't notice it.

 

I've come full circle and vastly prefer the ride with the bar. Even on most dirt roads... QD is definitely the answer.

 

I think off-road no sway bar is much more soft on baseball size rocks and two track in my 2nd Gen with oem shocks. My wife’s 3rd Gen t4r has kings and no sway bar and it feels planted on road (no off-roading yet - gotta re-redo a leaking front diff seal). I’d say experiment and see what you think for yourself - I may do that once I repair my wife’s vehicle.

 

I thought the same thing, but after road testing the tundra links today it was a vastly different ride. Much more controlled and I was able to take faster sharper turns and stay much more planted. I've got OME coils/leafs and nitrochargers along with UCAs and replaced pretty much all the bushings I could find as well.

I looked for QD but couldn't find anything for the 1st gens. Is it even an option?

 

New master cylinder installed. It was relatively straightforward replaced the paper gasket behind it. Bench bleed was simple took less than 5min install less than 2 hours including bleeding after. Peddle feels pretty much the same though but doesn't continue to sink as it did before.

Who knew brake fluid wasn't supposed to be dark brown and full of solids?

 

Lexus brakes



Clearance for the 37s

Had to cut a little more from last time... here's last time. (For 35s)



Still a little more to cut.



So... I cut



And then I welded




Voila!

37s fit full stuff.




Don't forget to decorate with frosting. Unless you like the annoying sound of rocks hitting sheet metal when you kick up gravel.

 

^^ Replaced the Throttle Position Sensor due to a P0120 code and rough idle. Idles at spec now. Dead spider was found inside the TPS housing area.

vv Patched the seat

 

Somebody needs to make spindles that move the wheel centerline forward an inch or two.

 

Solo Motorsports and BTF fab make LCA’s that move the centerline an inch forward.

 

^^^^What he said. I have solos. Work good.

 

Gives you more caster, but that's not what I'm talking about. Move the spindle centerline forward to clear the back of the wheel well better.

 

The ball joint is pushed forward an inch therefore with the same alignment spec you get an inch of clearance on the firewall. I’m getting like 6* with solo arms and 31’s and not much lift - the tire rubs the front bumper when parking and turning radius is bigger - both from a longer wheel base.

 

Is that idle in park or drive? I’ve noticed mine sits at 11% and in drive the idle is 650ish, which seems low to me but I’ve got no idea.