Time623’s 95 Taco Build and Trails

Finally got out to test out the locker over the weekend.
Before leaving I spent the afternoon putting together a quick hi-lift mount setup. I think it turned out pretty well, just cut some slots in a 2" tube and glued her onto the bumper. 1/2" bolts and some wingnuts keep it nice and secure.


We did a run of Rug Road, almost exactly a year after we last ran it. Had a great group of guys, and a very fun trail. Seems to have gotten slightly worse over the last year.




Had to flex her out of course. These springs sure are stiff, still had quite a bit of up-travel unused when the tire started to lift.





After doing this trail again, I'm not exactly sure how I made it without the locker. Turned it on all the time, and was able to just crawl right up any obstacle with it engaged. Total game changer, not having to use momentum to get over everything is amazing.

 

Truck has been down for a while now.
Had a decent list of things to knock out on the front end, and its finally ready to go back together.
Hopefully this week she'll be back on the road

This time around I'm doing the following:
LCA Bushings
Steering Bellows
Spindle Gussets
JBA UCAs
Cam Tab eliminators
Door Locks were acting up so the drivers door is torn apart too

At this point I've got the UCAs mounted to the truck, LCA Bushings have been replaced but LCAs haven't gone back in yet
Spindle Gussets are welded on and looking great

 

Looking damn good! Look at those dang welds!!! Did you weld those spindle gussets? Also plus 10 style points for the JBA's You got a healthy list for the truck but all in the name of driving buttery down the road and trails. Good luck on it all including those pesky door locks!

 

Wish I could take credit for the welds, had to call in some more experienced reinforcements getting my spindle straightened and the gussets square. I was going to just get help on tacking them up square and then I'd finish it, but he was already all set up so I just let him finish burning them on. Definitely looks better this way haha
I found during disassembly my stock UCA bushings were completely ruined, allowing the entire UCA to shift forward/back more than an inch on the UCA Bolt. These JBAs should be a massive improvement, both because of that, and correcting my horrible old caster angles

 

Shes finally back on the road

Got the new LCA bolts and cam eliminator tabs from @Milota95 tightened up and ready to go


Spent a couple hours setting the toe angle for the first time with some string and a measure and it seems to be right on the money. Wheel is centered and it tracks just about perfect



Stance definitely got noticeably wider with the spacers to clear the gussets. Never been a huge fan of spacers, but they were necessary and should reduce the tire rub on the frame as well. Great to finally have the truck out of the garage so the daily can get back in there before the summer heat kicks in. Now I just have to put my drivers door back together and clean up the mess I made over the past few weeks in there. Skid plates need to go back on at some point as well

 

Looks great! May the girth be with you.

 

Spacers might actually cause more rubbing

 

It got rid of the frame rub, haven’t flexed it out to see if the cab rub is better or worse, we’ll see!

 

So we need to get out to test eh?