justinhw's reg cab 4x4 2.7 build

I want to share a bit of what I've done to my tacoma.



Here it is the day I bought it


I added a scangauge in the spare change compartment so it can be hidden away


Next I made some tool rolls to keep everything organized.



Then I built a sleeping platform. The bed has cut-outs for 1x6's which serve as support


The center support is routed so it can be secured between the slots in the bed. It's also notched out for the 1x6's, and when combined together the whole system is secure and won't move - doesn't need screws, bolts or any hardware


I used some carpet padding (closed cell foam, moisture barrier) to serve as a sleeping pad and recess the tie down tracks




And then I used carpeting that matches the inside of the camper shell






I can organize gear/kitchen/food/tools in the bins underneath, as well as secure gear on the top. The tracks are recessed enough so they don't bother me when I sleep.

 

Great job bro...100% use of your space. Love it!

 

Thats an awesome build man. I like how you made your own camper covers. They look factory!

 

I found a really good deal on craigslist for 235/85/16's.. set of 4 for $150. They came off a Ford f250 powerstroke, still plenty of tread left.
$50 to mount & balance = $200 total said and done

These are Toyo M-55, an industrial/commercial 10ply E rated tire. There's a bit of a hum, but that's common with most aggressive tread tires (so I read).

These are also my first time driving with E rated tires, but it's too soon to have any opinions yet.

On to the pictures!


Solution to Taco-lean - 32" tires on the driver side, stock 30.5's on the passenger





At first, I thought I had a bit of rubbing at full lock, but after looking at the tire, there is plenty of clearance.

 

^ thats an excellent deal. I hope the spare is working out for you. How did you wire up your scanguage? Thats a cool little spot for it.

 

Thanks, yah I got 2 out of 4 haha.. still keeping an eye out, but no rush. Winter's a long ways away

I saw it on expeditionportal, the trick is in the coin holder. You have to use a dremel and take off some of the plastic to get it to fit - luckily the coin holder detaches. I drilled a hole in the back and passed the cable through there, the obdII port is really close.

The only problem is that it's blocked if you turn the wheel sometimes so it might not be the best idea if you constantly need it

 

I have been looking at 235 85 16 tires too and wondered if you have had any issues now that you have put a few miles on them. Nice work on the interior of the shell! I like it.

 

I've put about 300 miles on them so far. No issues as of yet. My gas mileage has remained about the same; I attribute it to the decreased width (increasing mpg), increased rolling resistance of MT tires (reduced mpg), as well as slight mis-calibration due to the change in tires diameter (artificially low reading).

Sadly my TPMS light wasblinking - suggesting some sort of sensor/system error. I suspect a sensor was bumped/damaged while mounting, so what I did is cut the power to the TPMS module as well as wire up the light on the gauge cluster to go out; effectively disabling the TPMS system completely, not just muting it.

 

Glad the truck is doing well

 

truck looks great! i love the sleeper platform, great idea.

 

Stock tacoma performed well going up to 12,500 ft for a research project. Tires (Toyo M55) were amazing; never lost traction.

View going up:


At the station:


One thing I did notice was that lack of power at altitude with the 4cyl. I spent 40 miles in 4lo 1st or 2nd gear

 

what kind of shell do you have?

 

it's a leer 100r

 

looks good dude! how much did that set you back?

 

it came with the truck when i bought it

 

nice lol wish mine came with a shell.

 

So after a year or so of CL/forums I finally pieced together a full OME kit and ARB bumper. I actually ended up with 2 OME sets; one with 885 springs and another with 884's. I decided to try 885's first since they already were on the strut.



FRONT INSTALL
Front install was very straightforward - much easier than I was expecting it to be from reading up online. I did not need to disconnect the steering arm. I had to remove the swaybar to allow room to remove the strut, and then remove 2 bolts that connect the lower control arm to the spindle (on either side of the lower ball joint). Once disconnected it allows that lower control arm to swing down independently. The reason people step/pry/force it down is because the attachment to the frame is on rubber mounts on bolts that are used for alignment; if you loosen them up it swings down easily (you'd have to re-align afterwards anyways). Luckily just putting my weight on the lower control arm afforded enough room to maneuver the strut into place.

Old suspension:


New Suspension:


REAR INSTALL
I have a camper & sleeping platform which together weigh in at about 300lbs. Jason at Demello Offroad suggested I install the Dakars without a shim. I read up on drivetrain geometry as well; I think shims would offset the normal angular velocity canceling designed into the stock U joints. My main concern would then be increased driveshaft operating angle - my hope is that my increased everyday load will keep the angle down compared to guys running open beds.
Installation was also straightforward; I unbolted the old leafs, moved the shackle to the Dakars, made sure everything was given a healthy coat of lithium grease, and installed. I ran into problems centering the axle and getting the front/rear eyelets in place - I had to place a jack under the axle as well as a bottle jack between the top of the leafs and the frame in order to get the springs into place. A few taps with a hammer and use of a screwdriver to pry into position were useful as well. I was able to maneuver the springs in place without having to drop the axle beyond the brake lines.



References I used:
FSM: SMTRDSPORT's install: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/40467-how-toytec-lift-install-smtrdsport.html

 

I found a great deal on an ARB bumper and purchased it sight unseen (lesson learned - don't do that!). Reason being is that the bumper was bent inward slightly on the passenger side. Structurally it is still solid, but some creative grinding had to be done in order to get it to clear the body. Also, the seller did not include the stone guard or tension brackets. Luckily, Mitch at ARB was amazing and through some sort of wonderful coincidence he shipped me the parts I needed for free (left overs from another install they did). Those guys at ARB are really stand up folks and definitely made my day!



I did drive it with the stock suspension before installing the OME; the ARB (no winch) dropped the suspension about 0.5" in the front, which is not as much as I expected after reading online. However in driving around I did notice the weight and did not want to drive with it like that for an extended period of time.

 

Lift Amounts
The front was lifted 2", rears 4". My concern installing 885's was CV angles, but they don't look extreme:

I realize it's hard to see the fins on top but they still have clearance.

The rear was lifted much higher than I expected, and higher than what I would like. Hopefully with settling they both will come down.

All said and done:


Driving Impressions
This suspension is much more firm, and is a pleasure to drive. I did not reinstall the sway bar as the springs had paint rubbed off from sway bar contact (previous owner) and I did not want to run into that problem again. I took a trip up north to Lassen National Park during which a piece of sheet metal flew into the middle of the highway; I was happy to find out that it still handles well without excessive sway in an emergency-maneuver environment.

However, one thing I did notice is a grinding/dry bearing sound when I let off the gas over 60 mph. I grease the U joints every oil change but I still think it may be related to the increased driveshaft operating angle.

 

Nice truck!

that bearing sound is your drivers side needle bearing in the front differential common problem with lifting 2nd gen 4x4s.

East coast Gear supply is wiring on a fix for the problem should be out in a few weeks.