My cheap Tacoma SAS

OK you ready? Spent a two-day camping trip @ cow mountain south, doing the trails & whatnot. Got back home tonight, and here's the beef:

1) Truck did not flop over. Came close once! I still need to figure out a way to anchor it and actually get it to the point without totaling the bitch.
2) Cow Mountain sucks. Trail 7, Pebble point, which is rated as Not Recommended for trucks, is/was the only spot that was worth visiting. So for me it was a 2hr drive to a hot mess of HOT and dusty.
3) Cow Mtn is really not for trucks. "Difficult" translates to "skinny just enough room for an ATV." See #2 above. It looks like my truck was keyed by an ARMY of Harlem Globetrotters (you've seen how tall it is, right?). A whole army of them. I have more scratches than I have paint.
4) Did I mention not that awesome for trucks? yeah? oh. Well, I don't think I'll be making the trek back. Glad we went, but...
5) the trip was a success, however! I wanted a road trip that would allow me to test the road-worthiness, plus be able to break in the front springs on stuff that was challenging but not too much too soon. I am pretty darned sure I have taken an inch out of the front, which is about what I wanted plus or minus. Also they are riding a bit smoother now. And I have gained a bit of confidence overall as well.

and, here's the diary with pics. Pretty much all of these shots came from Pebble Point:










All of the obstacles were easy enough, except for this one below:

It would have been easy-enough-but-challenging, except for the entrance. so many people have failed, that the dirt had been scalloped from in front and underneath. So much so that even with 37s the rears always started from UNDERNEATH the log. I could not get her to pull from below then up then over, at least not since I was the only person there, in case I bucked into a bad spot… So I left it as it was. I tried a couple different angles of entry, but… the thing is really steep too, so I didn't want to come in too sideways and then end up rolling down the hill as I got some wheels on some stuff.


The bugs were really big around here:


So big in fact I had to go back to go back and squish it a 2nd time:



Oops turns out I might have brought that particular bug from home.

 

Love your bugs... and yeah, some times it takes 3 or 4 smushings to finish the job! I also see you hired that same dork from earlier, but this time you let him pose in the vehicle

This looks like a flop waiting to happen though:


Thanks for the action pics! Still looking good.

 

Looks good!

 

Nope that was easy enough actually. Not really a challenge but was fun to watch the truck go down and around that, as all the deep ruts made the suspension really work due to the weight transfer to the front.

Unfortunately as I'm sure you're all aware, pics don't do it justice. For instance, that concrete wall (which I pussed out) was damn close to vertical. And it's also rounded OUT not in all the way, so it's like trying to scale a 12ft pipe basically. I'd seen some videos of some professional rigs trying and failing to get up it and was like "what losers tat looks easy enough." but it is actually pretty hectic. I THINK I could probably do it, but being so high and still iffy on my new COG, I didn't want to attempt till I can go with someone and anchor myself From the top just to be sure I don't roll over backwards

 

Also, against recommendations, I went ahead and got into a set of copper SST's. Everyone at the shop had a opinion on them and it wasn't good. Everyone recommended the new BFG km2 but I've had them and didn't like them.

At least in a 37, ican say I'm very pleased with the coopers. Even on that loose shale shit, I never slipped. Had grip for days, scaled inclines of it meant just for bikes, swallowed rocks easy, and all with just being aired down to 15psi.

Stopped at 15 because my compressor had melted the fuse housing and just in case it didn't work, I wanted to be street able until I rolle to the nearest gas station :/

 

Dude keeps following me around. Getting annoying. begging for money. Offering to wash my windows and crap. DUDE we're in the dirt how does that even make sense??? He tries to make a move on my girl and I swear I'm gonna lose my shit

 

Here's how it should have looked in those pics from the mountain. for whatever reason I didn't even consider checking the snugtop clamp bolts before we left to get to cow mountain. Bitches were rusted SHUT. Had the idea to remove the top and relieve some weight off the top-end of the truck and lower my COG some, but… Yeah had to wait until today when I got some replacement clamps. Old ones had to be cut off!





Also take notice that in the last couple it's actually clean that happens like twice a year so keep these photos for reference!

 

This is a awesome build, I really love seeing the double cab SAS

 

STT's are great tires, screw the KM2's

 

Thanks for the props, folks! Hopefully I'll be planning a family outing tO mcgrew trail soon, never been there either. Anyone have an inkling to come? Anyone been before? Probably should have just gone there, more my area than south of here!

 

love the DCSB 1st gens! nice truck!

 

Thats a crazy looking obstacle

 

thanks for the info and sharing the pics. i wish i had a sas'd 4 door. 1st gen FTW!

 

Yeah love the 4-door. Love it SAS'd even more. Same wheelbase as the extended cabs, but I have solid storage for my gear for trips separate from the dogs, and not on top either (I usually stick to things that are sealed, and cheap, and/or too unclean to put in the cab — BBQs and whatnot). but I still have the bed for the dogs & random things I need to throw back there for a sec. It's pretty awesome.

Friend of mine today made me realize what my truck reminds me of now. I knew there was something from my past that it had a faint resemblance to, but I couldn't put my finger on it until she said it.

An AT-AT, the imperial walkers

 

Did the 4". With 37's(bitches!) I'm still at about 28" frame to ground even after a month of use.

 

What does your shackle angle's look like? I am at 24" Frame height with 39's... (Shot leafs tho )

 

Doing this is a mistake, lol. Turn back now!

 

OK Here's the shackle angle:



As to the other questions…

1) the kit came with studs. You'll have to source some, you'll need at least 4 more (2 per side) than a factory yota anyhow. Might as well get new ones all around. Like I said I didn't have to worry about this myself, it was included.

2) rear driveline is the same. Had issue with the front, was told that they got away with reusing the stock…? nope. You'll have to find a front yota solid axle driveshaft, but KEEP your IFS unit around you'll need the flange off of it (solid axle DS flange little different).

3) I DID NOT reuse the rear brakes. It's a lot of meat to stop both in terms of leverage (taller tires) and weight (it's a beast after all the mods). I did the rear disc upgrade via Trail Gear, despite all the warnings from all the "I know what I'm talking about" people on this forum and others that drum is fine and actually stops better than disc. Ignore them. They're full of crap. I mean, it MAY be true in best-case scenarios, like BRAND-NEW drums properly adjusted under controlled scenarios… but in real world use? my braking with the new setup (Kit C came with new calipers, plus the rear conversion), with no rear reservoir, I stop SO MUCH FREAKING BETTER than I used to with the drums and 33"s. for a few reasons. 1, no one actually adjusts drum brakes, let's be honest. 2, with all the off-roading the outer axle seals CONSTANTLY fail. Where does the axle fluid go to with a drum setup? right onto the drum and shoes, making them essentially useless. 3, if you do any mud or water crossings, your drums are even more useless than ever as they're full of crud and will be until you get around to cleaning them. So, do the swap. Just consider doing what else I did too, if you have a rear adjustable proportioner that's tied to the rear axle height… cut that tab and tie it all the way up. It's like dropping an anchor.

4) No trimming up front. Axle comes true-width and they ask for 3.75" backspace, but I couldn't source that anywhere so I had to settle for 4.0"BS 17x9" wheels, meaning that under full lock my turned in wheel is a little closer to the axle. I think even with 37's I have more room. Am actually considering either hunting down a 3.5"-3.0" wheel or getting a quality spacer actually to increase my track and most importantly my tip angle some.

Only rub I had was the rear wheel well. I don't have it bumpstopped way down, and my rear springs are sort of my weak spot right now… I had originally had Alcan custom make some springs for me back when I had a 3" lift. Well they goofed or something and the truck's rear was WAY high. Figured I could reuse them with maybe an add-a-leaf after the SAS, but… was pretty damned short. Had to add-a-leaf, a 1" block, arch the springs more, and add longer shackes, and it's STILL 1.5-2" short in the rear, even after a month of settling the front springs :-/

Thing was at the time, I had asked Alcan to move the center pin forward about .5" to correct the rear axle's stock rear bias, so the wheel would come up center. However with 37's and all the work, it's a little too far forward, and I rub a hair on the FRONT of the rear wells. I trimmed and bent the metal down so that it doesn't cut in, the wheel will push it out as time wears on, but YMMV depending on your rear setup. I myself plan on either a NEW, properly tuned set of alcans or TG's own rear kit. Only thing is that install gets either a) expensive if you source a shop (my only option really I work too much) or b) time-consuming because you basically have to refab the entire rear to make it work.






……………………



Totally do this, just do it right. and adjust expectations. Mine's a DD on 37's with 5.29s and a supercharger. Still a little sluggish at highway speeds though, and the gas mileage is probably like 14 at BEST. If your measurements are good and you have decent springs, it'll even ride pretty damned good too. I don't have any complaints, I think it actually rides better than it did with IFS cranked 3". Only the steering is a little wonky but you get used to it fast.

 

Note there's a thread for someone else's SAS DC 1st gen on yotatech I think that had 37's and cut out the rear of the rear fenderwell and made a new tab to hold the factory fender flares, just stretched out to the rear some and it all worked out with no rubbing & stuffed up to stock or better stops. Can't find it right now but I know I saw it, might end up doing that when the time comes that I fix the rear. Just FYI for your potential buildup.

 

Cheap my ass! Nice build man!