02 Tacoma doublecab 3-Link on FJ80 axles

Finally getting around to putting straight axles under my O2 double cab. got into wheeling around 18 yrs ago. First outing with my moms boyfriend in his 68 bronco to Santiago canyon (now closed to OHV) and I was hooked. Got into toyotas because his brother had a 98 taco and a lot of the guys we wheeled with had mini-trucks, 4runners and cruisers, then he eventually he got an 85 which we built up.
About 5 years ago I had the drivers side lower ball joint shear clean off and my truck ended up on its side. Luckily I was on a surface street and not the freeway or I probably wouldn't be typing this right now. I didn't know anything about the recall that was out for it. Between that and having to replace steering racks every 30k. Wheeled everywhere in socal, from Anza Borrego, death valley, to coyote/red lake and I've out grown the IFS. Whole purpose to the build is to be able to drive to and from trails like the Con, swamp lake, and dusy. Its going to have elements of an expo build as well concerning comforts and ride quality.
I chose fj80 axles for a few reasons 1) in order to keep it all Toyota 2) the landcruiser's international presence of parts availability interchangeability (axles use same wheel bearings front and rear and they are the same as mini-trucks). 3) the fj80 being a 1/2 ton is an upgrade to the tacoma, never plan on going bigger than 35-37" tires, If i do ill just have a diamond or ruffstuff housing made with my 80 outers and a 9.5 center.
My truck

moms BF's truck & trailer on our way in to red lake


Axles:
92 fj80 front non abs, non e-locked. High pinion w/4.88's and ARB
-Hellfire fabworks knuckles with upgraded trunnion bearings
-Longfield wipers and 30 spline chromo axles
-
94 lx470 rear full floater non e-locked 9.5 with 4.88's and ARB
-stock shafts

Rear Axle


Drivetrain:
Inchworm 3.4 auto adaptor

marlin dual 23 spline dual 2.28 cases. passenger drop

rad designs triple stick
custom crossmember

Suspension:
4Wheelunderground 3-link kit
-tacoma frame brackets and fj80 axle link brackets
-brians shock towers
-14" remote resi coilovers
-hydro bumps limit straps and all that BS


Steering:
Haven't decided whether I'm going to use an IFS box or a forward swing fj80 box. I'll figure that out once I get the axle, shock tower, and panhard mount where I need it.

 

Very nice and welcome!
Cant wait to see this progress.

 

Sort of new to Tacomaworld but not to the forums, started at TTORA when it was still the delphi forum circa 2000 (username: trdtacostand04), and been on pirate and expo portal (same username as here). Somehow my profile got deleted there which is whatever because it was turning into a ghost town anyway.
Yeah things should get moving pretty quick here, originally I wanted to be done by thanksgiving but I don't think that's going to happen, definitely new years at the latest. I have most of the parts I need except for a few things here and there. I'm going to build out both of the axles because its something I enjoy doing, but I don't pretend I'm a good welder and wouldn't trust my life or my friends to that so I'll have a shop do all the finish welding. Learning to Tig is definitely on my list of things to do.

awhile ago I assembled the rear axle to check WMS and the backspacing on my rims.


In terms of current progress, wheel hubs front and rear and the front spindles are at the machine shop getting purged of grease in their solvent tank. I need to find someone that can hot tank the front housing it's a greasy, oil soup mess only thing is it has to be big enough for 140"x12". I thought about using the do-it-yourself car wash pressure washer but I feel like EPA (living in Kommiefornia) would crucify me if somebody saw me do that.

 

Speaking of the ruffstuff axles. I just got an email this afternoon. They are running a sale.
$100 off using code: BEEF.

But yea...those axles/housings you have will be plenty.
What is the current wms of the fj80 and lx axles compared to stock taco of 63".
Are you going a bit wider in the front?

 

I saw that too perfect timing right? I've never even broken a CV so I doubt ill break a 80 birf or an Inner especially chromo's, more than likely the hub or the studs will go first. I'm more of a finesse wheeler, I would rather pull back and take a different line than beat the shit out of my truck. To me running hard trails and coming out unscathed is the fun/challenge. fj80 is 63 and a fraction, I was under the impression that my gen taco was 59-60" this is where I found the info.
http://home.4x4wire.com/erik/diffs/ . So not much difference I'm trying to keep it narrow because some of the trails up north are pretty tight. I'm running SCS stealth f5's with a decent amount of offset.

 

this is an old ass picture from the geologist cabin in butte valley out in Panamint. Dave Hales Tacoma closest to the cabin (before he bought that nasty yellow fj cruiser) my step uncle Bill Oor in the middle "stouttaco" and my 01 extra cab that I had before I bought my D-cab.

 

To get a little bit back on topic, I got rid of my ABS in my truck along time ago when I put locking hubs up front, between the pump and the lspv in the back, the brakes sucked ass. I took all the extra lines and crap out and bought all new factory lines from Toyota. My white 01 didn't come with factory abs and it stopped way better, disclaimer - it also didn't have a boat load of armor. I've also been running a T100 1-ton master cylinder and the booster for a couple years now, I will say that it isn't ideal with drums in the back but I think it will match up well to the 4 fj80 calipers. I do need to adjust the plunger though because there is a little bit of take up in the pedal but ill fix that when I handle the driver side shock tower. I took out the factory lspv because its pretty much worthless, even if you tie it up as high as it will go its still a POS. I just put a manually adjustable one from jegs in there and its been great. I checked my rear shoes at 100k mi and they looked brand new which meant the front bias was just eating through pads - thats no longer a problem.

 

My 02 dc has thrown me a bunch of curves.
Its a pre runner and I bought it brand new in dec "01".

Mine didnt come with abs. For an "02", thats pretty odd. Some have the abs housings but no abs.

So, I went with the trail gear 4320 chromos which turned out to be a pita but in the end, it all worked out.

Its also the 2.7, trd, sr5 with no push button locker. Even....weirder. lol.
Installed a powertrax no slip.

All and all, its been a great truck and the 1st brand new vehicle I ever bought.

 

Well, that would still be a ton of work to get done by thxgiving. You shooting for the beggining of the year now?

 

looks bad ass, my 01 had pretty much everything you could get without buying the limited and abs (4x4 v6 moonroof, elocker etc), 02 d-cab no elocker, no moonroof but is was 4x4 and v6 so no problem. I dont like toyota's elocker design I think its inherently weak and I've seen the actuator motors commit suicide and the side gear/long splined axle is weak. I've had ARB's front and rear and they have been awesome so naturally that's what I decided to use in the fj80 axles.
(messing around in lytle creek)
I used to have a soft top on mine but the canvas has seen better days, I've thought about cutting the seams and making it a template for a new one, but im not sure what im doing with the back yet, I really want a UTE style tray in the back but importing one is out due to $ and the company that has them in the states want 1000's so ill probably just make my own.

 

I already did the brakes in the d-cab years ago, that's already done I just don't have any pictures of it on the truck ill add some to the thread. both axles are completely debracketed, building both axles will only take a day, I have all new gaskets/wheel bearings for the rear full floater, that axle is pretty much ready to go the third just needs to go to Yotamasters (they did my 4.88's in both my diffs and not a single problem after ~50k) so they can check it then ill assemble it. The front is going to be more of a pain in the ass because it still needs axle shafts and a third member. Im going to do as much as I can before I have to take it in for the welding, Im hoping my buddy will trailer it to whatever shop does the work(15' dodge 2500hd cummins turbodiesel, I don't normally like full-size trucks but its a beauty) so I can cut the IFS out and do the grinding myself (save a ton on labor).

I bought the d-cab in 06 and I wheeled it to the edge of where the IFS would take me. I started gathering parts about 5 years ago for the swap and then when the hellfire knuckles(solved the 80series steering issue) came out it was on from there. I toyed with the idea of using a Dana44 or a diamond with mini-truck outers like most people at the time but from everything I read in order to get the strength people were dumping a ton of money into them, I have a sort of weird loyalty to Japanese engineering (hasn't let me down yet). I know everyone is going to tell me to get dana60/14bolt with an atlas but for what I need my setup will be more than adequate, plus I was patient and shopped pirate/classifieds and came across killer deals (only bought new when I had to). Needless to say I want this thing done so I'm going to be making moves hopefully, that and I just want to get back out on the trails It's been an embarrassingly long time away.

 

nice truck, nice progress as well.

 

Damn that's exactly what's on my Samurai

 

Nice welcome, i recognize the user name from a few forums. You will love that 80 rear!!

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence, I misguidedly thought I was doing something groundbreaking, now i'm a little late to the party, but as they say better late than never. Only thing on the rear i'm not sure of yet is what i'm going to do with the e-brake cable, they hang down so low.

 

subd

 

Yea ive been meaning to hook mine up for going on 3yrs now, maybe this winter LOL!!