Brett's average build thread

getting new coilovers here in a week or two when the smoke clears

 

next day delivery.



It may be a week or two before I get around to the install. Or maybe tomorrow, we'll see how my schedule goes.

 

Don't want to aggravate the kids over in the 1st gen thread anymore, but I'll be really curious to hear your opinion on how the truck handles when you get proper steering and suspension components installed.

Guessing it won't be the constant 'my truck feels like it's falling apart' that I've heard prior. Hope all works out, I've been really happy with how my setup has been working this year.

 

I love when oem stuff says toyoda...they never should have changed it lol

 

"Dude that OEM rack isn't worth the extra money, I'm just gonna keep my (insert aftermarket company) rack and you can shut it."

dumb people

 

I know for a damn fact ill be replacing everything in my undercarriage with OEM when it decides to take a shit. Except LBJ's ill probably do those at 150k along with ITRE/OTRE. What a shit show in the 1st gen thread also...sorry @BDN for turning your build into bs lol

 

I'm fairly confident all the noise and weirdness is from that rack banging around. I can feel it through the floor just driving around town.
The new tires/larger diameter have been like riding on air. Those Toyo's might as well have been boulders the way they rode. So yeah, the ride has improved, the steering is about to improve, and maybe... I'll commandeer @teamhypoxia 's garage later this winter to do the cam bushings...
Or it could wait till spring too.

 

Look for a set of used LCAs, they usually go cheap, and then you can swap the bushings at your leisure. Otherwise Eric will say the job it taking too long and push/drag your pile out into the street for the night. I've got a line on a set here soon, to which I'll be adding whitelines, plating the bottom, cutting off the sway bar mount, and building a bump pad. You can have my old ones with the poly bushings if you like, but they have a few quirks.

Might consider cam tab gussets at the same time too given the larger tires and especially so if you want to go fast(er).

 

I was gonna make Eric do the work.
yep, I'll keep an eye out for a set of used ones, I like the idea of plating them and removing non-essential parts. The tab gussets..aren't those just pieces of square stock welded in place? Pretty sure I can make those.

 

I'll be putting in the TC gussets at some point this winter, but yes, more or less just some square stock. My tabs have previously been mangled though, so I'll be better off just cutting all that off.

Ray did what you're saying. It's somewhere in his build.

 

Yeah, Brett cut it pretty close with his clutch job.

New rule is whatever you do, you gotta leave the wheels on so metal bits don't gouge the driveway when I drag it out.

 

Weather has been great so the new rack is going in today.
New jack stands so i can finally be safe.


Secure the steering wheel


Loosen all 3 bolts holding the rack in place, and move it out a bit and the wet connections are easy to get to.I discovered my low pressure line neede some attention, good time to take care of it.


The rag joint has two splined connections, upper and lower. Loosen and remove both bolts. The upper splined section has enough room to slide the rag joint up to disconnect from the rack connection. I used a long drift and a hammer and gently tapped it out of the way.


And it's out, took a couple hours working steady and taking phone calls.


Some slight differences between aftermarket and OEM



Went ahead and removed the soft rubber bushings, no improvement there, and re-installed my poly bushings which were still in great shape. I can't remember if I did those early this summer or last summer...prolly read back and find out.
Those are the oem on the ground.

 

I checked, it was June 2015 when I first put the poly bushings in, so over a year of service and they looked great imo.. Way better than the new oem rubber ones.

So, It's in, I cycled the rack by hand, engine off, until it pulled fluid in and stopped needing filled. Upon startup, it actually "burped" a bit back up but the level stayed full, must have been a bubble. Took less than a quart.

I got lucky and got the tre's pretty darn close, the wheel is straight and iot seems to drive fine. The feel of the steering is somewhat stiff but prolly normal for a brand new rack

And no leaks so far.

 

and the thump in the floor went away.

 

Dude... your tie rods are bent to hell!

 

must be dem big tars.

 

Steering rack did good during yesterday's wheeling, no noises, tires didn't wobble side to side, drove straight. Thumping in the floor is gone. Totally stoked.
i really like the larger diameter of tire, they really move over the obstacles easier. I feel this is a pretty good size for the truck even with the sheet metal bashing to make them fit. Didn't have to tub though.
I do however miss the lower gearing I had before, it's not bad now, still slightly lower than stock, but the really slow turtle crawl is gone.

 

You will get use to it. Truck looks great.

 

These wheels.....
So there are a bunch of holes that were left behind when I pulled out the rest of the plastic plugs that the trail didn't remove for me.
The holes do not go through, they are not threaded.
Should I leave them alone?

New steel bolts might throw off the balance as well as get torn out again.
Maybe fill them with black silicone? or just leave them and see what happens?