DJB1's 2003 Regular Cab

I think you have convinced me to go that tire size on my truck.

Mine is exact copy of yours (poverty spec manual everything),e except I have 2 extra doors.

I have 225 size tires now, but I think I need to go 235s.

Also I can't for the life of me find the 3rd gen 4 runner 5 spoke wheels you have.

 

Hi @lotuscupcar, you may not like 235/85r16's on a double cab 2.7L prerunner. That size only comes in an E-rating so they're kinda heavy and have a stiff ride. A P265/70r16 or P265/75r16 would look good and fit well but weigh a bit less. But if you're exploring the desert and want a tough tire, they're great.

 

I don't know how the truck now has 225/70/16
Looks ridiculous!

I prefer a light tire.

 

I went to the Toyota dealership for some parts and the salesmen didn't try to talk to me. I must be looking scruffy these days.

 

Naw, he probably saw you get out of your single cab and new he had nothing for you to upgrade too.

 

I got in some good vacations this year. As usual, I forgot to take a picture of my Tacoma with one tire up on a rock.






Here's where my "little" brother could proceed no further.















The significant other even persuaded me to visit an urban area for once, instead of looking at boring-ass rocks and trees again.

 

Good looking truck you have there.

I enjoyed this. Ha ha.

I learned to drive in one just like it. My daddy ran it from 93-13. Excellent truck.

 

Quick helpful hint for next time you convert a first gen to a manual hub set up: you can actually modify the add diff easily to make it work with manual hubs. On the add actuator, just put a hose clamp on the sliding fork, to keep it fully locked. Then, cap off the vaccuum lines. Boom, manual diff.

 

I'm on to your way of thinkin'

I did it that way first before I realized this gear-thingy can be popped out of the front diff.

But my donor parts included a non-ADD axle tube so I felt compelled to use it.

 

Cool build. When I converted my old Prerunner DblCab to 4x4, I went manual hubs up front. Absolutely loved it for the same reasons, most of which was nostalgia having grown up in old 70s pickup trucks and then myself in older Cruisers with manual hubs. Wish I never sold that damn dblcab... oh well. Got another one now, and although I wish it were manual hubs too, its already 4x4 so no need to mess around under there this time, but if and when I do, it will be a solid axle going under...a toyota one, with manual hubs...

 

Love your white truck.Great looking truck and the white wheels.Real keeper.

 

The battery fairy brought me a new NAPA Legend AGM battery. It was cheaper than an Optima and rated higher by Consumer Reports.


Whitey had worn-out shocks and a bad case of taco lean so it was time for some OME 880 coils, Bilstein 5100's front & rear, and Toytec adjustable shackles. Thanks, @Wheeler's Off-Road, Inc! Of course, I didn't take before and after measurements because I was only focused on correcting the lean in the short amount of time I had.

On the front, I have the Bilstein 5100's set at the bottom setting with a 3/4" rubber coil isolator on the driver's side to compensate for the lean. I did it that way so if the 880 springs settle too much or if I get a winch, I have multiple ways to adjust the ride height in front.



CV angles are a moot point because I planned ahead and already have manual hubs. Planning ahead also means the Detroit TrueTrac for my rear diff will be stored in my tool box a while longer while I save up for a front TrueTrac and install them both in one shot.


I'd eventually like to replace the leaf springs but the stock ones aren't frowny yet so I can postpone that for a while. I installed the adjustable shackles with the driver's side 1/2" higher than the passenger side to help correct the lean. These Toytec shackles are so much beefier than the stock shackles but they arrived in a most obnoxious shade of gold. I painted them flat black before the install and now they look very discreet.


Yay! No more taco lean.

 

The last few days have been a maintenance marathon in 100° heat. I cleaned up some surface rust, welded on some @CBI Offroad Fab frame reinforcement plates and slathered on copious amounts of POR15 and Fluid Film. Hopefully that will address the only known weakness of the 1st gen Tacoma, frame rot. I couldn't have done it without the kind assistance of my neighbor & regular cab aficionado @Jiveydude. Thanks again, I owe you a beer and a cheeseburger (I recommend Proper Burger Company).


The 14 year old OEM muffler was splitting apart, so I got a Flowmaster Delta 50 based on @tooter's 2.7L dyno results. It's got a deep mellow tone like Barry White, without much noise or drone. A nice bonus is that it doesn't hang below the chassis like the stock muffler did.


I exorcised this towing harness and non-working alarm system. In the name of Jesus, demons begone!


I just hit 100,000 miles so it was time for new lower ball joints. It's a quick, easy job if you use a pitman arm puller instead of beating the shit out of them with a hammer. It took longer to find the correct part numbers and torque specs than it did to replace the parts. So here is the pertinent information:

Right LBJ:

$195 43330-39556 Suspension Ball Joint

43330-39556
Left LBJ:

$136 43340-39436 Ball Joint Assembly

43340-39436
Bolt w/washer: 90119-10933 (qty 8)
Rubber LBJ Protector: 43346-60011 (qty 2)

Steering knuckle X lower ball joint w/lower ball joint protector: 37 ft.lbf.
Steering knuckle X lower ball joint w/o lower ball joint protector: 59 ft.lbf.
Tie rod end X lower ball joint: 67 ft.lbf.
That's 50, 80, and 90 Nm for you snowbacks.

In conclusion, let's look at this pornography.

 

Glad I could help

 

I see youve been busy this summer... trucks lookin good... could you measure the height as she sits now so i can see what the addition of the 880s would do.. also hows the ride feel now...?? thanks

 

Hi @chiago! Do you want me to measure from the ground to the bottom of the cab, or from the ground to the bottom of the front wheel well?

 

the wheel well would be great.. thanks

 

Hey Chad, it's 38 1/4" from the the ground to the bottom of the front wheel well. I have the shocks at the lowest setting (least spring preload). It rides darn good, not too firm, not to squishy. I think with the tires aired down a bit it will be dreamy on dirt roads. I'll find out in a few weeks when I go camping. I had to remove the sway bar though. It rode really firm with stock suspension and sway bar. With OME coils and the sway bar on, it was like a damn buckboard wagon. Now I get it; sway bar + lift = no suspension travel.

 

Love it! Long live the single cab base model!

I'm cheap too. Building mine a little at a time as funds allow.

I followed your link to the washer reservoir and saw the cheap Ebay one. It's ordered!

Thanks,
CAZ

 

Thanks again buddy... just the info i was looking for