2015 Rusty Taco Build

This is my slow build. It started as a 2015 Tacoma TRD Offroad 4x4 Double Cab in MGM Gray. Thanks to Tacomaworld, I now have an addiction.

The build is reliant completely on available funds and ability to smuggle parts home and install on the truck when the warden allows or is pre-occupied with more important chic stuff.






SUSPENSION:
Bilstein 5100's at 0 (Removed)
OME 886 Coils (Removed)
ORI Struts (Removed)
King 2.5 Extended travel with 700lb coils
Built Right UCA's
ALCAN Custom HD 8 Leaf pack.
Bilstein 2" lift 5125's
Dirt King stock LCA's

WHEELS AND TIRES:
Level 8 "Guardian"- 4.5" backspace
Hercules Trail Digger 285/75R 16
Full size spare

ARMOR:
Demello Offroad flat top bumper
Front Range Offroad Rear Diff ELocker Skid

EXTERIOR:
Softopper (black)
OEM Tacoma bed mat
Blacked out badges
Headlight "Eyelids"

Interior:
Husky Lliner "WeatherBeater" floor mats
Ultra-Gauge
Bob's Compass/Temp rear view mirror
ImMrYo mirror lift
Caltrend Duraplus seat covers

"PERFORMANCE MODS:"
AFE Stage 2 CAI
Airflow Snorkel
URD Maf-Calibrator
Magnaflow #12586
1/2" Intake Manifold Spacer
70mm Throttle body w/URD Spacer

LIGHTING:
Homebrew retrofits with DDM tuning parts
LED Park/Blinker/Reverse/License plate lights
OZ-USA 3" LED "Hyperspot" Pods-20W Floods
Baja Designs Squadron Pro "Wide Cornering" fog lights
Homebrew LED bed lights (In progress)
Homebrew LED under hood lights (In Progress)
Relentless Fabrication ditch light mounts
eBay special 18W spot pods w/ Relentless Fab ditch light mounts
27" Cree 10W China Led bar
Fog light anytime mod

MISC:
Bussman 1503-5 Box

MODS AWAITING TO BE INSTALLED:
Extended brake lines
Rear Diff breather mod
LED Halo's (installed, but not wired in yet)
Full size spare
Archive Shackle Flip


"ONE DAY" WISH LIST.....AND IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER RIGHT NOW:
1)1/2" Manifold Spacer (completed)
2)63" Chevy spring swap (will do shackle flip instead)
3)Ham Radio and Antenna
4)Front bumper LED bar hoop
5)Front bumper LED bar (completed 27")
6)50"-52" LED bar
7)Winch (purchased)
8)High clearance rear bumper
9)Fog light anytime mod (completed)
10)ABS Mod
11)Fyntund Designs Satoshi Grill-or my own
..........probably more I forgot or haven't found

THINGS I TRIED ONCE AND DIDN'T LIKE:
Fat Bob's adjustable coil overs (Never installed due to buying 886 and them being incompatible)
Building the damn Bussman fuse box (Cost)

HELPFUL LINKS I'VE FOUND:

Cobra Radio Schematics:
http://downloads.cobra.com/CB/CB.htm




Pics and more to come shortly........maybe.

 

Got a few bolt on mods in the mail this week and put them on.



Hit it with some Rustoleum Bed Liner


Before

After



Installed these guys. Sit almost flush with the hood. Only issue right now is the LED Pods I have, the mount hits the windshield. Will have to find a wok around

Edit: Apparently these are "accessory and CB" mounts and not ditch light brackets. Double check before you order. However, they mount to the hood hinge and are a clean install like the ditch light brackets. Definitely a clean install either way.

 

I think I saw you the other day in SD, what part do you live in?

 

La Mesa

 

This came in the mail the other day.....


The directions are pretty straight forward, but you'll need to also disconnect these




I went with silver so at first glance, it's kind of hard to notice anything is installed. Also, the factory silver Allen head bolts are replaced with a standard hex head bolt. The local autoparts store was out of the size needed, so I'll be back.



Install was about 45 min. Performance wise, well, it's a little hard to tell by the butt dyno. However, the truck does feel like it pulls a little harder in the bottom end like it used to before the lift and tires. If you're looking to do this, I'd try and find one used first.

 

Ive been a bit busy since my last update, but I had some time today to start putting on my Dirt King LCA's I got during this last group buy. As usual, what seemed to be something fairly easy turned in to something not so easy.

The install is actually really simple. You can probably do each arm in about 45min with a jack and your ratchets. However. While torquing my lug nuts down, the ProComp aftermarket lug key split. So I have to wait until tomorrow to get a new key at 4wheel parts.

For those looking for a comparison on stock vs Dirt King, here's a picture of one on each side.

 

I'll add clearance and hopefully travel numbers later after I finish the other side and get it aligned.

And yes, I know what you are going to say. I'll fix it tomorrow as well.

Update:
Before install, I took three measurements on the OEM LCA; the lowest point by the ball joint, under the shock, and under the LCA alignment cams. These were the respective measurements from location to ground:
10.5"
11 11/16"
13 3/16"

My hub to ground measures 15.25" to ground and fender to ground is 37 11/16"

At full droop, I am at 40.75" fender to ground. This is with the sway bar connected. Oddly enough, with my shocks off, I have about 1/4" more down travel left on the shock with the sway bar connected.

New measurements front the same points are as follows:
11 1/8"
10.75"
13.75"

Fender to ground is now 38.25"

This may be due to the new bushings and then needing to settle. I hope so due to my shock length.

Also, at full lock, my steering stop makes contact with the LCA on a gusset. I'm sure this was designed to do this, but now there's a gash in my powder coat. I know I would get rock chips and scratches, but this makes it more prone to rust in the long run.

On the trip home from the alignment shop, the ride did feel a bit softer through bumps and what not and also a bit more "bouncy," if that makes sense. I'm curious to see if my ride height goes down or if I'll have to go to a longer travel shock. Hope not.......

All in all, I think it may be worth the money in the long run. These thing are beef as F***. They look and feel more durable and the new uniball lower just feels smoother. As for ground clearence, well there is not much, but there is some. Articulation as of now is limited by my shock length, so does not appear to be any major gains there.

 

Got my 70mm Throttle Body in the mail a few weeks ago and finally had some time to start on porting/polishing it out. May have gone a touch crazy on the knife edge since I cut my finger on it. Think that'll do. Now to sand smooth and polish.

 

Got the last of the "sticker mod" parts in today. Already installed a retro stripe and "4Wheel Drive."

I'll put these on after a good wash. It's hunting season for a few more days and a wash would be pointless.

 

I really like that e-locker armor! Mine takes a beating from thrown rocks. Seems like a good idea! Subbed.

^ lol I can relate!

 

Got around to polishing up the throttle body and installing today. Pretty easy install and the porting and polishing wasn't all that hard. I didn't go crazy on the polishing but I did smooth/shine it a bit. If I had my compressor up and running, probably could've done a better job.

As most have said, the URD spacer is a touch smaller than the throttle body. Somewhere around 68mm. When my compressor is back up and running, I'll open it up a little.




I have, for about three weeks, been working up the courage to do my snorkel install......

 

Little bit of a lye up date. Installed a few items these last couple weeks, starting with an airflow snorkel. To adapt the snorkel to my AFE stage 2, I followed this thread pretty much to the "T"

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/foru...-cai-install-w-pics.html#/topics/41815?page=1

In the thread, another member uses a Fernco 1056-43 adapter. This worked very well for me. I had to trim the bigger end down to about an inch before the reducer and about an inch up from the smaller end, as well as about a half inch of the inlet to the AFE box (the "flanged lip). A little bit of heat from a heat gun and these were the results:





I know am running between -2 to +2 degrees ambient temperature on the freeway and driving. About 6-10 degrees above ambient while sitting in town.

I also added the antenna x cb style radio antenna and a cb coil spring mount. The result is a very slight loss of radio signal, mostly the HD channels when boxed in a lower valley area and better clearance in parking garages.



http://antennax.com/i-24625791-antennax-cb-24-inch-am-fm-antenna-for-ford-explorer-sport-trac.html

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Firestik-SS3M-Medium-Duty-Stainless-Steel-Springs/29940107

For the adapter on the coil, I picked up a $8 TRD eBay China shorty antenna and used it. I have an extra if someone wants it. Just pay shipping.

 

I also picked up a set of used ORI's off a member and installed. The ride is amazing and the adjustability is mind blowing. I'm having a bit of an issue dialing my ride height bs down travel and the dampening, but that's what is so nice about these. I can adjust them to whatever I want.

I bought a 40cuft tank and made my own setup following the below link. Cost to build and buy was about $250 for the tank and fill, and about $100 less than what it costs for a dual fill kit from ORI.




I've noticed on colder days it rides a bit lower but on warmer days, it's riding higher. I'll need to do a bit more tuning but I don't mind. If it was an off the shelf model, I'd have to pay someone to revalve until I liked it

 

Another quick update, I recently followed the popular "anytime fog light mod" but used a different method. My 15' is wired for the seat heater, but no heaters are installed. Instead of tapping into the FI system or anything else, I used the relay port that didn't have a relay for the seat heaters. This is a constant 12V source on or off. There are pros and cons for both, but I did it this way because sometimes I don't want to have the key in with the lights on, either for a quick lighting option or whatever. I know "what happens if I leave my lights on and the battery drains???!!!!" Simple, the Baja Designs dogs are damn near as bright as my headlights, it's pretty hard to not notice when I walk away that my lights are still on.


I simply used this for my power source and removed and taped off the wire going to the associated pin for the fog light relay. Put an inline fuse with it and piped in my Baja Squadron Pros.

 

Subd cool truck buddy