'97 Tacoma build

Hello Tacoma World! I've been lurking for a short while and this is my first post. I bought my first little Tacoma a few months ago and love it! I've owned a Ford ranger and the Tacoma definitely is my favorite of the two.

The truck is a 1997 ext cab, 2rzfe, W59.

I hated how low the truck hugged the ground. A lift and bigger tires were in order. I decided on a fabtech 3 lift spindles for the front, 2" fatbob's add-a-leaf for the rear.

Now that the truck was a bit higher I needed a new set of rubber. I decided on 235/75r15 (29") but I didn't want to lose drive ability so I needed to regear. According to tire size/gear ratio chart I needed a set of 3.73 gears. The problem is there's a very limited selection of Toyota 7.5 gears... but after searching I found a post about how Toyota Previa rear ends were the same. The previas come in two flavors naturally aspirated with 4.3:1 or supercharged 3.7:1. So I hit the yards and got a 3.73 previa third member for $60 and hoped it fit.

Today I successfully installed the previa third member! I was worried because there was no definitive install, but the pinion flange fits and the spider gear spline count (27 splines) is the same.


Tacoma third left, previa third on right

Tools needed:
14mm deep socket
12mm deep socket
7/8 socket
3/8 breaker bar
3/8 ratchet
3/8 extensions
14mm wrench
10mm wrench
Pry bar
Floor jack
Jack stands
Curse words

Start by draining the stinky diff fluid...
1. Remove driveshaft 14mm socket on breaker bar to loosen
2. 4 14mm nuts on each axle/backing plate; disconnect brake lines.

3. Remove axles


4. Loosen & remove all third member nuts 12mm
5. Clean third member gasket surface and insert new gasket.
6.Remove&Replace third member.

7. Inner wheel seals both sides

Both of the old seals
8. Clean and reinsert axle shafts (I reused the outer o ring)
9. I tighten the third member nuts in a star pattern to distribut the load evenly and did the same for the axle backing plate nuts
10. Refill! I used 75w90 Mobil 1 synthetic and have no complaints--good stuff.

Next on the list is tires

 

Some pics of how the truck used to sit on 215/70r15...



My new wheels are a set of jeep spare wheels. It's a 15x6 wheel with 38mm offset (same as stock 5 lug of this generation) so the wheel would mount and look the same as my stock wheels. The problem I had was that they're shaped a little differently and had brake clearencing issues in both the front and rear. I had to grind the outside of the caliper for clear in the front and I got a 1" wheel adapter for the rear. The wheel adapter also served the purpose of evening out the look of the rear track.

Some pics of the stock caliper!



Grind away babé




I didn't feel that it weakened the part baised on the location and amount of grinding. I ended up with about 3/16" clearance which is fine.

New wheel: jeep spare (painted hubcap dark gray) w/235/75r15 Yokohama yk thx all season tires.

 

Nice build !!

 

Great pics and comments. Like the regear swap you did; did you ever entertain the idea of a locker. Seems with your expertise, it would be doable, but ofc more expensive.
I heard from 2 different vendors that the spindles are supposedly only bringing out the wheels 1 1/2" out from stock, but from pics of trucks with spindles, Fabtech or Doetsch, it's more like 4-5". So I'm leaning toward the V6 front springs (maybe spacers on top as well) for add'l lift when I go the 15" tire swap. Look forward to your followup pics when you're done with the spindle install.
Happy Holidays!

 

@lotuscupcar thanks man! I really like the satoshi grill in your profile pic! I'm looking forward to making my own.

@Itch95
So yes I entertained the idea, but cost drove me away. The aftermarket community is not strong in favor of the Toyota 7.5 diff (only offered in 5 lug tacomas, pre Tacoma front diffs, and previas--to my knowledge). They're lost of options for automatic lockers (Detroit, lunchbox style...), not many if any options for a lsd rear, and arb is the only selectable locker option. Because my truck is manual, and I don't off road enough to justify it; I decided against an automatic locker. If I were to lock it it would be arb part #:RD 90 (air locker). But just the parts ~$900-1000 then setup at a gear shop maybe another 3-400, and an on board air setup 200... so it add up to too much for how much I'd use it.

To answer you about spindles: the truck already has the spindles on. All pics are with the fabtech 3" lift spindles and they indeed lift exactly 3". Stock wheels fit, but both companies recommend a wheel with 3.75" backspacing--bogus. The stock wheels are +38mm offset (5" backspacing on a 6" wide rim) so the wider front end is due to a combo of 1.25-1.5" increases width that the spindles provide plus wheels with little backspacing. That is one reason I went with a stock offset wheel because I'm not a fan of being out of the fenders. i wil take more pictures to let you see what's up.

After taking the truck off pavement and going quickly over bumps my front tires would occasionally rub the tops of the fenders. My solution is to use v6 coils (like you were thinking) to give a little bump up but also to be stiffer. I bet my stock could have sagged a bit after 19 years so I think a coil ought to do some good. From what I've read, both spacers or coils give a harsher ride and I prefer having a bigger spring vs. spacer and I don't know how they would be when combined. I would guess you would have greatly reduced suspension travel and it would be hard to get the alignment right with that much camber.
And happy holidays to you to!

I got my new set of wheels on the truck!
The front calipers had previously been ground down to fit the wheels and the rear had a similar figment issue. On the rears I decided on putting a 1" thick wheel adapter. I wanted to both bump out the wheel to match the stance of the fronts (because of the spindles) and needed the clearance for these particular wheels--your mileage may vary.Looking now I could have gone 1.25" but it's hardly noticeable to me and I honestly don't care. It works. It looks good. Done.


I went off pavement, not really off-roading and will be doing front v6 coils in my 4cyl.

To do list:
(No specific order)
-satoshi "inspired" grill
-carpet to vinyl floor
-paint front bumper (gray bedliner or paint)
-gray bedliner lower parts of rocker panels
-diy diff breather relocation
-rear bumper build? Not sure if I want to yet, nothing fancy just function
-antenna relocation
-v6 coils

With this truck I'm going for an understated modified to more oem look. This is my daily driver and occasional hauler so it has to perform on the road, but still be fun to dick around in.

More pics to come

 

I initially trimmed the front bumper valence to fit the wheels but I trimmed a little more to not rub and equal space

Before


Cut with an angle grinder off my line. My line was drawn by eye and not measured in any way--just what looked right.

 

Photos to show how in line the rears are to the fronts

 

Oh yeah, looks good. Thx for posting followup pics.

 

Completed a diff breather relocation and fuel filter relocation.

Diff breather fittings:
1- 1/8mnpt x 1/4 barb
1- 1/8 npt coupling
1- 1/8 fnpt x 1/4 barb 90
2-3' 1/4 fuel line

Fuel filter relocation was a pain. The hardest part was getting the old filter out, hence why the mod. I'm not going to go into detail, there's already been a great write up in the custom tacos technical articles.

 

Will the 1st gen 5 lug tacoma third member out of an 01-04 automatic work? It should have a 3.73 gear as well. Can anyone clarify?

 

I don't recommend the v6 coils on. I have them on my truck and rides super stiff. I know moog makes some coils that level/lift the 5 lug but I'm not sure how the ride quality is. The part # is 81072