2002 Tacoma TRD-OR DC 4x4 - Build Thread

Hey Everyone -- Recently joined on and thank you for the warm welcome! My Intro Thread
Goal with this thread is to share my Tacoma experience.

In Progress:
- 33.4" Tires going on after these Nittos die... They just keep rocking!

On-Going Maintenance and Mods:
10/19/18 - Purchased the Truck - Miles: 172,008
10/20/18 - OE Air Filter, Headlight bulbs, OEM Key, & New OE Corner Lights
10/22/18 - Nitto Ridge Grappler 265/75/16 (AMAZING tires)
10/29/18 - Denso (AC) Air Compressor, Continental Belts, Fuel Filter & Spark Plugs.
11/01/18 - TRD Off-Road (Mountain Decals) Dark Grey
11/09/18 - New Rockford Fosgate Speakers (replaced OEM)
11/16/18 - 2x Nozzle Assy, Wshr (222N) PN: 85381-04030 (Windshield Sprayer Nozzles)
11/21/18 - BudBuilt Front Skid Plate - Ordered Bare-Metal & Sprayed w/Bed Liner.
11/22/18 - Low Range Off Road Bed Bar - Black Semi-Gloss
11/29/18 - CBI Off-Road Sliders (Bolt-On, KkOut, DOM -Drawn Over Mandrel)
12/16/18 - Icon Front/Rear Shocks/Struts -- Waiting on Add-a-leaf
12/26/18 - Add-A-Leaf ICON Leafs and height adjustments to 2.5" lift front/back
12/29/18 - Alignment and height adjustments for 38.5" to wheel arches.
01/15/19 - Magnaflow Muffler & High-clearance Exhaust.
01/18/19 - Tepui Tent Installed
01/20/19 - OE Headlight Housing Replacements & Adjusted
02/10/19 - CB Radio Installed
04/11/19 - Cluster Repair
08/10/19 - Relentless Predator / Tacoma Wrap Around Rear Bumper & Swing Arm w/High-hitch
08/10/19 - Rear License Plate Light and Lugs for Rear Spare Tire Mount
12/26/19 - Sway Bar End Links, Tie Rod Ends (outer), Alignment, oil change, winch install and Rigid front lights.
05/06/20 - F/R Diff Fluid and D/P F Axles
05/18/20 - Smog - Catalyst Reset and re-smog
06/11/20 - CBI Bed Racks Installed
08/04/20 - Steven's Creek Toyota ( Lower Ball Joint Recall)
08/18/20 - Timing Belt, Water Pump / Alternator, Upper/Lower Coolant Hoses
10/23/20 - Surprise Alternator Replacement - OE
01/22/21 - Oil Change & OE Muffler Installed
02/05/21 - Current Miles: 192,350


Current:

 

You beat me to it Uploading now

 

Just because

 

Los Padres 11/2018
Camping trip 1: Pipe Tobacco makes camping just that much better


Buddy's Jeep.


Camping Trip #2:

 

Welcome.
1st gen, best gen.

 

Nice

Limited edition too. Those seats are better then non limited ones

 

Are they? The adjustable lumbar -- is that the only difference regarding the seats?

 

Me thinks color coded fender flares also.

 

Yes -- Limited so a lot of Chrome bits here and there (Bumpers, mirrors, handles) along with the fluffy seats.

Correct! But, as it is with most adjustable lumbars, it's always a little inflated even when I'd prefer it completely flat haha!

Correct! Color matched FFs.

 

Those upgrades.

 

Got the BudBuilt front Skid. They were kind enough to send the front skid while they build the transmission skid so I could have it in time for my trip to Death Valley.

Got the Bed Bar from LowRangeOffRoad and I'll have to get creative to install it with the plastic bed liner. So that's next!

 

Installed the skid without paint... then re-installed it with bed liner.

 

Alright! Got a lot done on Soma (Silver Tacoma)
I drilled new holes in the Bed Bar so the bolts wouldn't impact each other, painted it black with a rattle can and threw on the Hi-Lift. Works great.

As I wrapped up that project, I got the CBI Bolt-On Rock Rails (bare metal, kick outs, no fill plates, & DOM - Drawn Over Mandrel). CBI Really pulled through on these Rails and got them to me in time before I went to Death Valley. Thanks again!

The Rails Arrived:


Got all set up for installation:


Passenger side set up:


Driver after rust-oleum bed liner:


Driver side installed:


Passenger side installed:


I'll post some of the install in a bit.

 

A little more details about the installation.
Here's the view of the frame rail you're going to snug-fit these rails on.


I recommend using a jack to press up each of the 4 rails, alternating which one you're jacking/pressing on the frame. (pre-painted)


Painted and slowly making it's way on.


Driver side almost completely pressed to the frame.


for the driver side install, make sure you loosen up the brake line bracket and wiring so those bolts will slide right through.






This is how the bolts should look between above the frame rail.




And how Soma looked after a few hours in Death Valley this past weekend.

 

Also spent the last week modifying the speaker brackets for some new JBLs. Took about 3 rounds and a lot of Felt around the door cards (Along with a few Door Clips) to get those installed without a ton of random noise.

 

Got the Icon Suspension all installed.
Notes for if anyone hasn't installed Icon, its rather simple --
FRONT
Step 1: Slightly loosen wheel lugs and lift vehicle and add support jack stands.
Step 2: Remove front wheel (21mm)
Step 3: Remove Sway Bar End Links - use a hex socket and wrench (I believe 17mm).
Step 4: Remove the bottom bolt holding the bottom of the shock to the lower arm. tapping it out slowly with a ratchet extension, I used a pry bar leveraged against the upper arm and between the spring to compress the spring a bit and allow me to get the bottom bolt removed.
lastly, I removed the top 3 bolts holding the top of the shock housing and popped right out--no problems.
After installing the shock, make sure to tighten back up those end-links and torque everything to the proper specifications.
REAR
Step 1: Lift vehicle and remove wheel
Step 2: Remove Spare Tire -- Its possible to do this without removing the spare but I pulled it for access.
Step 3: Remove bottom bolt of the strut and 3 methods i tried to get that off was
a) a tie rod puller that slowly slides the shock off the bottom mount.
b) flat head screwdriver and tap the strut off.
c) pry bar or tie rod separator to slide between the back washer and strut.
Step 4: Remove top bolt and same options to slide that off.
Note: the Icon shocks I had were the aluminum 2.0 and have a reservoir. For this specific shock, it's mounted to itself (comes with the necessary brackets). Note the orientation of your rear suspension articulation and orient the shock accordingly. For my truck, made sense to have the reservoir face the rear of the truck.
tighten to 53 lb ft. (refer to manual or instructions) DO NOT GO OVER 90 lb ft. or the bolt will split in 1/2... not that that happened to me and I had to manufacture my own bolt....
If you're having difficulty installing the strut, use another jack to either adjust that side of the axle up or down to help the strut on the mount.
Should be good to go (this should be one of the easier installs you do

 

finally installed the add-a-leaf:
Follow the instructions provided by Icon Vehicle Dynamics and here are a few things that helped me along the way.
1) jack supports on the frame along with a 2nd lift at the axle to move up and down when removing and installing the add-a-leaf pack.
2) you will not need to remove the OEM Leaf Spring pack however, you will need to remove the Overload leaf (The bottom-most leaf). I used a tie-rod puller to hold the bolt in place while removing the middle leaf nut holding the bands together. I used C-clamps around the bolt to firmly hold the bands together to remove the bolt, loosened them to install the final add-a-leafs (Rather swapping for the overload leaf) and tightening them again to install the leafs together. lastly, you will need to cut the center bolt to 1/2" and the U-bolts provided by Icon will need to be cut, as well.