eon_blue's 1st gen Build: Radiant Red 2004 Tacoma

I'm running All Pro Expos for leaf springs, but I'm going to have to add a leaf to them here pretty soon. With the RTT and the added weight of the tail gate swingout they are sagging a bit. When I load up for camping this weekend I'll probably be on my bump stops lol.

 

I was doing so good this year too...went almost exactly 365 days without a torn boot or broken axle

The boots are usually the issue, 1st gens are notorious for ripping the inners. I'm going to reboot them with high angle ones from CVJ and hopefully that'll take care of it going forward.

 

FYI when you're trying to get the CVs back into the diff, they go in way easier when you have the open part of the c-clip facing upward.

 

Really? The FSM says to have it downward, so does Timma's vid. I'll try it next time. Though this time I had no trouble getting it in with it facing down

 

I could be wrong. I've always done it with it facing up and it's been easy going in. Still have to use a few whacks with a rubber mallet to get it all the way seated, but not bad at all.

 

I was surprised this time around, I was able to just slide it in by grabbing the thicker part of the end of the axle where it meets the diff and pulling on it (toward the diff from under the truck). Sucker just popped in, felt amazing haha. Usually I'm fighting it with a mallet on the end too

 

Went up to Laurel Lakes this weekend in the Eastern Sierras near Mammoth. Lakes sit at about 10k feet elevation, trail to get there is about 4.5 miles long. Not challenging or technical but 4x4 and high clearance required, tons of loose rock all over the place and some pretty steep and narrow switchbacks.

Great campsite minus the group of drunk frat bros and their ATVs camping across the lake and popping off rounds all day (I'm a grumpy old man, I know)

 

Truck looks awesome. I really like that rear bumper. Super clean!

 

Are you using an AAL on your leafs? I'm looking to get a rear swingout like yours and am thinking if I'll need to get an AAL for mine since I also have my RTT

 

I'm not, just the All Pro Expo pack but ever since adding the swing out tailgate I do think I need to add a leaf for the extra weight. It didn't really make it sag much at all, but I know once I put camping gear back there now it definitely will

 

Gotcha, then I'll probably get one. My pack does sag a bit now so it wouldn't hurt as a bandaid for now

 

yeah it sagged a bit on me before with all my camping gear, but with the extra weight of the swing out I imagine it will significant. Which AAL are you looking at? I was thinking the Wheeler's one since it advertises 1" lift if I recall correctly...most other AALs advertise 1.5 - 2" lift which I think would be too much for me when unloaded.

 

Probably the Dakar one since I've got the dakars, I'm eventually gonna make the jump to Alcan or something similar that's custom

 

Same here, I hit up Alcan awhile back but I just can't swing it right now. They're pricey but very much worth it so I hear

 

I have a wheelers AAL sitting in my garage that I’m not using.

 

oooh you do....is it for a 2nd gen though? I know they specify vehicles for them online but I wonder if there's really any difference?

 

Pretty sure its for a second gen, but not sure what the difference is. I could measure width and length for you and you can see if it'll fit your pack. I mean, they're leaf springs- people put chevy leaf springs on a tacomas all the time. The way I see it is if it physical fits and its not completely out of the intended weight carrying parameters (light or heavy), it should be fine, right? You could come check it out if you want. I don't have any immediate plans for it.

 

That's what I was thinking, I can't imagine there's much difference except maybe in its load rating? But if can hold even more weight then that's fine with me lol.

Yeah let me look into it a bit and I'll let you know, thanks!

 

Little update, FINALLY got myself a front bumper...bought Prayn4surf's All Pro Apex bumper + skids before Thanksgiving and finally got time to install them last week.



Was a royal pain the ass to do myself but after about 6 hours I managed to get it on there. Need to fix the fast-flashing LED turn signals next, also going to be removing the RTT soon. With this 100lb bumper on the front, steel rear bumper and swing out tail gate, full skids, sliders and RTT...my truck weighs a ton for a DD. Luckily I don't drive it far to get to work but still, I'm lucky to get 200 miles on one tank of gas and now with the bumper that's going to get worse.

So, off comes the RTT sometime this week most likely...will wrap it up in tarps and store it in the backyard since we don't have any storage space left in the shed. With the baby on the way next month I don't foresee any camping trips coming up in the near future anyway lol.

 

So now I know where I can borrow an RTT from