Going Small, and Tall...My 1st Taco

Hey,
New to the forum, never been here till tonight.
My recent divorce after 24 years, and my two children being older now meant I could own a truck again. Used to have a bunch of Ford F series, a couple Chevy 1/2 tons.
Just decided to buy an old Taco, and did.
A 1999 Tacoma SR5 4wd TRD, 2.7L 4cyl, auto trans. 122k miles, 2nd owner truck, where the dad bought it new at the dealer about 5 miles down the road, and then sold it to his son in 2003, who did the lift, 3" front and back, a 2" body lift, and rides on 33”x 12.5 Goodrich All Terrain A/T's.
My 14 yo son found it online. The seller stated he had paperwork from new, and the only issue was it has a blown front right strut.
We talked quite a while. I ask if he has a solid board for a ramp, and can he help me load a bike IF I should choose to buy? He has several bikes, so no problem. He trained German Shepards in the Marines, our family has always had them, AND I just got a new full bred rescue GS. It all sounds good.
I ride my 2003 Kawasaki ZZR1200 about 2 hours south.
I look, I climb under it. He tells me to run the VIN w/ Toyota to confirm the frame was checked, service records, etc. I drive it a while. We came to an acceptable price, and he helps me load the bike in the back, and I drive it home.
I have just received my Bilstein 6112 struts, and the 5100 rears, and am awaiting two bushings and washers from Toyota so the new struts are fully assembled before I start the swap. Will report back on the success of that project when I get there...
After that, let’s see,
Still 55 yo until December. I have been riding m/c’s for about 35 years. I have been a home brewer, and vintner for about 25 years. I have always loved music of MANY genres but lean towards HARD, and started trying to play bass a few years ago when I found I had a blood cancer, Multiple Myeloma. My playing, and MANY other things, have since been greatly hampered by complications from being sick and slowing my progress, but all it takes is a visit to treatments to see I don't have it THAT BAD.
So, as bikes become less available, I am going "Small, AND Tall."

 

Welcome aboard

 

Glad to have you aboard. I think you’ll fit in just fine.

 

Welcome to The Forum!

Keep your chin up and keep fighting! I am pulling for you!

 

Ha, I brought mine home with my Kawasaki in the back too.


Welcome! What's the last album you've listened to?

 

Welcome to TW

 

In the last couple hours, in full...
Robin Trower, Bridge of Sighs
Super Tramp, Crime of the Century
Jerry Garcia, Jerry Garcia
and currently, Mastadon's Leviathon

 

Your place sounds like a good place to be.

 

Welcome! You’ve had some serious stuff thrown at you. I hope your therapies aren’t too invasive. TW is a good place for support on your truck and a good laugh if you can handle the dumpster fire threads (they are many).

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld!

 

Welcome to TW!!

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Got the Bilsteins on. It took my brother and myself a total of 7hrs to take the first strut off like it was a Haynes manual photo shoot, and cut absolutely everything else off with the torch, make a fastener replacement run, and put it all back together.
I had posted another thread wondering if I should max the 6112 adjustable struts out as Bilstein did not suggest this with my model. So in keeping with one of my mottos for life, “Ask for forgiveness, not permission”, I did. And it worked great, the truck is level front to back and side to side. Now the sag from the old struts is gone and my 33’s can go to full lock in both forward and reverse with no contact with the wheel well plastic.
During an icy night last week, in 2wd, I tested 60, 120, then 180 lbs of sand in the rear in to assist in bad weather grip. 180 was too much, as I like to predictably break the rear loose. So I have a 60lb sand tube next to each wheel well held by 2x4 frame in the ready slots of my factory bedliner.
Following the new suspension, the truck really pointed out the deficiencies of mismatched wear brought on by driving with bad shocks. So I replaced my old 33x12.5x15 KO1’s for a full new set of Goodyear All Terrain TA KO2’s, and got a new alignment.
I love it. 20 years old, and it handles so well again. Still a truck, but smooth, and responsive to the smallest input. The shocks are much more compliant than I thought they might being set to full compression. It handles nicely crawling around a parking lot. It just hums serenely at 65. I keep saying it’s like riding on rails built on top of a pillow road....
Now, all REPAIRS are done, and on to things I just want to do. Nothing fancy, but my rear bumper is a little ratty. But first....
.......that single little scooter horn Toyota made SOOoooo effin’ POLITE has GOT TO GO....

 

Oh, and I let my 14yo son put it in low4 and he drove a very mushy part of our motoX track. He also approves of the purchase, and the new stuff!

 

Welcome!