Canadian 3rd Gen Thread

It looks like the way Toyota is operating is that they sell most trucks in areas where the road is NOT salted. It would not make sense to take special anti-corrosion measures in the design, if it is just going to add cost without a benefit for most owners. They just roll the dice and see how many trucks come back for this warranty, it is cheaper for them.

Best move is to spray your truck with light machine oil every year or two. They are all basically the same, look at Corrosion Free, Rust Check, Krown, whoever will do it the cheapest. You are not really doing it for cosmetic reasons, you are doing it because the crash performance of the vehicle will be compromised if there is corrosion that affects the crash safety design.

 

Coastal Offroad has a diy kit;

https://www.coastaloffroad.com/product-page/3rd-gen-tacoma-front-bumper-kit?v=3e8d115eb4b3

 

It Sure is

 

Any chance that ARC1 rear bumper will work with my radar BSM? It looks like tits, I need one.

 

I wanted to ask if anyone is running the expensive shocks that require "rebuilding" every 15k mi. I am not sure what the "rebuilding" would be, do you just replace the seals and pump them up to the design pressure? It sounds like a hassle to do that every year at a cost of about $350-450. A lot of the Americans who post about them are living in semi-desert environments where it's no problem to undo the fasteners after a year. I think after a Canadian winter of being exposed to magnesium chloride spray, they will be rusted up tighter than prom night.

I am interested in getting a slightly softer ride compared to my stock Sport suspension, and I'd like another 25 mm of compression travel to soak up speed bumps and stuff. I do not really drive off-road, just semi-maintained Hydro gravel roads along the 230kV/500kV power lines.

Do the Bilstein 5100/6xxx shocks require regular maintenance that involves taking them apart? If so, I don't want them because I do not need any more maintenance items on my truck.

I was looking at the Elka products which are coming out of Quebec, for example. I expect they are designed for Canada. I see a lot of American aftermarket parts on newish trucks around here, that are rusted to hell and look awful. We do not live in Arizona and California where the popular suspension parts on this board are designed.

 

I never assembly without a liberal coating of neversieze compound of some sort. I work on equipment that takes a shit kicking daily and shocks are replaced every couple of years. Neversieze is the difference maker!

Left are neversiezed, the right were not. A pain to remove even with an impact gun.

I go through a bottle a year at work.

 

No matter what, suspension is a maintenance item for vehicles... going to have to accept that fact.

Most of the shocks that are rebuildable would have a much higher interval than 15k mi.
well unless you were Baja driving every day...
More like 50k+ mi... it all depends how hard they have to work...

5100's you just replace... not worth rebuilding... They may last longer than what your factory shocks would.
6112's would last even longer in the same driving conditions, would allow you to drive faster on those hydro trails ....

In theory reservoir shocks should have a longer lifespan than monotube shocks as they run at lower pressures and dissipate heat much better. and won't "be working as hard"..
In theory a shock with better materials and is bigger, will cost more but will last longer...

In suspension there is a direct correlation to $ vs capability and durability....

Common expression is "Buy Once, Cry Once"

I hear Kings and Icons are very good shocks but don't seem to like being immersed in salt 6 months of the year,

Elka, Higher end Fox, Falcon and Bilistein have had good reviews for holding up....

BUT... for any of them, as was mentioned above, you're still going to have to cover the bolts with anti-seize/grease.

Even high end shocks will still be subject to all the rocks and gravel banging around in the wheel wells,
so if you want the suspension to look "cherry" for years to come, better start a oil spray/ protection regiment for the truck.

I have 8112's /8100's that seem to be holding up well , but I sprayed them with ACF-50 and fluid film before the winter...
Wash them off in the spring and re spray with ACF-50 oil.

 

Yup, I agree with all the above.

I ran Radflo 2.0's all around on my '14 Tacoma for 120000 kms, had them rebuilt at 100k along with my Total Chaos Uniballs.

BCC told me I was way over the interval for maintenance however and recommended 60000 km intervals if I remember correctly.

The coilovers were getting pitted for sure with the Sea to Sky salt/brine program for 5 winters.

My next setup, for my '20, that I'm currently waiting for is the Radflo 2.5's with remote resi's and compression adjusters but this time I'm paying extra to have them cerakoted.

I'm eager to see how these hold up with the factory protection from the start. I'm also going to a sealed balljoint instead of a uniball, with SPC UCA's this time. The Total Chaos ones were always a bit squeaky and annoying if you didn't stay on top of the lube.

 

Hello Fellow Canadians.

I'm back with the company that I used to work for again so I can do more videos on my favorite truck again: https://youtu.be/8Ml989W1Omw

Still Selling with Lexus South Pointe in Edmonton but also at Mayfield Toyota. Either way, I just like the trucks haha.

 

My past experiences with Bilstein 5100 series shocks were not pleasant. Even with fluid films and very frequent car wash trips I went through three complete sets of Bilstein 5100 shocks on my Hummer H3T Alpha in under five years, when I went back to the shop I bought them from to show them that another set of fronts were leaking to almost completely devoid of fluid and the rears just straight up siezed. The shop very politely told me to kick rocks and Bilstein refused to warranty any more of my equipment. My truck was a glorified street queen the last two years of ownership that I went through the last two sets, and I'm in Saskatchewan where there's minimal salt but loads of gravel and sand.

I'm in the same boat as you though, I'm very interested in Elka's product. I used to use their shocks when I was in to sport ATVs back in they day and they always delivered an excellent product back then. I just can't justify rebuilding shocks again.
I had a JD Fabrication mid-travel set up on an '05 Sierra 1500 and would have to send the Kings back once a year and I got so fed up with having to constantly take off tires and lubricate and inspect the uniballs on all the joints I wasn't exactly sad when I traded it off for the Hummer Pickup.
I plan on getting a set of BDS upper control arms when the time comes to purchase a lift, they're pricey on this side of the border but use an oem Moog ball joint and I think increase the caster 2° if my memory is correct.

 

Anybody have a cart full of parts at tdotperformance or 4wp for a possible Canada Day sale? My spreadsheet is all ready to go, bring on the 15% off sale cuz Daddy's truck needs a new suspension!

I have had pretty good luck with annual Rust Check treatment (I used the Canadian Tire product once but they made a huge mess and even sprayed the plastic bed). Elka's stuff is nice but $ and I might buy the new design Taco in a few years so I don't want to buy a $5000 suspension system.

Also, anybody know where to get Deaver leaf springs, preferably in Ontario/Quebec?

 

Seems no sales this year at tdotperformance, 4wheelparts.

 

10% off at 4wheelparts now.

 

Any Canadians figure out or try the Alexa/“Entune” Headunit update yet? Lol