Breakin' Bolts Build

So here goes nothing...2 years into TW and owning my 2017 Tacoma (Double Cab Short Bed TRD Off Road). I've sheered, stripped and mangled enough bolts, clips and threaded pieces to document some positive outcomes and mods...

Fresh off the deal lot and oh so CLEAN
Current Taco setup, in so far as my bank account has allowed
(build photo chrono here)​

Current Setup​

• Brakes System/Tires/Wheels
  • Goodyear Ultraterrain E load 285/70r17 (x5)
  • SCSPerformance Stealth 6s in 17x8.5 (x5)
  • Centric/StopTech Sport Slotted Cyro Rotors (P/Ns 126.44129CSL & 126.44129CSR)
  • Power Stop Z36 Truck/Tow Brake Pads (P/N Z36976)
• Armor
  • Mobtown Offroad Bolt-on Sliders
  • ARCHIVE GarageRear Wheel Sensor Skids
  • SOS:
    • IFS
    • Mid
    • T-Case (pending exhaust reroute)
  • SSO Slimline bumper
  • SSO Slimline Stage 2 (Taco wings!)
  • Sterling Wild West Skid Pro
    • Let's Go Aero Silent Hitch Pin®: 5/8" Press-On Locking Anti-Rattle Pin for 2" Hitch

• Suspension
  • Elka 2.5s Extended Travel Coilovers with adjustable remote reservoirs (2-3in. lift)
    • Crown stainless braided brake lines: stock length plus 1 inch
  • Elka 2.5s Extended Travel Rear Shocks with adjustable remote reservoirs
    • Crown stainless braided brake lines: 24 inches
  • SPC Light Racing Upper Control Arms (thanks boogie3478 )
  • Dobinsons Heavy Leaf pack (L59-111-R) w/their bushings and sleeves
  • SPC 4 degree axle shims with extended bolt, spacer; nut (via HeadStrong Off-Road)
  • ARCHIVE Garage
    • Hammer Hangers kept his bolts with upgraded leafs
    • U-bolt flip kit
    • Archive Speed Bumps (Rear Bump Stops)
  • @EatSleepTacos:
    • CMC
    • Cross tube (for Hammer Hangers)
  • DuroBump Front Bump Stops
  • Total Chaos Gussets on OEM Spindles
  • @WarFab Armor tie rod sleeves
  • Gear Tech Fend-X front wheel well liners

• Exterior Lighting
  • Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro Fogs (4000k SAE Selective Yellow)
  • MESO Customs Ultimate Turn Signals
  • MESO Customs Total Tail Light Kit - Stage 1
  • KC HiLites C2 Pods (x2 Flood Pattern) - installed on tailgate pods
  • Osram 35W HIR reverse bulb
  • GE Megalight Ultra H11 (Low Beam bulbs)

• Exterior Mods
  • ECGS Needle Bearing Delete #randyFAB
  • Extended 4 Front bumper mounting bolts #randyFAB
  • ARE CX classic Hardshell/Topper
    • Led bars x4 interior
    • Carpet interior
    • Yakima Rack
  • TOTAL CHAOS Bed Stiffeners
  • TOTAL CHAOS/#randyFAB spindle gussets and Randy's welds on Betty White's old spindlesSo
  • Header Rail in Bed (turd gen problems)
  • Square One Creations Front Frame Caps
  • MESO Customs Gasshole (3rd gen)
  • Rokblokz (regular size front and rear) - front removed post suspension & UCAs installed; will need modding
  • Rear Diff Breather Mod
  • Over Axle Exhaust Chop
  • CaliRaisedLed Tailgate Pod (x2)
    • w/KC HiLites C2 Flood Pods attached for auxiliary/supplemental reverse lighting (also can be a tailgater deterrent)
  • AVS window vents (front and rear)
  • Bed Rug tailgate coverage
  • RelentlessFab Tacoma Bed Rail Dual Quick Fist Mounts
  • @Stoked4 Upgraded Front Wheel Well (Single Piece) Engine Bay Splash Guards
  • Toyota Bed Mat

• Interior Mods
  • Husky floor liners (front)
  • Clazzio Leather Seat Covers (front and back in Grey)
  • MESO Customs :
    • Ultimate Maps (red)
    • Ultimate Dome (red)
    • Interior Chrome Delete Package (MGM console starter/4x4 rings, climate rings, vent rings -- Black door knobs [x4]; Black Steering Wheel toyota logo)
    • DIY ECT Delete via Pro Shift Knob
    • Extended Height Fuse Cover
    • Coin Tray (TRD engraved lid)
  • Hondo Garage Radio Knobs (AR Bolt pattern)
  • Fieldcraft Survival Go-Lite Panel Pack (multicam black)
  • Desert Does It Front Seat Jackers w/Multi Mount Panel
  • Center console divider
  • Center console upper tray
  • Glove box divider
  • Taco Garage -
    • Red Aluminum Baby Yoda Start/Stop button
    • DMM w/
      • Mega Mighty Magnet Phone Mount
      • Mighty Magnet Phone Mount
      • Baofeng mount
    • @Unchained 5150 Spin on Left Vent DSM for my Ultraguage

• Recovery Gear and Tools
  • Warn VR evo 10s
    • Factor 55 Flatlink E
    • Factor 55 Rope Guard (install pending)
    • LambTek Innovations Winch Switch Bracket Option 1
    • Tandem Offroad Maner Mount - 3rd gen Tacoma Winch Control Box Mount
  • Rhino Recovery Strap 3"x30'
  • Gear America 1/2" Soft shackles (x2)
  • Overland Vehicle Systems Recover Ring 6.25"
  • Yankum Ropes 30'x7/8" kinetic recovery rope
  • Yankum Ropes 3/8" Soft Shackle
  • Powerbuilt 3 ton all-in-one bottle jack
  • Milwaukee M12 3/8" Stubby impact
    • M12 Batteries: 3aH (compact), [x2] 3xc aH; 6xc aH
    • Adapter & Reducers -- 3/8 to 1/4"; 3/8 to 1/2"; 1/2 to 3/8"
    • Taco specific 3/8" and 1/2" drive impact sockets
    • 1/2" metric Taco specific impact sockets
    • 
      
    • 1/2" drive socket wrench
    • Metric 12pt. racheting combo wrenches
    • Metric 6pt. racheting combo wrenches
  • Gerber GI Tri-fold E-tool
  • Bow Shackles (x3 - two on front bumper, one on skid pro)
  • Viair 450/Midwest Jerry Can combined to form:
    • Jerry Can-o-Air-450
  • Krazy Beaver Tools Shovel
  • Milwaukee 26" Jobsite Toolbox w/:
    • M18 Chainsaw
      • M18 12HD aH and 6XC ah batteries
      • 34LP-56 backup chains (x3)
    • Bar-Chain Oil
    • Eye/Head/Ear Protection
    • Assorted sized wedges
    • Leather Gloves
    • Chain Sharpener Kit
    • Combo M18/M12 Charger
  • Vaughan Camp Axe
  • Wicked Saws Folding saw
  • X-Bull Recovery traction boards

• 2018 Runaway Range Runner Camper
  • 6’X8’ Camper
  • Axle flipped
  • 2 sets of spare bearings
  • 255/70/16 Falken Wildpeak AT’s
  • Pro Comp La Paz wheels
  • Bigger fenders and mud flaps
  • Matching spare tire and wheel
    • Rear spare tire mount
    • Spare tire cover
  • 5lb. Propane tank and mount
  • Group 31 deep cycle battery
  • 100 watt solar panel
  • Roof rack
  • Clamshell storage (on roof rack)
  • ARB 2500x2500 awning
  • ARB Awning fully enclosed room
  • Padded floor
  • Fantastic Fan 2 way
  • Front interior storage
  • Air conditioning
  • BAL C Stabilizer jacks
  • Lock n Roll Coupler
  • Subfloor that converts into seating
• Under-the-hood Modifications/Powertrain Service
  • Engine Oil:
    • Toyota Aluminum Oil Filter Housing
    • Toyota Oil Filters
    • Toyota Oil Drain Plug Gasket
    • JLT Performance Oil Catch 3.0 (black anodized)
    • Mobil 1 0w-20
  • Differential Gear Oil:
    • Lucas 85w-140 Dino Gear Oil
  • Transfer Case Gear Oil:
    • Redline MT-LV, listed as equivalent to Toyota 08885-81001
  • Transmission Oil
    • Toyota WS ATF
• Communications
  • Baofeng uv-5r (x3)

Came with​

• Pro Comp Package (GONE!!!!!)
  • 285/60r20 pro comp at sport tires
  • Pro Comp 20x9 wheels
  • 1.75 inch front spacer
  • 1 inch diff drop kit
  • 1 inch rear block

• Toyota Leaf Springs
• Toyota Bump stops
• Toyota u-bolt kit
• Toyota Plastic Oil Filter Housing
• Toyota Spindles

 

MAY 19, 2018

Fresh off the dealer lot ->


First day of owning the Taco = Going Deep!


Had to get the pup up in the fresh new truck day 2 and after rear diff breather mod installed.

Moving firewood (albeit way late in the woodstove needs game) ahead of us moving into our new home...found out that winter when I went to buy firewood from some locals my neighbors hooked me with up, they laughed at the 5' bed and told me to come back for a 2nd or 3rd load to get a real load of wood.

Installed @mrproduxn front license plate bracket delete


mobtown offroad slider pickup


August and September
Moved and got married...who's got time for sliders...

Parents had a giant oak and beech trees come down from a storm Oct. 2018...had to make multiple trips to get what I salvaged...



Wanting to not be held back by the limited bed capacity, I picked up a 6'4"x10' single axle trailer (now I really regret not getting the 6'4x12' or 14' tandem axle!!!!!)

December
Quickly aquired a literal 4x4x4 load of twice seasoned 16" oak. Downside of our house floor plan basically paired us with a smaller woodstove and it can only take up to 16" logs. Of course the day before I went there was 8" of snow and freezing rain so I'm certain I maxed the trailer capacity not to mention I was 53 miles from home.



2019

March 12
Got them sliders painted and installed, thanks to the great assistance of Wifey!!


May 22
Trying to break the trailer!! Thankfully it was only 13 miles on back roads!

May 28
Got new shoes and treads May 2019


Playing with my "lil' bear" and reinforcing staying in the bed while playing on firewood rounds/backyard "flexing" stock suspension


June 22
Tried undoing the likely impact wrench installed from last freeby dealer oil change...yeah that didn't go over well at all.

Found out my neighbor does service work for lots of folks in the area and has for 30 years now...so I picked up the aluminum filter housing and we've been wrenching all service interval work there since then!

August 10-11
Went wheeling with a few folks that wheel the trail pretty regularly...great getting out and stretching the stock trucks legs and getting a tease of the total capabilities of these trucks.



August 22
Sterling Wild West Skid Pro arrived. The coating on the pin holes had to be worn down to fit the hitch receiver pin. Not a big deal per say, but defeats the point of the coating...wonder if they've adapted to account for the coating thickness impact on the pin hole diameter. Install pic shows it installed all the way in, there are two additional pin holes that allow you to position it further reward, extending the departure angle "skid" protection.


September through December
Off to momma and baby planning, prepping, so no go for Taco fun...2020 here we come!

December 29
42 weeks and one day...My Wife is A CHAMPION. Our first baby, Ms. Nora Ann, was born weighing in at 6lbs 15oz.


2020

7 March
Picked up a second hand ARE CX classic topper in silver sky metallic with interior carpeting.


Definitely noticed more rear sag...


Previous owner setup (lighting pictures) with carpet interior, LED bars on rear windoor as well as both side windoors and running down the topper ceiling center line (pictures of lighting are from prior owners Taco). I haven't run 12v power to the bed yet (9/2020).


April 12
Anytime Backup Camera with Natika front camera mod install with the Wifey!






As both a reward and for my own sanity, she found the spare taco fob after I noticed it missing 8 months earlier, fitting for Easter

...so MESO got both my keys...mine was done immediately 8 months earlier (hint why I found out the spare was missing!)
Circa September 2019


May 9
Archive's Hammer Hangers, ECGS' Clamshell bushing and #randyfab CMC and cross tube work (complements to @EatSleepTacos)


May 24
Swapped out the stock leaf springs and the 1in. block for Dobinson's L59-111-R Heavy Leaf Springs (mid-range option for 500-800lbs static load) and used their greasable sleeves and bushings. Also installed Archives ubolt flip kit and his brand bump stops.






Best Before and After upgrading leaf springs (Dobinsons' heavy leafs netted me 2.75" of lift with approximately 335lbs [i.e. 5th spare, recovery gear and edc tools plus the hardshell]) I could put together:


Gotta point out how handy this 90* head, magnetic bottom olight is!! You'll see later with my IFS skid install how strong a magnetic base it is!

So not long after installing the new leaf springs, I developed major DL pinion grinding sound...which led to me initially buying a SPC 3 degree shim kit, but after measuring the DL working angles, it turned out I needed a correction of 3.9 degrees, so I picked up just the set of SPC 4 degree shims to correct this awful noise:
https://youtu.be/l68XpaIRBY8

June 2
Got my trio of steel skids


SOS IFS skid post rattle can, but the rear 12mm bolt mounting holes were off a bit more than I could fudge with the four 17mm bolts in place (even just a thread or two tight)


So after running the plate with only the 4, 17mm bolts for two work days (90mi round trip), I had apparently left the light on and sitting on the skid...came home and went to take the above photos to size up the grinding effort, and low and behold the damn light was still on and still in place on the skid!!!


Got the back holes opened up and the IFS skid in place, however, with the diff drop (from dealer) the diff support arms and diff are bottomed out on the IFS skid...time to make ready deleting the diff drop!!


June 28
Let the Taco sit pretty much for a month due to the major rear ujoint/pinion grinding, and went to pull the rear tires and heard the neighbor chime in, "Hey Greg, you know you're missing a lug nut over here?". Went over immediately and not just a lug nut...turns out the bigger and more pronounced rear end shimmy and vibrations I felt on the last Friday I drove it home from work, turns out the entire wheel stud and lug sheered off.


4 of the remaining 5 lugnuts were loose...like halfway loose. Thank goodness the last one needed an impact to take it off. Replaced the wheel stud and lug nut, and apparently in a rush (in the Greg 'Breaking Bolts' way) missed retorquing/torque checking that wheel when doing the ubolt flip and leaf spring bolts/nuts, as well as what was supposed to be all 4 sets of wheel lugs. Yeah you know I took the torque wrench with the lug key/socket and checked them after driving to and from work for three days, haha!


Nice shot of Archive's u-bolt flip kit with his bump stops...and the installed SPC 4 degree shims


UPDATE: 08/27/2020: Major driveline vibrations in the steering wheel/dash developed, initial driveline measurement #1 of 3 showed a positive 4 degree working angle correction needed (4 degree shim fixed a negative 3.9 degree working angle correction at the rear diff!).
UPDATE: 09/10/2020: Remeasured and got a 5.2 degree WA correction at rear diff, so barring deleting the front diff drop changing the 3rd measurement results (pending*) looks like the 4 degree shim at a minimum is coming out.
UPDATE: 02/28/2021: Didn't get a measurement, but pulled the 4 degree shims, got an alignment and plan to check the WA's this weekend

 

2020 (con't.)
July 11
SSO Slimline and Stage 2 installed 7/11/2020 (bought/swapped my stock fender/bumper section of cut stock piece and hybrid bumper)

Didn't take into account the altered view of the front ABC camera mod.


July 14+
Got around to finishing most of the (at least via MESO options) chrome interior deletes: Air Vents, Start & 4x4, Climate Rings, Center Console and AT Shifter.

July 26
Installed my SPC UCAs and my Elka 2.5 DSC front coilovers and rear shocks with my brother-in-law.


August 27
Installed crown extended front and rear brake lines


Installed Archive Garage rear wheel sensor


August 28
Post extended brake line (and post tree clearing) mini flex "setup"


August 30
Also got a little way back into the backwoods shooting lane they cleared while doing the backyard. Had two buddies over to break in some AR platforms...so I loaded up the truck and down we went...to a point. It was still soupy so I decided to air down. Wife came out and heard air leaking and immediately thought I busted a tire!


September 5
Finally put the fender liner back on...

And of course the MAJOR mod-to-date shackle silencers


September 19
Went over to the in-laws and got up on the lift:

• Switched the Dobinsons Leaf Spring bolt next to gas tank (had minor rubbing visible from end of bolt)
  • Before:

• • After:

• Sway Bar Deleted

• Front Differential Drop Deleted (halfway then completed with skid plate on). So glad the diff isn't sitting on the skid anymore!!

• Removed and upgraded/installed single piece engine bay splash guards (DS and PS pre and post chrome delete)

• 1st interval molygraph grease on SPC UCAs @51,786mi (don't worry I pumped the new ball joints with this grease during install with Elka's).
• Cheapskated the OE fog harness exposed wire between loom and connector with electrical tape.
  • Before:
• • After:

October 5

• Received and applied the official branding to the Hammer Hangers crosstube...#randyfab

November 19
Had a 6+cm tenosynovial cyst removed from the back of my left hand... Occupational therapy until end January 2021

2021

February 27/28
Front DuroBumps installed and removed leaf spring 4° shims and longer bolt.

I will be monitoring the rear pinion for grinding, etc. I will take the rear pinion working angle.​

February/March-->May 18
Turns out I tore both right and left long head of the bicep tendons in the shoulder socket...so I had my right bicep surgery along with releasing two inflamed tendon sheaths in my left wrist.


March 6
Hit up #randyFAB once again for cutting out the OE front bumper horn bolts and welding in longer ones for adding the BAMF front bumper reinforcement brackets (FBRB) to the SSO Slimline to factory mounting face.
https://youtu.be/1YJpWrFQmeE

OE vs Aftermarket Bolt (could've gone a bit shorter...oh well, band saw or bust if need be!)

Tandem Offroad Relocation Panel for the Warn Control Box

LambTek Power Bracket Switch Combo

Factor 55 Flatlink E


March 8
Quick mock up of the FBRB after arriving, didn't even take off the nuts


March 15
Received and installed passenger side frame end cap from Square One Creations (our own @Nimble9 ) front frame end caps. Unfortunately, the driver side SSO slimline bottom bracket needs some grinding to allow the non-tapered and slightly larger bolt provided with the end caps.

Plan to grind out the bracket, then mark and cut the end caps to work with the BAMF FBRB footprint...thanks to @geekhouse23 for laying out the process and photos!​

March 17
Did the 500 (or 850) mile torque recheck on the Leaf Spring/Hanger bolts/nuts and u-bolts. Applied torque checkmark paint.


March 26
Installed head rail in the bed (no end caps bought). Plan on seeing about better 5th wheel retention, gotta put together some t-nut d rings tonight.

Also ground out the overlap on the SSO bottom bracket tab to allow the Square One Creations provided bolt to come in true/squared to the cap and retained nut.

The best part is pulling the frame caps to cut and recoat for installing with the FBRBs.

July 11-13
Well look at that, I got around to modding some stuff on the Taco:

• 
  
  
  • Pulled OE spindles Swapped bushing from OE to Betty White's old gusseted spindles
    • Grinded down rearward protruding piece of gusset to allow break line bracket to be mounted
    • Cut out this section of both brake weather shields due to rotor interference.

Pulling off the OE spindle (first garage session!)


Back when things were just simply involving swapping out these OE spindles for the guesseted ones


Ended up having to grind off the hub interface of the paint.


Here's the brake shield cut

• 
  
  
  • Pulled Elka 2.5s
    • Cleaned them off,
    • Threw them in his coil press,
    • Loosened the collar enough and put 5 full turns on both
    • Tightened up collar

• • Ended up cutting the small leg bottoms of the BAMF FBRBs to work with the SSO bumper (no photos, but used a ban saw to cut it off and soft grinding disc to clean up the BEAST welds on the BAMF bumper brackets).
    • Mounting pending primer and paint touchup later this week.
  • Replaced all of the front spline lug nuts

So after dropping the truck down from the long stay on the 2 post lift and driving the 500 ft. home my initial front measurement sat at

• Front Driver: 24"

• Front Passenger: 24 1/4

After driving around they sank to:

• Front Driver: 22 3/8"
• Front Passenger: 23 1/4"

July 16
59,837mi
Replaced the cabin air filter and the engine intake filter

July 22
Installed Taco Garage DMM and Mega Might Magnet phone mount.
Also primed and rattle canned the BAMF FBRB.

August 9
Discount Tire Rotation and Balance @60,881mi

August 13
MESO Total Tail Light - Stage 1 w/ Resistors added, along with the DIR wire harness between the Stage 1 bulbs and the DIR it makes for a much better view even without adjusting the monitor display settings! Top is after, bottom is before the install.

August 18
Birthday install (since I found them finally) of the MESO Ultimate Turn Signals

August 29
Oil and Filter Change @ 62,500 miles.
Pending UCA ball joint greasing interval; drive line greasing; ATF level check and/or a pan flush and fill;

August 31
Installed the baby Yoda start/stop button from Taco Garage
Also got notice my skid steer trailer was ready for pickup!

September 1
Went ahead and got it the next day

2022
March 13
69,242mi - Got the truck up for a oil and filter change and greased the 2 zerks on the DL and greased the UCA ball joints today. The oil filter housing bottom drain plug had been leaking a little oil as I noticed the ifs skid had a oil stain running down the center. The plug was finger loose. I'll have to pull the filter access plate after 500 miles and check it's snug.
As I was draining oil and checking over the front suspension/wheel I found the passenger rear knuckle rear bolt was nearly halfway worked out and the front one was loose. Got them snugged down right.

July 8
75,650
Oil and filter change performed.
I will grease the ball joints once I get the coilover spherical bearings pressed in and get the right misalignment spacers in hand...will install the warfab tie rod sleeves that arrive July 11th and will take care of greasing the 2 grease zerks on the driveline.

July 22
Finished the lower coilover spherical bearing and misalignment spacer replacement.

Also installed the tie rod sleeves and fend-x front wheel well liners



August 13
75,910mi
Installed the Stop Tech Slotted Rotors and Power Stop Z36 Brake Pads

After doing the brakes/rotors, I trimmed off about 1/8 inch off the end of the WarFab inner tie rod sleeve for the additional toe adjustment needed to true up the alignment.

Greased the 2 DL zerks
Greased the UCA ball joints

September 24
Linked up with Adv4x4's John to finally get the Taco TUNED!!! He's offering the Overland Tailor Tune - I went with Light/Medium throttle controls and WOW what a noticable and immediate difference it made! The next testing I'm eager to accomplish will be a using the Medium ECT setting (with overdrive locked out of 5th gear) to trailer loads. This will basically be a combination of the next few weeks of trash trailer runs along with pulling the little camper trailer, especially up Afton Mountain Pass on I-64W, which we have a trip planned that should provide an opportunity to make the trek next month.

Extremely pleased with the driving/shifting driving experience so far while driving on some familiar stretches of highway and interstates/on and off ramps, as well as the S1 and S2 torque/throttle feel/response while driving on dirt and grass.

October 20
Did the oil and filter change at 80,020mi. -- Greasing of both UCA ball joints and DL x2 zerks

December 31
Finished off 2022 with a transmission pan drain and fill. Drained just under 2qts from pan, replaced crush washer. Then refilled 2.5qts, got the trans pan up to 95F and pulled check plug, drained just about 0.25qts until the drizzle and screwed in check plug with new crush washer.

 

2023
January 8
Oil & filter change and emptied the oil catch can, which I think hadn't been emptied in over 24,000 miles

Plenty of oil gunk stuck to the bottom had to be wiped out!

February 26
OE Battery finally had enough…replaced with a new 24F at 89,921 miles.

 

Saved for diabolical developments

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Still Remaining on the Mod Chopping Block:​

• Remove OE liners
• Install x liners

• MESO Ultimate Turn Signals

• MESO DIY ECU Shifter Button v2

• MESO Total Tail Light - Stage 1 w/ Resistors

• DIR wire harness

• Cowl Intake reroute
• 2lo harness install/passenger dash disassembly

• Brake Light Harness Tap

• MESO Silver Sky Headlight Trim PlatesTailgate 12v power and 12v marine grade outlets
  • Hookup hardshell LED strip lighting during tailgate power install

• Frame drilling for T-case skid

• Not sure about following through with the BAMF FBRB and SSO slimline
  • Cut the FBRB bottom legs
  • Have to drill into Slimline for longitudinal mounting bolt

• Hardshell/bedrail gasket replacement

• Remove backup flood pods/Clean up aux wiring in engine bay

• Run power to tailgate

• Install blue sea outlet

• Taco Garage Baby Yoda Red Start Button (pending arrival)

• Warn VR Evo 10s install on slimline bumper

• Factor 55 flatlink e install

• Factor 55 flatlink rope guard

• Square One Creations frame end cap (driver needs mod'ing)

• Adjust coilovers (ongoing)

• Create/Find and then install wheel well/slimline wing openings (attempt to keep rocks, mud and other debris from collecting inside them).
  • Race car body material might be viable option via my neighbors shop

• Pull 4 degree rear axle shims

• Replace front bumps with DuroBumps

• Diff Drop Delete

• JLT Oil catch 3.0

• Splice and heat shrink oem fog wire harness connection end (moved wire up and electrical taped for temporary fix)

• Single piece Engine Bay Splash Guards

​

 

TBD

 

How are you finding the ride? Had them over anything rough yet?

 

Birthday presents came early from America's neighbor to the north! UPS on time for the win!



Right side front&rear pictured from unpacking inspection



The install went pretty smoothly, though I left the sway bar and diff drop in, between my BiL getting a little pissy towards the end of the 3 hour install...and having forgotten the extended brake lines that came with the Elka setup, I figured I can do them at my oil change, and go ahead and potentially flush the brake fluid since I'll be under 10K miles until the suggested interval for servicing it.

Of course the drivers side (or Left) coilover top hat was put on backwards, so into the big vice and man was that thru bolt on there good, but got it torqued back on to specification.


Went with the TW dreaded Firestone lifetime alignment...since their was one less than 5 miles from my in-laws, had to leave it for Sunday service, left a set of SPC instructions with highlighted sections and printed off instructions taken from folks posting about their SPC caster tweaking process success.
Not even close, I'm sure the tech didn't bother looking...driving it was not quite the chore it was post install, but it wasn't much better, plus the shop didn't include an alignment before and after sheet from Firestone...oh well, the first one failed me, but the second one which got me mostly true on the steering wheel wouldn't mess with the UCA plate so there was just some rubbing on driver side rear fender liner at full turn and some articulation up entering and exiting parking lot, and in reverse.

Followed up with a semi local alignment shop that I was referred to; they got the alignment fixed and
UCA plates adjusted, so it's been fine for DD. Now what it'll do off road, I'm sure I've got some more tweaks, but I'm hoping to get some trail flex and stuffing soon...but that could be this fall for all I know.

For now, backyard wood hauling and our gravel roads are about as offroad as I've been recently...

Nothing worth mentioning (front wheels were cockeyed via camber like a son of a) other than maybe 90 yards on small rocks (first to foot sized) littered on the dirt path to my in-laws back field...still have to go back for an alignment tuning (lifetime alignment) at Firestone. Hoping to get out there in and on the ATV paths and washed out field trail (around ~300 acres of corn currently) later this weekend.

Even with the alignment being taxing on the DD this morning (47 miles, ~35 miles is on the Interstate) was the best test in the day and a half I've had the truck post Elka and SPC install. It ate up the large chunks of missing road, and regular potholes are barely noticeable, but again I only have 94 actual/88 OD miles driven. I did retorque the lug nuts this morning, and need to hand check the top hat bolts, resi mounts, rear top and bottom nut and resi mounts.

With the 7 month old, my wife is kinda skiddish about trying to do a day trip trail ride, since it's about 3hrs drive to the trail head, then the trail time to traverse, so I'm hoping we can get up to a decently mild trail or moderate (at least for here in VA) and tag along with another truck or few.

I do know we were talking about a trip to the annual camping spot her family and I have done the last four years. There are several (usually not at all maintained) roads and sections of field that would be a good test ground...but that'll be likely in September/October.

I wanted to get more miles/time on them especially after alignment fixes before really putting anything up in the Elka threads, including the GB...I was surprised how little reviews were posted there or in general.

 

What did you set your height to? I'm finding the front end on mine a touch stiff even at it's softest setting around town since I'm not carrying any extra front weight. Wondering if maybe taking a bit of preload out (I'm set at 2in) would soften things up.

 

I didn't adjust it, I went with Headstrong Offroad, they have an extended length vs. standard. I went with the 2-3inch lift setup and it's advertised as 2.5inches above stock.

Haven't taken any measurements yet, but here's a close up of the front coilover after install.

 

Post Elka Measurements w/ Dobinsons L59-111-R heavy leaf pack:

Front center hub to fender well bottom is 23"D 23.25" P.

Rear Driver ~25.25" D, ~25.5" P in the office parking lot.

 

So my factory clicker settings are:

FRONT Left and Right:
High = -4 clicks from "fully screwed in"
Low = -5 " "

REAR Left and Right:
High = -4
Low = -9

It looks like for just under 0.24 inches equals 4 turns of the preload ring...Looks like for 3rd Gen stock height is 21" center hub to bottom of fender. If there is any settling, I may add some preload, but I'm going to dial in the alignment this afternoon, then going down the block for my 5k tire rotation and balance (oil change in ~1K post tire rotation).

 

Whatcha gonna do about it?

 

Not derail others Build Threads...just bug the piss out of knowledgeable and demented TW members (yeah I'm talking about most of The Lair followers!!)?!?!

 

this thread sux

 

Just for you there @SearArtist post leaf spring alignment vs today's

 

they legit just adjusted your toe. Firestone is garbage.