JBTacoma 1st Gen Stress Reliever

The piece of metal that is midway on the shackles is there to help keep them from swaying side to side.

 

Never thought if that before, but that makes perfect sense to me. So the shackles that are two individual pieces will be less stable but might provide a little bit better articulation? Or am I way off?

 

The longer they are without the brace the more they will bend, not sure it would be a good thing.

 

Yeah, that and I think the tube provides more more strength in that axis than just a crossbar. Seems that the formed sides-as designed-should make it a lot more stable.

I remember back in high school working at my father’s garage seeing even a ladder type shackles get substantially tweaked on a full size rig that we had towed in from a driveway modded Blazer. It always amazes me how a few well placed bends and or holes can make steel stronger.

Mainly just haven’t gotten around to installing them yet. I will change that this summer.
Seems like extended shackles will act like a thin shim as well. I currently don’t seem to have any driveline vibe issues, and I don’t think adding them will create any.

While I am down here in exile, I may get around to that this summer, looks like I will have a lot of time even with honey do stuff both here around the farm and other stuff. Time to knock a few things off of the CTD to do list as well, most of those parts and bits mechanical-wise are onsite luckily.

I have a metric butt ton of stuff I need to do up at my cabin up north, that just got rescheduled till next summer now: new legs for the cache:
an upgraded storage shed/ workshop, substantial solar array upgrades:



a reconfiguration of the battery system, adding a wind generator and of course mountain bike riding:


and a new engine in the 85’ so it’s always something:


Funny how in life like in work it goes that when you have time you don’t have funds, and when you have funds you don’t have time...
Either way I figure to get quite a few things done on 2 of the 3 vehicle mods list.
Thanks for the info, wheel safe

 

I think the formed sides provide a substantial degree of rigidity, but as JB says when the sides get longer it becomes weaker hence the tubing/cross brace.

 

That too makes sense Jeff. Thanks for clarification. It amazes me that companies make them without the brace.

 

How do you like the 4.30 gears? I am assembling all the bits to do my swap to 4.56-, and get an air compressor to operate the ARB aft. I deliberated quite awhile on the gears, hoping I don’t regret my choice. You truck is smoking dude, looks like lots of fun to play with. Well done!

 

Thank you,
I went with the 4.30 because with 33 inch tires the gearing keeps my speedometer correct. It keeps everything operating really close to the same way it did when it was all stock. I wish for offroad I had 5.29 but I drive my truck every where I go offroading so I wanted it to perform good on the highway too. The 4.30 is a good balance for me for on and off road use. The 4.56 will give you a little better torque but will run at a little higher RPMs.

 

Great, thanks for the info.
That is kinda what I am shooting for, given that I too drive a ways to where I want to play, do a fair bit of light towing and generally carry a fair bit of weight on the trip, the 4.56 seems to strike a happy medium.
Definitely overdue for a trip to Moab, I generally don’t go hardcore wheeling but do like remote camping and the Tacoma is mostly a mule to carry me and the mountain bike out for rides, hoping to get a shot at the white rim trail in 2022.
Wheel safe!

 

Great build thread Jeff!

 

Thank You

 

Man, that's a slick little Zuki. I bet that thing will go lots of places. Any chance that it rides softer that stock with the lift?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtDz4je18-g

It actually dose ride better

 

Wow, I bet there's not many tacos that make it back there.

 

I need to check this place/trail out!!

EDIT: I have been there, back in like 2010, that's near tracy city TN right?

 

If its the place I'm thinking of, you can get a taco on 33s and a rear locker to/in there pretty easily if you are an experienced driver.

 

Its about 20 miles

 

You can, my Samurai is on 33s

 

That's cool you can still wheel there, those are fun trails. I heard they closed it down, guess not!