2002 Tacoma for Autocross

yeah, I've seen those as well. They'd be a worthwhile upgrade if these are unbearable. But heims are considered a wear part anyway, so if/when these wear out (mainly because the pivot ball inside gets pitted and starts to bind) I'll just upgrade, that's what I normally do anyway. lol. Race it, break it, upgrade it!

 

Picked up a slight upgrade for myself and the truck. I've been struggling with tight turns on the courses, failing power steering, and a really smooth steering wheel. This should fix some of that...

 

Well, just got home after another successful event. Tbh, not sure I could really feel a difference at all. Maybe my bushings weren't all that spongy. Lmao! But I do run a 100TW semi-slick, so turning was already super grippy with almost no slop...oh well. I enjoyed building them from scratch, and they still do their job.

 

I'm jealous, my club limited me to 200tw once they saw Tacoma carrying one wheel 8 inches off the ground in the turns.

 

That just doesn't make any damn since. You should be able to run whatever the limits are in your class. They sound like a bunch of sore losers to me. Lol

 

Good idea removing weight but is your sanctioning body going to allow the uncovered wires? You may want to put the plastic kick panel and door entrance covers back. And shit put back the little center console to hold your cold one when you celebrate your winning!

And I *think* I may have a fix for the PS issue. Photo was taken just after I mounted the cooler and added an inline Raybestos magnetic transmission filter. Running without the cooler the oil had a lot more air in the fluid. Don’t ask me why because I don’t know.

$31 Hayden, Inc. 1009 9"L x 5.75"W x 2.5"H Power Steering Oil Cooler, Silver

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HE6ULC?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

https://www.raybestospowertrain.com/filters/515554

I know I can fix the inside wheel lifting! New coilover’s (I have a new set of 550 in/lbs Hyperco springs) one of these in the below photo. Can start with the 550 in/lbs springs install a rear swaybar with double adjustable shocks and we can fine tune from there. After you setup the alignment with 3 degrees negative camber. Go see if it understeers or oversteers. Oversteer more front spring, understeer softer front springs. Also move the battery from the left front to the front of the bed on the right in a battery box. You don’t have much adjustment with the rear springs other than finding a set of 6 lug leafs like what I have in the photo below.

 

It's because my truck isn't "legal." It had to meet the SCCA 1x1 height vs width rule to be allowed to run. I'm classed in STU because of the size of my wheels+tires. The safety coordinator said he wasn't comfortable having me run a stickier tire until I get the suspension worked out more. So it's not that I can't ever go to a semi slick, just not with the way the truck is setup currently.

 

The wires all got zip tied back and firmly tucked away, so they shouldn't get caught on anything or flop around loosely. My buddy is 3D printing some cup holders that will go in the holes I drilled to access my short throw, so I've got those coming!

As far as the suspension, my first change is going to be adding a rear sway bar, then freeing up/refreshing my front coilovers. I do currently have the 6 lug extra leaf pack installed. Some guys suggested ladder bars, but I'd rather do a four link setup, or swap in an independent suspension/diff setup from a 350z or something similar. But that's wayyyy down the road. I've got -3.5 degrees of camber in the front currently as well.

The power steering is a conglomerate of issues I think.
1. My rack is leaking/weeping at the passenger side boot. Not bad enough to be an active drip/stream while driving, but it's definitely wet.
2. The system has about 200k miles on it, and I'm sure it's close to the original fluid and pump, so not changing the fluid hasn't done me any favors. I know it gets very hot, as it pushes out the cap of the reservoir after 3-4 runs. Refreshing that whole system is in the plans, as well as doing a shorter ratio rack, or a circle track steering quickener box.

 

Just an FYI my Tech Kevin says the rack leaking is a common issue with trucks that are over 100 to 200k miles.
But seriously the Feal coil-over’s on your truck have way to much spring rate! They have 783.964 in/lbs springs‼️ I know a guy who has Long travel susp. Made his own frame 2x4 w/ .250 steel and is close to 3 tons with his full caged Tacoma and he’s running 700 in/lbs springs. Sorry but Feal has no idea on spring rates for a Tacoma‼️ Hate to say this but they are flat stupid or ignorant. When I discovered they were selling coilover’s for 5 lug Tacoma’s I called. It’s a very small company that has their stuff made 100% in China. I asked if I could get them with less spring they said sure I then asked if they would re-valve the shocks for the springs. I was told no you have to have it done. I then said I thought you did everything in house. He said we did but with COVID we don’t offer that service anymore. I looked them up on Google and they are just a small building in CA. that orders their stuff from China prebuilt. It’s a one man operation. Even at a 550# spring might be to stiff…
Their R&D department is Rip-off & Duplicate like most.
I really like to see you do better so the buttheads driving Miata’s would lose to a truck!

 

I'm pretty sure that last pic is from when I came through the finish way too hot and took out 6 cones after the timing lights. But it's ok, because it wasn't even my fastest run of the day. Lmao!

 

What is that sticking down from your leaf pack?

 

Glad to hear you are going to be back out soon.

I used to feel power steering pressure loss on hard maneuvers, changing the fluid seemed to get rid of all issues for me. My rack feels tight still and no leaks however.

Wondering if your smaller steering wheel may increase your ratio and/or feel, have you tried it yet?

Seems your safety coordinator may be on to something.. I think you want both tires on the ground before you move to slicks!! A grip roll would not be a fun way to end the day and your truck.

I also think you may have too stiff of springs up front likely, and /or issues with the coil overs just not working properly perhaps?

My next event is scheduled for the 14th-15th this month. I am attending a different event put on by muscle car guys - should be a bunch of classic muscle cars, sports cars, and they even have a truck class to compete with. I also am trying out the new Bridgestone RE71RS and actually even opted for a smaller size (255/35/18) to see if the lighter weight and better fitment to my wheel helps increase performance.





A little less sidewall but a lighter load range seems to give them a slightly more compliant ride than I had previously. They do feel really responsive and super grippy during my initial spirited test runs, guess we will see how they feel on the course and if I end up going back to 265's after this set melts!

 

Poor man's traction bars. It's an AutoZone helper spring installed backwards to limit axle wrap. It works fairly well and only cost thirty bucks. Lol

Since I have a welder now, I'll be making some better traction bars when I find the time.

 

Have you adjusted your rear LSPV to compensate for the drop you have in the rear? You might be getting a little more rear bias braking if you haven't. Just an FYI if you haven't, but if you aren't experiencing braking concerns then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

I have not, although I saw that thing and got curious one day and looked it up. It does sounds like a way to tune the rear braking bias, and I think without my ABS when I lock up it does lock up in the rear first. May need to dig into this a bit more..

 

You can make it fully adjustable. I'll post up a pic tomorrow if I remember when I go back out to my shop. Very simple, but requires cutting the factory rod off.

 

You keep abs on while racing? If my abs kicks in while racing, I physically can't stop the truck going into a turn sometimes. Like my brake pedal will be absolutely rock hard and won't depress at all. After the second time that happened, I pulled my fuses and never looked back. I've gotten much better at left foot braking and feeling the lockup point because of that.

 

Gotcha, I was really wondering.

 

It's entirely possible that the springs are too stiff, but I'm so low with such a wide tire, I don't think I can afford a softer spring. I already took a sledgehammer to the inside of my wheel wells to stop the rub I had in hard corners. If I wanted more travel, I'd need to tub the front wheel wells or cut them out entirely. Now that I say that... weight reduction!

 

Time to take autocross a bit more seriously!