Windigo build thread

I still can't figure out why the leaf springs want to separate sideways. I'm going to change the shackle angle to a less Steep angle and see if that helps. The pinion shims I don't think it really helped.im hoping to put this all back by Wednesday ( here I go giving myself timelines again).

 

Nice progress. Can you get some leaf different leaf springs with some arch? Those look really flat with those shackles?

 

the problem is The truck will be too tall. I did not want to do what I'm doing now because i think it will add another 2" of height to the front. I'm short. this truck is too tall as it is with flat springs. But yes if I cant figure this out maybe another set of springs might be a good idea.

 

Remove the front spring hanger just to weld it up a little better

 

Shackle angle before and after

 

The couple of 2nd gen SAS builds with leaf springs have already done the front crossmember chop, which allows the front hangers to be moved up. It has its own potential complications with tie rod / drag link clearance at full compression.



I don't see any leaf spring SAS kits for 2nd gen Tacomas, only for 1st gens. Those kits list a plasma cutter as a required tool in the instructions, because they pocket the frame for the shackle:



You can also try an SUA setup, at a loss of ground clearance. So yeah, potentially difficult choices ahead.

 

thank you for taking an interest in this build. rally appreciated.

I thought about this but was worried about pinion angle if i moved the front up as the perch on the passanger side is somewhat cast into the housing, so I was trying to keep the leaf spring eyes front and back as close to the same plane as possiable to not disturb caster too much.

thought about frenching in hangers but since my shackle is so tiny i did'nt think it would be worth it, i might be wrong there,

spring under axle I'd do today if it were possiable but only after I started and cut the original crossmembers out then I realized the oil pan will be directly over the diff center section. I just never thought of oil pan before and now at spring over i'll have about 2" of up travel before something contacts.

with all that i'm currently fighting with how to fit sway bars into this. the front is a night mare and the rear axle is from a cab and chasis dully so its short and the drivers side shock mount takes up most of the room.

I believe i'm actually in the home stretch with this build but it will be incomplete as no provision for a front driveshaft has been made yet. and there are a bunch of other things that rally bug me like the hood height is 5ft tall.

on a positive not the wife still lets me sleep inside the house.

 

While I am waiting for some rear u-bolts because I cut the ones I had too short, I've decided to try to make some sort of rear sway bar Mount. I've pretty much given up on the front as one of those things I have to leave to the end. I don't know if this is going to work but like everything else I've made for this truck it's just out of scrap metal I have lying around.

 

Looking good. Can be a pain trouble shooting problems but will be all worth it when it’s done!

 

Thanks. The rear sway bar Mount is being made to accomodate any sway bar. So if I decide I need smaller or larger dia. Bar I can just bolt another on.
Planning on having wheels on sitting at ride height and rear sway bar by next week.

 

I still have to make some upper mounts that go on the frame but this piece I'm going to bolt onto the axle and hopefully bolt a sway bar to it.

 

So my truck turned into a BGLT
Big gay lifted truck. Anyway it's got a fast sway side to side when driving
The rear sway bar is on don't know if it's doing anything. And it drives like an 1970 Ford farm truck.
Not very happy with it.
But hear it is on the wheels.

 

This morning I decided this truck is undrivable. So I took everything apart in the front end checking all joints, wheels, bearings, it seems that the steering box has a tight part if that makes sense. As you turn the steering wheel it gets tight then gets loose and then as you turn it back it gets tight then gets loose after checking everything. It's the steering box.

 

Well, steering box #2 in.

 

Well, it’s working. Time for refinement I guess. Only thing I can think of for lowering it is cutting the front crossmember out and frenching in the hangers wherever you can. Other then that you got yourself a taco in one tons

 

thank you. I know this sounds korney but thanks for keeping up with my journey along with others that have been interested in what I'm doing.

there are a ton of things left to do but yes I have a taco with one tons. I'm racing against time, this year I'll turn 58 hopefully there will be enough time left for me to get it where i want it to be. right now I can just live with it the way it is.

 

Ready for the trails. Nice. I hope I’m in good enough shape to be doing this at 58.

 

Well today was about bump.stops front done and rear don'e.

 

Fabricating a mount for the front sway bar. Starting off with these little pieces.

 

Any ideas please speak up because I'm at a loss for a sway bar. I thought I could.get.awaynwith dropping it down but not working as the drag link end will hit it when turning right.
Also up travel on the right side will hit the bar too.