02 Tacoma doublecab 3-Link on FJ80 axles

Rear flange off




managed to get it off without destroying it. just need to get a big enough pipe to reinstall it on the new flange.



the mesh for my grill came in as well

 

Hey I do have some pics somewhere of my Tripples installed but they are in my buggy not the Lowrange Taco so idk if they would be any help .

 

Gotcha thanks for the reply though.

 

@James at Lowrange ordered the flange today so hopefully after the holiday I can get this thing in.

I need someones budbuilt or trailgear crossmember so I can trace the bolt patterns to make my own, want to have a local guy just cut a plate out for me and i'll make the tubework and connections myself.


picked up a roll of flux-core, just need a welding helmet, hopefully santa will come through.

 

Sub'd! Still on the first page. So far so good!

 

Honestly you are probably better off to just buy the budbuilt or TG skid depending on how it fits with your link mounts. I started to build my crossmember before I realized how much work it was going to be and that the $300 was worth it

 

I would but they only make drivers side drop for the Tacoma and I'm running passenger side R1A cases for the fj80 front axle. If I bought either the bud or the TG I would have to modify it anyway so at that point I might as well just make my own the way I want it. Materials would be considerably less than either price of either plates. Been working 7 days a week since 12-29 so I haven't made much progress and with the rain we've been getting its been bad timing. My sister gave me some cash to Amazon for christmas so I bought a welding helmet (hood).

 

Makes sense, didn't even consider that you can't buy a RH crossmember for a Tacoma.

 

I would measure the frame width and compare to a prebuilt crossmember, maybe even call budbuilt and see if he will build you a rhd one. Evreyone i have known who has built a crossmember themselves has had it tear off at somepoint, if you arent very expierienced with welding i would say there is a 100% chance of that happening.

 

How did this work with drums? Would you recommend it and happen to have a link to what you had to get?

 

This is one heck of a build! All the parts info is very helpful. I just got my '05 and am already itching to do a SAS. As a purist as well I like the thought of using the FJ80 series axles over sourcing d60s or the like. I am definitely going to keep my eye on this build. Don't be scared to just jump in and do some of the mock up and fabrication yourself it is easy to get overwhelmed but with experience comes wisdom. I built an old 59 olds tail dragger hot rod. Mocked up the chevelle 4 link rear many many many times unlit everything would work out for correct pinion angle suspension geometry etc. These projects take time and you are on the right path by asking questions and getting other peoples opinions. But in the end take everything that you have learned from others and then think it all through and go with your gut you'd be surprised at how much you have learned and can do if you let yourself just do it. You are doing one hell of a job so far and I commend you for it.

 

1 ton axles should be the way to go if you want to do a SAS on a 2nd Gen tacoma. Those trucks are bigger, wider and heavier than the 1st tacomas.

Also, while it is impressive that many guys like you can build and restore those hot rods, I think there is a huge world of difference in designing and building a link suspension for a tacoma truck than what it is for a hot rod [meaning, it is more difficult do do on a tacoma]

The amount of axle travel these SAS tacomas have after everything is said and done is significantly more than any hot rod will ever see just driving down the street. It's really more complex than what it seems at first to do a SAS with a link suspension under these trucks because of the extreme operational angles the suspension will have, plus there is almost no room under the truck.

 

This would not be my 1st rodeo in building a rig like this. I have built a full buggy, worked with a buddy on his 89 yota truck with f&r 4 link both upper and lower arms triangulated. I have built circle track race cars and drag cars. All of these have different suspension systems and uses for suspensions but the basic/core function and geometry is going to be the same then you just adjust the design to what you are wanting to do. I want my SAS to more closely emulate and be more "road" friendly like those found on the jeeps and ford 3/4 ton up trucks. I wouldn't call SASing a tacoma difficult or no more than building a full tube chassis for a 65 mustang and building a complete suspension from scratch for it, or cutting a 57 chevy in half length wise and width wise to fit over a c5 corvette chassis. Difficult is what you make things knowing the end result and everything that needs to be involved then finding the solutions to the problems that occur that is what makes projects difficult and if you do not have the experience or confidence to do the project then that is where failure may lay.

Besides the size and width of the 1 ton axles why are they better for the 2g tacoma's?

Sorry OP didn't want my comment to derail your build thread. Keep up the work you'll get it done!

 

@ovrlndkull no worries conversation is greatly encouraged.

 

@ovrlndkull, I agree with @1999RegCab it is considerably heavier and has more power with the 4.0. Fj80 axles made sense to me because of the price when I got them, for my application and the way I drive I dont need anything more. If 70 series can get by with my axles and a v8 turbodiesel thats low-end torquey. I will be fine especially with longs in the front. No desire to go bigger that 35's.

 

It works awesome, I've never met someone with a tacoma whose LSPV actually did something, with the manual one that I have you can dial in the back so the drums actually do some braking. I was going through front pads like crazy so at a little over 100k I opened up the back shoes and they were still brand new (I compared them to brand new in the box raybestos pads) which meant only the front calipers really wanted to eat. When I get the 80 axle in the back I'm going to clean the install up a little bit. just need it to stop raining for a few days to get the t-case and rear axle in.

 

Hope I did not insult you or anything in my previous message. No need to "prove" how many projects you have built. I have no reason why to doubt what you said.

I was just challenging your assumptions that doing a link SAS on a tacoma, especially a 2nd gen, is easy. Perhaps you can do a link suspension SAS on your 2nd gen super easy, but I have never heard anybody to date - even experienced builders - say that doing a SAS on a newer tacoma with links was easy Even Wyatt from rocksolidtoys who has done more SASs on 2nd gens than anybody else in the world will tell you it is not a simple project. And that's why his builds are so expensive...it is just an enormous project to make these rigs dual purpose (smooth highway ride + hard core trail use).

Why are 1 ton axles better for the 2nd gen tacomas? Well, these trucks are bigger, heavier and have more engine power. We assume that anybody doing a SAS is going to play hard offroad with bigger tires. The bigger axles will handle the added weight of the vehicle/bigger tires and the more powerful engine better. But if you want to do a SAS for 35" tires, I guess smaller axles would be OK.

Again, sorry if my previous comment came across the wrong way.

 

Hey Matt! Great looking build!

Oz pointed me this direction after I bombarded him with a bunch of 1st Gen SAS questions. Anyway, it looks like you're doing something I'd be interested in doing at some point, so I'll keep an eye on things!

 

Thanks for popping in, with the availability of fj80 axles and ruffstuffspecialties taking over the Hellfire knuckles, steering's no longer a problem and they're plenty strong enough in our rigs to support comfortably a 37-inch tire I see it becoming a more common swap. Its not the cheapest choice but for the yota purest seems to be the go to option. The Fj80 has such an great heritage both here domestically and abroad.

 

I didn't know ruffstuff had taken over hell fire knuckles. I remember seeing a few rigs with those knuckles and they were impressive work of art.

Actually, before I made the decision to go with 1 tons, I was going the fj80 route. Personally, for those who want to remain toyota purists, that's the way to go. Way stronger than the toyota mini stuff, and as you said the aftermarket has caught with it.

Anyway, my tire size goal changed to 40"s and I ended up going a different route. But those fj80 axles are really cool.