02 Tacoma doublecab 3-Link on FJ80 axles

Subd.

 

Weren't you the one bitching about how much you hated doing fabricationin your build? Help me understand how chopping the frame off and replacing it with square tubbing (and all the associated fabrication and custom motor mounts) is easier than welding plates

But yea not having to cut off and grind the IFS off is nice...plus square tubing is way stronger

 

This shit made me crack up. Yeah I wish I had the skills to do that, it would make uptravel and low slung ride height way easier. Im going to take a mig class in a couple weeks, not being polished and confident on those skills is definitely holding me back. Not sure how the 4WU kit would work with the chopped frame. Getting it square and welded in straight would be nearly impossible for me, im a walking murphys law.

 

You would need a different panhard bracket. A long nose version. But why are you considering doing this chop. I'd urge you to at the least start tacking brackets in place and link bars and steering on so you can check clearances. You may find fabbing a new frame isnt worth it unless you also move the engine up and out of the way too.

Either way I'd certainly double check your build needs and current expected results before you start hacking.

 

Yeah i have no desire to open that can of worms up. It was just an entertaining idea

 

It is, welding to the stock frame sucks!! I bitch about evereything lol!!

Rocktaco: forgot you have the 4wu kit, that would change some stuff. My mig class was my sas, I would be more intimidated do a link suspension than building the new frame!!

 

I made a 3x4'a3/8" thick welding table to make the frame. It wasn't that hard but it probably is more work. Plus side is everything is a perfect 2x4". None of the continuously changing dimensions on the factory frame.

Use a IFS steering box. A forward swing would be a nightmare with the 4wu setup--- it wasn't designed for it. If you haven't got the joints in I used a crescent wrench and some elbow grease. A mm isn't that much.

 

Yeah I already had an IFS box that someone gave me, its got a leak so think I'll just use it as a core.

 

Nice build, look forward to the updates.
On another note, is it too early to be calling dibs on your current Diffs with the ARB's in them?

 

But at least you bitch with good outcomes

Dude if you built a frame and learned how to weld as you went along..then you can can do a link suspension. you know you want to

From the builds I've seen online I find it hard to believe that building a frame is any easier or faster. But it is super bad ass for sure.

 

Speaking of updates. Of course when I wanted to get some stuff done today on the truck, today had to be probably the one day it would rain all year in southern California. Actually I love the rain so it didn't slow me down too much, kinda helped me clean the housing. Going to pull the front diff and CV's today if the weather co-operates.
Yesterday's progress - ready to do battle

Letting gravity help me out

Not so awesome


Much better


got it all clean then used my air compressor and heat gun to dry it out. Shot it with some wd-40 to keep it rust free.

Got rid of the studs, putting grade 10.9 button head allen bolts in w blue locktite

I also knocked out the old trunnion races

 

That's one clean axle now.

I guess your environmental concerns did not last long hahaha

 

yeah CA has a way of making you look over your shoulder.

 

Im going to have a ton of parts for sale soon..

 

dam man where in socal are you?! would love to see an SAS in person one day!

 

Pulled the CV's, front diff and sway bar yesterday. I basically took everything out that I could while still being able to drive it. The longfields and parts from nitro gear for the front diff come today. Front diff had less than 30 miles on it since the re-gear (in 4wd), and no that's not a typo since its had manual hubs upfront. Its only been out to coyote/red lake once and ballinger canyon out in Gorman. There were a couple times up north when I had to use the front locker in the rock gardens but that was it, I use it as sparingly as possible and most of the time its not needed with 4lo the rear locked and a good line.
I was surprised how clean the fluid was for having been in there for 4-5 years. The magnetic drain plug didn't have any shavings or metal flecks what so ever, the black colored stuff is the phosphate coating from the gears. Couldn't be happier with the job yotamasters did on these diffs all these years ago they are both still in tits shape, they even let me sit in and watch/help with the gear setups, hopefully they will let me help again. They definitely earned my business for the cruiser diffs. Photobucket is not coming up for me at all today so I'll try to edit them in later when I get off work around 11pm.

 

Dump photobucket and use Flickr

 

Yeah been thinking of jumping ship, the ads and all the other BS are a pain in the ass. Ill update the thread when I get home.

 

Well I've expressed my interest in the front and rear diff set up, I'd love to do what your doing with axle swaps but I'm not on that level yet, or rather my budget will not allow it. I'm in Ohio though so if your willing to ship heavy stuff then I could possibly be a buyer.

 

Let me know when you need an extra hand man. I'm free most weekends