1st Gen Long Travel Chat

Finding any discussion on 1st gen LT is getting scarce - let's begin a thread about anything 1st gen desert and LT truck based.

Pic for attention. Go!



Front



Rear




















http://www.off-road.com/trucks-4x4/project579.html

https://giantmotorsports.com/index....g-travel-kits/64-long-travel-leaf-spring-kit/

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rear-setup-first-gen.543193/

Here is what I've done in the past:

1. Weld your spring perches to the bottom of the axle. If you're keeping the stock axle, the easiest way is to put the axle on jack stands with the factory perches facing down. Put a digital level on them and set them at 0°, parallel to the ground. Set your new perches on top of the axle, at the same distance from the axle flange, and set them to 0° (parallel with the factory perch). Tack them in place in all 4 corners and make sure they're not going to move. Set it back under the truck and connect the driveshaft.

2. Break the spring pack down to the mail leaf and military wrap leaf. Reinstall the center bolt and u-bolt them to the newly tacked perches. You can use a block of wood to replace the missing leafs so you can use the same u-bolts to cycle the suspension. Bolt the front spring hanger to the leaf spring and, with the axle centered, compress the axle to full bump on the frame where the factory bump stops are. Swing the leaf spring so the new hanger is touching the bottom of the frame. IIRC, the center of the bolt hole should be 1" forward of the rear most vertical edge of the rear cab mount. Tack the front hanger in place.

3. Bolt the shackle to the leaf spring with the upper bushing assembly installed and set the bushing sleeve on top of the frame. I like to take a 1/4" spacer and put it between the bottom of the frame and the eye of the leaf spring to insure the spring will never hit the frame at full bump. Tack the bushing sleeve to the top of the frame (assuming you are using 12" shackles). Measure from the spring hanger bolt to the bolt on the upper bushing assembly. Based on the experience of others, a measurement of 53" from spring hanger bolt to the top shackle pivot is ideal.

4. Once everything is tacked on both sides, cycle the suspension and make sure the pinion angle looks good, nothing is hitting and everything is centered. Once confirmed you can start cycling the shocks. Take a piece of plywood and clamp it to the frame in the general area you want to mount the shocks. One thing to keep in mind, if you are keeping your stock tank, you may want to consider leaning the shocks towards the rear. I know this isn't what most people do but I did this before I added a fuel cell and the truck rode great for having leaf springs. Whether you lean them forward or back, you want to make sure the shock is going to be in compression as the axle wants to rotate under load. Meaning, you don't want to lean the shocks forward with the tabs on the back of the axle. As the pinion rotates up, the rotation will be assisted by the rebound valving of the shock and you will notice the rear of the truck lift under load rather than squat or stay the same. If you were looking at the axle from the driver side, if you're leaning the shocks back, the tabs on the axle should be between 9-noon, if leaning them forward the lower tabs should be between 6-9. So...tack the lower tabs to the axle as close to the frame (or tire if running a wider axle and mounting shocks outside of the frame) so that they wont hit at full articulation. Then compress the axle to full bump and compress the shock all the way but leave about 1/2" gap of shock shaft showing. Wrapping two zip ties around the shaft is an easy way to make sure the shock doesn't completely bottom out. With the lower bolted to the axle tabs, stick a sharpie in the upper shock hole and swing and arc along the plywood from front to back of the truck. Then drop the axle to full droop and completely extend the shock, then draw another arc on the plywood. Where the two arcs meet will be the ideal location for your upper shock mount.

5. Once you have your shock locations known you can start building your shock hoops/ bedcage. I would get the upper shock mounts tacked in place and then cycle everything with the leafs still broken down to make sure everything clears. Once confirmed you can weld everything in place.

6. Bolt the leafs back together, assemble everything and then droop it all the way, compress the suspension about 2" and get your limit straps mounted so that the strap is taught before the shock is fully extended.

Sorry if some of this doesn't make sense, a few photos would go a long way but if I can help explain anything better let me know.

https://www.dezertrangers.com/threads/toyota-tacoma-f67-deaver-set-up.239013/

 

Glad to see this. Any thing LT, Links, cages fuel cells etc would be great to hear.

 

Build Threads



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/alexs-long-travel-build.100653/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/coles-tacoma-richer-racing.87700/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/matts-long-travel-prerunner-build.81591/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/jberrys-retarded-desert-penguin.138220/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/5-lug-long-travel-2rz-turbo-build.332111/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/02-double-cab-build.209588/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2002-tacoma-race-build.172525/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/97yotas-fully-caged-4wd-long-travel-build.155380/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/nathans-long-travel-build.217479/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/posts/9662401



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/jds-02-tacoma-build.126596/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/anthonys-99-tacoma.175933/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/anthony250f-supercharged-4wd-long-travel-build.333574/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/1st-gen-on-37s-long-travel-completion-date-tbd.237989/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/someone-elses-build-sc-linked-4dr-xlt.401632/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/96-tacoma-slow-long-travel-build-from-yuma-az.289879/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/chris-third-times-a-charm-expo-build.370683/#post-10134805



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/98-trd-3-4l-turbo-methanol-lt.367170/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/boosted-trds-supercharged-cantilever-l-t-build.366215/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2002-tacoma-build-thread.373014/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/croth-budget-build-thread.372720/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/blanco-taco-build.352499/

https://www.dezertrangers.com/threads/blanco-taco-build.239891/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/silverghost-rises.360448/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/trigo’s-long-travel-limo-build.667956/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/sold-please-delete.731109/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/el-honcho-1st-gen-taco-build.646535/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2003-5-lug.260213/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/overkill-garage-98-long-travel-prerunner.557718/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-dirt-yota-lt-build.396918/#post-10984948



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/chriss-do-some-of-everything-build.182820/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/juanstaco-04-prerunner-build-thread.289662/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/my-04-taco-before-and-after-full-makeover.170556/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/drews-01-build.252796/


https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-frankenstein-build-lt-expo-trail-rig-and-bs.159436/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/5-lug-long-travel-baby-truck-build.578578/page-3



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/my-98-taquito-build.232612/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/01-4dr-long-travel-build.622314/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/long-travel-rebuild-2001-4x4-tacoma.408404/




https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2000-tacoma-lt-4x4-reg-cab-martha.344252/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2004-long-travel-taco.663486/



https://www.motortrend.com/features/1307or-the-last-hurrah-for-now-2000-toyota-tacoma/



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/my-big-can-of-worms-build.472706/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNDHKaN9L30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8LqFIburuI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I79azakO1j4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSszl1dBpio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y3AhYM_4kw

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x8eEEefx2dA&t=300s&pp=ygUZVGVycmEgY3JldyBzbGVlcGVyIHRhY29tYQ==

 

Hardly see info on them anymore

 

or 3rd gen 4runners which are welcome haha

 

Ah yes

so any and all info related to those models??

 

For sure, amass a bunch of cool ideas.

 

bump - added some build threads - if you have one I didn't post lmk!

@2004Taco if you have Instagram look up @cvanden87 - he's linking his home built 1st gen tacoma race truck that was already awesome when leaf sprung.

 

I have a pretty standard MT 3rd gen 4Runner but I've really enjoyed digging into LT and drooling over all these in-depth threads. Not sure what Steven's name on TW is but I'm gonna link his IG below. He's doing some serious work to Robert's 3rd gen y'all would like. Maybe someone who knows them or who is more versed than me can jump in, but he has an MCM LT kit up front and they're adding massive trailing arms with big coilovers and bypasses in the back. Check it out!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYmCLA3rXww/

 

This thing is going to be a crazy build
Dont know if the front will keep up with the rear

 

Seriously, gonna be fun to watch! Steven recently mentioned a TT Motorsports kit which I had never heard of, but it sure looks intriguing...
https://www.tt-motorsports.com/product-page/tt-motorsports-95-04-toyota-tacoma-race-long-travel-kit

 

ive seen it on dezertrangers, looks solid
If not mistaken they guy had an awesome tacoma before he rolled it

 

https://www.dezertrangers.com/threads/4x4-dbl-cab-tacoma-build.124138/

 

There’s more photos and info with the training arm portion of the build from Steven. I believe he’s banned here for saying “gay ass mods” haha

You’ll have to take out the spaces in the below link to get it to work. IFS Offroad.com isn’t allowed to be linked on TW.

https://www. Independent offroading .com/index.php?threads/roberts-trailing-arm-4runner-down-the-rabbit-hole.781/

 

What about like a glossary to put all the valuable info like shock sizes, coils, 4wd axle shafts options, cv boots

 

Well shoot, I'll be following this thread closely. I'm still assembling my rear but one day I'll get front stuff going too haha

 

I’ll do that in my previous posts sounds good. Feed me the info and I’ll do it.

 

@FlapJack935 (one of the builds up above - blanco taco) also has that kit on his truck

 

Tommys kit is legit. Per my usual i went a different route but still using his kit as the base. I will have my upper arms from his kit that ill send back to him once he makes my new arms.

my more active build thread is below. Waiting on 4.0s to ship next week for that kit so itll be changing after the rear is done.

https://www.dezertrangers.com/threads/blanco-taco-build.239891/

 

Nice I’ll update the build thread link.