2003 5-lug

So I figured I would start a thread for anybody that might want to build their 5-lug seeing how we are so few, but first a little introduction and background info on the build stages... Mainly just a bunch of nonsense.

It all started out back in 2002 when I received the truck so I could commute to work after High School as a plumber apprentice making $6.75/hr! It was my first vehicle and sometimes I wish I had left it stock.

Though I worked at the shop most of the day I really grew into the desert scene since my work was located right next to JD Fabrication where I learned a lot about trucks and builds for getting into the big desert scene...

So this is how she started out... Can't find a silver version but thats it:




2003 Toyota Tacoma SR5 Ext Cab 2WD 4cyl 2.4L Gas saving 5-speed manual.

It didn't take long for me to hit the dirt and see what it was capable of doing with lack of ground clearance and a 1 tire fire on 27's. I did go much further then I thought by having a spotter and picking the right paths but that didn't last so I went with a lift.

Fabtech 3" lift coils, new wheels and tires (30x9.5 r15x7). Later down the road I bought the lift spindle and jumped to 31x10.5r15




I had also gone through a couple trucks before doing the lift on my Taco. I had bought an 88' p/u when I wasn't really sure what to look for and ended up with a heap. Full cage, custom front suspension, c/o, bumps, fuel cell, etc.

BUT I still use some of the parts from that truck as you can see the tires went to the tacoma as well as a few other things that I ended up using down the line so it wasn't a complete loss.

Here's the junker:



I learned very quickly through the help of Dezert-Rangers (back when you could ask a question and they would give a good response) that what I had bought was crap, but thankfully I parted it out and made most of the money back.

Afterwards I found a fun little 4x4 87' that I built up a bit and cruised around in for a while until I got to the point of wanting to cage it. Here she is, only picture I have left;



I realized that putting nice racing seats in a single cab and being 6' tall wasn't going to work and be comfortable with a cage so I ended up parting her out and she found a new home in Hawaii!

 

So back on to the Tacoma I knew how a truck was supposed to work, so I did my research and waited for deals to show up on RDC and DR classifieds.

First, I had the F67 leaf pack complete with everything minus rear shocks that was going on the red truck and some SAW 8" 2.5 coilovers from the red truck also.

Second I found a lot of parts for my build and had a stock pile of the goods.


The JD kit on DR that I found already had the UCA's chopped for heims but had no hardware. So I started to mock it up and found that the person that had chopped the ends didn't do the math and the UCA's were too long.

Great, had to chop them, buy new bungs and get them welded even though I only had a pos 115v mig that I didn't know how to use. Luckily I met Nick (linked2002) while selling parts off my old truck who did a badass job TIG welding the bungs in to get my truck back on track, and Tyler (TC yota) to help get the front suspension welded up.






I decided that the 8" shocks weren't going to work as well as I planned so I went ahead and bought some new King 10" 2.5's and mounted the bumps as well as the hoops and shock brace.




Added fiberglass all around;







Then I went out to the desert knowing that the rear was going to suck but just to get a run time I went out to Ocotillo Wells anyways.

Needless to say after smashing through the whoops skipping across the tops of them and hurting my back I left mid day, after meeting up shortly for my first TW meet. So everybody went on a run and I drove straight home to start tearing into my rear and install the leaf pack! Ordered my tubing from Summit Steel and started building the new bed cage. At this point I had a welder and the tools to build things on my own but still didn't have the welding skills so I had Tyler helping me out along the way still. Also bought a 1-piece clip from McNeil.

 

After a few years it was time to put a cage in so thats what happened next. As well as doing a roll over-front flip when my spindle broke.

After the front flip:













Engine and cab cage did their job. I had to redo half of the bed cage:










Mind you this was my daily driver before and after the roll and every trip to the desert since

 

Ran the truck for a long time breaking countless ball joints but having fun at the same time.








After getting tired of destroying my mini fenders when my ball joints broke and dodging a few more roll overs I made my way over to check out American Motorsports where I found Brian and his kit as well as a job.





After getting a sponsor for my truck Brian and I decided to race at the Beehive IV in Elsinore. What we didn't plan on was back halfing the truck and making it race legal in 2.5 days!

I drove it to the race half asleep from working on it, but weren't able to race because we didn't prep, just made it out on to the track for a couple practice and qualifying laps before things started to fall apart and drove it home.

 

Up until now I had only seen like 2 pictures of your truck haha looks good what are your plans for the truck now?

 

Sorry didn't see this before, my plans are to upgrade the rear end to a full floater and get an LS1/2 motor to keep it street and smog legal.

 

Couple of pics to show the back half;





Did a little interior finishing by adding new carpet and a head liner as well as repainting the dash;

 

Added a bit of ambient light to the front end

 

Dang man. I don't know Sh*t about LT but this thing looks sweet.

 

finally a build thread for the beast.

 

I could obtain more travel, but that's as far as my non slip yoke driveshaft will go without having a carrier bearing blow out. I strap it at around 24" just to be on the safe side.

 

That jack spacer is a bit precarious! Looks good though!

 

All it had to do was lift the truck up, if it fell it was no big deal, thats what thecoilovers are for!

 

subbed

 

Wow... Subbed!

 

Forgotten pictures;








A funny;

 

Haven't been doing too much lately, just redoing my intake so I can run an AEM dryflow instead of the dirty K&N oiled one.

Optima YT finally died after re-charging it about 7 or 8 times in the past. It's unfortunate that Optima gave up on a great product and the new ones are junk. Picked up 2 new batteries and am in the process of designing custom trays for them which will be similar to do the Optima ones but for the more general purpose batteries for cars/trucks.



Meanwhile I picked up some head sets to have better comm between the co-driver while playing in the desert as apposed to yelling at each other!

 

Nice, your truck is what my truck wants to be.

 

I've been through all those 5 lug problems, they get old quick but the redo looks good.
I've had that pic of your red truck saved on my comp forever. I don't know where I got it at.

 

bad little taco