5 Lug Suspension rejuvenation

I have a 2003 Toyota Tacoma 5 Lug, 2.4L with a DJM 3/4 drop, I am about to borrow a buddies car for a few days whilst I tear mine down, i'm at 210k now, and its time to rehab this truck. I have an intense rotational thudding in my front drivers side wheel well, I also notice that I bottom out in that wheel well only. I plan on rejuvenating the truck back to the former glory it once held.
Upper Ball Joints Both sides
Lower Ball Joints Both sides
Tie rod Ends inner/outer
Inner/Outer seals, bearings
Calipers
Pads
Rotors
Shocks(all 4 corners)

1. Where do I get or order these stabilizer bar bushings?
(the red in the picture)


2. Am I missing anything else you would replace to insure everything is up to par and feeling new/and crisp?

3.What size shocks should I purchase, and what brand should I purchase?

4. To touch on the intense thudding I get, it is specific to the front drivers side wheel, the rotational thudding happens when I turn left, when the vehicle is straight I do not have an issue. Could you think of a part or malfunction I am not seeing?

5. I want to order OEM Calipers (Camelback toyota) for both sides, will they come with the anti squeel shims? I think I may have lost one in the process of swapping breaks last time, I have one side with a Napa caliper, and the other with a OEM one, I figure swap both back to new OEM, Unless there is something out there better than OEM.


The truck runs great and has never let me down, I want to insure it will go another 200k with me and be pristine. When I got my last alignment I was told I needed to change ball joints, so I figured whilst im in there it would be a good investment to rejuvenate everything that is a wear item. Anything else I am not thinking of or missing, please let me know.

** Fair warning, I posted this as well in the 5 lug forum, but alas the scene is not very active, I figure this would be a more general place to ask, if this was against the rules, I do apologize and I would like the thread to be deleted in the 5 lug forum and this to remain open. Thank you kindly.

 

1) Those appear to be energy bushings. you can buy the entire kit for like 40$
2) upper and lower control arm bushings would help as well

 

Thanks for looking out

Should I contact DJM for the upper arm bushings? And with the lower control arm bushing, this is something I need to press out with a jack if I’m correct yes ?

 

upper control arm bushings are a lot more difficult. If you plan on going all urethane, I believe you just have to burn out the old rubber and keep the metal bushing sleeve in there.

 

I pressed out the lowers with a 10 ton jack, I did not have the proper equipment to do the uppers.

 

Also you can do the steering tack bushings as well. check these videos out. SUPER helpful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmaZNBp1gZM&index=2&list=PLPMpPriBUyJAiQr8f3EdW45yTjOEdX5vk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lZbAd1_EUM&index=4&list=PLPMpPriBUyJAiQr8f3EdW45yTjOEdX5vk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YywcR0E9bM4&index=1&list=PLPMpPriBUyJAiQr8f3EdW45yTjOEdX5vk

 

So how different are those videos.. those are all 6 lug I have a 5 lug

 

The principle of R&Ring a bushing is the same.

 

Im still having trouble figuring out a solution to the lower control arms/bushing. I am trying to figure out if the OEM arm comes pre pressed with bushings, because I think I'll just go that route and save the hassle and the hours of time with new bushings for them.
Bout to pull the trigger and order about a grand of oem parts!

 

Just crawled under the truck to just generally inspect things, I noticed I had PS fluid on the drivers side of the rack on the inner side of the boot and steering rack I am going to go oem, but I'm putting a hold on ordering parts, Im planning on getting a reman'd one from Napa as buying an oem rack to ship here would be insane in hawaii. Im guessing ill hold off on inner tie rods, gonna look at it in the day light.

 

You should talk to @Sperrunner hes very knowledgeable about these 5 lug Tacoma’s

 

Good call, I did want to bring something up to him that puzzled me to be truthful

@Sperrunner ,

If you look at my OP, I have a picture in which I ask about bushings, Aside from spindles on your truck, I noticed in your LBJ thread I believe it was, you don't have that. From my understanding its a steering arm stabilizer bushing or am I mistaken, I looked at your pictures when I was first looking for things to try and figure it out but I was perplexed that you don't have that. Can you put some insight in what I am looking at?


also UPDATES!
I decided to go ahead and start ordering parts, I purchased the following

Z23 Power stop brake kit, with calipers, pads, and new slotted rotors. I was going to go OEM but I could not justify the price. at least this time I will have side matching calipers. Also upon further inspection, I'm thinking the noise from my front end is still coming from my caliper. I noticed it was wet with brake fluid when I looked under and saw it around the main piston area ( the back ) I am happy to get the new brake system on.

Energy Suspension front stabilizer bar bushings, again maybe someone else can chime in, I think I got the wrong kit. I got this which looks pretty god damn big without sizing it up to whats under the truck. I also have four of those smaller pieces which I seem to need 4 for each side.... the bottom picture is what I need I believe. Am I mixing up two sets of bushings? Its rainy and I don't wanna crawl under the truck right now and think, but truthfully the bottom picture looks more akin to what I need. The one with the hand in it is what I received.




Ordered as well from summit ( best deal for shipping to Hawaii, terribly hard to find locally, as well as price gouging local retailers for lesser brands for my application, was happy to have them all 2 day air for around 50 bucks still an ouch though ) paradise tax.
2x Calmax DJM shocks, 1315 for the front
2x Calmax DJM shocks, 1900 for the rear


from Camelback Toyota huge thank you to these guys, especially gunny for helping me out and being patient.
lower right ball joint 43330-39565
lower left joint 43340-39445
upper right joint 43350-39105
upper left joint 43360-39095
out tie rod 45046-39285 (x2)
inner outer wheel bearing kit 04421-35020 (x2)
90080-10123 x8 $1.89 LBJ bolts
48815-04050 x2 $7.15 each (steering and stabilizer bar bushings) I suspect these will be right and ill have to return the energy kit. but I still need to find a replacement like in the bottom picture.
EDIT::
Also Purchased 2 whole new Lower Control Arms ( L and R ), no desire to press in bushings and deal with that. Happy I went that route.

Purchasing LOCALLY :
Reman'd napa steering rack, the current oem rack I have is leaking and whilst my buddy and I are under we are gonna tackle this as well.

I have general knowledge, I change my own oil and brakes, but I will have an ASE certified mechanic working with me, and I have my FSM as well to help with misc things and torque specs. watching Timmy the Toolman videos has also helped greatly, I do know he works pretty exclusively on 6 lugs but the videos are definitely educational.

Any thing I missed or overlooked?

Pictures will be coming when the tear down occurs

 

Anyone that has worked with the DJM upper control arms wanna chime in?


is the kit I have, i'm trying to get in contact with DJM over the phone and my schedule/ vs their open hours has been proven difficult. I did speak with them through email and it seems like I can buy the bushings alone for the UCA. Anyone that's changed these on this kit can chime in please?

 

95-00 have a different sway bar linkage then 01-04
Your first pic is a early model. My truck is newer

 

Why did U order 8 lbj bolts ?you only need four, btw these are the correct swaybar bushing we need for our Tacoma 01-04 Energy Suspension 8.5118R 27mm Front Sway Bar Bushing Set for Toyota

$24 Energy Suspension 8.5118R 27mm Front Sway Bar Bushing Set for Toyota

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ALB86A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dInBBb12AXFG4

 

Do you have a picture of your suspension?
The uca you have to press the cross shaft out then you can remove the bushing to put the new ones in.
Believe @TacoBunny has done this(to oem ucas)

 

It’s currently hurricane weather right now in hawaii. I’ll get a picture when weather permits. I’d love to hear from taco bunny but I can get the uppers pressed in shouldn’t be an issue drop em at a machine shop.

 

Did you figure everything out? My energy suspension bushing kit had larger brackets in it. If you just bought the bushings it may not have been included.

 

Yes, I only ended up using the bushings no bracket

 

So I was hoping I could ask you a quick question without stealing you’re thread. I just installed this kit on my 96 regular cab and The sway bar when bolted up correctly hits the lower control arms on both sides where the end links bolt up. It’s almost like it would require a spacer between the frame and where the sway bar mounts to the frame to push it further out towards the bumper. Not sure what my issue is but I’m hoping someone can shed some light on the situation and I found your post while looking for answers. Plus it’s like the most current post I have found on the 3/4 drops.

Also are you running a notch on your truck? I’m on bump stops in the rear with new shocks.. not sure if I’m supposed to take them out or what.

I was told that the 3/4 drop can be daily driven without a notch and that I wouldn’t bottom out in the rear unless I was really trying.

If anyone has any info I would really appreciate it, it’s racking my brain trying to figure out what I have going on. I can post pictures of the front suspension tomorrow, I might have something installed wrong, not sure.

Thanks!