'98 Reg Cab 3-Link SAS

Background

With IFS my truck was fairly capable (ICON coilovers, Allpro 3” leaf springs, lockright lockers front/rear, 33” mud tires... and armor all around.).

But living and wheeling in the Southwest brings unique challenges. I pushed the IFS as far as it could go on rocks. Lockers front/rear and suspension mods helped tremendously, but no amount of modifications can overcome the factory IFS's inherent lack of articulation (unless one goes the Long Travel route). And axle articulation is what's needed the most for a more pleasant experience on rocky terrain.

Parts: "All-Toyota" - Or Not

Initially, I wanted to stay with all Toyota parts, leaf springs and 37" tires max. I really liked projects where guys kept the integrity of the parts.

But that didn't work out for me. Trying to get Toyota parts became a very frustrating experience full of excessive delays. Many people, including a good friend who did a couple of SASs himself, persuaded to venture into non-Toyota parts.

I learned something very quickly. It is true that outside the small Toyota off-road world, parts are more readily available. Of course, there are bad apple vendors everywhere. But still, the non-Toyota parts market is huge…thanks to the hundreds of thousands (literally) of Jeep owners who keep the offroad industry alive.

Suspension: Leaf Springs Vs Links/Coilovers

Deciding what approach to follow for the suspension was difficult. Leaf springs? Links/Coilovers? This is one of the most heated debates in the offroad world.

There's an endless amount of technical info out there on this topic, so I won't repeat everything here. There are pros/cons with everything. After talking with a lot of people who have experience building, wheeling and even racing, I concluded that links/coilovers was the better alternative for rocky terrain.

Axles: D44 Vs Toyota vs Custom Toyota Vs 1-Ton Vs Custom 1-Ton

This was even more agonizing than the suspension issue. There are so many axle options out there. The two most important variables to consider, perhaps, are tire size goal and cost. My friend wisely mentioned that you should always build axles for the tires you may end up with, not the tires you have in mind now. Although initially I just wanted 37"s (famous last words), I came across a great deal for a set of 40"s that I couldn't pass up. IOWs, I got the tires before the axle, so I needed axles that could safely handle 40"s.

Toyota axles were out of the question (too difficult to find, too narrow, and kind of crazy pushing 40"s through them). Custom toyota axles (Diamond, RuffStuff, TG), out of the question too because of crazy lead times (at the time) and high cost. Custom 1-ton (609, Curry, Dynatrac), out of the question...way too expensive!

Almost went with a late 70s D44 (full width, driver's side, 1/2" thick tubes); as other D44 variations did not interest me. But after some brainstorming and talking to a bunch of people, I decided to jump on the rather common D60/14bolt axle combo. Nothing new or unique there, but the more I learned about those axles, the more I understood why they are so popular:

-strong axles with overwhelming amount of aftermarket support
-The full-width provides more stability off-road.
-Better turning radius than Toyota axles.
-Relatively "affordable" (prices vary greatly depending on location; Kingpins are more expensive than Super Duty axles)

Downsides:

-1-ton axles are obviously very heavy and bulky.
-Some people do prefer lighter and narrower axles.
-With the D60/14bolt combo now you have different hardware and parts that came from different brand trucks, years and models. Not the end of the world, but gotta remember that the guys at the auto parts stores will need more info than, "hey...I need an axle seal for a 14 bolt axle" .

Homemade Vs Pro Fabricator

Lots of arguments on this issue. Many guys do their own SASs, and that's great. The are many benefits: it saves $$ on labor, you know exactly what goes into the project (which makes it easier to trouble shoot later), can do things exactly how you envision them, and eliminate the risk of people cutting corners (it unfortunately happens sometimes in shops).

Other people, on the other hand, take their trucks to shops for different reasons. They might not have the knowledge, fabrication skills, time, space, tools, etc., to do the job. While this approach seemingly has an initial higher cost (more on that later), it has many benefits as well.

So is it really cheaper to do the SAS yourself vs having a shop do the work? Sometimes, but not always.

First, for many people, time equals money. There are guys who literally lose money when they spend time working on their hobbies. A reputable shop with a full staff will be able to SAS your truck faster (relatively speaking) than you ever could working alone at home. Also, if you have a family with small children, time becomes a precious commodity.

Second, unless you have all the tools and space already (either because you own them or have a very good friend who gives you unlimited access to his garage and tools), then you have to add the cost of buying tools/equipment and/or renting space to the budget.

Third, reputable shops have access to sourcing things or difficult-to-find parts that you don't have. They get significant discounts on shipping/freight, parts from their wholesalers, steel, welding materials, etc. If the shop is good and they really want to work with you, they will pass those discounts onto you.

So....it is all relative when it comes to the actual final costs of doing it yourself vs taking the truck to a shop. Gotta really spend time exploring all the variables and do a cost analysis.

Either way...before you start the SAS, ask yourself the following key questions: do I have the space? Do I have all the tools/equipment? Can I afford to not drive my truck for a while? Would I have the motivation to finish if the project takes several months or longer?

Whether you do it yourself or pay a shop, please know that it is a LOT of work to do a SAS on a Tacoma, especially if you want a link suspension, and especially if you only get to work on the project for a few hours on weekends. Whoever says otherwise is lying LOL. Lots projects bite the dust because people get burned out and give up.

I paid a pro fabricator to build my truck. I have no shame about it, no regrets or second thoughts. At the time, doing a 3-link suspension for the first time with 1-ton axles for a truck that needed to be driven on the street felt quite intimating.

What really deterred me away from attempting to do it myself altogether, however, was the fact that as I continued collecting parts for the project, it became clear I did not have adequate garage space. This may seem obvious, but underestimating garage space is the #1 single mistake a lot of people make before starting these projects.

Then, around the time I wanted to start the SAS, I received a surprise military deployment notification to Iraq. Great, so now the project would get delayed another year. With a garage cramped full of tools, parts and huge axles and tires, I really needed to have somebody work on the truck.

Andrew and his crew at Letzroll Offroad in Mesa, AZ, did the work (https://letzrolloffroad.com/). Andrew has been KOH finalist on several occasions, and builds KOH level rigs and everything in between. Working with him was a positive experience. Most of the build was actually completed before I deployed. The truck was fully ready when I returned home from Iraq…a deployment gift of sorts to myself. It was the first 1st gen Tacoma 3-link they built since most of their work is with Jeeps.

Overall, mine was quite a conservative 3-link build. My truck does not have bypass shocks, ORIs, fancy air bum stops, aluminum links, beadlock wheels, expensive custom drive shafts, engine mods, etc. Heck, I don’t even have a single LED on my truck and could only afford one air locker. I bought most parts either used or on sale (thanks Ruffstuff for their 15-20% sales!) to keep cost down. And I was able to sell all of my IFS stuff, axles and spare parts to help cover the SAS cost. So doing a 3-link more doable than it seems if one is strategic and has patience to source parts.

If I were to do another SAS on a tacoma, I would probably still have a pro fabricator do the grunt part of the work...unless I can convince my wife to surrender her half of the garage for a few months (or convince the HOA to allow the truck to be on the driveway on jack stands for that long).

The Parts List​

Suspension

Front:

-Ruffstuff universal 3-link kit with heim joints.
-ADS 14” standard coilovers. Spring Rates (150 top / 250 bottom)
-Custom 1.75" DOM tube shock hoops.
-Poly bumps

Rear: leaf springs is all I could afford, so that was an easy decision for the rear.

-Trail Gear 5" leaf springs w/custom shackle mounts through the frame
-Bilstein shocks.
-u bolt flip kit
-Poly bumps

Axles

Front:

-Ford D60 High Pinion Kingping from a late 80’s Ford F-350 (I got lucky to find one locally that was already built. These kingpin axles have become extremely difficult to find).
-Rebuilt hub-to-hub with Chevy outers
-Solid Axle Industries Keyed Knuckles
-Artec High Steering Keyed Arms with bolts instead of studs
-35 spline chromo shafts all around
-Yukon air locker
-Yukon HD locking hubs
-Ballistic Diff Cover
-D60-to-toyota flange
-5.13 gears

Rear:

-14bolt from a late 90s Chevy HD2500 truck
-stock axle shafts
-Heavily shaved with Ballistic Shave Kit
-Ballistic Diff Cover
-Factory disc brakes
-Factory ebrake
-Yukon Grizzly Locker
-Factory 1410 yoke matched to tacoma factory drive shaft
-5.13 gears

Steering

-Ruffstuff 1ton steering linkage kit with heim joints.
-PSC hydro assist kit: pump, steering shaft, ram and all the plumbing and fittings
-Toyota IFS steering box drilled/tapped for hydro assist

Transfer Case

I agonized over this one. I really wanted toyota dual cases. But I got denied pretty bad. It seems like I was one of the early RockSolidToys (RST)’ victims (check the vendor review folder for the drama on that). Paid upfront for parts that were allegedly in stock (tacobox fully assembled, custom shifter setup, etc.). Six months went by and I all got was one excuse after another. The parts never arrived. Luckily, I did get my money back since both my bank and PayPal got involved. After getting my refund, I put the money towards a 2-speed Atlas transfer case (with 5.0 gears) instead. It arrived three weeks later!

At the end, I ended up being grateful for how things turned out. Atlas transfer cases are really cool. You get "front digs" which is more useful than it seems around tight spots, plus you have a real twin stick function (ability to operate front/rear drivelines independently from each other). The Atlas is my favorite part in the whole build. Have not needed double-low, and most people I talk to with dual cases almost never seem to use double-low either. Go figure. This seems pretty low for most situations. (The 4-speed Atlas is a beast for those who need super mega double-low options). Also I like the assurance that, if I ever did an engine swap or installed the Atlas in a different vehicle with more engine hp/torque, the Atlas case will be able to handle it.

-2speed Atlas with 5.0 gears and Toyota Flanges on both ends
-upgraded shafts
-cable shifters

Wheels/Tires

-40X13.50 R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers
-Black Steel Wheels from Summit Racing: 17"X8" 8lugX6.5, 4.50" Backspacing

Armor

Most of the armor was in the truck prior to the SAS. I added the exo cage later on.

-ARB front bumper
-Allpro rear bumper
-Rock sliders with kickout from 4xinnovations
-Custom Exo Cage
-Under belly armor (in the works)

Interior

-Custom PRP Enduro Elite suspension seats
-PRP mounts and sliders
-5 point harness

Other Stuff

-Oil Pan Conversion Kit from Low Range Offroad
-Front/rear Frame Plats from Trail Gear
-Custom steering shaft
-Steering wheel shaft firewall plate from Trail Gear
-Toyota T100 "1ton" master cylinder with dual diaphragm booster

That's a really heavy axle



The steering arms are massive, close to a foot long.


Yukon super joints


Truck at the shop ready to be


Point of no return: IFS's gone! Oil pan conversion will be next.


Frame driver side cleaned up


Frame Passenger side frame cleaned up


Mandatory pic of the pile of parts


Pile of new parts waiting to be installed: DOM tubing, brackets for link suspension, shocks, etc. The big box in the middle is the Atlas.



Unmounted 40" tire next to the 33" it will be replacing:



Tks for reading

 

Congrats on getting started.

 

Tks man.

Your build has been an inspiration.

Get 'em Reg cabs! lol

 

Cool. About time Osvaldo I'll be watching your thread for sure.

 

Sweet! Being able to turn will be nice those dana axles.

 

I know you have the 14 bolt rear but just thinking.....
6.12 gears would have been very friendly with the 2.7L engine on the highway.....
but hold on a sec.....40's on the highway is kinda rare I think

 

Sweet.

 

I will sub to this ... great start!

 

@YotaGurlIAm SAS

 

That 8.4"complete axle housing is worth money. So are some of the IFS parts. The rack/pinion is an easy sell.

 

Love it, keep it over axled and under powered too less likely break shit. It should crawl just fine

 

Thanks Ken. It took forever to get started LOL

YEA u can get a good steering radius with those axle. It's a big axle but high pinion. Good stuff

The lowest gears available for the high pinion D60 front and rear 14 bolt are 5.38.

I went witj 5.13 because the i got a deal on the front axle which was built with those gears already.

40"s are not practical on the highway but i'll have to do it to/from trails for the time being. Won't be a daily driver tho

Already sold all the parts on the pile. Made a good deal to a guy that bought all at once.

That's the goal! With the 2.7 those axles should last a long time lol

 

I haven't been back to the shop to take more pics. As I wait for more updates, I decided to share a little bit of the evolution of the truck and the things that led to the SAS up to this point.

This is how the truck looked like when I first bought it. Crappy factory suspension, little tires, fugly steel wheels, CRAPPY 3.57 gears. But it was a 4X4, so I started wheeling it like that lol:



Then I installed a lift kit that consisted of a spacers upfront and add-a-leafs in the rear. Got alloy wheels and 32X11.50 BFG all terrains. That kit was the worst piece of shit ever and a total waste of money. Made the already crappy factory suspension stiffer and it flattened the rear springs. Also added rock sliders and a 1" body lift and regeared to 4.56. That made a HUGE difference in spite of the terrible suspension:




Wheeled it like that for a while added a front lock right locker - since I had manual locking hubs. The rear axle remained open for a while. But it did surprisingly well with the front locked only. Then tried other variations of crappy suspension lifts (more money wasted), wheeled it for a number of years more, etc.

Then One day I decided to man up and build the truck right finally: IVD coilovers up front with Allpro 3" leaf packs in the rear, 33" BFG KM2s. Also got an ARB front bumper and AllPro rear bumper. Man, what an incredible difference. Should have done that from the very beginning:



Moved to the southwest because of work and realized that wheeling without a rear locker in AZ was NOT going to cut it anymore. So my good friend here in town Ken ("ZUK") installed a lock right locker for me. He also checked everything for clearances, did an overhaul and brought everything back to better than factory specs. That was one solid rear diff:




Wheeling with front/rear lockers and manual hubs was AWESOME, and the truck had a much better stance with the right suspension components:



I went on some wheeling trips with Ken. With front/rear lockers and a good suspension, now I was able to tackle more challenging trails.

Ken's truck next to mine at Crown King, which is a very popular wheeling trail here in AZ; it's over 20 miles long. This pic is before he did his awesome SAS:


Besides being a pro gear installer, Ken ("ZUK") is a very experienced wheeler. Ken's truck (prior to his SAS) at Hackberry Trail near Superior, AZ. It looks significantly different now with the SAS


My truck next to Craig's (another good friend) SAS toyota. He built his toyota with link suspensions front/rear by himself. Also did a V8 engine swap. His rig is awesome and certainly and inspiration to do my SAS. My 33"s look tiny next to his 37"s


Anyway, that's the summary of the different stages the truck went through up to this point.

 

Nice... this post is kinda like how the Godfather movies started out. Awesome!

You will be so stoked when it's done.

Any ideas on the steering yet? I still have an extra Howe pump if you're interested... and an extra Thorley header too.

 

Thanks for the encouragement

Last time I talked to the shop they were sourcing parts from PSC. But some items were not in stock at the moment. Let me touch base with them again next week to see what's going on. The parts you have might come handy.

How do you like those headers?

 

The header is great. Looks good and more importantly, under hood temps dropped significantly.
I don't notice or feel and gains whatsoever but I didn buy it for that.
The cost to have the OEM header ceramic coated was more than buying new, go figure.

Good luck with the build.

 

I demand engine and detailed suspension pics of "Craig's" truck asap! Thing looks like an absolute monster


I can't wait to see how your build comes out. Love single cab SAS'd trucks. The 4banger makes it all the more authentic. Subbed.

 

Sub'd. This is gonna be sweet

 

Any updates?

 

Subbed for a fellow single cab 2.7 sas!!!