Cincinnati Area Thread (Tri-State, Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana)

Is $800 a good price for a Pelfreybilt standard rear steel bumper for the 2nd gen Tacoma. It comes with all the necessary hardware (flip up license plate bracket, light cut out covers, etc. ??

 

They were probably $900-$1100 new.

I would compare the similar bumper from other manufacturers, CBI, Relentless, etc. in new state currently, to judge the value of a used Pelfrey....


*** It is common thought that Pelfrey made top notch stuff. Their actions and behaviors towards the end of their existence has tarnished the quality product for some, but it has no real bearing on the quality of the piece.

 

Thanks...anyone headed to eastern NC wanna pickup and deliver back???


Waiting on a Fastenal quote

 

Someone here may help you

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/western-north-carolina-tacomas.393516/

 

Who dis? Ohia plates....red Tacoma letters on tailgate....

 

Anyone local ever attempted their own “DIY” alignment and had success getting the numbers close? I’m looking to fine tune my alignment then eventually take it in to have a machine double check everything.

Ever since my SPC UCAs went on, I haven’t really been satisfied with my alignment. Sure, the numbers have come out ok each time and my caster is set far enough forward that I have very minimal rubbing issues. But I’ve noticed two things recently that I’d like to address sometime soon. First, the truck will occasionally make a loud clunk type noise when I go over any kind of bump while turning slowly (i.e. a pothole, a curb into a driveway or over a speed bump) and I’ve read that could be caused by the lower control arm bolts not being torqued tight enough or being torqued without weight on them (wouldn’t surprise me at all if the last alignment tech that touched the truck torqued them without weight on them).

And second, I’ve noticed that right now the driver’s side front tire is tucked into the wheel well further than the passenger side... and it’s because the upper ball joint adjustment is in much further on that side compared to being almost centered on the passenger side and it’s driving me crazy.

Since I want to make sure the lower bolts are torqued to spec (and properly) I’m thinking I’d like to do what I’ve read about in the SPC UCA thread and max the caster on my lower control arms (which should theoretically put both caster and camber around the same on each side) then use the upper ball joint setting for final caster and the adjustment nut to 0 out the camber on each side. If I can do that, I’d just need to dial in toe to complete the “DIY” alignment. I’ve tweaked the lower bolts and that top adjustment nut more than once but I’ve never messed with the toe before so if anyone has any tips or wants to lend a hand and kill a few beers on one of these warmer afternoons, I’m definitely game.

 

I repeatedly tried and failed self alignment. I got a laser level and floor tiles and figured out the slant of my garage floor and how many tiles to go under each tire to make the truck level and made jigs to fit against the rim to not use the tire sidewall and strings and fancy electric angle measurement crap and nothing I did made it any better. Complete waste of my time and relearning geometry. So my advice is don’t waste your time trying to do it yourself...go find a different tire store and talk to the manager and possibly the actual tech who will do it and explain what you’re wanting as the end result.

 

I do remember asking you about those tape lines on the garage floor...

And ugh, I hear you. I don’t really want to deal with it at all but the more I let places touch my truck, the less I trust people’s intelligence and whether they got proper training or not.

I guess if I just max the lowers and set the UCA adjustments for caster/camber exactly where I want them ahead of time, I should be able to trust a tech (with a machine full of lasers) to make very minor tweaks to the lowers and then correct toe as long as they torque everything correctly and to spec. I mean, the truck rides just fine with the alignment I have now, I just hate hearing that clunk randomly and that my driver’s side front tire looks to be set in further than the passenger side...

 

Just out of curiosity, is it actually set further in? Or is it an optical illusion?

 

I thought that too, but because I’m a nerd, I grabbed the tape measure. Since I have 1.25” wheel spacers installed on all four wheels, I can visually see the difference and the measurement confirmed. That wheel has less “poke” at the top than the other three so it’s definitely set in further at the top... the adjustment nut for the upper ball joint is almost all the way in compared to being centered on the passenger side. And it just means the lowers are definitely set differently on each side because the end result was 0° of camber on each side after my last alignment. In other words, the front driver’s side wheel is still vertically level, it’s just set in a bit further than the passenger side.

 

You literally just wrote out my journey with my SPCs to a T....the noise, driver side tire tuck, and everything.

I did do what you are proposing with setting the lowers and using the uppers to adjust...what you are going to get is more of the tucked in tires by even messing with the uppers. Best to keep those pulled all the way out and then screw with the lowers to fine tune. If you want more caster, use a different SPC ball joint placement (do they do that anymore? Mine are some of the OG ones).

Ive tried to also set my alignment best I can, but its always before going in for my lifetime alignment...guess what....no surprise I am never correct.

 

Well... glad to know I’m not alone, I guess.

And thanks for the input. That will be very helpful information. Yes, the upper ball joints can still be rotated to change caster, SPC did not change that.

When the UCAs first went on, I was still using the original lower control arms, which were of course, partially seized. We tried to max the caster on the lowers before I took it in for the initial alignment. Surprisingly, everything was fine after that alignment. No noises, no tucked tire, great numbers (I should have left it alone). But I was feeling a lot of movement in the steering wheel over bumps and with 110k miles on the lower ball joints, bushings and tie rods, I decided to have them all replaced... which lead to another alignment, using full movement of the lowers and despite the good final alignment numbers, has resulted in my current issues.

I like your suggestion though. I’m perfectly ok with having an alignment tech adjust the lowers and not even touch the uppers. Once the weather gets a bit warmer I’ll need to decide which setting for caster I want to use (I may need to rotate it one step further) then I’ll just go ahead and loosen the upper ball joint nut on both sides and pull the camber setting out. From there I’ll just take it in and let them do a normal alignment using the lowers. I’ll just have to specify I want the caster in the 3-3.5 degree range to avoid rubbing the cab mount. I’ve seen too many posts where idiot alignment techs dialed the caster back as far as possible (despite the upper ball joint location) to get the truck as close to “factory specs” as possible.

 

Finally got the suspension in on ol Freddie 4runner. This gender change was much more difficult than I'd imagined. (Freddie was "Fiona" in a previous life while primarily driven by the wife.)


So. I put 265-70-16 Cooper ST/Maxx on when I had the stock suspension on it, with 178,000 miles.

No rubbing.

Put 1.25" wheel spacers on....

No rubbing.

Put OME 1.25" lift suspension on....

Front passenger side rubs the front fender and the wheel well by the side steps (stockers....probably gonna remove em)

Front driver's side rubs the rear wheel well on the side steps too.



Tha fuq?



I had an alignment done. So, I'm guessing the fact that the ass isnt squatting anymore is playing a pivotal role in this new development, pitching the vehicle "forward" juuuuuuuuuust enough.


The odd thing is, these are stock size tires (I know, I know.... the measurements are different).


Its cool, I am getting a new front bumper this month, or maybe early next month. So that will reduce the rubbing in the front, and I'll just have to maybe buy some UCA's to adjust for the back side of the fender well.



Should have just gotten a 2.5 inch lift up front. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.

 

Anyone in the tri-state area have factory 3rd gen TRD OR suspension they are looking to sell? My 08' only has 105,000 miles on it but the previous owner used it as a plow truck, so a lot of the components are very rusty. Just looking for a cheap upgrade. Also, I still have the original 3 leaf pack.

Also looking for a factory 2nd gen cat-back exhaust. There is a hole rusted through the muffler. I have an access cab model.

I've got cash and beer! Thanks!

 

I have my factory front bilstein struts and springs off my ‘19 trd or

 

Have you checked your VIN to see if your truck qualifies for the rear leaf replacement?

I got a free four leaf pack “upgrade” from Toyota for my 2009 due to the recall. It won’t help your shocks but you can get replacement rear shocks for cheap and ask the dealership to swap them while they are replacing the leaf pack.

 

Sending a PM now.

According to the VIN it does qualify. Are there any restrictions? Does the recall "expire" or can I just call them and say I need it done?

 

When you lift you lose caster....so the wheels tend to be further back in the wheel wells, thus the rub. Either ditch the spacers, or get UCAs. You could see if another alignment would work if you tell them to add as much positive caster as possible....sometimes they just get it "good enough" and inadvertently move your wheels back too far.

 

I'll consider it if I still have an issue after I remove the factory side steps and put the AO bumper on....

 

No, this one was a safety recall so it shouldn’t expire. Just call your dealership of choice and get it scheduled!