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

Anyone want to meet up at one of these? Maybe Sept 30th?

 

Hey fellow area Tacoma friends! I'm trying to clear out some space in my basement and would like to sell some extra items I have from my previous 2019 Sport.


Edit: All items spoken for. Thanks!

 

Hey All!

I just put 33's on my taco and am experiencing the dreaded rub. I trimmed back the plastic on the fender wall and it helped... But not fixed. I was trying to avoid a body mount chop and was told I wouldn't need one by my shop... They were wrong.

Does anyone know a good place to get a Chop done? Or has done it themselves//would be interested in doing another?

I am fine with going back to the shop but I don't think they have actually done one before.

 

I’ve never done one so can’t help in that regard. What wheels? Lift?

 

You could try an alignment - have them add as much positive caster as possible to pull the wheels forward.

 

These are 17" KMC Impact OL's with 285 70/17 Falken Rubitrek tires. Lift is a 3" rough country monotube.

 

Considered this.... it took the shop 3x to get the alignment right so I'm not sure I want to have them try adjusting again haha!

 

Fair enough. Chopping is easy. I did my FJC years ago with a Dremel + metal wheel and just left it open.

However, depending where you are, probably some decent shops around who could tackle it for a few hundo.

 

I haven't been active on this place lately but my '03 with 180K needs a bunch of love. I've upgraded all the suspension and metal bumpers but there are a ton of other maint. and upgrades I want to do. Anyone know of a decent shop in SW Ohio that I could take it to?

I've budgeted about $7500 for the refurb/build. I'm gonna buy a second car so I wont need it quick. I'd like to turn it fully into the apocalypse vehicle and new is the time. Any shops that anyone knows of would be great.

There are tons of Jeep/Ford/Chevy modding shops around but dont know of any Toyota places. Thanks in advance.

 

What are you wanting to have done to your truck? If you have a $7,500 budgeted, hell, I might be willing to do it.

 

I'm trying to turn a hoe into a housewife.....
Long story short, I inherited the truck after it was "almost" totaled from front wheel ripped out of control arm going off highway at 65, denting and knocking every single body panel out of alignment all the way around. Insurance tried to completely low-ball the repair and I stepped in and got them almost double but that basically totaled the truck. My ex-father-in law was driving and that was the last time he ever drove anything, his demetia had gotten out of control. So family got the money and didn't want a destroyed truck they had no use for. I'm a sucker for punishment.
First thing I did was try and get frame/alignment shops check it out...got blown off by all of them. I had 4 cars at time and wasn't priority, but I repaired the front end to get it working then spent the next few years off roading/beat and abusing it. I let my kids offroad it at 14 and watched them smash a windshield by hitting a tree..... When parts broke or needed fixed I upgraded, and instead of being crushed its still on the road.

But now Im back to one vehicle for a few months and have been using it to move stuff and my commute to work doubled. It is scary to drive at any speed especially highway where I have been commuting. At 65 on highway it feels like its going to come apart like a space ship blowing up. I'm getting like 15 mpg tops its so loud when I drive I quit using the radio even though its been upgraded. not a single body panel is straight even though tried may times to fix. Every panel is also dented in some way and likely rattle canned to cover other damage.....

The frame is likely kinked just a touch (sway bar literally wont connect both ends). Ive replaced the steering rack 3 or 4 times in 40k miles. It gets "bumped" out of alignment every few months. The whole front end feels like its going to come apart. It needs a valve job, chasing a vacuum leak for a year and half, its started to leak oil out of main seal, the trans is getting suspect. It feels way down on power and now the steering wheel is starting to rip. The Tacoma is getting revenge on me for years of torturing it.

It's an OME suspension, ARB bumper, a tubular rear, gas tank plate, upgraded brakes UCA and other things. All maint. has been done and on time, frame is in very good shape, the interior is in good shape and its a first gen Tacoma.


Want frame to really get looked at and beefed up a bit. It's 2.7 with 180k so getting engine back tuned up so it can move. Suspension gone through to see if something is off. Want to add front and rear lockers, then armor the rest of the bottom.

Basically its miserable to drive and I promised I'd never sell the truck. Everyone needs an apocalypse vehicle and I have a good start. Besides my x-Father-in-Law was a "My guns, my dog and my truck" kind of person. Instead of giving up or walking away I'm going in deeper.

 

Sounds like a few of the "regular" 1st gen issues, and I'm a big 1st gen afficionado.

I'd offer, but have no time... I also typically do all my own work, so I know how much parts cost... but shop labor is a swag from me

Steering rack -> OEM or continue to replace them bois on the regular, probably the non OE TRI's are also bad, an OE rack comes with these ($550 parts for a new OE one)

Lower ball joint (LBJ) -> this is what failed on your eFIL, also a common failure on these trucks, OEM is better but for any LBJ, grease religiously. ($150 per for OE)

Alignment/Cam tabs -> the alignment being out of whack on the regular is likely because the Cam Tabs have folded, get a Cam Eliminator/gusset kit ($150 new tabs, $120eliminator kit, $200-400 install, plan to get LCA bushings too)

Drive train -> All the U-joints probably need replaced as well as the Carrier bearing, these being bad makes a BIG vibe at speed felt throughout the truck, the loss of power is more likely from wheel bearings going out than the A304F going bad, they are a power hungry trans but they are built to last, the Shifter typically fails first in my experience (driveshaft rebuild $1500 with a balance at a drivetrain shop, or $400 in parts to DIY, wheel bearings would probably cost about $600 each with labor at a shop)

Frame -> if the front end is kinked its "fucked" meaning no easy repair, a straightening joby won't help there unless its several inches out, they do typically kink right between the shock tower and cab on rigs that have been beaten/crashed/jumped, but this changes the front sus inboard points by a 1/2 in to a 1/4 in, and the Toyota OEM replacement frames from the rust campaign are off by a similar amount if not more, you can have a shop true it up, but probably not worth; Boxing the rear Frame stiffens things up a ton, but most kits leave a section of C-channel by the gastank hanger that ends up taking a beating if you don't also box it, but thats some custom job

3RZ -> Probably needs some general maintenance, they will run forever as long as long as you have at least changed the oil on the regular, Clean the MAF, replace air filter, change Plugs, then confirm the source of Oil leak, Rear main seal is common as is valvecover gasket. the valves probably DO need adjustment, its a timing chain motor, so unless it has been over revved or the chain is inspected, I wouldn't recommend a replacement, even given the mileage, unless the oil pump is leaking somewhere ($200-800 in parts, Labor is probably up there... $800 or so) depending on your Tire size, 15mpg and low power is to be expected

Lockers -> ARB's run $1100 per axle these days, plus you need on board air for another $500, install isn't bad, but you might want to regear while you are in there, plus replace diff bearings, $800 per diff for a regear from ECGS

Body -> it sounds like you've given up which I agree with... getting all new panels will be cheaper than getting yours fixed, doing cab mounts will help with alignment and some of the death rattle feeling ($100 in parts)

 

I've done a couple of CMC, not sure I have time.

Specialty 4WD is one of the shops that the local land cruiser guys go to, I think they mostly do bolt on stuff tho...

Commonwealth 4x4 is/was the CKY go to shop for SAS and more complex builds, I avoid FB probably too much, its where most of the local activity is, and I think one of their experienced techs started Specialty 4WD... idk really I haven't had either shop do work for me, but know Toyota guys who have used both and speak positively of the experience.

 

Still got those GX470 bits? I'm especially interested in the LCA's

 

Recycled the LCAs last week.

 

Dang!

Well, if anybody is looking to get rid of LCA's I'm looking for a pair

 

It's about time for some new tires for me. I just put 25k miles on my cooper STT Pros and love their performance off road but didn't like the ride because they didn't balance well and ended up needing balance beads (which I think caused cupping and early tire wear).

I'm considering going to A/T's just for easier balancing and a smoother ride, but hate to give up a lot of off road performance.

Any Recos? Heard good things about the Geolander MTs. Anything else that's highly recommended? Not really interested in getting KO2s.

 

PM sent

 

If you still need/want to have a CMC done I can do it or my buddy @B.Root can do it for you. We’re both in northern KY. Bryan is a welder/fabricator. He’s done a few lol

 

Not to beat a dead horse, but…. Maxxis Razr M/Ts or Yoko Geolander MTs.

Ya know what. You should’ve just bought @rdpoe truck before it went to Hawaii