"El Taco DIablo's" Should I mid travel or long travel, help me make up my mind and B.S. thread.

No +2 for 1st gens. 35's aren't too bad where half of CA drives full size trucks with 35's these days - used tires not hard to find. Case in point I got 4 80% Toyo RT's for $600 and 85% KO2's for $65 for spares.

I agree with no-go on the 63's - the E30 HD sua and 12" TC shackles or J59 would probably be easier or the same amount of work with more performance increase.

 

Know of any cantilever kit setups for second gens? Or are they mostly custom

 

@Tango Bravo got this one made and I think it would be re-makeable by RJ Fab

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTe-lQUD19l/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Thats right ive definitely seen this one on here or instagram. Cantilever setups have aways intrigued me for whatever reason. Its pretty rad to get all that bed space back just gotta figure out the spare situation

 

This guy is here in Salt Lake/ Provo area. He has only made a couple kits as his business is starting up but he is definitely knowledgeable in the fab/ suspension area. I know it is still in the R&D phase and getting up to speed on mass production. I know of two people who have his kits, I think the main issue I heard of was that people were trying to piecemeal the kit before bringing there trucks to him (buying there own leaf packs/ shocks with no knowledge of valving/ spring rates/ spring under conversions). Some of his kits were SUA and others were Spring over axle. I know he has done a cantilever for the following: 1st and 2nd gen Taco, Latest Tundra.

He is trying to do basic kits for the overlanding crowd and race kits that would be SUA. The overlanding style kits are SOA and use basic Bilstein shocks (below pic).

I think you will have to purchase shocks from him as they are valved specifically for his kit. He used to have a website, I think you can DM him on FB.
*** I have only met the guy once and have not ridden in any truck with his kit. **

 

Interesting. Thanks for the info

 

So... Having to catch up a bit on this thread. Just back from a mini vacation from TW.

Thank you for the responses, and I'll most likely be responding with a bunch of stupid questions

 

It's not neccesarily about the money. It's about how I use and have set up my truck.

Glass bed sides are going to be a big rabbit hole to reinforce for my boxes and RTT rack.

Glass bed sides will also have to be cut to work with my high clear bumper... and not even sure how I would then reinforce them, so they don't flap in the wind at that point.

Glass fenders wont work with a snorkle... snorkles may be "gimmick" or "broverlander" to some... but I like mine, and don't want to lose it.

 

Not sure what you mean by 63s are a good choice because 1 ton springs wont compliment the front.

Chevy 63s aren't 1 ton. They are 1/2-3/4 ton, and they can be 2+overload, 3+overload, or 4+overload... I'd be looking at 1/2 ton 3+overload so I can either leave the 3rd leaf in or remove it when I decide which is the best ride.


2+ LT kit is not even under consideration. Yes, this is basically my daily.

 

You can use your snorkel with glass fenders, I know a couple 2nd gen guys that do it anyway...just have to get a little creative with the tubing and cutting. But yeah there's no kit for it, have to customize it to make it work

 

Well, that was going to be a "next question"... LOL

I should have known... TW always has work arounds to remove obstacles from me burning my money... lol

 

I've already begun to go the LT route with the new truck. It's a lot more work especially if youre truck is already built. Lots of reworking is necessary.

I've already got my 35s and I've got the front LT all decided. My rear is going to be a custom longer set of Alcans (working on figuring out the ideal length because I have reasons for keeping the truck SOA) and I'll mount the shackle above the frame. Going to be a cheap fuck and use a 2nd gen rear axle since they're the same differential and perfectly longer.

 

So, if the snorkel can be worked in to the fenders. What about the bedsides? If I cut the lower 8 inches off the rear of the wheel well, I'm sure I'll have to reinforce it. I guess I'd just need to fiberglass in some reinforcement?

And then there is the skeleton I'd have to figure out, to reinforce the bed rails for everything to sit on it...



Fuck you guys... I almost had myself talked out of LT and in to MT... This is going to be so much fucking work. But it'll be badass if it works.

 

Not doing SUA... I'd have to come up with something else.

 

Just be prepared to be down for a good while while you do it. Even if you had everything and everything went 100% right this isn't a weekend job, it's not even a weeklong job, it's a couple weeks if you're very efficient. Ideally your engine comes out as well as all the old steering and suspension so you can gusset the frame and build a coilover bucket crossover brace. Need to factor in your bumps and limit straps as well since all the hardware for that will need to be worked in and welded on.

 

Ya... that's a whole additional can of worms. I'm aware of it, but it'll be a long while before I need to worry about that part.

 

Since we live in similar areas and will wheel similar trails (Rubicon, Slick Rock, etc.), I'll share my plans for or the front end (4Runner is linked out back). I plan on and am in progress of doing a very built mid-travel kit.
The 4Runner is no longer my DD so I have the ability to park it and tinker with it all I want, but I want something that is ready to go on a moments notice, without having to worry about all the extra bits of maintenance LT requires. I also don't want to worry about glass being more delicate or being too wide for trails. To me, mid travel is that. It's still a built front suspension that is more capable and stronger than stock. It's something that I can install, grease & lube, and be good to go. I don't need to worry about doing a total front end overhaul all at once since all the components are stock width and work together, whether it be stock or aftermarket MT. I'll have to worry about shock rebuilding but that's with any rebuildable coilover.

My plans and a short explanation follows:
- Solo Stock Width LCAs - Installed - This is a boxed LCA that pushes the LBJ, and ultimately my tire, forward an inch. This means more tire clearance at the firewall. They also do not have steering stops so I get a little more turn-ability.
- Uniball LCA - Installed - Better alignment specs, better ride quality, better droop
- Rebuildable Coilover - Installed - Drank some King Koolaid
- Solo Fully Fabricated Spindle - Not bought yet - Beefy and can be used in conjunction with their uniball LBJ
- Solo Uniball LBJ - Not bought yet - 3rd gen 4Runners have different LBJs than a 1st gen Tacoma. 3rd gen 4Runners LBJs are much more prone to failure

I too had a very long debate about what was better for me - LT or MT. After weighing the pros and cons for both, I realized that an extra inch or two of travel up front wasn't worth the added headache.

 

You're Mid Travel plan is pretty much the exact same thing I'm weighing against Long Travel.

 

I was told by Billy back before I went and opened a can of worms that soa setups with extended shackles tend to do funky things in the performance arena. Jberry's gone off a few times about his issues with 63's - you could see what he has had to say about this in the past:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/posts/14146838

Not that they won't work if you use the truck in such a way that they are well suited for it of course.

If spending $5k on the front (I round up as a learned habit) is worth minimal performance gains as far as articulation and handling, a new custom soa leaf pack ($1-1.5k) that improves higher speed handling way more than a LT kit doesn't seem like a huge cost.

@MattJakobs the setup you're getting has just as many maintenance items as any long travel suspension. Not trying to push anyone to get anything they don't want, but as far as fiberglass panels - I could remove my besides and, as I set up my fender mounts, fenders in a couple minutes and have them in my bed going through an obstacle. Don't see many people being able to do that with stock fenders.

 

Ya... well... I'm just gunna leave that one (link) alone lol.