Feeler: 1st Gen Tacoma Bolt On Outboard Shock Mounts

1st Gen Bolt on Outboard Shock Mounts

I am creating this thread to see if there is interest in me producing these.
I am estimating the sale price of these would be ~$300, this includes:

(2) Fully welded 3/16" steel and painted upper shock mounts w/ bushings and shock mount hardware
(1) Lower pre-tacoma spring seat/shock mount (no lower mount hardware included)

I started prototyping rear outboard shock mounts for my 1999 Toyota Tacoma after learning that there was not a shock relocation option that didn’t require welding. I wanted to move the shocks outside of the frame because this can provide more stability and control. Most newer vehicles position the shocks as close to the wheels as possible so that they will be closer to a 1:1 ratio of wheel travel to shock travel.

My goal was not to allow you to run higher performance/longer travel shocks. There are plenty of options out there that can be welded on or custom fabricated.These are meant as a stock or lifted replacement to provide a smoother, more controlled ride. They do also allow the use of a longer travel bushing mounted shock.

There are some pretty big limitations when it comes to moving the shocks outside of the frame on a 1st gen Tacoma. This is because the wheels are already fairly close to the frame. When you articulate the rear axle, this brings the tires even closer. Therefore, I needed to keep the upper shock mounts as close to the frame as possible. This also limits how high you can move the upper shock mount before it would run into the wheel well.

The upper mounts are designed to bolt onto 3 of the 4 bolts that hold on the gas tank/muffler crossmember. They use a ⅝” diameter stud that is fully welded to the mount, which is smaller than the lower OEM mounts (19mm). They will come with ⅝” hourglass bushings.

The lower mounts reuse one existing tacoma spring seat (ubolt plate) and one pre-tacoma pickup spring seat. The Toyota pickup has the opposite shock configuration to the Tacoma. Using these bolt on mounts will prevent any welding damage to the axle seal when welding on lower mounts.

These move the upper mounting point 3” further from the lower point than stock. Therefore you will need a shock that is 3” longer extended length than stock. I am wording it like this because there is not a one-size-fits-all shock solution for this kit. It will depend on a variety of variables, but it is mostly related to the travel of your leaf spring pack. The great thing about these mounts is that you can install them, and then measure your distance to the axle at full compression and extension. With that information you can order the most appropriate shocks for your setup.

The stock tacoma rear shocks are as follows:

Rear left
Extended Length: 19.61 Inch
Compressed Length: 12.8 Inch
Travel: 6.81 inch

Rear right:
Extended Length: 20.28 Inch
Compressed Length: 13.19 Inch
Travel: 7.09 inch

Right now these are specifically designed for bilstein 5125 shocks. I have not done enough test fitting with any other shock, so I cannot guarantee clearances.
I made another thread while I was researching shock options here: 1st Gen Tacoma Rear Shock Info (Aftermarket)

My specs:
~3” lift
Wheelers Offroad 5 leaf pack w/ 3 leaf progressive AAL
255/85/16 Cooper ST MAXX
16”x7.5” 15mm offset TRD FJ Trail Team Wheels
1.25” Wheel spacers
Bilstein 33-186559 11” travel shocks

When I flexed out my suspension I measured the following:
26.5" extended
18.5" collapsed
Therefore I am only really getting 8" of travel out of my leaf pack. I bet it can move a little more than that, but not statically. So maybe 10" max.

With this setup I have ~⅜” clearance between the tire and the shock body at full suspension flex on compression. I don't see any possible way you could run these without wheel spacer if you want to flex your suspension. If you only ever drive on the road then it may not matter.

You will need to measure your specific setup to determine what length shocks you need, but hopefully this info will put you in the ballpark.

See photos below

Started by mocking up my existing shocks to see the general location


I used some cardstock to find the bolt hole locations


I transferred the paper template into my modeling software and laser cut some foam core and then 3D printed a prototype to test the fit.


Here are both fully TIG welded upper brackets with studs


Comparison of the Tacoma spring seat (bottom) with the pre-tacoma spring seat (top)


Installed with 11" travel Bilsteins at ride height



Full droop at full articulation (roughly 1/8" clearance at the frame)


Full compression at full articulation (roughly 3/8" clearance at the tire) Yes I know my bump stops still don't hit, but my tire was starting to come off the ground on the other side.



Frame clearance


Flexing by the bank

 

That's pretty cool, but like 3rd Gen 4Runner's you'll run into clearance issues if you decide to run real shocks with larger diameter bodies.

 

That’s one of the main reasons why these are more geared towards a stock replacement. They use a mounting stud just like the lower mounts. You could still fit a 2.0” since 5125s are 46mm (1.8”). That only decreases the tire clearance by .1”, and I currently have 3/8”. With well spacers and/or appropriate wheel sizing it should not be an issue.

I honestly can’t justify the cost of higher end 2.0” or 2.5” shocks just to put them in the stock location. For my usage, which is mostly on the road, I would not see an improvement by going to a shock that cost 4+ times as much. If I used my truck primarily off-road, then that’s a different story.

There is definitely a stability improvement with the shocks closer to the wheels. Having a topper on the back I always had increased body roll, and these have helped to mitigate that.

 

The only reason I would vote no is I would build them myself.

If you can`t fabricate well worth your price.

Most people have no idea of the time from concept till finished product.

Nice write up Thank You sir!

Those Trucks from dry climates might be almost enough reason to move to Texas.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

You're right, if you have a welder and can cut metal, it's not too complicated to just make your own. There were many times in the process where I thought it would be so much easier to just weld something onto the frame. It's so much harder to line something up to existing bolt holes, especially on a tapered frame.

My truck was mostly in FL, then I moved to Philly for a couple of years. I guess I just needed a taste of the northern salt. Now I'm in Texas, which is pretty similar to FL.

 

Also, what if I offered a Weld it Yourself kit? Basically just the cut and bent parts. I know the price would dictate if this is worth it, but I'm still figuring that part out.

 

That might be a viable option for those that can weld but are still lacking skills or tooling on the fabricating side .

That do not have access to raw materials or just in a hurry.

 

I don't know what the cost of the cutting and brake bending would be but I think if you can provide just the raw parts for closer to $200 some more folks might be interested. It kinda hits a weird price/function bracket right now, $300 to mount up $90 shocks that cover a hair more travel but cannot really use it. With the stock mounting locations you can already run a 10" short body 5150 and still be under the current price point. I know you're trying to sell on the basis of on-road stability but given the climate of TW and the 4WD truck market in general it might be a tough sell without a way to sweeten the deal a bit. Do you have a shock distributor that might partner to sell the shocks you chose as a bundle and bring the price up just modestly? Around $450 for everything you might have a lot of buyers.

 

That's good advice. I can also reduce the overall price if I can get more people interested (It's cheaper overall to do things in batches).
With these mounts you might be able to run a 12" shock (I'm running an 11" shock).

The issue is mostly related to clearances if you wanted a tunable shock. The mounts would be better if they were double shear, but then you have to move further away from the wheel well so that a bolt or nut can go on that side. Even If I go higher with the mount, you start running into the wheel well in that plane. The frame is essentially inline with the wheel well, then the wheel well starts to arch outwards. So the higher you go the closer to the tire you have to move.

 

Tell you this, anyone in the Central Valley that buys this a kit I'll gladly weld up for free.

 

Deal!

 

40s and tons with only 8" of travel; you're all about that short stroke huh?

 

Yes sir, why not