Jerzsubbie's 2018 Cement DCSB TRD OR **Lots of PICS & Links**

Thanks. Yeah I saw that thread a couple months ago and is how I learned about them to begin with.

 

Let me know how much of a bitch it is to install. I will need UCA's eventually.

 

I will outline it here.

 

It's not fun. You have to cut the existing UCA bolt and put the new one in backwards, even then there still isn't a lot of room. Not to hard just not fun.

 

What:
After only a week I was already getting a couple scratches on my door sills so I grabbed some door sill protectors.

Parts used:
I ordered both of these:
Genuine Toyota Tacoma Door Sill Protectors PT747-35161

$46 Toyota Genuine PT747-35161 Door Sill Protectors

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017YBNDEC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Jh0LAbT9B0100

Custom Fit 2016-2018 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab Door Sill Paint Protection

Red Hound Auto Custom Fit 2016-2019 Compatible with Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4pc Kit Door Sill Entry Guards Scratch Threshold Shield Paint Protection

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EI6RBIA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Zu0LAb41D49GF

And the OEM Toyota protectors don't hold a candle to the aftermarket ones! The Toyota protectors are very stiff, almost plastic like, and have very little texture. I could see more texture than I could feel. I also feared that the stiffness would result in it peeling up more easily.

The aftermarket protectors are much more flexible yet made of a tough, well-textured rubber-like material.

Install:
They installed super easily. I was able to simply line them up on the little ridge below the sill and lined them up laterally with the plastic trim piece in the door threshold. I used a hair dryer to warm up the metal to promote adhesion since it was barely 60F that day.

$30 & 15min well spent!

 

What:
Finally received and installed my TRD Pro grill. I had the China grill but sold it and bought the OEM 2018 since they dropped price so much. Luckily I got mine just before they started requiring VINs!

Install:
The install was pretty simple, took probably 10min. Unfortunately my OE grill's tabs were so brittle that 9/16 partially broke or cracked when I released them. That cost me a good bit on the resale value of the stock grill but whatever.

Swapping over the sensor was a piece of cake. No issues thus far.

Parts used:
TRD Pro Grille Tacoma: PT228-35180
Garnish Radiator Gr:

$365 53141-35060 Genuine OEM

53141-35060

 

What:
I wanted to do a mild lift, the right way, without braking the bank. Figured a 2-3" would be perfect.

Parts Used:


Bilstein 5100's w/ extended rears
OME 888 coils
Dakar medium leaf packs
+4" red SS brakelines
JBA UCA's
1/4" spacer for driver's side lean (ended up not needing it)
Wheelers/Energy urethane bushings for leaf packs
Wheelers 7.75" HD U-bolts
ECGS mod
All high quality, high value parts, stayed comfortably under $2k for everything

I have to give a big thanks to Josh at @Wheeler's Off-Road Inc , he was super helpful, responsive, made sure I got the right stuff, and provided options to help me get the best deal!

Install:
My friend @Tacomasprime05 helped me do the install since he's done his twice and I watched a handful of youtube videos. In total the install took us 12hr including one trip out to Lowes.

We started up front, diassembling the suspension, digging right in to do the ECGS. I used the below videos to help me.
Front - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOW-FRDl5wg&t=17s
Rear - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spGpKnBejUI&t=124s
ECGS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9W31KGy6k0&t=747s

The most helpful were the torque specs and details in the @Low Range Off-Road videos and the method used in the ECGS video of removing the axle. I found using a large flathead and 4lb sledge on the little notches on the CV's. We removed the front and mid skids as well as the sway bar and front frame braces to make working a little easier.


After getting the ECGS mod installed with the help of their tool, we installed the JBA UCA's which are very nicely built, the 5100's in clip position 0, and 888 coils. We used the jack method to compress the coils and it was easier than I expected. I'm glad I skipped the $90 assembly fee.


It was getting dark and we were getting tired by the time we started on the rear so I didn't take any pics but the toughest part by far was the rear brake lines. Remove the brake lines from the hard lines between the top frame rail and bottom of the bed was very difficult. Installing the same wasn't any easier, but the rear brake lines definitely needed to be extended.

Otherwise installing the Wheelers/Energy bushings was a piece of cake. The Dakars were pretty simple to install, following the Low Range video's instructions.

I used the brake lines from this group buy (https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/amazing-deal-on-steel-braided-brake-lines.97331/). They were nicely built, the color is nice, but I didn't need +4" for the front, +1 or 2" would've been a better fit, however +4 was perfect for the rear. My one complaint about these lines is the fact that use a standard hex nut on the fitting ratehr than the elongated circle with 2 flat sides like the OEM lines. This means that the lines don't fit the brackets too well, plus they didn't fit snugly into the brackets. So I had to use 18g x 5/8" machine bushings/washers. The thicker ones on the right are what was available at Lowes and won't work, on the left are the correct ones from Ace. Minor issue but if I had to do it over I would have bought Crown lines for $20 more like my friend did.


We got everything re-assembled and torqued down, then proceeded to bleed the brakes before re-mounting the wheels.


Before measurements:
FD 35.5
FP 35.5
RD 37
RP 37.375

Not the greatest pics but I had next to zero driver side lean. The passenger side is about 1/4" higher, the rears are only 1/8" off.
After: +2" up front, + 2.5-2.75" out back


I took it to Firestone in the morning to get a lifetime alignment, they were great about aligning to my specs, and even though their printer was down they took a pic of the screen for me. Super nice guys at the Concord Mills NC location.
On my way home I found a little mud, somewhat unintentionally, but made for some good pics.



I'm very happy with this lift, the height is great, my CV angles are good without a diff drop. I will be doing a carrier bearing drop, I just forgot to order it. The ride is actually better than stock, particularly the rear is significantly smoother on the street.

 

And now I have a nice pile of 1mo old parts to sell.

 

Looking good! How hard were the UCA's to install? did you need to cut the bolt?

 

@caterpilllartacoma is looking for someone with the ECGS tool...maybe you could lend it to him for a small fee?

 

I'm actually going to sell the tool for @Tacomasprime05 since he no longer has a need for it, same goes for the bushing press tool kit. Feel free to PM me as they're at my place.

 

Thanks a lot! The UCA's weren't very difficult at all. We used some "BA" channel locks to bend the sheet metal out of the way as shown in the Total Chaos video (not linked above), popped out the wire harnesses on the back side of that sheet metal, then with him pulling, I used a hammer and large flathead to tap the rim of the bolt all the way out. We did the same but in reverse to re-install the bolts. If you didn't have a second set of hands it would probably be a royal PITA.

 

I gave in a got the removal tool when I bought the bearing, but may be interested in the install tool

 

Great write up bud! Was a ton of fun! And for the most part (short of rear brake lines) went very smoothly!

 

Was any hardware used or included when you installed the garnish? Or did it just snap into the front of the Grille?

 

It was super easy, there were 3 screws on the back of the sensor. Just remove those screws, then slide out the 2 nuts that are on the grill, move them over to the new grill, and reinstall the sensor. The garnish just snaps in place. The whole swap is super easy.

 

I just saw your before/after measurements...did you install a 1/4" spacer on the driver side front?

 

I did not because I had no lean before the lift, but I have the spacer and am contemplating installing it now. I'll probably give it a few weeks to settle, install, and get it aligned again since I have the lifetime alignment.

 

Ah yes, never mind - just saw you said you did have it but did not install it.

IIRC the factory suspension is dialed in to compensate for the 1/4" difference, but aftermarket is not. Should be easy enough to install without needing to take apart the whole suspension.

 

Truck is looking great bud get some measurements of center of hub, to bottom of fender. more common way to measure, to eliminate tire size in the numbers