Ready for suspension upgrade but not ready to decide

Thanks. That's the kind of opinions I was hoping for. I saw some guys sendit in Anza Borrego out near the Devils Slide. Didn't even attempt it. Not going to go LT on my daily driver so that helps to know. Where was this?

 

This was last October in Moab for rock therapy.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rocktober-therapy-the-moab-gathering.552428/

38.419662,-109.475739

 

Honestly, I would just go with a Mid range Bilstein set up. Reservoir rear and IFPs front w/ no remote reservoir.

That would be best for your type of driving in my opinion. If you plan to go to tougher areas than what Mid range Bils can take, suspension wouldn’t be your only problem; you will need new upper control arms, larger tires, regearing the diffs, etc. Just regearing alone in my area (not sure about Cali), I get quoted in the $2.5-3k range so definitely not in the budget friendly range, control arm: another 900-1k....

Put the money into bumper and winch/recovery for when you go alone instead of over doing it on suspension. my .02.

 

Thanks man. I have a bumper, winch, maxtrax, and since I’m in the desert a dead mans bag. On board air too. Plan to mount a mt bike for when I’m stuck alone.

Why reservoirs in the back but not the front? I do plan on going to 35s and since I have a manual, my diff is at 4.3, I may go up to maintain the slow crawl in 1st for rock crawling but that’s another 2-3k. I’m worried that if I go Kong’s/Fox/ADS/Elka then I might get into the hole of shock mount relocate, new hammer hangers, etc etc. hydro steering? What’s that?

 

Reservoirs: cause of money $$ saving. Most Bils rear is 2.0. Your front is normally bigger: 2.5 so you add reservoirs to the rear to increase it. Again that's mid-range. If you want the best, go bigger with res all around and maybe bypasses too. If not, at least try to get the rear to match the front (especially if you take a lot of gear and put it in the bed). Also, some res are a pain in the front to find room (not sure about the taco, but in an FJ it is).

Hydro steering (not sure where that came from): they are talking about hydraulic steering. Just google it for off-roading. There's a ton of stuff on it, but if you are using your truck as daily driver, I wouldn't touch it.

Most that are doing 33s+ are using 5.29 gearing in their diff. I have an Automatic so not sure if manual will be different, but I have seen guys with manual say they did 5.29 regear or at least 4.88 with any tires bigger than 33s.

 

Hydro steering replacing your steering rack with a hydraulic ram. Used in alot of built off-road viechles and tractors. Alot of people have opinions about if it's totaly legal or not for a on road veichle because you don't have a direct link to the steering anymore. There's also hrydro assist that helps the stock steering without going full hydro. The only reason I am going with it is because I run 37s and do harder rock crawling in sand hallow and Moab where I would benefit from it because I would actually be able to turn if I get bound up. Even on 35s I couldn't turn my wheels in sand hollow if I wasn't moving. This is not something for a DD or weekend warrior. It's more for a dedicated trail rig.

 

Sorry to get off topic

Here's a site that you can play with gear ratios and tire sizes and see how they will effect each other. You being manual I wouldn't stress too much on gears for 35s. I did 35s on stock 3.73s for a while. I used this site to figure out if I wanted 4.88s or 5.29s for 37s.

http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

Here is a link for your factory transmission gear ratios

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/18-manual-trans-model-and-gear-ratios.543338/

I suggest if you ever find yourself wanting a front locker that would be the time to regear. I went through ecgs for gears and installed the clamshell and third member myself to save money.

Do your research on 35s. It's not super easy to fit them like on jeeps. Not super difficult but you have to know you want them and want to put the work into making them fit properly. It's one thing to have them on for around town but once your hitting whoops or really flexing the suspension you start to see how much you really rub.

 

How hard was it to install the clamshell and third member? Rough hours? Any special tools needed?
Wanting to get it done, but way over budget with labor. What gearing did you decide?

It's not really an issue for me, but I just don't like the sluggishness especially when loaded down.

 

Third member was easy, but I've done it 5 times now. Remove driveshaft, remove bolts for ebrake cable and unbolt the brake lines from the back of the brake drum, unbolt 4 nuts for each axle and pull out far enough so thier not in the diff anymore, unbolt locker actuator and unbolt diff from axle. Don't forget to drain the fluid. Install is the reverse. If you have trouble getting the diff in or out spin the pinion a little. Also getting axles back in can be a pain.
The front was a pain but not too bad. Hardest part was actually pulling it out because it has a stud in the back that you have to lift and tilt the diff to get it out and it's super awkward. Ended up taking the ADD shaft off and after getting covered in gear oil because I didn't drain the diff. Overall front and rear took about 7.5hours by myself. If you have replaced an axle it's not too much more difficult for the front. It's just heavy and awkward. Rear is super easy to me now but the first time I was not sure what I was doing but had a good friend help me out. First time I did the rear was also on the trail after i blew my ring n pinion.

 

I did 5.29s for my 2nd gen auto on 37s. Roughly 2400rpms at 65. I think I get 15mpg at 60-70mph highway. Only 600 miles done so far. As far as tools you will need a e14 socket for the ADD shaft. Other than that it's the basic tools for an axle change or brake job. You will need to bleed the rear brakes.