Snowy's 3-Linked 98 Xtra Cab

Read bilavistas 14 bolt bible. Same width as fzj 80 if you get the c&c version. You can find them for practically free, they have real fasteners on the hubs not those bullshit studs Toyota uses, you can find parts on the moon, and they have a pinion support bearing so you don't have to worry about deflection. Plus a drunk and half blind 3yr old can set the gears up with the adjusting collars and the way the pinion shim are setup. Last axle you would need to build. I like my 80 rear, but there is always that seed of doubt on it blowing up on me, and when it does it's 14b time. You can get a Toyota to 14bolt flange as well if you are worried about that. You have a trailer and want 40+ tires, might as well spend less money on more beef now than putting in an 80 axle. The only real down side is you have to weld the tubes to the pumpkin so they don't spin and you have to shave it. Both are fine if you know someone with a stick welder. Bonus is the pumpkin isn't cast you don't have to worry about dealing with that faggotry like you do with Dana shit.

Who cares about weight, its low unsprung weight which helps with stability.

 

Well it was a fine effort... but I just pulled the trigger on a 5.29 R&P, master install kit and a Spartan for an FZJ80 rear axle. I don't think I'll end up on 40's for quite a while and a 14 bolt would end up being a rock anchor on 37's in the meantime. Plus a 14 bolt build was going to nickle and dime me to death with new brakes, hubs, and a shave kit among other things.

The 3RZ only has 160 hp so I'm not overly concerned that an FZJ80 rear will have any problems with 40's anyway.

 

No going back now...

The front bumper got hacked off to build a tighter, smaller one around a winch that I tuck into the core support.



...and the rear axle is gone for good. Picked up an non-locking FZJ80 rear from a friend. Plan is to throw 5.29's in it, a Spartan, tap the hubs to 5/16" along with 10mm dowels.

 

I appreciate the feedback. I was honestly kicking it around since its kind of nice to not have to stop and start the engine every time you stop on the trail. I've gone the last 3 years without one and it looks like it won't be changing anytime soon.

Also forgot to mention that I'm going with AP 5" springs to replace the old Downey packs. The drivers side main leaf has enough of a kink in it that I'm finally having to give in and buy new. I contemplated 63's but I really didn't want to kill my departure angle.

 

I appreciate Toyota's over engineering in the early to mid 90's but good god...every bracket is 3/16's on the FZJ80 axle. Fortunately I used the plasma in the trailer shop at work to make pretty quick work of it. I really couldn't fathom using a grinder to cut them all off.



Building the third Sunday and just putting the finishing touches on the new front bumper today...lots of progress happening.

 

9.5" Third has been assembled with 5.29's and a Spartan. Should be able to install the new housing this week and be driving by the weekend. My only mystery is the ride height of the new All Pro 5" pickup springs and whether the brakes will work.

 

Ran into some issues today working on the axle... I popped the hubs off and there was immediately signs of heat in the spindle. Took the bearing out and it's been scored and has signs of heat as well. Amazon Prime for the win though. New bearings, races and seals will be here in two days for way less than the parts store. The hub felt fine but the third showed major signs of heat and neglect that got me thinking the axle may need some more R&R.

Good news is that I was able to tap all the hubs to 7/16's with no issues. Used a brand new tap and drill bit that made things easy. Trying to avoid any problems with the stock, small studs and not have to deal with cone washers.

 

Curious to see how your bumper remodel goes. I want to do the same.

 

Just putting the last coat or two of paint on it tonight. Design wise it's super similar to what I had but is a full 6 inches tighter to the body and all bent in the same plane. I'm significantly better with the bender and design since completing the exo.

Good to know! It doesn't look like any material transferred on the hub so I'm feeling good about it with new bearings.

I had no issues with the locking rings until I got to the last one of course. It was super tight and I stripped it with the impact and a #3 bit. Drilled it out no problem but is it a dealer only part or a standard bolt I can find a cap head?

 

I ended up jamming and not taking a ton of pictures along the way but the new bumper is done and the FZJ80 axle is under the truck.

Ended up tightening the bumper up to the body by about 6.5” over my old one by cutting out the lower core support to sink the winch back. Also being a better fabricator now helps a lot too.



I figured out that the Barnes 8.8 swap kit for an XJ is perfect to put the FZJ80 axle under the Tacoma on AP springs. Made perches and shock mounts easy. I also figured out that you have to grind quite a bit off the land cruiser brake calipers to clear 15” wheels. About 100 miles on it now with no problem...brakes are awesome with the LSPV zip tied up. The hubs are drilled and tapped for 7/16” 20tpi to match my front hubs so that I could use socket head cap screws instead of messing around with cone washers. Super easy to do and beefy. My biggest hold up out of the whole thing was waiting on springs from AP. My Downey springs were done and the AP springs are the exact right length to replace them. The center pin is about 3 inches farther back so I had to have a new DS made for the longer wheelbase.





I love the width of this axle and simplicity of no more ARB. I really didn’t notice the auto locker at all on the trail.

 

Can you snag some pics of how much you ground off? Did you use a drill press to drill out the holes in the hub, or free hand it?

 

This should give you a decent perspective on how much. Maybe 3/8”...more than I was expecting to have take off. I free handed the hubs with no problem. I think having a brand new drill bit and tap went a long way to making it easy.

 

Literally only one picture exists of its maiden trip on the 80 axle. And it’s of my fiancé saying fuck this and bailing out.



That’s what happens when you go to the same park you’ve wheeled a million times I suppose...

 

Your fiance leaves you?

 

Yeah she knows that she needs to GTFO now. There’s a reason I’ve made so many mods in the last year...she can never know how much money has been spent spent on this hobby

 

That's why I built my lefty and refreshed my duals right before I popped the question lol!!

Good plan!

It's funny when aim asks if she can buy some expensive clothes: can I buy these shirts? They are like 200 total. Me: go for it! As I shop for $1000 worth of hydro assist parts.

 

It looks like this winter will be one of the first that include no major projects for the Tacoma. Somehow I knocked them all out during the summer?? I went to Harlan with a group on here and cut down one of my PBR's so I had some soul searching to do. My PBR's are 7 years old and have decent treadlife left but the rubber compound was starting to harden up noticeably. So it was time for some new tires...problem is that I am on 15" wheels with limited tire options. Couple that, with a desire for beadlocks, and I ordered a set of Pro Comp Vapor 2 aluminum beadlocks in black. I like that they aren't Racelines (like 3 of my friends have) and look great. I'm hopeful that the aluminum beadlock will help mitigate the weight gain from going to a 17" from the 15" and make the truck still very streetable. I'm still up in the air on tires on whether I go back with a PBR or go to something different like the Maxxis RZR.

Couple of pictures from the Harlan trip getting denied on Little Jager and then cutting down a tire in the lower rock garden

 

I thought you ordered tires? Try the maxxis, that way if they suck I know not to buy them! You will love the beadlocks, airing down to 2psi is badass.

All jokeing aside I would try something other than the pbrs, we all know they work since 98% of the people we wheel with have them, but there are so many kickass tires out there in 17s. Shit I would even look at krawlers, you put what maybe 3000miles a year on the truck? Edit: maybe not they are $500+ per tire for the non stickeys.

 

I actually did look at Krawlers and sticky treps and I’m contemplating them pretty seriously since I don’t put many miles on it. $600 extra for tires that are a noticeable bump in performance would be worth it to me, especially staying on 37’s. I know I’m not getting PBR’s for sure just to be different more than anything.

 

Since you kind of have time those stickey krawlers seem to pop up evrey once in awhile used. The used ones are the coveted tires, seems ass backwards but they supposidly work better at about half tread.