Solid Axle Swap BS Thread

A barbed union fitting that's threaded on one end screwed into the axle with some fuel safe vent hose up to the gas door.

 

1/4” inner diameter good enough? what kind of filter up top?

 

The diameter doesn't really matter. I am not running a filter, but that's unique to my stupid Toyota axle being dumb. My front axle and crawl box I use a lawnmower fuel filter. I can't tell you if it actually does anything though, filtering wise.

 

I was worried a paper filter might get saturated and not work, but I’m not seeing much else. Can’t tell what ford uses either. I’m probably making too big a deal out of it.

 

I just use a few of the toyota breathers. 1/4" fuel line, total of 4. Front diff, auto trans, crawlbox/tcase, and rear diff. Not crazy expensive $9 on Amazon.

TOYOTA Breather Plug - 90930-03136

 

Hey I'm looking for opinions. I started working on piecing together my 3 link system (F&R) and my original plan was to source all the joints, find a local DOM supplier and get pricing, and cut/bend/weld the brackets myself. I do have a cnc plasma and plate bender. However, while looking for joints, I found the Barnes 3 link kit. This kit comes with 6 Enduro joints (which is what I wanted to run anyway because they have pretty good flex, and a rebuild kit is only like $15). 2 Heims for panhard. you can add a DOM tube kit for $250 which has 4 foot sticks of 2" 1/4 wall lowers, 1.75" 1/8 wall upper, and 1.5" 1/4 wall panhard. plus comes with all the adjustable link brackets. The joints alone if ordered individually with insert will run about $550-600....so for ~$180 I get premade adjustable brackets also, which to me is worth the time of me drawing them up, getting material, and cutting them out, and i can still modify their brackets to fit my build. Im still going to get some quotes on DOM locally but i don't envision saving much money buying a couple full or half sticks of 3 different sizes over the $250 kit. Anyone have experience with the Barnes kit? total ends up around $1100 for the Barnes kit with tubes and hardware for a front and another $1100 for the rear. Looking to get your guys' opinion before I pull the trigger either way. Thanks in advance

 

I went with Barnes stuff for the front and Ruffstuff for the rear. Both have been great. Barnes was mostly 1/4” and Ruffstuff was mostly 3/8” I believe. I couldn’t imagine it’d be worth your time to design and test brackets unless you need something totally one off. Either company’s DOM was much less than my local steel supplier.

 

I’m running nothing but Barnes brackets on my build and have been super pleased thus far.

 

Just my luck they sold out of the tube kit. Got the joints and brackets on order tho. Still building up courage to take the sawzall or plasma to the truck. Case of beer aughtta motivate me this weekend

 

Don't do it, you'll regret

 

Plasma made life so much easier. Tight fit cutting on the inside of the frame.

 

DAYS TURN INTO WEEKS. WEEKS TURN INTO MONTHS. EVENTUALLY, IT'LL BE YEARS and you come to grasp with reality that your shitbox will not be done.

 

B

what are you talking about lol. It’s made very clear on the inter webs that a Tacoma sas is not easy and very labor and knowledge intensive. If someone wants a capable crawler/trail rig with bolt on capability and a solid axle from the factory, just buy a jeep. No shame.

Almost every “kit” I’ve seen in person and even helped with one or two, they are joke and claim stuff that is false. Each truck is different and requires it’s own twist to work.

 

Tacoma SA kit are all bolt on, no welding or modifications require

 

That's why I went with leafs, less time building it and more time on the trail. It still took me like 6months.

 

SA kit don't justify length of time needed for install. A kit is just a parts list to prevent a buyer from sourcing from multiple vendors.

 

Leaf will be much easier to install vs link. Leaf is litterily straight forward.

 

It’s on its own weight for the time being. 24” to the belly on 42’s, 130” wheelbase and 5” of uptravel. Still a ways to go, but stoked at seeing how it’ll turn out.