Squeaky Penguin's (Trip Reports) Build Thread

Maybe the additional travel will mean I break less things.

 

I don't think that is how it works.

 

You have mid travel rear.

 

#turbobuild

 

FIFY

 

I got a tube bender thingy, never used it, brand new, needs the dies to bend tube.
Manual bender though, needs a little muscle to make it work.

 

Did you drill the ends of the cracks before welding them up?

 

You know we are talking about skinny Brett right.

 

I support this stupid decision

 

Do you know what it is, and are you wanting to sell it? I was looking at a JD2, or one of the several that look just like it.

I can substitute leverage for muscle.

This was the first one I fixed, welded a little scrap behind the crack. This new one follows the edge of that. I think If I put it in even bigger patch it would just continue to crack on the sides.

 

That’s always a possibility. Once you weld it the heat also creates weak points around the weld. The metal is so thin and it’s trying to carry everything on that side of the core support. I’m not surprised it cracked again. Mine doesn’t crack it just bends over and over and I keep hammering it out. It’s just a weak point right there. My main reason to build an engine cage. Good luck on the repair bud.

 

Drill the crack and then rivet a doubler over it.

Why does it bend there? My truck has that as we, I figured I just smacked it into something?

 

It's cracking all over my core support, not just there.

 

Weight of the battery, fenders, blah blah blah, ect and going faster than most over dirt roads will cause the header panel to sag and crack out.

 

Precisely why I went with a dual battery kit on the GX that balances two smaller batteries under the hood instead of one big one in the front.

 

Do you drive fast enough for that to even be a concern? I do beat on my rig pretty hard, not surprised to find issues like this.


@TMFF What's your thoughts on a secondary shock/bypass up front on the stock arm? Not worth it for that amount of travel? Just get LT? Hogwarts valving 2.0? Drive slower?

I'm daydreaming about better suspension. I thought I was basically done with this build.

 

2nd shock is possible https://www.chaosfab.com/accessories/1996-2004-Tacoma-Dual-Shock-Hoop-Kit-96602 But not that necessary for you.

Until you heat what you have up enough to melt out seals and boil the oil I wouldn't spend the money for stock length secondary shocks, go LT at that point. Parts can be ordered to convert your shocks to a 8" stroke LT 2.5's.

I can keep tossing shims at it but at the end of the day you have 8" of travel at the wheel, not a lot to go very fast with and still have all your fillings at the end of the trail.

 

Front LT is a game changer man. It is insane how much better it'll ride with.

DO IT

DO IT

DO IT

DO IT!

 

I don't think I'm prepared to go down that rabbit hole.

So much money by the time you add up everything necessary to do it right.

 

Don't be a pussy, you got this! Remember your shocks can be converted with new shafts, bodies, droop spacers.