Trade up or fix taco lean?

Get new tires, suspension, and new rims then you are set for a long time

 

Is that how you talk to your son when he asks for advice?


Thanks TXFireman for that info. I've done my own oil changes but never thought about doing plugs and leaf packs myself. Probably a good idea to learn and save myself some money. I'll look into it.

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Thanks guys, going to make a list and start ordering stuff over winter.

 

Wut?

 

pretty sure the second "baby" is his truck.

 

Is there one you would recommend? Ones to avoid?

 

I wouldn't. It's way too early for you to get full value for your money.

I bought a 1996 Tacoma brand new for under $10,000. Then sold it 17 years later for $4,000. That's getting the full value out of a vehicle.

 

Yes I have a couple baby's (wife and truck) and we have one on the way. The wife and I do I mean lolol

 

Sorry, I can't help on that, but I'm sure one of the new dads can help.


For your maintenance http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/te...nance-2nd-gen-30-000-60-000-90-000-miles.html

 

You don't have plug wires, and the 4.0 uses copper plugs.
Cheap job.

Biggest issue you've got going is the springs.

 

Good to know about the plugs, only ever changed them in my Camry, years ago.

So if I go with a nice strong set of dakars in the rear, what size do I get for hauling wood? Secondly what so I do in the front to level it all out? Want to make sure I am purchasing the right stuff. Not going to change tire size. Will likely go with AT2's.

 

This...
All the stuff you listed can be done very cheap.
The most expensive being tires, check out treadwright for tires and generalspring for leaf packs

 

If I were considering buying your truck, I'd work a deal and then chop another $800 off for tires. No one is going to pay your asking price if the tires are dry rotted when they come to test drive it. Just my $.02

 

No worries, man. It's really a simple procedure. In a nutshell, just jack up the truck, set the frame on the stands once you get it up a bit. Remove tires and rear shocks, and I usually take some weight off by dropping the axle a bit, (with the floor jack) and then remove the U bolts, and then drop it down some more to clear springs (axle will drop lower and the spring perches where the springs sit will separate away from the spring packs). Then I just remove the bolts holding the springs in the shackles and replace. Pretty much just reverse everything from there. It would be best to see if there is a youtube video or something, just to get an idea, but it's really simple. Certainly worth your time to do vs paying someone.

 

+1

After doing Fabtech AAL on my '94 5-lug, I wished I had just bought a new pack.

 

i have a friend. he wanted a travel trailer bad!! we found him a super clean used one..private sale. about $10k. he went and got a new one for $22k. why? because the shop would finance the new trailer purchase, and not the used one.

i did want to slap him. you're trying to spend LOTS of money to save A LITTLE bit of money.

dont be like my friend. spark plugs are easy, cheap..cost you some lunch money. same with diff oil changes..burger and fries for you and a couple of friends..WAY cheap if you dont use some fancy synthetic.

 

Much appreciated advice folks.

The plugs, diff change and tires all seem pretty simple. Copper plugs, non synthetic differential, stock tire size for me, nothing extravagent. But this suspension is puzzling for someone like me. So much to choose from. I don't want to lift her really, but can go up an inch if need be. Really just don't want to get the same crummy leaf pack. Love to double my payload capacity if possible, but I have a feeling the stronger leaf packs are going to lift me. If this were your truck, and you had a grand to throw at the suspension, and had some friends that could help with install, what would buy???

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You're not going to safely double the Tacoma's payload capacity.

If you need to haul that much, then yes, trade up... to a Tundra.

 

Really? That's crazy. That's how I pancaked the stock leafs, just a couple full loads of oak. 1370 lbs is like 10 good size oak logs. Love to get 12+ in at a time. Maybe I don't need double the payload capacity but I would like to increase it if at all possible.

 

You should get the firestone ride-rite air bags for your rear suspension. It's a bolt in kit that usually costs about $300-350 online. The part number is 2407. You can adjust the ride height super-easy so your truck always sits level. If you keep separate air lines for each air bag instead of tee-ing them together, you can also level the truck side-to-side. A bike pump can fill them up no problem.