What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

All this engineering talk and I just went at my shit like hur dur this looks strong.

 

I didn’t install the upper black part when I took the picture. Shifts smoothly no problems

 

For the most part I design by eye anyway haha, if it looks strong and feels strong it's typically okay. But feeling the frame all stripped down where you can move everything a lot by hand... makes you wonder where things should go not to hurt anything. I'm dealing with space constraints, otherwise it would probably be easier to just plate everything haha. But Dan raises a great point of how much you can stiffen it before tearing/cracking becomes the new issue.

 

I figured all the other companies that advertise fully boxed frames can't be wrong, right?

 

It's not hard to install just tight. I did have to have help to push down on the collar thing a ma jigger.
Mine has popped out of first like 2 or 3 times. But it could have been beacouse I had pressure on the stick.if you use the provided new upper stick the throw is actually the same length. Or it feels like it. but the stick is higher and there way more positive feeling.

 

I mean, 1st gen frames would never crack.


That being said, I actually don't think I have any behind the front suspension. A closer look is in order this spring.

 

Does the rear axle count?

 

No, not the frame.

 

1st gen frames are totally super strong, especially the rear

 

That's a hell of bend. That section is double wall on mine now... but I gotta ask, what did that cause I can't imagine it was just the drivetrain haha

 

Taking this line:

Had the winch stalled out pulling the front down, and I was flooring it in double low to get out, I was wedged in there pretty good.

 

Ah gotcha, bummer about the frame but looks like an awesome time was had either way. I'm sure you'll get it all fixed up, might even yank out most of the way

 

Heres how we fixed it and I drove it home:

That trail is my nemesis! I flopped on that same line when I was IFS. I am going to get some rear frame rails made from a local race frame shop, chop the ass end off and burn them in. 2x4 mandrel bent tube!!

 

That's the way to go.... I have regrets about not chopping my frame off and rebuilding it when I tore it down

 

I'll have less than 4ft of original frame when it's all said and done as I frame chopped the front of the truck when I did my SAS lol! I'm glad that didn't fail!!

 

So in your mofesional opinion, what would an ideal balance of reinforcement be for the rear frame?
I have both the outboard frame plate kit and the boxing kit from trail-fail.
Planning on doing the boxing kit, but that in addition to the outboard plate kit does seem a bit excessive. But idk, @Squeaky Penguin and a few others I've seen have that combo and haven't seem to have any failure on the rear of their frames from it being too stiff/rigid or anything

 

Finished up the radiator (Denso), upper and lower hoses (OEM), thermostat (OEM, jiggle valve at 6 o'clock) and energy suspension steering rack bushings last night. I was changing the radiator earlier this week and noticed the passenger steering bushing didn't look quite right while I was under the truck, pulled the cover and realized it was FUBAR. It was a fairly straightforward process! Truck drives SO much nicer!



Not too bad for 227k miles!

 

I’m just spouting the theory here, I’m not a vehicle frame designer or anything like that.
I agree, catastrophic frame failure seems to be rare (other than rust issues), so the boxing kit and frame plates seems to be belt and suspenders. Boxing the frame has some other benefits as I mentioned, it’s just harder to do for most folks who haven’t stripped it all the way down like @Speedytech7
If you’re inclined to do the boxing, I’d probably go that route and leave it at that. If you’re going balls to the wall like @slander , you might look into wrapping your box plating over the top and bottom flanges to increase bending resistance, although the most efficient way to do that is to increase the depth (height) of the frame itself. Not very practical or easy though.

 

FWIW, I have that combo simply because I plated the frame years before I boxed it. Might have just boxed it if I was starting a fresh build.

Also, my frame might be slightly bent just in front of the front leaf hanger as the gap at the top of the bed is bigger than at the bottom. But who knows given how messed up my bed mounts, and probably cab mounts, are.




*I'm very much not an engineer.