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

We can have that arguement, but the vast majority of failures I've seen have been those bolts.

 

Maybe a poll thread should be started...

 

3 out of 5 of my failures were the ball coming out.

Have been with one other person and his bolts fell out but we happened to catch it.

So for now 50/50? Haha

 

Lack of maint and ball failure is definately a problem. But those bolts have a nasty habit of coming lose, or stretching, or whatever they do to fail.

 

I'll add a random data point. I've never had a ball joint pop apart but I've had loose bolts when I've gone to check them pre and post trip. That said after starting to slather them in blue loctite that's never been a problem again

 

since going to 35's the toe plates that I previously used don't fit around the tire anymore.
So might have to do that one of these days for measuring toe.
For now it's back to measuring off of the tire tread

 

This. IMO Blue loctite, proper torque and some crosscheck makes it very easy to know how they are pre trip and lets you feel confident they are good. Almost 10 years of me messing with this truck and never had the bolts come loose.

 

So in the end just taking care of my oem ones will eliminate the need for the TC ones?

 

That's probably the next thing I'll do. Have a box of clips to replace those that break when I pop the flares off.

 

Taking care of the LBJs will pretty much eliminate problems with the LBJs. The failures with the LBJs are alomost always due to gross neglect (whether it be from the bolts coming loose, or the ball coming out or shearing off). I've had this truck for 19 years and I've been wheeling it for about 6 or so now. I've never even been close to a LBJ failure. (Once I started wheeling it though, I was pretty much replacing them as preventative maint every 2 years or so).

The main reason I replaced mine with TC is I wanted to eliminate the tie rods with steering links, which allowed me to incorporate a steering rack guide as well. TC is expensive, but it was a cheaper alternative (at the time) to the Solo LBJs which then require their spindles, which also then requires their CVs.

 

Word to the wise, if you purchased SPC arms from RockAuto, SPC will not honor the warranty directly. They will insist you go through RockAuto (or whatever other dealer you may have used, the technician from SPC said they also deal third party with AutoZone and Oriellys house branding too). Basically unless it came from one of their approved vendors on SPCs site, you're SOL on direct warranty repair or replacement.

The technician was a nice dude though and offered help fixing the root of my call. So I was able to get the part number that was unlisted for my x-axis joints at least. Oh well you live and you learn, TBH even after ordering a $150 bushing kit these arms (purchased new at $230 a piece) are still nearly $450 cheaper than ordering the arms from SPC or an approved "SPC Direct" vendor so I'm not too pissed. They only need to last one more year.

If you need x-Axis bushings to fix the SPC 25460 arms then the part number for the bushing and press tool kit is 25031. The one listed on their site is for retrofitting older tubular arms and for some reason they don't list this kit at all on the product page.

 

Man... I never had a problem with my SPCs. But, now I'm glad I don't have them anymore.

Still not sure I like the adjustable heim uppers. But it sure will be easier to get replacement wear parts for them than what SPC is turning in to.

 

I doubt I'd have any issue with the older ones that had poly bushings. I'd probably spend a minute to track a set of those down if I wasn't going to replace all of the front with LT components anyway. At this point it is worth it to just replace the bushings... hell I could replace all of the bushings 3 more times before I reach the cost of a single set of SPC arms new these days. I'll make sure they have all new bushings in them when I go to sell them too for the next guy.

 

I hear that... I think I paid around 550 for my SPCs (from Headstrong if I'm not mistaken) they're damn near 900 now... Hell, after tax and shipping they probably ARE 900.

 

Agree, have not seen one that has sheared yet...

 

This truck was my fathers since new 2003.
He was told by the VA that he has early stages of dementia, and that they were gonna pull his drivers license. This destroy demand so cutting off our balls!
I have told him since he bought it that when he wants to get rid of it but I want this truck!
A month ago, I went to my mother and father’s house and purchase the truck from my father!
It was heartbreaking for him to see this truck girl after 20 years of babying it, and taking care of it!
His truck has never seen snow rarely seen. Rain has never been put into four-wheel-drive and has been well taken care of by my father, James Castalano!
It was an honor for me to take possession of this vehicle. It will always be my fathers only now a Resides in my driveway.
I haven’t done much to it since I have brought it home to Tennessee. The truck at 85,000 original miles on it. I changed out the stock radio with a Bluetooth touchscreen change the speakers and a back up camera.
I just replace the tabs for the cupholders as they were all missing.
I restore the center consul and took all the scratches out of it with a heat gun. My father got the wood grain option for this vehicle and it is absolutely a gorgeous truck that I get many comments on!

 

About 2 months ago I did a valve cover gasket replacement along with other associated parts (throttle body gasket, spark plug tube seals, both intake plenum gaskets, spark plug wiring harness and coil packs). I started to get a P0303 cylinder 3 misfire code and too lean air/fuel code.

The cylinder 3 misfire made sense because when I put the passenger side's valve cover on I noticed the spark plug tube seal on cylinder 3 caught slightly and looked like it might have sheared and torn slightly.

I put it back hoping it was fine but clearly it wasn't.

Finally found time this past weekend to open it back up and replace the spark plug tube seal on cylinder 3, cleared the codes, drove for about 20 minutes and got the same P0303 cylinder 3 misfire code (too lean mix is gone at least). Does anyone have any theories what might be the issue and what I can do to repair it? Dealer's are quoting about $175 for the diagnostic fee and I'd rather avoid that if I can

 

Beautiful truck, and what an awesome item to have of his. Whenever you drive it, get lost in the memories of your father.
Keep it stock, I think he wanted it that way. Welcome to the forum.

 

Welcome to the Tacoma family! Good news is the truck stayed in the family.

Well you replaced the seal so unlikely it is that. What I didn't hear was that you replaced the spark plugs. Its cheap and easy to do. But before that, I would move your coils, swap 2 of them and see if the misfire follows the coil. You just replaced them and it is possible that one is a dud. If the misfire stays on cylinder 3 you can rule out the coils.