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

Thanks, Mine are getting rusty need a little work.

 

happens lol, did you fab yours?

 

I put a small one on the existing fuse box lid, but you can probably get a larger one on there.

 

The Ol’Gray Bitch got a new diff last week and is gonna take the Rod on Monday.

 

Good to know. How do I check if the upper ball joint needs replacing rather than just the boot? If I replace just the boot do I need to do another alignment.

LBJ's arent too hard to do right? I installed my whole OME suspension alright. So I feel like I could do it. I'm still gaining confidence in doing more technical work.

 

Does anyone have the p/n handy for the passenger/ RH tail light lens?
Or even better, a link to one of those part number location websites preferably with pictures?
I had a great one bookmarked but that phone died & can't for the life of me remember the name of it....

 

Part#81550-04060
https://partsfactory.camelbacktoyot...l-cat/tail-lamps-scat/?part_number=8155004060


For future reference:
Enter your VIN and then search...
https://partsfactory.camelbacktoyota.com/

 

LBJ’s are pretty easy, I did my outer tie rods at the same tie and it took me like 2hrs star to finish with a few beers inbetween. Watch Timmy videos and you see it’s mostly just unbolting stuff, smack /pull the lbj out and reverse.

 

Thank you sir.

 

If you can do your suspension you can do your LBJs. I only have experience doing suspension work and I did my LBJs last month, just watch the Low Range Offroad video and it'll be easy as cake. The only thing I suggest doing differently than the guy in the video, is to use a pitman puller to separate the lower ball joint and outer tie rod rather than whacking them with a hammer. Hammer works but the pitman puller makes it really easy and they're cheap to acquire.

Whatever you do, do not use a pickle fork instead of a puller...I learned that lesson the hard way.

 

I put the castle nut on just enough so it was even with the top of the lbj threads and just hammered it out, incase you don’t have a puller (I forgot to rent one). Either way works, I just wouldn’t bang on the spindle like Low Range does.

 

as long as I've owned the truck I've used dot 3 or 4, so I'm fairly certain, and the brakes haven't been touched in almost a year before this happened anyway

 

The best part of doing this is when the castle nut threads get smashed just enough that you can't unscrew it from the ball joint and it just spins.... and you can't get the castle nut off .... and you can't remove the ball joint ... ASK ME HOW I KNOW. Use a pitman puller.

 

The right tool makes the job MUCH easier. A pitman puller is cheap to buy and free to rent from your local autoparts store. I too recommend getting one.

 

I would be careful not to mess up the threads though as that could result in having to buy another one, I learned that lesson the hard way with a CV axle actually lol.

Harbor Freight sells pitman pullers for about $12 and they work really well for both the LBJs and the tie rods

 

I would only advocate my method if you know your changing it. If you just disconnecting for other work use a puller. Guess that would be a good distinction lol

 

Finally rebuilt my custom anodized/cerakote coilovers. Only took a year ....

 

Keeping the castle nut on also serves another purpose - the whole assembly won't go flying when broken free. What works best IMO is, remove castle nut, flip upside down and thread back on so it's even. Use the puller, POP, remove castle nut and move on.

 

I know you've gotten a lot of folks saying to do this yourself. I agree with them, and thought I'd just add my write-up - has part numbers and tools I used to get the job done quickly and easily.

Shop Day: Installing new Lower Ball Joints (LBJ's)

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So a lot happened today, and for most of it I didn't recognize my own truck! But I will adjust!
This has been my setup for some time, but everything must change!


Step 1 - Pull the roof rack

Step 2 - Empty Tent

Step 3 - Remove Tent

Step 4 - Wash Truck

Step 6 - Memorial photo of stickers

Step 7 - Transfer camper shell to Nicklovin to live on for new adventures!

Step 9 - Confusingly stare at truck realizing I actually have a truck.


To be continued...