What's up TW? Underscore's Build and BS thread.

Truck as of yesterday (6/28):



Truck after wrenching on it all weekend (4/17-4/19):



7100s, Dakar leafs, ext. brake line, ext. BPV bracket, brake bleed, satoshi'd the grille, removed the sway bar (with an angle grinder lol) and pulled the bed cap/reinstalled stock liner pending camper mods. More pics below.


Long time TW lurker, first time poster. I've used a lot of people's build threads as references for getting my own build off the ground, and I'm at the point where I think it's going to be useful to have my own.

The reason I'm modifying this truck is to create a vehicle that will support my hobbies, most of which are outdoors and best done in hard to get to places. This includes wheeling, but not too much wheeling for its own sake.
So, anyway, here's how it stands as of 3/23:



Here it is bone stock (bought with 163,000 miles from a dealer), hanging out with one of my other rides:



Another view:



This is a 2002 Toyota Tacoma 3.4l V6 4x4 SR5 w/TRD offroad package, 5 speed manual tranny. 178,423 miles as of this morning.

Following is a list of the mods/maintenance I've done so far along with some commentary/pictures on/of each one that I hope will be helpful to those just starting out on a 1st gen Tacoma build. I will also be estimating the number of expo points each mod adds so I can have an ongoing assessment of the overlandiness of my truck.

ENGINE

-Seafoam'd fuel (1 can @ 177,xxx) +0 expo
Who knows if this helps. Certainly didn't hurt anything.

-New plugs and wires (177,xxx) +1 expo
Should've done this sooner because I don't know when it was done last.

-Deckplate mod (178,xxx) -1 expo

This mod is enticing to a starry-eyed new owner of a used Tacoma because it promises to recover a little of the power your engine has lost by the time you've taken ownership of the vehicle. After resetting the EFI and running a couple tanks of gas through the truck, without knowing for sure I'd say that I'm making a few extra hp.

That being said, I feel like my truck runs better after I detail/wash it.

The fact is, without putting the thing on a dyno I'm not sure enough to say for sure if this mod actually does anything or if the supposed results exist anywhere other than my altered perception of the vehicle produced by a kind of placebo effect high that comes from spending time working on a project that you care about.

Honoring the ghost in the machine produces results, but they're all in your head unless you've actually changed something mechanically, which I can't be sure this mod actually does in a substantial way. There was a post on TTORA or somewhere that I saw that had dyno numbers on a 4runner that showed an 8hp gain, but as far as I'm concerned the jury is still out on this mod as far as a performance gain. Feel free to correct me on this.

All that said, there is a small significant difference in the engine's sound when revving above 2k. Overall I'd recommend this mod. If nothing else it's an excuse to spend some time under the hood.

FRONT SUSPENSION

-Bilstein 5100s set to 0" w/Eibach coils (167,xxx)

Do not fucking set these things at anything other than 0" with the Eibach coils.

I repeat, do not set Bilstein 5100s to anything other than the manufacturer's recommended setting for use with the Eibach coils you get from toytec.

DO NOT SET BILSTEIN 5100s TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED SETTING FOR USE WITH EIBACH COILS YOU GET FROM TOYTEC.

DO NOT SET BILSTEIN 5100s TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED SETTING FOR USE WITH EIBACH COILS YOU GET FROM TOYTEC.



Ask me how I know, haha. I figured I'd push it a bit and install them on the middle setting when I first got these parts in. I was still starry-eyed and overzealous from buying the truck, and I was acting irrationally. With these coils on the middle setting, you might as well not have any front suspension. Hitting a pothole feels like your front end might get destroyed. It also nets you some reverse rake, which is dangerous and looks fucking stupid.

With my lack of a big spring compressor, using the jack under the LCA method of compressing these springs (will never do again, I felt like I was seconds away from being nominated for a Darwin award the whole time I was working on it) this mistake cost me at least 12 hours of work and left me feeling like a moron.

With all that in mind, I highly recommend these coilovers. They're reasonably priced and you can install them yourself if you're determined enough and have the right tools. The latter part is important, though. If I had to do it again I would either pay a shop to do it, find someone with tools willing to help me out, or invest in the right tools for the job.

Honestly, I would probably go with the first option. Hell, you need an alignment afterward anyway.

Speaking of alignments, mine are in spec with this lift. I've seen some people on here have trouble with that, and I think it's down to finding a capable alignment tech. Don't know for sure though

REAR SUSPENSION

-Toytec 2" AALs (167,xxx inserted in brand new OEM leaf packs. would not recommend, saving for new leafs) -2 expo

In my opinion, AAL is shit. It made sense to me at the time, but they don't work like you think they should. I put these in with a brand new set of OEM springs when I snapped a leaf on the worn stock springs. In total, for what I paid for OEM springs and the AALs I could've just bought a proper set of beefier leafs.

-Toytec adjustable lift rear shackles set to 1" +1 expo

These are a great product. They allow you to dial in your rake in three .5" increments. They even look great. Very helpful if you're looking to stay close to stock rake and haven't finalized your bed setup on an adventure type vehicle.

-Bilstein 5100 shocks (7100s on the way in prep for new leafs) -1 expo

Great product for the price, but they're too short if you have a heavy bed cap and are trying to keep your stock rake angle with my setup.

Bottom line is I need new leaf springs. Recommendations would be appreciated. I've heard mixed reviews on the allpro expo leafs. But the name on those alone those would seem to net me more expo points.

TIRES/WHEELS

-BFG KO2 285/75 R16 (+3 expo) wrapped around ProComp 7069-6883 Alloys (-7 expo) 177,xxx

I almost went with 265s. Don't get the 265s. You'll just drive your truck until they wear out wondering what could've been. Bigger tires have been the single greatest modification to my truck that I've done. I couldn't fit them without a lift, and I couldn't afford them for close to 9 months after I lifted. I fell in love with this truck all over again when I put these on. Night and day difference from road tires offroad, and these aren't even mud tires.

My only qualm with these is that they only come in load range E. They're heavy. They're tough to put on if you're working alone. They make starting out in first gear more difficult.

Honestly I would've gone with a 285/75 R16 in a lighter load range from a different company if I hadn't irrationally known since I was 20 that someday I would own a lifted 1st gen TRD Tacoma with BFG all-terrains on it. I've loved these tires since my teenage days of riding around in my good friend's 1980-something bronco. Just one of those things.

Back to some rational points. The ride is noticeably stiffer but it's not as bad as some people say. I think the people who complain about the stiffness of this load range are old with aching joints and things I wouldn't put ride stiffness as a con for these.

I lost about 2 mpg in stop-and-go miles. The jury is still out on highway mileage. I don't think these have negatively impacted my highway fuel efficiency. I drive like a grandma, though. If you like to go fast I'm willing to bet on my grandma's life that you'll see a big drop in fuel economy.

Personally, I drive slow and watch all the traffic around me like a hawk. Driving is fucking dangerous and people are fucking morons. I see at least one person on the road every time I drive somewhere that I might shoot in the face in a moment of weakness, given the chance, for their sheer ignorance of the risk of death or serious injury they're placing their fellow human beings at with their driving.

A positive for me with a heavier tire is the gain in angular momentum. The additional coasting torque this nets you at the axles makes for a smoother time of driving a manual transmission on roads with small, rolling hills. Lots of that in New England.

For those wondering about having to trim inner fender material, yes you will have to do some trimming. It's nothing that can't be accomplished with a sharp pocket knife though. Don't let this hold you back from running this size tire.

As for the wheels, I went with alloys to save some weight. This is a DD/weekend warrior build, or I'd be running 37s with steel beadlocks.







Note that in these three photos I hadn't yet fixed the setting on my bilsteins. Only photo I have right now with them corrected is the first one in the post.

AUDIO

-BOSS AUDIO In-Dash Double-DIN CD Receiver w/ USB & SD Port Model 822UA +42 expo

Cheap, works, bought purely for the 1/8" auxiliary input jack. Will probably swap out for a single-DIN to make room for aux switches.

INTERIOR

-TRD shift knob +9000 expo
Because I wanted to.

EXTERIOR

-Leer clamp-on bedcap w/Yakima rails (173,xxx) +8 expo

Bought this used for $400. Great deal in my opinion. I plan on sleeping in the back of this truck a lot, and wanted something to secure my gear in the back or I'd have gone with a soft topper. I just bought a welder/spool gun and have a design for a sleeping platform with drawers in the works.

I'm also working on a way to get some more headroom under the hard topper when camping that I haven't seen done anywhere, but I won't say anything more about that just yet



TO-DO

-Gray wire mod
-2 wheel low mod
-LED light bar behind satoshi
-Diff breather mod
-Sleeping platform
-Classified hard topper headroom mod
-DIY rear bumper w/tire swingout
-DIY front bumper w/winch


Will be updating this thread with links and stuff as I go. Just wanted to put this together and get a start on it.

 

Photos fixed. Thanks tcbob.

 

Thanks! Really busy at the moment so I won't be updating for a while, but I hope to have some interesting DIY mods I'm in the process of designing for the gear/sleeping area built in the next couple months. Photos/how-tos to follow.

 

Nice Tacoma you got there!

 

Truck is looking good, cant have to many lunar mists tacomas

 

Nope you can't

 

179,500 - Had been getting some driveline vibes between 15-25mph so dropped my carrier bearing .50". Also changed the oil and hit all the driveline grease points.



Spacers from Mcmaster-carr.



Installed.

Dakar leaf packs and bilstein 7100s will be delivered sometime next week, hoping to get those in next weekend. Had an extended rear brakeline sitting in the garage for a while, if I have time I'll do that this weekend and get all new fluid in the brake system.

In other news, I just put a new fork on the mountain bike this weekend and went for a ride:



And did some light state forest exploring in the truck on my lunch break:

 

Got part number or link for spacers

 

Link for spacers: http://www.mcmaster.com/#92510a356/=wodftj

If you get these spacers (3/8" ID) you'll have to drill them out with a metric drill bit. I think the bolts are 10mm, and 3/8" is about 9.5mm. If you don't want them super snug you can go the next size up to 1/2" and not have to drill anything.

 

7100s came in yesterday:



Dakars should be in tomorrow. Hoping to have enough time to get under the truck and install this weekend.

Got the first piece of my rear bumper welded up, have to order hinge for swingout this week:



More pics to follow when things progress.

 

Had a productive weekend! Here's how she sits:



Installed 7100s, Dakar leafs, ext. brake line, ext. BPV bracket, brake bleed, satoshi'd the grille, removed the sway bar and pulled the bed cap/reinstalled stock liner pending camper mods. Hardest part was pressing out the heims that came with the 7100s. I soaked all the rear end bolts with PB blaster every night for a week before the job, and everything came off nice with a breaker bar and cheater pipe.

Rides like a whole new truck.

Some flex pics I took the night after I finished:







I need to add some spacers to the wheelers extended bumps, but other than that I'm good to go. Really happy with the ride of the dakars/7100s. The damping is wonderful, and the leafs are nice and stiff.

 

Next logical step is sliders and skids, I think. And finish welding up my rear bumper/tire swingout.

Edit: and an LED light bar behind the grille.

 

Some photos of the work I've been doing. I can describe what I did in more detail if anyone wants. These are simple things that already have plenty of how-tos on this forum though.

Satoshi build:

Grille off (pain in the ass if you don't have tiny hands) and radiator high-temp painted



Sawzall'd the old grille



Glassed, bondo'd, sanded





Installed:



Rear end coming apart (ended up having to cut rear brake line, haha):



Another angle with 7100s and dakars in:



Drove the truck to a trailhead with my friends that helped me and hiked to a nice lookout to have a beer:

 

Note to those of you with wheeler's superbumps already installed on your truck that want to extend them with wheeler's spacers:

If you try to install them without taking the bumps completely off the truck, this will be you:



There's just a loose nut on the other side of the bolt holding the bump on. It just drops into the bracket and rattles around and you have to take the entire bumpstop off to get it out and install your spacers. Stupid fucking design in my opinion. I tacked the nuts in place when I had it apart:



^ that was the second bump, haha, the first one looks like shit because I couldnt get the position right inside the tube.

TL;DR would not buy superbumps again

 

Buddy took an awesome photo of the truck yesterday: