Wisconsin Tacomas and bad financial advice

You explained it 110% better than I could.

 

Questions for the hive mind... As is good practice, I'd like to look into carying a spare CV axle or two. I've heard mention of higher articulation CV axles, and I'm wondering if it might be a good idea to go with a set of those and have my stock axles as backups. I've deleted my sway bar up front, so higher articulation axles seems like a good plan. Can anyone point me in the direction of a reputable aftermarket brand?

Also, I'm thinking I'd like to check out some tie rod sleeves. War Fab seems to always be sold out. Any suggestions there?

I got my recall replacement UCAs a while back from Ironman4x4 and I figure I'd like to upgrade this other stuff when I get around to replacing those so I'd only need to get an alignment once. I also need to rotate my tires (5 tire rotation) so I'll be stopping by my buddy at Tires Plus to reprogram the TPMS sensors. Figured I'd do that when I get the alignment done.

 

The O'Reilly Gold extended travel or long angle or whatever they're called. Have held up really well in our group here. I also have an AutoZone called that I put on before I ever started wheeling and it's held up along with the stock axle on the other side.

As far as the war fab sleeves go, they are robust but I highly recommend you fluid film that stuff after you put it on and then make sure you get an alignment at minimum yearly to keep everything from freezing up. Only because those sleeves cover up the 15 mm shaft. So you have to use Dutch pliers to move your inner tie rod and that can be difficult if everything starts corroding. But the warfrab sleeves are just about bomb proof.

 

I'm not an expert but I'll try to regurgitate things I've seen before...

RCV axles are beefy but I'm not sure how much extra "articulation" they give. $$$$$. Good news is they probably won't break, bad news is the weak link then becomes your diff which are harder to carry spares of on the trail. Did I mention $$$$$ ?
https://www.rcvperformance.com/ulti...14-4-runner-03-present-tacoma-05-present.html

JD Fabrication has a kit to convert inners to a 934 CV which gives 28 degrees vs 21 degrees so maybe that's what you were looking at? These are also $$$$$$$.
https://jdfabrication.com/products/tacoma-05-18-4-long-travel-kit

Frankly unless you are having issues I'd stick with stock CVs until you go long travel. Since you have 33's there probably isn't much benefit to those other expensive things anyways without bigger tires and more travel.

What he said about those things.

 

To put your post in perspective, our CV are the top of axles out there, but since you're not building a custom race rig, you will have zero customer support from them. Also, this does move the weak link elsewhere in the drive train which becomes dangerous.

JD, Fab stuff for that kit conversion is overkill but it's also really effing cool. If I had time and money I would absolutely do it.

That being said, I'm also still running stock CV, boot length on 33s with a two plus inch lift and have yet to tear one other than my original tear when I first put a lift on.

 

I glanced at these one day and the tab has been open since lol looks like they prefer to have stock ones sent after and charge a deposit fee. They are converted to keep a steady supply. I imagine it's also to avoid compability issues at bay. https://www.cvjreman.com/product-category/toyota-truck-axles/tacoma/2005-2020/

 

I forgot about those, good call.

Axle food chain would then be stock-replacement from Oreilly/NAPA < OEM Toyota < CVJ beefed up OEM < and then pick your poison between RCV and JDFab 934

Also @rubbersidedown I forgot to mention when you said "I'd like to look into carying a spare CV axle or two", not sure you are aware but both front CV axles are the same. Usually I think people only carry 1 spare because blowing out 2 of them is probably overkill unless you are on a super long expedition or something. Just bringing up so you can save money and space. Ask the Moab guys what they brought and what was useful, you may be overthinking things (or I could be wrong as well which is very possible, who knows!).

 

Excellent info, thanks fellas! @wi_taco I agree with your food chain after taking a brief look at the options presented. And yeah, I was aware that the left and right are the same, but I guess I was thinking if I go with something with longer travel I'd replace both and have 2 spare stock axles. I likely wouldn't carry more than one spare.

I also was thinking these would be like less than $300 each. I may reevaluate my plan and just run stock with one spare OEM for now and when I run out of things to spend money on, go with an upgrade of some kind. I'll keep reading tonight.

Any further tie rod sleeves to consider other than sold out War Fab?

 

I agree with what others have said. If you are using a shock that bolts in factory location (even if "extended travel" the suspension is still operating in the stock range. So a high angle CV nets you no gain. The only thing that may be advantages is a high angle inner CV boot depending on your lift ride height.

As for tie rod sleeves, I'm a fan. Pretty sure they saved my bacon on the last outing(according to the spoter). But as @CygnusX191 said you'll have to make sure they don't get rusted tight to the tie rod.

For spares I carry 1 CV axle and 2 inner and outer tierods.

 

Has anybody had any issues with the boots on those cv axles? Thought I remember seeing a video about somebody with either tearing or slipping boots, but dont recall the brand.

 

Yeah, but he's an animal!

 

This diff drop video touches on cv angles and what @Supr4Lo said about high angle cv's.
I can't find his other video where he covers cv angles more specifically.
Basically as long as you aren't binding, the cv's s/b able to handle it.
Protect the boot.
https://youtu.be/47aat1tc6zw?si=yIUhXaA4CabaXHk_

 

@rubbersidedown

I also carried 1 extra cv and 2 inner and outer tie rods to Moab.
Thankfully nobody had any issues.
Remember for any spare parts you carry you need tools to do the job.

 

I carry all that and tools too. I imagine I won't be able to bust the nut loose on the trail so be camped there anyway...

 

I have one on my truck, CVJ only takes OEM axles in and rebuilds them back to factory spec including boots, they do have the "hi angle" boots you can get for more $ but I don't think they are needed.

 

This guy is my secret weapon at work. When somebody can't figure out a vibration on an FJ Cruiser or they're screwing around with a forerunner and the customer wants someone who knows what they're doing, it ends up in my bay and with a little bit of magic and some of this guy is YouTube... I'm known as the off-road guy in the shop for a reason.

If that's all they do, you can get a rebuild kit and do it at home with like $20 CV player set from O'Reilly. Or you could get a $600 snap-on set but then next to your $20 set and not be able to tell the difference. Lol. There's nothing to put on boot kits, especially if the axle is not on the truck.

 

When I raced, we welded a piece of tubing over the stock tie rods. If a person were fancy, they'd weld a large nut on also, so you'd have something to turn with a wrench instead of Vice Grips. If a person had access to a mill, you could mill a couple of flat spots for a wrench.

 

Yup. The binding breaks the cage that holds the balls in place. As long as the intermediate axle moves back and forth at all points of a revolution, you're good.

I've never had a Toyota CV apart, but with VW (and Porsche 930's) you can over-extend them (angle and extension) and drop a ball out of the worm groove. The Toyota CVs are deeper and I would guess that it would be impossible to pull them apart, you'd bind before that.

 

Well, damn...not sure I 'needed' it, but I bought a power slider (motor and regulator) from a double cab tonight off eBay. Access Cabs couldn't get them for whatever reason. It looks like the motor bracket should bolt up in the same place. Not sure if the glass is the same...will have plenty of time soon to tinker and figure it out.

 

@CygnusX191 Are those yours? War Fab or another brand? Available for purchase? DM me if you wanna keep it on the down-low.

Love it here when we pop up a question and a good informative and educational discussion develops!