D-Squared

I've been told so many times that Tacoma ADD IFS front-ends can't be lifted above 2", that I was beginning to think this "conventional wisdom" was something etched in stone. I know there's something wrong with me that I just can't take anything for granted. Maybe it's just that I love it when the conventional wisdom falls on its face and bleeds.

Ya just gotta tear into the guts of one to see what a stupid piece of quasi-engineering that inboard CV-wannabe joint really is. OK, so the ADD system isn't very economical to run, the pointless rotation of both front half-shafts without the transfer case engaged both wearing out the mechanicals prematurely and sapping gas-mileage. So why does swapping Tacoma shafts for Tundra shafts suddenly allow ADD front-ends to travel 13" on long-travel conversions? Pretty simple math, huh...

So the two long-travel conversion vendors (who will remain nameless) will both be happy to sell you a pair of upper and lower control arms requiring over-the-top remote-reservoir racing shocks and fiberglass fenders, and sell you custom-modified (about an hour's labor involved in trimming about three-inches of aluminum from the inner shield, on a $450 OEM axle assembly) $900 tundra shafts... all to raise your Tacoma high enough to clear even the baby rocks... OUCH!!

Sure, you have the option of a solid-axle conversion, but I happen to like the look and ride of the IFS... I think it's a well-engineered design, that really shines when you catch air in the desert at speed!

What other options do the Tacoma guys have, anyway... trade em in on a Tundra? I don't think so, Tim...

Take heart ye Tacoma purists. RCV Performance, Love's Park, Illinois, will rebuild your OEM axles, gutting the outboard CV and rebuilding it with 4340 Chromoly internals, replacing the fragile inboard tripod joint with another "true CV" to match the outboard one, and an upgraded center shaft. It's about $600 per axle, and you've got to supply them with a working OEM core. So you've got to buy one either new or from the boneyard, and send it to RCV for the rebuild. When it comes back, you replace one of your own, then repeat the process with your other OEM axle. Then you'll be here posting your third for sale, so someone else can do the same! Kinda like paying it forward, huh...

Here's the link to that page... https://www.rcvperformance.com/store...27ce268053d5ce

Of course, once built you can upgrade your now-indestructible axles to long-travel by simply swapping out the center-shafts for 3.5" longer 4340 shafts at your leisure for a fraction of the cost of the (decidedly weaker) "modified" Tundra axles.

This opens up a world of options, including Camburg's Stage I front-end upgrade, installing just UCA's and new coil-overs, for about half the price, and adding length to the axles in whatever increments you like, an inch at a time until you're happy with the performance. I'm seriously considering about half the normal extension, or 1.75" per side, as the travel on the Stage I kit is a reported 10.5". More Tacoma-like, and less width than the LT suspension.

Gentlemen, you are now Free to Jack!

In order to keep this post consistent with the thread, the custom outboard CV rebuild ALSO means you can order a spline configuration compatible with a retrofit spindle and hub combination to accept... you guessed it, a set of Aisin manual lockout hubs! Yes, there is life after Off-Road Solutions.

On a more personal note, the '03 Tacoma project truck has gone through a cosmetic Phase I, with the installation of the BedRug liner and the painfully-acquired LeBra Tonneau, and a new set of Nitto Dune Grapplers.

The BedRug was surprisingly easy to install over the spray-in liner that came with the truck. The components zip together very easily, the instructions for velcro-attaching all the various strips of adhesive ridiculously easy to follow. The completed shell is pushed into place, and beginning with the floor, a little rubbing alcohol on the rag super-cleans the bed, allowing the adhesive to bond once the paper strips are removed. A couple words as a post-script on the BedRug: one is, the bulkhead component is meant to come all the way up to within about a quarter-inch of the top of the bulkhead, so be sure the floor component is pushed all the way forward before you start, or the tailgate won't close properly. Two, if you don't get it perfectly placed on the install, walk away from it until tomorrow, when the adhesive has dried really well... the liner will pull away from the velcro strips, making it too easy to reposition it correctly for perfect alignment.

The LeBra Tonneau has always been my hands-down favorite. I've had it on five trucks running. Unfortunately, they went tits-up this fall, and they were sold out everywhere. The good news is that BesTop bought out all the tooling and inventory, and is now marketing the exact same tonneaus under the name ZipRail. Their guys told me over the phone that they're due out sometime this month.
Here's the link: http://www.bestop.com/index.php?s=81

As for the Dune Grapplers, the fact that these amazing tires have flames formed into the rubber of the sidewalls extending into the tread pattern aside... I have a story. Coming down through OKC last summer hauling a thousand pounds in the bed of a '95.5 Tacoma, I picked up a shard of metal in the right-rear. Getting up to speed on I35 South, it blew out at about 80mph. I was in the left lane passing a semi when it happened. It took me about half a mile or so to decelerate and get off to the shoulder on the right. By the time I got stopped and got out, the tread had completely separated from the sidewall, my Mickey Thompson Classic II still suspended six-inches above the pavement, riding on both the inner and outer sidewalls! Holy Sheet, I thought... damned sidewalls were so stout

http://www.nittotire.com/#index%2Eti...appler%2Esizes


Looking forward to the warm weather, and some serious off-road in the desert!

Doug D.

ibeamtaco

ok thats a long post so i read just over half but the long travel 4X4 kits with full size axles can give you decent lift if you want to use it to crawl you can put a bigger tire and more of a flair on the glass fender and get some good ground Clarence and its not always how high you can lift it if you can get a 3-6 in lift you can go a lot of places and the long travel suspension will give you more travel _duh_ witch will keep tires on the ground witch will make it a lot easier to crawl really you are only going to get so the ground Clarence as big as Ur tires are

AxleIke

Great post!

Thats always been my issue with CV stuff. It ticks me off that 4340 CV's are in the 1200-2000 range when Long fields are only 650.

With the difference in cost, you are a ways into the cost of a solid axle, plus, with the IFS, you are looking at a vastly weaker front diff, especially on tacos.

I wish someone would come out with a CV that was reasonably priced.

mr ugly

Weak link on the manual hub cv is still the outer stub shaft. It has not been addressed by these.

Yukon

Theres a nice thread on TTORA about these. General consesus seems to be if you stop breaking CV's, You'll start grenadeing your front diff spider gears... I think I'll stick to weak CV's

04tacomatrd4x4

i have an 04 toyota tacoma and i want a 3 in. suspension lift but i have no idea which one to get. Can someone please point me in the right direction?

D-Squared

Rockford, IL, RCV Performance. Lifetime warranty... indestructible? might be fun to try