aa1911's Taco OME suspension install/upgrade
02-03-2012, 09:21 AM
#21
prior to diff drop spacers....
forgot to take CV angle pics after but before here is what I had:
ye ole' front stock coils with Bilsteins...
using the better spring tool to mush these HD's in place, what a bear...
ya, get the ASSEMBLED ones, hahaha! will save you hours...
installed...
1" Diff drop installed: this was for sure the easiest part... oh, and the threads on the new bolts DO NOT MATCH the OEM bolts. OEM are 1.5 pitch, the new ones are 1.25 FYI... I thought of using both as the OEM nuts are flange nuts with more purchase but they won't work.
random photo in progress....
boogered up the paint on the right shock, oops... oh well.
rented this tool from Autozone, made it as easy as it could be (still a major PITA!!!)
forgot to take CV angle pics after but before here is what I had:
ye ole' front stock coils with Bilsteins...
using the better spring tool to mush these HD's in place, what a bear...
ya, get the ASSEMBLED ones, hahaha! will save you hours...
installed...
1" Diff drop installed: this was for sure the easiest part... oh, and the threads on the new bolts DO NOT MATCH the OEM bolts. OEM are 1.5 pitch, the new ones are 1.25 FYI... I thought of using both as the OEM nuts are flange nuts with more purchase but they won't work.
random photo in progress....
boogered up the paint on the right shock, oops... oh well.
rented this tool from Autozone, made it as easy as it could be (still a major PITA!!!)
02-03-2012, 09:35 AM
#22
new vs. old springs...
rears took almost no time whatsoever, very simple and straightforward...
started on driver side, put the frame on jackstands, lowered the diff with passenger U-bolts loosened and undid driver u-bolts and removed centering nut then knocked out the front hanger bolt and slipped the new AAL in under the spring pack and above the limiting leaf. had to remove the parking brake cable and watch the brake line, got a little tight but no damage.
The only slight 'mod' in all this was to drill out the center of the underside of rear bumpstops, the new bolt is much longer (you could cut it off but plenty of room in the bumpstop and easier future removal/install of the leaf pack).
put U-bolts back on loose and moved to pass side and repeated; used a second smaller jack to mush up the driver side to lower the pass side which gave us tons of clearance for the new leafs. reinstalled all bolts, threw the new shocks on, wheels on, lugnuts torqued and off I went!
She does ride nice so far, will go thru and check all the bolts again as she should be 'set' by now (got 50 miles so far on her since last night, 20 more to go today) Steering feels a bit better and cornering is actually better; less 'dump' around hard turns. Bumps feel more like bumps and less like 'flips'.
Next major drivetrain component should be a rear locker and flip the U-bolts...
All right, that does it for now, time to go drive it and quit typing....
Thanks again Wabbit for the OME kit, I'm a happy camper so far; this put my rig at exactly the height/stance I was hoping for!
rears took almost no time whatsoever, very simple and straightforward...
started on driver side, put the frame on jackstands, lowered the diff with passenger U-bolts loosened and undid driver u-bolts and removed centering nut then knocked out the front hanger bolt and slipped the new AAL in under the spring pack and above the limiting leaf. had to remove the parking brake cable and watch the brake line, got a little tight but no damage.
The only slight 'mod' in all this was to drill out the center of the underside of rear bumpstops, the new bolt is much longer (you could cut it off but plenty of room in the bumpstop and easier future removal/install of the leaf pack).
put U-bolts back on loose and moved to pass side and repeated; used a second smaller jack to mush up the driver side to lower the pass side which gave us tons of clearance for the new leafs. reinstalled all bolts, threw the new shocks on, wheels on, lugnuts torqued and off I went!
She does ride nice so far, will go thru and check all the bolts again as she should be 'set' by now (got 50 miles so far on her since last night, 20 more to go today) Steering feels a bit better and cornering is actually better; less 'dump' around hard turns. Bumps feel more like bumps and less like 'flips'.
Next major drivetrain component should be a rear locker and flip the U-bolts...
All right, that does it for now, time to go drive it and quit typing....
Thanks again Wabbit for the OME kit, I'm a happy camper so far; this put my rig at exactly the height/stance I was hoping for!
02-04-2012, 06:05 PM
#25
holy crap guys!!!
So the other day, I fed my Taco some fresh 92 Octane, some lucas fuel injector cleaner and a couple boxes of Wheaties and it freakin' GREW 3" OVERNIGHT!!!!
...oh wait, that was me and a friend torquing on the thing for two days.... nevermind.... might still try and feed it some wheaties though....
So the other day, I fed my Taco some fresh 92 Octane, some lucas fuel injector cleaner and a couple boxes of Wheaties and it freakin' GREW 3" OVERNIGHT!!!!
...oh wait, that was me and a friend torquing on the thing for two days.... nevermind.... might still try and feed it some wheaties though....
02-14-2012, 11:41 AM
#26
update if anyone cares....
OME rocks; even with the HD springs, the nitrochargers keep the wheels glued to the road! still stiff over bumps but much faster recovery. I'm sure similar bilsteins would work just as well but this is a nice setup, over stock anyway.
She sit's up pretty and now I can clear the rub and actually use my snow chains without tearing out my rear fenderwells.
Need to go back under now that I've put some miles on here and check all the bolts. Also need to put it back on the level sometime in the next month or so and check ground to fender height again...
OME rocks; even with the HD springs, the nitrochargers keep the wheels glued to the road! still stiff over bumps but much faster recovery. I'm sure similar bilsteins would work just as well but this is a nice setup, over stock anyway.
She sit's up pretty and now I can clear the rub and actually use my snow chains without tearing out my rear fenderwells.
Need to go back under now that I've put some miles on here and check all the bolts. Also need to put it back on the level sometime in the next month or so and check ground to fender height again...
03-18-2012, 09:53 AM
#27
...and install the skid plate, been rolling around sans underarmor.
Sold the Sequoia tires to a local shop for almost nothing but got a half priced alignment out of the deal for my truck. Going to get it aligned this week I think.
I can go around tight turns at good speeds without 'dumping' over like the stockers, got extra room under the rig to work on it too.
Sold the Sequoia tires to a local shop for almost nothing but got a half priced alignment out of the deal for my truck. Going to get it aligned this week I think.
I can go around tight turns at good speeds without 'dumping' over like the stockers, got extra room under the rig to work on it too.
03-21-2012, 10:04 AM
#28
Front end is still at 39" ground to fender, rear has settled about an inch, sitting just over 38".
Headed in today for my front end alignment, will post up the results; I'm guessing it's close but no idea. last check was when I bought it in '03, ha! new tires, wheels and suspension plus 9 years... will see...
Headed in today for my front end alignment, will post up the results; I'm guessing it's close but no idea. last check was when I bought it in '03, ha! new tires, wheels and suspension plus 9 years... will see...
03-21-2012, 03:41 PM
#30
thanks! yeah, she is sitting good; engine needs a tune real badly, just ordered a new computer today, my old laptop crashed a couple days ago. should be able to get connected and dial in my engine.
the half shaft/CV boots (inner, upper most) are spitting grease out the bottom, they are not torn (yet) but looks like grease is oozing out between the boot and the shaft. just started this week.... hmmmm... sitting in the shop right now getting the front end aligned, they are checking it out.
the half shaft/CV boots (inner, upper most) are spitting grease out the bottom, they are not torn (yet) but looks like grease is oozing out between the boot and the shaft. just started this week.... hmmmm... sitting in the shop right now getting the front end aligned, they are checking it out.
03-21-2012, 04:30 PM
#31
Ok, no alignment today; guy at the shop took me back while it was up on the lift and the tie rods are hammered. Tons of wobble, need to replace those before I can do any aligning.
It has been handling great, with all the new crap even, the shop even test drove it and was surprised it was handling as good as it did with that much wobble.
Any advice or ideas/tips are welcomed! I plan on ordering new ones tonight, probably from TRDparts4u.com or somewhere similar and putting them on myself, then bring it back for alignment. looks like around a $150 fix.
It has been handling great, with all the new crap even, the shop even test drove it and was surprised it was handling as good as it did with that much wobble.
Any advice or ideas/tips are welcomed! I plan on ordering new ones tonight, probably from TRDparts4u.com or somewhere similar and putting them on myself, then bring it back for alignment. looks like around a $150 fix.
03-22-2012, 06:07 PM
#32
anyone have any ideas on which parts/brand to purchase? looking at OEM and Moog, figured I would start with the outer TRE's and see if that does the trick. The inner piece is over $100, I don't know much about this joker other than what it does.
time to dig into the Haynes....
time to dig into the Haynes....
03-22-2012, 06:41 PM
#33
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....at least use the FSM and these guys are not far from you:
https://www.1sttoyotaparts.com/account.html Titus-Will Toyota in Tacoma
https://www.1sttoyotaparts.com/account.html Titus-Will Toyota in Tacoma
03-22-2012, 07:06 PM
#34
hey, nice! thanks for the link; Titus Will is only about 20 min away from work, good deal. need to pull out my VIN and register for an account looks like, too easy.
can't wait for a tight tie rod and alignment, much needed; see what I've been missing for the past couple years or so. it really does handle fine although it is my DD so maybe I'm just used to it.
can't wait for a tight tie rod and alignment, much needed; see what I've been missing for the past couple years or so. it really does handle fine although it is my DD so maybe I'm just used to it.
03-22-2012, 07:15 PM
#35
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TW has very good prices through the website. Yeah, it's funny how the gradual slop is not so noticeable until it's all fixed up and feels like new again.
03-24-2012, 06:45 PM
#36
ordered up those TRE's, $80 for the pair. shipping is only 10 bucks or 5 dollars in store pickup, not bad. should be ready this week for pickup. I usually go to oly Toyota but go to TWill occasionally; never realized they had a website like that.
Put new plugs in yesterday, took her for a spin today and all is well. my originall IK22's from the SC install were disintigrating bad on the driver side, one electrode actually crumbled when I went to check gap.
Put new plugs in yesterday, took her for a spin today and all is well. my originall IK22's from the SC install were disintigrating bad on the driver side, one electrode actually crumbled when I went to check gap.
04-01-2012, 06:46 PM
#38
picked up the outer TRE's thursday, they look fantastic. bad news is, the inner's are shot too, gonna half to order those suckers also before I replace the outers. The inner pieces are $120 each and thinking I will pay the $16 a piece for the boots too as my originals are pushing 13 years old. crap!
hopefully these things come in this week so I can install this weekend. Think I will switch over to my 4runner this week at least for a few days to keep miles off of my truck until the tie rods are replaced.
thanks again Vital for looking at these for me also; never done these, it's good to have a knowledgeable set of eyes on this besides a shop after your money.
hopefully these things come in this week so I can install this weekend. Think I will switch over to my 4runner this week at least for a few days to keep miles off of my truck until the tie rods are replaced.
thanks again Vital for looking at these for me also; never done these, it's good to have a knowledgeable set of eyes on this besides a shop after your money.
04-05-2012, 12:49 PM
#39
OK, cool... all parts are in, picked up the inners and new boots yesterday! woo hoo, lookin' forward to some straight steering again.... hopefully the weather holds this weekend, maybe I will get these in before monday. they appear to all be excellent quality, went with OE's from 1stToyotaparts at Titus Will, couldn't be happier.
