dromomaniac

I've never used the build forum, but I'm going to this time. This truck will not be a serious wheeler, but more of utility vehicle and adventure machine. I'll be using this thread to keep track of my labor, costs, and progress toward a completed built. I'm totally new to Tacomas, so there's a slight learning curve.

The truck came with a recent rebuild on the 2.7, intake/header/high flow exhaust, and an elocker. It sits on 31's.

The suspension was a disaster. Nearly every bushing was destroyed and the rear axle had been forced backward an inch or so by an inept install of airbags. The front was Revtech spacer junk with sad Rancho struts. I tore out all suspension parts, put in Old Man Emu--just for simplicity and speed of delivery (10 hours from 4wheel parts!...i know, i know, they're the Walmart of offroad parts)--and kept the diff drop.

I also ground the calipers to properly fit the supplied rims (black Cragar "crawler"-type/d-windows with insufficient offset).

Forthcoming stuff:

-Light Racing UCAs, LCA Bushings, OE BJs
-Some minor brake stuff (new pads, new front lines)
-Resolve an intermittent gas gauge freak out (apparently fairly common)
-Manual hub swap
-armor for elocker and rear diff
-Sliders (came with s*ittybilt nerfs, which are now gone).
-possibly a steel front bumper (came with lame Westin rabbit bar and mounted $$$ PIAA's--hopefully leaving via craigslist)

Longer-term:

-new and stronger front skids
-rear frame to full box
-Gears and/or low-range t-case (I still don't know what gears are in there, but no taller than 4.10, I'm sure)
-low profile rear bumper

Unless I get really frisky, that'll be it for this rig.

I'll post some pics within a day or two.

Cheers, yotatech!

dromomaniac

Added to list:

- Replace Center Support Bearing
- Rear End "clunk" and movement during stopping (hopefully just needs grease in the driveline)

Sidenote: I've got to get away from BFG ATs some day. I know that people whine about tires for dumb reasons, but I've been rolling this make for several years on an XJ, and the thing was at the shop at least 6 times a year for tire repairs. ON this taco, my one day old BFG AT KO was flat last night, and again this morning. Theyre good tires, traction wise, but it's been a few years of headaches. As they say "fool me 200 times..."

Edit: Shop says that the rim was the problem. Corrosion on lip.

Roark

I wonder if that shop would have to come out of pocket for that busted tire..

"Corrosion on rim" yeaaaaahhhh

dromomaniac

I dunno. I've been having a crappy run with shops lately, which reminds me why I started fixing my own rigs so long ago. They said they "buffed" the rim down to clean metal and applied "corrosion X" to prevent further problems. I guess I wonder why they didnt do that to start with.

A couple weeks ago I dropped the truck off for a quick multi-point inspection. First, the shop people were mainly condescending a-holes. But no biggie. But then they proceeded to list off all of this stuff that made repairing the truck "not worth it." I looked over their quote which included $4000 on suspension (bushings and front struts only), $500 for the center support bearing, and the claim that 3 of 4 tires were at 50% (they actually have less than 4000 miles on them). The tech that did the inspection talked to me before I left, and I was like "WTF?! I could replace the entire suspension for $1k, even using midlevel stuff like OME!" He said OME is a bad brand (they carry KYB).

Obviously I never went back. The whole quote was $5000. I've spent about $1500 and I have new suspension, new UCAs, new BJs, new suspension and rack bushings, and a new center bearing. All in good quality parts. UCAs and center bearing still need to go in, but still, after this the truck will be almost completely restored.

Meanwhile, My second ever fill-up netted me 19.5 mpg after spirited 55/45 driving on shot suspension. Not bad. I'll be pulling the coldair intake sometime this summer. Don't like its location or vulnerability to water.

dromomaniac

Man, the upper BJs on these trucks are bears. Getting them out of the control arm is easy--two swings of a mini sledge, but the knuckle is another matter. Tried jawed pullers, a POS giant c-clamp style BJ remover from Auto Zone (sucked, didnt fit anything), hammers, c-clamps, fire, and every other tool I had on hand.... Theyre still in there tonight. Took a dremel to one and cut out the stud, but to no avail.

Pretty sketched out replacing the LCA bushings after today. Removing the UCAs and putting in the Light Racing ones was super easy, though.

Discovered a wiring mess behind the battery. Yay.

Missing the '94.

dromomaniac

SPC UCAs fully installed and netted a huge improvement in ride quality. Tracking is also improved and steering squirliness is gone. Still have a little wheel hop and something that feels like subtle axle wrap.

dromomaniac

Yikes. I've neglected this thread.

Let's see...since purchase:

New suspension all around, all OME

New UCAs and BJs (SPC)

New Lower BJs (Moog '555')

New tie rods (Moog, greasable--this was a mistake, IMO, those zerks do NOT want to install and in retrospect I'd rather have factory style and no zerk facing the rocks)

Rebuilt the janky 'cold air intake' which improved the get up-and-go a tiny bit and made the truck sound like pissed off, off-brand tractor having its way with a chain-smoking Civic.

Wrestled with alignment for around 1000 years. Finally tolerable.

Finally put in some new plugs and wires and a PCV (leftover from the 3.0).

Adjusted the throttle a bit, replaced some vacuum lines.

Put in a new passenger side CV axle which was super easy compared to the '94.

There was the tire fiasco, which is still a fiasco, but I just give the leaky tire some air every week or so (really want new wheels, and for that matter new gears and some 33x10.50s)

Replaced all the door handles inside and out. Rock Auto sent me two different brown interior handles, neither of which matched the originals in color, so that's "quirky."

Put in some new headlights so the truck doesn't look like it has jaundice anymore, and as a side benefit, I can see where I'm going at night.

Did some abusive test driving after the most recent steering junk. All is well.

In summary, it's been a slow, PITA process to track down and fix all the stupid niggles, but I'm almost done. Longterm goals remain roughly the same, though I'd sacrifice the rear bumper towards some new paint. Departure angle really isn't that bad.



Still need to:

1) replace center bearing on driveline (got the part, just putting it off)
2) LCA bushings (got the parts, and really putting it off, because Jeezus, I don't want to do it! )
3) weld a broken bed mount (closest to cab, passenger side, totally smashed in)
4) replace a few of those plastic push-to-connect things before my grille falls off.
5) Put off 1-4 and go for a snow wheel, come home, smoke a pork shoulder and have a couple beers.
6) I've been temped to open up the engine and do timing and valves for no other reason than messing with old 4x4s has perverted my mind.

That should do it.




Pretty happy with the overall performance of the truck. Good MPGs (pulled about 23.5mpg on last long drive across the SW deserts), good 4-lo and locker action, and she's toughed it out through some deferred maintenance.

Being busy with other stuff these days, I won't be able to update this for a couple months. At that point, I hope, I'll have the basic stuff replaced and start in on the fun stuff.

coloyota1023

That's awesome man, I also had a 92 pickup and recently bought up to an 04 Tacoma. I love these trucks man! Great write up! Keep it up!