Keeping it simple -02 Tacoma "build"

[pnw_chris]

The truck - 2002 Toyota Tacoma double cab TRD

My cousin bought it new off the lot and I became the second owner five years ago.

The day I brought it home:

All stock aside from a canopy, chrome nerf bars and a bug shield.



Over the next few years little changes took place:

Sold canopy (mistake)
Removed nerf bars
Installed:
-Bilstien 5100's F+R
-15x8 black rock crawler steel wheels
-33x12.50 BFG A/T's (trimmed bumper and smashed pinch weld to fit)
-Matching front window tint
-Flowmaster muffler
-Deckplate mod w/K&N filter



Stay tuned, more to come..

 

[pnw_chris]

This had been my dream pickup since they first came out. The only disappointment I had was that Toyota didn't offer a 5spd option. When the auto tranny started slipping on me I started crunching numbers on a 5spd swap. It was slightly beyond my skill level with all the wiring that would need changed. I made a call to Toy Only Swaps and arranged for them to do it for me. After a few days in the shop I was driving home with a dream come true.


Their work was top notch. You would be hard pressed to tell that its not factory. There was a notable power increase according to the butt dyno and the mpg's also saw a slight increase. Overall extremely pleased with the change.

 

[BajaSurfRig]

You should remove the K&N filter and go back to OEM your MAF will thank you. I had issues with that on my last Tacoma and have been using Toyota paper filters with no CEL's ever since. Sweet rig!

 

[pnw_chris]

I have ran it for over 60,000 miles with no problems or cel's. I am very cautious oiling the filter as not to overdo it and kill electrical sensors. I have heard of people having problems with them, if I ever do ill switch but for now its working like it should!

 

[04dblcab]

Hey man, at about what mileage did you tranny start slipping?

 

[pnw_chris]

Around 170 thousand. Part of it may have been my fault though. I had the tranny flushed right before that. Later I read its way better to drain and fill. Who knows.. But that's when it started.

 

[pnw_chris]

I had my buddy bend me up some sliders. In my experience sliders protect the truck just as much at the mall (people swinging open their doors) as they do on the trail. I didn't want to drill a bunch of holes and swiss cheese the frame so instead I plated the frame and welded the sliders with / angle gussets to the frame plates.



Fitting 33's meant I had to previously remove the front factory mud flaps. Even with the fender flares the tires sprayed crap all over the side of the truck. With the sliders on I was able to fab up a simple mount for some rally style mud flaps that sat a little further back from the tires. I trimmed the factory flaps to fit the contour of the fender flares.




Personally I'm loving the rally/minimalist look they give along with the extra protection from gravel sand blasting my lower panels.

 

[austintaco]

Curious, how much did the manual swap set you back? Nice truck

 

[pnw_chris]

Curious, how much did the manual swap set you back? Nice truck

It was 3k. Not exactly cheap but it was worth it in my mind. I plan on keeping this truck for a very long time. New Tacoma prices are mind boggling...

 

[pnw_chris]

This post should get the truck to its current status.

The front ADD actuator went out. In the theme of keeping things simple I opted to scrap all the auto hub garbage. I like things simple and to work when they are supposed to. I was able to source everything I needed from a 97 Tacoma with factory manual hubs (hubs, spindles, axles, non add diff tube).

Spent some time cleaning up the hubs

My Tacoma luckily didn't come with ABS so this swap was fairly straight forward. Tear out all the old:

The ball joints all seem pretty good but I intend to replace all them later as preventative maintenance when I get UCA's.
The only real struggle I ran into were these reverse torx bolts holding on the ADD diff tube, 6 in all and only a couple were easy to get to.

I had honestly never even seen bolt heads like that before but luckily one of the mechanics at work had sockets for them that I could borrow.
All the old crap out

 

[pnw_chris]

And the finished product, kind of gives it more of an old school Toyota look. I have no issues with getting out to turn in the hubs. It just means one less potential point for electrical failure out exploring.

 

[BajaSurfRig]

I have been wanting to ditch my ADD set up for some manual locking hubs like my last Tacoma. When the ADD goes out on my current rig I will be doing this exact same thing! Do you have more photos of the swap by any chance? Liking the sliders as well!

 

[pnw_chris]

I have been wanting to ditch my ADD set up for some manual locking hubs like my last Tacoma. When the ADD goes out on my current rig I will be doing this exact same thing! Do you have more photos of the swap by any chance? Liking the sliders as well!

I didn't get any additional photos. My hands were covered in grease and I was just trying to get it done. Its a really straight forward swap. A ball joint separator really speeds up the process along with having the correct reverse torx socket. If you ever do it and run into anything you have a question on just shoot me a pm and ill try and help you out!

 

[DRTYTOY]

Does the 4WD light still light up? I is a J shift truck or the button type for the 4WD lever?

 

[pnw_chris]

Does the 4WD light still light up? I is a J shift truck or the button type for the 4WD lever?

No 4wd light. I haven't looked into what I would need to do to get it back or if its possible. Its pretty easy to tell if its in 4wd but I may look into this later, it would be nice to have it. I have the button type lever so there is still an actuator on the tcase. It works fine but if it ever goes out I will swap to a J shift and that will completely eliminate any electrical in my 4wd system making it completely manual. From what I have read the J shift is a different length than the push button so I would also have to source the drivelines with it or have mine modified. But that's something to figure out if I ever need to go that route.