'03 Tacoma Build

TangoBlue

American Adventurist
So do we just stay on this thread when you start working on the FJC solid axle or will you start a new thread? ;)
 

01tundra

Explorer
So do we just stay on this thread when you start working on the FJC solid axle or will you start a new thread? ;)

Ha....she can start her own thread on that one :ylsmoke:.

Got the sliders installed last night. There's is definitely, 100%, without a doubt, a conflict between Bud's rear skid crossmember and the CBI bolt-on mounting brackets. Nothing the plasma cutter couldn't fix, but just wanted to confirm the rumors. Hindsight (after looking at the pictures), I probably should have cut the crossmember mounting plates down as far as possible to minimize the notch in the CBI plates, but it was late and I don't see the sliders going anywhere, so no worries.

The CBI frame reinforcement plates go on today, the Long Tru-Cool transmission cooler & Magnefine filter go on this weekend, OME 881's and Wheeler's 3-pack AAL goes on hopefully Monday, then the rear bumper build will commence........

SliderCutDriversSide.jpg



SliderCutPassengerSide.jpg



SliderPassengerSide.jpg



Slider1.jpg



Slider2.jpg



Sliders3.jpg
 
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01tundra

Explorer
sheeeesh....Finally! ;) Oh yeah, sliders look good.

If you have time, you can just post up a picture of your bumper in here and save me the time......since mine's going to look just like yours. Just remember, "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" :D.

I keep drawing and trying to change it up, but I can't get away from the simplicity of your design. I like that is doesn't look to out of place with a stock front bumper. I don't even like the look of the second bar I thought about adding, even though it makes sense from a body protection standpoint. I keep hoping that during fabrication I'll come up with some ideas of my own, but I imagine they will be so minute that it won't be very noticable. I am mounting the license plate off to the passenger side.

Tell ya what.......I'll also leave the rubber step plates off it so it will be different :).
 

01tundra

Explorer
Installed a 14,500# GVW Long Tru-Cool auxiliary transmission cooler this weekend. Also went ahead and enlarged the oil pan drain access hole in Bud's skid plate while I had it off. Oh.....and my bumper is turning out great so far :D......


Tru-Cool.jpg



BudOilDrainAccessHole.jpg



rearbumpermaterials.jpg
 

01tundra

Explorer
Got some more parts to install, putting the OME 881's and Wheeler's 3-pack AAL on tonight, then jumping back onto the bumper build tomorrow. Planning on dropping the 5100 clips to the lowest (stock) setting and going to leave the factory overload leaves out, since I'm also running Toytech 1" shackles on the back currently.


springs.jpg
 

juicebox

Adventurer
...putting the OME 881's and Wheeler's 3-pack AAL on tonight, Planning on dropping the 5100 clips to the lowest (stock) setting and going to leave the factory overload leaves out...

That is my exact suspension setup. I have a 1" body lift and 33x1050r15 km2's. I have had it since NOV/2008, ~28K on the setup. 881's sagged quite a bit, I have been wanting to move up to the next clip or get some 882's. 882's will be too high, Box Rocket has the 882's with no body lift same tires as me and his truck looks to be about 2" higher than mine, but that's judging from the pics.

Basically, you may need to tweak that suspension a little more in a few thousand miles. I didn't use the factory overload in the rear, I kinda wish I did though. The rear has sagged a bit also, the leaves are just straight... Since I left the overload out, the bumpstops weren't high enough on the spring pack to hit the frame. They just miss them by about 1/8". So, not having an overload, combined with ineffective bumpstops have killed them pretty quick, which, in turn killed the passenger side shock. (maybe the driver's side is blown now also) So, now I have to figure out a different setup in the back. I was thinking about just getting some all-pro springs, 882's and then wait forever for them to settle... I don't know... It's just an annoying situation, so hopefully it will shed some light on your decisions. I think if I could go back in time I would be really happy with this setup, there were just some variables that I didn't foresee and now I am considering completely re-doing it.
 

Box Rocket

Well-known member
That is my exact suspension setup. I have a 1" body lift and 33x1050r15 km2's. I have had it since NOV/2008, ~28K on the setup. 881's sagged quite a bit, I have been wanting to move up to the next clip or get some 882's. 882's will be too high, Box Rocket has the 882's with no body lift same tires as me and his truck looks to be about 2" higher than mine, but that's judging from the pics.

Basically, you may need to tweak that suspension a little more in a few thousand miles. I didn't use the factory overload in the rear, I kinda wish I did though. The rear has sagged a bit also, the leaves are just straight... Since I left the overload out, the bumpstops weren't high enough on the spring pack to hit the frame. They just miss them by about 1/8". So, not having an overload, combined with ineffective bumpstops have killed them pretty quick, which, in turn killed the passenger side shock. (maybe the driver's side is blown now also) So, now I have to figure out a different setup in the back. I was thinking about just getting some all-pro springs, 882's and then wait forever for them to settle... I don't know... It's just an annoying situation, so hopefully it will shed some light on your decisions. I think if I could go back in time I would be really happy with this setup, there were just some variables that I didn't foresee and now I am considering completely re-doing it.

I'm saying there's no way my truck is 2" taller than yours unless you have yours loaded with 5K* of gear. At last measurement I am right about 3" over stock. But the front has dropped slightly. The rear Dakars have settled too even with the AAL. I still like the Dakar/AAL set up, but if I carried much more weight than I do it might start pushing their limits. My truck might look slightly taller in the rear because I have the All Pro 1.5" shackles too.

From my experience, the combination of 882's and the Dakar/AAL setup is really great on a DC. Once you load the truck with gear and add armor and a winch it's definitely not too tall. My front end works great and I still don't have a winch. When I do my goal will be to keep it as light as possible. I think I've got a setup figured out that will be 50lbs or less, which isn't too bad.
 

01tundra

Explorer
Got the lift on, ended up having to go back in and move the clips on the 5100's to the middle setting to get it closer to level, since I'm running the 1" Toytec shackles in the back. I like the way it's sitting now. And all the BS all over the internet about "never raise the clips past the bottom setting with OME springs" is just that....BS. The shocks feel fine and the ride is great.

Made a little progress on the rear bumper, still have to make the side frame braces and cap the tube ends tonight.

Thanks once again to Box Rocket from allowing me to copy his cool bumper design :ylsmoke:!

b1-3.jpg


b2-2.jpg


b3-1.jpg


b4-1.jpg


b5.jpg


b6.jpg


b7.jpg
 

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