The Frankenstein Build: 1996 Tacoma Long Travel/Expo/Trail Rig

[Blackdawg]

Now the ************* SC. Which as far as im concerned is the biggest waste of money i have ever done to Frank. But i did it none the less.

Huge thanks to @909DC5 for selling me the blower and damn good job packing it! Like. Wow.

Same goes to @Clay_916 for selling me the 2.1'' pulley and URD kit. Stellar job packing.

So i bought a blower and started buying all the other parts to put it all together. Had a nice pile after a few weeks.

Frankenstein Build-23.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Tore the thing open. I'll admit i didn't document the rebuild process. Plenty of threads on that. But did take some photos that i thought was interesting and you don't see a lot of.

Oil smelled like ****. Like terrible.

Frankenstein Build-24.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Frankenstein Build-25.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Frankenstein Build-26.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Frankenstein Build-27.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Don't see these tore apart a lot.

Frankenstein Build-28.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Needed to use a puller to get the damn stock pulley off.

Frankenstein Build-29.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

7th kit. Shipped and packed like a boss.

Frankenstein Build-30.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Frankenstein Build-31.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Pulleys. the URD may look better but the internal diameter is smaller.

Frankenstein Build-32.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then i rebuild the nose cone with new bearings and tapped the top for a fill plug

Frankenstein Build-33.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

This is the 7th injector.

Frankenstein Build-34.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

And after hours of bitching with vacuum lines. Done.

Frankenstein Build-35.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Frankenstein Build-36.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Now if only it actually ran for ****..

Still fighting this mod. I just bought a new ECU for Frank, a 97 4runner one, in hopes it'll stop retarding the timing so much and will actually work.


If it doesn't. ***** is coming off and going on Igor my DD

 

[Blackdawg]

Next i took it wheeling. Tried to make it to Shoshone Lake in Lander to meet with Brett @Squeaky Penguin but the truck wouldn't run. But i made it work and hauled *** down there the next day to meet him and my buddy Marc to hit Christina Lake.

Marc @SconnieHailer and other Brett @BossFoss brought their dirt bikes though for some reason. ************** :luvya: As well as 3 other friends on bike. So we hit the trail and bobbed a long. Got to this spot and flexed it out good!

Christina Lake 2016.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-2.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-3.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-4.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-5.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-6.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Of course it was at this moment that i realized my 4wd wasn't working. Turned out the main relay just wasn't clicking over but found that out much later. So, i just did the whole trail in 2wd locked! Prerunner *****! Sadly that meant i couldn't do the hard parts. Two climbs particularly that i wanted to do. Oh well.

Brett did it though easy. narrow wheelbase helped a lot.

Christina Lake 2016-7.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-8.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then the fun part. Big river crossing with a big ledge at the other end. One of the other bikers named Brandon tried it and spilled his bike.

When we went to leave for the lake. His bike wouldn't start. He pulled out a little quick jumper and fired right up but would die as soon as the jumper was removed. After looking the bike over and poking around. We figured the battery had ruptured. Since it was fuel injected it needed power no matter what. He didn't want to leave the bike there all weekend to wait for a new battery so...they took the bike apart and after some nice rearranging shoved it into the back of Bretts rig.

Christina Lake 2016-9.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-10.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Turned around at that point and was back at camp before dark.

The next day i also stopped at swapped brains out of Bretts @BossFoss parts rig. A 97 4x4 MT.

Christina Lake 2016-11.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

This is hilarious. Before and after :laugh:

Christina Lake 2016-12.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

And the brainzzzzz

Christina Lake 2016-13.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-14.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

And signed Franks Originals brains....maybe i'll ask for them back to mount on the wall or maybe just get them back since i think it ran better with them..

Christina Lake 2016-15.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

And that's it!

If you made it this far through all..idk...a few thousand at least..photos and my talking. Congrats.

You're all caught up with Frankenstein!

Ask any questions you want.

 

[Blackdawg]

Oh and i think i may have forgot to mention this trip. We did the WABDR route and then went into Canada to do Whipsaw and Moly. Was a blast. Just finished that write up here: http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-Tires-n-Bears-Eh-Ooh-YeyyaahhH!!-Trip-Report

And here is build for Igor my 2004 DD truck. He recently got some upgrades as Frank's front diff gernaded in canada this past August. Those trip reports are in the works. Here is Igors build: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/166321-Igor-Double-Cab-4x4-Frankensteins-Helper

 

[wrenchMonkey_]

I've read the SOS report and it was nice to read this. Made it through over 3 days haha.

Great pictures and its always great to see someones taste evolve. Welding/fab skills are defiantly improved aswell.

Do you still put your dogs in your bed under the RTT or?

 

[Blackdawg]

I've read the SOS report and it was nice to read this. Made it through over 3 days haha.

Great pictures and its always great to see someones taste evolve. Welding/fab skills are defiantly improved aswell.

Do you still put your dogs in your bed under the RTT or?

Thanks!

And the only way I've been able to take the dogs is by taking one of the kennels and splitting it in half. Then setting the halves in the truck and letting the dogs lay down in them. Not ideal but does work.

I don't do it often though as it's not very safe for them. My dad usually packs them out for us.

 

[Webfoot]

I see that around the time of the rear air locker installation you had Bilstein's back there. How could that possibly keep up with custom coil-overs on a long travel front? Isn't that the truck equivalent of a fiddler crab? (One tiny claw, huge claw.)

(I imagine that will be addressed as I keep reading but you seem to have solicited comments throughout.)

 

[Blackdawg]

I see that around the time of the rear air locker installation you had Bilstein's back there. How could that possibly keep up with custom coil-overs on a long travel front? Isn't that the truck equivalent of a fiddler crab? (One tiny claw, huge claw.)

(I imagine that will be addressed as I keep reading but you seem to have solicited comments throughout.)

Yes that's the next major mod. I haven t100 axle that needs refreshed and then I'm going with 12 or 14" ads shocks outboard the frame with hoops up and just barely into the bed.

Been putting it off as it'll be expensive as I will be boxing the frame as well, need to transfer all my rear brake stuff over too so may as well put new brakes in and axle bearings. And Id like to do hydro bumps as well and truss the rear axle.

That said, those damn rear shocks seem to work...okay ha but really I think it's due to all the weight I have hanging off the back with the swingout. I really felt a difference after lowering the rack and moving the co2 to the swingout. They've been leaking for years though haha it's a miracle they work at all I'll admit. As my buddy mike says, there is something magical about my rear setup. It's just works even though it shouldn't. It's soft but not too soft and hasn't held be back too much, although it does.

The superbumps help too I think.

So I have plans. Just haven't executed it. I was hoping to do it this summer but the supercharger popped up and seemed like a good deal and idea...but turned out to be more expensive then I thought and almost crippling to Frank.

 

[rickashay]

Love the documentation and photos Monte! Thanks for sharing.

Noticed your Dad's rig isnt running those from air struts anymore (ORI? forget the brand...). What was the reason for the change out?

 

[Blackdawg]

Love the documentation and photos Monte! Thanks for sharing.

Noticed your Dad's rig isnt running those from air struts anymore (ORI? forget the brand...). What was the reason for the change out?

Thanks Addison!

Yea the ORIs just couldn't do it. They collapsed three times on him when we where out in the winter. Just think they couldn't cope with all the weight. Sold them to a buddy with a single cab and he has never had an issue.

Dad went with ads up front. Has ads in all four corners now. Rides amazing.

 

[Blackdawg]

Forgot this stuff.

Went to Lander this summer, barely. I had just put the Supercharger on and couldn't get Frank to run. Found out i was missing a ground connection and fired right up. Though only to disappointment.

The ECU retards the timing SOOO bad that i have way less power then I did without it. Thus my major problem right now with the motor. If i hit 3k rpms I can barely accelerate.

Regardless, i went to lander to meet up with some friends, although did not take very many photos of the trail run.

Christina Lake 2016.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-2.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-3.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-4.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-5.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-6.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

It was at this very flexy spot that another issue came to light, again. My last trip I had had 4wd engagement issues but they seemed to have dissipated. But I could not get Frank into 4wd for some reason. Ran the whole trail in 2lo with my locker. But couldn't do the hard lines which was annoying. I later figured out it was the main relay. Just needed cleaned and was fine. But was without 4wd for the rest of the trip.

Which meant I had to take the bypass on this hill climb..damn.

Christina Lake 2016-7.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-8.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Of all my friends on the trail, only Brett was wheeling his tacoma with me. All the other guys where riding dirt bikes. Which was fine and dandy. Until Brandon took a spill trying to go up a major ledge. Didn't think anything of it until after everyone was through and we set off to go to the lake only a half mile of trail left. When his bike would not start.

After some testing we figured the battery had ruptured. This was a problem as his bike was fuel injected and needed a battery to run but none of the other guys had a battery they could loan either. So we took the whole bike part and threw it in the back of Bretts truck!

Christina Lake 2016-9.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-10.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

All worked out.

After that, Brett(different Brett) in lander had a parts truck that he said was a 97. I knew 97 tacomas ECUs where TRD approved for the supercharger. So he let me have at it to get the ECU out.

Kinda funny, used to be the same..

Christina Lake 2016-12.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

10mins later i had the ECUs out.

Christina Lake 2016-11.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-13.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
Christina Lake 2016-14.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

the PNs where different, but would later figure out that his parts truck ECU was actually a 96 and Frankensteins was actually an early 97. There are two ECUs for 97 and mine isn't the one that works..

Still i signed the ECU and left it with Brett. Id later pick it back up though.

Christina Lake 2016-15.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


Today im hoping my new ECU comes that i bought from a 97 4runner..hopefully it works.

 

[java]

Is that the Mobilinkd TNC? Like it?

 

[proper4wd]

I love your Taco - great functional build especially with the LT front. What's your total track width across the outside of the front tires?

 

[Blackdawg]

Is that the Mobilinkd TNC? Like it?

Yes sir. Use it with aprs droid. I do like it. Work well.

I love your Taco - great functional build especially with the LT front. What's your total track width across the outside of the front tires?

Thanks!

I think it's about 77"..Id have to remeassure though to be certain. That sounds wide..maybe it's 73". I can't remember haha

 

[tyv12]

Very cool build, a little surprised that with a long travel setup they would have utilized factory LBJs when they are so prone to failure


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