Zam15’s Tacoma Build

[Zam15]

Cool! I see some Deaver AAL's there, what did you do for rear spring packs? Any changes?

How do you like the AT's?

On the rear springs I still have the Dakars, including the AAL form OME I put in a few months back. These springs are a little to weak for my application and still have a negative arch. I got a long AAL from Deaver that I am going to install. If this does not work I will eventually have to go with a full custom pack

As for the BFG ATs I love them as much as I did before! They are so smooth and quiet on road and I personally think they handle better off-road as well. I have no reason living in SoCal to have MT tires. :smiley_drive:

Is that a Bud Built Traction bar? Lets us know how you like it please?

Yes it is and will do! I am having it welded on next weekend, my main goal is to fix that annoying clunk every time I stop.. It should also add some protection to the drive line.

 

[Zam15]

Found a possible deal on a supercharger, would be $1850 installed. My truck is a pig right now, I should re-gear but I will not be keeping the front axle so I do not want to dump the money on gears I won't use for very long. I just need a little more power to make it through the mountains and make my truck a little more road friendly.

Should I pull the trigger??? Not sure of any other way to improve the performance other than a V8 swap...

 

[turbolab]

that almost sounds like a deal that is too good to be true, but i don't have a toyota so i don't no what a super charger normaly goes for ($)but if it were my truck i would pull the triger

 

[Dave Bennett]

Thats a good deal. Who makes it?

 

[Zam15]

Thats a good deal. Who makes it?

It is a used TRD unit.

I had the AAL installed and the frame plates welded on today. The ride is much nicer and I actually have some travel before bottoming out. Don't really need the traction bar now that the AAL fixed the issue that was bugging me. I will still have it installed though. :ylsmoke:

I hope to get the supercharger installed this week if the deal works out, its not 100% yet.

 

[Dave Bennett]

It is a used TRD unit.

I hope to get the super charger installed this week if the deal works out, its not 100% yet.

Think long and hard about it before you do it amigo. Make sure it's in GREAT shape and installed correctly.

 

[Zam15]

Think long and hard about it before you do it amigo. Make sure it's in GREAT shape and installed correctly.

Thanks for the concern Doc! The unit I would be getting would come from a guy who is as stringent about vehicle maintenance as you are. :coffeedrink:

 

[Zam15]

So the deal on the supercharger fell through but I was able to get the rest of my stuff installed.

In total:
Traction Bar
Frame Plates
Deaver AAL for the weak Dakars (two AALs total)
Flowmaster 40 (had to install due to clearance issue with stock)
Rear Diff Guard

Traction Bar:

Rear Diff Guard:

Frame plates and spring arch with AAL:

I am finally happy with the back end of the truck! Just need some better shocks now.

As for the traction bar, the rear end feels much more controlled, especially when accelerating or coming to a stop. The annoying Tacoma "clunk" in finally 99% gone.

 

[Zam15]

Update* After to time driving around with the traction bar I started experiencing an issue. It first appeared after I adjusted the BPV on the rear axles, the increased torque when braking hard then accelerating (think stop lights) resulted in an extremely uncomfortable "thud" so I took it back to the shop that welded it on. After some troubleshooting they found the issue. The tolerances on the bold sleeve were way too loose and it was causing the "thud" they machined a new sleeve that fit better and the issue is now resolved.

Shop install: Over torqued the bolts on the cross member compressing it (needs to be beefed up anyways before the supercharger and heavy off-road use)

Instructions that they did not read:
There are 4 cross bolts. The cross bolts should not be over tightened or you could crush the cross member on Tacomas. It is not a boxed cross member like the earlier trucks. Once you see that it is squeezing the cross member tight that is tight enough. There should be a few threads of the cross bolt showing on the exit side of the nut.

Budbuilt: Very nice to deal with but I would have preferred if they used grade 8 hardware instead of grade 3, it's nice to know the strength is there when you need it.

Also, from a recent ski trip to Big Bear:

 

[Zam15]

Crazy idea or not?

I am eventually going to do an SAS on my truck and I want the rear end to be able to match the capability of the front end. With the load I carrly and the long distances I travel off-road even the OME shocks I have are not enough and I feel I need much larger/longer more capable shocks in the rear. I also see a FlipPac in my future.

My RTT is great but it mounted 24/7 and the covers deteriorate quickly $$, it can be a PITA to put away when alone.

I am looking to get through bed long travel shocks mounted and also have a FlipPac. I am just worried about the interior design and space restrictions, on the other hand the mount could be integrated and actually serve as a permanent step :elkgrin:

Any though or issues you see with this setup?

Final config I hope for: SAS, 35"+ 4.88, SC, FlipPac - :drool:


Note*Credit Harp
+

*Note credit: DMZ

I'll take cover.. Go ahead and shoot!

 

[trump]

Dust!

Shocks through the bed would be nearly impossible to seal well and everything would get dust on it like you had an open bed.

 

[Borrego60]

See Zam the tundra goes offroad,thanks for the carnage picture,hope the insurance comp does not see it.

 

[Zam15]

See Zam the tundra goes offroad,thanks for the carnage picture,hope the insurance comp does not see it.

Yes it does, it can take almost anything you through at it even with a trailer in tow! wish I had that power. I can pull the pic down if you want, just let me know. :snorkel:

Dust!

Shocks through the bed would be nearly impossible to seal well and everything would get dust on it like you had an open bed.

I have several ideas on how to limit the dust incursion, I would also only have a hole for the main shock and not the reservoir like in that picture. I am thinking flexible rubber mats on the top and bottom of the bed around the shock that would allow movement but keep a good seal. Also my current shell does a poor job of keeping out the dust so I have learned to adapt. But that is a good point.

 

[trump]

Also my current shell does a poor job of keeping out the dust so I have learned to adapt. But that is a good point.

Problem is, you've adapted to dust on your gear... Adapting to it all over your mattress? I think that will be a bit hard to deal with after being used to the RTT. The flip-pac should be an upgrade in every way, but I think compromising with dust would have you regretting your decision. Just my $0.02.

 

[TangoBlue]

Okay, I'm befuddled... or maybe I just missed your reasons from an earlier post. I'm not getting why you think you need shocks through your bed because you plan on performing a SAC.

I performed a SAC, a little over 6" of lift over stock, and the rear has custom valved ICON 2.5's and 63" ALCAN's in the rear. I run 35's and could easily put on 37's. I'm in the 900's on the RTI ramp. I fail to see why you'd need to cut a hole in your bed to mount the shocks and loose all that capacity.