Build Thread: Sixstringsteve's 2002 Tacoma double cab: Carlos

[sixstringsteve]

I'm guessing if you regeared you would get better mpg. I don't think a tips is necessary.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I worry for Kevin, because I think he actually gets me. I have a vision for a vehicle for a year, build the perfect rig for that year, then re-evaluate my needs a year later and adjust vehicles accordingly.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I threw a check engine light on my last trip in the Maze district. It was a throttle position sensor. The CEL kept going on and off, so I wasn't too worried about it. Thankfully this isn't a throttle by wire rig like the 2003+ tacomas, or I may have been stranded out there. I bought a replacement TPS and threw it in the glove box in case the CEL came on again...

Fwiw the 03+ setups on 1st gens do not leave you stranded if the APPS fails, rather they leave you with ~40% throttle function which is basically enough to get you home, 45mph sounds about right. The failure is super rare on non-SC'ed truck and SC'ed trucks with mods. I had to replace my throttle body (because at the time the APPS wasn't sold separately). Toyota covered the new TB and I removed the coolant lines from it as the combined coolant and SC heat was a known APPS killer. Zero issues after that. Now days if it failed, you'd have the 40% reserve throttle (still uses a cable from the pedal) but the APPS sensor swap would be a few minute swap. I.e. not much different than a TPS failure on yours.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Thanks for setting me straight. I read it on the internet, son I figured it HAD to be true.

 

[juhcohbee]

Sweet truck bro!

 

[sixstringsteve]

From the maze trip last month:

 

[Greg]

Glad you pulled your head out and decided to hang onto it...

 

[sawtooth4x4]

Give him a day, it'll be for sale again.

Glad you pulled your head out and decided to hang onto it...

 

[sixstringsteve]

Today I'll be putting my add-a-leafs back in, and probably lowering the rear shock mounts an inch (the axle end). I'm tired of bottoming out due to heavy loads and saggy springs.

I'm also contemplating selling the tires and getting some of the new toyot a/ts. I'm a little concerned about the e-rated sidewall on such a light truck. I'm afraid it'll be a really harsh ride.

I will say that siping my km2s was the best thing I could have done. They're wearing better, and they rock in the snow/ice now.

 

[Tonkaman]

Could you explain to me why you raised the shock mounts up? I can't remember what the advantage was

 

[sixstringsteve]

I did a ubolt flip on the rear axle, and I had to re-mount the shocks to the axle. I wanted to keep them out of the fenders, and keep them out of the rocks so I mounted them about 1/2" higher than stock. That's now causing me to bottom out too soon on fast, hard jolts.

 

[Tonkaman]

Ok that makes sense, thanks

 

[TJDukit]

How much does your truck weigh? I would think it would be heavy enough to smooth out the E rated tires.

Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk

 

[sixstringsteve]

Stock they're around 3900 lbs. I'm guessing I'm at about 4500 -5000 lbs. I'll have to weigh it one of these days.

 

[sixstringsteve]

193Kyle stopped by to lend a hand, thanks! While putting the add-a-leaf in, he noticed the front leaf spring bushings are totally shot. The metal sleeve inside it had worked loose, and the spring could move side to side about 1/2" on each side. Hopefully i can get some replacement bushings from cruiseroutfitters soon and get this thing back on the road.

 

[sixstringsteve]

as always, Kurt was super helpful and helped me find a set locally. I had forgotten that OME uses toyota factory bushings up front. Pretty crazy that they wore out in 2 years, but these springs have seen 2 trips to the Rubicon, one trip through hanging tree, and 5000 + offroad miles in those two years.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Well, it only took me 13 hours to do a 2 hr job. It turns out north front leaf spring bushings were shot, so I had to run to the dealer to get new ones. Fortunately, I've poundedenough.bushings out to know a few tricks. They came out quick, but one of the bolts seized to the sleeve and had to be cut out.

I wonder why ome would use these bushings vs a poly bushing with a sleeve. It seems like each time the leaf spring moves, its pitting torsional stress on the bushing. We will see how long this set lasts.

Now the rear is sitting 1-2" higer than the front. I may get some spacers to even it out. Its stinkbug enough that the braking performance isn't as good as before since all the weight is on the front brakes.

Its all good though, I mainly use this truck for camping, and it'll be loaded then

 

[TJDukit]

I wonder why ome would use these bushings vs a poly bushing with a sleeve.

To save money of course.

Now the rear is sitting 1-2" higer than the front. I may get some spacers to even it out. Its stinkbug enough that the braking performance isn't as good as before since all the weight is on the front brakes.

Its all good though, I mainly use this truck for camping, and it'll be loaded then

Since you say you use this truck mostly for camping and when you do it's probably loaded down pretty good I think that will help a lot with the load range E tires if you go that route. If you are loaded down for camping you probably won't even notice a stiffer sidewall, but you will notice yourself not worrying as much as you might with a lighter sidewall.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I'm guessing the bushing they use is actually more expensive than a poly bisjong and sleeve. Plus they have to take rge time to install it.

193kyle and others have had Toyo muds load range 3 on their tacos, similarly built as mine, and they were so happy when they got rid of them. I like to air down on washboard and bumpy roads, I think load range d will work better for my needs. Ibalsontoildnt mind going with an 11" or 10" width.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I'm guessing the bushing they use is actually more expensive than a poly bisjong and sleeve. Plus they have to take rge time to install it.

100% positive it costs them more than it would to make a poly bush/sleeve. The issue is actually the design limitations placed on them by the OE design (which is US specific fwiw as the non-US trucks can run a traditional 'hat' bush sans sleeve). Think about the room you have on the side of the the spring between the hangers, put a traditional 'hat' style bush be it rubber or poly and you would continually tear/wear the ear off the bushing with flex, I've had to replace several sets for customers running aftermarket springs with hat style bushes. So theoretically they could build a press-in bushing identical to the OEM but with a poly material however rubber works better in the twist that the spring sees when you have such a limited OD for material. OME could increase the spring eye size as they do in many applications but the spring doesn't have much room above it before it would interfere with the frame.

The sleeves are a pain, the key on new installs is anti-seize and plenty of it, we plan on cutting at least one side of the stock suspension every Tacoma install we do, including many early 2nd gen trucks. Put two metals together and they will seize, particularly considering the Toyota assembly in the US doesn't use anti-seize on that part. Ditch the sleeve? You can't with their design. I'm a huge fan of proper spring pins versus a bolt that can be over-tightened and thus requires a sleeve however they didn't design the spring hangers to accept a shouldered spring pin thus it isn't an option unfortunately.

It's a compromise of sorts but it's not unique to the OME product as far as diminished longevity. The reality is trucks that wheel frequently can still see 5+ years without needing a bushing replacement, trucks that get wheeled super frequently may need it more often Start increasing the range of your stock wheel travel with different shock setups and they will wear quicker. say 2-3 years like Steve is experiencing. The good news is they take under an hour to swap both sides if you have both on hand. we do them one side at a time, drop that spring from the hanger (axle still bolted on, shackle still hooked) and use a c-clamp/sleeve to press the old one out and use a pair of sledges to pop the new one back in. Bolt it back together. Sounds easy right