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

[thefirstzukman]

Excited to see another great Sixstring build

Sixstringsteve builds are non stop, the vehicle just changes colors.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Sixstringsteve builds are non stop, the vehicle just changes colors.

so true.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Why not run the total choas stuff over the ome stuff?

Don't tell anyone over on ttora.com, but I don't think the total chaos upper control arms are all that and a ball of wax. They solve one of the various problems when you lift an ifs. No doubt they're quality products, but imho there are MUCH better solutions out there; like the SP upper control arms for instance. They're 1/2 the price of the total chaos ucas and they're the only adjustable upper control arm that allows you to adjust camber and castor, allowing you to get your front suspension back to stock alignment. Plus they're extremely beefy and over-engineered and I think they're stronger than a TC setup anyway. And they don't have an annoying unibal that squeaks all the time. The Specialty Producs UCAS are, in my opinion, the only viable solution. My alignment guy recommended them, and I thought he was an idiot because everyone knows TC is way better. Then I got them installed and I was sold instantly.

Unibals squeak after a little while, and your alignment is still off which leads to premature tire wear, cupping, and less than full tire contact with the ground.


My red '01 doublecab had icon front coilovers because everyone on TTORA said they were the best hands down. Well, I beg to differ. Mine were harsh and didn't ride that great on road or off road. I blew a seal on one and it was only 8 months old. They don't really hold up to the harsh salt winters here, and you have to have them sent out to be rebuilt every year or two.

I only get about 2" of lift out of the OME setup (vs 0-3.5" on the icons), but I don't really care since my truck will fit 35's with zero lift. Plus the ride of the OME struts is amazing, no other way to put it. I'm a HUGE fan. They handle washboard roads better than the icons, and they handle daily driver duty better. They're firmer than stock, but they're not firm at all. I don't know how to explain it. And they're built tough. I've abused my OME lift last year on hanging tree, the Rubicon, and thousands of miles of dirt/street. They've held up extremely well without any issues. I used to think that OME lifts were a "compromise lift" for those who couldn't handle a big lift. Now I'm a huge believer of their lifts. I've had a lot of rigs with a lot of lifts, and to me, the OME is hands down the best system for my needs. If I were jumping the truck 10 feet, the icons would probably be the better solution. I think most people who build tacomas with icons are wannabe desert racers who will never go faster than 40 mph in the desert.

Regarding rear springs, I love the dakar/ome springs. Sure, they have overload leafs that technically hang down a bit, but if I couldn't get them hung up on anything on Hanging Tree Trail, i'm not worried. I had custom built $750 alcans on my maroon truck, and while they were nice once they broke in, and they flexed like crazy, I feel that the Dakar springs are every bit as good, at less than half the price. I think my favorite thing about OME suspensions are the shocks. They've got the valving dialed for the tacomas.

 

[STAG]

You have got to be the most unbiased person I know. (That's a good thing). You don't care about hype or what everyone says only what functions for your needs. Kudos.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Yesterday my buddy 193Kyle took me up to Sandy to pick up the truck from Rock Taco. We got back around 10, just as frieed showed up to help wrench. First order of business was to swap the rear 8.4 axle with the TRD elocker axle from Abner.

Kyle and Eric marveling at how none of the bolts are rusty. I guess there is some good that can come out of a CA car.

One axle removed.

 

[sixstringsteve]

two axles out, and one bumper removed:

 

[sixstringsteve]

About this time dutchman showed up along with Spork. After some pizza we bolted up both axles and got them off jackstands. We then swapped the chocflip bumper onto the white one and just for kicks we threw the 4runner bar onto whitey. Something just doesn't look right. It looks so good on the single cab, but so wrong on the double.

Taking some pictures for my future elocker switch install.

Next up, we had to swap the front diff from the white taco into the green taco. I am amazed at how much more room there is in there with the 2.7 vs the 3.4. Unfortunately I've been having a lot of practice pulling the front diffs lately. Kyle and I got 'em swapped over without too much trouble.

It was about 7 PM at this point, and Kyle had put in a solid 11 hours, and it was time for him to go home. I spent the rest of the night buttoning up the green taco so Spork could buy it back the next day.

 

[ttora4runner]

What do your neighbors think of the sixstring auto shop?

 

[sixstringsteve]

You have got to be the most unbiased person I know. (That's a good thing). You don't care about hype or what everyone says only what functions for your needs. Kudos.

Thanks. I'm pretty biased towards toyotas, but aside from that, I try to keep a level head and buy what's best for me instead of what everyone else does. I've wasted a lot of money on what other people thought I should do, only to find it didn't work for me. Plus I try to get advice people who have tried lots of different products, rather than what one person heard was cool. If I hadn't done that, I never would have found out about the SP upper control arms.

 

[sixstringsteve]

What do you neighbors think of the sixstring auto shop?

I break several CC&Rs every Saturday, so I don't know how happy they are with me. We're all friends, but I can only imagine it gets under their skin. I don't do any loud cutting/grinding after 9 PM. So far I haven't had any formal complaints.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Off topic but what's that rear bumper on your maroon one?

Allpro. I liked it so much which is why I had you design yours based off it. Honestly, I like yours better. It tucks closer to the body than the allpro one.

 

[sixstringsteve]

many many many many great thanks to my wonderful friends who helped me wrench yesterday. There's no way I would have been able to do most of that on my own.

 

[thefirstzukman]

Steve, could you please change your signature... Your confusing me

 

[frieed]

Oh man Steve,

You could have spared us the all the pictures of the FAT guy...

 

[193kyle]

Geez, thanks Eric, I am not That fat!

 

[frieed]

Not you, I'm talkin bout the one that looks like the great pumpkin!

 

[193kyle]

 

[frieed]

Steve,

I think yesterday may have set a record for the amount accomplished in a day...

In your driveway... (Kurt's shop does not count)

 

[frieed]

At least I had my shirt tucked and everyone was spared a plumbers crack.

 

[ricsrx]

Steve you need to film the work and post it back up in high speed, we could have watched the whole thing, it would have been great!!