Noah's Stupid Truck

[Zoey's Taco]

Hi. Im noah. I live in NJ. Ive had a Tacoma about 9 months. This truck is my daily. I have a 27 mile 5day/week commute in classic Jersey traffic. I drive like grandma. Im the guy going the speed limit on 80 at 5:30am. My intentions for this truck are for it to be as capable as I can get it while still getting decent mileage. I won't be chopping into the frame. I won't be lifting higher. So it'll likely be a humdrum boring addition to the trucks here. But I find it to be a much more interesting endeavor to balance seemingly opposed goals (road manners/off-road capability) than to just throw as much money at off-road gear as I can and suffer driving it 90% of the time. So the modifications I make in the future will always have that balance in mind.
2020 SR5 DCLB 3.5 4x4
I lifted it:
B-stein 6112 4/5th clip
B-stein 5160/Icon aal/overload left in (wish id just gotten a damned full pack)Added an ATS Spring pack, HD w/overload
JBA uca's
Tom Woods Drive Shaft
Hammer Hangers/crossmember
U-bolt flip+superbumps
ECGS clamshell/needle bearing swap
Tires:
Cooper at3 LT 265/75/16
Shell:
ARE DCU
Front skid:
J-Dub Fab (local metal guru)
Sliders from Explore Overland

 

[Tacomadad18]

Hello and welcome to Tacoma3g!

Diggin the setup

 

[Biohazard]

Looking good, like the well articulated goals and well thought out mods, add-a-leaf not withstanding.

 

[Reavers.adv]

Welcome to the club of misfits

 

[Oc Taco Charlie Beach Bum]

Howdy, When did you order your Bilsteins//

 

[Zoey's Taco]

Howdy, When did you order your Bilsteins//

last summer

 

[Oc Taco Charlie Beach Bum]

last summer

I am at a 4 month wait right now on my 6112's

 

[Zoey's Taco]

Added spacers. 1.5"
Then I took them off as there was not enough purchase on the stock wheel studs. I have a box of longer studs ready for installation. This is what that temporary moment of glory looked like.

 

[Zoey's Taco]

While im sitting here, I might as well post a photo of Zoey.

 

[Zoey's Taco]

this is the day Jdub and myself cut out and started work on my skid. Super cool process and experience. Man's got all the toys.

 

[Zoey's Taco]

Added a little of what was left over from last weeks vinyl debacle. I like that it breaks up the massive wall of silver, but am undecided on the color/pattern. May do something different another day. I don’t hate it. Good learning experience though. The second one took 1/4 of the time to apply and looks a lot better. Less bubbles and wrinkles. Anyway. I’m trying to keep up with this thread best I can. More to come.

 

[dsrtrcr]

Nice rig.

 

[Zoey's Taco]

I’m never touching vinyl wrap again. This looks like garbage up close. It’ll cut down on glare well enough though.

 

[Zoey's Taco]

Question: if you had stock leafs and icon add a leaf with the overload reinstalled but hated how jittery the ride was, would you swap them for a set of deavers or add hammer hangers?

 

[Zoey's Taco]

Made some traction boards. I’ll possibly add some bolts through it to give a bit more bite.

 

[Zoey's Taco]

Finally got a real spring pack. Ride is night and day better. The new ones are from ATS Springs in Souderton, PA. Super helpful. These are their 4x1 pack. I believe Bob Jr said they are a HD version of the 4x1 pack on their website. If you’re in the area, it’s well worth the drive for the savings you get at $450 for both sides. HHers next. Should be here by the end of the month.

 

[Snow Squall]

I'm far from an expert, but watch those JBA UCAs and ball joints. I had them in my 4R and I liked them, but they needed grease like every 5k miles. Kind of a pain.

 

[Zoey's Taco]

I'm far from an expert, but watch those JBA UCAs and ball joints. I had them in my 4R and I liked them, but they needed grease like every 5k miles. Kind of a pain.

Hey! Good to know! I’ll grease them every oil change then.

 

[Zoey's Taco]

Swapped out the Aluminum shims that "floated" between the axle and leaf pack for steel ones that bolt to the pack. I wish I understood why anyone would even make such a thing...
Anyway, Ive been driving like a little old lady since I found out they were the wrong thing and I will commence smashing my rear wheels into everything I see without fear of spring/axle separation...

 

[New Holland Overland]

Question: if you had stock leafs and icon add a leaf with the overload reinstalled but hated how jittery the ride was, would you swap them for a set of deavers or add hammer hangers?

Hammar hangars will get ride of the jitters, the stock shackle hangars are super weak

 

[New Holland Overland]

this is the day Jdub and myself cut out and started work on my skid. Super cool process and experience. Man's got all the toys.

I love the bending photo

 

[Zoey's Taco]

Hammar hangars will get ride of the jitters, the stock shackle hangars are super weak

should arrive within a couple weeks. new springs did wonders by themselves though

 

[Zoey's Taco]

I love the bending photo

steel big strong

 

[zDirtyDeedz]

Love the DIY traction boards! Great idea

 

[Zoey's Taco]

Also today: I accidentally ordered an extra set of shackles in preparation for hammer hangers. It was a fortunate accident as they’re cheap and having an extra set on hand gave me the confidence to order up some grease nipples so I might grease the poly bushings I got coming from archive garage. Installation went well enough but now I have a set of grease-able shackles and nothing to do with them.

 

[Zoey's Taco]

installed Hammer Hangers. wow. what a difference it makes in the overall comfort of the ride, even just on the road. I also ordered the tabs to install a DIY cross member between them. Once I can drag my ass to metal supermarket to get a piece of tubing, Ill fab that up.
also, the diy grease nips work great installed in stock shackles. glad I didn't spring for the archive ones.

 

[zDirtyDeedz]

Did the hammer hangers increase ride height at all too?

 

[Zoey's Taco]

Did the hammer hangers increase ride height at all too?

No. The third generation doesn’t lift at all.

 

[Zoey's Taco]

I got the tabs for the cross member kind of on a lark. I didn't really think there would be much improvement in ride quality by bracing the hangers. Wrongo-dongo. This is some voodoo magic shit. Thing drives like a car. Don't pick on my welds. Im sensitive.

 

[New Holland Overland]

I got the tabs for the cross member kind of on a lark. I didn't really think there would be much improvement in ride quality by bracing the hangers. Wrongo-dongo. This is some voodoo magic shit. Thing drives like a car. Don't pick on my welds. Im sensitive.

It was one of the largest noticeable changes I felt doing that same thing to my hangars