Another damn Toyota thread...
- Thread starter Phantom 309
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Phantom 309
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As soon as I get the bugs worked outta this pile I'll be callin' ya.
Phantom 309
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Cut the bedcover down to fit the bed and redid the framework. It would have been cleaner to just build a new frame but this will work fine and it saved some time.
Phantom 309
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I had to cut the hell out of an already cut bed just to clear 37's.
benw1
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Neat rig.
Jay W
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What's the point of the bed?:fawkdancesmiley:
Phantom 309
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So that I'm not confused with one of the 200 or so other yotas in town with black pipe flat beds. :fawkdancesmiley:
Do you W's always travel in packs?
boardbysled
Tree Nerd.
It's more like couples.:flipoff:
Phantom 309
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It's pretty damn slow at work today so I tought I'd update this thread.
We finished it up enough to drive in June and shook it down at Groundhog. I didn't really push it much, but at least got a feeling for it. At first I really hated it. It worked good, but was just alot different than the Jeep that I've been wheeling for the last umpteen years. I just felt like I couldn't see out of it as well.
I knew the Rancho CO's sucked when I got them but I couldn't pass up the deal. I had no idea how crappy they really were though until now
We finished it up enough to drive in June and shook it down at Groundhog. I didn't really push it much, but at least got a feeling for it. At first I really hated it. It worked good, but was just alot different than the Jeep that I've been wheeling for the last umpteen years. I just felt like I couldn't see out of it as well.
I knew the Rancho CO's sucked when I got them but I couldn't pass up the deal. I had no idea how crappy they really were though until now
Phantom 309
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I threw a little bash in the backyard to work a few bugs out of it before I get it on the trail.
So far the TG 4 Link is working pretty good. Much better than I thought it would by looking at the geometry. It looks goofy in pictures sometimes because of all of the droop. I set up the limiting straps so that I'm limiting the droop by 1" from the max. That leaves me about 9" of downtravel (measured on the shock) which didn't seem like a lot until I saw it droop for the first time.
This is one of the "bugs" that I had to work out. OOps.
I got a smokin' deal on one of TG's (cheap import) axle winches from Rocktoy. I put some rope on it and have had good luck with it since.
So far the TG 4 Link is working pretty good. Much better than I thought it would by looking at the geometry. It looks goofy in pictures sometimes because of all of the droop. I set up the limiting straps so that I'm limiting the droop by 1" from the max. That leaves me about 9" of downtravel (measured on the shock) which didn't seem like a lot until I saw it droop for the first time.
This is one of the "bugs" that I had to work out. OOps.
I got a smokin' deal on one of TG's (cheap import) axle winches from Rocktoy. I put some rope on it and have had good luck with it since.
benw1
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Cool truck, have you had any problems with breakage? You should take it down to TSF, I think you would have fun. Do you have any plans to paint it?
Phantom 309
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The next thing was to hit the trails.
NarrowNeck has been my nemesis going back to a story from maaaaaany years ago:redneck: It's easy, but I don't care what you fawkers say....I still think going down it is hairy.
I like a soft suspension and don't mind some body roll. This one is getting quite a bit though but it still feels pretty stable to me when I'm in it. I may end up trying some stiffer coils in the near future. Right now I'm running 175/125lbs
A couple of quick NarrowNeck shots. Going up...
...dropping off.
Right here is where the nut holding the front tcase flange on, decided to let go. Easy fix, but it would have been easier if I had a 30mm socket in the tool kit.
NarrowNeck has been my nemesis going back to a story from maaaaaany years ago:redneck: It's easy, but I don't care what you fawkers say....I still think going down it is hairy.
I like a soft suspension and don't mind some body roll. This one is getting quite a bit though but it still feels pretty stable to me when I'm in it. I may end up trying some stiffer coils in the near future. Right now I'm running 175/125lbs
A couple of quick NarrowNeck shots. Going up...
...dropping off.
Right here is where the nut holding the front tcase flange on, decided to let go. Easy fix, but it would have been easier if I had a 30mm socket in the tool kit.
Phantom 309
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Phantom 309
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Ok, Ben. You can exhale now. I'm back.
Went to Funny Rocks with the Finney's to test it out. Other than some engine bugs, I was pretty happy with it. Lots of flex, no hop. I was worried about anti-squat but it wasn't an issue. There was a little, but it hooked up really good. Once again, I was surprised with the TG kit. The links and joints took some abuse that day without bending.
I also finally skinned the top with 10G.
Went to Funny Rocks with the Finney's to test it out. Other than some engine bugs, I was pretty happy with it. Lots of flex, no hop. I was worried about anti-squat but it wasn't an issue. There was a little, but it hooked up really good. Once again, I was surprised with the TG kit. The links and joints took some abuse that day without bending.
I also finally skinned the top with 10G.
Phantom 309
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After spending a week or so fighting some idling issues (turned out to be a hole under the intake tube) I went down to TSF with the W's and some others.
This is starting to seem like it should go in "Trail Chatter" instead of a build thread, but oh well.
TSF was badass but it was raining and snowing, making the obstacles slicker than greased moose poop. About an hour and a half into the trip I impressed BenW with my finesse and broke a rear diff on this climb.
My own damn fault. The truck came with a Lock Right (or EZ Locker) and I was to lazy to change it. It turned out the the center pin broke. I welded it for now, but I have a Detroit third just waiting to be bolted in.
As far as the TSF trip went, I was a passenger for the rest of the day. It was still cool to see Ben and Jay make short work of the Crushers in the snow.
) I went down to TSF with the W's and some others.This is starting to seem like it should go in "Trail Chatter" instead of a build thread, but oh well.
TSF was badass but it was raining and snowing, making the obstacles slicker than greased moose poop. About an hour and a half into the trip I impressed BenW with my finesse and broke a rear diff on this climb.
My own damn fault. The truck came with a Lock Right (or EZ Locker) and I was to lazy to change it. It turned out the the center pin broke. I welded it for now, but I have a Detroit third just waiting to be bolted in.
As far as the TSF trip went, I was a passenger for the rest of the day. It was still cool to see Ben and Jay make short work of the Crushers in the snow.
Phantom 309
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Like I said in the last post, the center pin in the Lock Right broke. I just swapped it out with a welded third that I had laying around. I ended up getting a Detroit but probably won't bother putting it in until early spring.
Next up was the the first snow wheeling trip of the year for me. We went up the Colockum to Mission Ridge. I hated the power of the yota but really liked all of the gear selections compared to my Jeep. If I could find a way to shave about five hundred pounds off of this without making it look like a truggy I would be happy. I built a cheesy soft top for it and really enjoyed staying warm and having doors and windshield. Luxuries that my jeep didn't have.:redneck:
Something on the TG twin stick broke about halfway through the trip. The
2wd/4wd shifter quit shifting. Luckily it stuck in 4wd so I didn't have to tear it apart up there.
When I took it apart at home I found that the roll pin that holds the shift lever(s) in had backed out. This allowed the shift lever to slide sidways away from the housing and out of the arm that engages the shift rail. That "arm" was still laying vertical in the shift rail. How it didn't fall out I don't know. If it had, I would be buying new TCase gears
issed:
Next up was the the first snow wheeling trip of the year for me. We went up the Colockum to Mission Ridge. I hated the power of the yota but really liked all of the gear selections compared to my Jeep. If I could find a way to shave about five hundred pounds off of this without making it look like a truggy I would be happy. I built a cheesy soft top for it and really enjoyed staying warm and having doors and windshield. Luxuries that my jeep didn't have.:redneck:
Something on the TG twin stick broke about halfway through the trip. The
2wd/4wd shifter quit shifting. Luckily it stuck in 4wd so I didn't have to tear it apart up there.
When I took it apart at home I found that the roll pin that holds the shift lever(s) in had backed out. This allowed the shift lever to slide sidways away from the housing and out of the arm that engages the shift rail. That "arm" was still laying vertical in the shift rail. How it didn't fall out I don't know. If it had, I would be buying new TCase gears
issed:Phantom 309
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With some Coors Light motivation, I decided to solidify my rep as an internet poser by painting the truck.
Next up is full hydraulic steering but it probably won't happen until later this spring. I really like the "behind the axle" arms that Rocktoy made me and I'd recommend them to anyone. I just need the ease of hydraulic because of these dainty chicken bones that I have where my arms should be.
Next up is full hydraulic steering but it probably won't happen until later this spring. I really like the "behind the axle" arms that Rocktoy made me and I'd recommend them to anyone. I just need the ease of hydraulic because of these dainty chicken bones that I have where my arms should be.
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benw1
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Congratulations! :cheer:
Phantom 309
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Thank you, Ben. The cheerleader smilie was a nice touch:flipoff:
super samurai
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thanks for sharing.
i thought tsf was sweet also. if i wasnt married and tied to everything i have i would move down there, i thought tsf was better then anyplace here just about.
i like your rig, is it at all streetable?
i thought tsf was sweet also. if i wasnt married and tied to everything i have i would move down there, i thought tsf was better then anyplace here just about.
i like your rig, is it at all streetable?
