yeah i figured as much or the vein for the outside pistons but still looking into it more, i literally only need the back edge to be the depth of the indention, not even the depth of the "T" stamp, just the indention where it sits.
- Might try some thin spacers but i hate running them without being hub and wheel centric and nothing that thin will be so.
- Might also see about trimming the wheels. Its literally just the bent in edge from the dimple die on the inside of the windows that touches.

Hate to give up on these wheels over a few mils

I've got some spacers just sitting around in my garage that are like 1" or something. I'd send them to you if you want. I owe @JZiggy a pay-it-forward.

man that'd be amazing and if i dont end up using them long-term i'll do the same, thank you!
i'll pm you

bike rack update that didnt need to be a new post:

Just incase anyone wanted to know where i landed. I may still get a platform style eventually but for now i chopped up the swing out for later use and put the yakima rack back together without it. Now it weighs very little and is much easier to take off and on so i dont mind the lack of a swing.






Been a bit since i tigged so my welds are ugly but strong at least. I tested it by hanging on the bike part and it didnt budge at all. might still reinforce though as im out of practice and having fun

Welp, checked under the truck today and my outer boots are losing some grease. Thought i got the factory style clamps on tight enough but apparently not. They have not unseated its just squeezing out past the clamp. Im used to losing a little but thinking i might run a hose clamp on em to actually be able to tighten them down more. I didnt buy the tool to tighten the factory clamp and can only do so much with pliers.



The other side lost a good bit more

Update, fixed
Tried to tighten the factory style clamp more pulling with pliers while pinning the clamp down with a flathead, seemed to work pretty well and got it tight but i dont want to have to check it constantly so i just pulled those off and used hose clamps that i know are tight enough. We’ll see if anything gets past these



Not a ton of clearance from the inner balljoint mount points but enough.

Been a couple days and 60 or so miles with no leaks some im calling that fixed

Next build piece, scrap steel rock sliders



Need to get some tube for mounts but have enough for the rails. Hopefully i’ll make it to metal super market this week for some more pieces.

Reinforced the bike rack because i wanted to practice tigging. Still ugly



Also replaced my lower dipstick o-ring for one i had laying around. Hard to get in but should seal up the seep i’ve been seeing.



Also pulled out the passenger seat to see where im at with these nissan seats. Looks closer than i expected but i think i will need to move the rail feet to the the nissan sliders so i started pulling those apart.

Also got the spacers thanks to @weekendclimber but didnt get a chance to test fit. I know for sure that they'll give more than enough clearance fo the wheels though.


bah! its been raining a lot lately and though my sunroof doesnt work it now seems to be leaking on the passenger front corner. Blew out the drain hose with compressed air and hopefully that will fix it but now i need to let it dry out so i can see if it worked or if the headliner and sunroof will have to come out. lets hope not

Great build. Walking the same path with a 5VZ that has 450K miles on it. Your pics and info really help. You mentioned the block was bored. Did you reuse your stock pistons? Machine shop bored my block + .020" to clean it up. I am sourcing over-sized pistons. Appreciate any recommended sources. Thanks!

Thank you!
Machine shop bored mine to 020 as well and supplied the bigger pistons, rings, rods, bearings and thrust washers as they had a source. I know a lot of people use yotashop but i didnt end up needing to personally.

As for an update, Nissan seats are in! I think they are from a murano but dont know for sure.

Took the better part of a day. Started on the passenger side by using the entire lower slider and feet from the 4R seat. Seemed like the best way to go but after i got to the driver side(which i couldnt use the lower slider because the nissan driver side isnt manual) i decided that the best and only bet was to cut the feet off and weld them to the nissan sliders.

Only going to post the latter as it was the right option and i shouldve done both that way.

4R feet removed

Removing the Nissan feet


Once i had the 4R feet off and the nissan sliders cleaned up and foot free, i bolted the feet into the truck then lined up the nissan seat without the bottom cushion on and tacked the sliders to the feet while in the cab(not great but i used a welding blanket to keep the carpet from catching fire)


After that i pulled it back out and crudely welded it with my cheapo harbor freight mig. The holes where the rivets were worked great for plug welds


After that i just reinstalled the bottom cushion and put the whole thing in.

Didnt have time to wire it today so i just quickly ran a hot wire from the battery and a ground to adjust the seat to where i need it.


And all done for the day



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Slider update, found these in the local classifieds and will be picking them up saturday.



Much better start than my scraps and still very cheap. Might need to extend a tad as they are about 58” but for 40 bucks i’ll modify. I have plenty of plate for the feet and some gussets for strength.


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As I was leaving smith's last night walking back to my T4R I noticed a 3rd gen parked next to me. As I get closer I realize it's yours and I was standing there checking it out then I noticed your girl in the passenger seat. Hopefully she didnt think I was creeping. LOL Nice looking rig man!

Be honest, you were totally creeping, but just on the rig not his lady

hahahahahaha well thank you! i saw yours while pulling in and thought, "well obviously i have to park next to the other 3rd gen," my wife rolled her eyes about that, LOL, i dont think she even noticed you checking it out

I dig the Taco wheels man, looks clean on there for sure.

hahaha thats fair game then, right?

Started mocking up the sliders, had to trim one leg but otherwise i think they’ll fit pretty good once extended a tad.

Question is, do i center it and lengthen a little on both ends



Or push it back and only lengthen the front?





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Probably easier to cut it in the middle and lengthen from there?

If i want to lengthen the whole thing, i think you’re right but i was just planning on extending the lower rail.

I know i lose a little protection that way but i have some pipe that i should be able to use to add a few inches on either side. I suppose i could draw out the whole thing but hadnt thought about it


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Not much work has been done since the seats because we’ve been out in it driving instead! Always a good sign, also moving into our new house little by little so that takes a lot of my time.

Did some offroading yesterday and found some more amazing spots in the wasatch mountains. Also came upon a goober in a 2wd frontier buried up to the front bumper in a rut and not going anywhere anytime soon. He flew past us an hour or so earlier as we were just cruising and taking in the sights. Anywho, yanked him out without as much as a thanks and continued on our way. Great mini adventure and a fun day overall








Now back to what ive been dreading




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