"Oops, Rolled the Runner!" a.k.a. Grocery-Getter v.2.0 build

[white_n_slow]

So I'm kind of at a loss as to how I want to address rear shocks with the new truck.

I'm thinking Bilstein 5125 because I used them on the mini truck with great results with chevy 63" leafs, which are kind of soft, much like the LC coils. The 5125's mount eye-to eye. I want to use the factory lower mount and weld an upper mount to the outside of the frame in the wheel well. What I'm not sure about is if I will have room in the wheel well with the 35's stuffed in there. I'm also not sure what length of shock I need.

Really the only way to find out is to put on the lift and tires, mock something up and measure, but that means driving with no rear shocks until I get it sorted out. I've done it before, but I'm not too keen on the idea.

Any ideas/advice?

 

[white_n_slow]

Well, I wrapped my head around it a little longer and I think I'm just going to weld some brackets to the stock upper shock mount location to accept a normal eye-to-eye shock. I just wasn't sure how much room I was going to have on the outside of the frame with the 35's and these funky offset 4th gen wheels.

In other news, we're taking a trip to Salida for my buddy's wedding this weekend, so my wife insisted I swap the stereo over. I had to bust out what was left of the windshield and pry the dash away from the A-pillar to get my bluetooth microphone out. :/

Aside from that the 'ol pile o' parts keeps slowly but steadily growing. Got some new toyota bolts to go with the LBJ's that have been sitting in my garage for a year.

:edit: yes, my truck is very dirty.

 

[white_n_slow]

Well I just discovered this little doohicky that would solve my rear shock problem, but at $80 for a pair, I think I'm better off just making something myself :/

 

[white_n_slow]

Apparently I'm too busy to work on the truck. Today I just did an oil change and took off the running boards. I also discovered a little surprise - busted front sway bar endlink (thankfully I had a spare on hand). I thought the handling was a little sloppy lately. :/ I also got my rear shocks in the mail last week.

 

[zgensler31]

Just a thought to get the old shocks off...couldn't you just cut the whole mount off the truck and undo the bolt once the shock is out of there? You are scrapping the wrecked one..

 

[white_n_slow]

I did think about that, but I had second thoughts because the shock mount and the upper spring mount seem to be integral with each other and I do need to put the springs back in so I can roll the truck out of the garage.

But now that you mention it, I probably could cut out a circle around the mount without chopping out that whole area.

 

[white_n_slow]

Well I was supposed to go to the Great Sand Dunes this weekend with my parents, but our photo shoot location is still snowed in (my stepdad is a semi-pro landscape photographer). So I actually had some time to work on the truck this weekend. I had a few friends over to help out.

Installed my lift (third perch on the tundra bilsteins) and new LBJ's that I had sitting in the garage for nearly a year. That includes $18 worth of genuine Toyota LBJ bolts

 

[white_n_slow]

This is what I came up with for the rear shocks. I will never touch a stock toyota upper shock mount again. In your face, Toyota engineers! Plus it was free.


Yes my welds are ugly. My buddy's welds were a little better I think I'm just going to let the 80-series tokicos go to the junk yard. :/

 

[white_n_slow]

A little before and after just for the fun of it:

 

[white_n_slow]

A few thoughts and observations after driving a few days:

- The bilstein 5125's have a much more comfortable ride compared to the LC Tokicos
- The persistent clicking noise the truck has been making is definitely worse. I think new CV's are in my near future
- I need a new alignment. Stat. The truck darts all over the road and the front tires squeal pulling into a parking spot or making any sort of tight turn at low speed
- It seems taller than the same suspension on the '97. The front makes sense, since I'm one perch higher on the struts. However the rear seems taller too. Maybe it's just because I removed the trailer hitch and spare tire.

 

[4Running Daily]

Clicking could be your coils hitting your UCA

 

[downpour11]

Lift looks great! :thumb3:

 

[white_n_slow]

Clicking could be your coils hitting your UCA

I don't think so because it was making the same noise before the lift. It is definitely louder now though. Sounds just like a typical CV "click click click," the only thing throwing me off is that it isn't any louder when you go around a corner. It's just constant.

Lift looks great! :thumb3:

Thanks

 

[white_n_slow]

A friend of a friend has a 3rd gen which recently lost compression in one or two cylinders due to neglect by his wife. Just so happens, my '97 has a perfectly good engine to donate. I was able to really help this guy out, which makes me happy. And as payment for the runner, his mechanic will pull the transmission and whatever other parts I want and set them aside for me. Then whatever he sells the rest for (recycling scrap), he will give to me as well It worked out great for the both of us!

Final parting shot of the '97:

 

[Yoter]

Save the headlights and grill...
In case you want to do a Satoshi or a HID retrofit!!

 

[Hepar]

New rig is coming along great and good to hear the engine is going to a good cause.

 

[white_n_slow]

Well, it turns out Robb1887 was right to warn me about the offset on these wheels. I tried a test-fit today and as you can see, the tire contacts the UCA, and there is still a good 1/4" to 1/2" before the wheel will bolt up to the spacer. I have not gotten an alignment yet, but I imagine this will be even worse once they fix the positive camber I have going right now. So I'll probably need a 2" spacer to make these wheels fit with the 315's. That on top of the cost to re-gear, and I'm considering running my Coopers for a while longer

 

[Ol'Blue]

:cry2:

This is no good but I will be waiting to see what you got in the works

Blue

 

[robb1887]

I like being right.... But I don't like that I am right about that. Get some trail editions like I did... The fit nice

 

[tre9er]

So to be clear, you have full Tundra TRD assemblies up front, LC coils and bilsteins in the rear, right? I'd love to see better pictures of the old vs. new rear upper shock mounts, too, if you have them. Interested in going this way myself.