One Ton 2nd gen Tacoma Build

Picked up a pop up to mount to my gooseneck this morning. @upnover cam by and got some of my junk. Good to see you Chip.

Been working on my drag link this afternoon. Had to do some odd bends and notch it out for my idler pulley, but got it to clear everything.

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Picked up a pop up to mount to my gooseneck this morning. @upnover cam by and got some of my junk. Good to see you Chip.

Been working on my drag link this afternoon. Had to do some odd bends and notch it out for my idler pulley, but got it to clear everything.

Was good to see you again also! Thanks for the "Junk"
 
Ordered a splined unjoint thingy to adapt A shaft I picked up at the junk yard to my steering column.
It’s was a 5/8-36 Spline to 3/4 ROUND SMOOTH WELD ON
I was told this was the right size. It wouldn’t quite fit. Had to grind out the splines on the column with some old dentist attachments...
worked great.

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extended my shaft.

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Steering is complete.

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Plated the inside of the frame. It is really hard to get to to weld but two sticks of 3/8 flat stock should keep it together.

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Thanks. Slow, but coming along.
How much frame flex is too much? It still flexes a little. Gonna add some more plates on that side but it still definitely flexes some even with two 3/8x1-1/4 plates on the inside and 3/16 plates on the outside.

Gonna add this too to help. I may end up plating the passenger side outside frame rail.

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Flexes which way?
 
Flexes which way?
If I put jack stands under the front crossmember and lower it down onto the stands the front flexes up.
Jack is under t case crossmember
 
If I put jack stands under the front crossmember and lower it down onto the stands the front flexes up.
Jack is under t case crossmember

Need to add vertical height back to the frame, that cardboard piece should help some.
 
I don’t think you’re plating enough frame to compensate for the chunk you removed. I’m used to seeing a plate run from the door jam all the way to the frame horn. I’m also not a metallurgical expert, but I’d be weary of how much heat you’ve put into that one section of frame rail.
 
Need to add vertical height back to the frame, that cardboard piece should help some.
Yeah I just can’t go up higher on the outside cause of the steering box. I can go higher on the inside of the frame where that cardboard is.


You could also stiffen with tube, by building a grill hoop and triangulating it back to the frame/firewall/A-pillar.

Yeah I’m adding shock hoops soon. I’ll try to tie those into the grill hoop/bumper I’m building, but there isn’t much room on these newer trucks.
 
Thanks. Slow, but coming along.
How much frame flex is too much? It still flexes a little. Gonna add some more plates on that side but it still definitely flexes some even with two 3/8x1-1/4 plates on the inside and 3/16 plates on the outside.

Gonna add this too to help. I may end up plating the passenger side outside frame rail.

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These newer trucks usually get the whole front frame section plated up on both driver and passenger to prevent flex, whether linked or on leafs as far as I have seen. The front frames are quite thin on them. I would do the whole thing on both sides personally.
 
These newer trucks usually get the whole front frame section plated up on both driver and passenger to prevent flex, whether linked or on leafs as far as I have seen. The front frames are quite thin on them. I would do the whole thing on both sides personally.
That’s what I’m leaning towards. Why not right? lol

@Chris_Keziah what if I added a taller plate rather than just where I had the cardboard cut out?
I have room on that side behind the box.
How thick of plate should I use? 3/16 is what I‘ve been using but if I go right behind the current plate on top of the frame I could use a thicker one.

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That’s what I’m leaning towards. Why not right? lol

@Chris_Keziah what if I added a taller plate rather than just where I had the cardboard cut out?
I have room on that side behind the box.
How thick of plate should I use? 3/16 is what I‘ve been using but if I go right behind the current plate on top of the frame I could use a thicker one.

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I would say so lol. It’s why the Toyota frame plate aftermarket has so many options. Wish I would have sold you the set I had with the truck but my buddy needed them. Haha
 
That’s what I’m leaning towards. Why not right? lol

@Chris_Keziah what if I added a taller plate rather than just where I had the cardboard cut out?
I have room on that side behind the box.
How thick of plate should I use? 3/16 is what I‘ve been using but if I go right behind the current plate on top of the frame I could use a thicker one.

View attachment 304844 View attachment 304845 View attachment 304846

If you just moved that steering box to the work bench you'd have plenty of room for an orbital. I'd try to build a box spine on top as tall and wide within reason. Really hard to tell but doesn't look like a terrible amount of room.
 
If you just moved that steering box to the work bench you'd have plenty of room for an orbital. I'd try to build a box spine on top as tall and wide within reason. Really hard to tell but doesn't look like a terrible amount of room.
Can’t do full hydro... airbag clocking ring in column will break and I’ll loose all controls on the column. Cruise, horn, blinker, etc.
Not much room under the box on outside of frame. Inside, it can extend up more.
 
You could also stiffen with tube, by building a grill hoop and triangulating it back to the frame/firewall/A-pillar.
What about a tube underneath it?

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I was thinking something like this with a heavy wall DOM. Only thing is keeping it tight enough to frame may hamper getting the pitman arm off without removing the steering box??
So I looked a little harder and it’s actually not flexing where the notch is. It right behind the plates where the frame is bare. So I guess I’ll be plating the rest of the frame like @Wesling Ducos was saying. And still adding more to the notched section.
 
Plates are done around the notch. Still flexes where the frame is stock. Gonna plate the whole front I guess.

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