Primate Labs Test Subject - 2007 Tacoma - codename: Silverback

[Silverback]

I'm sure it will. I have yet to connect the damn fan... yes I'm lazy and its hot.

 

[Silverback]

Bumper has been painted. I like the look of the VHT Chassis and Roll Bar paint. I need to let it cure for a few days and then mount the lights and backup camera.

 

[TacoXpo]

And for some reason I thought the bumper was for the old school ride.

 

[Silverback]

It's on the list of things to do. Right. Ow it only has a piece of 2x4 box for a bumper.

 

[Silverback]

Got the bumper installed. Mostly. I need a couple new bumper mount bolts, some were a little boogered up after almost 10 years. Also, I have not wired up the lights nor have I installed the license plates flip-up or lights. One final thing... I think I need to trim the fender flares a little more. I went minimal with the cutting and I think I can take another 1/8-1/4 off the fender flares. Oh yeah, still need to make the quarter panels stiffener and do something with the inner fender well liner. And finally. I think finally, I need to mount the backup camera. So yeah, I got a lot more to do.

 

[Silverback]

Time to do the shackle mod on it... those things look like shit!

 

[Oswego]

Time to do the shackle mod on it... those things look like shit!

Looking good.

I had good luck with the new ATO flip kit and a Jeep shackle with my Dakars....of course I never updated my build, but I'm pretty happy. Good kit and it actually followed the contours of the frame very good when others I have seen do not.

 

[Silverback]

That's the one I was looking at. @Oswego how long were the shackles you used?

 

[Oswego]

That's the one I was looking at. @Oswego how long were the shackles you used?

Good question. If I can remember when I'm packing tonight (3 day weekend) Ill check and shoot you the numbers. I took pics of everything, but never posted them here. Pretty sure I threw them on my fakebook account. Haven't logged onto that in a month or so and I don't have my password with me so I can't check today at work.

Be warned though - My suspension is a little unique. If your going to follow anything close to what I did and do not have 12" of travel it could pose some problems (shock becoming "limit strap"). I'm the only person I know of running a 12" shock that hasn't needed to relocate the shock mounts add limit straps, or do any heavy modification besides extend bump stops. My theory during design was when I was Open/Open I wanted the most amount of droop possible so I'd have tires in contact as much as possible. Open/LSD doesn't like when one tire is in the air. I did need to kill some up-travel, but with your 34's you probably can't stuff a tire anyway so that may be an non-issue. I think I took an inch away from up travel but gained something like 9" of down-travel. My shocks are not my "limit straps" - my leaf springs are. Hard for a rookie like me to explain it properly.

 

[tx_shooter]

That sounds like a good setup. Looking forward to a few pics.

 

[Silverback]

Yeah, post pics. Go update your thread.. show progress on motor swap.

 

[SecretSquirrel]

That's the one I was looking at. @Oswego how long were the shackles you used?

I used the 1" XJ shackle
JKS Manufacturing Rear Greasable Shackles for 84-01 Jeep® Cherokee XJ, Comanche MJ & Wagoneer SJ | Quadratec

 

[Silverback]

Thanks Rich

 

[Oswego]

That reminds me - Jeep shackles are 1/8"-3/16" thinner in width than Toyota Tacoma bushings so you should shim that gap with something. I used stainless steel fender washers I had to look all over for trying to find the right OD/ID/thickness. Think I may actually have a few left over because I had to buy min quantity of 5 or something.

 

[Silverback]

The swingout has an extra piece of steel bolted to the top of the bracket for the pin to slide on. It rubs each time it opens or closes. So I bought a black cutting board the same thickness, traced out the pattern and bolted it in place. Boom... no scratches.

 

[TacoXpo]

Nice. I have seen heavy doors lately that use the same concept.

 

[Silverback]

I next need to get a thin piece of rubber to sandwich between the swingout and bumper when its shut. I also noticed a little bit of rubbing there. Very minimal.

 

[Silverback]

Finally got the backup lights wired up.

Now to work on this flipup license place holder. What a PITA its turning out to be. Also need to install the license plate lights.

 

[TacoXpo]

I haven't had a license plate light for about 6 years. I am certainly glad I drive sober or I would have certainly been pulled over by now!!!

 

[Silverback]

I got the licence plate lights mounted and wired.. everything up underneath is in splitloom and zip tied out of the way. Only thing left on it is the backup camera.... and I'm not sure where I will mount it.