What have you done to your ride lately?

[TacoXpo]

I should send you pics of my front rad support. A friend that specs for HiLuxes for US military once told me: Use poly for cab and factory for rad support. These frames are not as rigid as you may think and the sheetmetal is 'high strength' not very flexible!

 

[italynstylion]

Yep, same here.

EDIT: Speaking of torque values, @italynstylion do you remember the Torque specs for the radiator mounts? If not, I'll stop being a lazy ass and go look em up

Now I'm worried about cracks and I'm in another state and can't look .

And I think the bushings say 34lb/ft from what I remember seeing in the big thread? To be fair, I don't even own a torque wrench so I just think about the type of bolt and purpose it serves and say, "Hmmm, feels about right?"

 

[Oswego]

I never documented it with pics because it would just depress me. Here's what I came up with after a google image search

rad support
Core Support is Tearing Itself Apart

fender
Crack in sheet metal driver side wheel well

also if you have a double cab they are notorious for cracking right above the rear door under the door gasket. Crappy spot weld placement in a stress area, but couldn't find a pic

 

[italynstylion]

That's the scariest thing I've ever seen.

 

[Anathollo]

Pics?.... along for a friend...

This is on my list to reweld. I'll probably weld this up at the same time I replace the radiator mount bushings.

 

[TacoXpo]

also if you have a double cab they are notorious for cracking right above the rear door under the door gasket. Crappy spot weld placement in a stress area, but couldn't find a pic

I will post later

 

[TacoXpo]

Just a few of mine:

 

[Anathollo]

Just a few of mine:
View attachment 12957 View attachment 12958 View attachment 12959

Did you put any filler material or strengthening plates on the cracks when you welded them back up?

 

[TacoXpo]

Did you put any filler material or strengthening plates on the cracks when you welded them back up?

Only weld rod - fish plates are good for substantial material - remember where I welded is probably 4-6x more thickness than the base material.

 

[CowboyTaco]

Like I need another thing to worry about. I'll be inspecting mine later today.

On a different note, I see that I made it into @TacoXpo 's sig! Although, not sure I like to dirty connotation along with it....

 

[CowboyTaco]

Y'all ever hear of Tuff Country UCAs?

2005-2019 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 & 2wd PreRunner Upper Control Arms by Tuff Country #50935 | SuspensionConnection.com

News to me. Seem to get good reviews, but I always viewed them as a sort of cheaper/inferior company in general.

 

[Silverback]

They have been around a pretty long time making middle of the road products. Don't have any experience with them, but if its a part that if it breaks it can kill you I'll spend the extra $$.

 

[Oswego]

Y'all ever hear of Tuff Country UCAs?

2005-2019 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 & 2wd PreRunner Upper Control Arms by Tuff Country #50935 | SuspensionConnection.com

News to me. Seem to get good reviews, but I always viewed them as a sort of cheaper/inferior company in general.

I haven't heard bad things, but I also stay far away from the 4x4 2nd gen Tacoma scene these days. TOR irony anyone?

If you want to get your hands dirty and go down the rabbit hole of rebuilding a set of Total Chaos UCA's PM me. I have my original set I took off last year during my engine swap. No idea what needs to be done to them in regards to bushings or the uniball ~ I took them off the truck then into a box and forgot about them. If you are serious hit me up and Ill clean them up, give you my opinion on what I would rebuild parts wise, and get you some pics along with first dibs so long as I didn't promise them to anyone I forgot about. Ive been meaning to clean up my takeoff parts and get them posted in a garage sale this winter and that would be a motivator to do so. Also got some King 2.0 front shocks and a ton of other misc stuff I need to get rid of someday.

 

[tx_shooter]

Now I'm worried about cracks and I'm in another state and can't look .

And I think the bushings say 34lb/ft from what I remember seeing in the big thread? To be fair, I don't even own a torque wrench so I just think about the type of bolt and purpose it serves and say, "Hmmm, feels about right?"

As detailed as you are it amazes me you do not own a torque wrench. Sounds like we need to get you some links from @Silverback

 

[Silverback]

Check out these.. 50% off.

Sears.com

Sears.com

 

[italynstylion]

As detailed as you are it amazes me you do not own a torque wrench. Sounds like we need to get you some links from @Silverback

I know I know....just never happened. And the prices on those are hard to pass up. I may have to add one to the fleet along with my recent additions of the angle grinder, air hammer, and 1000lbft impact wrench.

 

[Anathollo]

I know I know....just never happened. And the prices on those are hard to pass up. I may have to add one to the fleet along with my recent additions of the angle grinder, air hammer, and 1000lbft impact wrench.

You really need to buy one. I have found that the front Tacoma center hub (173 ft pds) and the four 17mm bolts that hold your hub to your spindle (59 ft.pds) are super sensitive to being over-torqued. They wear out much quicker if not torqued properly and I mean a lot quicker...

 

[CowboyTaco]

No stress cracks from what I could see!

The bushings do look pretty worn on the UCAs though.I didn't get up close and personal with them, but what I could see from the tire side of the fender looked bad enough. PM inbound @Oswego

 

[CowboyTaco]

Ok, gents. I need your assistance. I need to have my tires rebalanced again and will have DT rotate them while I am there. Last time, they broke 2 of my center caps. The manager told me they would purchase 4 new ones for me....either OEM of aftermarket....I just needed to let him know which ones.

@tex recommended contacting camelback toyota to see what they recommended. I have not done this simple and easy step. So, the challenge, who can find me center caps to replace my FJ TT style wheels? Preferrably not the OEM...I can find those. I want an alternative that works. I hate how my sockets rub the center cap when I take the wheels off.

Like I have:

Ideally:

I've heard of people putting the above style in the newer trail wheels, like we have on my wife's 4R, but they require a spacer to clear the hub. Not sure if that is accurate, but it's what I've read on T4R.

 

[tx_shooter]

The little TRD center cap is like $12 on ebay for a set last time I ordered them for my 4R.