Topic: BigMike's Big Journey: A 2016 Tacoma Build Thread

[emsvitil]

June 3, 2016: Bald Mountain (continued)

At this point I had encountered my first two annoying characteristic of the new Tacoma.

Old School Rock Crawler's Off-road Impressions I

• The V6 flywheel must weigh a full metric ton. If you try jam'n through the gears in low range the RPMs don't fall at nearly a quick enough rate. I have no doubt this was done for better fuel economy as well as less apparent mistakes to novice gear jammers. I already have a simple solution for this in my mind.
  

Does the engine have a throttle cable/linkage or is it drive-by-wire (ECU controlled)   ?

If it's drive-by-wire, you're screwed; as the computer is dropping the revs slowly for emission reasons.     (My sister's Saturn VUE manual tranny did that and it drove me nuts....)


Auto-LSD:    Sounds like you need 4 switches (one for each wheel) to manually tell the computer to apply the brakes for a specific wheel....[/list]

[T-Revv]

I am a live axle front suspension guy thru-and-thru; I'm starting to realize it will be painful to keep mine IFS. Hoping to resist the urge for a while-

Don't resist it mike. You just gotta SAC up.    Straight Axle Conversion or bust!!! 

[300k]

Yeah SAS her... I don't know what kinda bogus you're trying to pull by saying "I plan to appeal to the Tacoma masses.", but the masses don't wanna see any stinkin control arms in the front of that truck!

[V-Man]

Torsen diffs would work great with the Auto LSD.  Humvees use the same traction control system but have Torsen Diffs NOT LSD Diffs. 


By the way my 2016 TRD sport does Not have hill asst start. It's all heel and toe or gentle use of the hand brake...which applies brakez on  both rear wheels .

Can you measure from the ground to the bottom of your rocks for me please.. Your truck looks way shorter then mine.  I am still at stock height but have lots of ground clearance.

[H8PVMNT]

Yeah SAS her... I don't know what kinda bogus you're trying to pull by saying "I plan to appeal to the Tacoma masses.", but the masses don't wanna see any stinkin control arms in the front of that truck!

Yes we don't need another all pro thing happening.  Do a really well thought out SAS.  Leaf springs if at all possible.

[Toyotadon]

Does the engine have a throttle cable/linkage or is it drive-by-wire (ECU controlled)   ?

If it's drive-by-wire, you're screwed; as the computer is dropping the revs slowly for emission reasons.     (My sister's Saturn VUE manual tranny did that and it drove me nuts....)

It is drive-by-wire, and you are right that this is what's keeping the RPM up.  It would probably require a software revision to "correct" that.

[BigMike [OP]]

If it's drive-by-wire, you're screwed; as the computer is dropping the revs slowly for emission reasons.

It is drive-by-wire, and you are right that this is what's keeping the RPM up.  It would probably require a software revision to "correct" that.

Yeah, it looks like this is the issue, as I was informed about it on another site. As for the software revision, I am currently working on something of that nature and if successful then I will see about eliminating it.

Sounds like you need 4 switches (one for each wheel) to manually tell the computer to apply the brakes for a specific wheel....

I am already working on something similar to add a very special functionality that I have on my 1981 Hilux, only this time it will certainly without question be far better with the Tacoma.

the masses don't wanna see any stinkin control arms in the front of that truck!

I'm sorry to tell you this but the sad reality is that they actually do. Consider an image search for "lifted Tacoma", https://duckduckgo.com/?q=lifted+Tacoma&t=hb&iax=1&ia=images. I scrolled for a while and couldn't even find a SAS Tacoma.

Look, I'm with you and I'm also upset that Toyota does not equip or even offer as an option a live front axle for the Tacoma. But we must concede to the clear facts that Toyota is the #1 automobile manufacture in the world (or did VW finally surpass them?) and the Tacoma is by a run-away margin the #1 most sold compact pickup in the US of A for a reason. To put things into perspective, after the 1st quarter of 3rd gen Tacoma sales, Toyota sold more Tacoma's than Colorado's, Canyon's and Frontier's COMBINED. It is insane. Moreover, according to KBB, the top 10 automobiles for best resale value ranks the FJ Cruiser as #1 (now discontinued), the Tacoma as #2, and the 4Runner as #3. What do all three have in common? You guessed it, independent front suspension. Despite how much we like to dislike IFS, we have to recognize that Toyota has the best marketing analysis and has proved the demand to be IFS over live axle in the U.S. of A. Don't blame Toyota. Blame consumers, of which now I'm part responsible. I've said it before and it's prudent to repeat here: The day the 70-series Land Cruiser is offered in the U.S. of A. will be the same day I sell this Tacoma.

By the way my 2016 TRD sport does Not have hill asst start.

Hmmmm? Mine certainly does. Yours is a stick shift, right? It doesn't need much of a hill at all; I can demonstrate it on the gentle slope of our Marlin Crawler parking lot.

Can you measure from the ground to the bottom of your rocks for me please.. Your truck looks way shorter then mine.  I am still at stock height but have lots of ground clearance.

I can't so much do this anymore, number one because the truck isn't at stock height any longer (more on this sooner), and it's also currently not in my possession (more on this soon).

Regards,
BigMike

[fireitup]

The day the 70-series Land Cruiser is offered in the U.S. of A. will be the same day I sell this Tacoma.

That day will be a glorious day.

[300k]

I'm sorry to tell you this but the sad reality is that they actually do. Consider an image search for "lifted Tacoma", https://duckduckgo.com/?q=lifted+Tacoma&t=hb&iax=1&ia=images. I scrolled for a while and couldn't even find a SAS Tacoma.

Look, I'm with you and I'm also upset that Toyota does not equip or even offer as an option a live front axle for the Tacoma. But we must concede to the clear facts that Toyota is the #1 automobile manufacture in the world (or did VW finally surpass them?) and the Tacoma is by a run-away margin the #1 most sold compact pickup in the US of A for a reason. To put things into perspective, after the 1st quarter of 3rd gen Tacoma sales, Toyota sold more Tacoma's than Colorado's, Canyon's and Frontier's COMBINED. It is insane. Moreover, according to KBB, the top 10 automobiles for best resale value ranks the FJ Cruiser as #1 (now discontinued), the Tacoma as #2, and the 4Runner as #3. What do all three have in common? You guessed it, independent front suspension. Despite how much we like to dislike IFS, we have to recognize that Toyota has the best marketing analysis and has proved the demand to be IFS over live axle in the U.S. of A. Don't blame Toyota. Blame consumers, of which now I'm part responsible. I've said it before and it's prudent to repeat here: The day the 70-series Land Cruiser is offered in the U.S. of A. will be the same day I sell this Tacoma.


Regards,
BigMike

All the trucks on that page are fancy steam rollers made to compact the pavement. search up "Tacoma Crawler" and you'll return to the incredible land of solid axles and Marlin stickers. I'm all for whatever you do with this truck, it's obviously not my truck to modify. Maybe SAS'd trucks are becoming old and IFS trucks that crawl will be the new thing? Either way, an IFS 2016 Tacoma that competes on the rubicon without a ton of fab work or a SAS'd 2016 tacoma, you're going to break new ground and it's gonna be sweet.

and PS, your stock tacoma has done harder wheeling than my 84 pickup. I'm officially a chump.

[T-Revv]

It is true IFS has developed far beyond the old IFS systems we love to cut off trucks (ie 86 through the nineties) and it is possible to build an amazing IFS crawler ( just look at the ultra 4 world) but the love for a live axle is still strong.  so its a hard decesion

[V-Man]

Ok mike if you can't measure the height. Whar tire package ( size ) came on your truck?
I fit 33's at stock height.  2 to 3 inches of lift is way more then I will need to clear 35's.  Still need to regear but then the ARB Lockers come with the new diffs.

You are making a rock crawler, but I need an Oberland style truck.

The one thing we both want is the crawler box.   

[Brendan]

 I think your decision to keep it IFS is a bold move. Converting it to SAS is the easy cut and run method.  Proving you can gracefully do everything you did before with IFS is the real challenge.

[BigMike [OP]]

That day will be a glorious day.

Cheers to that, friend

Shoutout to 46&2:
Guide to Foreign (Non-USA) Model Toyotas
Toyota: Bring the 70 Series Land Cruiser and Diesels to the USA (Facebook)

All the trucks on that page are fancy steam rollers made to compact the pavement.

Because the Tacoma is not a hardcore off-road truck (read: it has IFS), this specifically is it's de facto modus operandi.

I'd like to stop and express how we feel part responsible for this. As I posted on page one, one reason I got this Tacoma is to prove to the world that Marlin Crawler isn't just a company for the older pickup market. We invented the Tacoma Dual Case setup back in 2001 but none here have ever wheeled a Tacoma. And when I sit back and look at the timeline, I get hit right in the face. Consider the following:
- Marlin starts Marlin Crawler in April of 1994. That same year the first gen Tacoma is introduced at the North American International Auto Show.
- I build my 1981 Hilux from July of 2004. That same year the second gen Tacoma is introduced at the North American International Auto Show.

In all reality, Marlin should have switched to a Tacoma straight away and I should have done what I'm doing here and built the first-ever 2nd gen Tacoma Rock Crawler instead of a 1st gen Hilux. We both had pinnacle opportunities to take the Tacoma where we've taken the Hilux. Naturally, we don't live in the past and have no regrets, but it is true that we are lesser known to the Tacoma crowd than the Hilux crowd so I gotta get cook'n with my new Taco!

Either way, an IFS 2016 Tacoma that competes on the rubicon without a ton of fab work .... [is] going to break new ground and it's gonna be sweet.

Thanks man, that's the plan and I can tell you with full confidence that this summer 2017 is gonna be great!

Ok mike if you can't measure the height. Whar tire package ( size ) came on your truck?
I fit 33's at stock height.  2 to 3 inches of lift is way more then I will need to clear 35's.  Still need to regear but then the ARB Lockers come with the new diffs.

My stock tires are 265/65R17 which according to a random online calculator is equal to a 30.6" x 10.43".

I can in no way fit 33's at stock height. Wow my truck must be much lower than yours. While looking through my photos, I remembered I do have the following height measurements:

(Measurements in inches up fron the ground. D = Driver's side, P = Passenger's side)

• Bottom of door handle: D 42-5/16, P 42-7/16
• Bottom of front fender @ axle center line: D 34-1/2, P 34-13/16
• Bottom of rear fender @ axle center line: D 36-1/16, P 36-3/4
• Bottom ID of trailer hitch: 16-1/8
• Tailgate bottom of handle: 43-1/8

I think your decision to keep it IFS is a bold move. Converting it to SAS is the easy cut and run method.  Proving you can gracefully do everything you did before with IFS is the real challenge.

Bingo.

[BigMike [OP]]

June 9, 2016: Comradery Continues

I came out from a hardware store and this white 3rd gen had parked next to me. I was pretty excited; There was plenty of other parking this guy could have used. This sort of stuff is still exciting me because my daily driver is a Supercharged MR2, which is one of the least sold Toyota cars in history so I get crazy-excited whenever I see someone driving the same vehicle as me.



That weekend a local customer and long time family friend parked next to my Taco at church. Was cool to see em side-by-side



This 4Runner has a 3.4-liter Tacoma V6 conversion with a Dual Ultimate Marlin Crawler (217:1 final drive / Crawl Ratio).



June 16, 2016: Paint issue

The next week I found paint wearing off on the corner of my bed. What in the world--I don't ever remember anything rubbing here and I've yet to drive with the tailgate down. The paint on the tailgate is immaculate. It's almost like they didn't paint it correctly and a trip or two through a car wash was enough for it to rub off?? The other side is perfect.

[BigMike [OP]]

At this point guys I have to share the sad news that before I knew it the summer had taken off and got away from me. My wife and I celebrated our 10 yr anniversary in Hawaii, I returned to southern Japan to visit relatives for the first time since the largest earthquake disaster in recorded Kyuushuu history, I upgraded the entire content management system (backend) of our Marlin Crawler website (replacing the prior system I built 8 yrs ago), restructured both our sales and warehouse crews, and my wife and I started the process of purchasing our first house.

As for community outreach, between May and October Marlin Crawler both sponsored and attended 32 different 4WD events, Forest Service CPR/chainsaw classes/trail work parties, and led three Adopt-A-Highway clean-ups. Members of 11 different 4WD clubs, it's no secret as to how serious we consider community involvement and it takes time to get things setup/prepared. This is a core, fundamental difference that separates Marlin Crawler from other companies in that this was first a hobby that grew into a company; Supporting the community is where our heart is.

I was so busy that other than the Moab trip I posted earlier, I only went to one other event the remainder of 2016: Our 15th annual Marlin Crawler Round-Up at the Rubicon........in my 1981 Hilux......where we eclipsed the $100,000 dollar mark in total donations to the Rubicon Trail(!).

I went from a "3rd Gen Tacoma forum pro-lurcher" to a complete off-site ghost. But at least I made our Round-Up, which since 2004 my Hilux has never missed a single one. After I got home I remember telling the truck how this will be her last Rubicon trip for a while...



I actually almost missed this one because I couldn't get my internal/company work done until Saturday morning the day of the event. I drove straight up to Rubicon, wheeled in solo, made it to the Springs Campground in time to oversee the dinner & raffle, and returned home the next day.

Check out this 35-year old Toyota Rock Crawler with 19 times more torque than a 2016 V10 Dodge Viper and still get'n it done overloaded up Cadillac Hill in the partial wet.
"I Love What You Do For Me, Marlin Crawler!"



Fast forward to November, and with both our annual Round-Up event (photo gallery) and the October Off-Road Expo (photo gallery) out of the way, it was time to finally get crack'n on the Tacoma!!!

[THK Matt]

You are one busy guy!

[V-Man]

My stock tires are 265/65R17 which according to a random online calculator is equal to a 30.6" x 10.43".

I can in no way fit 33's at stock height. Wow my truck must be much lower than yours. While looking through my photos, I remembered I do have the following height measurements:

(Measurements in inches up fron the ground. D = Driver's side, P = Passenger's side)

• Bottom of door handle: D 42-5/16, P 42-7/16
• Bottom of front fender @ axle center line: D 34-1/2, P 34-13/16
• Bottom of rear fender @ axle center line: D 36-1/16, P 36-3/4
• Bottom ID of trailer hitch: 16-1/8
• Tailgate bottom of handle: 43-1/8

Bingo.

My truck came with 265/65R17's as well but there is lots of room to run my 265/75R17 Muds( they are 32.6"X10.5).  I was wondering if you had some how gotten a 245/65R/17 wheel package, but that would have only been 1"( 1/2" per side ) difference.

I will get all the same measurements from my truck.  it just seems to sit higher off the tires, and off the ground. 

[V-Man]

I can in no way fit 33's at stock height. Wow my truck must be much lower than yours. While looking through my photos, I remembered I do have the following height measurements:

(Measurements in inches up fron the ground. D = Driver's side, P = Passenger's side)

• Bottom of door handle: D 42-5/16, P 42-7/16
• Bottom of front fender @ axle center line: D 34-1/2, P 34-13/16
• Bottom of rear fender @ axle center line: D 36-1/16, P 36-3/4
• Bottom ID of trailer hitch: 16-1/8
• Tailgate bottom of handle: 43-1/8

Bingo.

OK got some measurements from my truck today...did the fender ones and the trailer hitch. I don't think the door handles make a difference.

so here there are:
                               Bottom of Front Fender @ Axle Center line: D (89cm) 35.03", P(90cm) 35.43"
                               Bottom of rear Fender @ Axle Center Line : D (95.5cm) 37.59", P (96cm) 37.79"
                               Bottom ID of Trailer Hitch                                : (44cm) 17.32"

I don't see any real difference Yours just looks "short".  You removed your Air Dam right?

[R.DesJardin]

IFS got a bad rap I think mostly because of the smaller 7.5 diff they used and IFS was released in the middle of the mega-lift 80's era, no I don't miss that, yes I lived through it, no I was not in a diaper I was driving an IFS truck. Neither the stock solid axle or IFS shafts are good, why do you think they make upgrades. Axles shafts can be beefed up, that already has been proven with some of the IFS Ultra4 cars out there. I so want to do a serious IFS build up, or should I say finish the one I started several years ago. Carry on Mike and enjoy.

[BigMike [OP]]

Yours just looks "short".  You removed your Air Dam right?

Yes, removed the air dam. Your measurements are almost 1" higher than mine so I guess mine is just sitting lower. I have been next to a stock TRD Off Road and it is definitely higher than my TRD Sport.

IFS got a bad rap I think mostly because of the smaller 7.5 diff they used and IFS was released in the middle of the mega-lift 80's era

Agree with everything you said. I am looking forward to seeing how far I can go down this IFS rabbit hole

[BigMike [OP]]

I forgot to mention on May 25, 2016 I took my Tacoma in to a local dealer for it's first check-up (hit 5K miles on my way back from Moab, see previous page) and had a horrible experience. I am done with dealer service. The jerks removed items from my center console and left them on the passenger's seat (what in the hell were they doing in there?), left my AC on full blast (I rarely use AC), changed my radio station and left the volume up, didn't move my seat back, rear-view mirror was pointing up at the headliner, the floormat's yellow safety warning tag that is a mile long was unraveled (I had it neatly tucked under the mat), and they left my Qi charger on (I don't have a Qi-device). To top it off, they lowered my tire pressure from my setting of 40 PSI (mfg max rating is 44) to 28 PSI (door sticker says 29) (this is probably federally mandated or something dumb like that).

I've slowly been learning that dealerships are worthless and my standards have been too high for them. I expect them to be Toyota experts (are they not specially trained by Toyota?) and to provide the highest quality of work (do they not charge the highest labor rate?). But that's it, I'm not taking the Tacoma back in. Especially since it is going to be modified, all I need is some inconsiderate dealership junkie to mess around with my gearing and roll the truck in the parking lot. Screw that. And it's not just the Tacoma; Other dealers have done similar things to my wife's 2013 Yaris such as left oil plainly drizzled clear across our plastic engine cover. If you want something done right you'd better do it yourself so from here out I will.

Speakings of which, I don't know if I've shared pics of our 2013 Yaris SE and my 1987 Supercharged MR2 so here come a couple:

We've driven the Yaris all over and it's a fantastic car. Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, etc. Have done a bunch of road trips averaging just over 20K/year.



I have a long history with this MR2. My father bought it for me my senior year in H.S. with a blown engine for only $300 and a week later I had it running with an engine pulled from the wrecking yard. Have owned this car for 18 yrs and counting, and it has almost 350K miles now. I know this car inside and out, have done a ton of track-specific mods, and currently have it up to 265-HP (166 HP/liter!). It is both quick and fast: As fast as a brand new 5-liter V8 Mustang. I even have my own lil MR2 website: If you're bored check it out: http://bigmike.marlincrawler.com.



Here was my original "blow it up big-time" plan with this truck:
August
1. Order the Tacoma August 2015

November: "Stage I"
2. As promised by the first dealer, take ownership no later than November (as we know this didn't happen)
3. Install All Pro's upper control arm kit + rear leafs for a 3" lift
4. Install 33" tires
5. Get our new MC11/TacoBox installed (redesigned if necessary) so I'll have the World's First Dual Case 3rd Gen Tacoma
6. Install Rock Sliders

January 2016: Attend basic events
This should be enough to get me through the basic/easy events such as CVC's New Year's snow run, Cal4WD's Winter Fun Festival, be the first and only 3rd gen on display at the King Of The Hammers, Kingsburg snow Poker run, TLCA's Mud-N-Yer-Eye frolic at Hollister, Cal4WD's Molina Ghost Run, our local Fresno 4WD Club's Blue Canyon Poker run, and Cal4WD's Hi Desert Round-Up. (Reality: I didn't get the truck until after most of these events.)

Late May 2016: "Stage II"
7. Upgrade All Pro's basic front kit to their long travel kit
8. Do a ton of fender trimming and install 37" or 39" tires
9. By this time hopefully ARB would have a new rear Air Locker ready and I'd be able to have some actual lockers
10. Come up with something for F & R bumpers, most important being the rear (Still on the fence about what to do for bumpers as nothing on the market has really excited me yet).

June 25, 2016
Be the first 3rd gen Tacoma to conquer the Rubicon trail for TLCA's annual "Rubithon" event!

It's painful to look back as there were many missed opportunities. Time to get this ball roll'n!

[BigMike [OP]]

Nov 1, 2016: The Start of "Stage 1"

On the 1st of Nov I started on what I call "Stage 1". The plan is to start with 33" tires & our Dual Ultimate TacoBox Marlin Crawler.

It was finally feeling like progress when these showed up:



285 / 70 R17 BFG All-Terrain T/A KO2. According to a random online calculator, they measure 32.7 X 11.2 in inches. Here is what they look like next to my stock 265 / 65 R17 (30.6" x 10.4"):

[BigMike [OP]]

Nov 1, 2016: The Start of "Stage 1" (continued)

We also had some 35" x 12.5" (proper 35") BFG Mud-Terrains KM2 in stock so whynot



30.6" vs 32.7" vs 35"

[BigMike [OP]]

Finally just the 35"

[BigMike [OP]]

Nov 2, 2016: "Stage 1" - Suspension and Differential Gearing

The next day the Tacoma **finally** made it up on our lift

[THK Matt]

now this is what we came for. GO MIKE!

and yes, that remains true for dealerships, not only toyota ones either. They are not the hype the used to be, and I prefer to everything myself.

[H8PVMNT]

Might as well just do Phase 1.5 and make the 35s fit now .

[daniresch]

I'm hoping to see stage II with long travel and 37-39s 

[BigMike [OP]]

Nov 2, 2016: "Stage 1" - Differential Gearing

Out came this hunk of junk for regearing!





Also yanked out this all-new rear diff! This puppy is huge -- Nice work Toyota!



Despite the fact that things didn't go as planned, it turns out it took more than one year for the first aftermarket gear set to be built. So having waited through the entire year, I was able to get a new R&P gear set from the very first batch of gears from Nitro!



A few things to note here...

-- Because my truck is a manual, it already came with 4.30:1 gearing (vs 3.901:1 for 6cyl autos). So the drop to 4.88:1, which is a staple Hilux/minitruck gear ratio with history dating back to the late 80s and rice paddy use in Brazil, will only net a 13.5% reduction meaning any tire size larger than 34.7" (30.6" + 13.5%) will cause the truck to become overgeared. There is another common aftermarket Toyota ratio, the 5.29:1, but Nitro has no interest in making this ratio for the 3rd gen. Their reasoning is that anyone who needs that low of gearing would ditch IFS anyway. I agree. Here we have another negative strike against keeping the truck IFS.

-- ARB was behind further, not having a rear air locker available yet. I did get the front installed which had not changed from the 2nd gen Tacoma, but I'll have to wait for a rear locker now. Ohh man. So I guess I wouldn't have been able to do (or would have struggled to do) Rubicon/Fordyce/Hammers/etc even had I been on schedule. Bitter sweet. Installing an ARB later once available wouldn't be the end of the world so I decided to just get this stuff done now to get working on other projects.

Here we have the new Nitro R&P installed and setup using Marlin's industry-leading set-up procedure!

[BigMike [OP]]

Nov 14, 2016: "Stage 1" - All Pro Off Road F&R Suspension

Next was time to get this baby lifted a bit for the 33s. I went with a kit from a company who in my opinion is no longer in business which is a real shame because the original owner was the first to join Marlin in his quest to "get respect for Toyota's" in a world previously dominated by Jeeps, but now he is no longer in business. Shocks are Factory Series Fox Shocks and I'm very hopefully for a better ride than the really tiny Hitachi TRD Sport shocks.

Upper arms and new shocks fitted!!



Got the rear setup also using a now discontinued rear leaf spring and U-Bolt flip kit.