BigMike's "Return of the Project" [Updated 7/11]

[BigMike]

That's it for tonight, it's already midnight!


Here is a little sneak preview of the next thing I did:

Early March 2008: Out with the old 1986 wide rear end...

[Doof]

always the updates in the wee hours of the morning when nobody is awake...


very crafty... and good work on the head gasket getting it done so fast

[79coyotefrg]

  you cant leave us like that

[BigMike]

March 30, 2008: Installed 8" E-Locker Tacoma Rear Axle "Project No-More-Wheel-Spacers Part I"

In my continual ambition to rid my truck of wheel spacers, I finally acquired a pristine Tacoma rear axle housing, slightly rusted, and with ABS. Out with the old 1986 Hilux rear axle (modified for e-locker) and in comes the Taco axle!

Here I am installing the perches and lower pivot block mount:


Here is the ABS seal adapter I had to make in order to run non-ABS axles and non-ABS seals:


Installed:


I ran our Special Fit Tacoma Rear Axle Seals OF COURSE!

Here is the nearly bare housing hung:


Got the Taco E-Locking Taco 8" diff installed and brand-new Alloy-USA Tacoma 4340 Chromolly axle shafts installed:


I've just been running the stock 1986 Hilux axles all this time, so now I'm Chromoly axles front and rear, a first for me:


Here is what it looked like all bolted in:


Shot of the pivots installed. Just need to get some new brake lines bent up:


Here is the third member's rotation. I believe it is 13-degrees up from stock. Remember I am running triple case on a short wheel base rig


Here is the old axle that took me to so many places and heights. Thanks ol' pal, your services were very very much appreciated!

[BigMike]

The old wide rear Hilux axle was running 1.5" wheel spacers on both sides. One of the biggest reasons why I hated the wheel spacers is that my whole drum brakes and axle backing plate was totally exposed, and I continually hit them on rocks. It got so bad last summer that I had to take pliers and screw drivers every time I got off the trail to bend the backing plate away from the drums.

I am so glad they are now tucked up within the wheels.

Also, the keen eye should have noticed I now have white steel wheels. I sold the mag wheels I had to blane525 and these were just some wheels he had sitting around he let me borrow for a while. They are 15x8.

So, for a width comparison,

Old Axle + 1.5" wheel spacers = 61.5-inches wheel-mount to wheel-mount.
New Tacoma axle with NO spacers = 62".

So I have gained about 1/4" on each side without wheel spacers, which is just great. This is exactly the width I am looking for.

As for the E-Brake, the Taco e-brake ran down from the driver's side frame rail, whereas the Hilux is on the passenger's side frame rail. So I had to torch off the Taco e-brake mounts and I'll need to move them to the other side. Still haven't done this yet

As for the "weaker" Tacoma housing, it will not be a concern for me since I am not using U-Bolts

[Duffil]

such a poon you are. fix el photos.

[toyotanner]

the pivot seems kind of simple to set up... i'm guessing its to help with flex?  how is it for driving on the road?

[KDXSR5]

I am going to watch this, keep up the good work, I enjoy this thread.

[BigMike]

such a poon you are. fix el photos.

el photos no require fixing

[Duffil]

well they weren't working for me...I thought you were trying to be trixie again.  carry on.

[BigMike]

Call Al Gore and ask him to fix the internet for you.

[Phazertwo]

 

[Cheesemaker]

Looking good!! 

So, how far out can your tires be in Cali, before you have to have fender flares?  Cause those flaps look like they are way out there! 


And school me on the taco housing?  I think I missed something somewhere!    Tendency to crack at the u-bolts?

[snowshoebrue]

who made the conversion pieces for you for the axles

[crawlerdan]

who made the conversion pieces for you for the axles

id be willing to bet he or marlin made em

[BLACKDOG]

Looking good!! 

So, how far out can your tires be in Cali, before you have to have fender flares?  Cause those flaps look like they are way out there! 


And school me on the taco housing?  I think I missed something somewhere!    Tendency to crack at the u-bolts?

I can't say how true it is (I'm sure Big Mike will step in and correct me)  but I've heard the e locker housings are weaker than the non elocker housings around the perches, thinner metal or something, I don't really remember, so the ubolts put more stress on the housing, causing it to eventually crack

[MiniSimp]

who made the conversion pieces for you for the axles

Here is the ABS seal adapter I had to make in order to run non-ABS axles and non-ABS seals:

[SLIVER]

Shot of the pivots installed. Just need to get some new brake lines bent up:


Hey big mike, what is the bolt for on the inside of your pivot blocks? It is the one between the front and rear bolts that hold the springs onto the pivot blocks?

Thanks
))--SLIVER-->

[Doof]

its part of the "lock" for the street so his spring isnt pivoting (what ever you want to call it) on the turns

[SLIVER]

How does it work? In the Pivot Blocks thread it looks like he has a sleeve between his spring plate and the axle tube. Does the sleeve slide over the exposed part of the bolt??

))--SLIVER-->

[BigMike]

Looking good!! 

Thanks! It's about time I get some work done on my rig!

So, how far out can your tires be in Cali, before you have to have fender flares?  Cause those flaps look like they are way out there! 

I don't know for sure, but I "believe" the law is that the tires may not be wider/stick out past the stock mirrors. This is not a concern for me, and also, I made one mud flap too wide so I cut the mount and tucked it in a bit.

And school me on the taco housing?  I think I missed something somewhere!    Tendency to crack at the u-bolts?

I've heard the e locker housings are weaker than the non elocker housings around the perches, thinner metal or something, I don't really remember, so the ubolts put more stress on the housing, causing it to eventually crack

I have heard that the Tacoma housings are "thinner", but I also heard that they are the same thickness but with a different alloy. Either way, I have seen more Taco housings crush under the load of U-Bolts more than I've seen Hilux housings. That being said, I am not running U-Bolts so the only load on the housing is the weight of my truck which is much, much less. And regarding my perch mounts on the housing, also, don't worry about this, I've got other stuff I've not shared with you all yet

who made the conversion pieces for you for the axles

It took me about 15 mins each to make these on our lathe because the piece I started with was of a very large OD. So I had to really remove some material to get them sized to fit. I have made a pair, Marlin has made a pair, and Rocky has made a couple pairs.

How does it work? In the Pivot Blocks thread it looks like he has a sleeve between his spring plate and the axle tube. Does the sleeve slide over the exposed part of the bolt??

))--SLIVER-->

Actually I have some DOM tubing that goes between the lower pivot plate and the axle housing, and the removable bolt with the cotter pin is there only as a guide to keep the tubing in place during articulation. Once I installed the perches on the Taco housing, I realized that my older lock-out tubes I had made were too short, so I had to make a different set for the new axle..

Please consider the following image for the lock-out tubing I use:

[SLIVER]

Thanks man, I now see the cotter pin and the whole thing makes more sense to me now. Any idea when MC may start producing the pivot blocks? I would throw some money your way for sure.

))--SLIVER-->

[BigMike]

The whole idea was to make a "tool-less" lock-out, one that could be installed or removed easily. It is really only a 1-way lock-out as you can see, but because both tubes a slightly too long, they work against each other when the truck is level which preloads the pivots & springs yielding far better road manners.

BigMike

[NorCalToy]

27600.  No person shall operate any motor vehicle having three or more wheels, any trailer, or semitrailer unless equipped with fenders, covers, or devices, including flaps or splash aprons, or unless the body of the vehicle or attachments thereto afford adequate protection to effectively minimize the spray or splash of water or mud to the rear of the vehicle and all such equipment or such body or attachments thereto shall be at least as wide as the tire tread. This section does not apply to those vehicles exempt from registration, trailers and semitrailers having an unladen weight of under 1,500 pounds, or any vehicles manufactured and first registered prior to January 1, 1971, having an unladen weight of under 1,500 pounds.

Amended Ch. 215, Stats. 1970. Effective November 23, 1970.

 

this the best i could find in the code book. i thought the entire tire ad to be covered to be 100% legal. ill keep looking tho and post up what i find.

[BigMike]

Cool, that is good to know. So it's not based on the body or vehicle design but rather some perceived coverage of the tire tread.

I don't think the width of my rig will get me into trouble, and the mud flaps are so huge it is obvious I care about the law.

If they are going to pull me over for not having adequate fender over tire tread coverage, then they better give me tickets for modified suspension, steering, drivetrain, crossmember, bumpers, beadlocks, number of shifters in the cab, etc.

[NorCalToy]

so it sounds like as long as you run bigass flaps, your legal.

can they pull you over for any of that stuff?

[DTB]

so it sounds like as long as you run bigass flaps, your legal.

can they pull you over for any of that stuff?

I can hear it now.......


"but, your honor, I HAD big ass flaps on there..." 

[BigMike]

can they pull you over for any of that stuff?

Well, it is true, our products are intended for off-road use only and they are not approved by the department of transportation for on-road use. But then again, whose products are? A very small percentage I would imagine? I don't know much about the Jeep aftermarket, there must be some DOT approved products, but I am sure the majority of these aftermarket parts are not DOT approved.

In the 15 years we have been in business, I've never heard of a customer getting pulled over for something like a "DOT illegal steering system". I promise you our billet steel steering arms are stronger than stock, our massive DOM rods are stronger than stock, and the whole elimination of the push-pull steering setup removes a major weak spot, not to mention the reduction in bump steer.

[NorCalToy]

yea, i guess i never thought about stuff not being DOT approved. but i think if they want to crackdown on stuff like, then even stock vehicles wont be road worthy...

[MiniSimp]