Responsible Adult, and why I am not one.

[thezentree]

This is in my driveway and I’m having mild panic attacks about it being my problem now. So, build thread.

Cool stuff:

2000 supercharged 3RZ, 5spd, 4.7 (supposedly) tacobox
3 linked wagoneer D44 that probably has been narrowed, on 2” sway-a-away coilovers.
Stock rear with some kinda full float disc brake kit and god knows what springs.
4.88s and ARBs front and rear that may or may not do! work
10k warn winch that may or may not does! work.

Not cool stuff:

Frame is pretty rotted from the cab mounts back.
The front pinion angle is ridiculous.
It’s fucking TERRIFYING on the road. Steering wheel and brake pedal only provide suggestions to the truck. I thought I was going to die when I got on the highway last night.
It leaks from everywhere.
Drivers rocker panel is see through (but the rest of the body, including the bed, is somehow not totally crusty)

I believe I’m the third owner. First owner built it, folded the front axle under the truck, then sold it to the guy I bought it from. He fixed it and has wheeled it for like 10 or 15 years, but other than major stuff has not taken care of it. It kinda bums me out how neglected the truck is considering all the money that went into it.

Current plan is to do the cool thing with a square tube frame behind the cab, make the steering and brakes not life threatening, and then look at trying to get the front end a little more street friendly. The goal for this is to be able to drive it to all the parks around here and drive it home.

More pics to come tomorrow. Probably.

 

[4runner DOA]

How you got a good enough deal on it to make the future headache worth it. Sounds like a fun truck once all the trash is worked out.

 

[thezentree]

How you got a good enough deal on it to make the future headache worth it. Sounds like a fun truck once all the trash is worked out.

Yeah me too lol

I could part it out as-is and make a few grand without trying, but I think this is salvageable. Just going to take some time and a little more money.

 

[Dukestaco]

It will be worth the time and effort to rebuild versus starting from scratch. You have come to the right place. None of us are responsible adults when it comes to modding our toys.

 

[Stairgod]

This seems incredibly stupid from both a time and financial viewpoint and exactly what I have and would do.
Cheers mate!

 

[LT99]

View attachment 84050

This is in my driveway and I’m having mild panic attacks about it being my problem now. So, build thread.

Cool stuff:

2000 supercharged 3RZ, 5spd, 4.7 (supposedly) Lefty
3 linked wagoneer D44 that probably has been narrowed, on 2” sway-a-away coilovers.
Stock rear with some kinda full float disc brake kit and god knows what springs.
4.88s and ARBs front and rear that may or may not work
10k warn winch that may or may not work.

Not cool stuff:

Frame is pretty rotted from the cab mounts back.
The front pinion angle is ridiculous.
It’s fucking TERRIFYING on the road. Steering wheel and brake pedal only provide suggestions to the truck. I thought I was going to die when I got on the highway last night.
It leaks from everywhere.
Drivers rocker panel is see through (but the rest of the body, including the bed, is somehow not totally crusty)

I believe I’m the third owner. First owner built it, folded the front axle under the truck, then sold it to the guy I bought it from. He fixed it and has wheeled it for like 10 or 15 years, but other than major stuff has not taken care of it. It kinda bums me out how neglected the truck is considering all the money that went into it.

Current plan is to do the cool thing with a square tube frame behind the cab, make the steering and brakes not life threatening, and then look at trying to get the front end a little more street friendly. The goal for this is to be able to drive it to all the parks around here and drive it home.

More pics to come tomorrow. Probably.

This is the exact description of what I bought.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

Frame is pretty rotted from the cab mounts back.
The front pinion angle is ridiculous.
It’s fucking TERRIFYING on the road. Steering wheel and brake pedal only provide suggestions to the truck. I thought I was going to die when I got on the highway last night.
It leaks from everywhere.
Drivers rocker panel is see through (but the rest of the body, including the bed, is somehow not totally crusty)

Frame is fixable if you can weld, or take it to a welder, and follow your state legislation on vehicle frame repair (it'll exist somewhere, it has to, for insurance repairs).
The brakes are likely incredibly undersized for the rolling mass of the tire. A d44 from and 80s jeep is going to have single piston calipers, with rotors that'll fit in 15" wheels. You need more swept area and more spread force from dual pistons, my guess.
Steering box could be the same issue as the brakes, could also be badly worn steer parts.
Leaks are just seals and refreshing whatever surfaces are sealed. You'd be amazed what filing down some ridges will do for a sealing surface.

 

[thezentree]

Frame is fixable if you can weld, or take it to a welder, and follow your state legislation on vehicle frame repair (it'll exist somewhere, it has to, for insurance repairs). Yep, just gotta do the work. Debating whether or not to pay a shop to do it since it probably won't fit through my garage door.
The brakes are likely incredibly undersized for the rolling mass of the tire. A d44 from and 80s jeep is going to have single piston calipers, with rotors that'll fit in 15" wheels. You need more swept area and more spread force from dual pistons, my guess. Accurate.
Steering box could be the same issue as the brakes, could also be badly worn steer parts. All of the above.
Leaks are just seals and refreshing whatever surfaces are sealed. You'd be amazed what filing down some ridges will do for a sealing surface. Yep, just gotta do the work.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

I look forward to seeing this.

 

[thezentree]

Just took some quick measurements before the rain started.

Lower links are 29.5", upper link is 34".

Guess I'm redoing a 3 link too.

 

[Dukestaco]

Just took some quick measurements before the rain started.

Lower links are 29.5", upper link is 34".

Guess I'm redoing a 3 link too.

Maff checks out.

 

[thezentree]

More comprehensive link geometry measurements. I think I can get away with making it less bad by just shortening the upper link a few inches. I'll gain a few degrees of positive caster (it's at like 1° right now) and make the pinion angle less retarded. Only drops anti-squat/dive to like 110% but it's an easy improvement without having to do surgery on both ends of the frame. Eventually I'll cut the front off and build a tube frame, but right now I just need to get it streetable ...and that's a laundry list by itself.





More measurements. Also was able to get my old 4Runner wheels to actually clamp to the front hubs with a 1/4" wheel spacer (flanged lugs were running into unthreaded wheel stud shank), and got it to fit in the garage at 0 psi, so activities will commence soon..ish. Lots of travel over the next few months.

 

[thezentree]

Not pictured: my smoking credit card and 10sqft of 3/16 plate

 

[thezentree]

Any opinions on the best way to tie this stuff into my factory frame? I've got some thoughts but probably won't get a chance to even start looking at it until after thanksgiving. Wife is gonna be pissed when she comes home from work one day and there's half a truck in her garage spot lol.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

I mean I'd start with a fish mouth plate welded and bolted, get the tube to come off of that at whatever angles you need, and gusset along the lines of force application, carrying the gussets out for a length as long as the plate.

But that's from a guy who hasn't done this, and is just making it up in his head.

That said, the best way to get an answer on the internet is to say something that's wrong, and have someone correct you instead.

Now that I've said something probably stupid as fuck, someone will be happy to correct me..

 

[thezentree]

I’ve got all that plate to cut fish plates out (next step is to con someone into letting me have their plasma cutter so I don't go broke buying cutoff wheels) but I’m curious about the joint itself. The stock frame is a little wider than the 2x4 tube, so will the 2x4 fit tightly inside the frame section? If so a couple of plug welds further up the factory frame would be nice. I saw @slander had cut out the inside of the stock frame on his truck, but I dunno if that was because it was rusty or because it made a better joint with more weld. Regardless I’m going to plate both inner and outer faces, as well as too and bottom of the joint with 3/16” plate at least 4” on either side of the joints, and (probably) cut an angled section of box tube to taper the factory frame into the new 2x4 tube.

Meant to post this earlier, but here’s where I’m at. From just poking around for a few minutes, it looks like the frame in front of the rock slider tie in is solid but I won’t really know until I start cutting. Hopefully I won’t end up needing to get into the frame under the cab.

 

[Dukestaco]

Any opinions on the best way to tie this stuff into my factory frame? I've got some thoughts but probably won't get a chance to even start looking at it until after thanksgiving. Wife is gonna be pissed when she comes home from work one day and there's half a truck in her garage spot lol.

Been there sever times. Will do it again. Lol

 

[FreshSeaBass]

@thezentree Here is my attempt as a mere mortal..

Tacoma Frame Rust Repair... The right way?

This MIGHT not be the "right way" by some standards, but it is at least 100% better than the OE frame.... and it is over-done if nothing else, so here goes...... A friend of mine has been using his '03 to do a bit of camping and set up his Scamper in the bed of his Tacoma. To help with the...

www.independentoffroading.com

@slander Has also done the same and he crushed it, it looks like!

I think the clock has run out on these frames, and it is the era of tube-chassis flavored Tacos.... MMMMMMMM!!!!!!



Excited to see what you get done here

As far as getting the frame fastened to the stock frame in a way that makes sense; My approach was to find a way to put the new frame in shear with the old frame, accompanied with some pretty massive fish plates, that are probably bigger than necessary, but they serve double duty to span both frames, and gusset the new frame bend.

 

[thezentree]

@thezentree Here is my attempt as a mere mortal..

Tacoma Frame Rust Repair... The right way?

This MIGHT not be the "right way" by some standards, but it is at least 100% better than the OE frame.... and it is over-done if nothing else, so here goes...... A friend of mine has been using his '03 to do a bit of camping and set up his Scamper in the bed of his Tacoma. To help with the...

www.independentoffroading.com

@slander Has also done the same and he crushed it, it looks like!

I think the clock has run out on these frames, and it is the era of tube-chassis flavored Tacos.... MMMMMMMM!!!!!!



Excited to see what you get done here

As far as getting the frame fastened to the stock frame in a way that makes sense; My approach was to find a way to put the new frame in shear with the old frame, accompanied with some pretty massive fish plates, that are probably bigger than necessary, but they serve double duty to span both frames, and gusset the new frame bend.

Yeah I saw your thread and I like that tube-in-shear thing you did but I’m not sure I can make it work in my case since I’m probably going to have to cut up under the cab a little. I’ve got a bunch of 3/16” plates and a chineseum plasma cutter in my Amazon cart, so I think I’m going to cut similar to how @slander did and just plate the shit out of the joint.

I think my big question mark is how to actually butt the tube up to the frame. Will 2” wide tube slide into the frame with a tight enough gap to actually get a good weld? Or am I going to be bending the frame to close that gap?

 

[G_Raw]

View attachment 84099

It's basically already a frenched hangar. Just run it