1776 Build Thread

I came over from TW after selling my heavily modded Taco. On the 8-21 I bought a '16 TSS CM w/53K miles. I removed the Bushwacker pocket flares, all the emblems & TSS Off Road stickers from the bedsides. I already ordered a Dobinsons 3" full lift (waiting for the front coils to arrive to the U.S.), MK6 matte black wheels, 285/75r18 Toyo M/T & weld yourself rock rails. Ready to get this thing trail worthy!
Starting a build thread & will update w/progress. For now, it's just pics of what it looked like when I got it & what it looks like now that I took all that stuff off.

 

I got the tires & wheels a few days ago but have been waiting on the lift to arrive (almost 3 weeks & still no ETA to my house.) I had ordered a Dobinsons 3" lift on the 22nd, w/an arrival date of "end of August". The end of August came & went, then the first week of September then into the 2nd week of September w/no end in sight so I cancelled it. I went thru this same ordeal w/Dobinsons w/my FZJ80 & that drug out for 2 months. I wasn't going thru that again! After I cancelled my order. I was in the process of ordering an OME kit when I came across an ad on CL for a new, but scratched during shipping, ARB Summit front bumper. Called the guy, who deals in damaged shipment truck parts, & discovered he also had an open box Smittybilt H20 10K winch so I went & bought the bumper & the winch. I saved about $1,400 on this combo! I also ordered the OME kit w/the 613 heavy front springs which should go nicely w/the ARB front bumper & winch combo. DIY rock rails arrived today as well. I have to weld them myself. I'll update w/pics momentarily.

 

Spent 8+ hours trying to install this damn ARB Summit bumper. It’s a total PITA! I had to touch up some scratches from shipping (why I got it so cheap). Some hardware was wrong (8mm instead of 6mm) so had to drill a bunch. The big ass elongated nuts that go into the slots in the frame we’re too big to fit in the frame so had to do a bunch of grinding and hammering. Lots of cutting on the grill and fenders. Supposedly you can’t remove the grill after the bumper is installed so I plasti-dipped it while it was off. The winch is missing the mounting hardware so have to buy that tomorrow. Hopefully have this bumper completely installed sometime tomorrow. I’ll post pics when done!

 

Plasti-dipped the grill and hood bulge while installing the ARB Summit bumper and Smittybilt H2O 10K winch. I think it looks a bit odd but will look much better once my lift and 35’s are on. I still have to wire in the winch, fogs and turns and also install the lower splash guards and rock plate.

 

Got shipping confirmation today for my OME lift, should be here Thursday. Woohoo!
Hopefully it goes easier than this damn bumper.

 

I also thought it looked odd, then as soon as my 35's were on, I fell in love. I see you have the front license plate bracket on, do they require front plates in TX?

 

Yes they do just in case you rob a bank and haul ass out of there in reverse! Just kidding but it’s a stupid law.

 

It really is, same here in MT, and they do enforce it. I was pulled over in my old truck before I mounted the plate. Luckily it was on my dash. As soon as he saw it he just went "oh, there it is, have a good day!"

 

Installed new OEM tow mirrors today. Haven’t towed with them yet but so far I’m liking them.

 

OME 613's, front shocks, rear shocks, Dakar leaf packs, grease-able shackles bushing & shackles & the other bits & pieces arrived today! I won't be able to install it until next week but I'll post pics when I do. Amped to get this ready for some trails!

 

Got the lift on. There’s an odd bump/thump in the front when someone bounces the front suspension. Has me perplexed. Sounds/feels like it’s coming from the new front knock-off SPC UCA’s. Anyways, here’s some pics. It turned out to be much higher than I expected. Pics make me look like a midget!

 

The minuscule amount of grease in the non-greasable UCA:

There wasn’t shit in there. Pumped 10 more rounds of moly in it before I put the lock ring back on it.

 

Took the truck for a short drive (~1 mile) & I couldn't get it to pop. Got back on the bumper and bounced the hell out of it & can't get it to pop again. Woohoo!!! I guess something was in a bind & it quickly worked itself out.
Lift info:
2613 front springs
medium load rear Dakar full leaf packs w/greasable shackle kit
Rock Auto SPC UCA's
Rear OME fit kit

Pre-lift measurements (w/ARB Summit & 10K winch installed = ~260lbs.):
PS R 24.25"
PS F 21.25"
DS R 24.25"
DS F 21.5"
Post lift w/1 mile on the lift:
PS R 27.25"
PS F 26"
DS R 26.75"
DS F 26.125

So far I got 4.75" on front & 2.75" on rear. It has a very, very little rake, which is what I wanted.

I had one + rear spring, I put on DS, & one 0 spring, I put on passenger side. The kit came w/zero instructions but is pretty straight forward. I tried to do the no spring compressor method & there's no way in hell it was going to work w/the springs (2613). I had to take them to a shop to get the top hats installed & they installed the bottom coil bucket upside down, which I didn't notice until I got the entire PS front installed. I had to uninstall all that & take back to the shop, flip the bottom coil bucket & re-install. Total install time was ~11 hours but that includes eating lunch, going to shop twice (1hr), driving around trying to find a shop to do the coils (1hr.), trying to figure out the correct process of installing rear shackles (.5hr.), trying to do the no compressor method (1hr.). Every project I do on trucks takes more time than it really should!

I maxed out lower cams for rear tire clearance (front cams all the way in & rear cams all the way out). UCA set to neutral 'D' position, which is actually +2° caster. I did a quick alignment which gave me roughly 0° on camber, 3.5° on caster & haven't messed w/to yet. I'm taking it to a Toyota alignment guy today or Friday to dial it in exactly.

 

Looking great!

 

I forgot to add that I towed my 24’ TT with the new mirrors and they worked great. No vibration and after adjusting the bottom mirror manually, I could see everywhere I needed to see. They were a good buy.

I drove my truck to work today and the ride was great. I expect it to be even better/soften just a bit as it settles. Zero regrets on this OME kit I went with. Feels planted and stable yet not bumpy. I’m diggin’ it. Getting my TPMS programmed are Discount tomorrow. I also noticed they must’ve scratched one of my wheels when putting it on the balance machine and tried to cover it up with a black marker. It didn’t work so I’m going to have them replace it. Getting my alignment done tomorrow as well. Luckily have a local guy that runs a lifted Taco and has SPC UCA’s and did my Taco so he’s well versed making it right with them. My build moved quickly but will probably stall to just little things for a while as I’m trying not to go too overboard with this truck. Deer season starts the 3rd and I’ll hopefully spend most of my time hunting instead of wrenching.

 

It appears there's an issue w/my lift. I only get .75" on PS & .5" on DS of suspension droop before the shocks are fully extended, This causes pretty obnoxious bangs every little dip in dirt roads I hit. It should have the same amount droop as it has compression, or very close to equal. If that's the case, the full range of articulation of my lift is 1.5" of flex. That's insanely low & not acceptable. Waiting for ARB to open to get a resolution.

 

Here’s the BS thread I made for what’s going on with my lift:
https://www.tundras.com/threads/ome-2-5”-lift-measurements.75458/page-2
I’ll post an update tomorrow after I get the new coils installed.

 

I put 614 coils on it yesterday and the problem is pretty much the same. I went driving some dirt trails to try to get it to break in some. Current stance.


I also installed a DS grab handle that was desperately needed after the lift.

 

Power steering rack and pinion shit the bed yesterday pulling in my driveway. No rhyme or reason why except maybe this damn lift. Idk. New rack is $550 and 6-8 hours to install. This is going to suck!


Started welding my RRW rock rails last night.

 

So evidently the fluid pouring out of the boots is the common way of knowing the R&P seals shit the bed. It leaks into the boot & when you add more, it builds more pressure until it can shoot it out the boot(s).
Just ordered 44250-0C131 for $525 delivered. My local dealership wanted $750 & wouldn't price match. Part should be here by this weekend.
I'll start breaking it down this evening or Wednesday. I'll try to remember to take pictures & any issues I run in to, which I'm sure will be many!

 

Took the front diff out to get to the R&P yesterday. That was an asswhoop! Screwed up both diff axle seals pulling the shafts out so had to replace them today (part # 90311-47026 for PS & 90311-47027). I attempted to remove the oil filter but the dick who put it on last put it waaaay too tight. I stripped out an oil filter socket I bought. Then I attempted to tap the ears on the filter cover but it ended up breaking off one of the ears which cracked the cover & oil leaked out so I had to order a new one. This time I went w/an aluminum one for $23 delivered (local dealership wanted $130 for a replacement plastic one. F that!)
New R&P should be here tomorrow for me to install it Saturday. Not looking forward to the re-install.

 

What size tires you running ??

 

35" for <50 miles.

 

I had to use a breaker bar to get my oil filter canister off, which resulted in a hairline crack and subsequent oil leak. I did the same as you and out on an aluminum one for twenty some bucks.

 

Whoever puts these on @ that torque should be kicked in the nuts. It only calls for something like 18lbs. tq. This had, I'd say, about 150lbs.

 

Finally got all fluids back in & drove it around the block. Fucking PS diff axle seal is leaking. If I ever have to do the R&P again, I will NOT do it by removing the front diff. Too many things can go wrong, & did for me. The other way consists of removing the oil filter cap (which mine broke as the first item I touch), removing the oil cooler, high/low pressure lines for R&P, inner & outer tie-rods. Half that has to be removed to do it the other way except the other way you also have to remove the axles from the diff & remove the diff itself. Fuck all that (next time!).

 

Replaced the PS seal on the front diff today. No more leak!
Suspension has ~2” of droop now so it’s settling some but still not enough. I sent an email to Wheeler’s on the 2nd about returning the lift and they haven’t replied. I figure they won’t. I’m hoping it’ll settle another 1” but not too sure that’ll happen.

 

I would put the flares back on to protect your paint from rock chips

 

I can’t with the ARB front bumper. You have to cut some of the body below the headlight. The flare end would have to be cut off and it wouldn’t look right.

 

Went to the deer lease this weekend and worked the suspension some more. It’s not as bad as it was but it still bangs. Still haven’t heard back from Wheeler’s so I’m guessing they’re not willing to do anything. Hopefully it keeps settling! Pic of my camp set-up since everybody loves pics.