so I bought a first gen Tacoma at the end of last year to serve as a daily driver while I'm finishing my 3rd gen 4Runner build - a 2003 TRD package extra cab with a factory replacement frame, nice interior, and an appropriate amount of body damage. Pretty much perfect for what I was after, except it's an automatic - which is correctable.
The first orders of business are raising the fuel tank, and making sliders.
But let me back up a minute.
After I bought the Taco, I found a rolled '96 3.4/5spd on Craigslist and I bought it (for $600, then sold the rear axle for $200, so I'm into it for $400 now) as a parts donor for a 5spd conversion. I wasn't aware at the time that I need a 2003 ECU specifically to even consider this conversion, but I think I got a lot of what I'll need, so it's still a sound purchase. Plus, the frame is straight, so it has become the product development platform for the Tacoma stuff - this is how that donor truck looks today:
(the 1st gen in the background is for my wife; it will get the 3.4 out of the donor Taco at some point.)
So I've started on the fuel tank lift, using the '03 for general measurements, and the '96 for fitment. Here's what 2" on the tank gets you:
(2" is the most I'm comfortable lifting the tank without a body lift, due to the clearance of the hard fuel lines coming out of the tank under the bed floor)
On the 3rd Gen 4Runner I've had to relocate the tank to gain clearance, using an F150 aux tank in the spare tire location. On the Tacoma, however, the fuel tank crossmember is bolted into the frame, and there is enough overhead clearance to raise it 2"
Here the crossmember has been unbolted and removed, and I'm mocking up the upper lift bracket (in blue) on one end (it will locate back down on the original holes for alignment before welding)
I've drawn up 6 components to lift the tank: the upper lift bracket shown above (one on each side of the top of the crossmember to attach to the top of the frame), a left and right lower lift bracket which will double as a weld-in frame reinforcement (also self-locating on the original frame holes), a front lift bracket, and a tank strap tab to shorten the factory strap:
Aside from these 6 parts, I'll need to fold over a pinch weld at the back of the cab,
clearance a section of bed support above the tank by 30mm, and relocate the 2003 evap stuff that is located above the rear of the tank (it's probably going in the spare tire area when I bob the bed)
I'll make a short run of these lift brackets in case anyone else wants to lift their tank as well. I'm intending to keep the factory skid, but I don't see any reason that this wouldn't work with aftermarket skids as well?
The first orders of business are raising the fuel tank, and making sliders.
But let me back up a minute.
After I bought the Taco, I found a rolled '96 3.4/5spd on Craigslist and I bought it (for $600, then sold the rear axle for $200, so I'm into it for $400 now) as a parts donor for a 5spd conversion. I wasn't aware at the time that I need a 2003 ECU specifically to even consider this conversion, but I think I got a lot of what I'll need, so it's still a sound purchase. Plus, the frame is straight, so it has become the product development platform for the Tacoma stuff - this is how that donor truck looks today:
(the 1st gen in the background is for my wife; it will get the 3.4 out of the donor Taco at some point.)
So I've started on the fuel tank lift, using the '03 for general measurements, and the '96 for fitment. Here's what 2" on the tank gets you:
(2" is the most I'm comfortable lifting the tank without a body lift, due to the clearance of the hard fuel lines coming out of the tank under the bed floor)
On the 3rd Gen 4Runner I've had to relocate the tank to gain clearance, using an F150 aux tank in the spare tire location. On the Tacoma, however, the fuel tank crossmember is bolted into the frame, and there is enough overhead clearance to raise it 2"
Here the crossmember has been unbolted and removed, and I'm mocking up the upper lift bracket (in blue) on one end (it will locate back down on the original holes for alignment before welding)
I've drawn up 6 components to lift the tank: the upper lift bracket shown above (one on each side of the top of the crossmember to attach to the top of the frame), a left and right lower lift bracket which will double as a weld-in frame reinforcement (also self-locating on the original frame holes), a front lift bracket, and a tank strap tab to shorten the factory strap:
Aside from these 6 parts, I'll need to fold over a pinch weld at the back of the cab,
clearance a section of bed support above the tank by 30mm, and relocate the 2003 evap stuff that is located above the rear of the tank (it's probably going in the spare tire area when I bob the bed)
I'll make a short run of these lift brackets in case anyone else wants to lift their tank as well. I'm intending to keep the factory skid, but I don't see any reason that this wouldn't work with aftermarket skids as well?
