Build Tacoma 4500 build

cdemart2 said:
Just say no to suspension seats in a race car.
Click to expand...
I definitely agree with this. I raced with suspension seats for the first 3-4 years and I was always very sore at the end of races. My wife actually stopped codriving for me because of her back. After switching to composite (Racequip) I have significantly less back pain.
 
I don't hate them trail riding. Still more planted in the car.
 
gt1guy said:
All you need between the seat and the TC is enough room to install the floor pan sheet metal.
I kind of ran into the same issue on my pile. I kept thinking I needed room for air flow around the TC, you name it, I thought of everything. Then I realized the tight spot I was worked up about..............was actually ~a couple square inches. I ended up with a small pocket in the floor that's about 1/4" from the TC.





No idea what the rules say but, another thought................just don't use 4" tube like I did in Paint :flipoff2:


EFB823EF-B9B2-4892-8B10-92B69E73A216.jpg



One last thing.

EFB823EF-B9B2-4892-8B10-92B69E73A216.jpg


Having that Hz bar tie the bottom of the B-pillar verticals together will help the B stay put.
Click to expand...
Lots of good suggestions. Never thought of moving that bar back but looking at it now makes sense. And I like your drawing of door bars with the bar supporting the bend in the a pillar. I’ll mess with that some and probably see if I can get the seat even lower doing so
 
Alright redid the seat mounts again. Got them a little lower by another inch or so and moved the one bar between the b pillar. So the entire seat mount is out of 1x.120 wall dom and 3/16 tabs. Between the seat cushion settling some (I’ve been told it’ll settle between 2-3”) and the harnesses pulling you into the seat. Should be more than enough room. Not really interested in going to composite Seats for now.
IMG_8992.jpeg
IMG_8994.jpeg
IMG_8995.jpeg
IMG_8996.jpeg
IMG_8997.jpeg
 
Then messed with starting on the b pillar x. Was able to salvage the original cross bar I made by adding another 15 degree bend on each side. It probably only needed 10-12 degrees but the extra between the seat and bar will make getting to harnesses and any bags I put between easier. I got the top two bars of the x in as well. They look close but are no where near your head. Even if you got whiplash, your head won’t hit the bars because of the head rest. I may order the seats with +2 in height to just get the head rest a little higher. Pretty much copied this Cherokee build for the b pillar
IMG_8999.jpeg
IMG_9001.jpeg
IMG_9003.jpeg
IMG_9004.jpeg
IMG_9005.jpeg
IMG_9007.jpeg
IMG_9002.png
 
Got most the passenger compartment cage done minus the intrusion bars and door bars. Pretty happy with it.

I ran out of tubing so the bracing between b and c pillar still needs done as well. But that’s 3 more short ish tubes
IMG_9100.jpeg
IMG_9106.jpeg
IMG_9107.jpeg
IMG_9105.jpeg
IMG_9104.jpeg
IMG_9108.jpeg
 
mobil1syn said:
why so far forward and so high?
Click to expand...
High is to clear the transfer case/driveshaft and I’d rather have the fuel cell in the middle of the car to keep the rear overhang to as little as possible. If I did it behind the axle it would mean a minimum of 18-24 inches extra overhang . It’s a smaller fuel cell at only 32 gallons but weight change from full to empty should affect the shocks less being mid ship vs behind the axle. It looks high in the pictures but it’s only a few inches higher than where it would be if I mounted it anywhere else.
 
Tons of parts on order and should start coming in next week or the week after. Just been focused up on finishing some stuff I left half done.

Fuel cell tabs. May do something off the top but I’ll wait to see if they’re needed.
IMG_9141.jpeg
IMG_9142.jpeg
IMG_9143.jpeg
IMG_9145.jpeg
 
Screwed with the front suspension some. I rebent the panhard with a single bend and moved the frame side mount back some. And added a small bend to the draglink to clear the ram.
IMG_9154.jpeg
 
And finally finished the subframe to frame tubes. Tube work is getting easier. When I started this the two end tubes took me all day to make. I made the 5 tubes between the original two on both driver and passenger in just a few hours today. Feel like there’s good clearance.
IMG_9163.jpeg
IMG_9164.jpeg
IMG_9167.jpeg
IMG_9168.jpeg
IMG_9170.jpeg
IMG_9171.jpeg
 
That passenger side engine mount reminds me of my stepdad.

Looking good man! Love the inboard mounting.
 
DocRamsay said:
That passenger side engine mount reminds me of my stepdad.

Looking good man! Love the inboard mounting.
Click to expand...
Lol

Hoping the inboard doesn’t bite me with to much triangulation on the 3 link. Once I get a steering shaft hooked up I’ll know better about how it’s going to all work
 
6 bolts in shear look good for the car show circuit but I would absolutely consider further integrating the fuel cell into the chassis. It’s not a successful day of racing that’s the concern, it’s when you go full yard sale with a half empty tank that you fafo.
 
WiscoF100 said:
6 bolts in shear look good for the car show circuit but I would absolutely consider further integrating the fuel cell into the chassis. It’s not a successful day of racing that’s the concern, it’s when you go full yard sale with a half empty tank that you fafo.
Click to expand...
It’ll get some sort of bracket off the top. I haven’t quite figured out how I’m going to do it yet but there is a bar between the c pillar I may weld some tabs to and then some tabs to the top plate on the fuel cell or somehow have the top plate bolt the tubes I made the tabs to. Kind of waiting till the rear axle comes this week so I can get it and link bars in to see what kind of room I have.
 
The rear axle should be here this week and I need to start figuring out rear link placements. Currently if I put the link mounts off the subframe where the atlas flange will be, the lower links will be between 48-52 ish inches long. Maybe longer (55) as it’s hard to estimate just holding a tape measure with a tire.

What’s to long for a rear link? Trailing arms that doesn’t seem to be absurdly long but with the shocks being mounted to the axle and for the sake of not dragging them and constantly hitting them, I’m thinking of trying to get them down to 42ish inches. The front lower links are 36.

Once I get the axle in and cut to length with hubs and spindles on I can get it all tacd and plugged into the 4 link calculator but it would be nice to have a starting point for what’s to long/short.
 
All of my links are 40” as thats the general consensus of most builds in the last 2 decades (for axle mounted shock stuff) No complaints from me about handling, rock anchors, strength, etc Don’t care if they bend anyways, they’re consumable race parts if you ask me.

118” WB with 32” subframe with typical V8 planetary drivetrain.
 
links2.jpg


I went with 2.5x0.500" for my front lowers purely because it was free and it made me laugh. They're 38" links, and I'm very aware that I will be shredding tabs/frame before bending links. Jokes on me though, had to make like 4 or 5 passes to give them that streamlined uncircumcised look.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar Threads

Tacoma vibration diagnosis help
2
Replies
35
Views
1K
Skinny
Build 1st Gen Taco 4800 Build
2 3
Replies
86
Views
5K
DocRamsay
DocRamsay
Swaybar for SAS Tacoma w/ outboard steering box options
Replies
20
Views
1K
breynolds
609 Build for a First Gen Tacoma
Replies
23
Views
2K
Skinny
Build Broken4 Racing 4500 Class Build
8 9 10
Replies
289
Views
150K
broken4_racing
Top Back Refresh