For reliability reasons, we...
For reliability reasons, we decided to just cut out all of the old stuff and start over. To get started we set the truck up on jack stands and disconnected the stock gas tank (mounted in the bed) and all of the rear air system so we could unbolt the bed.
With everything disconnected...
With everything disconnected we could take the bed off to get down to business on the rear setup.
We're not going to go off...
We're not going to go off any measurements from the old setup, so we can just unbolt the rear end and set it aside until we need it again.
After setting the rear end...
After setting the rear end aside we got bored and decided to do the same to the front suspension. To make it easy we decided to unbolt all of the front suspension and take off the front end (fenders, bumper, and grille) since we will be upgrading later (besides, taking apart the truck is always easier and more fun). Next, we grabbed our handy dandy plasma cutter to cut off the old bag setup.
Once all the old parts were...
Once all the old parts were out of the way, we cleaned up the frame to start with a nice clean surface.
Up front we cut off the old...
Up front we cut off the old bag bracket and will also be making our own control arm mounts to ditch the ugly stock setup. Here's a look at the progress so far. We'll get back to the front suspension later.
Before: What we started with...
Before:
What we started with on Saturday.
After: What we ended up with...
After:
What we ended up with Sunday.
All week long we mini-truckers plot and plan how we're going to spend the precious last two days of the week. Saturday and Sunday are rare commodities, especially free ones that aren't taken up with work, truck shows, or the occasional family gathering. So when the time does come around and winter has set in (in California we only have a month or so of winter, so we have to work fast!), we break out our grinders and get to work on the many ongoing projects that we tend to accumulate throughout the year.
This time we decided to do something we've never done before and show you exactly what you can accomplish in your own garage a weekend at a time. Instead of just doing the same old thing and burning through an entire buildup (which may have taken months) in one article, leaving you unsure of the actual timeline, we're going to approach this project by showing you exactly what we've accomplished each and every weekend in the two days. We won't skip a thing; we'll show you each time what we started with and what we ended up with. We'll show you the burnt fingers, the 2-hour-long beer and lunch breaks, and all the tools that we manage to ruin (well, maybe not the lunch breaks, but you get the idea). This will be the perfect incentive to pick up a cheap little project of your own and follow along with us to build a reliable, simple, and clean daily driver (we promise, no crazy full-frame cantilever airbags with locking coilovers on this one!).
The first step is to find the project. Fortunately for us this is all too easy because $1,000 Toyotas run rampant in the streets of Southern California. We're constantly having to lock our checkbooks in the safe and throw away the key just to keep from buying them all up. You can do what we did and buy a truck that is in the middle of project phase (already bagged, etc...) but this might end up taking more time depending on the condition of the previous work. For the first weekend, we decided to cut everything out and start fresh. So we stripped her bare and got to work. Go grab that cheap project and follow along with the buildup and before you know it we'll be draggin' the streets together in style by just taking it a weekend at a time! For more information, contact the companies listed in the source box.
Since cutting stuff up is...
Since cutting stuff up is easily the best part of the rebuild, we jumped back to the rear and cut off the top of the notch so we could measure out the new rails for a simple back half using 2x3.
With the top of the notch...
With the top of the notch out of the way, we measured how long the new rails would need to be.
After we measured and cut...
After we measured and cut the rail for each side of the frame, we measured how high they would need to sit and we cut each one accordingly.
Once the rails are cut they're...
Once the rails are cut they're inserted and clamped together. With both sets clamped together they are tacked in place to assure they are equal and level.
The frame is measured and...
The frame is measured and cut for the rails to be inserted.
It's crucial that the frame...
It's crucial that the frame rails are level and parallel, so everything is triple-checked for accuracy before the temporary crossmembers are cut out.
The rails are tacked to the...
The rails are tacked to the frame, and the temporary crossmembers are welded in to ensure that the new back half will remain level and parallel.
Holes are drilled into the...
Holes are drilled into the frame so that the new rails can be structurally welded to the frame.
Unfortunately, it was the...
Unfortunately, it was the last straw for our drill, as it burnt up. We couldn't get the smell out of our nose until at least the fourth or fifth beer.
Once we finally got the holes...
Once we finally got the holes drilled, a nice bead was laid down to permanently affix our new rails in place.
Here's a look at why it's...
Here's a look at why it's important to weld the hole as well as the top of the new rail. The bead in the hole penetrates and creates twice as much strength for the new rails as just welding the edges.
With the crossmembers welded...
With the crossmembers welded in and the new rails welded to the frame, now we could get back to the fun stuff and bust out the Sawzall to cut away the old frame.
After the stock frame was...
After the stock frame was out of the way, we could weld up the rest of the new rails and grind them smooth. Here's a quick look at what patience and just a little know-how can accomplish in one weekend.
So to recap, we tore the sucker...
So to recap, we tore the sucker down, took everything apart, cut off all of the old crap, and got the new 2x3 rails set up for our back half. Not bad for our first weekend. Stay tuned as we continue the slow but steady process of a true mini-truck buildup weekend-style!