Low is the name of the game around here. When it comes to low, sometimes the pinch molding has to be a casualty of war. For this battle, we knew the Weekend Warrior 'Yota would have to be body-dropped past the pinch and still tuck a respectable-yet daily drivable-wheel size. So, we went with a set of 19-inchers to give us plenty of rubber for the mean streets to gobble up.
For this installment of the Weekend Warrior Toyota, we'll show you the bed and the cab body-drop. Even though it took more than a weekend, we still got it done in time to cruise to the Forbidden Fantasy Show. For Part II, we'll show you the tubs and the front frame horns. So crack open your favorite bev, grab the Sawzall, and follow along to plant your trucks body flat on the ground!
The Cab We decided to do...
The Cab
We decided to do things a little different. Rather than cut out the whole floor, we took it back and channeled the cab for the framerails. Because we decided to go to the rocker, the body-drop is a 2-5/8-inch body-drop. Here's a look at how we did the cab.
1. After measuring from the...
1. After measuring from the floor to the bottom of the rocker, we knew we needed a 2-5/8-inch body-drop so the cab would sit on the ground. So first thing's first. We marked from underneath where our channels would be on each side of the framerails and began cutting.
2. After cutting out all...
2. After cutting out all of the trouble areas- areas that keep the cab from sitting flat on the ground like the two frame channels, the tranny tunnel, and the back wall section-and test fitting the cab on the frame a couple of times, it was time to start building our fillers.
3. Measuring for a bend on...
3. Measuring for a bend on each side, we marked and cut out what will become our channels for the framerails.
4. Next, it was time to bend...
4. Next, it was time to bend each side on the sheetmetal break.
5. Before we could fit and...
5. Before we could fit and weld in our channel fillers we had to ditch all of the factory tar in the way.
6. These two steps are crucial....
6. These two steps are crucial. You have to measure the filler all of the way across to ensure that it's level and will give you the proper clearance for the body-drop.
7.
8. After you level everything...
8. After you level everything out, you can then tack the filler in place.
9. As it will take a few...
9. As it will take a few pieces to complete the floor section, we recommend a few tacks all the way down on each side of each piece and test fitting the cab before you fully weld everything up. Note: If you leave your pinch, you won't need to make a new tranny tunnel. It's amazing how much more work another inch can cause.
10. Once the floor pieces...
10. Once the floor pieces are built and welded completely in, you can cut off the excess underneath to clean it all up, as we did.
11. After the channel cover...
11. After the channel cover fillers, the new tranny tunnel, and the rest of the floor has been completed, it's time to get dirty and seam seal everything.
12. A tight seal is important,...
12. A tight seal is important, but you will want it to look clean when you paint it, undercoat, or Line-X the underneath.
13. And there you have it....
13. And there you have it. Now there's plenty of clearance for the frame, driveshaft, and tranny.
14. The last thing to tend...
14. The last thing to tend to on the cab were the cab mounts. You can either cut and move your stock mounts down-but make sure to mark carefully the placement before cutting-or you can just measure it out and build new ones.