[217785]

Username: aaronsen
Year: 2011
Trim: SV
Color: Night Armor

Mods

Exterior: Tint- 15% front, 5% rear
Suspension & Tires: CST spindles, extended brakes, 2" spacers, adjustable shackles, Blistein 5125 shocks, 285 75 16 Toyo Open County ATII, MB TKO wheels
Performance: K&N CAI (on the truck when bought)


I thought I would start my build thread since my lift kit came in. I call it "Tonka Truck" because my brothers make fun of me for not having a full sized 4wd truck. I told them just for them I want to put this sticker somewhere on it.

Anyways this is how it sits now (will post after install) and I'm still debating if I should have someone install the kit or if I should. I am not sure if I'm going to add anything else to it. I have never done off roading and I'm excited to go to the Hollister Hills trip in May, so I'll see if off roading is for me and go from there. The Pismo Dunes are very close to me and I would like to check them out sometime.

 

[[email protected]]

Looking forward to seeing some after pics, let us know how goes

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[Contra]

same here, subscribed

 

[217785]

Lift Was Installed!

The lift was installed today and I love it! For some reason they didn't put on the rear blocks, and the shocks were mounted black side down. I'm pretty sure I read on here they can go either way but they look weird to me all smushed. I am getting alignment tomorrow morning so I'm thinking about asking if they can flip them. As for the blocks, I'll see if they can put them on too, or tell me if they will not work. The installer was gone when I went to pick it up and the lady I paid wasn't sure why they weren't put on. Next will be tires but I still have a lot of tread left for now. Before and after attached

 

[[email protected]]

The lift looks good, i even like the rake to the rear, looks like a 1in rake.

But what size tires are those and what size are you upgrading to?

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[217785]

The lift looks good, i even like the rake to the rear, looks like a 1in rake.

But what size tires are those and what size are you upgrading to?

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Thank you. Right now I have 265 70r 16 Duratracs and I'm thinking about going to 285 75r 16. Nothing too major but just to fill in the space a little bit.

 

[bhowdy]

Looks good ... We call that "rake" a Carolina Squat here in the southeast.
More than likely if you add the 33's you will need to do the pinch weld mod to prevent] rubbing at full lock turns .... easy enough to do
http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/f8/pinch-weld-mod-how-106553/

 

[217785]

Possible Pinch Mod

Looks good ... We call that "rake" a Carolina Squat here in the southeast.
More than likely if you add the 33's you will need to do the pinch weld mod to prevent] rubbing at full lock turns .... easy enough to do
http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/f8/pinch-weld-mod-how-106553/

Please let me know if this is correct or not, but I think the previous owner had already done this?. This is what it looks like under the liner. Also on the bottom it looks like a second hole was made so the liner could be pulled back further.

 

[Elloc]

Is your shocks long enough to accommodate the blocks and shackles? I'm assuming you are looking to get 4"-5" of lift back there? If not long enough then maybe that's why the tech didn't install the blocks.

 

[217785]

Is your shocks long enough to accommodate the blocks and shackles? I'm assuming you are looking to get 4"-5" of lift back there? If not long enough then maybe that's why the tech didn't install the blocks.

I think they are. They were in the package from PRG. I had it put on by a pretty reputable truck shop here in town. He had heard of CST but not PRG. They also said there was something "weird" with the shackles and when they double checked they said never mind they were good. I'm going to Lake Tahoe in July and I'm thinking about stopping by PRG on the way home to make sure everything looks okay.

 

[BCBrian]

Please let me know if this is correct or not, but I think the previous owner had already done this?. This is what it looks like under the liner. Also on the bottom it looks like a second hole was made so the liner could be pulled back further.

I would hit those sharp edges and burrs with a file and then get some paint on the bare metal to help prevent rust from starting.

Did your installer swap the bushings in order to install the shocks with the boots down?

From PRG - "-Do these mount body up or down? The Bilstien mono-tube shocks can mount at any angle but we build them body down as the black boots turn brown over time dont look as good as a shiny silver body. You can easily mount them the other way though by just pressing out the bushings/sleeves we install and flipping them."

 

[Contra]

Aaronsen's "Tonka Truck" Build

So did you have them put in the blocks? Because you have the squat in the rear end which makes your headlights point higher up into the oncoming driver's face


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[JeniorNV]

Interesting that the rear shocks were mounted that way. If they had come from Nisstec that's how they would be installed, but as BCBrian mentioned PRG normally orients the bushings the other way.

So did you have them put in the blocks? Because you have the squat in the rear end which makes your headlights point higher up into the oncoming driver's face

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If the blocks are not installed, the headlights can be adjusted. Actually, even with a standard leveling kit, the headlights really should be re-aimed. After I did my first leveling kit (2.5/1.5) they were pointed too high.

 

[Contra]

True


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[217785]

Thanks all. I'm not sure what they did but I'm going to check if I have a wrench that will fit and flip them. This can be done on the ground right?

 

[BCBrian]

Thanks all. I'm not sure what they did but I'm going to check if I have a wrench that will fit and flip them. This can be done on the ground right?

As the info from PRG states in my previous post..... you will need to swap the bushings for them to fit correctly. Swapping them will require a press to remove and reinstall them.

You can do this on the ground but the shock will need to be compressed to reinstall the hardware. If you are unsure how to do this, take it back to the shop that did the work.

 

[JeniorNV]

FYI, some people remove the boots. The boots on my first set of Bils didn't hold up to off roading (both got torn) so I removed them. Second set of Bils, I didn't even wait...I took the boots off right away.

I suppose they're there for a reason, but in my case they weren't doing any good torn the way they were.

 

[217785]

It has been a little over a month and the suspension has settled. The rake isn't has bad.

 

[[email protected]]

Did you end up with the 285/75 or those the 265/70s?

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[217785]

4-28-18 Memoir

I haven't been on here in a while and thought I might add this. The only thing I've done is get tow mirrors back in October. They are really quite helpful.

Earlier this week my SES light came on. I knew it could be a million different things, but it still gave me a little anxiety so I got a code reader. I got the P0101 which turned out to be the Mass Air Flow Circuit Range/Performance. I was relieved it wasn't something more serious and started looking up solutions. The truck had a K&N intake on when I bought it and unfortunately I had never looked up the maintenance for it. I went by the local truck shop and got the K&N cleaner/oil kit and MAF cleaner. I cleaned both parts and the SES cleared! I am quite proud of myself. The truck now is a lot quieter and the RPMs are much lower when at idle. I am curious to see what will happen with the MPGs.

Photos are from when I first got the mirrors and rake from 1 week camping trip.