Dynamite Design - Tacoma T-Rex

Dynamite Design · May 26, 2014

Something that started as a simple Dana 60 shave, has turned into a full on build. Josh Chappell has shown up ready to pull a 180 on his Tacoma project. He picked it up from a guy down in the Bayou'. There has been a mess of fabrication done on this rig from the previous owner. Josh got the rig on a deal and his plan has been to basically redo everything as good as it gets....
Since, and long story short.... Josh has joined Dynamite Design and is committed to moving forward. You'll meet him very soon.

Let's build a Tacoma T-Rex

Dynamite Design · May 26, 2014

Dynamite Design · May 26, 2014

Eddyj · May 26, 2014

jeepmedic · May 27, 2014

daddyxyj · May 27, 2014

yeah me too!

fordcontraption01 · May 27, 2014

Here we go again ???

M4Wheeler · May 27, 2014

Sweet! A new thread with only pictures of random ****ing parts and no descriptions! Good thing you gave us the back story instead of details on what the **** you're doing.

Edit: I should have read the thread title, Tacoma T-Rex says it all. It'll be a bright green 6x6 Tacoma with a huge cattle catcher front bumper and tubes down the side of the truck that don't have a good purpose for the intended use. Got it.

tonybolton · May 27, 2014

Re: Re: Dynamite Design - Tacoma T-Rex

He posted pix of a bent tab/bracket? What more could you ask for? .....GAAAAHH!!! 8);D

fordcontraption01 · May 27, 2014

Yea and the homemade metal break thing is cool I may try that myself :****:

I8AJEEP · May 28, 2014

Seeing as how David has already introduced me I will jump right in to this build thread with my contributions. As he has already stated I have joined the Dynamite Design team and both of us are prepared to move forward aggressively with several products. On to the build.
I purchased this truck off the forums from a gent near New Orleans. I knew it had problems. I did due diligence prior to the purchase and had found the previous owners build threads. I knew what I was getting in to and it was a hell of a mess. but at a price of $7500.00 with only 70k on the odometer it was exactly what I was looking for. This first group of pictures show the truck in pretty much the state it was in when I brought it home. It only serves to give every one a base line… and to remind David and I of how far it has come.

original geometry

4byfan · May 28, 2014

Pics no worky.

4byfan · May 28, 2014

They workin now.

I8AJEEP · May 28, 2014

At some point during my parts gathering phase and while I was building my axels I decided to shave my front and rear Dana 60, which were both purchased from NC4x4 members. I was pointed to David Guest by another member on NC4x4. David swung by the house one evening and picked up the axels and a week later I went over to pick them up. David and I hit it off immediately and quickly realized that together we had a good combination of skills and assets. The rest is a long boring story that maybe one day we will share around a camp fire after a day of wheeling.

I8AJEEP · May 28, 2014

This is the day the truck rolled in to David's shop. as you can tell I had all ready completed most of the body work and added some fiberglass fenders and bedsides. tear down went very fast

transmission ready for a taco box and FJ crusier manual T-case

Front tore out

shop cleaned up ready to start building

I8AJEEP · May 28, 2014

the drive train went in first. An Inchworm crawl box, Tacoma adapter plate and FJ Crusier Auto T-case went in. The first two pictures show original position of the T-case. it was later clocked 15*

after T-Case was clocked

The crawler is just a standard Inchworm Taco box with 4.7:1 gear set and an FJ Crusier automatic T-case behind it. This set up is tried and true in several other 05+ tacoma builds. In addition to the crawler it makes the T-case a manual case with 2h 4H and 4L. It is also modified for short throw twin sticks. It also has a plugged worm gear in it so I can put in a speed sensor and clear the check engine light. This is required on the 05+ Tacomas since we are ditching the ABS and factory axels and with them go the tone rings. Without the speed pick up these engines will not run right.

I8AJEEP · May 28, 2014

As you can tell from the base line photos, one of the ugliest parts of the truck and most time consuming to fix is the frame stiffening plates that were added to give rigidity to the front section of the frame and remove the front end crumple zone. David and I discussed several approaches to fixing this. The path we ultimately choose was based on one thing - what will yield the best strength and aesthetics.
The process was basically to plasma out the face of the frame sand it down flush with the top and bottom plates of the frame, put in a new face plate, put on a fish plate and plug weld it a lot to get the strength and rigidity we were looking for.

steering box mount is built into the frame and sleeved so the steering box was strapped on for mock up.

first layer of steel on and sanded down

front side of the steering box mount

steering box mount mocked up

fish plate on

frame rails are done

I8AJEEP · May 28, 2014

At some point we put the new brake master cylinder in. Due to the larger calipers and disc on all four corners we went to a 1 ton T-100 master cylinder. A simple adapter is used between the master cylinder and booster, nothing new there. The pushrod inside the booster had to be extended, and the master cylinder reservoir was modified to feed the clutch.

reservoir modified to accept clutch line

master cylinder modified to fit adapter plate and assembled

longer pushrod complete (OEM pushrod is pictures as well)

I8AJEEP · May 28, 2014

Frame brackets were put on and links were mocked up with PVC until the aluminum links arrived. All the axel brackets were fabricated in house. the frame brackets came from an outside source and will be replaced sooner or later.

axel lower link brackets

axel upper link bracket

I8AJEEP · May 28, 2014

A set of bead locks were built and sent out to DJ Powdercoating in Kernersville NC. When the wheels came back tires were mounted, and the truck was flexed on jack stand with floor jacks to check for any clearance issues.