2021 Toyota Tacoma (3rd gen Tacoma) aka the money maker build

[johnathanf1lm]

Originally Posted by Vwbeamer

I don't want to go Julian Edger on you but.

I built,and raced aircooled VW engines from 1999 to 2009. I had access to a dyno, and different measuring equipment, etc. The four into one header is the best design. Gene Bergs extractor exhaust when properly sized will pull a VACCUUM at the exhaust port when matched with the correct stroke, bore, ETC. It will literially suck the exhaust from the cylinder. There is no need for anti reversion cones on a well designed header. This one subject I have extensive expertise in. I have built NA asperated VW engines that produce over 100 hp per litre. you can google my name "James Beahm" and "hot VWs".

Trust me when I say a long tube 4 into one header is best for low end torque. The problem is the packaging it all , plus the further you move the cat from the head, the lower exhaust temps, and the cat doesn't work as well.

Lucky for me the lce long tube header is equal length, bolts up like stock header, and ceramic coated. So coated should help with the increased surface area of exhaust in the engine bay and exhaust temp a bit. Also lucky I don't live in cal since it's not 50 state approved. Also no complaining in the forums about cat codes or anything from what I can see too which is a huge plus.

[johnathanf1lm]

Originally Posted by Vwbeamer

I installed the lowering kit myself, takes about 6 hours. The radar sensors are pretty expensive, I haven't bought one, but have heard prices as high as 3K. What have you heard?

Yeah that's why I was hoping I could delete it so I could sell that bad boy. That and may help with grill options since changing location of it can cause issues if I wanted to do a custom grill. I forgot ask did you need any special tools like a lift etc or jack and jack stands and regular tools did the job. Lastly any sensor error issues. I know the OEM Tacoma TRD lift kit comes with the grill that says Toyota on it and moved the sensor down to the bottom of the grill so there must be issues when raising it.

[johnathanf1lm]

Originally Posted by Vwbeamer

I have a 2019 SR 2.7. Crew cab 2wd. I think you find these are very dependable trucks. The 2.7 is regarded as bullet proof.

Seems you’re getting pretty good mpg now.

I also did three mods to increase MPG
1. Increase air pressure in tires to 42 psi
2. Lowered the truck
3. Built a 40% tonneau cover ( I know you didn’t want hear it.)



I lowered it with this kit-
https://sosperformance.com/products/...ts-2016-tacoma

The kit is very well made and engineered. Customer service is top notch.

After I received the kit, I decided I wanted it even lower. So I contacted Tom at SOS and he sent me a different spring perch for the front. I also put a half inch block on the rear. As a result I have 2.5 front, 4 inch rear drop.

Lowering had a positive effect on MPG, but not enough to ever offset the over 600 price tag. You will have to have the front end aligned as the lowering is going to put it way out.

I also built the 40% tonneau cover. It leaves the front part of the bed open. I made it myself for under 60 bucks. It mounts on the bed rail for the cargo tie downs. It's worth about .75 mpg.

I don't see much weight savings removing the TSS and lane departure. these components only weight 2 or 3 pounds. I do see a liability if you ever sell the truck and those saftey features are disabled.

I wanted correct you on the LCE header and defend them a little. I have researched, experimented with and have published articles on exhaust headers. You could say I’m a bit of an expert. Longer primary tubes produce a torque peak at a lower RPM. Shorter tube headers produce peak torque at a higher RPM. Short tube headers are mostly seen on full race engines, because past the torque peak, the long primaries become a restriction and hurt peak HP. On engines that are rarely ran below their torque peak, open primaries are used, such as a top fuel dragster.

On a street driven truck you want longer primaries. I have also looked at the LCE headers. Looks to be a great product and the primary lengths are good for a street driven truck. I would like to see the primaries even longer, around 28-30 inches. But it would be hard to package.

Also any pictures of your increased drop over the so usual kit? I would be worried about scraping and such.

[Vwbeamer]

I didn’t need any special tools to install the lowering kit. I did have a Dewalt ¼ inch and ½ impact wrench. The instruction say you need a coil spring compression tool to do the front struts, but I found it easier just use the weight of the truck and a floor jack under the bottom control arm to slowly release compression on the spring. After you install the new lower spring mount, the strut is short enough to fit back in without the spring compressed, then again use a jack under the bottom control arm to compress the spring. BTW, I think you can buy the proper tool at harbor freight for 35-40 bucks.

I know the majority of people here know, but everyone should be careful around compressed springs.

I don’t have any pictures, but will try to get few today. Honestly I wish the truck was lower, the casual observer won’t even notice it has been lowered. When I took it to the alignment shop they said it looked stock to them.

There won’t be a problem with scraping with stock tires. Toyota designed it so the suspension will hit the bump stop before it hits the fender. Now if you run larger tires, they may hit.

I can hit the bump stop in the rear if I have a couple hundred pounds or more in the back and hit a hard bump. This was only after I lowered more with the ½ lowering block. I have considered taking it out for that reason, or raising the bump stop. I don’t really want to modify the frame, as the truck is still under warranty until Sept 2022. As it is now, I can return it to stock in 6 hours.

Common sense tells me lowering had to have altered the range and calibration of the radar sensor, but it hasn’t given any trouble lights or warnings. I also use the radar cruz control most of the time, and still operates as it did before lowering. I was prepared to pay to have it recalibrated, but it really works the same now.

[johnathanf1lm]

Originally Posted by Vwbeamer

I didn’t need any special tools to install the lowering kit. I did have a Dewalt ¼ inch and ½ impact wrench. The instruction say you need a coil spring compression tool to do the front struts, but I found it easier just use the weight of the truck and a floor jack under the bottom control arm to slowly release compression on the spring. After you install the new lower spring mount, the strut is short enough to fit back in without the spring compressed, then again use a jack under the bottom control arm to compress the spring. BTW, I think you can buy the proper tool at harbor freight for 35-40 bucks.

I know the majority of people here know, but everyone should be careful around compressed springs.

I don’t have any pictures, but will try to get few today. Honestly I wish the truck was lower, the casual observer won’t even notice it has been lowered. When I took it to the alignment shop they said it looked stock to them.

There won’t be a problem with scraping with stock tires. Toyota designed it so the suspension will hit the bump stop before it hits the fender. Now if you run larger tires, they may hit.

I can hit the bump stop in the rear if I have a couple hundred pounds or more in the back and hit a hard bump. This was only after I lowered more with the ½ lowering block. I have considered taking it out for that reason, or raising the bump stop. I don’t really want to modify the frame, as the truck is still under warranty until Sept 2022. As it is now, I can return it to stock in 6 hours.

Common sense tells me lowering had to have altered the range and calibration of the radar sensor, but it hasn’t given any trouble lights or warnings. I also use the radar cruz control most of the time, and still operates as it did before lowering. I was prepared to pay to have it recalibrated, but it really works the same now.

Yeah I am worried about lowering due to the powertrain warrenty. Sounds stupid but I went to school for automotive and hear horror stories about how bad car companies will fight you over repairs. And lowering it they can say due to the change of normal angle of the drive shafts caused x to fail ( in this case the driveshaft, Transfer case since it 4wd and rear differential) I doubt they would fail but you never know and would rather them pay to fix it then me. You could also see if there is stiffer stock shocks (won't solve it but may help prob not since everyone lifts our trucks it won't be easy)

[freebeard]

I don't want to go Julian Edger on you[r] but[t].

I defer. I've never had a 4-into-2-into-1 header. I do remember the article series.

[johnathanf1lm]

Just a update. Filled up my tank and tracked the miles for the first time. The Tacoma mpg was saying 25.5 but got 25.0 from the fill up va miles and gallons. I fill up til it pops then wait a couple seconds and fill it up til it pops again. I may switch to a 3rd pop to try to make sure I get the same fuel each time. It could have been my error with the fill up before bc I usually don't hear of the car mpg gauge being off by that much but week see next fill up.

[johnathanf1lm]

Okay so update. Winter mpg sucks hard. Every 10-15 degrees fahrenheit drop seems like I lose about 1 mpg. I did install a almost full upper behind the grill upper grill block to help with warm up temps. Seems like it is making a small difference with warm up times but doesn't help that it's a short trip to work (10 miles). I gave up on adding a hitch (4 cylinder tacomos don't come stock with a hitch) due to no factory wire options and honestly with the 6 foot bed I'll never need a trailer. I am debating about a hard bed cover for storage and mpg but that won't be til after winter time here in the northeast USA. I'm going to check tire pressures when it stays low for a while and start looking into weight reduction stuff.

[freebeard]

I am debating about a hard bed cover for storage and mpg

Your options are the aerocap and the half-tonneau.

[johnathanf1lm]

Thanks for the advice but Honestly the aero cap I can't stand (not only how it looks but how impractical it would make the truck). Half tonneau I'm sure works but doesn't to really anything for the bed to protect the stuff in it if I desided to do a big shopping order or whatnot. I was thinking a full folding hard cover like the bak flip. Folds up for when I pick up a bike or something to flip or part out and folds down for some form of aero increase and protecting the stuff in the bed. I'll see if I can justify the 1k price tag after the winter is over and I pay off the truck early. That being said I may mess with a half tonneau to save some money now til I get the cash and truck paid off to do the bak flip.