"DRIFT TRUCK" Im gonna Do It!!! Goods and Bads?

[Toycoma]

yup, beat me too it. Most trucks can be lowered 5-6 inches easily by installing a drop spindle and some kind of lowering spring.

[Justin Banner]

One question I have though. what will droping the front end do to the linkage. I've no experience with it myself, but I've read that lowering a vehicle too much can make some of the angles on everything too extreme and can cause both strength and hadeling issues. I'm just curious if that has any validity in this case being as you're lowering something that was allready pretty tall to begin with (at least compared to a car).

It can, but I can take and shim the UCAs to correct for camber (no drilling required!! poking fun at the McPherson Strut guys). Steering angle, however will be affected and bump steer will be a problem, unless I swap to a 2" spindle, which raises the kingpin up 2" which lowers the front 2" and keeps all of the mounting points the same.

[eomund240]

I agree that the KA is the better choice. And there's nothin wrong with the single cam, and I'll kill anyone who says there is . But in all seriousness, I think it would work great. The main thing that'll make things a little difficult is finding a wiring harness in reasonable condition. Damn things are hard to find these days.

One question I have though. what will droping the front end do to the linkage. I've no experience with it myself, but I've read that lowering a vehicle too much can make some of the angles on everything too extreme and can cause both strength and hadeling issues. I'm just curious if that has any validity in this case being as you're lowering something that was allready pretty tall to begin with (at least compared to a car).

[Toycoma]

yeah. SM2 for autox. Plus I can go turbo in that class.

[Justin Banner]

I plan on running the star stockers or what ever they are called once I have the money. I plan on getting the double adjustable shocks though. I am sticking with leaf springs because of the classes I want to run in autox and maybe time attack.

Trying to stay in a "street" type class?

[Toycoma]

I plan on running the star stockers or what ever they are called once I have the money. I plan on getting the double adjustable shocks though. I am sticking with leaf springs because of the classes I want to run in autox and maybe time attack.

[Justin Banner]

they have a coil overs that has a piece of metal to hold the top of the spring in place. you don't need to run the same style coil psring that I am running.

That would make it easier.

I'm going to have to get tubular upper control arms, though. I have about less than 1/4" of space between the shock and the stamped UCA. I think the LCA will just need thicker ears for the lower shock mount.

You also running QA1s in the rear?

[Toycoma]

they have a coil overs that has a piece of metal to hold the top of the spring in place. you don't need to run the same style coil psring that I am running.

[Justin Banner]

GMP-1450 but I got them with out the 450 lb/in 10 inch long springs and ordered the ms565 springs. You need to find a company or talk to qa1 direct and find out what to get since your truck does not use a coil spring in the front like the tacoma does.

Yeah, I'd have to also fab up an upper spring bucket, too. But, I think the solution to that would be to cut off and weld on the buckets from a Tacoma or something.

[Toycoma]

GMP-1450 but I got them with out the 450 lb/in 10 inch long springs and ordered the ms565 springs. You need to find a company or talk to qa1 direct and find out what to get since your truck does not use a coil spring in the front like the tacoma does.

[Justin Banner]

I think the KA is the better choice. they actually came in later model hardbody nissans. I would get one from a s14 240 along with the ecu or use that stand alone so you can rev it to 7,000. the truck KAs might not rev as high but I have no idea for sure.

Truck KAs were single cams, so it's like a S13. I've put them out on the forums and craigslist.

What model QA1 did you use?

[Toycoma]

I think the KA is the better choice. they actually came in later model hardbody nissans. I would get one from a s14 240 along with the ecu or use that stand alone so you can rev it to 7,000. the truck KAs might not rev as high but I have no idea for sure.

[Justin Banner]

Justin, if you want coil overs on the front, there is an easier way then doing them like the garage miniz trucks. I along with a few other guys have QA-1 coilovers in the front of our tacomas. You could ditch the torsion bar setup in the hard body and beef up the lower control arms and run the QA1 stuff.

Here are some pics and info
Current springs are 565lb/in but I might have to go up to a 650 spring. I have cheap wanli 215/45/17s still on the wheels (wheels are 17x9 +27) but should switch them out to a 225/45/17 595 feds since I have a set of those. I also bought a set of the new Kumho XS tires in a 245/45/17.





Front leaf spring hangers and front crossmember have less then 3" of clearance.

I couldnt get a better pic of the sus with my phone.


My autox and maybe drift & time attack setup
245/45/17 Kumho XS tires on 17x9 +35 rims.
I would like to go lower but the tires hit in the inner fenders on bumps. Plus I have no preload on the coil overs, so I would need a helper spring to help keep the coil spring in place when I jack it up.

OHHH, I love that QA1 idea! I wish I had five lug hubs on my truck so I could have better wheel options.

Unfortunately, I'm going to be on a hold for modifications for about three months. I've decided to pay off a credit card to free up more funds for myself. I've also decided that the V6 will be too much of a hassle right now and am looking to trade them both for a KA24DE. I feel it's a fair trade, but we'll see.

[Toycoma]

Justin, if you want coil overs on the front, there is an easier way then doing them like the garage miniz trucks. I along with a few other guys have QA-1 coilovers in the front of our tacomas. You could ditch the torsion bar setup in the hard body and beef up the lower control arms and run the QA1 stuff.

Here are some pics and info
Current springs are 565lb/in but I might have to go up to a 650 spring. I have cheap wanli 215/45/17s still on the wheels (wheels are 17x9 +27) but should switch them out to a 225/45/17 595 feds since I have a set of those. I also bought a set of the new Kumho XS tires in a 245/45/17.





Front leaf spring hangers and front crossmember have less then 3" of clearance.

I couldnt get a better pic of the sus with my phone.


My autox and maybe drift & time attack setup
245/45/17 Kumho XS tires on 17x9 +35 rims.
I would like to go lower but the tires hit in the inner fenders on bumps. Plus I have no preload on the coil overs, so I would need a helper spring to help keep the coil spring in place when I jack it up.

[eomund240]

Very nice. Can't wait to see more.