2005 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 - Rising Force

Pointing 39.5-inch Interco Irok tires in the correct direction is not a task for the weak. An '86-'95 Toyota 4x4 pickup steering box was grafted onto the driver-side framerail. That particular model of steering box is stout, but the strain of the Iroks called for a PSC ram-assist system to share the steering load. The PSC ram lives on a stout axle-mounted perch.

The PSC system is plumbed for use with the stock Toyota power-steering pump.

The central player in this truck's front end is a Currie RockJock Dana 60. Wyatt opted for an aluminum centersection to save weight. Behind the cover, there's a set of 5.38 gears and an ARB Air Locker. A DeMello three-link connects the axle with the rest of the truck.

Bilstein's 9100-series coilovers take care of springing and damping duties. Mounted to the top of the RockJock's end forgings, there's no way rocks will be scraping this set of coilovers.

A 14-inch stroke length meant the upper mounts had to be pushed high into the engine bay, but there's plenty of articulation to be had when the trails get twisty and the rocks get bigger and nastier.

Check out the boxed mounts for the upper shock eye: slick and strong. Smooth-body Bilstein 9100s have plenty of oil capacity - no worries about fading, overheated shocks. Like the front shocks, this pair of Bilsteins has 14 inches of travel on tap.

Sixty-three-inch Deaver leaf packs required the rear shackle be mounted well aft of the stock location. The multileaf Deaver springs are progressive, so they're just as adept at stutter-bump compliance as they are at controlling the big hits.

Toyota axles are pretty stout, but the Achilles heel is the ring-and-pinion strength in the latest-generation Tacoma. Add in the strain of 39.5-inch tires, and the situation clearly called for something more substantial. A high-pinion Currie Dana 60 was the answer. The traction bar runs forward to a shackle that's attached to the frame. This traction-bar configuration lets the suspension cycle and articulate but prevents spring wrap under acceleration. Front and rear driveshafts were built by High Angle Driveline.

The Glassworks Unlimited front fenders add 4 inches of width and 2 inches of additional wheel opening height. This adds up to fewer roadside stops talking to law enforcement about why your tires stick out too far. The Glassworks fenders look great too.