StumpyJohnson

I've been meaning to do this for a while now.

(Condensed Version: Doing some work to my stock, Daily driver. I want to build a reliable truck that will take me where I want to go on/off road. But I'm not looking to go rock crawler at this point. I'm looking into suspension/axle/steering repairs and upgrades. What recommendations would you have as far as the parts I should repair/upgrade the order of items to repair/upgrade, and the sources for the parts to repair/upgrade. I'm currently working on the axles and steering/suspension areas.) FYI, I'm not interested in lifting the truck. I may flip the shackles or something but nothing crazy.


Long Winded Version:

My first post here was a major cry for help when was 5 days into an engine rebuild, I found my own answer on page 55 of my search results, BUT, someone answered my thread promptly and accurately. So I feel I need to give back a bit and participate in this forum in a manner other than..."HELP HELP!"

So here's my attempt...I need advice on my build and I'll post pics and experiences as I go.

Pics to follow soon.

The backstory:

I rolled my Gmc Sierra in July 2012 on my 80 mile commute home one friday night...Luckily there was mud in the drainage ditch adjacent to the road, or I might not be here writing this.

Luckier still I had full coverage, my truck appraised fairly well, and esurance ponied up a nice check without any debate. Even luckier still I took some of the check and miraculously found an '84 XtraCab, 22r, sfa...with (get this) 83,123 original miles on it...its my first toyota, I've been wanting one forever, but never found the right entry.

Being the smart man I am I used a portion of said check and put a nice down payment on a new minivan for my wife, so that whatever I "NEED" to do to my rig is easily justified.

The PO was an elderly gentleman who had his license revoked a year prior and the toyota sitting under the cedar tree in his yard I purchased for $2700. Its in great, if a touch neglected, shape...

I commuted for 2 months without a complaint or a hiccup. I made the mistake of swapping out all the fluids to synthetics. That coupled with a few runs over some washboard to my favorite dove hunting spot led to leaks from old dry seals.

I yanked the engine....new gaskets, seals, clutch, timing chain/guides/sprocket, etc etc...

All is well other than a loose nut behind the wheel.

So now I find myself waiting on a decent sized tax return and vacation check...So I want to make some "NEEDED REPAIRS"...its important that I have a reliable daily driver and in order for that to be, there are things that this truck "NEEDS"...

(if you're reading this honey...I love you)

So, I'm looking for a bullet-proof daily driver. A truck that will commute the long distances I travel and still maintain a decent fuel efficiency. So I'm not going to bother making a 4 banger faster/more powerful. The engine is stock and it will stay that way, for the most part. Also, I'm not looking to to lift the truck or put massive tires on it.

Right now I'm looking to do some/all of the following.

-Full Knuckle rebuild (was thinking of marlin crawlers package since it includes everything? Knuckle bearings, wheel bearings, Seals, etc)
-Locking Hub Rebuild
-New bilstein 5125 shocks all the way around
-New steering damper
-New bushings throughout
-New tires
-Brake Rebuild

Now, that being said, I'm a carpenter...so I'm poor. But I got a few bucks to make some "Needed Repairs".

I know the knuckles could use work, as I understand it the MC package has everything...Is it worth the price? I looked at the wabfab kit too but it seems to be priced the same/more once I add knuckle bearings, wheel bearings, etc.

Locking Hub Rebuild...No brainer, disassemble, clean, paint, reinstall while everything's torn apart.

Bilstein 5125's, I want a decent shock that will replace the stock shocks that are BLOWN OUT...I expect a rough ride, its a SFA. But I want a tight, solid right. A rough or hard ride is fine...a sloppy loose ride is not<---(awesome sentence). Throw these on while the front end is being worked on.

Steering damper, was thinking the moog kit from rock auto...something cheap to replace the stock While I'm in there. Eventually, I may do some mods in this area but not while this is my daily driver.

New Bushings, was looking for a decent full bushing kit to swap out with the old stuff while I'm working my way through the truck. Is the $200 worth it?

New tires...nothing crazy here...a reliable daily driver first and a capable 4x4 second.

Brakes, new rotors, pads and a thorough cleaning front and rear while im in there...






So...all that being said...I'd like to hear your experienced opinions.


What parts would you upgrade? Where would you get them? Would you bother with something like a trunnion bearing eliminator kit, or a 25mm chromoly pin upgrade? These are really just examples...I know these things are for hardcore crawlers, but what upgrades will make the truck more bullet proof for my dollar?

Also,

I may need to do the work in weekend chunks most likely, I still need to go to work. So what's first and what next and whats last?

I hope to have this truck forever, and I hope that one day it may be more toy than tool...but for now its a tool, but we can still make it a badass tool right?

StumpyJohnson

Here's some pictures...


The Day I brought my baby home...
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-m...-16-12+006.JPG


Clean Rehabbed engine...
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-P...6-12%2B059.JPG

Clean Rehabbed engine in clean rehabbed engine compartment...
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-d...6-12%2B062.JPG

rokblok

iTrader: (1)

Get Wabbits kit for the knuckles. I used it and its been great. All gaskets fit great, all bearings were OE quality. Don't do trunnion eliminator, doesn't do well on daily driver.

All new engine tune up parts, all fresh fluids (if not done already). All new filters throughout, fuel, air, trans if auto. And I presume you're referring to spring bushings, that's your call. Definitely couldn't hurt, although it is a decent bit of work. Get the 5125s, they're a good all around shock. Check your shifter seats/sockets, replace if you have a floppy shifter. Replace the wiper blades, make sure all lights work properly.

Then have fun!

Save up for a little lift and Hysteer steering. Night and day difference on my '84.

StumpyJohnson

So is there a wabbit kit that includes knuckle bearings and wheel bearings. MC's axle rebuild kit has it all in one package...just looking to save on shipping. If wabbits got it all, done deal, I've heard good things. I'm simply trying to avoid orders across too many suppliers.

Re: Bushings...I was looking into a master bushing kit.

Front and rear spring and shackle bushings
Front sway bar bushings
Torque arm bushings
Cab mounts
Tie-rod end boots

And thanks for the heads up on the shifter sockets...That'll be a quick improvement.

dakotawho

iTrader: (1)

Yeah the shifter bushings make a awesome difference! Idk much about upgrading with the straight axles, but it looks like you have a good looking truck body wise! Keep it up, you'll get it!

rokblok

iTrader: (1)

Wabbit does have a full kit. I think it's called a knuckle sammitch?

If that's not offered, the knuckle kit is like $80, bearing kit is $41, but Marlins kit is $180....

If you need shifter seats/sockets, then Marlin or dealer will be your best bet.

StumpyJohnson

Alright now I'm screwed, been looking into a modest lift. OME Dakar 2" light duty specifically.

Question, could one throw on the shackles and shocks on stock springs and add the OME springs later?

rokblok

iTrader: (1)

Why are you screwed?

The shackles would give you a little lift depending on their length. But the shocks fitting would depend on if they're longer for lifted springs. They may be to long for stock. Research the shock you're looking at getting and look at stock replacement shock. You should be able to find full extended and compressed lengths. But just guessing, I would think you would be ok short term?

StumpyJohnson

Im screwed because I really want the old man emu kit. I won't stop till I get it, the kids will starve, I be convicted of gross child negligence and my wife will leave me and I'll be single with a friggin awesome truck and that will lead to a life of hard drinking and womanizing.

Ahem...

That's what I'm thinking, I look into it.

rokblok

iTrader: (1)

The Dakar kit is allegedly a good one, although I haven't personally run OME on a pickup, only Cruisers.

The kids and wife will understand. If they don't, and decide to bail, you can start over with the cool chick you pick up in your freakin awesome truck...

Wait a second, what's wrong with hard drinking and womanizing? You some kind of nazi?

StumpyJohnson

Hard drinking and womanizing is what got me two kids and loving wife! All my endeavors lead to that road for me. I start out in Home Depot lookin for plumbing parts and somehow two days later I wake up nude in a sorority house, its a curse.

Seriously though, I thought if I bought the shackles and shocks for the emu kit, new tires to fit. I could roll that till I got the rest...my buddy says he threw some JC Whitney shackles on his 4runner and got a 3 inch lift with his stock springs. I don't think that's uncommon, so I imagine if I snagged everything from the emu kit but the springs and damper. That allows me to get the tires I want under there and down the road I go till I get another illegitimate child I can claim on my taxes and I can afford phase two!

If its not apparent I've been drinking, where all the loose wiminz at?


Edit: or I could be a damn adult about it and save a few more bucks before going ape$h!t, do it all in one shot and then drive to the next college town in style...

StumpyJohnson

It should also be noted that my stock springs are in great shape and have little, if any, sag...

rokblok

iTrader: (1)

Generally speaking, you only get half of additional shackle length, in additional lift. Stock shackles are like 3.5", so if I installed a 6.5" shackle, I would only net about 1.5" of lift. 6.5-3.5=3.0. Half of 3.0=1.5.

So if you friend got 3" of lift, he must've had some hellacious shackles....

StumpyJohnson

Yea I got no idea what he did and I never saw his runner before he sold it. I've read that length to lift ratio cited before.

But I was able to find a thread here where a guy states that his emu shackles were only an 1/8" longer than his stock shackles. So the height must come from the spring arc of their kit.

Which stands to reason, I've seen the OME kit offered without their shackles and what not, so I assume the springs would work with stock shackles.

Which kinda work against me, I need new tires but don't want to get a dinky tire and then Lift the truck, that'd look goofy. All in all it means I quietly, discretely, whip out a credit card...or just do the Knicks and hubs and be happy for a bit. No sense in putting myself through hell over impatience.

rokblok

iTrader: (1)

Correct, I believe all the Emu stuff is designed to work with a combination of factory components within reason. Meaning, you can't expect to put a taller spring on with a factory length shock or put on a shock designed for a taller spring onto a factory sprung vehicle. If the OME shackles are OE length, I would look at maybe some TG shackles from Wabbit. They're offered in extended lengths.

What size tire are you trying to get? Width and height...

StumpyJohnson

Nothin crazy like 30 or 31. They might even fit now I guess. I'd like to end up with a mild suspension lift and a mildly larger tire.

I've been looking over wabbits site for sure, i'm just trying to get a game plan together. I'll probably end up doing the knuckles, hubs, and breaks and continue mulling it over.

I thought that the OME shackles might be a little longer, giving me some room to stuff the shocks and tires in there with the stock springs for the time being, but if they're basically the stock length it gets me no where.

Trying to work towards a goal in steps that keep me from buying parts I don't need and ensures that the parts I do buy work well together. I've read about some downsides of a shackle lift, and I'm certain its not going to get me the ride I want.

I've read that stock ride height is about 16" from the top of the wheel to the top of the outer edge of the fender at the apex of the wheel well? Is there a more accurate measurement to take? Like center of axle to top shock mount or something?


Thanks for entertaining me on this whole mess btw...