OV Kid

I've had and wheeled a stock 1991 toyota xtra cab pickup for 3 years now and its time for an upgrade. It does pretty good as is, stock with 31 muds, but I want to advance my wheelin.

I picked up a front axle of a 83 yota this weekend, and I'm buying some 35's off of a buddy for way cheap. I think you see where I'm goin with this.

I'm a poor college student so money is limited. Whats the best/most affordable way for my truck to be solid axled and sitting on 35's? (By the way, I have access to a full fabrication shop full of equipment and tools)

-Thanks

gilby4runner

why not go with ball joint spacers and some taller leafs in the back and wheel it until the IFS dies? It would be cheaper and easier then doing a full SAS. (keeping your financial status in mind)

OV Kid

I dont want to spend money doing things the crapy way. I've never heard of IFS "dieing". I'm going to do a SAS. I'm just looking to do it as cost effective as possible

toyota4x4907

Get a rear locker and wheel the IFS more...Get some 33x10.5 tires instead of the 35s.
IFS is not the "crappy" way.. its just not the SFA way.

Dan.3

why not just fab your own sas kit for "FREE"since you have access to a shop. Thousands and thousands of people have done it. get yourself a set of thornbirds and you will be rockin

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Welcome to Yotatech.

There are several threads on this forum along specifically about cheap SAS. Search.

bain

A stock SAS truck wont go much better that a stock IFS truck.To use a SAS to its utmost performance you will need front and rear lockers. I dont see you getting out of this cheap..My truck is IFS with a 3 inch lift,35's, lockers and twin cases and its gone places less equipped SFA trucks couldn't go. I say put the 35's a cheap 3 inch lift a locker or 2 and cut your fenders and you'll be amazed..

ILLINOISYOTADAWG

i had an 82 yota with sfa and now also have an 86 ifs with lockers and 35's and can get just as far as i used to with the 82 with the 86 ifs

OV Kid

I plan to do gears and lockers soon. Once I get a job I'll be good to go but I dont want to wait to do the SAS. I am going to fab pretty much everything, but does anyone know where to get the best deals on a high steer kit?

I'm not looking to be talked out of doin the SAS. I'm just looking for tips to do it them most affordable way without sacrificing quality. I'm amazed that on a wheelin forum so many people are discouraging me from doin the SAS.

flashkl

I agree with you, the SAS I woulda done first too if I had the ability, even just for the cool factor. Plus, the only time I've ever gotten my truck stuck was in a puddle with deep ruts I couldn't see in it... my front left and rear right were hanging in midwater. If I had a locker I coulda gotten out, but if I had the SFA I coulda also gotten out because I wouldn't have flexed out. And a SFA is much easier to point out and brag about than a locker

whokrz

I would run your 51" or 48" rears in the front, they will max out a 14" shock and they are cheap/free. You have 51" springs currently in the rear.
If you don't plan to carry a lot of weight in the bed I would run S10 or F150 springs in the rear. If you carry lots of weight these springs can get a little exciting in high speed turns. I ended up using 51" Toyota springs in the rear for on road stability because I carry lots of weight for work, this however limits wheel travel a bit but not to bad.
You will also need a few more spring packs to mix in to the front and rear to provide lift and support. S10, BroncoII, Wagoneer and Toyota leafs work well and are common in junk yards. Look for the thin leafs they provide more wheel travel.
Here is a picture of 51" toyota springs front and rear.


Things I would buy
1) Hysteer
2) Tie rod and drag link - unless you can make them
3) Pitman Arm - I am not sure if your current pitman arm will fit the FJ80 tie rod end
4) 4 Tie rod ends - I would recommend napa's fj80 ends when your end wear out.
RH Thread - Napa #269-2854
LH Thread - Napa #269-2855
The ones I got from trailgear did not hold up well, and I do not know if marlins are any better. The set on my tie rod lasted about 3 months and developed excessive movement. The set on my drag link lasted about 2 years. The Napa brand on my tie rod has been on for 3 years and still has no movement.
5) 4 center bolts and nuts that holds the leaf spring together, sorry I can't remember the proper name
6) 16 Spring bushings - For rearToyota leafs get them from marlin they are the "Spring Bushing, Large" ones. The outside diameter of the trail gear ones are to large and you will have to shave them down.
7) 8 Shackle bushings
8) 12 greaseable 18mm bolts - The grease fittings on the trailgear ones break off very easy, I would buy a few good fittings at napa I haven't broken any of theirs yet.
9) 12 stover lock nuts 18mm
10) 4 Bilstien shocks 14" front 12" rear
11) 3 Extended brake lines
12) U-Bolt Flip Kit - unless you can make this easy



Things I would make
Front spring hanger
Spacers for the front shackles
Shackle hanger frame tubes
Rear shackle hangers
Rear spring hangers
Shackle plates
Shock hoops
Rear shock bar
Axle shock mount
3/8" Spring Pad Spacer
Bump stops
Frame reinforce for steering


Things you already have
steering box
Your brake booster and master cylinder will work fine
For the brake upgrade on the front axle, you already have the calipers but I am not sure if your rotors are the same as the FJ60.
I have heard that you can use parts from the IFS to widen the front axle so you may not need wheel spacers.


If you need measurements for stuff just post it here and I will take them for you.
Hopefully this will help you out and congrads on the SAS

whokrz

O ya and welcome to yotatech

OV Kid

Thats what I'm looking for. Thanks Bro.

I got Yota 51' with the axle that supposevly will give the front a 5 inch lift according to the guy I got them from.

And I was planning on going with chevy 63" in the rear, is that a good way to go?

And then I should be able to fint a high steer kit that comes with pitman arm and tie rods and stuff I think, but are those kits usualy no good? Am I better off buying quality stuff individualy?

OV Kid

Oh, and I got word that a place I used to work is looking for someone and they want me to come back. (I quite there about 2 years ago to go build Hot Rods at a local shop). So I'm going to go in today and with any luck I'll have income soon.

Then the fun realy begins.

bain

sounds like things are falling into place

whokrz

48" springs or 51" springs will both work and if set up correctly will both max a 14" shock.
The 51" spring will move your axle forward about 3 inches. The front hanger will need to be moved forward about 3" as you can see in the picture I posted. 37" tires never hit your firewall. Even at full stuff and lock I have a little less than a inch, I could trim my firewall a little and run 39" tires with much trouble.
The 48" springs will move you axle forward about 2 inches. I have read that 37" tires rub a little on the firewall and you will need to beat on it a little bit. The front hanger sits flush or a little forward depending on desired lift and shackle angle.
It sounds like you have 2 sets of 51" springs so that would probably be the cheapest route

This is a debate that keeps going back and forth.
I decided not to run them because of pictures I have seen and what I have read. To get lift out of them you end up with really long shackles which gives you rock anchors and kinked springs or you end up with lift blocks which gives you more axle wrap causing reduced traction. I have seen S10 springs and F150 springs that flex just as well and do not require really long shackles or lift blocks.


I think that six shooter high steer is probably the strongest and cost $399 with the arm, but you will have to buy knuckles for an additional $249 http://www.trail-gear.com/six-shooter-knuckles.html. I upgraded to these after the trunion post loosened up on one of my sky arms due to me failing to keep them tight. I chose to do this because down the road I may run 39" tires and liked the stronger knuckle and extra studs.
My next choice would be marlins high steer with the arm which is $399 http://www.marlincrawler.com/steerin...teer-kit-hilux

OV Kid

Ok, I appreciate all the good advice.

I dont plan to run any bigger than 35's (Atleast for a long time) so it sounds like 48" or 51" shouldnt mkae much difference for me, so I'll just use what I have.

I've seen the marlin high steer kit and I agree thats the way to go. But with the knuckles, is that something I need to do right away or is that an upgrade I can do a few months down the road after the sas once I have more steady cash flow?

whokrz

Marlins high steer arms only fit the stock knuckles which are 4 stud. The six shooter knuckles only fit the six shooter arms and are 6 stud. If you will eventually want stronger arms and knuckles this would be the time to do it as they are not interchangeable. Marlins arms are very strong as are the stock knuckles, just make sure you keep them tight This is what most people run and don't have to many issues. Breaking differentials and axles are more common.

OV Kid

Ok. Since I dont have overwhelming amounts of money I think I'll run the stock knuckles. It sounds like it will be strong enough for what I'll be doing.

Kiroshu

A toyota IFS is def one of the toughest ever mad for 4wheelin. They provide a bit more comfort and handling but do have more wear points. A solid axle has less wear points and is alot tougher but trust me that IFS you got is no going anywhere its def the toughest out of all trucks. Have you ever compared it to others? its way more beefier and amazing.It was mainly for comfort hadling and gas mileage the IFS came out. But if you wanna do SAS and feel like a traditional yota thats cool. But um its not cheap man.... they have to cut out alot of parts and metal that the IFS is in.... It saddens me to see someone do that but then the solid yota axle is pretty sweet.... its not going to be cheap and its along journy good luck.