DIRTCO's 1985 4Runner Build-Up Thread

[fillsrunner4]

Originally Posted by DIRTCO As for the birfield eliminator kit, I have seen more than a couple Dana 44 shafts and u-joints break on the trail. I have only heard of a few of the 30 spline Longfields breaking. I know of one guy runing a Tundra V8 and 44" Swampers, I think he has only broke one. They just work Thats why Im gonna with 30spline longs If you get there Hub gears they make youll be set for life gaurenteed. Also you can get there I want that and the fifth high steer trunion bolt kit they make. So strong Check out there site for the longs they have some sick stuff. Its expensive but worth it. Note the Dana 60 upgrades too can you say beef http://www.longfieldsuperaxles.com/ Sorry to hijack so please continue its a sick build

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[DIRTCO]

I've been tring to decide what to do with the sliders for a while now. They have worked very well but I feel that they might be too wide. There have been several times when I got hung up on them in really tight spots. They have really helped to prevent body damage and were nice to pivot off of rocks, etc

Since the body is past saving, I decided to chop them off and see if it helps at all. I can always make a new outer bar if I change my mind again. Only have the passenger side done.

Each side added an extra 5" to the width of the truck, a total of 10"

Before





After

[DIRTCO]

Originally Posted by fillsrunner4

Thats why Im gonna with 30spline longs If you get there Hub gears they make youll be set for life gaurenteed. Also you can get there

I want that and the fifth high steer trunion bolt kit they make. So strong

Check out there site for the longs they have some sick stuff. Its expensive but worth it. Note the Dana 60 upgrades too can you say beef
http://www.longfieldsuperaxles.com/

Sorry to hijack so please continue its a sick build

I agree 100%, that's what the new front axle is going to get.

[DIRTCO]

Here's another picture of the front end, it just doesn't look right

[Hayes]

nothing looks out of place to me.

[DIRTCO]

Originally Posted by Hayes

nothing looks out of place to me.

I think you forgot the

[Volcom]

Nice dove-tail! The hammered quarter-panel look is in for 2008! I've got aways to go until mine look that hammered though!

Let me know if you need anything front axle wise. There are two complete solid front axles (minus the aisin hubs that I pulled ) in the pull-n-save here in town. I'm thinking of picking up one of the axles as a spare for a straight housing, extra wheel hubs, knuckles, etc... I think the going rate for the front axles is $95.

[DIRTCO]

Originally Posted by Volcom

Nice dove-tail! The hammered quarter-panel look is in for 2008! I've got aways to go until mine look that hammered though!

Let me know if you need anything front axle wise. There are two complete solid front axles (minus the aisin hubs that I pulled ) in the pull-n-save here in town. I'm thinking of picking up one of the axles as a spare for a straight housing, extra wheel hubs, knuckles, etc... I think the going rate for the front axles is $95.

You better not follow me, the sound of sheet metal being destroyed seems to follow me around (unless that whats what your looking for! ) There's nothing like narrowing your truck one inch at a time.

I have an extra housing and four extra knuckles that I got after the truck broke, thanks for the offer.

If you wheel as hard as I do, you might want to pick up one of those for yourself (just in case).

[Volcom]

Originally Posted by DIRTCO

You better not follow me, the sound of sheet metal being destroyed seems to follow me around (unless that whats what your looking for! ) There's nothing like narrowing your truck one inch at a time.

I have an extra housing and four extra knuckles that I got after the truck broke, thanks for the offer.

If you wheel as hard as I do, you might want to pick up one of those for yourself (just in case).

BV Carnage made me deaf to the sound of sheetmetal vs rock I heard it so much in V-notch I will probably pick up a spare front axle since I just bought some 40" Iroks to keep up with you this summer Indy and BV will be fun on 40's!!

What else do you have planned before the wheeling season starts?

[DIRTCO]

Originally Posted by Volcom

BV Carnage made me deaf to the sound of sheetmetal vs rock I heard it so much in V-notch I will probably pick up a spare front axle since I just bought some 40" Iroks to keep up with you this summer Indy and BV will be fun on 40's!!

What else do you have planned before the wheeling season starts?

Yeah, the first time I ran Carnage my truck didn't have a dent; by the time I got to the exit the rocker panels and bed sides were a little tore up Every time I run that trail I seem to add another dent to the collection, it's always a good time though.

I really want to run the 39.5 Iroks, but I don't have a truck and trailer. This truck gets driven to the trails and while I have thought about running them, I don't see it being very practical in my position. But while I type this it sure sounds like fun.

My goals for the build were mainly to reduce body width and lower the truck as much as possible with out creating any added issues, while fixing the all damage. The time consuming part is in the details.

Here is a basic run down of what needs to be done.

-Complete rear tube work
-Build new floor
-Mount Cooler, Ammo boxes, CO2, etc
-Raise upper, rear shock mounts
-Install new front suspension, axle housing, Birfields and all related parts
-Cut down drivers side rock slider
-Tub firewall for tire clearance
-Build removable sections to seal the cab from rain and snow
-New tires
-Hydro assist steering
-Door bars and other misc tube work

And tons of little details that I have been wanting to change for a while.

[DIRTCO]

While we are talking about 40" Irok's, here is a picture of my friend's first gen. I saved it as the background on my computer, whenever I look at it, I feel like I'm out on the trail.

[Volcom]

Originally Posted by DIRTCO

While we are talking about 40" Irok's, here is a picture of my friend's first gen. I saved it as the background on my computer, whenever I look at it, I feel like I'm out on the trail.

Cool picture!! Definally makes you feel like you're on the trail!

[DIRTCO]

Originally Posted by Volcom

Cool picture!! Definally makes you feel like you're on the trail!

Yea, it's fun to look at. It gives you a pretty good idea how the whole trail is, look at the angle on the trees!

I ordered the Longfield super axles, birfields, hubgears and the fifth stud kit. All I need is Marlin's inner axle seals and I can start putting all together .

[Volcom]

You'll love the 30 spline Longfields. Just knowing the weakest link isn't the birfields and having to carry spares is great!! I need to order up the hub gears soon as well as some ARP knuckle studs and APR hub studs.

How's the snow been in Summit County? From the looks of it, you've been getting hammered this year

[fillsrunner4]

Nice So beefy. I just need to make a trip down to Olympia and pick up a set myself. Maybe this summer

[DIRTCO]

I've also had these parts waiting to be installed for a couple weeks.

A few parts from Trail-Gear

Axle truss


Diff. Armor


Brake plate spacers (Remove's stock brake plate)




Knuckle ball gussets




Knuckle Re-build kit


Front shackles, 5"


Rock Rings




And of course, the ARP Knuckle studs

[DIRTCO]

Originally Posted by Volcom

You'll love the 30 spline Longfields. Just knowing the weakest link isn't the birfields and having to carry spares is great!! I need to order up the hub gears soon as well as some ARP knuckle studs and APR hub studs.

How's the snow been in Summit County? From the looks of it, you've been getting hammered this year

I need to order the hub studs from Front Range Off-Road, they are easy to install, so I have not been worried about having them here right away. I'll get them coming in the next week or two. As for the birfields, it's nice to know that I won't have to tear apart the front end THREE times on one trip .

It's snowing right now, and has been the last couple days. The snow is great right now, I just wish I had time to go snowboarding. Between work and getting the truck fixed I have not been able to get out.

[DIRTCO]

Originally Posted by fillsrunner4

Nice So beefy. I just need to make a trip down to Olympia and pick up a set myself. Maybe this summer

It will nice to not have to worry about them . A couple of my friends are running them and they seem to be well worth the money!

[DIRTCO]

I got Marlin's new front axle seals ordered, along with a pair of front brake lines. I had the Superlift lines but one of them was damaged when the leafspring broke and I don't really trust it. I will keep the other old one as a spare.

That should take care of the new parts for a while (I hope). Now it's time to start getting some work done.

[fillsrunner4]

Looks like youve got some goodies to install get er done like I need to with mine. I want those ARP or dana studs you can use. I was looking at the 6stud nuckles but i hear they are a bit weaker than the 4stud plus since your using the 5th stud that long sells youll be golden with that front axle

Ya you wont really have to worry about the 30spline and if you get then inner hub too they are garenteed for life no question which is good to know.

[DIRTCO]

Originally Posted by fillsrunner4

Looks like youve got some goodies to install get er done like I need to with mine. I want those ARP or dana studs you can use. I was looking at the 6stud nuckles but i hear they are a bit weaker than the 4stud plus since your using the 5th stud that long sells youll be golden with that front axle

Ya you wont really have to worry about the 30spline and if you get then inner hub too they are garenteed for life no question which is good to know.

I thought about the six shooters but I really can't afford them. It's a lot of money to spend if you already have a highsteer kit. I think with the ARP studs and the fifth stud kit the stregth should be pretty close to the six shooters.

[fillsrunner4]

Originally Posted by DIRTCO

I thought about the six shooters but I really can't afford them. It's a lot of money to spend if you already have a highsteer kit. I think with the ARP studs and the fifth stud kit the stregth should be pretty close to the six shooters.

The thing is though Marlin was gonna be the seller of them but when it came to the actual testing of them they proved to be weaker not much but enough to keep marlin from putting his name on them. Trail gear is the only seller I believe but they arent worth the money to use aspecialy since they are weaker than a stock 4bolt nuckle. youll be golden with the 5th stud and ARP studs

[DIRTCO]

I've working on the truck a little bit. Here's what has been done.

I started with a few simple projects. When I got my new daily driver I had to rob some parts off this truck. First item was the headlights, I had some really nice IPF H4 conversions, but since this is no longer my daily driver I did not need anything that fancy. Those went in the daily driver and got replaced with a set of Walmart specials They are suposed to be brighter but after the lights I had they seem pretty regular



I also had to steal the battery cables when the daily driver had some problems. Made up some new ones the same way I made the old set. The cables are 4 gauge with standard copper ring terminals, I covered the ends with tape to prevent shorts.





And here is the daily driver that got all the goodies
1986 Turbo SR5 4Runner

[DIRTCO]

Then I went to work on cutting down the driver's side rockslider, after cutting a couple of the bars the whole thing sprung apart. It seems that after a couple of years beating the crap out of them, they had some stored up energy Here is how much it moved.





After a bunch of grinding (of which I am really being to hate) this is how it looks.





I then cleaned up the old welds for the rear cage section.

[DIRTCO]

Here's another picture of the front leafspring, or what's let of it I removed the shackle and the broken leaf just to get it out of the way.



I then added an extra rockslider support to the passenger side. It probably doesn't need it but I want to make some door bars off of the roll cage and these will be used as an extra suport.



You also have to love the dent in the frame