wakeboardwhan

The project:
I had been looking for a rig for months when this beauty came up on my local wheeling forum the way I bought it:

1985 4Runner
One of the rare early 1985 4Runners with EFI, a 5 speed, and a solid axle; this was only made for a few months before they switched to IFS.

37x12.50r15 Goodyear Wrangler MTR
Marlin Dual MC-07 Rotated case adapter with upgraded 23 spline input
4.7 gears in the rear case for a final crawl ratio of 174:1 (with 4.10 stock diffs)

Stock 22re chained and welded to the frame so the torque of the low gearing wouldn’t destroy the motor mounts.

Marlin Hi-Steer
IFS Steering Box
Steering box heavy duty mount kit from marlin.
Upgraded ARP arm bolts.

Chevy springs in rear
Rear springs up front moving axle forward
Rock sliders

U-bolt flip kit from marlin
Boomerang shackles from sky manufacturing
Flat pitman arm also from sky manufacturing
1/2' thick shackles in rear.

Welded in front and rear.

16" KYB shocks in front.
14" rancho 5000 in rear
Extended shock hoops welded to frame in front.

The Bad:
*Would not pass smog. The PO lived in Carson City where smog is not required. I live in Washoe County where smog is required.
*Passenger Side Birfield Destroyed
*Bad Alternator

wakeboardwhan

While driving it home from Minden/Carson City the alternator caught on fire. I knew that the alternator was bad and needed to be replaced but I didn’t know it was that bad. It was a pain to remove because the only easy way to get it out was blocked by the welded on extended shock hoops and the aftermarket IFS steering box. I had to unbolt the radiator and slide it through the tiny space that was barely big enough. However, I got it to work.

Time for smog. I went to get it smogged after only replacing the O2 sensor. Needless to say I failed…bad:

My results were high on everything:

IDLE SPEED CO: 3.57%
HIGH SPEED CO: 3.83%
IDLE SPEED HC: 448
HIGH SPEED HC: 531

Passing is:

IDLE SPEED CO: 1.20%
HIGH SPEED CO: 1.20%
IDLE SPEED HC: 220 PARTS PER MILLION
HIGH SPEED HC: 220 PARTS PER MILLION

After those results I decided some cleaning was in order. First up was seafoam. It was so bad that I couldn’t see across the street for a good 10-15 minutes. When I did that I noticed I was leaking from down pipe that attached from the manifold and the cat and had to order a new one. While I was at it I changed the oil, changed the air filter, cleaned out the throttle body, and ran a bottle of G2P through the fresh 91 octane shell gas, and changed out to a Magnaflow CA legal cat. The original cat had melted a hole through itself. When I took it to smog the second time it passed so clean they thought I was cheating.

Melted Cat:



When I bought it from the PO he had left his Pioneer head unit but had decided to take his speakers. So as a temporary fix I bought a set of $20 speakers at Wally-World and made a “custom” speaker box out of a CAI box I had laying around from my truck. Yes, I know ghetto but it was only temporary.





Also went about removing the CB from my truck and installing it on the runner. I’m running just a cigarette lighter adapter for now. I hate hokey wiring and if im going to start wiring things to the battery I want it clean so until I figure out a solution it’s an adapter. The setup is a 4’ Firestik II, HD spring and quick disconnect, running through 18’ of Firestik Coax, a Cobra 40 channel radio.





When I drove down the road I had HORRIBLE vibrations due to unbalanced tires. It’s tough to keep wheel weights on a rock crawler so I ordered 5000 0.25 gram air soft pellets and divided them into each tire. It worked OK until I got hydro assist. Once hydro assist got installed it ran smoother than my DD truck.

As time went on I got a smoking deal on some wakeboard speakers that I couldn’t turn down and I ditched the ghetto fab speaker box:


I also painted the hood black:


 

wakeboardwhan

As time went on I figured it was time to upgrade some more. I decided hydro assist was needed badly.




I was on the last waterfall on a local trail called Bud Canyon when I snapped a “Better Than Stock 4340 Chromo Birfield” and decided go big or go home. So I ordered a set of Longfield Birfields, Longfield Axle Shafts, and Longfield Hub Gears. $750 I didn’t want to spend but well worth it. My front axle is now stronger than a Dana 60.





I also had the issue of my tires rubbing on the fenders too much so along with the trimmed fenders the PO did I took another few inches off:

Before Cutting:


After the cut was made:


All welded and painted:



Not the prettiest wends in the world but all I had at the time was a little Speedway Series 90 amp flux core welder that was given to me for free.
 

wakeboardwhan

Here are some wheeling pics of the first couple months of wheeling it:

wakeboardwhan

When I first had the 4Runner I removed the exhaust and had no issues with it coming out in the middle of the truck. As soon as I put the top back on it gave me carbon monoxide poisoning because it was leaking through the body panels. So I welded up the gaps and had McVays in Sparks, NV throw on a new exhaust. They gave me the buddy hookup.




It was then time to run the Rubicon! Never went before.

Here is a link to the photobucket with all the pictures. Too many to post individually:

http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...tember%202010/


Con Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8gdO59jnjw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCTr1-NIVr8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8IIlKPLKSw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocHHJk10FiE

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD0_3oA_ml4

wakeboardwhan

While on the con I destroyed my 3rd member and did some good damage to the rest of the truck along with putting it on its side on little sluice.




Since the con I got a new V6 3rd member in. I also got the hydro assist welded on, the steering box tapped and drilled, got my power steering reservoir extended to accommodate for the extra fluid in the system, and got hydro assist working. Only issue I’m having with it now is I’m leaking power steering fluid out of the steering box at the fittings. So I need to take everything off and throw some plumbers tape on everything. Should have done that in the first place but wasn’t thinking.

I also ordered some new vanity plates!



I got these because I bought a Toyota and “Not A Jeep” like a lot of people do. Love em or hate em, I don’t care. I like them and that’s all I care about.


Up on the list soon is a custom front bumper and possibly start a truggy 4runner with a soft top enclosing the cab for cold winters and an exo cage. We will see depending on funds. Also need to figure out a better solution to tail lights as i keep destroying them. Psint this winter hopefully too. Right now my main concern is this power steering leak.

nMe_814

nice rig.what were the rear springs? i know you said you got them out of a chevy. and im assuming the gave you some lift?

87hillbillyoter

very nice rig. im up in tahoe and my bros down in reno, good to know theres more than just us

wakeboardwhan

they are 63" chevy springs. they are moved forward 10.5" and running about 6.5" shackles (eye to eye). im thinking they give about 4" of lift. i see guys running a 5" lift with 35's and they are taller than me running 37's

nice! it is good to know. seems like everywhere is all jeeps. my local forum its jeep or flame...

wakeboardwhan

so i finally figured out my power steering leak. its coming out of the steering box itself where the box splits. when i had the box tapped and drilled the guy that did it didnt piut a new seal in and now its leaking. so i have to take the whole thing apart and replace the seal...

wakeboardwhan

so this is what id like someday, except dana 60's:

nMe_814

oh so you just had to move the hanger forward because of how long they are.

pretty nice rig tho. subscribing

wakeboardwhan

Just want to let people know those pictures will not be any time soon. Right now its just a college build. But someday...

Yea. The PO did the lift but 63" Chevy springs and moving the mount forward 10.5" is a pretty standard procedure.

wakeboardwhan

Some stuff came up and its for sale now

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=931935

alex_mcnair

on the first video of you on the rubicon..theres a little light next to yur driver headlight, is it wired to the brakes or reverse or somthing? cause it kept going on and off during the bid

wakeboardwhan

i never really noticed or paid attention to that until the current owner brought it up to my attention. there was some sort of electrical problem that turned the sidemarkers, interior lights, and dash lights on whenever the brakes were touched. i never really noticed because i had never put most of the light bulbs in anyways. probably why the guy that sold it to me sold it without light bulbs...

CSR

Cool 4runner! Watching the 'Con vids has me wondering if I should waste time/money on bodywork and paint! Shiney rigs aren't as much fun.

My '85 had the same issue with the marker lights coming on when the brake pedal was pushed. Pulled the taillights out expecting to find a rusted bulb socket or other electrical gremlins. Nope. Someone had used a single pole bulb in a dual pole socket. It had the brake and running lights crossed over. Putting the right bulb in fixed it.

wakeboardwhan

i bought it with a trashed body knowing i would keep beating on it. i bought the rig to get out and wheel. if the body was nice i wouldnt have had as much fun because i would be worried about denting it. i also got to go more places because unlike some of the people that i went with i didnt care if i scratched, dented, or put it on its side.

thats good to know. im sure the current owner did something along those lines

wakeboardwhan

so may as well give everybody an update. i ended up selling the 4Runner to a guy around the Sacramento area. this 4Runner left such a good impression on me that i ended up selling my DD truck as well and picking up a 2005 4Runner.

my old truck:




Specs on the Truck:
1999 GMC Sierra
113,000 Miles
4" Rancho Lift Kit
33" Interco M16's
17x8 Black Rock Viper Wheels
20% or 25% Tint (I didn't tint it)
Line-X Bed Liner
Spectre CAI
Hypertech Programmer
Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust coming out under passenger door
Alpine Head Unit
(2) 10" Bazooka Subs
(2) Alpine amps
Infinity Speakers all around
Tweeters in the doors
Etc.


my old 4Runner:






and now my new 4Runner:


i sold everything because being 19 i dont need 2 cars and a dirt bike. i also needed a reliable car that gets good gas mileage because i do between 15k-20k miles a year between work and college. i really would have liked to lift my new one but i couldnt justify the 3k for the toytec 3" ultimate lift, then 33" tires/wheels, then changing the spedo gears to make the spedometer correct, then get 11mpg like my old truck got. so i figured 20's and some H/T's would do for now. it will keep me from getting it scratched up. whev i graduate ill build another rig, ill make sure to post a build thread when i do. my plans will be a 90s toyota truggy, linked f/r, locked f/r, 40" tires, d60's, and for engine either a 4BT, VW 1.6 Turbo Diesel, or a chevy 4.8, etc.

specs on the 4Runner:
2005 4Runner Sport
4.0 V6
109,000 Miles
Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust
1" Daystar BB Leveling Kit
15% 3M Tint
20x9 KMC XD Monster
285/55R20 Sumitomo HTR Sport Plus
DICE iPod Integration
Etc