gdavis67

Here's the story. About a year and a half ago I had the opportunity to trade $600 worth of tile setting labor for a fairly clean but not well maintained 92 4wd reg cab p/u. Truck came with two working 22RE motors, the one in the truck was from a donor 89 p/u. Nothing special about the truck other than it ran and was the start of a project. After getting the truck I found Yotatech and the head spinning began. Where was I going to go with this project. The first two items that had to be addressed asap were the motor that was blowing oil EVERYWHERE, and the blown out rear springs. Fixed the oil leak with a new hb sleeve and new seals - easy. Bought new rear springs and while installing them I became aware of the swiss cheese that 19 years in Michigan winters had made my passenger side frame. Now what? While deciding on how to repair, I have been picking away at body work (prepping for a new paint job someday), getting the motor running smoothly, and a few other bugs. Additionally, I have become a yotatech addict. I have recently replaced a bad TPS and Circuit Opening relay, and cleaned and reinstalled the throttle pot. Fresh tune up (wires, plugs, cap, rotor, etc) and the 89 motor runs like a top. My "plan" was to keep the IFS and make the most capable IFS I could. Last week I found a CL ad for a pristine frame. This should make the swiss cheese repair much easier. Problem - the frame (and it is pristine, looks NEW) was prepped for an SAS swap! No problem, I'll just cut off the back half of the frame and use it. After picking up the donor frame ($100 SCORE!) I began to rethink that plan. I called a friend who told me about three weeks ago that he was going to part out his 85 p/u and asked what he had. His reply - everything. So, off to his shop. Came home with a trailer load of goodies and a new plan: Front diff and complete SAS kit, high steer kit, welded rear diff with disc brakes, high pinion 3rd (never installed), three sets of AISIN hubs, two extra 3rd members, all with 4:88's, a slew of axles, hubs, and assorted parts and 5" spring sets for front and rear. Too much to list. So, the new plan: start with the new frame and resurrect the 92 into a wheelin' beast. As well as installing the SAS plan is to replumb the entire truck, add an Aussie locker to the rear, move cab and box to the new roller frame setup, and paint. With all of this, I guess it's time to step up and start a new build up thread. I hope to have this completed in the next three months as it's my slow time of year at work, and summer is looming. Here are pics of the truck just after bringing it home with the new springs under the rear.


http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...10403-0013.jpg

I'll try to keep up on the pics as the work progresses and use a better camera than the cell phone used for above pics.

Any helpful feedback or suggestions are welcome.

The first order of business will be the disassembly of the old, and cleaning, painting, maintaining the donor parts.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

Hello gdavis67..Sounds like you got alot accomplished already. I know Michigan is rough on trucks up there and getting a good frame is an accomplishment in itself. Looking forward to your build.

racerflea

Boy u hit the jackpot!

gdavis67

The amazing thing is that the cab and front clip look almost new! The drivers side of the box was rusty, but that was from a previous collision repair that was done half a@@ The frame - wait till you see pictures. I can't believe it help up driving it home much less for the couple of short wheeling outings it made. The front perch on the passenger side rear spring was literally hanging from a piece of rust. As soon as I took the bolt out to put the new rear springs in it fell off in my hand and there was nothing left to re-attach it to.

gdavis67

Sometimes its not what you know but who you meet. Now it's time to see what I've learned hanging out here. Once again, my wife thinks I've lost my mind.

gdavis67

I went and collected the parts I bough last week to begin the transformation. The guy I bought my SAS stuff from decided to clear his barn and give me EVERYTHING toyota that he had - holy crap. Pictures below do not include the parts that I didn't have room for in my truck to pick up. The next trip to his shop I will be picking up an additional t-case (in addition to the two in the pics for a total of 3 working t-cases), two front diffs, two rear diffs, a box with three complete sets of AISIN hubs, several pairs of axles, and more misc. parts.

Extra diff carriers

Front and rear drive shafts - front is custom built and balanced long spline unit

Shock hoops

three sets of 4" springs

t-case one

spare trans and t-case two

high pinion third member - NEVER INSTALLED with 4:88's
[IMG][/IMG]http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee498/gdavis1967/sas%20parts/IMAG0045.jpg
Two spare welded rear diffs

Box with four sets of new 4:88 gears

New front and rear diffs I will be installing. Complete with rear disc brake conversion, and high steer.

I will be moving the truck to the shop today to begin disassembly and reconstruction. I've informed my better half to not expect me home much on the weekends for a while - I don't think she is as happy about my find as I am!

racerflea

They nvr will be!

gdavis67

Finally an update! All the new parts are painted, cab and bed are ready to come off, new spring hanger tacked on, frame cut and frame tubes are welded in. Saturday I plan to start bolting up the new suspension! I'll post pics after the weekend. A quick question though - after everything is back together, what has anyone who has done a SAS done for alignment of the front end? I can get it together and do a basic alignment to get it to an alignment shop, but I don't just want a backyard alignment and trash new very pricey tires. If I take it to an alignment shop do I give them the parameters that I want the front end set at, or do I tell them to align it like an particular year and model? Any help is appreciated.