infinityisfive

Hey this is my build thread. Unlike some of these truggy builds (sigh) I'm gonna keep the truck mostly stock, with a tasty lift. My goal is to improve trail performance and get the truck to look good with as little money as possible. Keeping the IFS because it's cool and I just don't have the dough to lrn2weld and buy all dat stuff, even if done on the cheap. Going for a 4" bracket lift, 4" lift springs in the back, and 33x12.5 tires. I drive slow as molasses so the stock gears will be fine. There aren't many trails here in the bay area so a full-on solid axle conversion would be just a bit funny.


Start:
1989 pickup standard cab long bed, V6, A340H, 4:10 gears, 235x75R15

Future:

4" lift, 33's, stinger front bumper, fog lights, winch, rear e-locker, 4.7's

infinityisfive

Diff breather mod:

Tools & parts (that's fuel line)






Chose to put the filter in the taillight rather than near the gas cap because 1) this is cooler, and 2) in the event of hot oil overflowing the gas is the last place it should be, plus 3) that's on the other side from the breather port. But mostly because it looks cool in the taillight

infinityisfive

The circulation lever on the heater control module was broken so I ripped the dash apart to replace it. This project took maybe 4 hours and was pretty fun, especially when it became apparent how easy this job is. I labeled each set of bolts in individual bags and had a chance to clean years of dirt roads from the innards of the dash.

First I pried the front display panel off, which wasn't as hard as it seems but I have to admit it was uncomfortable until I found where each tab was and how to move each one just enough to get it free. After that each piece came out pretty easily. Also threw in a glove box light while the box was out.





heater control module


of the two black plastic tabs within the circle made by the metal lever, the left one had snapped off, making it so unless you were careful when adjusting the air, the whole lever would pop off. Thankfully this never happened because I left it alone but it was nice to have this piece working again when it was finished.


Dash completely off




Radio wiring for reference




Right to left: speaker wire, air circulation vent, blower fan, heater core

infinityisfive

Roll bar & rear seat installation

My camper top is the tall kind so I didn't have to cut/weld the roll bar to fit. Which is cool because I don't have a welder/don't know how2weld. I mounted the belts to the stock locations (using gov't required 7/16-20 bolts (thanks waskilly)) and the seat is secured with cross beams underneath. It would be awesome to weld in the rear seat panel of a '84-89 4runner (like VOVA's truck) and cut out the rear window and sheet metal separating the cab and bed (and get one of those canvas removable 4runner dividers) but now the truck at least has 4 seats should the need arise.

Made a couple spacers for the rear mounts


Under side of rear mounts




Roll bar in truck (sits a big higher than the 4runner roll bar due to the height of the truck's wheel wells. I may do something about this in the future)


Fin! (don't have any photos of underneath but trust me it looks cool)




Imagine custom wood interior panels housing speakers, a 12VDC plug, storage cubbies, and cup holders


Look at all the leg room!




Top off


How it looks with the top on (side shot is boring)


Interior (the roll bar fit with about an inch more clearance than I planned, leaving roughly two inches between the top of the bar and the roof)


View from rear view mirror


The seat must be folded down to get out. (sucks) I plan on reversing the windows so they can be opened form the front, and using screening with magnets so they'll function like normal 4runner windows but will also work for camping. Got the idea from some dude's 4runner page but cannot remember whose.

infinityisfive

31x10.5's and 15x10 aluminum rims with almost no back spacing. They rub against the mudflaps at 2/3 of the way..! Gonna get a 2.5" ball joint/AAL lift and 33x10.5's at some point. Merry Christmas!

infinityisfive

The truck was missing the front nameplate so I snagged one from http://www.mapquest.com/places/indep...se-ca-12039961 for $15! This place is great! They don't have a yard to search through but in the front shop there were a few seats in assorted colors (bench, separated bench, and buckets) and a 22-RE, and a few 5VZFEs. Afterwards I swung by the picknpull and in a nicely equipped 4Runner found a lighted cigarette lighter/ashtray assembly



for $7. Was also looking for a lighted key ring but still haven't found one. These are cool little upgrades and will match the glove box light I installed a few months ago. The other day I just put in an aftermarket CD/iPod player so now the dash will have to come apart again.

I've been leaning towards the Rough Country 4-5" IFS bracket lift for $610 on group4x4buy.com or whatever the website is. Comes with 4" rear blocks which I could sell for around $50, and there's a guy on CL advertising 3" rear springs for $100 so hopefully a deal like that will be around when the time comes. While a front axle on these 3rd gens looks really cool, it'd come out to around $1400 and that extra $800 could always go somewhere else. Decided against the BJ lift since it's half the cost of the bracket lift, which retains stock suspension geometry and won't kill tie rods.

Happy new year!