Liveoffroad's '84 4runner build
08-21-2012, 06:58 AM
#81
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08-21-2012, 11:27 AM
#83
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thanks, the new welder is awesome! i've been using it on 110 since i haven't ran the wiring for 230 yet and i've been impressed with how well its penetrating.
08-21-2012, 04:53 PM
#84
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Location: Los Angeles
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glad ur putting it to good use! run the 230 asap and you wont ever be disappointed or second guess ur work. =D
08-29-2012, 10:36 AM
#85
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09-07-2012, 05:32 AM
#88
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thanks ed, it was a lot of fun!
unfortunately the trip uncovered some concerns with my suspension. most of my wheeling so far has been day trips from basecamp, while this last weekend we camped along the trail. this meant that i was fully loaded with all my camping gear on the trail. as a result, i found my rear end bottoming out occasionally. also, with the added weight and flex, my front springs were way too soft! so its time to do some more leaf spring modification!
i decided to find a set of 4wd chevy truck springs to replace the 2wd ones i'm currently running. they have 4 leaves, while mine have 3. from what i've read they still ride very nice, but even if it is a little stiffer in the rear i'd still much rather have the extra load capacity.
here's a "lessons-learned" for anyone who is considering the chevy spring swap: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f115...g-swap-258416/
for the front springs, i'm going to replace a couple of the leaves with thicker, flatter ones. this will hopefully accomplish 2 things, higher spring rate and a little less lift
unfortunately the trip uncovered some concerns with my suspension. most of my wheeling so far has been day trips from basecamp, while this last weekend we camped along the trail. this meant that i was fully loaded with all my camping gear on the trail. as a result, i found my rear end bottoming out occasionally. also, with the added weight and flex, my front springs were way too soft! so its time to do some more leaf spring modification!
i decided to find a set of 4wd chevy truck springs to replace the 2wd ones i'm currently running. they have 4 leaves, while mine have 3. from what i've read they still ride very nice, but even if it is a little stiffer in the rear i'd still much rather have the extra load capacity.
here's a "lessons-learned" for anyone who is considering the chevy spring swap: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f115...g-swap-258416/
for the front springs, i'm going to replace a couple of the leaves with thicker, flatter ones. this will hopefully accomplish 2 things, higher spring rate and a little less lift
Last edited by liveoffroad; 09-07-2012 at 05:37 AM.
09-07-2012, 08:48 AM
#89
That's good to know about the suburban leaf springs being shorter than the 1500 pickup leafsprings. I would have thought that they would have been the same length! Just curious, how much lift did you get running the chevies? I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with my rear suspension, I'm trying to decide between 5" TG springs and 63" chevies.
09-07-2012, 11:12 AM
#90
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That's good to know about the suburban leaf springs being shorter than the 1500 pickup leafsprings. I would have thought that they would have been the same length! Just curious, how much lift did you get running the chevies? I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with my rear suspension, I'm trying to decide between 5" TG springs and 63" chevies.
i like the chevy springs but it all depends on what you want. the salvage yards around here are pretty proud of their crap and want 60-75 bucks a spring, so if you pay 140 for the springs and another 100 for new spring mounts and shackles, it doesn't end up being dirt cheap like people make it sound. still about half what the TG rear springs cost though. but they do ride nice and i got about 3" of lift out of them, 4" with the add-a-leaf. you'd have to run blocks to get more
Last edited by liveoffroad; 10-05-2012 at 05:44 AM.
09-12-2012, 05:53 AM
#91
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ordered a TG front long spline DS kit and some new bilsteins for the front 
also started pulling my front leaf packs apart, not completely sure what i'm gonna do with them yet, i haven't been able to find used leaf springs for a reasonable price on craigslist (i had one yard quote me 30 bucks PER LEAF!). tell me if my logic is off here, but leaf springs are progressive so if i replaced a couple of the leaves with flatter ones, it would reduce the arc of the whole pack, and flatter means stiffer....right?
also started pulling my front leaf packs apart, not completely sure what i'm gonna do with them yet, i haven't been able to find used leaf springs for a reasonable price on craigslist (i had one yard quote me 30 bucks PER LEAF!). tell me if my logic is off here, but leaf springs are progressive so if i replaced a couple of the leaves with flatter ones, it would reduce the arc of the whole pack, and flatter means stiffer....right?
Last edited by liveoffroad; 09-12-2012 at 06:06 AM.
09-17-2012, 05:30 AM
#92
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well i've spent half the day saturday walking around a salvage yard with my tape measure, searching for 4 leaf (5 with the overload) chevy truck springs. according to the 63" chevy swap FAQ on pirate, the 3 leaf springs came on 2wd 1500's, and the 4 leaf came on 4wd 1500s. i found this to be wrong. majority of the chevy trucks in the yard were 1500 4x4 trucks and NONE of them had the heavier spring packs. i actually never found one with the 4 leaf packs until i visited a buddy later that night, there was a z71 1500 parked out side his house so i strolled over for a look and sure enough, 4 leaves! so it seems that the heavier spring option was special to the z71 package, which is why i haven't been able to find them at any salvage yards!
I ended up buying some springs off a 2500, which have 5 leaves +overload, i plan to remove one leaf and cut the remaining leaves down a little to match the 4 leaf springs.
I ended up buying some springs off a 2500, which have 5 leaves +overload, i plan to remove one leaf and cut the remaining leaves down a little to match the 4 leaf springs.
Last edited by liveoffroad; 09-17-2012 at 05:36 AM.
09-17-2012, 01:20 PM
#93
Glad you founds some springs that you can make work, thanks for posting up the info on the differences in springs between the regular 4x4 and the Z71's that will be good to know if I end up going that route! Have you got your TG long spline DL yet? That's another thing on my "to do" list, lol.
09-18-2012, 05:26 AM
#94
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Glad you founds some springs that you can make work, thanks for posting up the info on the differences in springs between the regular 4x4 and the Z71's that will be good to know if I end up going that route! Have you got your TG long spline DL yet? That's another thing on my "to do" list, lol.
gonna pull the DS tonight and get it all over to a shop. I've been back and forth about whether to weld it myself or take it in, but because of my last attempt at a home-made driveshaft (see page 2), i think i'm gonna pay someone. i also want it balanced since winter is coming
Last edited by liveoffroad; 09-18-2012 at 05:28 AM.
09-20-2012, 01:46 PM
#97
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is it gonna get some trail time?
09-20-2012, 03:56 PM
#98
Your driveline turned out sweet! It does look factory!
Yeah i would like to runs some trails, but my runner is going to be my DD, so I'm not planning on beating on it to extremely, but I want it to be capable. (Is that a contradiction? Lol) I'm still getting familiar with the area we moved to, so I'm not sure where to go to go wheelin yet, lol. I built my front DL from a rear DL, just cut it down to length and added a DC joint from my old front DL. I didn't get it balanced, so I'm hoping it will work without any vibrations in 4hi for winter driving.
Yeah i would like to runs some trails, but my runner is going to be my DD, so I'm not planning on beating on it to extremely, but I want it to be capable. (Is that a contradiction? Lol) I'm still getting familiar with the area we moved to, so I'm not sure where to go to go wheelin yet, lol. I built my front DL from a rear DL, just cut it down to length and added a DC joint from my old front DL. I didn't get it balanced, so I'm hoping it will work without any vibrations in 4hi for winter driving.
Last edited by rustED; 09-20-2012 at 04:03 PM.
10-05-2012, 05:51 AM
#99
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i haven't updated in a while...
got the front leaf packs back on after replacing 2 leaves with flatter ones. i only lost 1" of height at the wheel well. i was hoping for a little more but maybe it will settle a little. the front end feels a lot more stable though so i'm really happy with it so far. the front bumper should pull it down some too.
going to be gone the next couple weekends so progress will be slow. i think i'm going to start planning out my t-case crossmember and then my front bumper...its winter project time (we got our first snow in denver last night)
got the front leaf packs back on after replacing 2 leaves with flatter ones. i only lost 1" of height at the wheel well. i was hoping for a little more but maybe it will settle a little. the front end feels a lot more stable though so i'm really happy with it so far. the front bumper should pull it down some too.
going to be gone the next couple weekends so progress will be slow. i think i'm going to start planning out my t-case crossmember and then my front bumper...its winter project time (we got our first snow in denver last night)
