82 hilux build...slow
 

I've procured an 82 hilux a year or so ago, and have been slowly collecting photos. The truck came with 35" Wranglers, 3" body lift (booo), smittybilt bumpers and nerf bars, rancho dual front shock conversion w/ one shock, a spool locker up front, and 5.71 gears all installed.

Also with the truck; a 4" Marlin lift front and rear, 14" Bilstein shocks front and rear, high steer w/ out box, front/rear flip kit, shock hoops, and all the various mounting gear for the lift.

All for $1900

Problems: The body lift looks shaky, it has some space between the block and the mount.
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...6/DSCN1111.jpg

Both front shock mounts are broken, the passenger side much worse than the driver side.
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC01131.jpg
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC01128.jpg

Plans:

I'm going to take out the 3" body lift and probably lower it to 1.0 or 1.5 inches

Install the 4" suspension lift and high steer cut off the old shock and spring mounts and replace with the ones supplied with the truck from Marlin.

What do you guys think about the body lift? I know I'm going to have to adjust a few things, like the shifter length, and the gas tank nozzel, and maybe the steering. Anyone have any experience removing these crappy 3" body lifts? I just don't feel safe with 4" of spring lift with 3 more inches of wobbly toppling body lift. I don't want to end up on my roof.

PS anyone know why every time I post plain writing there is all this wasted space at the bottom of my post?

I would inspect your frame. The pic of your passenger side looks like between your metal square tube bumpstop and your spring hanger right above the rubber bumpstop the frame looks all rotted out. Looks like it has some serious potential otherwise

Here's a close up on what you're talking about. Looks like there is a stock brace there, and someone drilled a bunch of holes in it. Its not that way on the drivers side. The frame bends slightly there, which is why the brace is there. Well looks like when I get my welder buddy out here, I'll have to get him to fix that up, but at least its not rust.
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...6/DSC02185.jpg

Isn't that where the frame Vin is/was?

So, got some work done today, got the truck up in the garage. Removed wheels and the axles, and the stock leafs. As well as the front shocks/hoops. Then started grinding and grinding some more, got to get the front spring hangers off and flattened out for the new one.
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...6/DSC01990.jpg

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...6/DSC01993.jpg
Front axle is all ready for cutting and grinding. I'm probably not going to worry about rebuilding the knuckles. Just going to redo the inner axle seal with Marlin Crawler eco seals and install the rubber wiper set from Trail Gear. Hopefully the Birfs are straight.

YES!! That is where the frame VIN plate is. Chewmaster-better make sure the title is good on this truck.
Someone has done something illegal/fishy in this trucks past.

Oh, I've had it fully registered, so DMV didn't notice anything when it went through their system. I believe what happened was, the VIN was changed because is starts with DMV________CA. So its not a standard VIN. I can't go on the part number websites and look up my VIN and find exactly what I have. I do know the engine is from an 83, and the frame is an 82. So the guys who originally put the body lift on must have been slapping toyota trucks together and selling them to high school kids because they look cool. I even had kids saying "nice truck dude" when I drove down the street....its got broken shocks and a body lift...not a nice truck yet.

If there are serious issues, I've very good friends with the guy I bought it from, he just didn't have the time or space to do the mods. Shoot, he even helps me work on the thing.

I would just use an angle grinder to get rid of the vin. but a drill? that's odd.

Yeah, seems like alot of effort to remove the VIN from the frame, but it sounds like you have a constructed vehicle VIN, so good news. Looks like a good base to start from and a good chance to totally de-smog it legally!

Was able to procure a IFS steering box, thanks to my borther's boss, and it was free. I offered him 100 bucks, but he wouldn't take it. So thats sweet. Front axle is all cleaned up, got the old shock mounts ground down and ready for welding new ones on. I'll get pics up soon. In taking out the diff. i counted the ring and pinion gears to ensure I have 5.71 gears which I have. But this locker does not look like a spool, looks like an Aussie to me.
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...6/DSC02168.jpg


Is that the case, I've never seen an Aussie locker up close?

Id say thats a richmond power trax locker judging by the douple diamond emblem on it

Not a Spool but like mentioned above Probably a power trax. It is a lunchbox locker but not an aussie, here is mine:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...l/IMG_0534.jpg

Well I'm sorta glad its an automatic locker vs a spool. For me versatility is going to be paramount, I plan on using this as a driver and wheeler for now.

I've run into an issue. I've been mocking up the steering box and I'm not totally sold on where it I have it. The axle is mocked up, with the drag link and tie rod installed. The only place I can mount the box lines the front bolt of the box right into the square...ish hole in the frame. Is this going cause a strength issue with the frame. I do have the heavy duty mounting kit from Marlin. So I think the plate on the mounting kit should be plenty strong enough, but I'm no fabricator either.
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...DSC02181-2.jpg

I'm also looking at taking that body lift out before I get too much work done. I can already see having less body lift will affect where I can put the steering box, and weather or not I have to cut the inner fender to install. I'm going to get my body lift from 4crawler. But I'm torn between just doing 1" or just going back to stock. Stock sounds awesome for my center of gravity, but going with 1" body lift might be nice, because the truck was assembled to have a body lift, and there will be numerous mods to take it all out, and a little additional ride height, I'll be running the 35" Wranglers the truck came with.

As far as removing the body lift. My 4runner had 3" when I bought it; so I cut them down to just over 1". I disconnected the steering and telescoped it in to the right length. The brake lines were fine. The 4wheel shifter did not work until I lowered it back down so that was done. I had to buy some shorter bolts and maybe some fender washers. Clean and paint the frame. done

The steering plate kit should have frame tubes that go in between the 2 plates, so there would be no strength issue w/ that rectangle hole. Just use a die grinder to open that corner of the rectangle up and then drill the other side and get the tube to fit in there. Weld all 3 tubes to the outside plate 90* and then put it through the frame and inner plate, then weld it all up. After you double check everything of course :rockin:

I had 4crawler make me up a 1/2" body lift because I didn't like the way the 1" was fitting my bumpers. I would have gone back to stock, but I needed that 1/2". So you could go 1/2", 1", or stock level. Depends on what you need. Double check your body-radiator support area where it comes close to your steering box. Might want to get the body lift done before you weld up your steering.

I can only shake my head when I see tall body lifts...you really shouldn't need more than an inch or so...the body lift may help you stuff bigger tires, but your frame is still close to the ground. I was riding in a rattletrap chevy when the bolts on a 4" body lift snapped, allowing the cab to roll almost completely off the frame. We weren't on the highway so we escaped serious injury, but I'm still very leery of body lifts. If you're gonna do it, do it right.

I'm quite leery of the body lift as well, especially with that gap at the top of the front blocks. I am definitely going do finish my body lift mod before I weld in the box, an prob even before I drill. The half inch body lift is a good idea, gotta love the custom way 4crawler does business, as long as you can navigate his site :) And love all the info, I spent some time on there WOW! tons of info for exactly what I'm looking for on way more than body lifts.

Thanks for the input on the box mounting, I probably won't worry about the frame strength.

Ran into another issue. My drag link is not threaded properly. The Tie Rod End will not thread into the drag link, but will into the tie rod. So I contacted Marlin, and all I had to do was send it to them and they'll fix it no prob. They were not worried that I was not the original purchaser. Gotta love the customer service.

Oh yea, the lift could affect the radiator and hoses and the fan, and the front bumper.