well you just made it alot easier to figure out what you should do. if you dont have the money and you cant do the work your self start off stock and get new things as you go. good tires go along way and are a good start point. lockers are great but alittle pricey but the best bang for your buck.

edit:

 

knowing big liftand big tires is not the answer is the first step! congrats youve just overcome the most difficult off road obstacle

 

Yea I love following the big tires with 31's and going about anywhere they can go cuz with an open diff. Tires aren't a whole lot of difference. Pics later on tonight. Haven't gotten around to it

 

The solid axle truck will save you only the money of buying a used axle. You will still have to essentially do all of the same stuff that you would to your current rig to make the SA rig as strong and work as well as the IFS eliminator kit. A little less cutting, but almost the same amount of welding, and you also have to source an IFS steering box.

 

What you mean source an ifs steering box

 

Solid axle trucks came with a push pull, or J-arm steering set up. Believe it or not, its actually weaker than the stock IFS steering. Most people opt to run high steer for strength and to keep the steering linkage up out of the rocks.

You can keep the SA mounts, but most people opt to cut them off, and replace them with virtually the same kit as the IFS Eliminator to benefit from the added flex, and the ability to move the front perches around to gain more wheel base, as well as push the axle forward to allow for better approach angles and fire wall clearance.

 

Thanks. Yea I'm gonna run the ifs and build up everything else. Done with the sas idea for now

 

I had a 98 taco and I was in the same spot you are in. Granted I love the 1st gens but with that aside I looked at the price of swapping everything over and decided I would be better off selling outright. Looking back at it im not regretting it but by the time I fix all the mess ups from previous owners on my truck, I could of had the truck i owned since day one with a SAS under it for about the same price.

All I am sayin is dont let the initial expense throw you because your looking at going to a truck that is 20+ years old. There will be alot of things to replace. As far as your new IFS rig to a SAS you can pic up parts used or new and slowly build your rig.

 

Domestic driver... or mall terrain






Stick with the IFS, build as you go. If you want a SFA that bad you can collect needed things over time then do it down the road. Just enjoy what you got now though, and be suprised at what can be thrown at the IFS

 

Yea I'm keeping it. It only has 60,000 on the motor don't wanna get something with alot of problems. Its in shop now replaces front seal. As soon as it gets out I'm locking front and rear, think with Aussie lockers

 

well i say that have now heard that lockers dont do much in the muc so more researching first

 

where did you hear that?

 

Well said right there.


Get a rear locker first, Aussie or other lunch box locker is your best bet on a budget.

Then go Blazeland low buck long travel. You won't believe the difference it will make and the price is better than a SAS kit.


.

 

Just googled of they help and read around. That's what a few said. Thanks for the info guys. Haven't looked into a long travels kit yet

 

well lockers are one of the better "first things to get". many yotatech memeber have said lockers, tires and sliders can get you alot of places and then get other things as you can.

 

I am running aussies front and rear. If you DD your truck and have a need for 4WD on the road...don't lock the front unless you do an ARB or other selectable, they tend to pull straight and not allow you to go the direction you want
hmmm...they work well, if not they wouldn't be in as many trucks as they are

that is half the Cherokees in Washington County

 

We call them "Mall Crawlers"

 

Its not a daily driver but I do have to drive it to the trails being I have no way of towing it. Would an Automatic front locker be a bad idea for that.

 

You will be fine with an auto front locker. I had one with IFS and have one now with SAS. Mines a DD. If you shop around you can find front IFS axles locked and geared for a good price. You can look for the stock rear with 4:88s throw in a locker and boom. You set for when you decide to get bigger tires.

 

Would it not be cheaper to just lock and gear my stocks instead of swapping axles