Im doing research right now I want to find out what all I need before i get started. I have an 83 parts truck that im goin to use for the front axle and a few other parts. What all will I need to do this swap. I plan on making most of the brackets that i will need. I was also wondering the pros and cons of this swap.

 

IMO save the headache and buy a kit.

 

I'll second that.

Get an SAS kit from any of the different vendors.

 

There any problems with using an 83 axle? I see most use an 84 or 85 axle.

 

84 and 85's are preferred because they have a truss already on them. 83's I believe don't have one, but you can easily put one on. Other than that, they're the same as far as I know.

 

hey man sorry no one will answer im waiting for the same answer myself

you think you have a donor to savesome cash but then people say spend a 1000 on a kit.....dont the kits come with brakes springs ect i (we) already have that so....as i say just waiting for a straight answer

 

79-80 = no gussets
81-83 = gusseted (not all the way)
84-85 = the prized axle, fully gussed from the factory

79-80 had blue hubs
81-85 have red hubs

 

The 84/85's are getting scarce though. Use your '83 axle, you own it ;-). You can get truss kits from a ton of sources very reasonable Trail-Gear, Marlin, All-Pro etc etc..
I think you would be better off getting a pre engineered kit in the interest of safety. They have done the research and made the mistakes so you don't have too. You might save a few bucks but in the long run I think you would be happier.

 

some people actually prefer the axle with no bottom truss..if the axle is gonna bend its gonna bend up not down. Advantage to no bottom truss is a slight increase in clearance under the axletube

 

Call me stupid, but wont the truss help prevent the axle being bent up or down?
If there was not a need for it, I doubt Toyota would have put it on for the hell of it.

 

If the axle is going to bend it is going to bend at the knuckle ball joint connection to the axle tube. The OEM truss and adding one up top are just good insurance and easy to do.

Most bent axles are ones that actually get warped from idiots welding on them that have no idea what they are doing.

 

You aren't actually waiting for a straight answer, you've been getting straight answers. You are waiting for someone to agree with you, and tell you you are doing fine.

If you have the skills to swap the parts from the donor, go for it. Nothing wrong with that. You will be fine with whatever axle you choose, if it has no truss, weld one on.

To start, let me say, if you want to save money, keep it IFS.

People swap using kits because in order to get the strength you want for a rock truck, you usually end up spending the same amount of money on a homebrew swap as you do on the kit.

Usually people want a lift when they swap, not the stock springs, so that is 2-400 bucks. Better rotors, brake lines, high steer, since the stock steering is so unbelieveably weak. Axle rebuild kit to replace all the seals, and reseal the hubs, and suddenly you are really close to 1000 bucks.

The kit comes with jigs and everything to get it done in a very short time.

Plus, swapping an IFS truck to a stock axle with stock springs and stock steering is going backwards. Stock springs flex worse than IFS, and a stock axle is only marginally stronger than IFS AT BEST. Stock J arm steering is weaker than IFS steering, if that were possible.

Now, to be fair, buying a kit will not make your axles any stronger, so in stock trim, you'll be marginally stronger than IFS. But, if you throw in longfields, you'll be pretty unbreakable.

 

Here's how to do the swap you are talking about:
http://www.off-road.com/4x4web/proje...jtoy.html#axle

 

The axle swap is up on deck. I am currently replacing the engine with a built 22r.
I hope I can start the sas before the end of the month. Here is a link to my build up thread.https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116/start-new-project-86-pickup-115741/

 

Thats what I was thinking.

 

Sky manufacturing has a front hanger kit that is around 180 bones..just get the front hanger kit, then get some frame tubes and jigs, fab, bolt on and go...


It is very easy as far as Suspension goes, the hard part can come with the little considerations...

Hope this helps,

Jon

 

Cost/benefit curve, dude.

Your time is worth something.

If you could do this, you would have. IFS steering boxes and whatever axle you can swing.

 

Easy enough to make a front spring hanger:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...ringHangerDrop

I made mine in half a day and maybe $25 in materials. Mine was complicated because I needed to integrate front bumper mounting points into it.

 

sweet thanks for the info helps alot. just trying to get all my ducks in a row before i began the sas

 

Lots of cutting. You already have the benifit of a IFS steering box, so save the cash and do the cross-over steering. If your gonna rock crawl, then you must know how to weld ! Make your own hangers and save a major share, fab your own ☺☺☺☺!