T100 axle is an EXCELLENT option!!!! Especially with the front end you're running. The widths should be similar. Obviously you'll have to run fiberglass bedsides to cover the extra width that the tires are sticking out.

Don't take my comments as me assuming you don't know or anything. I'm just trying to point out some things I learned along the way with my truck that you possibly haven't thought about or ran into yet.

Other issue with running the shocks outside of the frame rail is your bed. I think you mentioned you wanted to keep the bed for usage which I completely understand. If that's the case and you run a T100 axle for the clearance crawl under there sometime laying on your back and visualize where those shocks need to run up into. I'm pretty sure they would fall in the pocket between the inner bedwell and the fenders. Seems like a cool idea but building the mounts for them up in that area would be a challenge to say the least.

IMO if you're moving the shocks outside of the frame rails and running the wider T100 axle which honestly is probably the correct choice given what I think your end goal with the truck is... Unfortunately you're likely going to loose the bed or have to get super creative.

Like you see in my pictures above, I mounted the shocks inboard... Worked great and I had no complaints. I also had hydro bumps mounted off the inside of the frame rails also. I created a build thread though yesterday... If you look at that you'll see my rear suspension isn't even remotely like that anymore. LOL

I'm shooting a text to a friend that built his truck using the T100 axle. I'll post a picture or two of how much clearance he gained with it once he gets me a link to his photos.

 

wow, he replied fast!!! (hopefully you don't mind me posting these pics in your thread. I can edit it if you want...) Figured you might like to see these for width reference...





BTW, if I remember right these were the 62" deavers also...



And just for fun... The truck now...



This isn't the T100 axle in this picture, the new owner of the truck has swapped in a 9"

 

Thanks for the help! I just need to decide if i want to keep the bed or not and at this point it's looking like I will but I'm going to need some fiberglass outback. Unless I can pick up a cheap t-100 rear axle I don't think i will put one in. I'm still in the planning stage so anything can go. I won't really know what I'm going to do with it until after the thanksgiving break. I'll crawl under there today and try to visualize how I'm going to make this work. If you could get those pictures that would be great as i need all the ideas i can get.

 

Man that truck looks good! I just need to locate a t-100 axle now. What does he have done to the front? 4wd? Sure sits wide.

 

I know here in Nev and where I lived in Az you could pick up a T100 Axle for CHEAP! Like $200 max... They're kind of rare and hard to find cause obviously there just aren't a whole lot of T100's out there in general but the parts in the junk yard are cheap.

That truck has a custom front end built by the same guy that did mine. It's a 4WD chassis but he's not running the axles or the front drive.

Here's a link to 5 albums of photos. The top one is reverse order build pictures of that truck. He actually doesn't even own it anymore. He sold it like a year ago... The bottom two pictures above are actually from the new owner.

http://chainslap.smugmug.com/Trucks

This is the friend that built my front suspension kit and the one on the truck above.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php...03955#!/mcmfab

 

IMO a really nice setup would be to find a T100 axle, slap in some gears and a locker. 62" deavers with shackles either pivoting above the frame rails like above or thru the frame rails. Mount the shocks inboard of the frame rails on a simple clean bedcage like below and then mount some 2" stroke hydro bumps off the outside of the frame rails.

This is sort of hard to tell but the top tubes actually angle forward to the front of the bed. This is in a chevy but it's a clean basic setup that leaves you room to still use the bed. They actually made it with the intention of still hauling a single dirt bike in the center.

 

Couple more ideas of clean bedcages that leave the bed semi usable...













Look closely at this one... notice there's actually no bed! They built a new floor basically inside the cage work.



LOL and on and on and on...

 

Thanks for the help sirhk100. I think I'm just going to keep it simple and get a simple bedcage, deaver's, 12 inch shackles, and some smoothies. This way I can keep my bed and still have some decent travel out back and it won't burn a hole in my wallet.
I like the bedcage design on the first picture with the BMSoffroad sticker.

 

ok so, i need to find a 2wd toyota to build a prerunner i want one but man the parts are so expensive

 

There's a couple of really good classifieds ad sources for used parts that I monitor'd to do my build and if by chance you're in SoCal there's an annual swap meet that is the mecca for cheap deals! The parts are expensive but most can be had used for a great price if you're patient, have the cash on hand for when the deals pop up and have a long term plan of what you're doing so that you can just start stock piling parts as the deals show up.

 

I'm curious as to what other advantages besides more up-travel comes with doing a spring under the axle conversion. I'd like to do spring under but since I do the occasional rock crawling ect I would hate for the u-bolts and springs to get caught up on rocks since it's now closer to the ground. Could I do the rear and make it spring over like it is currently with out having my rear end in the air? Also who makes spring under conversion kit's that will work with the deaver's i plan on getting.

 

for great deals. i always have cash in hand but stocking up tons of parts before use is something i cant do lol.

 

LOL, I bought my coilovers more then a year before they went on the truck and a built ford 9" axle almost 3 years before I finally used it cause the deals were too good to pass up! You should see the pile of parts I have stored at my house for a race truck I'll be building next year. My guest room is starting to look like a speed shop show room! LOL


For the leafs... Really IMO the only other advantage to them that you didn't list is they tend to produce much less wheel hop. The deaver leaf sprung under with a decent shock shouldn't have any noticeable wheel hop even without traction bars or anything. Your concern of the u-bolts dragging shouldn't be too big of a deal. You can get ubolt plates along with the right length bolts where they won't really stick down below the springs.

2nd up from the bottom...

http://www.chaosfab.com/toyaccess_rearsus.html

As far as dragging the leafs themselves. It's a little bit of an issue but really I think either way, under or above, you're still going to pretty much having something hanging low whether it's an axle tube or the leafs. The leafs will take a smack on the rocks. They're pretty durable...

As far as who makes spring under kits. You pretty much do that yourself. You take a digital level while the truck is on the ground and see what the angle of your pinion yoke is at and the angle of the spring pads. Write those numbers down... Yank your axle and cut off the old spring plates or cut off the plates on the T100 axle. Weld new spring perches on under the axle at the same angle in relation to the pinion at the right width.

Here's a couple links with parts you could use to give you an idea...

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/.../merchant.mvc?

Specifically...

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/.../DEAV-WIY.html

and another source for similar stuff...

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/...ries_c_33.html


Also, another option for protecting ubolts is to make a spring plate that acts as a skidplate for them with like a glideplate. I made a set of these for my truck years ago and they worked great. I never crawled with it but I banged it off a rock or two at high speed and never had an issue. The small holes are where the bolts come thru from the top. The larger holes at the bottom are access for a socket to fit thru. I just sketched this up really quick...

 

Found it!!! For your rear suspension... read here. It's long but insanely detailed!

http://www.trailslesstraveled.com/ar...ar-suspension/

 

Thanks for that it's funny because I found that a week ago and was thinking to myself that is a lot of work! :O I don't think I will go into that much detail of fabrication but it's an interesting read none the less.

 

An update for those who are following.
In the mail on it's way-

Giant 62" rear Long travel spring kit
King 2.5 X 16" Smoothies with hose reservoir
Mcneil Racing bedside fenders.

Talked to cameron today over at Krawl Tex and he was super helpful and nice. His shop will be doing the install and making the custom bed-cage for the shocks. I'm droping the truck off Jan 2nd so stay tuned.

 

 

wow. looks good. alot of compression up front. hope you got the shocks dialed in this time

 

New Autometer Phantom II gauges