2nd gen basic off roading list
 

Ok guys I hope I'm in the right forum for this. I'm new to all this as i am more of a sports car guys. i was just hoping you guys could direct me in the right way of making my 1991 4runner 4 cylinder 5spd manual into a "cheap crawler", I don't want to go all out with a engine build or anything to extreme just bolt on stuff if possible.right now its completely stock and i mean completely stock, where should i start?
Thanks

Caution cheap and truck parts for Offroad capability are not usually found in same sentence.

cheapest and most important - get out and wheel, learn your rig's capabilities and how to select lines. I've pulled rubicons out cause drive had no idea how to drive his rig. Research....

Marlin crawler crawl box - cost more but relies on cut of gears to stay engaged. Cheaper ones rely on heavier detent ball spring so known to pop out. Will require front and rear drive shaft mods though so price adds up. Just had rear shaft lengthened for $150. If short wheelbase will need to rotate pinion and use double cardigan style drive shaft in rear. Easy enough if you can weld and have an angle finder and a brain that operates over toaster level.

lockers/gears - caution buying used I've been hit before. You'll hear all kinds of scary stories about lunchbox lockers. I've ran them for years without issue front and rear including driving cross country and curvy mountain roads with a rear one without issue. You can weld rear dif or spool it, but eats tires so will cost more in long run over a lunchbox locker. If weld breaks will kill gears.

armor - sliders not nerf bars. Look similar but one is fashion other is function.

ditch sway bars - will need to adjust driving style. I've never missed it.

tires - choose size and build to tire size. Go mud terrain, gas mileage benefit of all terrain compared to mud is neglable but noise is more. Changes handling in wet and snow road conditions.

will go most places and bother your jeep friends that an old yota will out perform what the jeep commercials said their jeep would do.

Stock rig is fairly capable but where it really comes short in stock form is traction since it's got f/r open differentials and street tires. You don't need "lift" or articulation so much as you need the most traction and a way to protect your rig once you gain that ability to almost drive through/over anything when all 4 tires are locked. Give it grippy tires in stock size (to keep down cost, weight, need for lift, etc) and lock those differentials so when you do lift a tire you are still able to move forward as you no longer are open-diff. Just doing that will likely get you through most offroad situations and you could likely do everything someone in a typical low-bedget garage SASd rig can do. If you go further and install lower gears with either diff gears or t-case, you're now able to do some pretty hardcore rock crawling and can pretty much do the Rubicon trail or more hardcore crawling. The only problem now is getting hung up and trail damage since you can access new trails - install cheap sliders and a belly plate to drag that sucker through everything. Keep tow hitch installed to protect rear when dragging over objects, front bumper should be fine since Toyotas don't need winches and you can usually see where you're going and avoid collisions, right?

gearing:
- find used factory 4.88 f/r differentials and keeping tires close to stock diameter will overgear your setup and make 1st gear low more usable for crawling.

traction:
- install lockers in both f/r differentials before installing them
- small diameter mud tires/aggressive ATs - usually the smallest size is a 31" tire/stock size and is usually significantly cheaper than the larger sizes
- big boy upgrade is dual t-cases or regear single case.

protection:
- trail gear rock sliders to slide over rocks and protect rockers, since you're not lifting the rig with suspension and/or tire height
- trail gear t-case crossmember, nice low-profile piece of steel that doesn't hang down or get hung up like the stock one does.

other:
- replace idler arm with the current aftermarket upgrade + brass bushing kit + idler brace (OR get the Total Chaos idler arm)
- a good-running vehicle, spare IFS parts, tool kit, basic recovery equipment,

So if you spent say $2000 on all that stuff above it will kinda be a sleeper for offroading. Your only disadvantage when compared to a fully built rig at this point is height/clearance and maybe more armor.

No lockers available for stock 4.88 dif. That would make life too easy. Well except Lincoln, Miller, or whatever brand welder you have access too.

Since when?

If I'm not mistaken, its the punkin itself and the thinner ring gear that make the factory 4.88 diff unique.

I'm pretty sure that the carrier is the same as any other Toyota 8" diff.

Any lockers for Toy 6 cyl 8" should fit.

This page says so:

http://home.4x4wire.com/erik/diffs/#rear

Almost 100% there's not. But may be wrong. I'll have to look it up, won't be 1st time I've mistaken.

just looked up on Eriks page. I stand corrected carrier is same as V6 so locks should work fine.

I have 4.88 factory lockers on my truck and have a lockright locker, I believe it's the 6cyl version not the 4cyl locker that fits it.
I think what you're mixing this up with is that there are no aftermarket R&P gear sets that will fit the factory 4.88 diff. For the other gear ratios, yes, but not the factory 4.88. So if you manage to break some gears, you're SOL and gotta find another used unit or find an OEM gear set somehow.

I had 4.88 differentials with F&R Aussie lockers and there was zero issue.

a way to air up/air down at the trail
biggest diameter tires you can fit, because it increases ground clearance(see below)
lift(see above)
sliders
idler arm upgrade
rear locker at the minimum
4.70 gear set in the transfer case: https://www.marlincrawler.com/transf...line-ups/gears

recommended threads for you to review
newbie mod thread
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f120...mation-121264/

IFS what tire will fit thread
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f120...thread-213713/

consolidated sitcky for 2nd gen 4runners and trucks
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...tickys-242840/

2nd gen 4runner lift guide
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...-guide-155339/

these thread will have the majority of the answers you are searching for...

Hey all, I thought I would run this by you guys. I set out today in my 4Runner 1990 ifs. No issues with the steering. I did some pretty aggressive off roading after it rained today and when I got back in the road the steering wheel was off and the steering felt different. I got under it and it appears nothing is changed or damaged other than the idler arm. The idler arm has as noticeable gap like I damaged the bushings. The pivot joint has oil/ grease seeping out of it.

I guess my question IS. Can damaging these bushings in the idler arm change my steering this much? My steering wheel went from straight(12) to about (1:30) if comparing to a clock

sounds possible if it's bent. Check other components only after making sure nothing else is damaged and you can visibly see bend in idler. Would I chili it up to just idler arm

The arm itself doesn't look bent, but the bushings appear to be either worn or damaged making the arm have a steeper pitch. One more detail to add. When I brake the steering wheel will go straight as is there isn't an issue. And when I accelerate the body rolls back and the steering wheel does back to 130