I have an 86 4x4 runner (4cyl). Trucks purpose is DD/trail, not going to be a full blown crawling rig any time in the next 5 years. It has a 4" procomp lift which sits very nice. This truck is a little backwards, it has lift and tires before armor/gears/locker, but I bought it this way.

Question 1: the procomp lift has a little dinky looking truss. Besides fabricating, does anyone produce one that would work?




Question 2: I was wanting to put a budbuilt crossmember on, but again, this lift has a part bolted up and resting against the stock crossmember. Obviously, a flat crossmember wouldn't be able to support this (I think).

 

Check out this cross member
http://frontrangeoffroadfab.com/nfos...339a9c3aee3193



If you have or install a 2 inch body lift you can get really close to flat belly, no more mess hanging down in the rocks.

 

That would be badass, but it says its not available for trucks with IFS.

 

Yeah, the FROR crossmember is something I really want, but it only works if you remove the torsion bars. The only way to do that is long travel w/ coilovers or a solid axle up front.

 

Lol I just realized you're an AZer. Thats cool.


So really, is this procomp lifted even partially decent for off-roading? Or is it more of a "looks" lift? It was already on the truck, so now I have to find ways to mod around it. I contacted Bud at Budbuilt, and he told me it would be fine, but I sent him an email back with a picture of the situation.

Also, how difficult would it be to remove this lift? (Granted, I don't have any of the stock suspension parts...)

 

I've never wheeled with a lift like yours but honestly thats because I would never spend the money for it. I do run IFS but it's only because it's stock and I don't have enough money to do SAS right now. Now I don't know what your budget is but if you have the money then SAS it. As for returning it to stock, your lift is achieved using a dropped bracket in the center. So I believe, but don't quote me on this, that if you find a stock center bracket it should be as simple as switching it out. You also are going to need to look at how the rear lift is achieved because if you change the front and not the back you will have one weird looking rig.

 

I know what my next mod is. Is the motor lifted too?

 

I'll check the rear later on then. I know I saw leafs and blocks lol. I'll keep and eye out for the stock center bracket. I'll just have to get some 33x10.5s if I drop it back to stock.

 

argh.

Ok, first off, that Procomp Stage II kit is probably better than anything else on the market for our IFS trucks. If you want it for looks it works for that, if you want it for wheelin it works for that, if you want to jump sand dunes and clear 20 feet and survive...get a Total Chaos kit. Geez. That dinky looking truss is more that adequite for anything you'll probally do. Plus you can bolt your BudBuilt skid plate to it and brace the front end up even more. The BudBuilt transfer case skid plate will work just fine with the lift, I should know.

You could probably "reverse" lift and remove the drop bracket but there is a piece that was cut off and would have to put back together. Other than that, knock your self out. If you would like to see that lift in action search for Reiter Pit or Tahuya. I would definately get some gears for 33's or larger. Since, your not doing your "full blown crawling rig any time in the next 5 years" I think you'll be more that satisfied with what your truck will do with some tires and lockers to complement that lift.

 

Thanks a ton man. No offense to anyone else, but this is kind of the reply I was hoping to see. I really to apreciate all feedback and criticism from every one on here. I'm still a total off-road newb, and also a toyota newb, I've spent the last 5 years with a Mustang, tore it up and down. I'm slowly getting my handle on whats good and whats not, so really, I appreciate it.

The most intense off-roading this rig may see for a long time is Charlou gap here in Tucson. Youtube has a few videos. I'm pretty sure that there are bypasses for almost every obstacle there. I'm just dying to armor up and get wheeling!

 

I would take that truck out and see what it can do now and learn how it and you reacts. That way when you start droppin change into mods, you will have a far better appreciation of it.

 

X2 what Blue said.

I wheeled my junk stock as a joke and now with all my junk its an ok beast.

^^ that is me being modest

 

Will do guys, I have a 4 day weekend coming up, so I may just take it up to Mt. Lemmon for a day, nothing crazy, but their are rough dirt roads. I'll go form there.

I just got to knock out some maintainance. Got some new plugs, maybe an oil change, I'm dying to get to know the truck inside and out. I also picked up a Chilton today, to compliment the online FSM I have. (thanks to yotatech)

So I guess I have one more question. My truck is orignally from Canada, and has the Jap spec Vin that starts with JT. My dad was saying something about parts are harder to come by, or that some parts are not the same. Can someone elaborate on this?

 

Roger Brown (4crawler) lifted the whole drive train 2 inches http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...ft/index.shtml
Before

After


I will not be doing a engine lift just transmission. I will run 6 inches of lift 4 in suspension and 2 in body. I can clear 37 inch tires but still have a lower center of gravity because the engine and frame are only lifted 4 inches. The transmission lift gives me clearance like a 6 in suspension lift. I think with some creative fabrication work you could make this cross member work with torsion bars. FROR sells just the plate so that you can make the arms however you like, such as to go around the bars.

If I had your truck and not much money I would get rid of the blocks in the rear and add some S10 leafs or some spring with more arch into the rear packs. Then I would install a aussie locker in the rear if it is a 4cyl or a lock rite if it is a V6. Those two things are cheap and will help a lot off road. The locker will make it so both wheels will turn increasing traction and getting rid of the blocks will limit axle wrap which causes the truck to buck defeating the locker. Auto lockers take some getting used to on the road but they are cheaper than a arb http://www.gentryoffroad.com/php/gen...view/lockrite/

Hope this helps