I really like what you've done so far...looks good! But if you give up, have you considered buying a truss instead...
http://diy4x.com/drivetrain.htm
http://www.tellico4x4.com/index.php/cPath/2880_76_3381
http://www.greatlakeoffroad.com/parts.html
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/...a848c09f582c4e
or keeping it simple...
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...hreadid=226482

 

Thanks for the links, rocket... I think I'm going to go ahead with what I have and take my time. I'm done being nervous, now I just wanna finish it and wheel!!!!

 

A little update on progress:
I welded on the air bump plates:




and carved out the truss to fit the pads:




Welded on the shock tabs and bolted on the shocks:




Next up, carve the truss to fit the rear shock tab and shock, then it's TRUSS WELDING TIME!!!!!!

 

Any updates!

 

sorry, I've been wakeboarding and surfing Lake Powell the last week and a half, and have a desert race to shoot this weekend... welding the truss next week, and hopefully wheeling it to the FOTR work weekend on the 30th.

 

Air bump pads gussetted to prevent distortion due to impact:


Truss trimmed to fit shock tabs, then tacked:


and finish welded WOO HOO!!!!



I decided to weld a cap between the truss and the rear face of the housing to cover a gap there. Doing so will avoid collecting mud and rocks:


Apparently the cast portion of the housing crystalizes when welded. If left to cool on it's own it may crack the weld. All of my welding gurus (Thanks Matt, Dave, and Oscar!!!!) recommended I use a center punch and tap it with a hammer every 1/8th inch or so right next ot the welds on the cast side, or reheating and cooling multiple times to slow the cool to prevent crackage. The center punch method worked wonderfully. There's a pneumatic tool called a scaler that apparently does the same thing, but I didn't have quick access to one. Best I can tell there was no warpage to the tubes and everything appears to work as designed (wheeeew). I'll post with installed pics shortly.

 

I have to ask a couple things.

Reinforce the bump pads? I hope you don't deform that plate as it used to be before you blow the airbump out of the can.

What are we talking bucks wise for a 35 spline LP 60 with discs as you built?

Thanks.

 

I have seen dished bump pads on race trucks from air bump impact and want to avoid this. Once dished it allows the axle to travel higher since it's engaging later potentially bottoming out the shock. I allowed about 0.25" between bottom out of the air bump and bottom out of the shock. If the pad dishes more than that, blown shock will surely occur. The work involved to put in the little chunk at the back of the bump and to cap off the front is well worth the avoidance of worrying about it dishing and costing major money to replace the shocks.

D60 $$$
-$150 The axle PNP
-$300 cut axle down to 60.75" and broach for 35 splined Yukons
-$100 Yukon 1541 chromolly trim to fit axle shafts
-$200 4.56 gears Yukon
-$600 35 splined Detroit
-$138 Install kit
-$90 Toy pinion flange
-$100 Bearings races and seals
-$15 perches Parts Mike
-$65 GLO brake brakets
-$100 Caddy Eldo brakes and p-brake cables
-$50 ($25 per) Chevy rotor at Autozone ($40per everywhere else)
-$40 Dorman studs
Total=$1948

Much better on the pocket book than the $3500-$3800 I was looking into spending on a Diamond axle.

I did all of the work putting it together, and had much of the steel from other projects. If you aren't set up to do do the fab work, you'd have to factor in more for someone else to put it together for you.

 

wow, that seems like a great bang for the buck.... Nice work!

 

oops, i forgot brakes and brackets, but those didn't add too much more (amended the above list). I'm happy with the outcome so far. I haven't delved into the p-brake cable issue yet. that could prove a p.i.t.a., but you'll know soon after I do.

 

Can you get a trans-brake? Does anyone make it for the 3rd Gen 4Runners? Great job by the way. That thing is pretty sick. Keep up the great work

 

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/...ke_c_94-1.html

 

Ballistic Fab has one for the Tacoma, but most everyone that's installed it has had to boost the linkage with old Taco stock linkage that the 4runner doesn't have to get it to hold well enough (Tacoma has under the dash twist and pull p-brake, where the 4runner has mid console button press lever pull routed totally different from the taco.) That, and I'm still going to have to fab something up for the linkage for the cable since mine goes all the way back to the driver caliper. Something shorter is necessary whether I go caddy brakes or Ballistic's. I'm just going to try and make the caddy's work since I have them, until the bugs are worked outta the Ballistic one. Thanks for the props!!!

 

I think the truss is somewhat overkill.
I mean FULL size trucks run D60's w/o problems w/even BIGGER tires.
The truss sure looks sweet.
Is it bottoming the shocks out when you air?
Cuz you might consider a leaf/shock upgrade.
BTW the rear pb is the only LEGAL pb and no you can't use a lineloc either.
I have similar rear setup but 14B w/discs w/ pb but in a Burban.
Maybe you could try using a GM ebrake cable and integrate it w/ stock yota?

 

I agree, but my mind is at ease with it, and that was my original intent. If I bend it now, there's gonna be a lot more wrong than just a bent axle... and I really screwed up!!!! (which is not completely outta the realm of possibilities, which is why I put one on)

I haven't had the time to install it yet. Next week is slated for completing and driving
I did call King shocks and ask them if I'd need to revalve, and they didn't think so. I'll adjust accordingly.

I haven't gone into the details of what I'm going to do with the park brake, but I have LOCAR.com to go to if I need custom cabling and can't find it in the yards. I do appreciate your proposal, and will put it in the mix of possibilities. Thank you

 

I think that is a great truss!

 

Thank you very much Dan, it means that much more coming from someone who produces trusses for the masses professionally. now I just need to paint and put everything together and GO WHEEL!!!!!
BTW I am very excited to try out your diff covers I have installed. They are the bomb!!!!

 

Use high nickel rod for welding on the cast... you may not have problems, or you may have weakened the cast using a mig.

 

Alright, I guess a little update is in order (yes I have been working on my junk, just SLOWLY)... I trussed the front end, photos to be posted soon, similar to how I did the rear. I took both axles to Performance Cryogenics in Lincoln (1.5 hour drive one way, but quite beautiful and in the middle of NOWHERE) to see if I had warped them. Problem was, Dean and the boyz were in LAS VEGAS at the SEMA show and wouldn't be back until FRIDAY (Dumba** me didn't call first... ROOKIE). On my liesurly drive back home, I had an epiphany to call Sean at River City Diffs to see if he could perform the warp test... sho 'nuff!!! The first thing out of Bill's mouth (Sean's 2nd in command... i think) was, "Holy over weld job!!!" Not exactly what I wanted to hear. Turns out in my attempt at welding trusses on the axles to prevent them from bending, I wound up with bent axles (insert favorite 4 letter word here, a couple of times). He said I was going to have to start over ... NOT!!!! Then Sean stepped in and mentioned Lincoln Welding and Machining and said Cliff could straighten my pair of bananas for under $500. I called it good and gutted the axles and dropped them off at Lincoln. I hope to get them back by next Friday so I can start putting everything back together.

 

i know how you feel