that 83 would have been a great build.
On the 4Runner maybe do a ball joint spacer upfront and some new leafs in the back. you might want to take a look at this thread for IFS recommendations.

Not really too worried about a hijack, comments like yours are what helps keeps it going...needed some motivation today as it was kind of frustrating day after DD the Trekker locally for the last 5 or 6 weeks with out any issues and than losing a bearing in the rear transfer case after doing a 100 mile drive today after doing 65 on the highway.

Theory on root cause: an issue going back to when I destroyed the transmission back in september or an unbalanced rear driveshaft...
anyway was on the verge of saying screw it but am gonna get both my rear drive shafts balances and pull Transfercases and see what is the deal.
Hopefully the 4.7's did not get screwed up. If so I have the stock 2.28 gear sets and parts out of 2 donor cases...though I would like to just find another Transfer case to throw in as a diagnostic tool..

who knows

 

That's a bummer, Robb. I hope you get it figured out. I gotta see your rig out on the trail!

I just got my dual cases done, except for drive shafts. I'm gonna have Drive Line Tech make my rear drive shaft, and make the front one myself from a Trail Gear long spline kit.

 

Hey Jim! Good to hear from you
it would be great to wheel with you again sometime soon. probably won't have time till monday to crack the case to see what broke. and thanks for the reminder about Driveline Tech. I will take both my rear shafts to have them balanced...was trying to remember the name of that shop.

Congrats on getting the duals in

 

So I was rummaging around in the garage to get stuff ready to pull my transfer cases out tomorrow and found a box of stuff I had picked up at a garage sale a few summers ago and found a set of boat bow mounted docking lights that I had picked up for around $10 (they list at West Marine for almost $200 ) kind of shocked at that...anyway.
pulled them out and got to thinking about my original intentions:

Debating about mounting them in the rear quarter panel:

but am more inclined to mount them just in front of the rear wheel:

If I do it I will paint the housing black.

So what does YT think? do it or forget it?

 

That would look pretty slick. I say do it.

 

Go for it!!!! That's a sweet idea!!!

 

Thanks, Robb. I'm just waiting on a drive shaft now. Today, I installed Dirty 30's and a high pinion third with a Detroit in it. Whew! It was a good way to spend a rainy vacation day The Dirty 30's went in smoothly, didn't have to clearance. Woo hoo! I did not want to pull the knuckles off! I just recently did the trunnion bearings.

Did you get a chance to pull your duals?

 

HP third--nice! How about gears? I have hammered on my dirty 30's I suppose I should pull them to see how they look Heading out now to pull the TC's, not sure if I will have time to crack them to see what broke. I suspect the rear output bearings.

 

I was gonna pull my cases today and thought while I was under there I would replace my motor mounts...didn't get to the cases not enough time. I had never done motor mounts before so learned a few things which is a good thing but killed too much time>plus the rain and hail made it fun

Good thing too, stock mount looked like it was about to break, it was split about 3/4 of the way thru:

replaced them with something a bit stouter Trail Gear mounts :

wivey got these for me for my b-day. she is awesome

I like these better than alternative of welding some chain on the stock mount

 

I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say about those TG motor mounts. Guess you'll have to get the T/cases fixed. . .

Glad to see ur makin' progress. Hopefully the T/cases aren't to much a of a head ache for you!!

 

finally got the cases pulled on tuesday. They sound OK, no real slop or anything when rotating by hand. I will still replace the rear output seal. I picked up another transfer case monday that I will probably stick in the rear just for diagnostic purposes.

Rear seems to be OK. So if swapping out my rear 4.7 case for the stock case still shows a crap load of noise. that will lead me to believe it is my craigslist 4 speed transmission. If that transmission to kapute, truck may be out of action for a while unless I can sell a bullet launcher or too...which I would not really like to go that route...

 

robb..... sorry to hear of the trans/t-case issues still.

i like the boat lights, in front of the tire. would make for some good night wheelin accessories!

Al

 

thanks Al...hopefully monday will have time to work on it again. I have all summer off so I want to be able to run a few trails

I think I will do the boat lights, they put out a decent amount of light and it would be something unique

Have you put the truck up for sale yet? haven't seen it on craigslist yet

 

not yet, still not sure if i really want to let it go. i just want to see it finished.

the jeep will go up for sale today (instead of just for trades), and hopefully that will get me close enough to get a new tow rig.

hey, i have monday off... i'll be in beaverton finishing up some landscaping for a flip i'm helping out a buddy with... but if i have time i'll give you a ring and maybe i can lend you a hand.

Al

 

sounds good, I will be in and out, just give me a ring

 

Hey Al: it was great to see you yesterday..I would still love to buy your truck...

Did a little work yesterday.
Waskillywabbit was correct, I need to get my rear third set up AGAIN...very shallow pinion to ring contact. Luckily I am not buying another gear set. No yellow paint to show the coast/drive contact.
Another set back but it oh well s

I messed around with the transfer cases yesterday, I didn't really find any smoking gun.

My home made SST to get an output flange off, 30MM sockets are too expensive to buy 2:

Here is what I found opinions and advice appreciated:
my 4.7 cases is on the right, the input bearing when shifted in to low range sure seems to move out a long ways compare to the stock 2.28 case on the left, the dual case adapter sure seems to allow for it due to the depth of the recess.

There seems to more play on the low range shift fork (dunno correct nomenclature:dunno) on my 4.7 case:


this pic is from a parts case I have:

How much play should there be in the hi/low range slider gear?

out of action as far as any real work for a few days. Last night I was putting the duals back in, using the cheapie stock 2.28 case instead of my 4.7 case for diagnostic purposes. I should have strapped the cases to the jack, but was an idiot and didn't. The cases slid off and landed on my hand...nothing broken but it sure swelled up to twice normal side and hurts like hell

 

So with my hand semi screwed up I decided to try a light duty mod:
10 minutes or so with my Ryobi rotozip clone I went ahead and decided to mount the flush mounted boat docking lights.

Had to deal with a rusted out body strengthening panel that Winnebago installed, no much left holding this thing in:

it is supposed to be glued to the fiberglass,...not anymore

I mounted it at a slight downward angle just in front of the rear wheel well. I think that I may pull the lense out and tint the majority of the clear portion.

not very noticeable from distance:

i think with the majority of the lense frame tinted it will blend in better...

 

Ouch! That must have hurt. Tell you what I did. I rented a tranny jack for 20 bucks to put my dual cases in. It made it sooo easy. They have a real nice tranny jack for rent at Interstate Rentals in N. Portland.

 

thing is they were on a tranny track...i was just stupid and didn't use the strap....

 

OUCH!!! i wish i had more free time to give you a hand installing them.... no pun intended.


my cousin has a plastic tint paint he's used on taillights and such, it would work great on that housing. nice job on the mounting! though i don't know if i could cut into a trekker body without some kind of guilt!

Al