Well this project started about a year ago. I picked up the truck after throwing a rod in my 87 4-runner. At the time I had just planned to wheel it, after I removed the PO's hack job of an exo cage. The truck hadn't been offroaded yet, it was a DD. I've decided to build it up and do it right.

Goals
Linked suspension (prolly triangulated 4-link front and rear) with coilovers or airshocks, depending on what $$ is left.

33's that I have, 37's later when I have money for them, hydro-assist and front axle beef.

welded rear third, mechanical locker up front.

full width axle from 87 ifs truck

dual cases, with homemade twinstick.

motor and trans relocated 2-4" higher to get a flat belly, and 9 inches rearward for weight.

move cab 4-6" rearward for weight

battery, fuel cell, spare tire, mounted in the rear.

dovetailed, tubed front end with stock trimmed fenders, shortened 4"

remove PO's custom flatbed and bumper. (for sale)

Fully trussed, and shaved front and rear axles.

custom aluminum floor and dash.

26-28" ground clearence

106-108" wheelbase

full exo, with sliders and stinger.

duble carden drive shafts front and rear. Possible two piece front shaft,
depending on ground clearence.

Header, custom exhaust behind cab.

Frame will be cleaned of all unused brackets, wirebrushed and painted black.

Body will be Olive-drab.

Finsish by mid march 07'



Give me your opinions, I will need them!!



Unfortunately I think I lost all of my early pics of the build. Here are recent pics.

new motor mounts

drilled flanges. I know the one is too small for the big patern, no need to flame me.

asembled cases.


the start of my twinstick


pretty much finished, awaiting levers.


new clutch installed



brackets for new x-member.


t-case mount


it mounts with 5/8" grade 8 bolts, with urethane bushings. The bushings I have are too stiff. I'll pick up some new ones (on order) friday.




The flatbed, that I'm not using (first $250 takes it).




check out the ground clearence under the x-member

 

Tonight I got to work on my truck for the first time in 6 weeks, after knee surgery. I cut some brackets off the frame and grinded most of them smooth. fabbed some new rear cab mounts and got them tacked in place. I moved the cab back about 6", I'll have to measure again to figure the exact difference. Tomorrow, I'll make some front mounts and get them all welded up.








I THINK I have the front links figured up. I plan to run Johnny Joints all around with adjustable uppers.

 

Oh and I swapped in an L56 5 speed, in place of the 4 speed.

 

Cool, i was gonna swap in a 5spd in my 80 but i sold it before i could

 

yeah, I had it and just figured why not.

 

Mmm...olive drab.

I love that tucked up drivetrain.

 

Thanks, I'm glad I decided to raise it.


The dag on bushings I ordered for the x-member are still to stiff. I hope I don't have to buy some bar stock urethane, it's $$$$$. I think I need something in the 30-40A hardness range, anyone out there work with this stuff??

 

With alot of recent snow plowing, and all the other things going on, my deadline is shot. I've decided to wait on the 4-links. The good news is that I bought a millermatic 250 amp mig, 50 amp plasma, and 200 amp ac/dc tig.

I did fab some front cab mounts, and bent up a pipe dash bar (I have a ton of pipe, and i'm out of tube). I picked up 5 sheets of .125 aluminum. I guess I'll use some pipe, in the non stress/strain areas, like the floor.
I'm thinking for now about running rear springs up front, and Chevies in the rear. It seems like the cheepest thing to do until I can afford 4-link setups.

 

This is very cool. I like the plans for the front end.

Would you mind explaining your twin stick a little more? It looks very cool, but i don't quite understand how it will work.

 

I would post drawings of it, but I plan to make them in the future. It's the first of a few designs I'm gonna try out. It's the simplest, easiest, cheapest one as well. I through it together in an evening. I haven't tested it to know if it will be sealed well enough or not. There is a nut welded to the inside of the rectangle box. A bolt threads throught it, and is drilled to accept the "finger", wich changes the gears in the t-case. I've really put some torque on it, and tried breaking it, it's pretty strong. It would be somewhat easy to make the finger and the bolt all one piece.

 

You can also do this...

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=482798

This is what i wanna do.

 

yeah, you could do it that way.

 

i've seen that, but i'm not interested in a twin stick actually,

i'm intersted in Modified's design as i'm going tripple stick, and his looks like it would be really easy to hook linkage up to.

But no worries man, totally understand not wanting to throw ideas up on the net for everyone to rip off. Smart thinking on your part.

i got a pretty good idea from the description, i can go from there, and thank you for sharing that much, i appreciate it.

On a second note, you could probably seal the unit you've got by using a stock gasket and some serious silicon sealer.

 

When I say sealed, I meant where the bolt goes through the nut. The gear oil in there gets slung around quite a bit, and when I'm on my top, I don't wanna be drinking gear oil either.