Hey everybody I guess you can consider this kind of my introduction to Yotatech. I joined about a month ago and posted a few times but since I just got my new '87 x-cab, and I don't really know anybody on here, here's some info on me and the pickup:
We live in Connecticut. She's a 23 y/o beaut with 4" suspension lift and 3" body lift. SR5 model but with manual windows and door locks (which I prefer). Wing windows and a sunroof. It's got a flowmaster muffler with dual outlets, which is amusing to listen to on the 4 banger. I'll switch to a stock muffler and tailpipe when the time comes.
When I got it she was loaded down with all kinds of crap, so the first thing I did was strip 'er down (bug deflector, mud flaps, giant f'in mirrors, side boards, etc). There was some funky stuff going on with the frame due to a past repair, so it went to the local frame shop for a little tweaking, and came back looking really nice with the rear half the frame patched as needed and painted with a good frame paint.
Next order of business was the electric fan conversion. This has become top order of business for me since swapping over on my '94 4runner. I bought an aftermarket universal fan that mounts to the radiator with zip ties. Use a Haydin, they are the good stuff. The "TorqFlo" ones they sell at Autozone suck. Also, I recommend a fixed temp wire relay, as the adjustable ones are unnessacary for a 22RE application and only create a weak point with the adjustable switch. + 2-4 MPG and I'd guess a few HP. And it doesn't sound like a semi coming down the road any more
I spent a day prepping and applying duraliner to the bed. First time using it, and I think it came out pretty good. Also had to put on new belts, swapped the fog lights off the front for some better halogens, and threw in a cheap JVC CD player and some Pioneer 4"ers in the front. Tinted the back and back sides 20%.
Future repairs and upgrades:
Temp gauge (PM me if you have one, please)
Rear shackle bushings
33" A/T tires and rims (I need rims with shallow backsacing to fit 12.50's because of the sus. lift. Can't find any and can't afford to buy em new, so if you have some please PM me!)
Rock Sliders (I'm going to fire up the old stick welder and have some fun building some myself)

Alright now the pics (Yeah I know you skipped to this part anyway). I'll get back with some pics of the interior and under the hood.

 

I like your truck, I have a sister to her. I just don't have the lift and I have a black shell on the back.

 

Got my 33's mounted up on an old set of AR Outlaw II's. The rims were crusty as hell and I spend about 2 hours per rim. 180 grit sand paper, followed by 0 grade steel wool, followed by 0000 steel wool with mothers aluminum mag polish, all applied with the "grain" of the wheel. I got my hands on a friends dremel for a couple of them, and though it was a bit more thorough around the crevasses, it leaves visible marks if you do large areas with it, and doesn't really save all that much time.

In the course of the alignment, my tire guy pointed out what I knew, but had been conveniently ignoring: that my front end steering components are SHOT. So I have ordered new inner and outer tie-rod end, sleeves, pitman and idler arms, all Moog. I assume it's worth the $450 for quality chassis parts that carry a lifetime warrenty. I am reusing the centerlink, unless I see major wear during the disassembly.
That will be this weeks project, along with a Rancho single replacement steering stabilizer. While it is all apart I will clean and paint the front end of the frame. That will be pretty nasty work on this sucker, so I expect this to turn into a 2-day project. I'll get some good pics of the process.

By the way I'll be posting a for sale ad for my stocker chromies with 31x10.50 Mastercraft Courser MTR's if anyone is looking.

 

i love the truck.... just hate body lifts...

 

I probably wouldn't have put a body lift on it, but it came on the truck. I have had the bed off and put new lifting blocks on only because I dodn't want to get into lowering the cab and doing body bushing and modding the bumpers etc. right now. Honestly though for all the flack that body lifts catch I really don't see or feel a problem with it. Aside from seeing the frame.. but I just see that as exposing a great place to mount rock sliders or nerf bars up to.

 

i like the truck very nice with the new tread on it i have a body lift on mine that came that way and really aint had no bad with it and ive hauled fire wood before i got the roll bar in it

 

Well the past three days have seen quite a few hours in the garage as I finally got to rebuilding the steering system. It wasn't quite as easy as popping in some new tie rods; I decided to clean and paint the frame and areas of the front end I would have easy access to with the steering assembply out. As you'll see in the photos I had quite a bit of grinding and cleaning to do to get the frame prepped for painting.

I also swapped out the stock diff breather with a 3/8" line nipple, and ran a breather hose up into the top of the engine compartment. Did the same thing in the rear.

I got a Rancho RS5000 steering stabilizer. The only downfall is that local Napa dweebs ordered me the wrong one, so I wasn't even able to button this one up completely.

The coolest thing about this whole job? On the way back I heard Huey Lewis and The News "Power Of Love" (the Back To The Future song) on the radio!
Power Of Love

 

Hmm for some reason the early pics before I did any cleaning won't upload. Sorry but you can envision it.

 

By the way, the process I used on the frame was as follows:

1. Scrape off all the heavy fraking rust / chipped or lifted paint / undercoating.
2. Using a hand wire brush and a wire wheel on a 3/8" drill get all the surface rust off.
3. Use air compressor with blower attachment to blow off all the loose crap that's fallen over everything.
4. I used Speed Scat surficant. It removes all grease and wax and dust and leaves the metal ready for optimal paint adhesion.
5. I used Loctite rust converter on the bare rusty areas. Supposedly converts rusty e to metal. This'll be a good test to see if it really works.
*Wait 24 hours before topcoating.....*
6. Sealed everything in primer.
7. Apply topcoat (flat black Rustoleum).

Then it was as simple as reassembling the steering rack and grasing everything up. I had alread lustered up my centerlink, which I reused, and speed scatted the new tie rods and got them painted up.

 

looks awesome man good job i will be interested about the rust converter though keep us informed

 

Looks like a million bucks!!

Edit: Are those the adapters to extend the breathers? Direct fit? Toyota part?

 

Yes those are direct fit toyota parts. They were in that bag that I showed in the photo, so I *think* that part number is for the breathers. They were a couple of bucks a piece, plus 10 bucks worth of hose and a couple of hose clamps. I took the ones that were in the diff and installed them at the other end of the hose. Now I'm ready for 3 feet of water

 

I hear ya, that will be my next mod. 3 feet is my limit too, don't want to soak my good interior.

 

Okay, lots of recent upgrades to the truck.
First I went through a phase of "Ahh I think I'm gonna sell this truck.. I just want a stock Toy..."
Then I went though the "Ahh well I would want to fix this, this, and that before I sold it to someone..."
Now I'm bullocks deep in a list of recent upgrades and changes with no plans to sell After a long cold snowy and uninspiring winter came spring. But spring was long cold wet and generally nasty - not very inspiring for truck work. But now I've made a series of changes to the old girl and have a few big ones coming:

-Recently swapped over a nice new stock exhaust from my '86 4runner. What a difference! I never liked the look of my dual chrome tips sticking out the back. While the 4runner exhaust if about 6" too short for a perfect fit, it still lands close enough to where it need to be that there is no interference anything else in the undercarriage. Also, this exhaust has a stainless front pipe, and... a new cat. My first one ever!

-Gave the interior a nice spick n' span lustering. Whenever you are feeling down about your rig, or thinking about selling it... CLEAN IT GOOD! You'll feel like a million bucks after

-I had a problem with a racing idle sometimes for the past 6 months or so, and could not chase down the problem. Well I noticed my air cleaner was nasty and swapped in a new one. That coupled with the new stock exhaust has evened out the idle and improved mileage. So I think I will do a full on tune-up before memorial day weekend.

-Removed the stainless steel side trim panels that had been added, but retained the door rail. Details on the removal will be in an upcoming post, as it requires a particualar method for effective removal.

-Removed the moon-visor to repair the non-working lights. Now that it's off I have the bolt back in and capped with the plastic caps... I kind of like it like this. Might keep the visor off and weld in the holes when it comes time to paint.

Well, as for near-future plans, they will be driven by necessity. I need to replace the heater core in a bad way. For a budget operation I think I'll pull it out of the parts-runner for now. Also I need another new rear-end (rearend issues) Probably it will be 4.30's, a slight upgrade from the 4.10's... but only because I have them.

Before I do the rear, a local shop is going to check the pinion angle, which appears to need one hell of an adjustment, based on my understanding of the necessary alignment of this drivetrain. This shop (http://www.superiorspring.net/) is going to construct a custom add-a-leaf to increase load capacity by 1/2 ton, and bring up the rear a little. They'll also install new shackle to frame bushings which will hopefully level out the sag on the passengers side.

Before the winter the bed will come off for the minor repairs that it needs along the seam line, and a re-paint. Might build a temporary flat bed for the down time. But that's a ways off yet.

 

Thumbs-up for another CT member !

If you ever want to sell the moon visor, let me know. I may be interested depending on the price.

 

sweet looking ride my 87 is sitting on the side of my shop waiting for me to finish the sas I started makes me every time I walk around there.