First of all i hope this is in the right section. Second, about the IFS.
I have read how great a SA flexes and how comfortable of a ride you get with IFS. My question is why you guys with IFS stay with IFS. If a SA is so superior (strengh, easy to maintain.....) why wouldnt you go with a SA. Is it the challenge of building a good IFS or the difference in ride or because since the truck came with IFS you make best with what u got????? I just dont know, I heard from people not to even bother with the IFS you cant get no where but i have seen some crazy videos here on yoda tech that prove otherwise. Personally I would do SAS just for the fact that I got a more steardy piece under my truck, less parts to break. So lets hear what u guys have to say.

 

I kept my IFS while the build out was fun and while it was not limiting my wheeling. When it got to a point where there were trails that I wanted to do and couldn't do safely, when I ran out of real improvements I could do to the IFS and when I had the time and money to do the swap, I did. My solid axle actually rides *better* than the IFS did, with fewer noises as well, so even though I used that as an argument when I was still denying the inevitability of the SAS, I was wrong.

 

[list=1][*]Toyotas with solid front axles are hard to find[*]If you do find one, '85 will be the newest year and most of us don't want that old of a truck for a daily driver since we can't afford 2 vehicles[*]Doing a SAS requires money, time, and skill. Most of us here are lacking at least one, if not all of those[/list=1]

Then again, I might just be speaking for myself.

 

If its the money, than I am calculating something wrong. Because a SAS would cost me so much less than an ok IFS lift.

 

Well, I recall seeing a guy named K-ton's (4bychef?) website where he kept a very accurate log on exactly how much his SAS cost him and it came to a little over $8k if I'm not mistaken.

Coming from a guy who's read lots of testimonials of those who have actually done it, it will always cost you more than you budget for.

 

You might be able to cut some corners, but I think you must be leaving something out. I totalled my swap up last night and lets just say that would be one hell of an IFS lift... It's easily in the range of four Trailmaster lifts carried out or three installed...

 

Ya I have seen that truck too but was unable to see the write up of what he spent and thats now where close to what I was quoted. That would definitely hold me back to yikes

 

Would you guys believe around $2000. I personally an starting to dought it. I'll get to the bottom of this tomorow cause it just dont seem right

 

Absolutely. I can see 2000 bucks. My question is if you are factoring in EVERYTHING. Grease, oil, grinder disks, welding/torch consumables, paint, bolts, tools you might need or break, loctite/antiseize. Believe it or not, all this little stuff can add up to a TON.

 

8k? i could turn a datsun 210 into a rock crawling monster for half that, maybe less

 

Acually the price is what a shop quoted me. Them doing all the work. Oh well I'll figure it out fully tomorow

 

parts & labor?

 

It's definitely doable for under 2 grand. I love how mine turned out and WATRD is right about the SA ride. My truck rides so much better on the street with a solid axle compared to how it did with IFS. The only spots that it doesn't seems to be on long bridges or crappy roads where it bounces a bit but that's ok- kinda makes you feel like you're in a big truck -- "which you are."

 

Yup but i will find out for sure tomorrow so if u really interested i will get back to you

 

You know, I hear various figures tossed about when people talk about the swap and I bought into before I did mine, I was certain that K-ton was smoking crack, but as was pointed out, there's a lot of little things that add up. Once I tore into it, money started to flow. Keep in mind that my labor costs were kept to a few pizzas since ChrisCo and I did all the work ourselves, so I am not even counting that in my numbers. Consumables add up, that odd size socket you don't have or the replacement for the one you broke figure in there and materials to fav something up when you figure out that what you have won't work as planned, all inflate the number.

Could I have done it cheaper? You bet, but $2000? I have to laugh, my front and rear gears, front locker and chro-moly axle shafts cost that alone. I *could* have set up my own gears, gone with stock shafts, Lincoln locked the diff and built my own square driveshaft and saved cash there, but I wouldn't have quite the same rig I have now. I had originally planned to do the swap on a budget, then upgrade parts in time, but once you are in there, it makes sense to just do it right the first time... ChrisCo is an even bigger perfectionist than I am, so we were a fine pair... I can't count the number of times we put something together, learning as we went, then through it all away for something better. The original would have worked, but it wasn't "our best".

I am sure that as more of these things get done, people will come up with more money efficient methods of accomplishing the same thing, but as long as the parts cost what they do it's never going to be a lot cheaper. Perhaps as people get a few under their belts, labor costs will come down as well for those who choose to pay others to build their rig, but there's a lot of hours here, no matter how you slice it.

Until someone shows up on a run with a $2000 axle swap, it remains as elusive in these parts as a sasquatch.

 

I not only kept my IFS, but went looking for it specifically. But then, I'm not a rock crawler. My truck is my daily commuter and it's 4wd needs are primarily being able to get down to the barn and back. For me, the plusses of IFS outweigh the downs of solid front axle.

 

I'd love to, some day. I already have my brother in law's '85 lined up for the axle. But this is our only vehicle at the moment, and I just paid it off a month ago. I just can't see myself hacking in to it any time soon.

It may be just as good to just build up the '85 and leave mine alone.

 

I think the 85 has the pumpkin on the wrong side for your 3rd Gen Tom.

 

Hmm...time to research Pirate I guess.

That could be another point in the "build up the 85" column. Which in all reality is the more probable of the options for me anyway.

 

$2000 for parts/labor for SAS is crazy.

35" tires/wheels....$1000
4.88 gears front/rear....$500
Detroit locker (only 1!)....$400

(these numbers are minimums too!)

Already close to budget without an axle, springs, shocks, no rear lift, not even close!

dont cut corners, youll kick yourself later prob.