Topic: Need help with my new biuld (86 toy short bed)

[OregonCrawler]

Ok so I just got my first truck a few weeks ago .Its an 86 toyota short bed.Has 31's and a flat bed.I dont know much about it,It was towed from the origional owner and sold to me for 1000 bucks.It runs awsome and starts right up every time.And the interior and body are in awsome shape.Ok now I want to start buy lifting it and getting bigger tires.Its ifs (as you all know) and im gussing its better if I get a straight axle right?Its going to be more of a trail/mud rig and I wana do around 35-36'' tires.So what would you do?Get the straight axle or lift the ifs?

Any ways let me know what you think of the truck and what should be done first.Ill post up pics soon!

[OregonCrawler [OP]]

Hey Just thought I would post some pics of the truck I was talking about.I Want to lift it asap so I can get new tires but I need to know if I should get a straight axle.I know I would need a front axle,leafs and shackles and I would have to make some brackets im gussing.Or mabe I should just buy a 4'' lft kit or sumthin.I hope I can find some one who has done a straight axle conversion on here.Also I searched around looking for a wright up on how to do this because I know its been done 1000's of times,but I couldnt find any thing.Im new to these boards and im shure I just suck at searching so if you know of a thread that would help me out that would be awsome!

here are those pics!

[OregonCrawler [OP]]

Oh and if this is posted in the wrong section feel free to move it.I wasent shure where I should post?

[eightyfive]

those standard cab turbo 4x4s are so rare...u lucky got it for only 1 grand!

[Shoyrtt]

Welcome to the board. 8) You are right, thousands of IFS rigs have gone under the knife for a SAS conversion to a straight axle. Should you go this route?  There have been a lot of stories of people who spent good money on IFS lifts over the years who later realized SAS is the way to go. 

IMO you should wheel it as is until your skills and needs require the mods. By then you will have read this and other forums to know what you want.

[OregonCrawler [OP]]

humm ok.Well it dose ok now but I get stuck...alot.Theres not a hole lot of ''rockcrawling'' around here so most of my friends that wheel have 36-38'' tires and do mostly mud boggin.So there is little ol me with my bald 31'' street tires and somthings gata be done.I think im an ok driver but havent ''wheeled'' much.So I guss I could just buy some new 31'' tires but ill still get stuck in the ruts my friends fly through.And I dont wana buy little tires then later buy bigger tires?seems like wasted money to me.So im guna try and lift it and get mabe 34-35's?I just gata figure out what needs to be done?


Any one know of a thread on here that explains how to straight axle an ifs rig?I would love to see how its done!

thanks

[Gittinit]

humm ok.Well it dose ok now but I get stuck...alot.Theres not a hole lot of ''rockcrawling'' around here so most of my friends that wheel have 36-38'' tires and do mostly mud boggin.So there is little ol me with my bald 31'' street tires and somthings gata be done.I think im an ok driver but havent ''wheeled'' much.So I guss I could just buy some new 31'' tires but ill still get stuck in the ruts my friends fly through.And I dont wana buy little tires then later buy bigger tires?seems like wasted money to me.So im guna try and lift it and get mabe 34-35's?I just gata figure out what needs to be done?


Any one know of a thread on here that explains how to straight axle an ifs rig?I would love to see how its done!

thanks

Most people sas for flex. For mud bogging a straight axle swap would be wasted effort. I have run 34x9.5 swampers on a ifs truck with no rubbing. This combo combined with the lighter wheigh of your toy should keep you hanging right with your friends.
There two schools of thought for mud
1 dig to the hard stuff
2 float on top
Both require wheel speed while the first requires tall tires and the second requires fat or wide tires.

[79coyotefrg]

dude,  get  some  33-13.50-15  superswamper LTB's   and  lock the rear  with  something like a aussie,  i think most of your problem  is  the BALD  tires

[AR80Toy]

Good Luck with what ever you decide , Just read more of the Buildup Threads and you'll find all you need to know . Nice looking rig by the way .

[OregonCrawler [OP]]

cool sounds good and thanks for all the help.Ill lock the rear and get 33-34'' tires (prolly swampers).I would like to lift it a bit tho.I know It probaly wont rub but I think it will look better.Whats a good cheap lift for the front?I can lift the back no problem.Also today I bed lined the cab so ill get pics of that tomarrow.Im going to get weld the back diff for a locker...Any tips on doing this or should I get a spool or sumthin.I have never locked an axle so any tips would be awsome.Also why not lock the front?

[86turboyota]

if you lock the front it'll be an animal to turn

[OregonCrawler [OP]]

I see,hey this is going to be my daily driver as well as my mud/trail rig.Is the rear locker going to be a problem? Should I get and electric locker?

[Cheesemaker]

That's what I paid for my 87 turbo!  But not running.  I like the flat bed, that's what I'm planning on doing!  After I convert mine to a 22re!   I'd get some body lift in it and get your bigger tires!  That way you can save up for a sas.  But the turbo axles are geared higher than the std axle.  I believe they are a 3.87 gear ratio?  Std toy is 4.10 gearing.  If you can re-gear, that would help out also.  And put in a locker in the rear, something like an aussie, or a detroit.  On the plus, the rear is the v6 housing!   If you go bigger tires without re-gearing it will suck alot of your power until the turbo kicks in!  Which is around 2500 to 3000 rpms'!  Good luck and have fun!

[OregonCrawler [OP]]

crap forgot about gearing....ok so here is what im guna do...Ill buy the front hanger kit from marlin crawler....then buy 84-85 ish front and rear axles.Then ill have to get some stock leafs and im good to go.Ill check out the junk yard mabe today and see what I can find.Dose this sound good?

[Cheesemaker]

That's a good start!  Not many people remember the gearing on the turbo's.   

[Shoyrtt]

crap forgot about gearing....ok so here is what im guna do...Ill buy the front hanger kit from marlin crawler....then buy 84-85 ish front and rear axles.Then ill have to get some stock leafs and im good to go.Ill check out the junk yard mabe today and see what I can find.Dose this sound good?

Good on the 84 to 85 front axle, but you should keep your rear axle. The 86+ rear axle is wider (and more stable) than the 85. You will need to widen the front by adding spacers or the hub mod.

[OregonCrawler [OP]]

ok cool sounds good...So I went down to the dallas auto wrecking and found a toyota front axle with leafs for 350 and he said the gearing will match the gearing in my 86 (I guss the turbo ones where the same).so ill just need the  marlin crawler hanger kit (the one for like 200 bucks) and mabe a drive shaft and im good to go!

so tell me if I have all the parts I need...

front axle with leafs
200 marlin crawler hanger kit
drive shaft (what kind...CHEAP)
and spacers (what size?)
marlin crawler ball ends (guna make my own custom steering links  )

also will my locking hubs and brake rouders fit the straight axle?


let me know if im missing any thing,If it all sounds good ill start buying parts!

[Cheesemaker]

Go to the SAS page and look at all the items and go through and eliminate all that you don't need!  Bigmike has a very detailed list on there!

The straight axles had 4.10 gears, same as the ifs, except the turbo model!  Double check!!  Get a rear axle out of a actual v6 p/u.  It will    have the same gearing as the straight axle.  That way you shouldn't have to regear the rear!  I would upgrade the master cylinder too!  Better stopping power.  And swap out the rotors on the front axle for the v6 rotors and calipers too! 

[Shoyrtt]

Before you jump at the junkyard deal, check some of the classified sections here on  Marlin's or here: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=32

Next read this thread: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=459180
When you are done, read it again. It is the best one stop source for virtually every question you have.

Here is my take on your questions:
1. I would not buy a set of stock front leaf springs. If you are going the junk yard route, run your rear springs up front and pick up a set of 63" Chevy springs for the rear. (see the Pirate thread above for more details)

2. The Marlin hanger is good, but you can also build your own. (Again see above)

3. For the drive shaft, reuse what you have and build a square shaft and clearance the CV. (Again see above)

4. 2" wheel spacers should even it out. (Again check the classified adds)

5. I wouldn't mess with steering. Here is one area you should buy from a vendor.

6. Your IFS hubs will not work on the straight axle. I'm not sure about the routers.   A very common upgrade in this area is FJ brake parts.
 

[OregonCrawler [OP]]

hey where is the sas page ? Im shure its a noob question but I guss I am a noob.Also how mutch can I tighten my torsion bars? Im not guna do the sas for another week or two so I figured I would mess around with the ifs in the mean time

[Cheesemaker]

http://www.marlincrawler.com/htm/suspension/suspension.htm