Ok new here but pretty hard into wheeling for the last 7 years. I already have a few that have recognized me and that I recognize as well. I'm the same Grim on Pirate4x4 and I moderate ColoradoK5.com and do some of the tech and product review write ups for CK5.
K5 was fun and still hate to get rid of it but times change. With trail closures around my area it's nearly 2 hours to the closest trail. Well the K5 gets 9 mpg. No carpeting so it's hot and loud. With the trails that far away and the disire to go to places like Winrock I wanted the option of towing my trail rig. The K5 rocks the world at nearly 9k on a trailer rated to handle it. I have a 454 Suburban to pull with but thats a bit much even for it.
So it was time to down size and I wanted a new project. 4Runner has the seating I need for the wife and two kids and on the trailer I should be about 5600ish lb's Much better weight for my Burb to tug along. It is pretty content with it and runs down the road getting 10.5 with the A/C on pulling it when I brought home the 84. The 20 inches less width will be a welcome addition as well! The K5 has taken a pounding on the sides from it's shear girth.
I have actually now owned 2 4Runners. I picked up a 84 that was in the process of being parted out. All the critical parts were there but one. The transimssion was just flat gone. It was bad and pulled and when the PO heard how much to rebuild he gave up on it but never retrieved the bad tranny. I got it for $300.
Then I gave it away for free but I'm keeping the case, engine that does run and axles. Gave it to my buddy that just had kiddo #2. He has a 80 truck and needed that back seat. So originally the plan was for him to put the 80 running gear in it. Now he's trying to buy another basket case that has the parts he needs and sell the 80 outright. So soon he will get working on it and I can get my solid axle back.
Now I have a 86 SR5 I picked up with no 4th gear and wasn't running great. $1400 and it came with a Kayline soft top. It had a few things I wanted and It just seemed a better starting point for what I ultimatly want. First it was RE, It gets me the wide rear axle, The IFs parts needed to make a wide front axle, IFS box. It also lets me move the front spring hanger when I SAS it to help with the fire wall clearence. It also has a Sun roof and as petty as that sounds that was something that was really important to me. I like convertables and my K5 is the last year of the full tops. Sure the rear comes off on the 4 runner but without the sun roof...whats the point?
So I rebuilt the w56 and that worked out great. Much easier then I though it would be. I had done a couple Autos before but this was the first manual. It's now very quiet and it has 4th gear. Input bearing was shot and some of the metal shavings had done a number on the intermediat shaft bearing so I replacedal lthe bearigns and when a head and put in new syncros. It had 195k on it so figure I would do it all. Still sorting out the run problem. See the "Intermittent Miss...HELP!" post started by reklun5 in tech about that.
The goal is to make it a DD and a wheeler. Then I can sell the Gas hog k5 and the wife can have the Honda back ( I hate that car) and the Gas hog burb will be parked. That will get us back down to 4 vehciles (there is a 70 LeMans convertible tucked in the garage). The K5 between the Detroit and the 9mpg just isn't DD material anymore. It had just become too trail biased it was at the point where it was 1 ton it or leave it alone. So unless I'm just goofing around on the weekend or going on a trail ride it just sits. As little as I seem to get to go ride the last year it's a waste. The Burb is the tow rig for our camper and low mile...like to keep it that way so if one is oging to sit that is the best one.
Ultimate goals on this build.
Under 7ft tall so it will fit in the shop (K5 didn't fit in the garage so pain in the butt to work on at times).
33-35's for the trail may try to street them or go with a set of 32-33 AT for the street.
4.88 gears maybe 5.29. Got to decide about the tires first and figure out cruise RPM.
SAS of course
Exo cage is a strong possiblility.
E locked in the rear to keep it street friendly Hope to do the same in the front.
Cross over for sure at time of SAS
20mpg a must..I do 44 miles round trip.
MarlinCrawler
Disc rear at some point.
I would say I'm a better then average shadetree for general repair. I do all my own work for the most part tools permiting. I have a welder and probably going to buy a Bender like a JD3 soon. this is Toyot #3 for me. I use to own a 89 Supra as well so I'm use to Toyotas way of doing things. Active member of the Georgia Bounty Runners
www.gbr4wd.com bassed out of Atlanta. Past membership and past landuse guy for the club.
Anyway that's me and my Yota.
