Topic: My 85 4runner

[GRM]

Well, I picked up this truck in December of '02. Paid more than I would have liked, but it had alot of things I wanted, so it made the buildup cheaper in the long (short) run. Goal is to have it be a cheap wheeler, that has the most amount of OEM parts (when possible) on it for cheap replacment.
Here it is when I picked it up. It is sitting in the last owners driveway in this pic.

Specs as of the day I picked it up:
22re (later found out from a buddy of the last owner it is an LC motor), that ran like crap.
W56 (forward shift.. I still need help tracking down what year, but the truck was orignally an auto)
Single transfer case
4" trailmaster front springs, 7" shackles
63" chevy rear springs, 3" alumnium blocks, 6.5" shackles, some funky shock mounts
3" body lift
ARB bullbar (for a nissan.. once again, horrible mounts)
Poorly designed home made rear bumper
35" X terrains
15x10 eagle 598's

Truck is aprox. 82" tall and 72" wide when I picked it up. I still kinda miss how tall it was. But it was scarry offroad.

[GRM [OP]]

First time I went out wheeling, I HATED it. Body lift went south. Droped me down to around 78-79" tall. Alot more stable, but I had to build some new rear shock mounts.

3 Major problems:
Too tall
Front suspension didn't move enough
WAY too high geared (38:1 crawl)

[GRM [OP]]

New shock mounts.

[GRM [OP]]

Well, then this summer, the pinion bearing went out. I think the welded rear did it.
Went from 4.30's to 4.10's
Also the threads were stripped in the calliper mount on the knuckle. So time for a new knucke. I also rebuilt the front axle at the same time.

While the truck was down, I put rustoleum bedliner in it.

[GRM [OP]]

Sold the X terrains to buy highsteer, and stole the MTR's off of my old project truck.

[GRM [OP]]

Fast forward to December. I finally buy my highsteer (awesome kit BTW, wish it was this easy for my ram). I also swaped the front springs since the old ones were way too stif for my liking.

Axle out (easier to work on this way)

[GRM [OP]]

Here it is back together.
New springs are 83 springs, with leafs cut down from an 84 pack, with an anti-wrap leaf on top. Seem to be good thus far. With the steering box 1/8" off of the firewall and the tierod and drag link are parallel at full compression.

Also notice someone broke my window (I think it was my gardner, but oh well), thus the plastic bag.

[GRM [OP]]

Highsteer installed with the new springs.. doing the alignment in this pic.

[GRM [OP]]

And thats how it sits right now. Currently I am gearing up to gear down. Its getting 4.7:1's here in a few weeks (I'll be calling), along with a cheap homemade driveshaft to get me by until I get dual cases (next year probabally).
Hopefully I will have time to mount up my new seats, center console, fix the electrical problem (for some reason the marker lights and brake lights cant be on at the same time or one of the fuses blow), and get my bumpers mounted again.

Damn I need to get out wheeling  

[84runner]

Lookin good, that thing has come along way

[mr4x42u]

The shackle angle looks alot better in the end pic then the begining pic..Looks great!Had it off road yet with the new mods?

[GRM [OP]]

Actually I haven't touched the springs or shackles yet (have overloads to add, and have a line on some new blocks for it that dont scare me). Currently the bolts are welded to the shackles and hangers. I am scared why, but it hasent broken yet.

I havent had a chance to wheel it since the new springs or highsteer. But I do have a short hollister trip planned to test it out after I get those 4.7 gears, new blocks, and overloads installed.

[GRM [OP]]

Well, I didnt get as much done over spring break as I would have liked... but at least it is wheelable. all I accomplished over the week was installing the 4.7's and making a front driveshaft.

Bunch of pics ==> http://deerewagon.i8.com/images/4runner/

[GRM [OP]]

I think its about time I update this page again. I have since swaped in 3000GT seats, and a walmart center console.


I also added those 2.25" blocks, then pulled them, and put in an add a leaf (which only lifted me about .75". Shocks were changed to doestch pre-runners, then again to BBCS's. Boy do they work well.
I got some 1.5" spacers all around, and a front lockrite, bellfields, etc. made it a totally different truck.

Also got some time and built new front and rear bumpers. I dig the loop. Hopefully I will have time to build my exo soon.

[waskillywabbit]

I think its about time I update this page again. I have since swaped in 3000GT seats, and a walmart center console.


I also added those 2.25" blocks, then pulled them, and put in an add a leaf (which only lifted me about .75". Shocks were changed to doestch pre-runners, then again to BBCS's. Boy do they work well.
I got some 1.5" spacers all around, and a front lockrite, bellfields, etc. made it a totally different truck.

Also got some time and built new front and rear bumpers. I dig the loop. Hopefully I will have time to build my exo soon.


I'd like to know more about the center console modding.  That doesn't look like any room for a crawler??!!  I do need some cupholders though and don't need the rear heater.  Any tips? Advice?

[GRM [OP]]

I dont have a crawler box. And that transfer case is a forward shift.

But I suppose you could take the rear storage compartment off the back, take off the lid, section the inside into 2 sections and put the shifter inside.

But when I put a crawler box in (at the rate i am going, I probabally never will, expecally since i am thinking about selling the truck because I dont use it enough), I will probabally make a center console.