Topic: 88 xtra cab going under the knife

[406Michael]

Starting this weekend I'll be starting a project on my pickup. sas, 5.29s, ARB in f&r, Fror t case crossmember, sliders, Chevy 63, front axle has rcv's, gussets, 25 mm pins, ifs hub swap with lc rotors and ifs calipers.....just a few things to get started. I would like to thank the quality folks on this form for sharing your knowledge and great rigs for inspiration! Wish me luck this weekend and follow week! Thanks

[redneckcustoms13]

Pics or we won't believe it! Have fun with it!

[406Michael [OP]]

I would like to add some pictures, but because I am a noobe, I can't untill I have more than 11 posts... 

[redneckcustoms13]

The take some pictures this weekend. Then break up what steps you took in different post under this thread. 

[406Michael [OP]]

Good idea, will do. 

[406Michael [OP]]

I do have one question before the build, anyone take a trail gear rear bumper and modify it to be a little more low profile? I would like to cut the rear fender of the box out(behind the wheel, roughly 5 inches) and cut the side bumper mount off that are currently curved and weld it straight out from the frame. Giving me 5 or so more inches of clearance. Also, move the bumper in farther so the outside most tube is flush with the tailgate... Thoughts? yay, nay...? I am not ready to bob the bed or I would just do that, i haul firewood from time to time and still need the bed space, plus it's not a complete crawler....yet

[406Michael [OP]]

Couple things I have done to my truck already: SR5 gauge cluster, 94 4Runner SR5 bucket seats, 92 pickup center console, custom front tube bumper made by a great local fab shop, rock lights on bumper, trail gear rear bumper, slightly improved stereo because it's been my dd for a few years now, put 31x10.5 Cooper STs on stock aluminum rims on it shortly after I bought it few years back(it had old steal rims and 235s on it), put some 4.30 gears in too at the same time, inclinometer, dash mat...

[406Michael [OP]]

As per the SAS: I have tacked the front spring hanger on already. I replaced my rear leaf springs last year with some sky-jacker leafs- I will be moving those up front because the center pin is 2 inches forward compared to the trail gear front leafs that came with the swap. I got some 63s from a local junkyard for the rear, fabbed my own front perches for those out of a 3 &1/2" outside diameter, 1/4" think tube, the rear shackles are from Marlin, 5" center hole to center hole, bolted to trail gear creeper joints in the back. I had the fab shop bend a tube to attach my top shock mounts for the rear(similar to the one sky manufacturing sells, lil different though). I have the rear axle service kit from Marlin as well so she rolls like new. The new rear diff is a v6 housing, 5.29, ARB. I also used the Marlin rebuild kit for my front axle, eco seals, all the good stuff, replace as much hard ware as I could(man just the nuts and bolts for a project like this are expensive!!!). Rebuilt the v6 calipers I got from the junkyard, only had to replace one of the pistons due to to much pitting/rust, repainted. Also pulled the master cylinder and break booster out of the 94 4Runner I got other parts from, should help in the breaking category. Going to start cutting and grinding the IFS either later Saturday or early Sunday...

[406Michael [OP]]

Little background about myself: born and raised in Montana, loved the outdoors growing up, dad and brother had Toyota's growing up so I was hooked at an early age. Wasn't able to get my own Toy until 3 or 4 years ago. Reading my of the write ups on this page and others really makes me want to do some traveling and hit some of the cool trails many other states have, at a bare minimum the con and moab are on the list. Again, thanks to all the people who have shared their wheeling wisdom and trail pictures! Makes a guy jealous enough to start a crawl rig for him self! Go

[Slabzilla]

Sounds like a great stack of parts to get a great rig for wheeli'n.  Post more so we can get some pics of your work.  See ya on the trails.

[406Michael [OP]]

Thanks for the comment, I don't want to blab too much if you know what I mean, but I would like to post a few pre pictures of the project!

[toe]

 

[406Michael [OP]]

Didn't get to start on my truck yet because my friend and I are still putting a new Old Manemu suspension on his 01 Tacoma. As usual a couple of the leaf bolts were rust welded in place, then the part house loaned us the wrong size spring compressor so things took a little longer than expected. But we'll finish his front end tomorrow and get started on my project after that 

[406Michael [OP]]

Got my buddies Old Man E suspension done on his 01 Tacoma yesterday and decided to take a break for the afternoon before starting the big project this week and mostly this weekend. I dropped my truck off at the shop this afternoon to have them weld a few things on for me to help speed the process up a little since I am using a friends shop and can't get in there till tomorrow evening or Wednesday evening.

They will weld the rear top and bottom shock mounts in place. For the top, I will have a tube that runs between the frame rails(similar to the one sky manufacturing sells, just without the shock bolts coming off of it) roughly 6 inches behind the axle, with another tube, coped on both ends that runs perpendicular to that(parallel to the frame), in the center of the truck that connects to the existing frame crossmember. Then the actual shock mounts(trail gear) welded to that center tube, basically making an H pattern(if the "H" was turned 90 degrees)between the frame rails, all tucked as close to the under side of the bed. The lower mounts(also trail gear) will just be welded to right next to the leaf perch on top of the axle.

I am also having them cut and weld the the front leaf shackle mount in the frame. Just a couple less things I have to cut and weld...getting closer to having my sold axle Toy.

[406Michael [OP]]

My sliders came in yesterday and just looked at the shipping on my front range off road t-case cross member and it's supposed to be here tomorrow afternoon. I think I'll chip away at those two in the evenings during this week and start the main cutting and grinding on Saturday, then hopefully finish putting it all together on Sunday. As we all know, things never go as planned, but we'll push hard for a Sunday night finished deadline!

[406Michael [OP]]

  I don't have too many snags along the way! If so I am glad my brother will be there to help me, because he is a mechanic and has superior fab skills than I do. Without out him I wouldn't be able to complete this build, so  to you bro!

[406Michael [OP]]

  trying to upload pics now that I have more than 11 post and my pictures are too big, so i'm trying to figure out how to down size them in order to upload, any help would be much appreciated, stay tuned

[406Michael [OP]]

any recommendations on what program to use to down size pictures??

[OVRAROK]

im sure there is a couple ways, but I use my phone as the camera, I then set up  tapatalk with MC, that's the only way it works for me, its real easy to do