Project: The '81 "Yoter"

[slacker]

lookin great !!!  nice work .
can I ask what you did wuith the original radio and tape deck ? I'm in need of some parts for one

[a1gemmel]

lookin great !!!  nice work .
can I ask what you did wuith the original radio and tape deck ? I'm in need of some parts for one

Thanks!

Sorry, I threw out everything except the knobs. It was all scratchy as hell and half the functions didn't work. If you want the knobs, I'll mail them to you!

[slacker]

Thanks!

Sorry, I threw out everything except the knobs. It was all scratchy as hell and half the functions didn't work. If you want the knobs, I'll mail them to you!

ratz ... thanks anyway ..
need some internal pieces from the tape deck ...

continue on , project is lookin great !

[a1gemmel]

Slight detour (as always) - the truck failed Colorado emissions, so I rebuilt the carb and added a temp gauge and air/fuel gauge for tuning purposes. I needed to do that anyways given the intermittent trouble I was having with the accelerator pump circuit and the performance above 10k feet.
It's so freaking cold here I could only get the truck up to 170 degrees. I may need to check what thermostat is in it, now that I think about it.
Like me, the truck is a Canadian model so it never had a cat or a US emissions carb.

I swapped the factory 109 a main jet for a 105, which seems small given what I've been reading on forums. With the idle dialed in, the 105 is seeming to give the right part-throttle and wide open AFRs. I did read that the Canada carbs don't have the altitude compensator (and didn't identify one while rebuilding it) so that may be the difference. Taking it back for a retest this week, we'll see how it does... The biggest issue is keeping it at temp while waiting in line there in the cold.

[a1gemmel]

Oh, and the high-cut sliders and bumper are done. The bumper also doubles as a pair of auxiliary tanks for a future on-board air system.

[a1gemmel]

In case there's any doubt that this nugget is beaten like a rented mule... deep snow out near Nederland today. I don't think I've ever held a vehicle at redline as much as I do this truck in snow. The rear trutrac is excellent with gas/brake both dimed.



I also found the classic floor rot, that will have to be the next project.

[a1gemmel]

Oh, I found this pic from when the truck was bone stock. Some things don't change!

[Gnarly4X]

In case there's any doubt that this nugget is beaten like a rented mule... deep snow out near Nederland today. I don't think I've ever held a vehicle at redline as much as I do this truck in snow. The rear trutrac is excellent with gas/brake both dimed.

This photo is puzzling.  A winch cable apparently attached to a sapling that would NOT be strong enough to allow the winch to pull through that depth of snow.   Is the vehicle being winched forward through the snow?  If so, why?

Gnarls.

[a1gemmel]

You're right, I started bending that sapling after taking the photo and had to break out rope to get to a further away tree. I was in about 10 yards of deep drift and pulled forwards to get to the next shallow spot.

[a1gemmel]

This is part one of the 37s update!

Got a used set of 37x12.5R17 Toyo open country m/t for a song and a dance, mounted them on Jegs D window wheels.



Thought I would get two birds stoned at once and move the wheelwell back to the firewall while I was fixing the cab rust.









Siped the tires because I've had good experiences doing this for snow and ice



I'm not moving the axle forward (yet) so I'm going to be modifying the fenders. This was my template to chop up in photoshop and tweak until it looked right.



Then I got some new repro fenders and started getting after it - never done this before, it's a learning process.











I need it to warm up a bit so I can start painting, and haven't started the second fender yet 

[a1gemmel]

Me and the police officer I passed this morning on my way to work with no front fenders on the truck:



It's official, I'm doing power steering and high-steer. I really don't mind manual steering for daily driving but it's a real bear on the trails with the front diff locked. Plus I've heard how the J-arm is liable to snap under articulation. Can anyone identify from this bad photo if this is the right bracket for mounting the power steering pump to my 22r? I took a few minutes and couldn't figure out which way it's supposed to go.

[a1gemmel]

Ah, figured it out. Had to squint at it a bit more and get the dipstick out of the way.

[toyodaaddict]

 

[a1gemmel]

It's all coming together - still too cold to paint so I rattle can primed them up for the time being. I know they still need more body filler work too. Been too long in the shop, gotta go wheeling this weekend!



If any of the 9 people that still read this board are in the area, I'll be at Lafayette cars and coffee on Saturday with this nugget.

[LittleSteve]

It's all coming together - still too cold to paint so I rattle can primed them up for the time being. I know they still need more body filler work too. Been too long in the shop, gotta go wheeling this weekend!



If any of the 9 people that still read this board are in the area, I'll be at Lafayette cars and coffee on Saturday with this nugget.

There is more than 9.. there is at least 12.

I cant make it to the cars and coffee, too far away

[toyodaaddict]

Looking good. Nice job on the sheet metal work. My 1980 had a fair bit of rust on the body, it's a great feeling when you get it all cut out and new metal welded in.

What's the frame height under the doors?

[a1gemmel]

Looking good. Nice job on the sheet metal work. My 1980 had a fair bit of rust on the body, it's a great feeling when you get it all cut out and new metal welded in.

What's the frame height under the doors?

Thanks!

It's 26.5" to the bottom of the rocker in the front, probably 2" of rake to the rear axle. Is that good or bad?

[OVRAROK]

My 87 4runner sitting on 38s in 26" from ground to bottom frame. Measurement taken at vertical alignment with door hinges.

[a1gemmel]

My 87 4runner sitting on 38s in 26" from ground to bottom frame. Measurement taken at vertical alignment with door hinges.

Frame sits a little lower than rockers... so barring tire size we're probably close in axle to frame clearance.

If you're running high steer, anything special to make it work? Sorry, I know it's probably in your build thread.
I'm still gathering bits for mine, just eyeballing it looks like I'm going to need some proper bump stops.

[OVRAROK]

Frame sits a little lower than rockers... so barring tire size we're probably close in axle to frame clearance.

If you're running high steer, anything special to make it work? Sorry, I know it's probably in your build thread.
I'm still gathering bits for mine, just eyeballing it looks like I'm going to need some proper bump stops.

Nope, nothing special. MC high steer arms. What was critical to me was steering box placement. I went with a flat pitman arm and adjusted box to meet my needs. I'm running sky,'s 3F front springs. Which push axle forward a bit. Truck looks great by the way..

[toyodaaddict]

Thanks!

It's 26.5" to the bottom of the rocker in the front, probably 2" of rake to the rear axle. Is that good or bad?

I always measure ground to bottom of frame. I'm around 23 1/2-24" on 35's with RUF/63's. I would guess you may be lower than that on 37's, which is cool IMO.

[a1gemmel]

Y'all making me run out to the shop with a tape measure again 

24" to the bottom of the frame. So pretty low I guess - I do just have stock replacement springs and a longer shackle in the front.
I bought some shims to push the axle an inch forward when I do the high steer, I think if I don't it may rub the firewall at full steer and flex.

[toyodaaddict]

I'm also a fan of the flat pitman arm. I hear you need like 2.5" lift spings for high steer. I know helipilot77 and Zippo made it work with drop hangers and Emu springs. You may have a little more room with the solid axle frame, not sure. 
https://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=96772.450

https://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=98969.0

[a1gemmel]

I did see a thread on here somewhere with a bunch of photos of high steer with low lift... got the flat pitman arm, not afraid to cut and get the steering box exactly where it needs to be. If I need to add a leaf or re-arch it won't be the end of the world but I would like to keep it low and slow. I'll burn that bridge when I get to it...

[a1gemmel]

Time for some marmounts - and maybe a second trans mount.

[ameadows77]

Awesome truck man. This is my favorite kind of build and pretty much what I want for my 83

[a1gemmel]

Dumbassery, extended cut.

[a1gemmel]

More snow wheeling cuts:

Haven't marmounted yet, still have brutal wheel hop. Reviewing video footage shows that the trutrac is much less effective with the 37s, which I knew was a possibility.

[Gnarly4X]

What air pressure are you guys running in your tires?

Gnarls.

[a1gemmel]

I go down to about 12psi, could probably go a bit lower without losing a bead.