Topic: another 85 build - could it be taking any longer?

[tulsa_97sr5]

I know this is pretty unique, but I have an 85 4runner that i'm trying to make better than stock.   

First thing is to eradicate 20 years of Pennsylvania salt.


ugly as it is it runs great, flew to PA & drove it back to oklahoma, $800.


the frame in the for sale pics really scared me, but it really isn't so bad.


After scraping the main rust off it isn't too bad, the last 12" of the frame needs replaced but the rest is solid.
I know this isn't the most original but I'm pretty psyched.  And since I have too much vacatation saved up I'm taking the week off the try and clean up the frame.

More pics soon.

[KWP]

  to the board. Are you from Tulsa Oklahoma?

[tulsa_97sr5 [OP]]

to the board. Are you from Tulsa Oklahoma?

Thanks!  Been lurking here for a really long time.  Yeah, I'm in Tulsa, saw a thread where you and some other guys are all in the general area, hopefully I'll be ready to wheel this thing with you all by spring. 

[KWP]

 Cool, glad to see some more locals  good luck on your build.

[tulsa_97sr5 [OP]]

Thanks!  Look like I'll be taking the 97 out to Disney on the 10th. 

Went to town with my sears hopper style sand blaster today.  I jacked up the body about 6" to get some working room.  Sand blasting is messy.

[kneedownnate]

Ever tried naval jelly?  I'd get a vat of it and go to town on it. 

[tulsa_97sr5 [OP]]

Ever tried naval jelly?  I'd get a vat of it and go to town on it. 

Yep, actually used phosphorus (main ingredient in naval jelly) on a lot of the frame.  It turns the rust into a hard blackish substance, but when i'd grind that stuff there was still more rust underneath.  I probably could have gotten away with just treating it all that way, but thought it would be better to strip it all the way down & repaint.  I may regret that before I'm done.

[Cargun]

Looking good. What do you have planned for mods so far?

[tulsa_97sr5 [OP]]

Looking good. What do you have planned for mods so far?

It's looking like the restoration phase is going to take me a while, hopefully I can get it driveable by spring/early summer.  I'm planning to clean up all the rot, rebuild axles, some tune-up type stuff, regear 4.88's.  Maybe marlin 4.7 in transfer case, not wanting to go duals just yet.  All the great advice has my head spinning with springs.  I like what the guys here say about f150 leafs, may start with some stock length junkyard packs & see if I can't find a good setup.

I'm going to keep it as low as possible, plenty of rust around the fenders so might as well trim em & keep it lower.  Going to run an ausie locker in the rear, e-locker or arb up front (may do that down the road.)  Want to try out the 34x9x16 TSL's, I think tall & skinny will work awesome out here & be easier to fit.

Planning to run the monroe or gabriel airshocks, with in cab controls to link/unlink the front pair/ rear pair, or adjust each individually.  Sliders from somewhere & custome bumpers, I have a few ideas there.  Budbuilt crossmember, OBA and I think that'll get me started.

Thinking I'll end up with a nicely balanced rig, OK for a DD so I can sell my 97 but a lot more capable than stock offroad.

[Cargun]

Sounds like it should be a sweet truck when you're done. You'll love the 4.7 t-case gears! If you make it out to Disney on the 10th you can check out the front spring setup on my truck. The front hanger is dropped way down... allowing high steer with less than 3" of lift. The downside is the front hangers are now rock anchors... can't remember if you were with us on the trip at Disney when I nearly rolled it coming down a ledge when the front hangers caught?

So there doesn't seem to be a perfect setup for keeping the truck low and getting good steering. But I'm all for figuring something out since my truck has that non-removeable 3" body lift. 34x9.5's with no lift would be sweet! 

[colsoncj]

lookin good buddy... see ya on the 10th!  yodaman if you wanna come, your more than welcome to join us on the 10th.

why would you sell the 97... keep it for a dd and turn this into a trail rig... wasnt that the whole plan in the first place?

[tulsa_97sr5 [OP]]

 

Sounds like it should be a sweet truck when you're done. You'll love the 4.7 t-case gears! If you make it out to Disney on the 10th you can check out the front spring setup on my truck. The front hanger is dropped way down... allowing high steer with less than 3" of lift. The downside is the front hangers are now rock anchors... can't remember if you were with us on the trip at Disney when I nearly rolled it coming down a ledge when the front hangers caught?

So there doesn't seem to be a perfect setup for keeping the truck low and getting good steering. But I'm all for figuring something out since my truck has that non-removeable 3" body lift. 34x9.5's with no lift would be sweet! 

I missed that, but saw you roll it into cory's taillight!  Don't think that was a shackle problem.    I'm hoping to make it out there, we have family coming for christmas so i may have too many honey do's. 

I remember you telling me about getting your rig with 4.7's - and honestly I didn't understand what you were saying.  

[tulsa_97sr5 [OP]]

lookin good buddy... see ya on the 10th!  yodaman if you wanna come, your more than welcome to join us on the 10th.

why would you sell the 97... keep it for a dd and turn this into a trail rig... wasnt that the whole plan in the first place?

Well, I'm not planning to make this a trailer rig, and Kim & I barely need two cars, much less three.  Kim wants me to keep it too, maybe it'll go to her son when he graduates college.

[jimbo74]

hey i know you

[colsoncj]

and jim chimes in... (waving smiley that i cant find) i thought that avatar looked familar....

brian.. hope the honey do list doesnt get too long... hope to see you out, and see this rig someday!

edit:  you dont have to trailer it, keepin the 97 just means it doesnt always have to be working... i.e you can wheel it hard and not worry about it     Tell Kim hi!

[colsoncj]

Oh, and if you wanna check out a chevy rear leaf setup to compare it to a Ford, you can look at mine...

[Cargun]

 
I remember you telling me about getting your rig with 4.7's - and honestly I didn't understand what you were saying.  

  To put it in simpler terms... 4.7 = happy clutch, stock 2.28 = smelly clutch. I'd like to thank Cory for is hard work in helping me derive that formula 

[colsoncj]

Ya I can vouch for that formula, and its derivation.

[tulsa_97sr5 [OP]]

Hey Jim!

About the 4.7, i just didn't get what you were talking about then, after months of reading this site I pretty much get it.  Only thing I don't get is guys on PBB talking about missing their stock LO range.  Seems like with a 5spd it wouldn't matter much.  Don't think I've ever used 3rd Lo, so 4.7 + 3rd or 4th lo should be similar to my current lo range.  Anyway, trying to get next sat free, Cory, i'll give you a call later this week.

[colsoncj]

sounds good, if you cant reach me on the cell, i can give you my work number....  hope all works out, looks like its goina be a good trip... if you know anyone else that could come, invite them out!

[Volcom]

Well, I'm not planning to make this a trailer rig, and Kim & I barely need two cars, much less three.  Kim wants me to keep it too, maybe it'll go to her son when he graduates college.

My wife and I are up to 5     I just added a third Toyota to the list this past weekend.

[79coyotefrg]

http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=6113.640

[Cargun]

Only thing I don't get is guys on PBB talking about missing their stock LO range.  Seems like with a 5spd it wouldn't matter much.  Don't think I've ever used 3rd Lo, so 4.7 + 3rd or 4th lo should be similar to my current lo range.

With the 4.7's 5th  gear is nearly identical to 1st in high range, so they have good overlap. The only issue is if you find yourself in a situation where you need a gear lower than 1st in high to start out but need something faster than 1st high once you are going. I could see mud situations like this.... but a Toy 4cyl can't run any serious mud in 1st gear high range, so....

The only thing I don't like is I end up running between obstacles in 5th gear low range at higher RPM than I'd like because I'm too lazy to shift back and forth between high and low. Or if a trail has a mix of faster sections and slower sections, then I either run too fast through the slow stuff and beat the crap out of myself or buzz along at 4k on the fast sections. Maybe it wouldn't be so annoying if I had an exhaust system on my truck? But that's the only time not having a 2.28 low range bothers me.

[colsoncj]

Any updates?

[4xtoy]

Not trying to hi-jack but I did a "Oklahoma" search to try and find some locals and I ran across this thread. I'm over in Broken Arrow if any of you want to go wheelin some time. I recently bought an 88 4Runner after selling my Trooper but have yet to find anyone around here that acctually wheels

Chad

[tulsa_97sr5 [OP]]

Well, I finally got off my tail last month after letting this sit for over a year.  Have POR-15 on the front part of the frame and axle.  Got the oil pan cleaned up and painted.  Was not surprised to find plastic pieces in the bottom of the oil pan so I guess that's another item on the list.

Also finally placed my first order to marlin.  Knuckle rebuild kit, wheel spacers and other misc stuff should arrive today.  Hopefully I can get the front of this rust bucket off jackstands in the next couple weeks.  As I looked at my initial list of stuff I wanted to do up front, and what also this little crap is costing, I decided I'm going to have to dial it back a bit for now.  Shooting for pretty close to stock, but rust free and solid for now.  Need to pull some pics off the camera I guess.

[CTENG in KS]

BACK FROM THE DEAD!
Get it on!

[tulsa_97sr5 [OP]]

BACK FROM THE DEAD!
Get it on!

ya ya, I know

random pics showing my meager progress

part of the frame after 2 coats of gray POR 15.  have since top coated it with POR's Hardnose epoxy paint in black


axle after cleaning, it's since had a couple coats of POR and topcoat of black too


found this prize in my oil pan, what have I won?


and for some hard core fabbing, new fuel filter.  Check out the sand from blasting the frame everywhere.


just had to peek inside the old one, think it was due


yuck. 

[tulsa_97sr5 [OP]]

more headway

so last week I got the knuckles stripped down, went with OME springs trying to keep it low



and used the Marlin rebuild kit to put them all back together


upgraded to the t**** g*** rockrings


installed 1.5" wheel spacers from Marlin and managed to get it back on it's own 4 wheels for the first time in almost 2 years


I'm still fighting with the stock tie rod, and need to reconnect the rest of the steering too.  Then it's time to lift the rear of the body to give me some room to blast the few parts of the frame I couldn't reach before, more paint, fix up the rear of the frame, yada yada yada.  Hopefully I can keep some momentum going.

[Shoyrtt]

How about a U bolt flip kit. The extra clearance is nice.