Undecided NEED HELP

[fister45]

First off I love this site and I am a newbee to the Toyota wheelin world and have mostly dealt with Big Old Fords and what they can do in Moab. I just bought a 95 3.0 4Runner and am so indecided about either to put a IFS lift or a SAS. I have a lot of parts available to me, including a lot of Ford parts, and have a $2000.00 budget. I would like to use the truck as a rock climber huntin machine daily driver and am caught in between of what to do. It has a five speed and I just rebuilt the engine. Any suggestions would help becuase my wife will only allow me to spend so much time alone in the garage. Oh yeah still in Iraq so I will have the time when I get home to finish it. 

Thanks Colton Smith

[b_ripper8]

Rock crawler and daily driver are pretty hard to combine but it can be done, and $2000 is plenty to do it with. Since you have Ford parts readily available to you a dana 44 would work up front if it's a passangers side diff. You can probably make some nice hybrid spring packs out of misc. ford springs. Then you only need to worry about steering, shocks and driveshafts. You have a coil sprung rear so that makes things a little difficult. I haven't seen many people sucessfully use the stock 4 link system articulate as well as some good leaf springs. Not to say that it's not possible, it would just take a lot of fabrication and that gets expensive. (Heim joints, new springs, DOM tubing for links) Either way you have many options and a very capable rig as it is. I would not recomend an IFS lift unless you just want to look good for the ladies. They're not very functional and really only allow for bigger tires. There are plenty of other people on here that can help you out with pretty much anything so good luck.

[BLACKDOG]

The good IFS lift kits are pretty dang expensive.  With your available parts, I'd drop in a dana44 and then spend whatever $$ you need to run leafs in the rear.  As a DD a SA would work fine, and offroad it'll preform better.  I guess it also depends on how much you wanna do the rockcrawling as well.  If your gonna be mostly hunting, then the IFS would probably work well.  My IFS went through the Rubicon just fine, but it got beat on hard.  really you just have to figure out what your needs are, and suit your needs.

[whiteman]

What blackdog and ripper have said is about it.  You would be much happier off road with a SA and it would be more reliable.  Check out a few thread on here, there are alot of guy's making there own spring packs and having great success 

[fister45]

Thanks for the help I was wondering about the Dana 44 swap and I guess that is the way I will go. I think that I can get rid of the coils and put leafs in becuase my brother just rolled his 84 4Runner and is parting it out so that seems like the way to go as well. Thanks again and I appreciate your input. and no kidding on the IFS crap it is around 1300.00 for a decent lift and yeah only to impress the ladies not practical.

I put some pics up when I am finished.

Colt

[79coyotefrg]

SAS

[yotacrawler4]

Well i can see that maybe your a marine, thats kick ass, i got frineds over there, well im acutally over here as well but im in the navy were headin to the gulf as we speak, im on the reagan. Well to the situation at hand. Well if i were you , theres a TRAIL FLEX KIT on marlin that i think u can have ship to your door set for just under 2000, and after that all you need is the front axle, which you need a chevy dana 44 for it  not a ford, and tires wheels and gears and driveshafts, but the kit gives you springs front rear, all the brake stuff for a yota axle, brake lines rotors etc, crossover steering, hangers for the front and rear and all the shackles, everything you need i would go that way, i mean i didnt buy that kit all at once but i have everything just read my profile of what i got , and by the way the ride is acutallyy not that bad for the street dude. hope this help your decision, i just dont want you to do some half ass stuff.          , peace

[Willy Mammoth]

Thanks for the help I was wondering about the Dana 44 swap and I guess that is the way I will go. I think that I can get rid of the coils and put leafs in becuase my brother just rolled his 84 4Runner and is parting it out so that seems like the way to go as well. Thanks again and I appreciate your input. and no kidding on the IFS crap it is around 1300.00 for a decent lift and yeah only to impress the ladies not practical.

I put some pics up when I am finished.

Colt

Does this 84 have a SA? if so try to pick up both axles. You will have an easer time of seting it up.

[burnyota]

"Does this 84 have a SA? if so try to pick up both axles. You will have an easer time of seting it up. "

do what Mr Willy says.
and cheaper
do the sas...you'll be more happy in the long run

[Rockhoppa]

SAS, lots more aftermarket parts. you will be glad you did in the long run.

[Rocksurfer]

If you are thinking about it just do the SAS you will be happier and not regret all the money lost on your IFS when you cut it off down the road when you max out the IFS's capabilities. With that said if you want to keep the on road drivability of the IFS you can build it to go where the SA trucks go, and not really spend a lot to get there. I've been able to get 33's under an IFS rig with little modifcations. Here is what you get: Ranchco upper a-arms, Ranchco torsion bars, flat bumpstops and if you dare a 2" bodylift. Of course lockers and 4.88's or 5.29's and off you go. You will rub a little without the bodylift but not that bad. As to the rear what ever levels it out for you.

[BLACKDOG]

"Does this 84 have a SA? if so try to pick up both axles. You will have an easer time of seting it up. "

do what Mr Willy says.
and cheaper
do the sas...you'll be more happy in the long run

Doesn't that just about say everything