Author Topic: New owner of 1984 xcab (Read 10110 times)

VaTechToy · « **on:** Dec 05, 2006, 04:23:16 AM »

Hey all, new to the board, and new to yotas. Have always had early broncos and samurais. I just got a 1984 yota on 39x 18 boggers, 22R, 5.71's on stock trussed axles, lockright front, detroit locker rear, 4" xj lift springs (total of 10" suspension lift),3" body. I like the truck a lot, but am having a few problems. It was built to be a mud truck, and I will still use it for that on occasion, but want to make it road worthy. Right now, the worst problem is the tires in the front rub on the leaf springs.
1. I am getting ready to put 1.5" spacers in the front to help with the problem. When I got the truck, the shackles on the rear of the front were compressed all the way to the back against the frame. We fixed that by moving the front hangers forward about 1 or 2 inches. Now the rear shackles on the front sit slightly forward. Is this ok?
2. Also, when we moved the front hangers forward, I can only turn about a quarter turn to the left before it hits the bump stop. I plan on just cutting the arm and recentering the steering between the stops until I can afford crossover steering. Is this ok? Also, how bad is my bump steer going to be? it does have a steering stabilizer
3. The rear taillights are not in yet, and the front blinkers do not work. How hard is the electrical to work with on these yotas?

Thanks for all help in advance, and I cant wait to learn more about these awesome vehicles

Gittinit · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 06:05:36 AM »

Thats alot of questions. If you read all of these links you will know all there is to know.
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=19277.0
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=4699.0

Oddmar · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 06:20:45 AM »

Welcome to the board...I think Marlin's is the best (brownnosing).

1. 39's are kinda big...some people run them but in my opinion they put too much strain on the drivetrain...i'm not going any larger than 35's or 36's. That aside, the front shackle should be vertical or leaning slightly back, not forward...you won't have much downward travel with your current setup.

2.

This is my quick illustration of a Drop draglink...you should have one of these, not just a straight arm. With this drop draglink, the ends are level, eliminating the binding that would exist between a straight draglink and the pitman arm/ steering arm (with any decent amount of suspension lift). The red arrows indicate where we made our cuts to lengthen the draglink, putting rod inside (to bridge the gap and reinforce the tube). Drill holes in the tube near the cuts and weld through into the rod for added strength, remember, if this comes apart you'll lose steering control. Green indicates welding areas, the orange gussets are added for strength, if possible.

There's a difference between Highsteer crossover steering, and regular crossover steering. If you have or can get an IFS steering box, you can run a draglink sideways over the top of the springs to the passenger-side steering arm, which will need to be modified...but this is a cheap way to eliminate the HORRIBLE bumpsteer you currently have with that much lift and a modified but basically stock-style draglink. There's links to this cheap setup on here, i don't remember right now but i'm sure someone on here would be happy to point you in the right direction. The tierod will still be in it's stock position under the springs, but hey...it'll be alot better than what you have now.

Personally, i would NEVER have that much lift...sure, it looks cool...but it won't seem cool when the roof of your truck is crushed down into your girlfriend's head after a rollover...you've got a really high center-of-gravity right now. Be VERY careful when turning, especially when on uneven ground.

3. With Toyota's, if the rear lights are unplugged, the front lights won't work at all, and visa-versa. If the turn signal indicator in the dash remains on steady, both bulbs are burned out, if it flashes fast one bulb is burned out. Pretty cool actually.

VaTechToy · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 10:33:55 AM »

I Know I have a ton of lift on the truck, but its about 10" total. With the 18" wide tires, it doesnt seem to have two high of a COG. My plan is once I wear out the 39's to go to 37's. I do not want to go any smaller due to the 5:71's. I still have the stock push/pull steering, and cannot really afford to switch it out now, well I can, but the accountant (my wife) will not let me. So here starts my questions again...

1. If I cut the steering and shorten (the arm closest to the radiator that the tire is currently rubbing on) it to get the steering back centered, do I need to do the z link. I do not see how this will work, but again, I am new to yotas.

2. With the current set up, is it ok to go with the 1.5" spacers?

3. How badly is the shackles being slightly forward going to hurt my performance? It will only be used as a putt around town/mud truck/beach truck.

That is cool about the taillights, I do not have the rear ones plugged up, so the fronts do not work at all.

ps...pics will come soon, i just got it saturday and have been working on it since.

alwayzbroken · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 11:31:24 AM »

Sounds like you got a lot of work to do if performance is what you desire. Are you just gonna mud it or hit up trails as well?

VaTechToy · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 11:54:07 AM »

Man dont tell me that. I traded a perfectly good samurai for this truck. I think all I need to do is get the steering right. I am going to mud the truck a little, but it will mostly be a beach/around town truck. Why does it sound like I have a lot of work. The steering?

VaTechToy · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 11:56:18 AM »

Are the shackles being a slight bit forward a completely horrible thing if I am not going to be out flexing it?

alwayzbroken · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 12:06:23 PM »

Quote from: VaTechToy on Dec 05, 2006, 11:56:18 AM

Are the shackles being a slight bit forward a completely horrible thing if I am not going to be out flexing it?

If you aren't going to flex it then all you probably need to do is the wheel spacers and steering. If you want to make it a trail performer you would have a lot of work to do.

VaTechToy · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 12:13:41 PM »

I will eventually make it a trail performer, but for now, its just a toy to mess with and work on as the funds come. I just want to be able to take it on the road and the beach....man you had me scared..haha

alwayzbroken · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 12:21:16 PM »

Post up some photos so we know what you are working with

VaTechToy · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 12:31:44 PM »

Here are some pictures from the guy I got it from, before I moved the springs forward and put a bed on her.

Hottrod81 · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 12:39:08 PM »

It doesn't look like it has 13" of total lift to me.

alwayzbroken · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 12:43:03 PM »

Yeah I was anticipating some 45 shock, traction bar, hideous lime green and chrome rolling freak show. With 13" inches of lift you would be able to clear 44s easily.

VaTechToy · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 05, 2006, 12:46:34 PM »

No, 10" total....4" lift YJ springs that he told me gave about a 7" lift to the truck, plus a 3" body lift.

Its high, but not too terribly high. Ill get some better pics hopefully soon...I just need the dang steering fixed!

VaTechToy · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 06, 2006, 03:59:30 AM »

Any more advice...I would really like to know how to fix the steering and fix it cheap. I have looked for the thread on the welding two steering arms, one on top of the other, and cannot find it. This is the major thing hold me back, and if I knew it was going to be such a headache, I dont know if I would have gotten it...I just really like yotas, but dang...

Gittinit · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 06, 2006, 07:01:31 AM »

Its amazing all the difference a picture makes. Thats a pretty nice truck. The double arm thing is a bad idea but I have done it on a trail only rig. You want a driver around town type rig, so please don't risk others lives as well as your own. You can buy a drop drag link line is posted above or flip the ball on the j arm to get your steering straightened out till ya can afford crossover.

VaTechToy · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 06, 2006, 09:15:53 AM »

I do not want to risk anyones lives. Where can you purchase the drop drag link, or do you have more info on the flip the ball on the j arm?

Thanks for all the advice...

Gittinit · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 06, 2006, 05:41:14 PM »

You can purchase a drop drag link at 4wheel parts or through just about any place that sells superlift.
To do the ball flip you have to grind the factory weld off the j-arm then press the ball out of the arm. Then install is reverse, finnishing with a good clean weld. When doing a ball flip you will also need to rotate the axle end of the draglink by rotating it 180*, to connect back to the newly fliped ball. To accomplish this you will have to cut the draglink in two, find some tubing to sleve the factory draglink, drill mutiple holes in tubing for plug welds then, weld it up with some more good and clean welds.

Hottrod81 · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 06, 2006, 08:41:50 PM »

Why not just buy a hi-steer. You'll probably eventually want it anyways.

VaTechToy · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 07, 2006, 03:59:08 AM »

Thanks for the advice on the balljoint flip.

I am going to eventually want high steer, but had to about drive the wife crazy to get her to let me get the Yota. So I know high steer is out of the question for the time being. My accountant is stingy!!

alwayzbroken · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 07, 2006, 09:51:33 AM »

So she would rather you drive your truck with unsafe homemade steering parts? Doesn't sound like she cares about your safety. Maybe you should put it to her that way

VaTechToy · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 07, 2006, 12:08:05 PM »

Man that is a good idea! ill put it on her that way

TexJeff87 · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 07, 2006, 01:11:28 PM »

NO!!

Do NOT use that on her. If you use the "It's really not safe as is" line she'll tell you to sell it and get something that IS safe.

VaTechToy · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 07, 2006, 01:20:55 PM »

She knows that wont happen, but I just got a drop drag link commin in the mail, so that will work for awahile

alwayzbroken · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 07, 2006, 03:14:25 PM »

Quote from: TexJeff87 on Dec 07, 2006, 01:11:28 PM

NO!! Do NOT use that on her. If you use the "It's really not safe as is" line she'll tell you to sell it and get something that IS safe.

Yeah!! Like a crotch rocket.

RRMike · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 07, 2006, 08:26:19 PM »

Nothin like a little muddin out back of the trailer park

That's hot. On the shackle note though I would put the hanger back where it was and just buy a slightly longer shackle (boomerang) before I would run it with a forward angled shackle. That's just hokey

VaTechToy · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 08, 2006, 03:36:56 AM »

For my information, does hokey = stupid?

TexJeff87 · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 08, 2006, 08:21:10 AM »

I think hokey means more like...cheezy, ghetto, hill-billy, not-so-groovy.

insane04 · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 08, 2006, 08:44:23 AM »

truthfully that looks like a 5" kit with a body lift.

get the steering corrected and space the wheels out or go smaller tires and get rid of the body lift and you will be alot happier.

VaTechToy · « **Reply #29 on:** Dec 08, 2006, 09:10:12 AM »

I hope that it is really only a 5", so people well quit giving me so much crap on here...its not really a flopper

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