Topic: Crawler/Mudder/DD Plans and Questions 85'PU

[axel9615]

Truck: 1985 EFI 4cyl Toyota pickup 4x4
Plans (in order):
              Fiberglass front fenders, bedsides, and custom bed and paint job
                            High cut fenders for added clearance
              Interior redecoration done while exterior repairs as well as roll cage
                            Exterior or Interior cage??
              5" Skyjacker kit with Johnny Joints (All Pro) or 5" Orbit Eye custom kit
                            What else do I need besides springs, brake lines, and drag link
              3" Body lift with new crossmember and adapter to raise trans case
                            How do BL affect steering column and does the adapter work?
                            What else do I need to worry about when doing a BL?
              dual trans case setup, plan to get complete adapter and 4.7 gears, I also will probably change my diff gears to 4.88 and get a detroit front and lockrite rear

  **just wondering if the driveshafts will be ok if I wait until i do the dual setup...I don't want to get new ones for the suspension and then later having to replace them again for the dual trans case setup...

[Brandon]

plannin on runnin 44's??

body lift doesn't affect column, well  you need to sometimes remove the keeper pin for the shaft to extend out but that's about it. Shifters are another story personally I wouldn't go above a 2" lift. I have a 2", 4" springs and shackles and easily ran 38's with tons o travel.

you'll have to modify drivelines for the lift and for the dual case fo sure. Why skyjacker springs?

[axel9615 [OP]]

Im looking more at All Pros springs and lifts now....

Originally Skyjacker because they are cheap, but the extreme kit by all pro has everything I need so Im prolly going with it

[WHITE_TRASH]

Good idea, not that skyjackers arent a "decent" spring, they are a lot better than a many Ive seen.  But they dont flex very well unless you start playing with the leaf pack and using longer shackles.  You are way better off using the all pro stuff in the end.
WT

[YotaYota]

Dude I jus finshed the allpro extreme(5" springs), its badass, it took alot to get it done, make sure u have somebody help u, i didnt(big mistake), but im runnin 37's w/ no problems. Dont ruin ur 'yota by puttin on a bodylift. I havent flexd it yet (havent built front dshaft or put the shocks on) but the springs are really soft.

[axel9615 [OP]]

kewl
sounds awesome, ium definately gonna do the suspension lift first

[mr4x42u]

skyjacker springs are  ..no flex..build a pack or poney up the dough to buy allpro or alcans..

I like downey springs for the money,but don't think they come more then 3inches..

[Brandon]

Good idea, not that skyjackers arent a "decent" spring, they are a lot better than a many Ive seen.  But they dont flex very well unless you start playing with the leaf pack and using longer shackles.  You are way better off using the all pro stuff in the end.
WT

how do you figure shackles have anything to do with flex??

[WHITE_TRASH]

Thats easy, if your shackles are too short like stock they are a limiting factor in the amount of compression and droop.  For instance my 84 had stock shackles on it when I got it.  They were too short, the springs had rubbed a groove in the bottom of the frame from riding on it for who knows how long.  It rode like crap and had O flex.  I put 2" longer shackles on it wow what a difference!  After that the springs were allowed to compress instead of just hitting the frame, also it could droop more because of the added length of the shackle just added to the distance from the frame to the tire.  See you do gain flex with shackles, if you didnt gain anything then why would basically ALL vehicles that run leaf springs offroad use an extended shackle of some sort??
WT

[Brandon]

well if they don't hit the frame allready all longer shackles will do is make it sit more vertical therefore making more of a crappy ride and LESS drop, overall a bad thing..

[WHITE_TRASH]

The problem with the stock shackles was that they were pinned to the bottom of the frame because of the weight of the sbc.  The springs were at max compression so by adding a 2" longer shackle I ended up with a very nice shackle angle and got the springs off of the frame.  I understand what you mean about getting a bad angle and bad ride, I will not try and deny that happens a lot with some setups, but in the case of mine and shawnb's truck it solved many issues.
WT

[Jimmyg]

About the Shackles I believe if the length of your springs flatened = the distance between the center of the eye in the front spring mount to the center of the shackles eye before it contacts the frame you will get the most flex. If the springs flatened length is for example longer than the distance between the front spring mount center and the rear spring mount on the shackle fully stretched out backwards the spring can't flex it will just stay arched and not bend Does this make any sense

[yotaboy79]

personaly i wouldent go with fiber glass fenders and bed sides unless your building a prerunner, with fiberglass if you smack a rock or stump it can crack with steal it will dent but you can hammer it back out and make it look halfway deasent but with the fiber glass you have to get a whole new bedside or fender (in most cases) and i would do the exo cage just my two cints.

[Hyena]

             dual trans case setup, plan to get complete adapter and 4.7 gears, I also will probably change my diff gears to 4.88 and get a detroit front and lockrite rear

 

I wouldn't go detriot up front.  If you brake a birf or an inner axle it has a chance to take out the detriot.  Put the lockrite in the front and detroit in the rear.