Relentless Runner Build

[slabcs]

Picked up this baby about a year and a half ago because it was super clean.  1987 4Runner, fully loaded.  Perfect for cruising around in.  It became the DD whenever Relentless Tacoma was down for maintenance (or totalled and needed a frame swap...).
Some shots right after I got it, next to the 84.




Then one fateful night, when the Tacoma and the 84 were both in pieces, I took her to out to Pismo Dunes for a bonfire.  Long story short I found a way to completely jack up the IFS on a random dropoff.


So I could either fix the IFS, or SAS it.  SAS was always the plan, but not until much later.  I decided to go for the SAS and after a quick MarlinCrawler run I was set up with pretty much everything I needed for the swap.



4" Marlin SAS Kit, 5" rear kit, bumpers, sliders, dual ultimate, budbuilt crossmember, built front axle (gusseted, v6 rotors and calipers, 30 splines, HP 4.88 E-locker), 4.88 E-locker in the rear axle, yadda yadda

Couple last pics before it went under the knife.

[Ramrod]

that things gonna be more built than your 84 now

[ajordan1975]

good luck. look forward to seeing the progress. makes me miss my 87 runner.  almost identical only yours is much cleaner.

[slabcs]

that things gonna be more built than your 84 now

That's the plan.  Thing is going to be so cherry.  New paint sometime this summer too.

good luck. look forward to seeing the progress. makes me miss my 87 runner.  almost identical only yours is much cleaner.

Thanks. Hopefully this one stays clean.

[slabcs]

Getting comfy in it's new home for a while.


Tires off, front bumper off, steering disconnected, torsion bars out, sway bar out...


Taking some weight off the rear... Tires, rear Smittybuilt off, spare tire and mounts out.


Front driveshaft off, upper control arms unbolted, shocks unbolted, brake lines disconnected, differential mounts unbolted.  Ready to get down with the plasma.




Hitting the easy button.

[Mavericks]

I'm Jealous of all the parts you got at one time.  looks like you'll be busy, have fun!

[slabcs]

Tires rolled up, just to give me motivation.


After spending an entire day torching and grinding, inside of the frame and out.  This part hell of sucked.



Stoked on the clean slate though.


Front spring hanger, tacked it in flush.  Still not entirely positive it is where I want it.  You'll see in later pictures.


Holes for my frame tubes.  It's recommended to center the jigs between the body mount, but I figured screw that and moved them as far forward in there as I could.  I really wanted to kick my shackle down pretty flat.


Tubes got welded in, slopped a little grease into the bushings and mocked up the springs.


Murdered out my front axle and hung it.  Those U-bolts and plates were a major pain.  I drilled out the perches and plates to move the axle forward another inch and half.

[slabcs]

On it's own feet again.




Next to the 84.


Back to it's home so I can take it apart again.

[slabcs]

So I'm pretty much not digging my shackle angle at this point.  I jacked up the rear to about where it's going to be and the front shackle barely had an angle.  Anybody with Marlin 4 inchers that could tell me if I should worry or not?  Don't know how much sag to expect out of them.  I don't see how having the shackle tube centered in the body mount would even work with these springs, because I put mine as far as I could forward and it's still iffy.

[4RunnerKid]

GAF the D-gnar broham... looking sick Russ.

[slabcs]

Thanks Mikey.

I wasn't very motivated on it today, all I did was drop the axle back out and take the springs off.  Tomorrow I'm going to DGAF on the shackle situation and fully weld up my front hanger where it is.  Then I'll see how far I get with moving the steering box forward and plating the frame.

[70 Cam Guy]

what size are those Toyo's?  I can never tell.  Since we're on the subject, what size are the wheels?  I've had my eye on the Toyo M/T's

Sorry I don't know about your shackle angle.  It might help when you have the bumper and winch installed

[COToy91]

they will settle and it will get better, prolly almost 2 inches

[slabcs]

what size are those Toyo's?  I can never tell.  Since we're on the subject, what size are the wheels?  I've had my eye on the Toyo M/T's

Sorry I don't know about your shackle angle.  It might help when you have the bumper and winch installed

17x8 American Racing teflon coated Victors on 37x13.5R17 Toyo MT's

they will settle and it will get better, prolly almost 2 inches

I'd hope more than that.  Only thing I could really do at this point is move the front hangar back, but it's already flush on the frame.  Easy to weld it like it is.  And I'm digging the approach angle.

[ajordan1975]

WOW!  You work fast!

[Jud]

Lookin good.

[slabcs]

WOW!  You work fast!

Not fast enough.  I actually started this build last week, but I didn't get anything done this weekend because I was at the Hammers.

[ajordan1975]

Not fast enough.  I actually started this build last week, but I didn't get anything done this weekend because I was at the Hammers.

Damn the luck!
Wish i could up and go to the Hammers on any given weekend.

[TheCookieMonster]

those springs will sag once there broke in...my buddy just SASed his 90 and his shackel angle was horrible at first. after a lil while of driving on rough roads they look about perfect now. his tubes were centered in the body mount and his front hanger was an inch forward also.

[slabcs]

I couldn't bring myself to weld the front hanger up like it was...  I just busted it off and clamped it down 3/4" back.  I'll have to gusset it more now that it's not flush with the frame.  Using a tape measure it looks like I'm going to dig how the springs sit a little more.  Too bad I'm probably going to have to trim for the 37's now.

[DTB]

Your shackle angle should be close to this>>

[slabcs]

Why?

[DTB]

Why?

What do you think it should be?

[slabcs]

Flatter... Almost to the frame on compression.  Lower ride height, more downtravel, smoother ride...  What's the reasoning behind having a practically vertical shackle?

[COToy91]

Mine is like the picture and it seems to work great. And my truck is my DD so it rides okay too

[slabcs]

My 84 is like that picture and it rides fine, it just could be better.  And it flexes fine, just could be better...

[ajordan1975]

what about boomerang/banana shackles?

[slabcs]

Those don't do anything unless you're trying to clear the body mount.

[ajordan1975]

got them on my truck and i have no complants

[slabcs]

I had a set on my 84 for a couple years.  They were way bent so I put on another set of straight ones I had laying around.  They hit the body mounts now but I don't really care.  Anywho enough talk about shackles.  I just tacked on the hanger a bit farther back, so now I'm over thinking about it.