4x4yota's 81 4x4 build

[pumkin toy]

hey man Im sorry i havnt sent you pics of those engine mount lift brackets.  i keep forgetting ive been so busy.  i will try to get some to you tonight

[4x4yota]

hey man Im sorry i havnt sent you pics of those engine mount lift brackets.  i keep forgetting ive been so busy.  i will try to get some to you tonight

no rush just glad to be getting them for a good deal and helping out a fellow member/toyota man

[4x4yota]

ordered myself a front drop hanger today

cant wait to get it and install it, I want to move my axle forward about .5" and I hope it helps with clearence on my IFS steering box (between sector shaft and spring) soI can add y high steer back on, also gonig to combine it with my 4.5" shackle to gain some lift (about 1")... now just need to get some leafs cut to add to the rear to level it out...and maybe help carry the weight of my tools a lil better

[4x4yota]

Got my drop hanger & hub socket today and man are these things heavy duty... Cant wait to get it installed... Any body want to help a fellow yota 4wheeler? Im in southern CO...

[SloCrawler]

Nice, so your moveing hangers 3" foward and 2" with RUF springs?

[wakkjobb]

I'm down for helping; when are you thinking of coming up to the Springs again?

[4x4yota]

I get paid next fri and can come up on one of my days off (sun/mon) I want to install the hanger, shackles, and possibly high steer... and get an alignment ether way... Id be willing to buy food/beer or both or reimburse for wire/sticks for the welder!

[CrazyYota]

Got my drop hanger & hub socket today and man are these things heavy duty... Cant wait to get it installed... Any body want to help a fellow yota 4wheeler? Im in southern CO...

This is what my 83 looks like with the front axle moved 3" forward. I moved the Hanger 1" forward and the the RUF mixed with allpro moved it another 2 inches.


The hanger is flush with the end of the frame. 

[4x4yota]

got some work done on the truck this weekend!
took her up to CO springs and wakkjobb helped me out with some of the more complicated parts
got my front drop hanger welded on and my front shackles installed... then drove home and got my high steer installed today

[4x4yota]

truck measures about 20" from the frame to ground just infront of the crossmember so Im sitting at about 2" of lift over stock (1" drop hanger, 1" longer shackle, 1 leaf added) now just to level out the rear.

for the rear Im looking to ether add TG 3" rear springs and then RUF or possibly go for some other cheaper options... my rear is sagging 2.5-3" lower than the front currently so something needs done for now, i might just add a leaf or 2 in the rear (from another stock pack) and call it good this season and save up to build over the winter for next summer... but not to sure right now...

[zembalayan]

truck measures about 20" from the frame to ground just infront of the crossmember so Im sitting at about 2" of lift over stock (1" drop hanger, 1" longer shackle, 1 leaf added)

Very nice!  High steer's gotta be much better.

my rear is sagging 2.5-3" lower than the front currently so something needs done for now, i might just add a leaf or 2 in the rear (from another stock pack) and call it good this season and save up to build over the winter for next summer... but not to sure right now...

Have you reconsidered F150s?  Seems like they'd get you where you want to be, and they would be much cheaper than the TGs.  

OR OMEs for 115 a piece new at Rocky Road Outfitters or other OME dealers such as 4Wheel Parts maybe?

Great job on the front!  

I really like your approach with your mods.

[4x4yota]

I already have shackles for toy spring/bushings and would rather keep it toyota specific but I might just do chevies or f150s... I still want to keep it low no lore than 3-4" total lift (dont want it looking goofy with 33s

[81yotalove]

I already have shackles for toy spring/bushings and would rather keep it toyota specific but I might just do chevies or f150s... I still want to keep it low no lore than 3-4" total lift (dont want it looking goofy with 33s

i run my f150's with toy shackles and bushings. just shave the bushing down to fit inside the f150's. works fine for me. i got about 3inchs from them. one reason i didnt do chevy's was because the front hanger would have been under the back of the cab. just seemed like a rock magnet. i didnt french mine and im running a 6inch shackle. if my front springs(ruf) sag more i'll french the front f150 hanger to lower it a little but its perfect right now. also from the builds i have read with 3inch tg springs they tend to lift to much. my 2 cents.

[4x4yota]

the TG springs having to much lift is usually the front I have talked to a few guys that have used or installed the 3" rear springs and say that they sit at about 4" of lift and the fronts sit about 5-6" of lift... right now its up in the air on what to do... I might spend the money on ruff stuffs chevy kit and french the hanger and save the money on the cheap springs... or save money on the hangers/shackles and spend the money on TG springs... I have a low/decent budget to do the rear and already have everything to do the front... the reason I dont want to do F150s is because I have seen to many cause bad axle rap and bend springs, so a track bar would be needed... but Im still looking into what works best for me

[4x4yota]

cool video from chinaman gulch in BV at the 2011 toyota jamboree

[4x4yota]

carnage from chinaman


not bad but still disapointing

[wakkjobb]

Video linky no worky 

[4x4yota]

try this link
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j242/mikaelw/?action=view&current=video-2011-07-30-13-19-52.mp4

[4x4yota]

Kinda just putting this out there gor my benefit

I have been tossing around different ideas on what yo do with my truck. (as seen through my whole build thread I cant make up my mind) as I look through all the build ups and restoration threads I cant decied if I want to build my truck up to look cool or just fix and take care of her as a stocker... I do want to have a few goddies here and there but then I dont want them to be wasted brcause I want to keep the truck nice... I have boticed more and more often ppl build up these 1st gens and wheel them til they are almost untconnizable and very few that are taken care of... I guess what im really asking is should I try and keep her alive or build her and wheel her til she cant no more? shr is my DD 50 miles a day 5 days a week on hwy 65+ mph and I only wheel her a few times a year but when I do wheel I like a challenge.

My 2 personal options

option 1 built
Lift
tires
Cases
gears
Lockers
Winch
Ect.. Complete allpro/marlin package

Option 2 stock
lockers
Cases
Winch

[CrazyYota]

I vote for MC Sliders and Rear bumper enjoy it how it is. 

[4x4yota]

Current specs
L52
Dual stock cases
4.88s
Rear e-locker
Drop hanger
1" longer shackle f/r
Highsteer
33x10.50x15

[83yota]

lock the front a reciver in the front for a slide in winch and enjoy.

[4x4yota]

Id like to go back to 4.10s and stockish tires so I can run better on the highway and save my 33s for offroad... Id also like to be locked front and rear and keep the duals so when I do go offroad Im ready to rock, and of course armor so Im well protected but keep the truck stockish

[81yotalove]

I don't see why you can't do both. Although my truck isn't a dd, I'm building my truck to wheel, camp, hunt, explore, and be a back up dd. I too want to keep my truck looking nice while still doing moderate trails, so armor is a must. I see in the pictures a few posts up that you don't have any armor at all. Our builds are similar as is every mild wheeler/ street driven toyota.

I vote keep all this:

Current specs
L52
Dual stock cases
4.88s
Rear e-locker
Drop hanger
1" longer shackle f/r
Highsteer
33x10.50x15

add these:
front locker of your choice
Front winch bumper or bumper with receiver hitch for removable winch.
sliders
rear bumper that wraps around the sides of the bed
then enjoy.

my advice is wheel with your trucks sheet metal in mind. example take a bypass to avoid damage even though you know your truck is built "enough" to do it. make sense? If after a while you get more serious then maybe buy a beater truck and switch some parts around so the first gen isnt so built and the beater is built for the trails. my two cents. hope it helps.

[4x4yota]

ok sounds good... this was kind of a speak out loud thing to help me and glad you guys chimmed in and gave some advice... Im sure the truck will stay the way it is for a while but Id eventuall like to get some body work done since she has been slightly rough since I got her.

[4x4yota]

small update
got my SR5 bucket seats installed finally... what a difference they are comfy and sit me up a little taller for a better view

[LilChief87]

look good

[4x4yota]

look good

Thanks

[81yotalove]

the side support on the seats will be nice on the trail.

[4x4yota]

the side support on the seats will be nice on the trail.

yes Im looking forward to it and like how they are adjustable and I even have lumbar support