Project Sparkplug (88 4Runner)

[Sparkplug]

Well finally gonna build me a crawler after all the reading, and haggling, buyin and sellin. Lil backround on the truck, and myself. Got into toyotas about 5 yrs ago with a stock 81, wheeled it for 3 yrs, drove it like i stole it. Ended up just beatin it to nuthin, and havin to junk cuz harness got screwed up, yada yada. Well I always liked the way runners looked, esp when they sit low on big tires. Plus I like the remoavable top. So, I started my search. Looked forever for one cheap, or on payments, cause I broke. Couldnt find one. Well one day Im driving down the road late at night, pass a guy who looks like hes freezing walkin down the road, naturally I pick him up, ive been there before. Get to talkin, find out he has a good local job, I ask why hes walkin. He tells me hes got a piece o crap car thats broke down. Naturally I ask wat kind of car. He says toyota 4 runner. I assume v6, he say no tiny gutless 4 cyl, it wont charge, and dash lights dont work. I ask if he wants to sell, he says hell yeh. So, we agree on a payment plan. 1500 Bucks. I get half way through payments, and he gives me truck to drive. Drive for a week, cops show up at my house, he not real owner, real owners repo truck. I think im screwed. Talk to real owners, they feel bad, cut me real good deal on truck and let me have back. Moral of that story, is dont trust random hitchhikers, lol, whod have thought. Fast forward 8 months, Im here, tired of ifs, wanna tear up some rocks. Got me a axle, marlin high steer, all that good stuff. Got duals, f150 rears, yada yada. rogress on this build should be fairly fast, hopin to have sittin on axle by monday. After that may slow down a lil. Im making this thread for CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, or cool comments. This is my first build, and any tips wud be appreciated.

[Sparkplug]

O yeh, both lower parts of front suspension r out, prob pullin dif later tonight, still dunnow how to get that damn t bars out, dont got a big enuff wrench for top bolt, and it looks to be double nutted. Someone told me to release the tension off t bars, before I try removing upper a arm. Anyone got ne tips?

[rockin86runner]

looks good whats the plan?....

[illinoisyotadriver]

a project has to start somewhere thats cool that the original owners sold you the truck anyway that would have sucked getting all the stuff and not being able to use it

[Sparkplug]

Ruf, F150 flipped rear, possibly hybrid mazda pack, steering box as far forward as possible, choppin rad support, armoring piss outta front frame, cuttin halfway into stock crossmember, to weld in sa one, like yeller did, 37 iroks, but may be trading or sellin em for 35's to start. Welded front and rear, and tg dual adapter with 2.28 in both. Also doin new clutch, t chain, battery tray, ecu move, and cuttin fenders. Lot of work. goin for 25 inches or lower frame height with 37's, i hate tall rigs

[Toymin8r]

Instead of taking all the time to disassemble the IFS you should have just cut it down in on big piece and let it drop to the ground.

[Sparkplug]

Instead of taking all the time to disassemble the IFS you should have just cut it down in on big piece and let it drop to the ground.

I dont have a torch here yet, bud took it, and I like to take it all apart, see how it goes together. I like to learn.

[Sparkplug]

Another funny tidbit on truck. The day i paid it off to real owners, that same day, I did a tune up, cuz I swore I wouldnt do nuthin to it till it paid off. Well prev owner put sparkplug in wrong, and it broke in half removing it, lmao. So had to pull head and have fixed, hopin the sas goes smoother than some of the other things.......

[Sparkplug]

Check out my old cvs, They were fine when I got it, lol, I will say that it did take one hell of a beating. Had a good run for sure. They just barely started clicking.

[*** YELLER ***]

YELLER whos that guy... there is a thread in the formula section of how and where to cut the crossmember thats what I (more or less) followed when I did mine, good luck bud I WILL BE V

[79coyotefrg]

Ruf, F150 flipped rear, possibly hybrid mazda pack, steering box as far forward as possible, choppin rad support, armoring piss outta front frame, cuttin halfway into stock crossmember, to weld in sa one, like yeller did, 37 iroks, but may be trading or sellin em for 35's to start. Welded front and rear, and tg dual adapter with 2.28 in both. Also doin new clutch, t chain, battery tray, ecu move, and cuttin fenders. Lot of work. goin for 25 inches or lower frame height with 37's, i hate tall rigs

why do you want to buy a chinese adapter when the owner of this website sells the best adapter made in the business?

[Sparkplug]

why do you want to buy a chinese adapter when the owner of this website sells the best adapter made in the business?

Constructive criticism......, Im not rich, Marlin wants damn near 400 bucks for the adapter, and I got my dual setup for 225 total, with case, shifter, and crossmember, thats why I got it.

[Rick Vega]

good start ! I am looking for a clean one like this..

[Sparkplug]

todays progress. I got shackle tubes drilled. Wasnt that bad, first one as a pain, but I quickly learned wat didnt work. Only broke 1 1/4 inch drill bit for pilot hole. Hole saw performed perfect, cut through center part of frame like it was butter. Only part that was hard was he pilot holes. I got them in pretty damn straight. They a lil up down of each other on each side, kinda slanted, maybe 1/8 inch max off, I gonna dremel the holes in the spots they need to get it perfect, then will hang springs and weld.

[*** YELLER ***]

why do you want to buy a chinese adapter when the owner of this website sells the best adapter made in the business?

not to sound like a smart a$$ but he did but a Japanese truck   sorry Glen 

[Sparkplug]

Got axle under truck. Springs r just stock rears for now, not custom yet. Just installed and tacked front hanger to get idea of shackle angle. It all looks good to me, but I wanted others opinions. They look to be straight through frame, but the outer part of both is a lil higher then the inner part, maybe 1/8 inch max. I put a high lift on pas front, and it took almost 10 clicks top pull tire off the ground. Thought that was my max droop, but then noticed shackles were hitting body mount, so it could droop more then in pics. Steering box is def gonna have to come quite a bit forward, but i knew this because of RUF. Looks like it pushed the axle close to 3 inches forward. I prob got 2 inches max of lift over what I had before. I am real happy with how it turned out, gotta pull apart and dremel holes for tubes just a lil to get em even, but for the most part, everything looks good. I decided to forego my idea to hack into front crossmember. As it looks like that would just complicate my steering more, and its not sitting too high right now, cud maybe go an inch higher. Opinions are wanted.

[4x4yota]

I like the look... looks almost stock!

what length shackles are you using, and what size tires are those for refernce?

[*** YELLER ***]

what happened to cutting the crossmember

[Sparkplug]

Yeller, i was goin to, may still do it, but The whole thing with cutting the front crossmember was to get it low. I saw way too many tall rigs, but with my ruf pack bein almost flat, and my hanger having no drop, I got it right where I want it without having to cut it. If I did cut it, I am almost positive I would have to notch my frame to clear the draglink. Cutting crossmember, and frame, seems like a lot of work, when it is not needed to achieve the results I wanted. For reference the springs came from a old 86 ex cab, they are unmodded in the pics, just pulled from rear of truck, and slapped in the front of mine, no leaves added or taken. Will be doin all that tomorrow. The shackles are skys boomerang type, but they arent mine, just for mockup, prob goin with a lil shorter straight shackle. Tires are 31's for reference. Keep the comments coming

[Dr.Maxwe001]

    loks good pal I think you will be on the right track in no time 

[Sparkplug]

Tried calling marlin to find out how far out tube should stick on inner part of frame, but they closed, does anyone have the info on where to set my shackle tubes to weld them in the right position

[4x4yota]

from what I remember reading you center them and then move them 1/4" inwards (towards the tranny) but your tubes are in a different location so yours might be different...

[fade]

Looks good, but your tubes are pretty far back from what I've seen. hard to tell with them boomerang ones though. Thats about how tall I want my runner to be. I don't like huge trucks either.

[4x4yota]

do you plan on getting rid of the over load? thats got to make the ride harsh

[Sparkplug]

Yes i getting rid of overload, the springs were just stock rears with no mods, they getting stock fronts added to them. I welded my shackle tubes almost touching the body mount, i did this becaue my logic was that on an ifs frame, its gonna be all about the droop. My up travel is goin to be limited by my steering way before my shackle hits the frame. I wanted it as steep as i could get it, this will give me max droop from my springs, plus give me the best angle for a smooth ride. At least from all that I have been reading. Keep comments coming

[Dr.Maxwe001]

I dont know what the hell that guy is talking about YOU PUSH THE TUBES OUT AWAY FROM THE TRANY  NOTICE KEY WORD HERE    AWAY AS PER MARLIN'S INSTRUCTIONS FOUND ON THIS WEBSIDE AND I QUOTE   "Now push each frame tube out 1/4".  DID YOU SEE THAT  IT SAYS OUT

from what I remember reading you center them and then move them 1/4" inwards (towards the tranny) but your tubes are in a different location so yours might be different...

he is WRONG 

[Sparkplug]

Thank u, and not to sound like a richard, but if ya dont know wat the hell u r talkin about, please dont say anything at all. Thats how stuff gets messed up, misinformation.

[4x4yota]

sorry my bad was just going off what my buddy told me (he's doing a SAS) better make sure he reads the directions right... glad someone corrected that

[Sparkplug]

LOL, yeh better get to him asap before he weld em in, thats why I waited to confirm, it would be a real pregnant dog to grind the welds off after they melted in

[Sparkplug]

Got box mounted, pics later tonight, need flat arm, and one tapered for an fj80 end