Topic: 1985CRAWLER'S long overdue sorta kinda late build 85 runner

[1985CRAWLER]

well after owning my 85 4runner for years now its seen alot of change, much of the change went undocumented and i would rarely take pics of what upgrade i would do or the fabbing process. So here it is kinda late and hope you enjoy it guys! sorry for the bad quality cell pics..

well for starters yes its an 85 sr5 4runner, much like everyone else i got this because of the stock straight front axle. i didnt want something that needed an sas.

i dont have any pics from when i brought it home. i got it with a blown motor on 33s for very cheap. so cheap i would rather not say lol

so i dropped in a junkyard 22re to get me by for a while wheeled it like that for a long time and put a locker in the rear and 5.29s and 35" mtrs. Done the highlakes numerous times and rubicon. Then one day the motor started knocking and gradually got worse so the new phase of the build started..new performance built 22re,low and slow on 37s with dual cases.

specs now are:
this is my daily driver as well!

22re..bored 20 over..ported intake and exhaust...crawler cam

3 row v6 rad

W56A

Marlin highsteer

37" trxus mt on 15" steelies

dual stock cases

5.29s

detroit front and spool rear

longfield 30 splines with hub gears

ifs rear housing and v6 brakes/shafts

ifs front hub conversion to match ifs rear/ SKYS widening kit

v6 booster and master

v6 4runner front calipers

toyota rear springs up front.

chevy 63 rears with dual shackles, no blocks

14" bilsteins up front 11" pro comps out back

rock lights

half doors

rhino-lined floorboards

armored axles..bumpers...sliders and interior cage

smittybilt xrc8

cobra cb

1.5 spacers all around for a 61" WMS

heres a bunch of pictures:

old skool look


First it was the battery then came the awful rod knock..this was on 35s


the old pig had to come out


out she came


nice and clean engine bay


the little kia sportage i modded for light wheeling did me good while the 4runner was taking a long nap


badass new motor being prepared..yea i had to paint it up all nice



shes in


in the meantime while waiting for jim putney to finish my machining i decided to swap the rear housing to an ifs housing.check out the sketchy jack stands lol



yes i like to wheel at night,so i mounted up some rock lights


first time back on the road after almost sitting for a year..i had to snap a pic at the gas station


funny how i only take a pics after wheeling, taken after the first highlakes trip with new motor and 37s. june 2013 new body damage on the half door and rear above the tire lol


busted out a new 50 cal ammo can console


f250 towers


davez offroad shock bar in the rear




the rig sat too high so i decided to drop it a couple inches and take a 3 inches outa the fenders. nice and low  at 23" frame to ground


cage


wheeling with Dingman and Downpour11






ready for the snow on bald tires


Prairie city ohv with new trxus mt..shoulda took more pics that day...


more modern stuff..just finished this today. front crossmember reinforcement 1/4" steel. my frame was cracking at the bolt holes so i fabbed this up and welded in on.


i hopefully will break the bad habit of not taking pics and try and document more of my build if i can and more wheeling pictures. i need a real camera first haha.

[81 shortbed]

cool. subbed

[HogCanyonHopper]

nice 

[MRHilux87]

Nice clean runner!  Anyone would be proud to wheel that thing.

[1985CRAWLER [OP]]

Mounted up the winch today. fits in there nice and snug. going to get some synthetic rope to replace the cable soon so i dont ruin the awesome MC hawse. the license plate mounting is temporary til i come up with some genius way of mounting it other then zip ties...
also finally put on some real bump stops. they are polyurethane so should last me a bit..









 

[ryantowry_81]

Nice and clean. I like it. Some day I will get a first gen runner to build, someday.

Keep up the good work.

[MRHilux87]

I like the bumper on the white four runner in the pic above. 

[Dingman.]

I used maglight clips to hold my plate. 

[1985CRAWLER [OP]]

Nice and clean. I like it. Some day I will get a first gen runner to build, someday.

Keep up the good work.

dont get one,they are too old and always break.lol

just kidding..i love this truck. i put way too much time and money into it and dont wheel it as much as i ued too. mostly because its my dd and i dont want to bash on it like i used to. i baby it now.

[1985CRAWLER [OP]]

I like the bumper on the white four runner in the pic above.

yea thats downpour11's rig. so freakin built. i wouldve liked an arb bumper but not the weight of one.
plus this one only cost me 150$

[1985CRAWLER [OP]]

I used maglight clips to hold my plate. 

yea lol we talked about that but with mine id only be able to clip it on the top part above where it is now. i like postion where it is now. where did u get the maglight clips around here? or did u order them?

[rapier46]

Looks awesome sitting so low

[1985CRAWLER [OP]]

well was in Sac over the weekend so i decided to hit up Prairie City again.didnt get much pics,will try and upload the video of goin up big bend... had some fun, but i really need to redo my rear spring setup. too much wrap.

[Shamb]

Awesome!

[chexium]

those f250 shock towers are the ISH !  awesome build man

[1985CRAWLER [OP]]

added some 1.5" wheel spacers all around. put my wms at 61", little wider but im liking the stance. now i hope to get it lower with the 63" chevy spring swap coming soon, right now at 24" ground to frame..shooting for 22".

[HogCanyonHopper]

that looks really good 

[John Doe]

Suggestion for your rear shocks....
You will be able to use longer shocks by switching to http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/SBSIDEMT.html

top and bottom.

[1985CRAWLER [OP]]

Suggestion for your rear shocks....
You will be able to use longer shocks by switching to http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/SBSIDEMT.html

top and bottom.

yea the 10" shocks get maxed out on down travel but i cant go with longer ones without cutting into the floor since the 10" are already almost bottomed out.

i will look into that kit,26$ aint that bad and i need to go to ruffstuff anyways for some more bolts.

THANKS!

[J_Cole92]

Run some f150s flipped backwards, I was gonna do 63s but I hate how long they are lol I love mine and it makes my buddies wanna switch over to rangers or f150s from their Chevys

[Dingman.]

Run some f150s flipped backwards, I was gonna do 63s but I hate how long they are lol I love mine and it makes my buddies wanna switch over to rangers or f150s from their Chevys

Im most likely going to need to move my axle back a couple inches or so and wont be able to with the chevys.  Prob end up going f-150s.  Do you have to run blocks under your toyota to get it to sit that high or is it just stock f-150s

[1985CRAWLER [OP]]

Run some f150s flipped backwards, I was gonna do 63s but I hate how long they are lol I love mine and it makes my buddies wanna switch over to rangers or f150s from their Chevys

yea that was my original plan, the mazdas im running now actually moved my axle back a bit and i think any farther ill be slicing into my storage area which i already have a little bit lol.

i came up on these 63s for cheap so i figured id run em, if i dont like them i can always change them out but the axle wrap with my springs now has to go,no way am i building a track bar.

[J_Cole92]

no blocks lol thats another reason why i didnt want to run 63s. Im on my second set of f150s tho cause i ran the first set with no over load and it wheeled nice and sat nice 22" to the frame under the front door but after the first trip to the rubicon and about a month of daily driving they kinda started to negative arch and pretzel so i got some new ones. Now it sits around 23.5 to 23.75" under the door and i kinda want to lower the ass an inch or so but i haven't decided yet. other than that theres not much axle rap and they are still soft as hell

[1985CRAWLER [OP]]

where are u finding them at? what year?model truck?im guessing a 2wd?

yea im at 24" right now on 37s with no body lift and would love to be at 22" if the f150s can do that without blocks and still flex like 63s

[J_Cole92]

the first set was like 92 2wd and the set i have now are 94 2wd. They still flex just as good as all my buddies with chevys all in all if you have a 4runner you should go f 150s in my eyes haha but if i had a pickup i would run ranger springs with out a doubt

[1985CRAWLER [OP]]

not much new to report,no hardcore fabbing going on here. Replaced my worn out alternator with a 110amp output denso rebuild one,(lights dont dim when i turn the radio on anymore) put a synthetic winch rope on the xrc8, and got me a 20" light bar flood/spot combo that will see alot of use,now if i could just figure out how to mount it without welding tabs on the bumper since i dont have a welder.hmmmm what do to?

[helipilot77]

I think you need to buy a welder.

[downpour11]

I like the bumper on the white four runner in the pic above.

Thanks, it's an Outdoor Logic bumper.  They are out of business now though to my understanding.

A buddy of mine has one for sale here:  http://www.toyota-4runner.org/sale-t4r-items/166094-fs-3rd-gen-outdoor-logic-bumper-%24500-denver-co-sold.html

Buutttt I guess he just sold it last night.  If you want one, the only place they are going to pop up is on t4r.org.  They are made for 3rd gen runners, not sure if you can fab them to fit on anything else without a ton of work… no idea.

Mike, I'm digging that marlin fairlead 

and that lightbar would be sick recessed into the grill…. or under the hoop of your bumper, if it'll fit.

[J_Cole92]

sick I've kinda been wanting a light bar lately haha where'd you get it?

[Dingman.]

Who did you get the synethic rope from?