'95 4runner suspension questions

[arktrekker]

I have a '95 4runner with the wonderful 3.slow that I was all but given. It is a 2wd with a pretty decent body and a good clean interior. I happen to have a chevy 4.3 laying around that was put together for another project that has since gone away so I am planning on dropping the engine into the toy in front of a stock 5sp trans and transfer. Have a friend that has done the same swap on an early 90's toy truck and I already have the wiring harness and stuff to install the 4.3 into something.

The front is going to get a SAS kit from sky manufacturing with an 85 axle, and I have a have a stock 4wd rear axle from the same year 4runner laying at a friends house to pick up.

I plan to run 33's and try to stay as low over them as possible. Rig will be daily driven about 70% of the time to work and home (14 miles round trip) and then used when I bail out for a week or two here and there to drag down backroads and trails for camping and exploring.

The rear is the link set up from the factory. With the upgraded engine I am assuming I will have a little more torque on hand and with the lift added to that, I am wondering how well the factory link mounts on the frame side will hold up. Crawling under it and looking at them, they seem pretty light but I am pretty trusting of Toyota engineering.

Plus I will be towing a modified 416 size trailer at times weighing around 1300 at maximum load if I have the wife and kids and our mtn bikes along. Of course I wouldn't get into anything hairy with the base camp rolling along.

Now that I have the plan and use out there, time for the question part.

Should I look at building new mounts on the frame and/or upgrading the links or am I perfectly fine given my plans for use running the stock stuff?

 

[summerprophet]

I had the same rig, setup with the same suspension upgrades you are talking about.

I am not certain about the 4.3, but with the 3.0, and solid axle front, low is not really an option, due to the clearance needed at the oil pan. All your IFS mounts are going to need to be cut out and relocated for the SAS.

Not sure where you are located, but my old 4runner is for sale (sold it to the the neighbor, and he is selling it now) for less than what you are likely going to spend on the conversion. 35's, solid axle from an 83 pickup, rear axle from a 98 pick-up with e-locker, chevy 63" leaf springs, etc., etc. Located in Central Washington State.

 

[arktrekker]

Thanks for the input. I am sitting in Arkansas currently so a little far.

I have everything on hand but the kit to do the SAS which is actually pretty cheap. The front axle is already built including the high steer stuff.
This is my first toy and the smallest vehicle in my stable next to the F350 crewcab and the 2500 suburban.

 

[AxleIke]

The mounts themselves are fine for the wheeling/exploring you describe. However, having done a few link suspensions (and dealt with the annoying effects from doing it wrong), I'd be more concerned with the angle of the links, and your rear driveshaft angle. With the front kit, you are going to be sitting quite a bit higher than that suspension was designed for. As said above, those SAS kits sit high. At the least, I'd make some adjustable links, so you can correct the driveshaft angle.

That said, I've seen lots of folks running around with the rears of these jacked way up in the air, so as long as you don't have vibrations, I think it'd be fine.

However, for something like 75 bucks, you can stick 63" chevy springs in the back, which will 1) be a pretty good match to your front kit, 2) likely flex better than the maxed out stock rear suspension, and 3) make towing with your trailer much nicer. Coils are okay for towing, but leaves are better, IMO. The trucks seem to handle better, at least to me. And, if you put the leaves in, you can make the mounts as bomber as you want.

Those stock mounts will rip off the frame under repeated bashing from rocks, so if you plan to rock crawl with it, I'd beef them up, should you decide to stay with the links.