My '86 4Runner - A work in progress

[4Rescue]

The PO mounted it directly through the hard top unfortunately. It doesnt leak, but I'm not a fan of having holes in the hard top. A bit too late to get worked up over at this point.

I'm actualy planning on mounting mine that way. I want it lower and farther back and I don't really trust a screw with a shearing load in the top (ie added rain gutters)

 

[Isgro]

Don't get me wrong it's nice and sturdy and can handle a good amount of weight. I don't plan on changing as it should serve me well, I'm just a bit bummed about the holes in the hard top. :beer:

 

[4cruzer]

haw!!!

nice truck, seems like more and more first generation's popping up on here. I like the bumpers! I'll be tuning in for sleeping platform....

 

[DaveInDenver]

Cool truck.

I'm a committed (or maybe should be committed) IFS guy. It's definitely not what's holding me back. If I was to do a SAS, I would seriously consider doing the swap like Steve Schaefer down at Sonoran Steel did his 4Runner. Spring under axle and still stuffs 35" tires in. I hate that with a SAS you are looking at 4" minimum lift and you're still only riding on a 59" axle width. He must be riding on the lowest center of mass truck riding on 35" tires in the USA. Perfect.

I would go one farther than Grim, unless you are making primarily a crawler, I would skip the SAS and stick to reasonable mods. Spend the time and money on other stuff (fridge!) and buy lots of gas to go places. Doing an SAS correctly is not cheap and a poorly done one is a reliability nightmare. Beef up the steering, IFS truss, BJ spacers and 25mm torsion bars. If you find you are breaking that a lot, then maybe consider an SAS. Just my $0.02.

Still, grooving on the 4Runner, I like the 1st gen with the removable tops.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Don't get me wrong it's nice and sturdy and can handle a good amount of weight. I don't plan on changing as it should serve me well, I'm just a bit bummed about the holes in the hard top. :beer:

Where you are just keep watch craigslist and the Toy boards. Bound to be a part out of a rust ball. I picked up a second top for $25 from somebody that had modded the truck to the point where the top was not usable anymore.

I was going to get a premade basket but the more I think of it the more I think I want to make a flat platform as tight to the roof as I can so that when its not in use it has minimal wind drag. I will use well nuts int othe doubled area along the edge so you can't see them inside. Platform would look something like The African outback that has removable rails like this but much tighter to the roof http://www.brian894x4.com/images/ExpeditionLCIExterior0352.jpg (Brian has a really cool site if you haven't seen it http://www.brian894x4.com/ ) I have some fiberglass sand/bridging ladders that I want to drop down into the perimeter rails and form the floor. May have to partially unload to get them out but it keeps them on the truck and doubles the function.

 

[4Rescue]

Cool truck.

I'm a committed (or maybe should be committed) IFS guy. It's definitely not what's holding me back. If I was to do a SAS, I would seriously consider doing the swap like Steve Schaefer down at Sonoran Steel did his 4Runner. Spring under axle and still stuffs 35" tires in. I hate that with a SAS you are looking at 4" minimum lift and you're still only riding on a 59" axle width. He must be riding on the lowest center of mass truck riding on 35" tires in the USA. Perfect.

I would go one farther than Grim, unless you are making primarily a crawler, I would skip the SAS and stick to reasonable mods. Spend the time and money on other stuff (fridge!) and buy lots of gas to go places. Doing an SAS correctly is not cheap and a poorly done one is a reliability nightmare. Beef up the steering, IFS truss, BJ spacers and 25mm torsion bars. If you find you are breaking that a lot, then maybe consider an SAS. Just my $0.02.

Still, grooving on the 4Runner, I like the 1st gen with the removable tops.

I feel exactly the same... For me, if I did an SAS, I would want to be able to use the exact OME springs I'm running in the back to match, and not have more than 2-3in of lift max before setteling. 85 frame swap anyone???

 

[cawddsasf]

I've been a fan of 1st gen runners since I was a kid, so I'm quite happy to actually own one now.

No kidding! Me too! Back to the future did it to me..... and then I saw my first topless 4runner and fell in lust... errrr love. Then I had to have one.

Welcome!

 

[Isgro]

Thanks again for all of the welcomes and input folks.

No kidding! Me too! Back to the future did it to me.....

Haha, me too. Marty's black extra cab is the reason I fell in love with Toyotas.

 

[patrolman]

I have to really agree with Dave. We have talked a lot of Toyota since he lives nearby me. I have run IFS on 5 Toyota's.

I currently have an 87 pickup with Rancho bars up front. It rides pretty smooth all things considered and can still stuff the wheels enough. It is a work truck mostly and I primarily went with a heavier bar to mount a plow on the front. With a 1" body lift I run 33's all summer. They work great.

My 87 4Runner is more my trail rig. I put Downey bars in the front of if. It was beginning to sag a bit after mounting an ARB bumper and Milemarker 12,000 winch. They ride much smoother than the stock bars did with the weight. They just sit at an appropriate height. Again, no other front lift mods and I run a 32" tire.

Both sets of bars were slightly used which was actually nice since they had gone through a break in period. I would recommend them and a set of BJ spacers if you want to go on the cheap and keep the reliability/streetability. I am an advocate against IFS lift kits. Just more things to fail in my opinion. If you really want to go wild without the SAS, look at the Total Chaos setup. I actually got my Downey bars from a guy who was going with Total Chaos. Big $, but good performance and reliability!

 

[DaveInDenver]

Haha, me too. Marty's black extra cab is the reason I fell in love with Toyotas.

I think this is probably the single biggest sales boost Toyota ever got. There apparently was a couple versions, the one in the first movie was a 1985 SR5, 22R-E. Uber cool. Later movies used IFS ones. In any case, sooo many people thought that truck was sexy (me included).

 

[Grim Reaper]

I feel exactly the same... For me, if I did an SAS, I would want to be able to use the exact OME springs I'm running in the back to match, and not have more than 2-3in of lift max before setteling. 85 frame swap anyone???

You know what is really crazy...the 2wd from made from 84-95 has the same rail shape as the 84 and 85 4wd. a 2wd Sort bed single cab is almost dimensionally the same as a 1st gen 4Runner. One set of body mounts is not quite right but easily corrected. Look up "project Quasimodo" on pirate.

 

[4Rescue]

You know what is really crazy...the 2wd from made from 84-95 has the same rail shape as the 84 and 85 4wd. a 2wd Sort bed single cab is almost dimensionally the same as a 1st gen 4Runner. One set of body mounts is not quite right but easily corrected. Look up "project Quasimodo" on pirate.

Huh, I'm quite familliar with 4RnrRicks build, that truck was killer. I didn't know he used that frame though or that it has the desired hump. Good bit of info. Personaly, I'm a bigger fan of a beefed 85 than most of the SAS's just cause of height like we've been saying.

Back on topic Isgro: Did the PO use the Yak "feet" of the bar clamps to bolt it to the roof. I'd like to see how it's done if you've got a good picture.

Cheers

Dave

 

[corax]

Did the PO use the Yak "feet" of the bar clamps to bolt it to the roof. I'd like to see how it's done if you've got a good picture.

Dave

x2

 

[nat88toy]

nice truck man! saw you over at the Yankee toys club house corner on Ih8mud
if you need help or advise on the sas let me know

 

[Isgro]

Back on topic Isgro: Did the PO use the Yak "feet" of the bar clamps to bolt it to the roof. I'd like to see how it's done if you've got a good picture.

I'll try to get a picture for you sometime this coming week.