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1 ton 97 4Runner build

Yotacrawlin said:
Little sneak peak 😎
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You ain’t got no legs Lt Dan :smokin:

Coming along real nicely. God damn that perspective makes you realize how big tons and 40s really is lol
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Ya, but the west coast has better wheelin so it's worth it:flipoff2:
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lol but there’s also so much traction out there even shit Patagonia tires shine.
fl0w3n said:
You ain’t got no legs Lt Dan :smokin:

Coming along real nicely. God damn that perspective makes you realize how big tons and 40s really is lol
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And that’s just in pictures, in person it’s crazy.
 
Rear suspension tacked up and test fitted, pulled it all back apart for final welding, gotta take the springs apart clean and paint them throw some new bushings in it.

E locker should be here tomorrow so I’ll hopefully get that put in and get the axle painted, also need to re-weld the tubes to the housing the first go round my welds cracked. Which was my fault I didn’t preheat it enough. Also grabbed nickel 55 wire just to be sure I didn’t have any cracking.

Only thing I still need to do is shocks, but I’m still waiting on the lower mounts from ruff stuff.


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This thing is looking great! Only thing I’d add would be to box in your leaf pads on final welding i’ve seen them round over a few times.
 
Slander said:
Looking good! Next time order from Barnes, it's like practically next shipping where we live!
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Yeah true that’s true but they were out of stock, I could have called them and ordered but I’m lazy and buy now is easy lol
Iwannabemro said:
This thing is looking great! Only thing I’d add would be to box in your leaf pads on final welding i’ve seen them round over a few times.
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Good call, granted the gas tank hangs lower then the hanger on the drivers side but the passenger side is open
 
Small update re-welded the the tubes and a Barnes truss using nickel 55 MiG wire and used a propane weed torch to pre and post heat and wrapped it up. Gonna throw a new pinion seal in pretty sure it got quite hot lol.

Ford delivered the E locker and shocker the box looked like it fell off the truck and re taped. So they ordered another just waiting for the replacement. Did go ahead and drill and tap for the water tight grommet.
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Got the E locker put in had to make some adjustments, got the E locker grommet drilled and tapped also relocated the vent to the factory Abs hole since I welded the original vent shut for the truss.

Waiting on a new pinion nut to come in then I’ll button up the rear end and paint it so I can get it under the truck.

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Getting closer, got the T100 booster and master swapped in, deleted the abs actuator, all the old brake lines out ready for fresh stainless steel lines.

For anyone looking to use the trail gear steering shaft kit with a 4Runner especially 97 and older. I got the 96-04 kit and it didn’t fit the splines on the column it had a smaller diameter shaft. My assumption is that somehow I had to be 95.5 or possibly 4Runners use a different column all together. Long story short I just swapped columns to a Tacoma column and it worked just fine. 100 bucks from a salvage yard
 
Always a good feeling to get it dropped onto all 4s!!

I have a SE irate forum run scheduled at the ranch in April, perfect shakedown run for this!!
irate4x4.com

SE irate April Good Evening Ranch trail ride

Slander added a new event: SE irate April Good Evening Ranch trail ride The first of the 2024 monthly south east irate trail ride series. This month will be Good Evening Ranch in canvas WV. The premise: Old school type trail trail ride of meeting random people off the Internet to hang out...
irate4x4.com irate4x4.com
 
Slander said:
Always a good feeling to get it dropped onto all 4s!!

I have a SE irate forum run scheduled at the ranch in April, perfect shakedown run for this!!
irate4x4.com

SE irate April Good Evening Ranch trail ride

Slander added a new event: SE irate April Good Evening Ranch trail ride The first of the 2024 monthly south east irate trail ride series. This month will be Good Evening Ranch in canvas WV. The premise: Old school type trail trail ride of meeting random people off the Internet to hang out...
irate4x4.com irate4x4.com
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Hell yeah man thanks for the invite I’m definitely gonna try and make that. I’ve never been to good evening but I hear it’s a blast. I’d like to hit the gulches and URE just for some local shake downs before I travel too far with it.
 
Yotacrawlin said:
Getting closer, got the T100 booster and master swapped in, deleted the abs actuator, all the old brake lines out ready for fresh stainless steel lines.

For anyone looking to use the trail gear steering shaft kit with a 4Runner especially 97 and older. I got the 96-04 kit and it didn’t fit the splines on the column it had a smaller diameter shaft. My assumption is that somehow I had to be 95.5 or possibly 4Runners use a different column all together. Long story short I just swapped columns to a Tacoma column and it worked just fine. 100 bucks from a salvage yard
Click to expand...
I ran into that steering column crap too. I just cut the splines off the old shaft (rag joint?) and welded them to the new one lol.
irate4x4.com

3rd Gen 4Runner SAS

So I bought this factory e-locker 1997 4runner with 212k miles and timing belt done and wheeled it with the stock balding 31s on it for the last year. I decided I wanted to do something I have always wanted to try so I pursued solid axle swapping it. Parts List: WFO Concepts SAS radius arm...
irate4x4.com irate4x4.com
 
Toy4rnr said:
I ran into that steering column crap too. I just cut the splines off the old shaft (rag joint?) and welded them to the new one lol.
irate4x4.com

3rd Gen 4Runner SAS

So I bought this factory e-locker 1997 4runner with 212k miles and timing belt done and wheeled it with the stock balding 31s on it for the last year. I decided I wanted to do something I have always wanted to try so I pursued solid axle swapping it. Parts List: WFO Concepts SAS radius arm...
irate4x4.com irate4x4.com
Click to expand...
Yeah I actually started to modify my stock shaft but then I already spent the money on the trail gear shaft so I just rather than modify I just got a Tacoma column. Super easy swap and I got some spare parts off the old column. I needed a new ignition switch anyways so it worked out.
 
Yotacrawlin said:
Picked up a marketplace special with a set of frs seats with seat heaters and both manual for 125 bucks so I’ll post up how the install goes.
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Youll have to compare the comfort between the toyota seats and those as well as any height difference. Also curious if you're going to try to get the seat heater to work and what your solution is for that :smokin:.
 
Toy4rnr said:
Youll have to compare the comfort between the toyota seats and those as well as any height difference. Also curious if you're going to try to get the seat heater to work and what your solution is for that :smokin:.
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For sure, as far as comfort they are a firmer seat and they hug you more with the racing style bolsters, take that for what it is. Most of that is subjective information anyways. My current seats suck and are broken so this is a big upgrade lol. The seat heaters I’ll just cut the connector off and wire them up to a switch pretty basic. I’ll get some actual seat measurements to see how close they are but I just know if they came from a little small car they’ll fit good in these tiny mini trucks lol.

My plan for mounting is just cut the mounting feet off my current seats and weld them on the FRS rails. The rails are pretty close to the same about 1” difference but the frs rail is 2” wide vs the 4Runner is only 1” wide so there’s some wiggle room. So with that the height should be pretty close using the feet from the stock seats.
 
Yotacrawlin said:
My plan for mounting is just cut the mounting feet off my current seats and weld them on the FRS rails.
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I've done that. When you remove them, there's a big rivet that's obvious to remove. There's also spot welds you have to drill out that are hidden under the paint.
 
I had those seats in my old rig (sas 3rd gen 4runner) and they were the most uncomfortable thing to sit in. The side bolsters would make my legs go numb driving more than a few hrs.
 
Yotacrawlin said:
For sure, as far as comfort they are a firmer seat and they hug you more with the racing style bolsters, take that for what it is. Most of that is subjective information anyways. My current seats suck and are broken so this is a big upgrade lol. The seat heaters I’ll just cut the connector off and wire them up to a switch pretty basic. I’ll get some actual seat measurements to see how close they are but I just know if they came from a little small car they’ll fit good in these tiny mini trucks lol.

My plan for mounting is just cut the mounting feet off my current seats and weld them on the FRS rails. The rails are pretty close to the same about 1” difference but the frs rail is 2” wide vs the 4Runner is only 1” wide so there’s some wiggle room. So with that the height should be pretty close using the feet from the stock seats.
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I wonder if you'll have to manually shut off the heater or if it's self regulating. I have no idea how that stuff works. Seat heaters would be nice if they're that easy to wire up lol.
 
chays2464 said:
I had those seats in my old rig (sas 3rd gen 4runner) and they were the most uncomfortable thing to sit in. The side bolsters would make my legs go numb driving more than a few hrs.
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Well they certainly aren’t built for luxury and comfort given the nature of the seat. They are very firm seat, I personally didn’t mind them but I haven’t sat in them for long distances. For me my seats currently are awful and I’m broke so 125 bucks fit the bill.
Toy4rnr said:
I wonder if you'll have to manually shut off the heater or if it's self regulating. I have no idea how that stuff works. Seat heaters would be nice if they're that easy to wire up lol
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Oh nah, they are simple 2 wire power and ground. I’ll just put it on a switch with power being tied to ignition so at least if I forget to turn it off it will be off with the key off.
 
Im less worried about the seats and more trying to get my rear shocks mounted lol, I have 14” fox shocks and are going outboard with modified ford towers and staying in the fender well with side mounted axle brackets.

My question is I’m going to limit up travel because more focused on droop but i was gonna only have like 4.5-5” of the shock shaft showing. I don’t see why it would be an issue, but I don’t want to be bouncing off the bumps driving down the road. I feel like 4.5-5 is plenty up travel to avoid that. Flip side I’m sure my shock will limit the droop at 8-9” down travel. Oh well that’s really all I can do.

I still haven’t cut the fenders yet so I’ll have to do that then I’ll flex it up see how it looks once I have the mounts tacked in place.
 
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Yotacrawlin said:
Im less worried about the seats and more trying to get my rear shocks mounted lol, I have 14” fox shocks and are going outboard with modified ford towers and staying in the fender well with side mounted axle brackets.

My question is I’m going to limit up travel because more focused on droop but i was gonna only have like 4.5-5” of the shock shaft showing. I don’t see why it would be an issue, but I don’t want to be bouncing off the bumps driving down the road. I feel like 4.5-5 is plenty up travel to avoid that. Flip side I’m sure my shock will limit the droop at 8-9” down travel. Oh well that’s really all I can do.

I still haven’t cut the fenders yet so I’ll have to do that then I’ll flex it up see how it looks once I have the mounts tacked in place.
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5" up is probably fine. Read up on the butt warmers, the stock ones in my Tahoe have burned the foam and shorted out, having a good fuse/regulator is probably worth it.
 
Yotacrawlin said:
I still haven’t cut the fenders yet so I’ll have to do that then I’ll flex it up see how it looks once I have the mounts tacked in place.
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Interrested in seeing this. Bought a '95 project with 63's in the rear. Plan on pushing the axle back like you did, cause on 40's, there is no way it will clear the doors.
 
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