Well this isn't in order but, we'll start with the rear axle.
After building this cool cover for the assembled axle I noticed the spring perches weren't sitting evenly on the axle. After closer inspection I found that the housing was caved in around the spring perch on the passenger side and looked a little bent.
I disassembled the axle and sure enough, the housing was slightly bent. I got the axle out of a crawler that had been rolled. I assume the axle was bent in the roll over.
At this point I decided this wasn't going to be as quick and easy as planned, so I decided to slow down and take my time.

The cover is simply protection and support.

Since the first housing looked like it bent fairly easy, and I've seen a few of these housing dented from the ubolts. I sleeved the outer part of the housing with 3" .120 wall tube to give it some extra strength from where the housing steps down in size to the bearing cup.

I figured while it was all apart, why not put a truss on it as well.

All welded up and sanded down.

Brake lines and driver side shock mount.

painted and installed on the turd.

I wanted to keep the shocks in the stock location for now. I mounted them like /\ on my last runner and had lots of body roll when loaded down with camping gear, so I'm going to try this out to start with.

I'll see if I can't post up some more tomorrow.
__________

 

Time to bastardize yet another otherwise clean straight axle These trucks are on the verge of being collectable in their stock or "day 2" configuration.

 

I hear what you're saying man. I love these trucks.
I think the pics might be misleading on how clean it really is, while the body is in good shape with no rust, you would have to put alot of money into it to make it what I consider to be a collectible 4runner.
This truck has 256,000 miles on it and the entire running gear was shot when I got it. I don't think it ever went off road, but it didn't get serviced and repaired when needed.
Now that I have found a rust free platform I have no intentions of ever selling this vehicle or "chopping it up" so to speak. While I do plan on modifying it, it's going to be used mainly for expedition/exploration, trail riding, and a daily driver.
I'm not a big rock crawler guy, so it shouldn't get destroyed.

Thanks, Steve.

 

That golden turd is a diamond in the rough! Not only a rare year but color as well. But to each his own, nice work on the rear axle, welds look great!

 

Thanks man! I love the color, my wife nicknamed it the golden turd

 

that is a beautiful truss and diff cover like what you've done!

 

Thanks, I don't get to build cool stuff for myself very often so this has been a blast!:welder:

 

'scribed

 

Your welds are so beautiful it makes me want to cry...

 

your welds are so beautiful it makes me want to cry...

x2

 

love that factory color ! oh welds look great to

 

loving the axle housing, good lookin welds..

check the 1980 im building


Cheers!

-Matt

 

Very nice so far. That truss and ring gear protection would be somethign great to sell down the road.

 

Wow! I guess I haven't updated this thread in a long time!!

The rear bumper wasn't going to work for what I had in mind so I decided to sell it and start over.
I wanted as much ground clearance as possible without cutting the sheet metal so the tailgate had to go.
I have always hated the electric rear window on these, they freeze shut in the winter and weigh a ton, I liked the idea of cutting the top down to resemble a 4 door pick up, so losing the back window was not a big deal. I didn't want to do a pick up tailgate conversion, it just looks like too much work to make it look really good.
I decided to modified one of our Tacoma bumpers to fit around the outside of the rear body panels and tuck up close to the pinch weld on the corners.
The swing away is now the tailgate, it doesn't close it off completely, but I mainly use it for ice chests, camping gear, so on..larger things that won't slip through the cracks. I have plans to add a few more things to make it more secure.

I felt like the factory bumper mounting wasn't going to be near enough for the load I was putting on the swing away. I went with a two piece mounting that ties back into the xmember, so far this has worked great! the swing away is solid as a rock.

I didn't take many pics while building.

.

 

And the front bumper.

I've never liked the bumper mounting points on the front of these, so when I built the xmember for the front springs I built extra mounting into them.

Then cut off the two tabs on top of the original xmember and wrapped the new xmember with the old one in 3/16 plate.

I didn't like the way it looked with all the rosette welds, so I sanded it down smooth.

My plans were to build a tube bumper with some plate mixed in. Then I thought, I bet one of our tacoma bumpers would work with modifications.
Come to find out, the bumper is only about 3" wider than the 4runner, so I went ahead and started cutting up one of our Moab bumpers.

All welded up and sanded down, ready for some tubing.

Allthough this bumper is designed to hold a winch, I have never been a big fan of a perminately mounted winch. So I built a rec. hitch into the front xmember for a multi mount. I may put a storage box where the winch is supposed to go.

A few pics of it finished and painted.

 

The old original panels were either missing or rapidly falling apart so some 14 gauge aluminum came to the rescue.

All cleaned out and ready.

Panels cut and fit, ready for mounting holes.

Bulkhead in place.

Storage space for tools etc, that stay in the vehicle all the time.

You can just see the holes for the roll cage to come through the top cover.

I plan to cut some access doors into the side panels for the space behind them once I decide what I want to put back there.

 

Those welds belong in an art museum! Just out of curiosity how long have you been welding for?

 

Thanks man! Been mig welding for 10 years now, believe me, they haven't always looked like that. Practice...practice...

awesome build and as others have said.............. amazing :welder:

Thanks, I've had alot of fun so far with this one.

 

awesome build and as others have said.............. amazing :welder:

 

I really love the bumpers too. You going to put them up for sale on your site? It'd be a while before I was able to afford bumpers like that but if you wanted a test truck I would teleport mine up there if I had to lol. The tire carrier is amazing and the front bumper is really cool too. I have an 82 4x4 lifted 4" with all-pro front hanger.

 

Thanks man, here's a link to the thread on offering the bumpers to the puiblic,http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178514 I think the front bumper would come really close to fitting with some mods to the mounting. If you have teleportation capabilities, I have a job for you in our shipping department.:thumbs:

You sir are an artist, the 4runner is awesome! I am starting a 1988 4runner 3.4, SAS on 33's and will have to keep my eyes on this build. I used to live in Jackson and wheeled a bit while there. I am up in MT now but only 7 or so hours from Idaho Falls. How's the wheeling there? I have a Taco on tons and 42's and am always looking for new places to wheel.

Thank you. The wheeling around here is mostly senic logging or mining roads with small obstacles here and there, or lava rock trails that shread your tires.
I go up to Ennis MT every chance I get, nice country up there.
Contact me when you come down this way and we'll go see if we can
t get stuck.

Those welds are simply fantastic. Can I see your steering box, I'm finishing up my box install this weekend and want to make sure it looks right.

The 4runner is down right now with a bad motor so I wouldn't be able to snap any pics of the box today. Just remember to keep it as high on the frame as you can for pitman arm clearance to the springs, and shove it as far forward as you can. Mock it all up before welding with the axle and steering linkage in place to ensure it all works together with out interferrance.
:welder:

I wish I had the $$ to turn you guys loose on my Trekker..really need a redesigned rear bumper now.

Trekkers are cool...........:xpimp:

 

You sir are an artist, the 4runner is awesome! I am starting a 1988 4runner 3.4, SAS on 33's and will have to keep my eyes on this build. I used to live in Jackson and wheeled a bit while there. I am up in MT now but only 7 or so hours from Idaho Falls. How's the wheeling there? I have a Taco on tons and 42's and am always looking for new places to wheel.

 

Those welds are simply fantastic. Can I see your steering box, I'm finishing up my box install this weekend and want to make sure it looks right.

 

I wish I had the $$ to turn you guys loose on my Trekker..really need a redesigned rear bumper now.

 

This thread just has so much WIN in it. I got a couple questions for you.Is it possible for the rear bumper/Tire Carrier work with a 4runner that has a tailgate? I saw the one you guys have for sale on your website but I just like the one you have on the personal truck a whole lot better.Keep up the great work man!

 

You got me hooked. I'm also building a 85 and yours is looking sweet. Scribed!!!

 

Very nice. I'm digging the workmanship on your rig.

I'm putting together an '87 4Runner for expedition and trail riding too.

 

Thanks for all the comments These old runners are awesome!
I haven't been able to post pics lately, but have gotten quite abit done on the turd since I've updated last. Hopefully I will be able to post some soon.

 

Any updates?

 

Time to update finally!
Since the last update I have chopped the top, built the rear part of the cage, built the sliders (not installed), and some little things.
In the process of rebuilding a 22re for it right now.

Here is the top chop. I have not done fiberglass work before, so I did a little research and it seemed pretty easy so i gave it a shot.

I did not want to just cut the back off and fill it in with a window. I wanted it to look as factory as possible, so I decided to cut a section out of the middle and glue the back portion of the top back on.

Cleaned the area to be glued.

I used fiberglass resin jelly with a fabric mesh to glue the seem together.

All finish sanded and painted with bed liner.

I used plexiglass for the back window as I was told that the original window could not be cut down to fit. It was last october and time to seal this thing up! So far it hasn't scratched bad at all and will probably make another winter without looking too bad.

__________________

 

I will work on updating more over the next little while.