Oh dude! I just noticed you live in Chattanooga! I live in Cookeville. We have a facebook group if you're interested (the link is in my signature)

I am excited to see the pictures when you get your server back up and running!

Very cool. I requested to join the group.
Pictures are back up.

Made an early morning run to Nashville the other day (the closest salvage yards to me) to find some 63" Chevy springs for my SAS. Why leaf springs over a 3-link or 4-link setup? Simple, I have a limited budget for this rig and want to invest in the most important things first (drivetrain and body). I plan to go with a 3-link in the front and triangulated 4-link out back eventually.

After scrounging around the yard for about an hour, I found a single 1991 Z71 with the rear springs still in place, so I cut them out real quick.


I could only find Fords, all the Chevy's had the springs yanked already. So I figured I'd grab me a set (since they were cheap) and see what I could do with them.

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Looky what else I found! Too bad I didn't have the time or strength to pull it by myself or I would have.

My new rims showed up today, so of course, I had to try them on. Opened one up and slapped it on the 14 bolt rear axle just for kicks. Looks good! Just needs beadlocks, well that's coming next!



I also managed to spend some time late last night beginning the teardown. Going to strip the whole vehicle to just the bare necessities (you know you have kids when you make a statement like that and you suddenly hear Baloo singing Bear Necessities in your head. ). Full cage is going in. Most likely a hybrid internal / Exo cage to maximize room inside (I'm a big guy at 6'-4").

Did you install yourself? Where did you purchase from and knowing what you know now - would you still choose Spartan?

I ordered it from Amazon about a two years ago. Was about $300 I think and I installed it myself in my driveway of our old house. Just took an afternoon to do. I loved that locker! Never had a problem with it and it gave me the traction I needed to hit the harder trails with just 33" tires and 3" lift.

I would highly recommend one for the budget conscious T4R owner who will run the stock Toyota axles. I only ran one in the rear with an open front. The automatic diffs don't handle the lunchbox lockers well I was told. My buddy put two in his T4R and the front bound up a lot. I think it was user error, though.

I didn't go with one up front because I knew at that point I was going to SAS it and didnt want to waste any more money on the IFS setup.

I love my Aussie rear locker, just need one for the front

Scalpel... Doctor, we are fresh out of scalpels. Well then nurse, hand me that badass Sawzall over there. Let's begin the first incision at the posterior "C" pillar. The second incision at the anterior "D" pillar. Careful not to scratch the paint!

That's right folks; the decision was a coin toss. Heads and I chop off the rear roof and make a bed for the spare, fuel cell, etc. Tails we keep the extra weight and leave it stock. Heads it is then.

The glass has to go first.


Then we start cutting!


Measure for the rear deck lid cuts and then remove any obstacles inside the decklid. (I have all the electronics for the rear decklid in great working order if anyone needs the parts.)




After a little trimming, the decklid is starting to look right at home. Still need to do some trimming and grafting of some sheet-metal where I got a little too sawzall happy.

Looks like a perfect spot for a spare!

Definitely gonna watch were this goes! Very cool!

That escalated quickly

This evening I removed the rear Axle, the fuel tank, and a few other things not needed with my plasma cutter - OH YEAH! like butta!

Look through the pics, you will see the 14 bolt that's going in the rear. Gotta add the disk brakes and clean it up first. That's next, but first still need to clean up chassis.

Any plans for a tailgate?

Yup, going to build one from tubing. At an angle to hold spare and jack but keep as low as possible in the bed to enhance visibility rearward.
Not sure of actual design yet. Will mock it up once bed is fully constructed. That won't get finished until the cage is in so I have plenty of room while the back of the 4R is open.

Did I miss it or did you say how much you were going to bob out of the rear?

Looks great so far!