'92 4runner - Axel swap front

[ryantzor]

Hey guys i just picked up a 92 4runner and it has an IFS. I'm not going to be doing a lot of wheeling but I plan on it next summer. Do you think I'm fine with my IFS for mild wheeling and tooling around in the colorado mountains?

Kind of new to axel swapping and was wondering how much it would cost with an axel and labor.

 

[Kean]

It's currently 4wd, right? ....plenty of folks are using these trucks with the stock IFS for off road excursions. Providing everything is in good working order, I think it's safe to say it could handle mild "wheeling" or just tooling around. Heck, I've done off road trips/trails with various 2WD trucks over the years without much drama. Good tires (appropriate for your needs) will go a long way to helping make the truck more capable.

 

[ryantzor]

It's currently 4wd, right? ....plenty of folks are using these trucks with the stock IFS for off road excursions. Providing everything is in good working order, I think it's safe to say it could handle mild "wheeling" or just tooling around. Heck, I've done off road trips/trails with various 2WD trucks over the years without much drama. Good tires (appropriate for your needs) will go a long way to helping make the truck more capable.

Cool thanks man. I know there is much debate on the subject of solid versus independent

 

[Kean]

Cool thanks man. I know there is much debate on the subject of solid versus independent

No doubt it would be more capable but it boils down to what you need. Personally, I'm not a hard core off-road guy myself. ....defintely no "muddin'" or rock crawling for me either. The terrain/conditions I would typically traverse is relatively dry trails (e.g. desert, forrest) and snow in the nearby mountains. ....a lot of which even my wife's Forester is capable of handling (clearance can be an issue though).

It's just my opinion but I would rather have the on-road comfort of an IFS than the capability of an SA. ....I simply don't need it in my case.

JMO but I would give it some time for you to get familiar with your truck under various conditions first. You'll know soon enough if you need/want to start looking at an upgrade.

 

[ryantzor]

No doubt it would be more capable but it boils down to what you need. Personally, I'm not a hard core off-road guy myself. ....defintely no "muddin'" or rock crawling for me either. The terrain/conditions I would typically traverse is relatively dry trails (e.g. desert, forrest) and snow in the nearby mountains. ....a lot of which even my wife's Forester is capable of handling (clearance can be an issue though).

It's just my opinion but I would rather have the on-road comfort of an IFS than the capability of an SA. ....I simply don't need it in my case.

JMO but I would give it some time for you to get familiar with your truck under various conditions first. You'll know soon enough if you need/want to start looking at an upgrade.

Hell yeah thanks for the tips man. I love this forum! lots of great people here like yourself with good advice / opinions

 

[RonJR]

Good tires (you can fit 33x10.50x15's on there with minimal or no rubbing) and good driving will get you a long way. The 2nd gen 4runner is a pretty capable offroad vehicle right out of the box - good ground clearance, short wheelbase, narrow, good low gears.

That being said, the 2nd gen IFS doesn't have a lot of travel, so my biggest problem was deep diagonal water breaks across an uphill stretch of trail. The suspension would get crossed up, a wheel on opposite corners would lift, and I would stop moving.

I solved that by putting the Aussie locker in the front. Completely eliminates that issue, and the truck will pretty much go anywhere now. I think a locker is a better solution than the SAS, plus it's an easier mod. The SAS will reduce the wheel lift problem, but won't eliminate it. The locker will make wheel lift irrelevant.

But, I too would first encourage you to run the truck as is and explore its limitations based on your needs. It may well do everything you want.

 

[v_man]

Don't listen to any of these level headed responses...go solid axle!

Do you "need" it? probably not. Who needs anything these days? Do I need 700 channels on a 64 inch plasma screen while sipping a hand crafted Belgian microbrew ? Maybe, but it is nice!! Do it !

Don't be this guy ...