If I were to SAS.....

[xcmountain80]

If I were to SAS what would be the better method springs like Sonoran Steel with a Dana 44 or Coils like Campinglab with a FZJ80 axle?

I would still like interstate comfort with higher reliability and less maitenance than IFS.

Also what would my front end with 4.88's ausie locker and manual hubs be worth.

this always happens when you have a few, you end up playing the hypothetical game of "what if".

 

[brian2sun]

If you do leafs in the front with an old 44 Waggy axle, it's about the cheapest way to SAS. If you want to link it with coils (as with a LC axle or a Diamond, etc..), it'll be a lot more money, but it'll ride better and flex a lot more.

TrailGear has IFS elimination kits too. They're probably the cheapest you'll find.

It's hard to say what your front end is worth. A rebuilt 7.5" 4.88 diff w/ lunchbox (LockRight) from ECGS is $885 w/ no core. So I'd say your used similar diff is worth ~$650ish. But, that doesn't include the manual hubs.

Do you still have ADD with your setup? If so, I'd say another $2-300. But if you eliminated the ADD, it would be worth more.

 

[4-Ripcord]

I would be interested in the manual hubs...


Read this SAS guide on TW:
SAS Quick Guide & Cost... - Tacoma World Forums

 

[MDST]

I read this statement before:

" The advantage to using a junkyard Dana 44 is its cost. After pricing expensive aftermarket frontends, it's refreshing to find a complete Dana 44 for hundreds, rather than thousands, of dollars. This is the only advantage to using a Dana 44 frontend and even that advantage dries up as you install it and start upgrading to make your truck work.

First, the popular Dana 44 frontend to use is out of a Jeep Wagoneer. The Wagoneer frontend is too narrow for your Toyota SAS. This means you'll be using wheel spacers and negative-offset wheels to get the width where it needs to be. No problem, as spacers are cheap, right? Wrong! When you use spacers and negative-offset wheels that have less backspacing, you increase your scrub radius, making the truck very hard to steer. Instead of your wheels pivoting around a center point, they now swing around in an arc. Once you're in the rocks, you'll find that the added effort needed to turn the wheels is stressing your steering components, from the steering box to drag link, tie rod and ball joints. The addition of a hydraulic ram assist is now a must which is very expensive.

Next, the 44 is a low-pinion design that's 20% weaker than a high-pinion when used up front. You also cant get 5.29 gears for the 44, which is usually the gearing of choice, especially since you're retaining your Toyota rearend. There are no gears for the 44 that match the Toyota 5.29s within 3%, the maximum difference you can allow between front and rearend ratios. As you're scratching your head trying to figure a way out of this conundrum, add this to the mix: lockers are more expensive for the 44 than they are for the Toyota and you'll need to upgrade the 44 axles to hardened ones or you'll be twisting and breaking them in the rocks. The wimpy U-joints need to be upgraded, too. You'll want to do a high-steer setup, so you have to purchase new knuckles. Once you do, you'll find that the Dana 44 high-steer design doesn't provide favorable steering geometry, making it even harder to turn your wheels "

I have no experience with that but it serves as a reference!

Cheers

 

[JWaldz]

Everything you said above is correct... however with the right time, tools, and money you can make a good sas with a waggy44. The reason people go with them is time and money. It's easy to buy a waggy44, 'slap' it in where it's functional and upgrade the parts on it little by little. It's hard putting money in all at once. Sure I'd love to put a fully custom linked coil sprung diamond axle under my 4Runner, but for the price of it all I could buy a decent dedicated trail rig.

 

[mmml4]

I started out looking at the waggy 44 and after seeing what 400.00 was going to get me I quickly let the purist in me take over and found an FZJ80 front end. It has been a challenge at times but keeping it all Toyota is worth it to me. I also put the matching FZJ80 rear end in as well.

I am very close to having a Land Cruiser drive train (minus the engine) in my
4runner, I think a 4runner with an offset rear end has a nice cool factor. It has not been cheap or easy but it is what I wanted the way I wanted it.

With the Cruiser axles I get an upgrade in axle strength, brakes and stability due to the width, not to mention no need for wheel spacers. Just one mans opinion, to each his own.

 

[xcmountain80]

This is all good information gentlemen, I had another thread about resuspedning the 4Runner this year and it has me thinking (I'm not the only one right) http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/102512-going-up-re-suspending-3rd-gen-4runner-2012-a.html. I'll be calling Toyota today, or perhaps make an appearance and price out a couple things. I find it better and cheaper to open a commercial account with my local Toyota parts dept.

For a complete overhaul I was trying to weight the cost of IFS Vs. SAS but it still seems IFS will win and be more comfortable. I wasn't doing it for more capability as I have a locker, hubs, and a winch, if the trail goes beyond those I'm turning around.

Keep in mind other than the shocks and sway bar bushings most of these components have close to 300K on them. The stearing has gotten a bit sloppy and its time for the mandatory PM items.

To replace Either UCA's or replace upper ball joint and OE UCA bushings, lower control arms bushings and Tacoma ball joint , Tacoma our tie rod ends, 4Runner inner tie rods (might be easier to swap the rack which uses and enegery susp bushing. and get it from Autozone as apposed to the dealership). Bleed the power steering fluid and refill. The rear was done about 100K ago with energy susp bushings so it should still be ok.


Aaron