John's 99 4runner rebuild/build

Got a new tag this year.

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Jumper cable plug

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It's official, did some real off roading with the 35's and they seem to do well. There was supposed to be 2 other trucks but they backed out so I took my wife and my 2 sisters on a trail ride. Went to a place called Hale Mountain on the Tennessee Alabama line. I was too busy to take pictures so I didn't get but a few.

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Did the TEQ symbol fit directly in where the old toyota symbol was?

The new badge is about a 1/4" larger all the way around than the sombrero. I know is sounds like a hack job but I just used some really good silicone caulk to attach it. I smoothed it out around the back of the new badge and it looks fine to me.
 
The new badge is about a 1/4" larger all the way around than the sombrero. I know is sounds like a hack job but I just used some really good silicone caulk to attach it. I smoothed it out around the back of the new badge and it looks fine to me.

You did a good job, it looks like it was a direct fit
 
Stumbled across this researching an FZJ80 axle swap for my 98. I miss my jeep and the pleasures of solid axle... Not to mention I have dumped a grand into my stock IFS and I still get steering wobbles....

My jeep was 3 linked in the front, with heims on all of the links except for the axle end, lowers. I loved it, drove so well I didn't need a steering stabilizer... I miss it now.

This 4runner is more pleasant in every way than my 94 Land Cruiser was... EXCEPT the security in the suspension. IM done with IFS... this will be my route as well.

Excellent build!! I see you are using ballistic fab a lot, have you ever checked out Ruff Stuff? I always used their heims, GREAT heims. I used ballistic poly bushings on my lower control arm axle ends....

Here are a few shots of my old rig.








You, good sir, have given me motivation to make this 4runner into something I like more!!
 
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I need your $ .02 on an axle swap my friend, would you say it is 100% okay to run a LC front, keep the 3rd gen rear axle, link the front and rear? [MENTION=61458]mmml4[/MENTION]
 
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I need your $ .02 on an axle swap my friend, would you say it is 100% okay to run a LC front, keep the 3rd gen rear axle, link the front and rear? [MENTION=61458]mmml4[/MENTION]

Just to clarify my build a little, I am a Toyota purist and I put together just what I wanted using as much stock Toyota that I could. There are other and better ways to do what I did but I chose this path.

The Land Cruiser axle is a huge upgrade from the mini axle that many use, the birfields are 30% larger and you gain almost 4 inches in width without spacers and it is better suited for our heavy 4runners. One downside is the only good steering option that will get the tie rod up front and out of the way of good lower link placement is very expensive. Another downside is it is a passenger side drop axle which is another pita expensive problem to deal with. Our trucks are driver side drop and when you change that you screw with everything at least in my case.

I see no problem with a link suspension front and rear.

As far as having a narrower rear than the front I really don't know. I personally don't like spacers but many people run then without issue so I guess it's just a personal choice.

As many on here have said push the IFS until it doesn't work for you. I seldom go off roading so I built this because this is what I wanted. I love off roading but I have little time for it but when I go I go with the confidence of a Toyota world class 4X4.

A solid axle swap is a lot of work so give it a lot of thought.
[MENTION=116060]FreshSeabass[/MENTION]
 
Just to clarify my build a little, I am a Toyota purist and I put together just what I wanted using as much stock Toyota that I could. There are other and better ways to do what I did but I chose this path.

The Land Cruiser axle is a huge upgrade from the mini axle that many use, the birfields are 30% larger and you gain almost 4 inches in width without spacers and it is better suited for our heavy 4runners. One downside is the only good steering option that will get the tie rod up front and out of the way of good lower link placement is very expensive. Another downside is it is a passenger side drop axle which is another pita expensive problem to deal with. Our trucks are driver side drop and when you change that you screw with everything at least in my case.

I see no problem with a link suspension front and rear.

As far as having a narrower rear than the front I really don't know. I personally don't like spacers but many people run then without issue so I guess it's just a personal choice.

As many on here have said push the IFS until it doesn't work for you. I seldom go off roading so I built this because this is what I wanted. I love off roading but I have little time for it but when I go I go with the confidence of a Toyota world class 4X4.

A solid axle swap is a lot of work so give it a lot of thought.
[MENTION=116060]FreshSeabass[/MENTION]

I hear you on pushing the IFS, unfortunately I am 2wd but I am going the route of a conversion because this rig is a single owner and the only owner was my father. It's a big treasure in my life. I am planning on the R150F>Adapter>Dual gear driven case to have the passenger drop so that is all taken care of. These parts are straight from Marlin crawler and I have consulted them. Was it very tough to put in the rear axle? The 4Runner I know is a 60" WMS and the LC is 63". I can acquire a full fj80 donor rig no problem. I would try to add the full hydro high steer right away.

I'd consider myself to be a purist as well, my aspiration is to build as close to an OEM SAS as possible so I only want Toyota axles and I would like to have the tried and true oem LC Coil sprung system. 3 link is really all that I want and I'm willing to be patient and do it right the first time even if it means acquiring parts slowly. I personally love the added strength of the HP FRONT.

Can you give me any additional advice? I've gone off of your build a bit and looked at Ballistic Fab's website to fins a lot of what I need.
 
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I really like the full float Land Cruiser rear and for me it completely eliminates axle seal a drum brake issues. I see it as a strength and braking upgrade in one.

I was concerned about the offset of the Land Cruiser rear until I ran across a guy going by 4low I think that was his username. He had a Tacoma with the LC rear and a rear center output t case and no problems. One other plus is that the ABS sensors plug right in to the 4runner wiring if that's important to you. I did find using the Land Cruiser parking brake cable a small challenge due to it being a good bit longer than the 4runner's.

One down side to the LC rear with the disc brakes is the 4runner master cylinder will not fully utilize the braking capacity. I had to put in a T100 Booster and 1 ton master cylinder.

The lower factory links on the LC rear are IIRC almost exactly on the same centerline as the 4runners just longer. The uppers IIRC were longer also but it seems like they were at a different angle but if you go to an upper third link it's kind of a moot point.

I would suggest you look very close at the bolt patterns of the drive shaft flanges as I made some mistakes in that area.
 
I really like the full float Land Cruiser rear and for me it completely eliminates axle seal a drum brake issues. I see it as a strength and braking upgrade in one.

I was concerned about the offset of the Land Cruiser rear until I ran across a guy going by 4low I think that was his username. He had a Tacoma with the LC rear and a rear center output t case and no problems. One other plus is that the ABS sensors plug right in to the 4runner wiring if that's important to you. I did find using the Land Cruiser parking brake cable a small challenge due to it being a good bit longer than the 4runner's.

One down side to the LC rear with the disc brakes is the 4runner master cylinder will not fully utilize the braking capacity. I had to put in a T100 Booster and 1 ton master cylinder.

The lower factory links on the LC rear are IIRC almost exactly on the same centerline as the 4runners just longer. The uppers IIRC were longer also but it seems like they were at a different angle but if you go to an upper third link it's kind of a moot point.

I would suggest you look very close at the bolt patterns of the drive shaft flanges as I made some mistakes in that area.

I want to try to find a driveshaft flange ported for multiple configurations and if possible just couple that to the t-case and then run the proper differential flange, any recommendations?
 
This build deserves 100% more popularity than it's getting. WOW. You did a frame swap and custom built nearly everything that didn't fit. That deserves serious recognition. gj man
 
I want to try to find a driveshaft flange ported for multiple configurations and if possible just couple that to the t-case and then run the proper differential flange, any recommendations?

Call or email www.CruiserOutfitters.com. They carry multiple drilled flanges as well as flanges that have not been drilled at all so you can drill them to whatever you need. They might have something that could work for this.
 
I need help from the young creative mindtrust here. I want to finish my corner protection but I only have access to square tubing and no bender of any type. I just got the 2x3 inch tubing under the pinch weld done and now it's time to finish. Wasn't there a bumper thread on here at one time? I was thinking a frame of 1" square tubing and maybe a skin made of 1/8" plate.

Thanks

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