My '87 Daily driver

I love my bj spacers. I have my t-bars relaxed and I am able to run 33x10.50 bfg km2s. It rides great and handles really well. Very easy to install. I have a set of ome n98 shocks on order for the front which should make it ride a little better.
 
I run the same bj spacer and addaleafs with my 4"pro comp kit it is awesome. It gives me the little extra hight and with the tbars relaxed I get great ride quality on road and off
 
Thank you for the replies! I didn't think about longer front shocks, glad it was mentioned.
I think I will buy a complete bushing kit, tie rod ends, ball joints, and just tear the whole front end apart and go through it. At 240K miles, it probably wouldn't hurt and I don't want to pay for an alignment more often than I need to.
 
Surf89 said:
You mentioned in an earlier post that you were going to paint it next year. Are you going for the same color?
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It seems that nearly every T4R around here is either white, silver, or gray. I want something a little different.

Maybe this color?
 
Good looking runner. A word to the wise regarding add-a-leafs. I learned the hard way. If you don't add clamps, the add a leafs can pivot off the center pin. Both of mine pivoted to the right and one busted a shock and was less than a finger from the tire.

Buy Autocraft Leaf Spring Clamp Kit (1-Set) AC131401/13-140 at Advance Auto Parts

be sure to put thread locker on the clamps or the nuts will back off

I put one clamp on each side. One in front of the axle and one behind. So far it hasn't given me any problems. I keep mine on the street so far though.
 
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Kel Varnsen said:
Good looking runner. A word to the wise regarding add-a-leafs. I learned the hard way. If you don't add clamps, the add a leafs can pivot off the center pin. Both of mine pivoted to the right and one busted a shock and was less than a finger from the tire.

Buy Autocraft Leaf Spring Clamp Kit (1-Set) AC131401/13-140 at Advance Auto Parts

be sure to put thread locker on the clamps or the nuts will back off

I put one clamp on each side. One in front of the axle and one behind. So far it hasn't given me any problems. I keep mine on the street so far though.
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Thanks for the heads up. I was wondering how to go about doing it and was contemplating hose clamps, but that just seems cheap. I'll pick up a pair of the correct clamps!
 
I'm looking at buying a newer Tacoma for a daily driver. I sold my '86 to raise some $$ to help a family member and I'm really missing not having a wheeler. I was really looking forward to getting out in the mountains again. Since I'm buying a new DD, I've started collecting parts to do a mild build on the '87. It will stay IFS for now, probably for a long time. I hope to fit 33x10.5 tire and I just scored a front axle with new 4.88's and a Spartan locker! As soon as I find a good rear diff or re-gear my spare, I'll start bolting on all this stuff I've been collecting.

Will 33x10.5 fit with a 1.5" front bj spacer and rear add a leaf lift?
 
BoatRacer said:
I'm looking at buying a newer Tacoma for a daily driver. I sold my '86 to raise some $$ to help a family member and I'm really missing not having a wheeler. I was really looking forward to getting out in the mountains again. Since I'm buying a new DD, I've started collecting parts to do a mild build on the '87. It will stay IFS for now, probably for a long time. I hope to fit 33x10.5 tire and I just scored a front axle with new 4.88's and a Spartan locker! As soon as I find a good rear diff or re-gear my spare, I'll start bolting on all this stuff I've been collecting.

Will 33x10.5 fit with a 1.5" front bj spacer and rear add a leaf lift?
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Ball joint spacers tend to shove the upper a-arm closer to the tire, so if you've got too much backspace you might get some rubbing there. Something to keep an eye on.

I drove a truck with an automatic locker in front once, and that was enough to convince me that I'll never do that to my own truck, not even on a dedicated trail truck. You're going to find yourself going into 2wd just to make tight corners, and if you need to corner hard and have 4wd at the same time you'll be making 15 point turns. I'd yank that Spartan and put the front diff back to open. Sell it and use the fundage to get you closer to an ARB up there, and you'll be much happier. I guarantee it. :)
 
I've got a Spartan in the front of mine. Making sharp turns under power do require more effort, and attempts with 4wd engaged. However, for me, its not worth over $1000 to swap my Spartan out for an air locker. The Spartan is quiet, and engages smoothly. More so than the other lunchbox lockers I've used in the past. If it's in there, I suggest try, then if you don't like it, swap it.
 
Thanks for all the advise! I was looking for an open 4.88 diff when I came across this one for a great price. The seller warned me about the challenges of using a locker up front, but also praised the Spartan for it's benefits. I want to try it out first, I might try a twin stick setup with the single case and go to 4.7 gears in the future, that would help with the switch from 2 to 4WD back and forth.
 
Thats the exact route I have just recently taken. I had too good of a deal to pass up on a 4.7 Tcase and Bud Built crossmember. Since I was going to have to take it apart, I went ahead and ordered the twin stick. I've only wheeled it a few times since then. The twin stick is ok. I am glad I went ahead with it while it was out, but wouldn't pull the tcase just to install one. The 4.7 tcase however is great, and I've really been pleased with it.
 
When I put my 4.7 case in, I was warned I might miss having a 2.28 range. They were right, I do, and I'll put a doubler in eventually. But if I could only have one or the other, I'd take the 4.7 case every time.
 
KidVermicious said:
When I put my 4.7 case in, I was warned I might miss having a 2.28 range. They were right, I do, and I'll put a doubler in eventually. But if I could only have one or the other, I'd take the 4.7 case every time.
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I agree 100%. So far, I haven't really missed the 2.28 for wheeling around here(NC,VA,TN, all are tight technical and low speed), but out west(CO,NM,WY etc..) I will probably wish I had it, so I'll probably look towards a dual tcase after my engine swap.
 
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