Photo Timeline of my 4Runner {LOTS OF PICS}

[J-money$$$]

What would be the issue with coilovers on a tube setup like this?

Dan is telling me there's no possible way it's gonna work without making his own, I think he's just being a little stubborn now.

Dont use a shock tower designed for shocks to hold up coilovers. Im sure you can make a descent shock tower with tube, and the material is not the issue. its just you will probably really need to think about how much stress that piece is going to see. Lots of people use tube, and many people run some sort of brace through the engine bay.

All i mean is dont buy some pre-fabbed SHOCK tower and bolt your coilovers to it.

and those all pro one will fit. That pic of that green truck is from my friend that works at all pro. Probably who you are actually emailing. That particular kit was installed at the shop by the shop welder. The spacing between that coilover tower and steering box is how it should be set up. Maybe you have a wrong piece but I doubt it.

 

[LINY4Runner]

Dont use a shock tower designed for shocks to hold up coilovers. Im sure you can make a descent shock tower with tube, and the material is not the issue. its just you will probably really need to think about how much stress that piece is going to see. Lots of people use tube, and many people run some sort of brace through the engine bay.

All i mean is dont buy some pre-fabbed SHOCK tower and bolt your coilovers to it.

and those all pro one will fit. That pic of that green truck is from my friend that works at all pro. Probably who you are actually emailing. That particular kit was installed at the shop by the shop welder. The spacing between that coilover tower and steering box is how it should be set up. Maybe you have a wrong piece but I doubt it.

Any idea how many inches he has between his steering box input shaft and the tower? Looks like a good 4 or 5 inches...

 

[LINY4Runner]

So here's what he's getting at...

The reason we have to place the strut towers so far forward is for ride height. Our plan with this truck is a 22" frame height, 35's and only 3 or so inches of up-travel. In order to achieve that, we had to push the axle and steering forward, in front of the oil pan sump. When the axle moves 3-4" forward, so do the strut towers. I'd never install them on an angle, not on a street-driven truck. So I'll have to make my own towers, braces and strut tower bar. Every build is different so there's no way to sell a "kit". They can sell brackets and pre-cut links and all that, but there should still be some engineering done during the build.

 

[slowpoke99]

:bump2: update???

 

[LINY4Runner]

:bump2: update???

lol it's gonna be a little while for the next update...need to cut the transmission crossmember out to put the link mounts up, need the new t-case in with the new crossmember to cut the old one out without potentially mis-aligning the drivetrain, need the top-shift kit to install the t-case and the top-shift kit is on backorder for another week or two...

 

[slowpoke99]

lol it's gonna be a little while for the next update...need to cut the transmission crossmember out to put the link mounts up, need the new t-case in with the new crossmember to cut the old one out without potentially mis-aligning the drivetrain, need the top-shift kit to install the t-case and the top-shift kit is on backorder for another week or two...

I figured you might still be gathering parts. Or forgot you were actually suppose to be building it! just keeping you on your toes.

 

[Illestreker]

Awesome build man, keep up the good work. Just curious, on average approximately how much would it cost if you dropped your truck off at a shop and said, SAS my truck with links please"? haha. Some place super legit that absolutely knows what their doing.

 

[slowpoke99]

Awesome build man, keep up the good work. Just curious, on average approximately how much would it cost if you dropped your truck off at a shop and said, SAS my truck with links please"? haha. Some place super legit that absolutely knows what their doing.

Hard to say what an "average" dollar amount would be because there are so many different variables when it comes to that type of build (type of axles, coil overs/spring rates, etc.). I'm into mine well over $6k and I'm running leafs plus i already had gears,lockers, winch, wheels and tires so that saved me at least $3k to start. But I also went with rear disc brakes and aftermarket axle housings. Plus you have to add shop labor to those costs. So if you figure how much more a link setup costs over leafs and you're gonna be looking at s***load of cash!!!

 

[LINY4Runner]

Awesome build man, keep up the good work. Just curious, on average approximately how much would it cost if you dropped your truck off at a shop and said, SAS my truck with links please"? haha. Some place super legit that absolutely knows what their doing.

I have a shop doing most of the major work, I'm doing a lot of the easy and Toyota-specific stuff (He's a Jeep guy). He's a buddy of mine so he's doing half-price on the labor.

So far I'm at;
Parts: $7200 (and I got a REAL good deal on the axle housing and tires)
Labor: $1100
TOTAL: $8300

I figure I'll be in the 9-9.5k range all said and done, ready to wheel.

I do believe if you were to just drop it off at a place like Addicted or All Pro, you'd be picking it up with a $12-15k bill easily for a 3-link, dual rate setup.

 

[LINY4Runner]

still waiting on that Top Shift conversion kit...seems everyone gets it from the same guy and its on backorder with no ETA. Wonderful.

 

[LINY4Runner]

Fed up with waiting for the Top Shift Kit, we are proceeding without it. Either Wednesday or Friday I'll be manipulating the shifter shafts into 2HI and installing the transfer case (in case the kit STILL isn't here in time for the truck to be rolling again) and proceeding with the link mounts and such.

Still don't have a strut tower plan, but we'll probably just notch them and weld in a section of tube to make it look finished. Either way there will be a strut tower brace that goes across the engine compartment.

I will NOT let [MENTION=56044]downpour11[/MENTION] beat me! :second:

Stay tuned...

 

[KidVermicious]

Any particular reason you have to have the kit? Do you have to have a converted forward shift, or would a factory top-shift case work just as well?

 

[downpour11]

lol now you'll prob be done before me! I'd get fed up too waiting for that top shift kit. Backordered and no ETA pretty much means a couple months to me.

 

[LINY4Runner]

Any particular reason you have to have the kit? Do you have to have a converted forward shift, or would a factory top-shift case work just as well?

My truck is top shift and the Turbo case is forward shift. I would need to modify the shifter by making the bottom half longer (because the forward shift shafts sit lower) and it would have to be reshaped because of the adapter plate it sits 1" further back and I'd have to reshape the top for it to come up in the factory hole. Factory top-shift gear cases are very rare from what I gather.

 

[KidVermicious]

Must be a regional thing. They come up for around $150 pretty frequently out here, but I bet shipping would be at least another $50 on top of that.

Anyway, just curious. I am not wise in the ways of 3rd gens and didn't know if there was something particular about the forward shift case that you needed.

 

[LINY4Runner]

Must be a regional thing. They come up for around $150 pretty frequently out here, but I bet shipping would be at least another $50 on top of that.

Anyway, just curious. I am not wise in the ways of 3rd gens and didn't know if there was something particular about the forward shift case that you needed.

Yeah the northeast is hell on cars, especially Toyotas...they just rust away to nothing and disappear...the west side of the rockies is where they're all still living

If you know of any top shift, gear-drive, 23-spline cases please let me know I wouldn't hesitate to pay $200 to get one asap

 

[KidVermicious]

Hell, I've got a spare gathering dust on my shelf. Lemme check on shipping, but $200 might work? PM me your ZIP and I'll see what I can work out.

 

[Snowy21]

I've got a friend here in central IN that i believe has one if you're interested and shipping from the west is a killer

*disregard, just heard back from him and he's using 2 top shift cases for his doubler setup

 

[LINY4Runner]

I've got a friend here in central IN that i believe has one if you're interested and shipping from the west is a killer

*disregard, just heard back from him and he's using 2 top shift cases for his doubler setup

thanks anyways dude!

 

[Rockdawg84]

Hell, I've got a spare gathering dust on my shelf. Lemme check on shipping, but $200 might work? PM me your ZIP and I'll see what I can work out.

you have a spare 23 spline top shift gear driven case laying around? Color me Jealous :guitar2: