Rethinking my SAS

Footofgod

Footofgod

New member
As the title suggests, I am rethinking my SAS plans. After looking at quite a few builds I don't think I like the additional height required. At my current height, there is very little that I can't crawl over.

My concerns are breaking IFS suspension parts with my 35" tires. Is there a way to beef up the tie rods, TREs, control arms and what not?

I've not done much research on long travel, but does it require the 3 additional inches (or more) of lift that an SAS requires?

I love my current height and I am sure that with better gearing and eventual dual cases I can slowly climb things with out banging up my steering and suspension parts. The size of my tires allows me to go over things without requiring a tremendous amount of flex.

If I stay IFS, I will go with a limited slip differential up front for "some" better traction.

Opinions and suggestions welcome.
 
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You're right, you don't want to do the sas. I'll take your front axle and use it on my 87 when I get it back.

We can do your sas and keep your spring hangars high and modify or build our own spring pack that will keep your 4runner as low as we can. I think we can do your sas and keep it the same height if not VERY close to what your current height is now.

But... if you want to beef up your steering we can do that too. We can build some tie rods using some tubing and weld on some bungs that are threaded for a larger fj80 joint. Then we can ream out your current spindles to fit the FJ80 tie rod end. We can make your steering darn nead bullet proof. Now your weakness still lies in your axles and with a locker up front you'll have more issues with them. Beef up your axles by buying some (forget the manufacturer) beefier axles but they're about a grand or so for the two front axles. Then as Hyde suggested, you still have the weaker 7.5" ring and pinon. That is something that you really cannot do anything about other than be ready to replace gears once in a while.
 
What was your original plan?
Click to expand...

Original plan was (is) Trail Gear 3" IFS eliminator kit with solid axle (which I have). After seeing 92-SR5's SAS (which is bad ass, don't get me wrong) and another friend locally, I don't want to be that high.
 
If you're set on the IFS, then pony up the cash for those serious aftermarket CV axles and put a full complement of Budbuilt goodies under it--then you can drive like Hummer people, flopping it onto the rocks and sliding down the other side without damage. I guess I just don't see why the minimum lift height of the SAS kits would be an issue--just add some wheel spacers to help offset some of it, and enjoy how the extra articulation helps to keep your truck nearly level over stuff your IFS would flop you on.
 
SV_Dude said:
You're right, you don't want to do the sas. I'll take your front axle and use it on my 87 when I get it back.

We can do your sas and keep your spring hangars high and modify or build our own spring pack that will keep your 4runner as low as we can. I think we can do your sas and keep it the same height if not VERY close to what your current height is now.

But... if you want to beef up your steering we can do that too. We can build some tie rods using some tubing and weld on some bungs that are threaded for a larger fj80 joint. Then we can ream out your current spindles to fit the FJ80 tie rod end. We can make your steering darn nead bullet proof. Now your weakness still lies in your axles and with a locker up front you'll have more issues with them. Beef up your axles by buying some (forget the manufacturer) beefier axles but they're about a grand or so for the two front axles. Then as Hyde suggested, you still have the weaker 7.5" ring and pinon. That is something that you really cannot do anything about other than be ready to replace gears once in a while.
Click to expand...

So you know me and my random habit of spitting out ideas with which I have done no research. What about using the IFS off a T100 or Tundra? Are they any stronger, or still just IFS?
 
Footofgod said:
Original plan was (is) Trail Gear 3" IFS eliminator kit with solid axle (which I have). After seeing 92-SR5's SAS (which is bad ass, don't get me wrong) and another friend locally, I don't want to be that high.
Click to expand...

We need to sit down and talk things over. I feel pretty confident that we can build your front spring hangars that have a low profile. We can build our own spring perches for the axle that will keep the springs nearly flush with the axle.

Doing the above is a lot more work but I think we can do your SAS and with building our own stuff keep the cost down while having a better product.
 
Footofgod said:
So you know me and my random habit of spitting out ideas with which I have done no research. What about using the IFS off a T100 or Tundra? Are they any stronger, or still just IFS?
Click to expand...

You're lucky this forum doesn't have a dislike button. I gotta ask an obvious question. How many times have you ever heard of an IFS swap? The reason is that even if they are stronger, it's still ifs which has limited travel, a LOT more work to fab upper and lower control arm mounts, diff mounts, drive shaft issues... way too much work for still an inferior product.
 
BucknutBob said:
I guess I just don't see why the minimum lift height of the SAS kits would be an issue-
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To be honest, it's just a looks thing. I understand the functional part of it would help my articulation, but I just don't like the way it looks. I love my height where it is right now. With lower gearing, I'd put the minnow on just about any trail just the way it is and not even worry.

I'll have to have SV Dude explain to me a little more about his ideas.

Researching the Total chaos kit too. I think with a long travel, I won't need any more lift and it uses stronger CV axles.
 
SV_Dude said:
You're lucky this forum doesn't have a dislike button. I gotta ask an obvious question. How many times have you ever heard of an IFS swap? The reason is that even if they are stronger, it's still ifs which has limited travel, a LOT more work to fab upper and lower control arm mounts, diff mounts, drive shaft issues... way too much work for still an inferior product.
Click to expand...

Ignorance is bliss!
 
t100 is the same as your 2nd gen, the middle is longer, not the A arms. Not sure on the tundra.

RCV is the bulletproof CV company I think
 
I guess if I keep the SAS plan, I want it to look like this:
 

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you don't have to go tall with a sas
at worst, you have to go ONE inch higher than a factory straight axle, by using stock springs, which is pretty damn low.

but, what would be better is some frenched in shackle mounts, and some raised spring hangers, so you could use an arched springs, and actually get some flex out of it.
 
RCV's for a solid axle are the same price or cheaper than RCV's for IFS. I know RCV's for a 44 are $1400ish and last time I checked, RCV's for IFS we're something crazy like $1600ish. I could be wrong, but regardless.

Could also just use 63's in the rear and an RUF up front or a 3" spring.
 
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nevada said:
you don't have to go tall with a sas
at worst, you have to go ONE inch higher than a factory straight axle, by using stock springs, which is pretty damn low.

but, what would be better is some frenched in shackle mounts, and some raised spring hangers, so you could use an arched springs, and actually get some flex out of it.
Click to expand...

More detail? I'm a bit stupid. Hence the reason I can ask this here and I am not on Pirate.
 
Footofgod said:
Researching the Total chaos kit too. I think with a long travel, I won't need any more lift and it uses stronger CV axles.
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity, I looked up that Total Chaos system, and guess what--you get 3-4" of lift with that, too. Plus it's expensive, probably more than putting the SAS under the truck. Food for thought...

p.s. One other thing with the long-travel systems--they just look kinda weird, with the front tires sticking way out on those longer control arms. My opinion, anyway.
 
Frenched means to cut into the frame and mount the springs inside of the frame. Then you would reinforce the frame around the mounts so the frame isn't weak in that area. For a front spring setup that is not necessary because the front hangar can be mounted an inch or two in front of the frame. The rear shackle is already drilled into the frame so there really isn't anything to "french" into the frame for the front.

The rear can be frenched in on the frame though. Did you think that my 87 was high? I think that your 4runner is no lower than my 87. So if you're comfortable with that height then there is no reason to start cutting into your frame.
 
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