Sam's Tandem build

sam24th

sam24th

New member
So ever since picking up my 84 Pickup a couple years ago, I've been wanting a 4runner to replace my jeep Cherokee. Well I finally had a chance pick up a 1989 4runner about a month ago and after selling my Jeep Cherokee have been happily driving my 2 toyotas around. I figured it is about time to make a build thread for both of my 2 beasts on here. Hence the Tandem build thread title.

So I little background about myself:
I am currently in school at UNCC as a Mechanical Engineering Student and live in Charlotte, NC. Pretty typical college student, broke, little to no time, studying my arse off, but I try to make do with what I got. I enjoy the outdoors,camping the scenery etc. I have owned several vehicles through the years, 98 Dakota EXT, 97 Acura CL, 85 Firebird, 94 Jeep Wrangler, 90 Jeep Cherokee, and of course my favorites, the 84 Toyota Pickup, and 89 4runner.

Anyways enough rambling about myself, here are my 2 trucks in their current state:


The 1984 Pickup was pretty much stock when I bought it, I have since added several items to make it more capable offroad. This will be my main offroad rig and camping expedition/type rig. Specs:
-Rebuilt 22r bored .20 over and 5speed manual trans
-LC Engineering Header
-Stainless steel exhaust with aftermarket cat and magnaflow muffler
-2.5inch Old Man Emu lift
-Trail Gear lift shackles
-4.7 Tcase and twin sticks
-V6 calipers and brakes
-Addicted offroad front bumper with stinger
-canback soft top
-33inch Goodyear Wranglers on ion alloy faux beadlock wheels
-homemade sliders
-homemade roofrack
-doorless mod and custom made half doors with soft skins






And of Course we can't forget about my 4runner, after all this is a 4runner forum. Everything on the 4runner was done by the previous owner, Its a tad on the tall side. I kind of hate to say it, but shes probably just going to be a mall crawler for the most part. I can still make it look badass though can't I? Future plans involve building a tire carrier for it, building a front bumper, roofrack to carry my mountain bike and kayak, and possibly taking the bodylift off. I would really like to SAS it one day, but its not in the budget anytime soon and Id hate to cut up my rig to do it. Current specs as she sits:
-3.0 V6 with 5speed transmission
-Superlift 4inch front lift
-Trailgear rear springs
-3inch body lift "ugh, I kinda hate it but its gonna stay for now"
-sliders (unknown manufacturer, custom maybe?)
-Dick Cepek DCs
-35inch BFG MTs KM2
-5.29 gears front and rear
-ARB aircompressor
-ARB front air locker
-ARB rear air locker
-K&N air filter

As always any questions or comments are welcomed!





 
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Mall crawler?! Please don't let it suffer THAT indignity, especially with air lockers and all those goodies ready for the trail. Get that beast out in the dirt and rocks and have some fun...and take some pics to make us all jealous, too!

Not sure what kind of "build" thread you'll have--those rigs look ready for bear already.
 
This is what I was hoping to see when I saw "tandem build" except in a 4runner.

ary7u3ag.jpg


Oh well...
 
Those are two good looking rigs man. Both seem nicely built. I would totally drop that body lift off the runner and go to the 33 tire and wheel the heck out of that IFS :biggrin2:
 
I've been through your pickup build on TTORA, very nice work. Ditch the body lift on the runner. Give me a shout if you want to meet up around Charlotte.
 
Ah trust me I plan on ditching the bodylift once I have a chance to. Probably not till summer though since I drive it almost daily and dont have time to slice the sliders off and remount them.

So you guys are probably wondering why I threw the Pickup on here and what else is there left to build on it since she looks well ready to tackle mostly anything. Well since picking up the 4runner, I want to turn my pickup into more of a trail rig now. So future plans on the pickup are dual cases even though it has a 4.7 case in it now, 5.29 gears front and rear, lockers, longs and chromo shafts. I also plan on ditching the OME lift and going to a trailgear 4inch spring to get it to flex a little better. I also still need to do a rear bumper and a few other odds and ends.

Oh and a little side note, I just picked up a new fornt axle for the pickup today about an hour ago. It has 5.29s in it, chromos, and a lockright already installed. :biggrin2: And don't worry I didn't forget to get pics. its just sitting in the back of the pickup right now and I havent had a chance to get it out yet.
 
Last edited:
ajohnson85 said:
I've been through your pickup build on TTORA, very nice work. Ditch the body lift on the runner. Give me a shout if you want to meet up around Charlotte.
Click to expand...

Sure man I'd love to have a look at the runner upclose sometime. Still trying to meet new Yota guys to wheel with. I am still wheeling with the old Jeep Crew and all of them seem to get stuck :P

As you can see I am kinda the odd man out here.
 
sam24th said:
Sure man I'd love to have a look at the runner upclose sometime. Still trying to meet new Yota guys to wheel with. I am still wheeling with the old Jeep Crew and all of them seem to get stuck :P

As you can see I am kinda the odd man out here.
Click to expand...

Haha, yea you need to hang with the cool kids. I'll try to let you know next time I head to URE. A few of my yota buddies were there this past weekend, but I was in VA.
 
Welp a bit of an update. Found out my idler arm is worn out on the 4runner, so I ordered a new one from rockauto and it arrived today. Also cleaned up the new axle and prepped it to install in the pickup tomorrow. Basic rundown of whats in the axle:

5.29 gears
lockright locker
Chromoly shafts
longs chromoly hub gears
aisin hubs

I plan on ordering another set of 5.29 gears and master install kit to do the rear myself soon.


 
so front axle swap was a SUCCESS! got her torn down this morning and prepped it for the install of the new axle around mid afternoon. It started to rain when I installed the hubs, but all is good. We threw the spare 35 from the 4runner on the pickup for shits and giggles and I do have to say the truck looks pretty mean. Now to re-gear the rear and ill be set. Also found time to replaced the idler arm on the 4runner.




 
Welp ordered some goodies for the pickup. I got a painless wiring harness for dual battery. Also placed an order for 5.29 gears and 2 trail gear diff covers. Just waiting for those to show up now.

 
Well good news is my new third member is in the mail along with some diff guards. Bad thing is its coming from California so itll be a week almost. In the meantime I ordered some new goodies from Amazon. I already have a Cobra 29 in my pickup, but wanted a dash mounted one so I can give my passenger more floor space. So I got a cobra 18 dual watch. And all the gear to wire up a CB in my 4runner. Plan is to move the 29 to my 4runner and put the 18 in my pickup. Updates soon to come as more parts start rolling in.

 
Got more goodies from the brown santa today! Started tearing into the rear axle today to install my new 5.29 rear. Also began welding on my rear diff guard. Tomorrows plan is to get my front diff guard welded on and then fill up the rear diff, bleed the brakes and go for a test drive. Trying to get everything installed by Sunday for a URE trip with Dorton and Andy.




 
I got a ton done today in preparations for tomorrow's wheeling trip. Got my diff guards welded on and painted. Finished swapping in my 5.29 third in, bled the brakes, filled it up with gear oil and went for a test drive.


 
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