SBR's '86 Offroad Build

S

swimbikerun247

New member
This is my first offroad vehicle build. I'm gonna try to do a little here and there until I get to where I want, so I thought I might as well go ahead and start a build thread. So in February I picked up this 1986 Toyota 4runner with a 22re and automatic tranny. 275k miles on the odometer, previous owner claims the motor was rebuilt 12,000 miles ago. When I purchased the truck, you would get a check engine light anytime you accelerated. Turns out it was the knock sensor that was disconnected. The truck was in good physical shape, good straight semi-rust free body and frame. The only rust is around the window trim and on the top of the cab. Traded about $800 worth of goods for her. Here are some pics of it from when I bought it:

For Sale pics:



Night I Drove Her Home:



Since I've got her, I've installed a new Kenwood Head Unit, Trail Gear Front Tube Bumper, Trail Gear Rear Tube Bumper, KillerToyTops Bimini Top, Fixed Check Engine Light, Optima Red Top Battery.

This past weekend I pulled the power steering box to rebuild with a kit. Also purchased a set of 63" Chevy Leaf Springs and a Ruff Stuff Specialties Spring Kit. And had a small brake leak from the left rear, so I replaced both rear wheel cylinders.
 
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Also about a week or 2 after I got the truck, I got stuck about an hour away from home when she wouldn't crank. After about an hour of checking connections and hammering on the starter, I guess we struck the starter just right and got her to fire up. Got it home, and pulled a starter from an 85 parts truck to replace the faulty one.



Pic of the knock sensor that was disconnected. You can see it looks like the old connector was broke off in the harness, had to pull it out and just plug it right back in.


 
Not a bad deal at all for an $800 trade! Let's see some pics of it with the bumpers and top on there.
 
4bt40 said:
Not a bad deal at all for an $800 trade! Let's see some pics of it with the bumpers and top on there.
Click to expand...

Thread'll be pic heavy before all is said and done. I'm gonna try to rebuild the power steering box and reinstall it. Then I can pull it out of my shop and get some updated pics snapped.
 
These are the best I can do at the moment while it's in my shop.

It was easier to work on the power steering box by removing the coolant and air box out of the way:

You can see the top here, also you can see where I uncrunk the Torsion bars.

Power Steering Box is gone for now, anybody know if the actual steering shaft is the same between an 85 and an 86? I'd consider swapping mine if it is, mine no longer compresses.

Pretty nasty power steering box, gonna clean it up b4 the rebuild. You can see where I actually bent the tube a lil bit pulling it out. Don't remember if that's the high or low pressure off hand.

And last but not least, a few new toys (ruff stuff specialties 63 chevy spring swap kit, 1.5" ball joint spacers, power steering rebuild kit, and another wheel cylinder.



Tried to install the trail gear bumper I purchased used, turns out one of the mounting brackets on the passenger side is bent a little. Need to straighten it out somehow for it to go on correctly.
 
Been awhile since I updated the thread, but been piddling with the Runner a bit lately. Swapped out the original seats for a set out of a 2nd gen 4Runner. Ripped out all the carpet and replaced it with an AutoCustomCarpets set of molded vinyl. The vinyl looks AWESOME, but was kind of a pain. It took quite a bit of trimming with a box cutter, but it's well worth it in my opinion. I also have the back end prepped for Raptor Bed Liner, just waiting on the weather to cooperate before I spray it in. Just got in my aluminum tread plate to replace all the panels on the interior. Tonight I traced out my cuts using the original panels. These will get cut out tomorrow and hopefully installed if I can score some quality hardware to screw it down in time after work. Thinking I need stainless steel self tapping screws, but kinda concerned doesn't stainless and aluminum not work well together? Any opinions

Also, power steering is now situated. Should be installing the 63" chevy leaf springs within the next month. Just waiting on my welder buddy's schedule to match up with mine.







 
swimbikerun247 said:
Been awhile since I updated the thread, but been piddling with the Runner a bit lately. Swapped out the original seats for a set out of a 2nd gen 4Runner. Ripped out all the carpet and replaced it with an AutoCustomCarpets set of molded vinyl. The vinyl looks AWESOME, but was kind of a pain. It took quite a bit of trimming with a box cutter, but it's well worth it in my opinion. I also have the back end prepped for Raptor Bed Liner, just waiting on the weather to cooperate before I spray it in. Just got in my aluminum tread plate to replace all the panels on the interior. Tonight I traced out my cuts using the original panels. These will get cut out tomorrow and hopefully installed if I can score some quality hardware to screw it down in time after work. Thinking I need stainless steel self tapping screws, but kinda concerned doesn't stainless and aluminum not work well together? Any opinions

Also, power steering is now situated. Should be installing the 63" chevy leaf springs within the next month. Just waiting on my welder buddy's schedule to match up with mine.

Click to expand...

I just got vinyl from ACC for my 3rd gen! I love it so far- you're right it was a pain haha
 
Just found out that I should be getting my rear spring hangers welded on Saturday. Quick question, any real reason to swap out the bushings on the Chevy springs?
 
Cut out both door panels and the 2 rear cargo panels today. Only got the passenger door panel installed though. Plan to install chevy leaf springs and install drivers side door panel and spray in bed liner tomorrow but I'll be impressed if I get it all done in one day.


 
Obviously, I haven't installed the roll bar, rear seats, passenger seat, and a couple side panels yet but you get the idea. I used Raptor bed liner and HIGHLY recommend it. I tried an idea I had to get a little more bumpy texture and I like how it turned out. You can do it alot more fine than what mine is. I only used 2 bottles of the 4 that came in the kit. Allowed for 3 coats and I have enough left to do the bed of my 02 Tacoma double cab now. Anyways, here are the pics. Vinyl could use a little cleaning.










 
In the middle of installing my Chevy 63 springs. Should have some pics up in the next week. The springs are installed but I'm waiting on my ubolt flip kit to arrive along with my new 12" Bilstein 5125s. I'm a high school teacher and actually have a student who's gonna help me weld in my shock tabs on the rear of the axle along with a new crossmember and shock tabs for the upper mount. The hardest part so far was removing the original upper shock mount (lots of grinding).
 
Finally got around to straightening out my rear bumper. It's installed now. I'll get some pics of it on once I get my ubolt flip kit on so I can pull the truck out of the shop.

The bumper's tougher than I expected. The guy who had it before me must've hit something pretty solid. I fouled it to a pecan tree with a tow strap, and used the come along and a chain to pull out the right arm of the bumper. Can't tell it but I have a swing set made out of phone poles, made a good brace for the comealong.

 
I think my CV boots are in pretty rough shape.



Replacing CVs, tie rods, ball joints, shocks, sway bar links, and idler arm. Adding BJ spacers.

 
Updated pics of my rear suspension. Still have to clean and paint a few things (mounts, shackle hangers, u-bolt plates, etc). Also cut off the stock rear hangers after taking the pics.











 
Several 4runner projects underway at the moment. I've completely replaced almost everything as far as the front driver's side suspension and steering goes. Now I've tore apart the passenger side (includes shocks, cv's, upper and lower ball joints, inner and outer tie rod ends, adjusting sleeves, idler arm, steering stabilizer, ball joint spacers, sway bar links, diff drop, and sway bar drop).

Also waiting on the spindle and latch from 4xinnovations to build a swing away rear tire mount for my trail gear bumper.

Have one last piece of tread plate to cut out and install along with throwing in the rear seats out of a 2nd gen.

Purchased a manual tranny and transfer case out of an 86 to do the conversion when I get the parts together and have the time.
 
So it's been 2 years sense your last post.... What's the truck look like now?

I just got an 87 4runner a couple weeks ago and am looking into doing a very similar rear suspension setup as what you've showed here.

Do you like that setup? Did you buy the shock mount setup or just make it and which bullies are those?
 
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