The Smokey Build

[Rockdawg84]

So we put a full Icon vehicle Dynamics front and rear suspension on my wife's 4th gen and man is it wicked nice. So she had to drive smokey for a couple of days while I was getting alignments and such. She decided that I needed better rear shocks and who am I to argue :biggrin2: So I found a set of used king 2.5 remote resi shocks with compression adjusters for a FJ Cruiser. They fit perfect with the 8 wraps. They took a little work to get in and have the remote resi mounted and I will improve on the location in the future. I have to say they ride amazing and I can't wait to put them through their paces.

they are about 1.5" longer than the LC shocks they are replacing.

Smokey 38 by Sam Wright, on Flickr

 

[Rockdawg84]

Also I pulled the trigger on front and rear diffs from East Coast Gear Supply. Incredibly good to work with and they shipped my diffs the same week I ordered them. 4.88's with ARB's front and rear. Woot Woot. Also have taco lower ball joints and outer tie rods coming. So I figure I will do it all at once Diff, LBJ, OTRE, and CV boots, mine are torn.

Question: What are the best CV boots that are out there. I've read 930 cv boots will work or Silicone boots what is everybody running?

 

[spongerx]

This things gonna be a beast.... :hiding:

 

[fightman80]

Can't wait to see some pics of this all installed man!

 

[Rockdawg84]

This things gonna be a beast.... :hiding:

Can't wait to see some pics of this all installed man!

Thanks guys I really am loving this runner. gears and lockers shipped today. Gonna have to plan a major work weekend very soon. :cheers:

 

[Rockdawg84]

So My gears and lockers are somewhere between Mesquit TX and Tucson. Cant wait for them to get here. Woo Hooo.

 

[J-money$$$]

Question: What are the best CV boots that are out there. I've read 930 cv boots will work or Silicone boots what is everybody running?

My cvs dont last long enough for it to matter All of the replacement cvs seem to have really nice boots.

 

[Rockdawg84]

My cvs dont last long enough for it to matter All of the replacement cvs seem to have really nice boots.

LOL Hopefully the ARB will help save them some but I am starting to watch and pick up some trail spares just in case. I thought that my days of trail changing front axles were over after installing Bobby Longs in my 85 but these are much easier to do at least. :boxer:

 

[Rockdawg84]

So I came home to some packages today:frog::frog::frog:

First Taco Outer Tie Rod Ends and Lower Ball Joints. Nice and beefy I will take comparison pictures when I install them.


But best of all these were in the driveway.
Smokey 39 by Sam Wright, on Flickr

Front and Rear third's loaded with 4.88's and ARB Air lockers. Woo Hoo

These are going to go in together. It is going to be a long day but totally worth it.

 

[BigFishAllDay]

OH HAPPY DAY!!!! If I were in your shoes, I'd have been up late that night checking everything out. Picking up the diffs, putting them down, walking away, coming back and picking them up again. Looking at the truck, imagining what it might be able to do, picking up the diffs again.

Congrats Rockdawg! You sure know how to build 'em.

 

[Rockdawg84]

OH HAPPY DAY!!!! If I were in your shoes, I'd have been up late that night checking everything out. Picking up the diffs, putting them down, walking away, coming back and picking them up again. Looking at the truck, imagining what it might be able to do, picking up the diffs again.

Congrats Rockdawg! You sure know how to build 'em.

Thank you very much, that is high praise coming from you. You have one of the best put together 3rd gens I have seen.

LOL that is exactly what happened. I posted, then opened them and put them on the kitchen counter looked at the gear pattern opened all the little boxes and looked at everything. Took some more pictures of them on the counter. went out and layed under the truck and just looked at it. I came about an inch away from putting the rear third in. Would have been easy too since I can now change the rear diff without having to bleed the brakes. Wicked nice part of the rear disk conversion. My wife kept laughing at me and finally went to bed and left me to play. I laughed when I read the invoice that says I have to send my cores back within 3 weeks. Heck I already have the rear core boxed and ready to go. LOL. NO WAY I could look at these for three weeks, they are going in dang it. :driving:

Smokey 40 by Sam Wright, on Flickr

Smokey 41 by Sam Wright, on Flickr

Smokey 42 by Sam Wright, on Flickr

IMG_1579 by Sam Wright, on Flickr

IMG_1581 by Sam Wright, on Flickr


And today my new Puma 12v 1horse portable Air compressor came in. Gotta have air to lock those ARB's.
IMG_1582 by Sam Wright, on FlickrIMG_1583 by Sam Wright, on FlickrIMG_1587 by Sam Wright, on Flickr

 

[KidVermicious]

That's an awesome little compressor.

 

[BigFishAllDay]

NO WAY I could look at these for three weeks, they are going in dang it. :driving:

No kidding, you'd go mad! And not only is that a bad ass compressor, but I am confident that it has on it's surface the "Ultimate Horsepower Adding Sticker", even if it is just one.

UGH.. I keep scrolling down to look at the diffs. You're are a lucky man. Someday....someday....

 

[Rockdawg84]

That's an awesome little compressor.

I agree. I feel like I've read every thread on OBA and 12v Air compressors I could find on here, Mud, pirate, TTORA you name it. I feel very confident that it will work great. I am going to separate the tank and build a little mount in the back cargo area. A friend recently gave me an old construction Air compressor twin tank set up. I am going to mount the tanks under the rear where the spare was and then plumb from the interior to them to a dryer to the ARB's. Also will put a manifold in and put quick connects front and rear so tires can be filled and even run air tools in need be out on the trial. With a 100% duty cycle it should have no problem with anything I can throw it.

 

[Rockdawg84]

No kidding, you'd go mad! And not only is that a bad ass compressor, but I am confident that it has on it's surface the "Ultimate Horsepower Adding Sticker", even if it is just one.

UGH.. I keep scrolling down to look at the diffs. You're are a lucky man. Someday....someday....

They are a thing of beauty and I can't wait to get them in. We have been saving and waiting for quite a while. I've wanted to put ARB's in my 84 Runner for ever and now they are going in this. the 84 has a spool in the rear and Detroit in the front. And I traded a set of Stock wheels and tires for a FJ Cruiser, E-locked Rear axle that is going into my wife's 2003. We are a wheeling family.

P1010520 by Sam Wright, on Flickr

P1010524 by Sam Wright, on Flickr
IMG_0185 by Sam Wright, on Flickr

IMG_0273 by Sam Wright, on Flickr

 

[tbst]

Howd the install go today?

 

[Rockdawg84]

Howd the install go today?

It is not done. LOL Close but ran out of steam and went to bed and then today I worked till 9pm so another day is on the books. Got he front diff out no problem and picked up new CV axles with life time warranty from O'rilley Auto. I will reboot mine and carry them as spares. Work will be long again tomorrow but Thursday I have off and hope to have everything back together and on the road. Then I will plumb the ARB's and the Puma and it will be crawl city baby:banana::banana:

 

[tbst]

I am done listening to excuses!

When do you get to go to the trails and test it out? (After you finish it, obviously.)

 

[Rockdawg84]

LOL no more excuses. It's done and will be going to alignment tomorrow afternoon. Then hopefully test everything out on Sunday Afternoon. :guitar3:

 

[jblazy18]

hey rockdawg how much beefier are those Taco Outer Tie Rod Ends and Lower Ball Joints than the stock 3rd gen 4runners?.. i gotta do ball joints so i minus well go with whats beefier right?