Trail rig build

[lbhsbz]

Picked up this 4x4 5spd v6 yesterday for $3,000. The body is far from pristine, which is good...cuz I'm just gonna thrash it anyway.

It's a factory e-locker truck but someone has swapped in a standard axle...I found an e-locker 3rd with 4.88 in it for a good price, so I picked that up and I'll modify the housing to make it fit. Plans are 4.88s for the front diff with either a selectable or probably a true trac lsd to help save the cv axles. Seems "lefty" t-cases are a bit more expensive to gear than the old ones, so I'll have to bite the bullet there and buy a taco supreme from marlin. For now, we'll keep it IFS and run a OME lift to fit 33s, build my own tube bumpers and sliders, then wheel the hell out of it. I'll probably throw a winch on the front just in case.

The process will start shortly.

 

[sasaholic]

looks like a good deal for 3 grand. i have a true trac for the front i took out of my tacoma before i sold it. it has maybe 20 miles on the locker. (was only in the diff a few months and the truck was manual hub). if your interested hit me up

 

[tbst]

Take off those running boards!

 

[Hepar]

Good platform. Definitely sounds like you've got some good things coming.

 

[lbhsbz]

looks like a good deal for 3 grand. i have a true trac for the front i took out of my tacoma before i sold it. it has maybe 20 miles on the locker. (was only in the diff a few months and the truck was manual hub). if your interested hit me up

Pm sent on the true trac

 

[lbhsbz]

Running boards and arch moldings are goin on momma's daily driver (stock '96 2wd)

I'll get some tube next week and get to work on sliders. The plan is to have this thing trail ready in 2 weeks.....at least that's the plan..lol.

My old rig started life stock with 31" tires and true tracs front and rear, with 4.7 t-case gears. I think I had more fun like that than after I sas'd and locked both ends on 35s....made you work for it....so that's how we'll start out. Also, if anyone has any spare OEM used cv axles, I'm sure I'll need a few spares

 

[KidVermicious]

looks like a good deal for 3 grand. i have a true trac for the front i took out of my tacoma before i sold it. it has maybe 20 miles on the locker. (was only in the diff a few months and the truck was manual hub). if your interested hit me up

Are you serious? I just bought one. :rant:

 

[sasaholic]

Are you serious? I just bought one. :rant:

yep serious thats how it always goes

 

[lbhsbz]

Progress....and a small change of plans.

I had a hard time swallowing the $2000+ for a transfer case...so I found an FJ80 E-locker front axle for $1000....got it with the radius arms, steering, front springs, and panhard bar. I'll switch to a gear drive passenger drop t-case for half the price......called up inchworm and ordered a gear drive adapter, some 4:88 hp gears and install kit for the front diff, and a E-locker harness (yeah...credit card is sitting here smoking right now).

I'm gonna just build some radius arm mounts and panhard mount and run the radius arms off the lancruiser...maybe I'll make some new high clearance arms, maybe I won't. Goal is to get it on the trail, then make changes later as necessary. I've got a buddy who rebuilds steering gearboxes so I'll go see him after this weekend and see what he's got that might work. No highsteer for now, I'll just try to avoid killing the drag link I guess. Also gotta find a T-case

Dunno what to do for the rear, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Truck passed smog today with flying colors, getting the title transfered tomorrow. Everything should be here by friday...gonna be a busy weekend.

Total spent so far:

$3000 for the truck
$1000 for the axle
$400 for the rear e-locker third
$950 something at inchworm for all the crap I just bought.

trying to keep it under $7K...

 

[BigTuna02]

Good find!