Tye's '87 Runner Build and repair thread

mytyeerinpie

mytyeerinpie

New member
Well I thought I would throw up a thread for my SLOOOWWWW and I mean slow build. Here's the pictures from when I 1st got it.

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Yesterday and late the night before, I pulled the tranny and put in a new clutch. While I was doing that this showed up right on time from SV_dude

IMG_0679.jpg~original


And I absolutely hated the nasty fabric pleather crap that was in the center console around the shifters, so I found this in the box that came with the '87 full of spare parts and threw it in I just need to figure out a way to make it look pretty.

IMG_0680.jpg~original



Hopefully soon I'll find some 33"s to put on it at a decent price so I can hit the trails. Then after that I plan on a Add a Leaf, my buddy has one he said he'll give me, and ball joint spacers. My ball joints are shot as it is so when I replace them I'll do the spacers.
 
Oh yeah and I gotta get some stickers too, I don't know why but 1st gen's just scream for decals and stickers. I might pull the trim from around the rear wheel wells today and see how bad the rust is. After I clean my absolutely filthy garage today its nasty as hell after that clutch job.
 
Give a shout when you're ready to play--Perry, Nic, and my brother are game! Wish I had a lead on some 33's for ya'. With you, we'll have everything but a 5th Gen in our Black Hills crew!
 
NICE! Well I might be down to go this weekend. I would have gone to get a trails sticker today but the garage was so dirty I had to clean it before my wife killed me and hid me in the mess in there.

Well on a side note I ordered the Ball joints and spacers from Roger at 4crawler. Hopefully the weekend after next it'll be on like donkey kong, adding leafs and spacing joints.
 
I wish I knew it came in a box of parts that came with the truck when I got it. I really need to make it look nice and make it so my crap cant fall in the trim on either side too.
 
There should be a metal plate that attaches to your floor boards with 6 phillips screws. That rubber boot screws under that plate in between the floor board and that plate. Then get a nice leather boot that snaps into the plastic surround :)
 
SV_Dude said:
There should be a metal plate that attaches to your floor boards with 6 phillips screws. That rubber boot screws under that plate in between the floor board and that plate. Then get a nice leather boot that snaps into the plastic surround :)
Click to expand...
That particular boot is way too small to fit where its supposed to go. So I want to use it there, those leather ones seem crappy and attract a ton of dirt
 
In talking with one of my friends he suggested to keep the ifs in the front since I am not goin for crazy rock crawling, just weekend trails. So what is the best way to upgrade the ifs to make it strongest? Maybe get a little lift out of it.
 
mytyeerinpie said:
In talking with one of my friends he suggested to keep the ifs in the front since I am not goin for crazy rock crawling, just weekend trails. So what is the best way to upgrade the ifs to make it strongest? Maybe get a little lift out of it.
Click to expand...

You've really got 4 options when it comes to lifting an IFS, some of which can be used to at the same time if you wanna get retarrded lift.

Bracket lift - This basically extends the lower a-arm mounting location, and replaces the factory spindle with a longer one. Very expensive.

Ball joint spacer - This is a block of machined aluminum that inserts between your upper a-arm and the ball joint. Very cheap.

Torsion bar twist - You don't have leaves or coils in the front, you've got a torsion spring. Cranking it up gives you more lift. It also reduces travel in your front suspension and harshens the ride, exactly like putting stiffer springs in a coil suspension setup. Free.

Long-travel suspension - replaces the a-arms with custom components, pushing the front wheels out farther from the truck. Because they travel on an arc, this also has the effect of lifting the truck. Very expensive.

Whatever you do, plan on lowering your front differential if you lift more than 1.5 to 2 inches, or you'll run into trouble with CV angles. Hope this helps.
 
mytyeerinpie said:
In talking with one of my friends he suggested to keep the ifs in the front since I am not goin for crazy rock crawling, just weekend trails. So what is the best way to upgrade the ifs to make it strongest? Maybe get a little lift out of it.
Click to expand...

Depends what you are looking to build.

What size tires do you have now?

What size do you plan putting in?

These weekend trails, if you've done them already, with what lift and tires, or if not what are other guys using for lift and tire height.

You'd be surprised where you can go with 31-32" tires squeezed in and no lift. Maybe 33" with trimming. Especially if you're not trying climb enormous rocks.
More than a few guys around here are big fans of big tires, and no lift.

The 1st gen already has a good approach angle since it is with out modern trucks low hanging plastic trim on the bumper.

Maybe just 32" and rear locker could be even better than a huge lift and 35+ for you. This probably increases or at least keeps more of the reliability.
 
KidVermicious said:
You've really got 4 options when it comes to lifting an IFS, some of which can be used to at the same time if you wanna get retarrded lift.

Bracket lift - This basically extends the lower a-arm mounting location, and replaces the factory spindle with a longer one. Very expensive.

Ball joint spacer - This is a block of machined aluminum that inserts between your upper a-arm and the ball joint. Very cheap.

Torsion bar twist - You don't have leaves or coils in the front, you've got a torsion spring. Cranking it up gives you more lift. It also reduces travel in your front suspension and harshens the ride, exactly like putting stiffer springs in a coil suspension setup. Free.

Long-travel suspension - replaces the a-arms with custom components, pushing the front wheels out farther from the truck. Because they travel on an arc, this also has the effect of lifting the truck. Very expensive.

Whatever you do, plan on lowering your front differential if you lift more than 1.5 to 2 inches, or you'll run into trouble with CV angles. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Well, I have ball joint spacers on the way, and I don't want to get too expensive so I will se what I get with those and a Addams leaf
 
CAN-03runner said:
Depends what you are looking to build.

What size tires do you have now?

What size do you plan putting in?

These weekend trails, if you've done them already, with what lift and tires, or if not what are other guys using for lift and tire height.

You'd be surprised where you can go with 31-32" tires squeezed in and no lift. Maybe 33" with trimming. Especially if you're not trying climb enormous rocks.
More than a few guys around here are big fans of big tires, and no lift.

The 1st gen already has a good approach angle since it is with out modern trucks low hanging plastic trim on the bumper.

Maybe just 32" and rear locker could be even better than a huge lift and 35+ for you. This probably increases or at least keeps more of the reliability.
Click to expand...


I have 30"s now but they are pretty much shot, so I am searching for 33"s. I might have found some though my buddy might sellme. I forgot about the locker I guess I 'll do that next. Thanks for the help, Romney that note where to get a locker and which one is best to get?
 
mytyeerinpie said:
I have 30"s now but they are pretty much shot, so I am searching for 33"s. I might have found some though my buddy might sellme. I forgot about the locker I guess I 'll do that next. Thanks for the help, Romney that note where to get a locker and which one is best to get?
Click to expand...

You'll have to trim to stuff 33s in there, even with a spacer lift.

I'll suggest to you what I suggest to everybody else, though - before you worry about a lift, get some rock sliders and a belly skid and go hit some trails with your stock rig. A stock 1st gen can follow a base Wrangler anywhere, and will leave a stock Cherokee in the dust. It will go places you're not good enough to take it, I guarantee! ;)

Here's your upgrade list:

Rock rails
Belly skid
Recovery gear
Lift
Tires
Gears

Then if you still have money burning a hole in your pocket, you can start thinking about lockers and bumpers and winches and dual cases and such. I made the mistake of lifting mine first, before I knew what I wanted, and it's costing me.
 
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