DouglasVB
Rising Sun Member
Is this what you speak of with regards to cutting and turning the knuckles? http://www.ih8mud.com/tech/soa/5.html
Interesting. I hadn't heard of this before.
Adventures in 4Runner'ing
- Thread starter DouglasVB
- Start date
Is this what you speak of with regards to cutting and turning the knuckles? http://www.ih8mud.com/tech/soa/5.html
Interesting. I hadn't heard of this before.
DaveInDenver
Rising Sun Ham Guru
Yes, that is cutting and turning the knuckles. Guys do this with going from spring-under to spring-over on Cruisers and to eliminate alignment issues with swaps. The axles like Toyota made them assume certain things about the frame/steering/suspension connection points that may not be true depending on how your SAS goes.
AxleIke
Hard Core 4+
Yup. Thats it.
Squishy!
Rising Sun Member
I never had a hot clutch issues before. My truck was pretty light and I was running a marlin heavy clutch too. I was only geared down in the diffs, so clutch skills were important.
ScaldedDog
Hard Core 4+
Ha! I understand...
Consider upgrading the steering arm studs as you build the front axle. Even if you are religious about keeping them tight - and it's a before-every-run maintenance item, IMHO - the stock ones limit the clamping force you'll need with big tires and spacers. Plus, you'll already have them when you decide to go to 4Ds.
Mark
DouglasVB
Rising Sun Member
Consider upgrading the steering arm studs as you build the front axle. Even if you are religious about keeping them tight - and it's a before-every-run maintenance item, IMHO - the stock ones limit the clamping force you'll need with big tires and spacers. Plus, you'll already have them when you decide to go to 4Ds.
I think you're talking about this mod? https://roundforge.com/content/article/ABBQT5NS/five-ways-to-upgrade-toyota-knuckle-studs/
Yet another thing to add to the list
ScaldedDog
Hard Core 4+
I just upgraded the stock studs to ARP ones. You can do the six shooters and all that, but the ARP studs are fine if you keep them tight, and way less expensive than knew knuckles.
Mark
Mark
DaveInDenver
Rising Sun Ham Guru
Yes, that's what he's talking about.I think you're talking about this mod? https://roundforge.com/content/article/ABBQT5NS/five-ways-to-upgrade-toyota-knuckle-studs/
Yet another thing to add to the list
Squishy!
Rising Sun Member
X1000
DouglasVB
Rising Sun Member
That awkward moment when you measure your garage and seriously question being able to fit the 4runner and associated equipment to do a solid axle swap inside during the winter all without scratching your girlfriend's car.
Now I'm not even sure if I can fit the 4runner inside in "my" bay due to the projection of the stairs into the garage space. Especially with lifting the truck up to put different springs under it, etc.
#TownHouseProblems
I'm working on horse trading for some shop space at my work for a week or so. Barring that, maybe I'll make my townhouse complex mad and do the job in the parking lot
The swap will still happen but it's going to be a bit more complicated now.
Unrelated to the swap: I'm planning to get the stinger welded onto my bumper today so I can clear coat it and mount it on the truck. This will be the first "judgeable weld" from my buddy that you can all check out. If it looks good, then I'll proceed with having him weld the sliders on sometime next week.
Now I'm not even sure if I can fit the 4runner inside in "my" bay due to the projection of the stairs into the garage space. Especially with lifting the truck up to put different springs under it, etc.
#TownHouseProblems
I'm working on horse trading for some shop space at my work for a week or so. Barring that, maybe I'll make my townhouse complex mad and do the job in the parking lot
The swap will still happen but it's going to be a bit more complicated now.
Unrelated to the swap: I'm planning to get the stinger welded onto my bumper today so I can clear coat it and mount it on the truck. This will be the first "judgeable weld" from my buddy that you can all check out. If it looks good, then I'll proceed with having him weld the sliders on sometime next week.
DouglasVB
Rising Sun Member
I finally got around to getting the stinger on my tube bumper welded up and the bumper installed on my truck yesterday. It looks pretty sharp! I'll have it at the meeting tonight so you can all judge my buddy's welding ability (he only did the stinger. The rest was manufactured by 4xInnovations.com).
My buddy welding yesterday. We can pull the whole truck into the shop or run extension cables out into the loading dock area for when we do the sliders. Probably won't be able to do those until October though due to schedule pressure at work. I'm thinking of buying the largest plug-in no gas cylinder needed Harbor Freight Special welder for home use although the equipment we have at work is really nice...
Putting on clear coat paint. I like the "wet raw metal" look. Probably should do a few more coats once I have the last few bolts I need to finish securing the bumper to the truck.
Installed with the four bolts that were holding the stock bumper in place. I need a couple more bumper bolts and a few other bolts from a hardware store to populate all of the positions where bolts can be installed.
Next up: purchase better recovery points (really isn't a good place on the bumper to put a recovery point) from 4Crawler or similar. Then... winch time.
I'm still debating between Badlands, Smittybilt, Superwinch, and Warn. Synthetic or steel rope. Wired or wireless remote. 8000, 9000, 10000, 12000 lb. THE DEBATE RAGES ON!
My buddy welding yesterday. We can pull the whole truck into the shop or run extension cables out into the loading dock area for when we do the sliders. Probably won't be able to do those until October though due to schedule pressure at work. I'm thinking of buying the largest plug-in no gas cylinder needed Harbor Freight Special welder for home use although the equipment we have at work is really nice...
Putting on clear coat paint. I like the "wet raw metal" look. Probably should do a few more coats once I have the last few bolts I need to finish securing the bumper to the truck.
Installed with the four bolts that were holding the stock bumper in place. I need a couple more bumper bolts and a few other bolts from a hardware store to populate all of the positions where bolts can be installed.
Next up: purchase better recovery points (really isn't a good place on the bumper to put a recovery point) from 4Crawler or similar. Then... winch time.
I'm still debating between Badlands, Smittybilt, Superwinch, and Warn. Synthetic or steel rope. Wired or wireless remote. 8000, 9000, 10000, 12000 lb. THE DEBATE RAGES ON!
Squishy!
Rising Sun Member
Weld in a hitch receiver in the front and get the same recovery you have in the rear. Or just throw a strap around one of the bumper bars.
DouglasVB
Rising Sun Member
That's better than directly attaching points to the frame?
DaveInDenver
Rising Sun Ham Guru
DouglasVB
Rising Sun Member
Just a wee little stinger. It'd barely prick the skin.
DaveInDenver
Rising Sun Ham Guru
I don't think it is, but it's not unusual to use a winch cradle and a receiver. My $0.02 is the more bolts and subframe steel in the winch mount the better. There's a lot of torque if the pull isn't straight on and that's not within the design intention of draw bars like that.
DaveInDenver
Rising Sun Ham Guru
In all seriousness, I wouldn't even use the term stinger. The hoop you added is highly useful. A lot of people don't like them and cut them off ARBs and stuff. But mine takes a beating and I know many times I'd have taken out headlights or a radiator without it.
DouglasVB
Rising Sun Member
I thought about going for a full wrap-around bar but didn't due to weight considerations. If I start finding myself in more situations where the headlights could be in danger, I might bend up some tube and weld on the full wrap-around hoop.
The full welded assembly is probably only a couple more pounds than the bumper and lower valence that I took off. Not bad!
DaveInDenver
Rising Sun Ham Guru
I like the full width and, you know, the best part is on the road in the winter. I cut pieces of aluminum mesh and zip tie them into the hoops. Haven't had a cracked headlight in years. Since I run Hella H4 housings that is nice, no more broken plastic clips and I can change bulbs from the back in 10 minutes when they burn out. I've always meant to cut proper expanded metal inserts and better clips but it's never happened.
Squishy!
Rising Sun Member
To Dave's point, a winch should be as close to inline with the frame as possible and always mounted directly to the frame.
Your bumper should eventually be welded into the frame to maximize strength. At which point you can strap from your bumper all day long. Most guys have their tow points welded to the bumper anyway