89trailrunner Project Double Duty

[NE-89-4Runner]

Decided to start my own build thread, it will probably take me a little while and a few posts to catch up to today... but for now, here's what I started with, an 89 4Runner, originally from FL, bought from eBay and shipped to RI. Objective is a capable rig that I can still drive to work everyday, it is my only vehicle.
None of the typical New England rust



Not knowing the history of the engine with 157K on it, I decided to do the timing belt, front main seal, and valve cover gaskets. When disassembling for the timing belt I found that it had jumped a tooth:





Needless to say that was corrected, along with another crankshaft pulley. Mine was spun, the outer pulley had separated from the inner portion, meaning that when the camshaft pulleys were aligned, the crank pulley would not show that it was on TDC... making it impossible to set timing.

[NE-89-4Runner]

Next was gears. Got a used factory 4.88 rear for $100 on Craigslist, and a $100 front from someone on 4x4wire. Ordered the solid pinion spacer from Trail Gear, and a Lockright. My pattern seemed a little off to me (before teardown), but ZUK (gearinstalls.com) told me that if it was set up that way from the factory to run it. It was a little tight, but should be OK (About 18K miles later, I'd say he was right - zero issues). I tightened up the carrier bearing preload and put it in.

[NE-89-4Runner]

Then I found plans for a budget tube bender on eBay (www.gottrikes.com).


Can't say enough about how great this bender is, you'll see some of the stuff it produced in following posts...

First (and easiest) thing on the list was sliders:









plenty of offroad pinstripes!

[NE-89-4Runner]

Time to ditch the stock/aftermarket springs and lift blocks for something a little more stout.



The beautiful shackles:





Out with the old and in with the new...



Lots of grinding later to get rid of the old shackle hangers and replace with new

[NE-89-4Runner]

Rear bumper as it looked:


complete with MI ORV sticker ;D


Bumper removed before brackets were cut from the body


wish i had taken a pic of my trailer hitch before it was torched off, but this is what I left on to use as part of the attachment to the frame.


these pieces of plate will be welded to what was my trailer hitch, with 4 additional tube supports under the truck welded to the frame.


Then I measured and bent up some tube


to attach to what I salvaged from the trailer hitch for a receiver

[NE-89-4Runner]

On to the rear bumper.

Side supports cut and notched


tacked in place


all tacked up ready to be welded

[NE-89-4Runner]

endcaps:


bumper mock-up before paint


finished product






on a side note...

[NE-89-4Runner]

Out with the old:




and in with the new:


flowmaster 40 series muffler, welded to a factory pipe coming off the cat, running straight out the back through 2 1/4" pipe, all welded...
added a factory style roundbar hanger forward of muffler, and a universal hanger at the tailpipe bolted into one of the factory holes for the original rear bumper.





positioned the rear hanger tilting foward to keep it further from my shackle:

[NE-89-4Runner]

Then more parts arrived:

V6 to gear case adapter


10 degree clocked adapter


23 spline 4.7 gearset


two gear cases, and marlin triple drilled flanges. top shift for the rear 4.7 install on the left, 23 spline turbo case for the reduction box on the right

[NE-89-4Runner]

rear case torn down, case being cleaned


case clearanced for 4.7's

[NE-89-4Runner]

rear case finished, on to the crawl box

[NE-89-4Runner]

pic for myself for reference and anyone who is going to want to do the same thing.



fork shift getting ready for modification

[NE-89-4Runner]

the forward shift rail and fork is now a top shift rail and fork, modded as described previously

pre weld:


fully welded up:


cases finally assembled:


Now it's just a matter of the crossmember, driveshafts, console, time, etc...

[NE-89-4Runner]

then started on the front winch bumper... ;D

[NE-89-4Runner]

bumper done, at least to the point where it is on the truck. still needed to add two braces from the ends to the frame where it will be welded. I fully reinforced the front crossmember similar to the fror brace, and added a length of 3" angle iron above it with holes drilled in it and nuts welded to the back to replace the factory upper bumper mounts... just need to add tabs for my hella's







was happy with how it came out... then ordered the winch to fill in the hole...

[billybob13]

nice build. and nice thread too. everything clean with good pics... you sir, are multi-talented.

[blackrider]

ya i was going to say something like that also.....
only thing i can add is maybe adding some diagonals to the rear bumper;
from the receiver to the frame rails...
if you pull hard at an angle something will bend....

[NE-89-4Runner]

then obviously the next thing is a SAS...
housing to be modified for an e-locker, regeared to match the rear

axle as it arrived:


elocker torn down:


Yukon 4.88's, solid spacer, trilpe drilled flange and setup kit from Marlin:

[knixen]

Nice build! Good skills!!

x2 on reinforcing the rear bumper...

[NE-89-4Runner]

Originally Posted by knixen

Nice build! Good skills!!

x2 on reinforcing the rear bumper...

There is going to be more bracing underneath - two pieces coming from the rear of the center tube near the hitch receiver to the inside of the framerails, and a piece on each side wing going up underneath to the outside frame rail. I've got them cut and fitted, just haven't put them on yet...

[NE-89-4Runner]

spring perch took a little grinding to get proper fit for the u-bolt.







using housing as a guide for drilling to mark center for pilot holes



two short stud pilot holes drilled, marked for the long studs to see where to weld additional material



lots of welding/filing/fine tuning here

[NE-89-4Runner]

e-locker carrier with new bearings and ring gear installed



axle housing mods finished for the e-locker...

[NE-89-4Runner]

Set up the front diff, first attempt with .077 pinion shim revealed this pattern:

drive side:


coast:


A tad deep, but not too much. If it was the rear I would have tried again, taking off a couple of thou, but being the front I let it ride.

[Mawnov]

Dam fine Job! Excellent job so far, keep it up!

[smewhtguy]

Very nice work sir.