2003 LX: SAS...or Sell (1 Viewer)

[nukegoat]

I'd guess 30-40k. Depends on axles used, air lockers, tire size, etc... If you want to run huge tires ala @nukegoat style I doubt any shop would do it for less than 80k.

Most people are better off buying the nicest 80 series they can find; or waiting a few years until 105's become importable.

The cost of just parts under the Lexus is approx $32k in case anyone is keeping track. Probably 25k of that is the SAS componentry.

Axles, wheels, tires, suspension, steering, links, skid plates, bumpers, etc.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

The cost of just parts under the Lexus is approx $32k in case anyone is keeping track. Probably 25k of that is the SAS componentry.

Axles, wheels, tires, suspension, steering, links, skid plates, bumpers, etc.

You should've bought a Jeep!

Kidding aside, it seems stuffing a v8 in a 60 or 80 is cheaper than putting a solid axle under a 100! Also, I suspect in a couple of years you might be able to import a whole 105 for a little less than what it'd cost to convert a 100!!

 

[saucebox]

You should've bought a Jeep!

Kidding aside, it seems stuffing a v8 in a 60 or 80 is cheaper than putting a solid axle under a 100! Also, I suspect in a couple of years you might be able to import a whole 105 for a little less than what it'd cost to convert a 100!!

Loads cheaper. But I no longer have a 60 (sad face) and prefer the 100 platform to the 80 (except for the obvious...suspension).

A 60 with the 4.7 (and a conversion to coils) is about as close to dream vehicle as I could get, assuming I was stuck with North America parts only.

 

[AlamoCruiser]

so obviously my guesstimate was drastically lower than what it actually costs, but I’m curious how everything adds up? Skid plates and bumpers aren’t necessary for a SAS. I’ve done a SAS for an 87 Toyota pickup using a Dana 60, and it cost probably 6k max to put everything in. I know we’re talking LC/LXs, but the mechanical components are all the same general thing.
Please bear in mind I’m not flaming your build or anything like that, I think it’s sick. I’m just attempting to understand the economics of it all

 

[JOSHD]

so obviously my guesstimate was drastically lower than what it actually costs, but I’m curious how everything adds up? Skid plates and bumpers aren’t necessary for a SAS. I’ve done a SAS for an 87 Toyota pickup using a Dana 60, and it cost probably 6k max to put everything in. I know we’re talking LC/LXs, but the mechanical components are all the same general thing.
Please bear in mind I’m not flaming your build or anything like that, I think it’s sick. I’m just attempting to understand the economics of it all

Bracket kit - $2500 from Trail-Tailor
80 series axles - $2500 from Junkyard if you want locked axles.
Labor - 1 MILLION Dollars!

 

[saucebox]

so obviously my guesstimate was drastically lower than what it actually costs, but I’m curious how everything adds up? Skid plates and bumpers aren’t necessary for a SAS. I’ve done a SAS for an 87 Toyota pickup using a Dana 60, and it cost probably 6k max to put everything in. I know we’re talking LC/LXs, but the mechanical components are all the same general thing.
Please bear in mind I’m not flaming your build or anything like that, I think it’s sick. I’m just attempting to understand the economics of it all

No worries. 14K is everything. Wheels and tires were a little over 4K of that, the plasma cutter was something like $700. I also chose to rebuild everything and stick with 5 lugs, so there's a small pile of cash at Partsouq now to convert all that.

If you have the know-how to do the job already, you likely have the tools as well. I stabbed a V8 in a 60 series a long time ago, but making those two motor mounts was the extent of my knowledge before this. I borrowed that welder, and had a fabricator friend help me out getting things bent.

There's a ton of savings in there if you spec out cheaper springs, cheaper shocks, put off locking the third, and use the factory 80 radius arms instead of buying the DeltaVS arms (the Trail Tailor kit comes with plates for caster correction). That was my plan to begin with, but trying to put this all together during the pandemic meant I was either going to wait a long time for cheaper components or wait a long time for the stuff I actually wanted. It gave me another 6 months of saving up to just do it the way I wanted.

 

[nukegoat]

You should've bought a Jeep!

Kidding aside, it seems stuffing a v8 in a 60 or 80 is cheaper than putting a solid axle under a 100! Also, I suspect in a couple of years you might be able to import a whole 105 for a little less than what it'd cost to convert a 100!!

No because you'd still need to swap axles and better suspension etc. 80 axles meh

 

[Kabanstva]

No because you'd still need to swap axles and better suspension etc. 80 axles meh

Yeah because everyone “needs” to swap axles lol. Cmon man. Not everyone is trying to build a monster truck here with 50” tires.

 

[nukegoat]

Yeah because everyone “needs” to swap axles lol. Cmon man. Not everyone is trying to build a monster truck here with 50” tires.

I was disagreeing that it's cheaper to swap a V8 into a hundy, not claiming it was necessary. I think a proper motor/trans swap is more expensive, especially in CA

 

[UZJ105]

105s (any 100 series really) will also be 5 lug, so I doubt it.

Agreed on wheel choices though. There is one old SAS thread here where someone swapped both axles to get 6 lugs. Doing that would also get you a full-float rear, and the work won't be that much different or more difficult than doing the front SAS.

I was just having this conversation w/ @AJR. I have a 100 I'm looking to SAS this winter if all goes well. From what I understand, most people are sourcing front 80 axles and installing 105 hubs to achieve uniform 5-lug pattern all around. What is the reason one could not install 80 hubs on a 100 rear axle to achieve 6-lug all around? I have been told the 100 and 80 rears are basically the same.

 

[peacesells63]

I was just having this conversation w/ @AJR. I have a 100 I'm looking to SAS this winter if all goes well. From what I understand, most people are sourcing front 80 axles and installing 105 hubs to achieve uniform 5-lug pattern all around. What is the reason one could not install 80 hubs on a 100 rear axle to achieve 6-lug all around? I have been told the 100 and 80 rears are basically the same.

They are very different. The 100 is a semi float with 32 spline axles, the 80 is a full float with 30 spline axles.

The conversions to 6 lug have been either swapping in an 80 rear axle or re-drilling the bolt pattern on the rear shafts. I think both are a bad idea, since one requires big wheels spacers and the other one weakens the shaft flange. Plus, the 5x150mm setup is a lot stronger. There are a lot more wheels available in 5x150 than there were 2 years ago.

 

[UZJ105]

They are very different. The 100 is a semi float with 32 spline axles, the 80 is a full float with 30 spline axles.

The conversions to 6 lug have been either swapping in an 80 rear axle or re-drilling the bolt pattern on the rear shafts. I think both are a bad idea, since one requires big wheels spacers and the other one weakens the shaft flange. Plus, the 5x150mm setup is a lot stronger. There are a lot more wheels available in 5x150 than there were 2 years ago.

Thanks for the insight.

 

[Roosevelt T]

Cool build. Love the Hutchinsons in particular.

How much articulation are you getting?

 

[hoser]

I was just having this conversation w/ @AJRFrom what I understand, most people are sourcing front 80 axles and installing 105 hubs to achieve uniform 5-lug pattern all around. What is the reason one could not install 80 hubs on a 100 rear axle to achieve 6-lug all around? I have been told the 100 and 80 rears are basically the same.

I would certainly have the 100 series hub "filled and redrilled" to the 6 lug pattern. Also machine the hub for hub centricity. The rotors would also need to be drilled. Zero offset wheels will increase the rear track width by 120mm. As far bolt pattern strength, instead of the 80 series 12mm studs, use 14mm. 6x139.7 (14mm) coincidentally is the same bolt pattern and specs as the 2022 Tundra and 300 series.

 

[saucebox]

Cool build. Love the Hutchinsons in particular.

How much articulation are you getting?

TBH I have no idea. Getting it done took longer than expected (getting parts just sucks in a pandemic), so I've spent every free weekend out wheeling it since.

Seat of the pants answer: obstacles that were difficult (but doable) in IFS are now sort of a snooze. Some of that is just having all the tires on the ground at once haha

 

[Roosevelt T]

TBH I have no idea. Getting it done took longer than expected (getting parts just sucks in a pandemic), so I've spent every free weekend out wheeling it since.

Seat of the pants answer: obstacles that were difficult (but doable) in IFS are now sort of a snooze. Some of that is just having all the tires on the ground at once haha

I can believe it, haha! I'm not a huge lover of SAS for how I use my truck, but it is way nicer for heavy wheeling, theres zero doubt.

There was another thread bumped recently on this subject, 10ish inches of travel with the TT kit was mentioned - so now I am curious what people are getting.

 

[savirc]

Bracket kit - $2500 from Trail-Tailor
80 series axles - $2500 from Junkyard if you want locked axles.
Labor - 1 MILLION Dollars!

 

[White Stripe]

So what are people doing about the narrow width of the 80 series axle compared to the 100 track width?

 

[saucebox]

So what are people doing about the narrow width of the 80 series axle compared to the 100 track width?

It's custom axles or wheel spacers as far as I know. I used a combination of wheel spacers with the +1" the Hutchinsons gave me to get close to the stock 100 WMS measurement.

 

[nukegoat]

So what are people doing about the narrow width of the 80 series axle compared to the 100 track width?

Spacers on spacers on spacers duh