31's + Stock Birfield + Lockers =?

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liljlandon said:
So is it best to adapt the chevy transmission to the toy case or the toy tranny to the chevy motor?
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you're asking the wrong guy,,,I'm a purist...:D
 
could swap in a 3rz...thats what Marlin from Marlin crawler has in his...or if you want more power get a 3.4 toyota...need more than that TRD makes a supercharger.
 
I've been running lockers front and rear for about two years now on 31 inch Swampers. I *really* like it. Sure, I have no ground clearance, but I've got tons of traction, so as long as I can get one of my go cart Swampers onto something, I can scrape my way up and over. I have had zero problems with breakage, and I've been heavy on the throttle at times(as slow as possible, as fast as neccesary). I've even been in the classic birf breakage positions(downhill, turned to lock, reversing with all the weight on the front end). It took me some practice, but I can get the front to unlock. I've found that if you bump the throttle while turned, you can get it to ratchet around the turns. I've run it at Tellico several times with the just the rear locker, and having the front locker really did make a lot of difference. You won't be disapointed with just a rear locker, but locked at both ends is just insane. I can't hang with the tube buggys on 38's and up, but I do surprise a lot of people. This is all on my '71 40(w/ '77 birfs), so I would think your mini would be just fine locked up front. Oh, and power steering is for sissys.
 
35inchoverdrive said:
I've been running lockers front and rear for about two years now on 31 inch Swampers. I *really* like it. Sure, I have no ground clearance, but I've got tons of traction, so as long as I can get one of my go cart Swampers onto something, I can scrape my way up and over. I have had zero problems with breakage, and I've been heavy on the throttle at times(as slow as possible, as fast as neccesary). I've even been in the classic birf breakage positions(downhill, turned to lock, reversing with all the weight on the front end). It took me some practice, but I can get the front to unlock. I've found that if you bump the throttle while turned, you can get it to ratchet around the turns. I've run it at Tellico several times with the just the rear locker, and having the front locker really did make a lot of difference. You won't be disapointed with just a rear locker, but locked at both ends is just insane. I can't hang with the tube buggys on 38's and up, but I do surprise a lot of people. This is all on my '71 40(w/ '77 birfs), so I would think your mini would be just fine locked up front. Oh, and power steering is for sissys.
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Ooh, we have the same setup. :princess:

I broke a Birf in just that situation. - Turning left, I wondered why I couldn't turn the wheel as far I usually could, and then ran wide. I had to be winched from the rear across to the right, to get my rear left Tyre out of a huge hole. Unhooked the winch, then I had to reverse (CRUNCH goes the right Birf), to have another try getting around the corner. I got around the corner, now the track straightens, so I pull second gear(a huge lurch to the right), so we spent the next two hours removing the Birf whilst the Car is held inplace on the track by a winch cable to the left side of the Bullbar.
 
well you are wecome to ask questions. I have built 5 of these toyota's now. I think that I finally have it figured out. cost vs what works.
like springs, I tried to get by on the cheap.. but in the long run I spent 2100.00 on springs that didn't last or work well.
It is a very expensive hobby. But going cheap can cost alot more then doing right the first time.
you need to think about what do you want to do with the truck. even now at the start.
my first mod on any rock crawler is the sliders so my doors still work. then I add all the other stuff.
I use 3/16 square steel.. and put 3x3 angle iron on the frame. I have dropped the whole truck on these so hard that it rattled my teeth. yep. on both current trucks it did put a dent in the body seam... but they work well..
the next is a home made bumper and winch mount. a winch will get you out of so so so so much stuff.
wife has an ebay gorilla winch, I have the warn... I don't see much difference.
 
I have a surplus of metal, but ripped my Grandpas brush guard of his 1 ton the other day, long story short is load of hay+no pad+metal to rotor= no stop, and messed up brush guard. I got real pissed and even bought him the really expensive (80 dollar) pads and he still wants me to make him another... But then again practice makes perfect!
 
well it sounds like you can weld, fab up stuff. I would be happy to share.
I have built rock sliders, bumpers, bobbed the beds. front and rear diff protectors.
cages are next on the list.

oh yeh, did some mods to rims that have made one heck of a difference on the wife's truck. going to order a new set of rims for mine and do the same mods to them.
 
I just hate those guys that won't tell you anything. just to keep thier truck better then yours.
I don't like rich kids that can just buy all the mods.

but some one that wants to get out in the great out doors and enjoy wheeling safety and responsibly I will share all my secrets.. well those that deal with the Toyota's...:grinpimp::o


I have built my wife's truck up to the point that it is better then mine in alot of ways.

I vote for one, single case with the 4.7's from marlin vs dual cases. I am going to go with marlin's new adaptor and 4.7s in the rear. so I don't have to make new drive shafts.

so keep in mind dual cases. require new drive shafts. stuff like that. adds about 500.00 to the mod.
 
Dad built my moms driveshafts, he had some professional help for the rear so it could be balanced. Who knew a driveshaft guy didnt know how to install a lunchbox locker? So we get help where we dont have the expeirence.
Missouriman, I am waiting to get some square/rectangle tubing in bulk so i can start my flatbed, and the sliders/cage will tie into it.
This what im looking to make,but add a roof rack, sliders, and limbrisers. I want more of an ARB "I will run you over" style bumper, but i want light weight so its still on the drawing board
pg178-188%20Custom%20Hilux04.jpg


I do have a sweet computerized plasma I need to go program for my dads buddy, he has no computer knowledge at all and if i program it right, well I may have a new job!
 
thanks, I looked at hundreds of pictures of bumpers. but could not find the one that I liked. So I had to make them.
the steering frame plates are 3/16th
the bumper frame parts are all 1/4 inch. the cross between the frame rails, the up rights the middle brace you can see on the center up right, the winch mount plate I had bent up it is also 1/4 the (wings) are 3/16's the ends are made up of 4 pieces of 3/16's on of which you have to heat and beat into shape. I wanted a smooth area for the tire to rub if it ever got in to the bumper.
the up rights on top are 1/4 and the tube right above the winch is thin, just so you can't pull the winch out with out having 4 different types of wrenches.
the side guards I chose mostly for out side diameter and looks.
went center large, next size down for the head light bars and smaller for the running light bars.
those bars are thick.. the running light bars I think were 1/4 inch thick. I chose them for size and looks not thickness. way over kill.
I went to twisted customs and they bent the bars for me.

lol... the running light bars are the same tube they use in thier frames.

after welding on the front frame brace with holes drilled through it so I could bolt up the stock bumper mounts. I bolted them on and cut, ground, untill I got the main winch mount where I wanted it and tacked them to the winch plate mount.
then I could take it off to weld fab, and remount it to measure and add the rest of the bumper.
you can see that more in the pink bumper pictures. once I got the bumper finished. I again bolted it up and welded on the bumper to cross frame brace. the cut and welded in the middle side to side brace that you see in the middle of the under side of the bumper that looks like an after thought... (it was).

a do over the only thing that I would change would be (and I still may add it) is a small one inch chunk of tube from the outer edge (closest to the tire) to the rear of the side of the winch plate mount.
I say that because the wife ran the pass side of the bumper up against a rock. lifted the front tire off the ground sliding on the bumper. it did not deform it but it did push back into the fender and hood. it returned to shape after wards but it did twist that far.
I give credit to the return to shape to the (grill guard) bars that were such over thickness.

and thank you, I have gotten good feed back on these bumpers.
even the guys out at twisted customs gave me a (atta boy) on how well they were built.
oh and with carefull measureing and all. I can still unbolt the grill and side lights and get them out... (other then my wife testing her's out, don't know if that side moved or not).
 
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