I am happy to say that I am back in the off road community. Two weeks ago I bought another '85 4Runner to take off road and up on the rocks. I has been about 6 years since I did some real hard core off roading, back then I had a '91 4runner. I was locked and lifted with many mods done just for off road. Before that I had a '85 4runner that I bought new in Dec. of '84. I build that one also and had the soft top desinged for it by Kayline.
I went back to the '85 instead of the many other choices out there. Part was cost, part was size but the biggest part was that it is a TOYOTA! It will run forever and looks good, never mind that you can take teh top off. A jeep was in the picture for a while but we would have needed a Scrambler or an Unlimited, to old and unreliable or to much money. The RockRunner as I call it, will take my wife and I up the hills with our two Goldens and all our gear, albeit a little slower than I am used to.
The rig I bought is pretty set up already. It has a new engine in it from Jasper with all the right speed mods. Clutch and tranny were replaced and rebuild at that time. Behind the tranny rests two T-cases fited with the 2.28 and the 4.7, how sweet low range is
Both pumkins run 5.29's with E-lockers, the front being a high pinion style. The birfields have been replaced by the Super style ones and the brakes ugraded on the front. The rear breaks are still stock but not for long. For now it is sitting on stock springs with 2" shackle lifts front and rear, those will be replaced soon.
As for the interior the former former owner liked to travel in style, he replaced the dash with a complete SR5 unit. The seats were replaced with recovered '94 SR5 4runner seats front and rear, they are covered in new leather. Tunes are covered by Kenwood and Infinity, with comunication coming from a high end Cobra CB. The rest of the interior is pretty stock, added some heavy duty floor mats all around.
There are some things it is going to need to suit my type of off roading. Protection all around is high on the list, sliders and frt and rr bumpers will replace what is on there now. A full cage with netting on the rear will protect my wife and I and our boys. The lift with high steering is just about number one on the list. Then maybe a skeleton to tie into the bumpers for some more protection. Of course a winch is on the list with 35's. I am sure there is a ton more but this is a good start.
I will be replacing the E part of the lockers in the next few weeks with Downeys cables. I do not care for the E part, to many things that can go wrong. I have a soft top for it already, hope it is still in good shape. The other thing that I have ready to swap out is that skinny steering wheel, got a nice thick leather one from a local shop here in Denver.
Well, sorry for the long post I like to ramble. Time to go in the garage and start wrenching.
Have a great Thanks Giving........................
I went back to the '85 instead of the many other choices out there. Part was cost, part was size but the biggest part was that it is a TOYOTA! It will run forever and looks good, never mind that you can take teh top off. A jeep was in the picture for a while but we would have needed a Scrambler or an Unlimited, to old and unreliable or to much money. The RockRunner as I call it, will take my wife and I up the hills with our two Goldens and all our gear, albeit a little slower than I am used to.
The rig I bought is pretty set up already. It has a new engine in it from Jasper with all the right speed mods. Clutch and tranny were replaced and rebuild at that time. Behind the tranny rests two T-cases fited with the 2.28 and the 4.7, how sweet low range is
Both pumkins run 5.29's with E-lockers, the front being a high pinion style. The birfields have been replaced by the Super style ones and the brakes ugraded on the front. The rear breaks are still stock but not for long. For now it is sitting on stock springs with 2" shackle lifts front and rear, those will be replaced soon. As for the interior the former former owner liked to travel in style, he replaced the dash with a complete SR5 unit. The seats were replaced with recovered '94 SR5 4runner seats front and rear, they are covered in new leather. Tunes are covered by Kenwood and Infinity, with comunication coming from a high end Cobra CB. The rest of the interior is pretty stock, added some heavy duty floor mats all around.
There are some things it is going to need to suit my type of off roading. Protection all around is high on the list, sliders and frt and rr bumpers will replace what is on there now. A full cage with netting on the rear will protect my wife and I and our boys. The lift with high steering is just about number one on the list. Then maybe a skeleton to tie into the bumpers for some more protection. Of course a winch is on the list with 35's. I am sure there is a ton more but this is a good start.
I will be replacing the E part of the lockers in the next few weeks with Downeys cables. I do not care for the E part, to many things that can go wrong. I have a soft top for it already, hope it is still in good shape. The other thing that I have ready to swap out is that skinny steering wheel, got a nice thick leather one from a local shop here in Denver.
Well, sorry for the long post I like to ramble. Time to go in the garage and start wrenching.
Have a great Thanks Giving........................
and yea and get out there and wheel;p
