Happy to see you doing this. Really never understood why it wasn't more common to cut the rockers out.
Builds Evolution of a Land Cruiser: My 80's build thread (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter jcardona1
- Start date
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simple for me. Never liked the up and down with both doors in a 4dr, so I'm going to carry the height from front to back, just my liking. And that blue 80 was the only half door'd one I could find that was remotely finished and decent as well
Pretty sure the 1/4" wall box tube that I welded in the rockers place is far stronger than what was there before, especially after I ran bracing up the a and b pillars.
I really don't understand why it is not a more common mod, if you go into the doors you can gain another inch or so.
nice.
whom did the axel swap on the 4runner? thank you
whom did the axel swap on the 4runner? thank you
- Thread starter
- #1,765
Those are some nice lines, would look really good. But you'd have to relocate the hinge on the back door which I'm trying to avoid, also trying to keep the handles where they are to make it an easier project. We'll see, I have a few other sketches I've done, some of which involve relocating the door handles too.
I think I messaged you a while back about your rocker chop. So are your sliders welded to the rocker and the frame? Or just attached to the rocker panels? I was thinking I'd weld in some reinforcement plates under the pillars then just make normal sliders attached to the frame which would not be connected to the rocker panels.
The group of guys we go wheeling with, it was all DIY between the group.
richardlillard1
SILVER Star
Welding to both frame and body would probably not be a good idea, given the amount an 80 body moves around, especially while wheeling.
I thought about cutting the rockers out, welding a strip down the bottom to seal/reinforce the bottom of the body in the rocker's absence, then doing a slider that was welded to the frame. A buddy of mine has 4+ sliders from a 60 mounted on his 80 and they are pretty extreme beef; has landed the truck very hard on them multiple times and never had them bend or flex into the body, so if I went that route, it would be something like that.
The other option would be to just replace the rockers with square tube. Using a square tube beefy enough would be able to handle the weight of the truck without as much risk of hurting anything and 55/60 guys have been doing it for years with good success.
Then again, a buddy of mine has had good luck with no sliders and enjoys some added room between the ground and rocks.
Any of these options works, the last of which might be best to keep a hammer in the truck so the doors can keep working.
I thought about cutting the rockers out, welding a strip down the bottom to seal/reinforce the bottom of the body in the rocker's absence, then doing a slider that was welded to the frame. A buddy of mine has 4+ sliders from a 60 mounted on his 80 and they are pretty extreme beef; has landed the truck very hard on them multiple times and never had them bend or flex into the body, so if I went that route, it would be something like that.
The other option would be to just replace the rockers with square tube. Using a square tube beefy enough would be able to handle the weight of the truck without as much risk of hurting anything and 55/60 guys have been doing it for years with good success.
Then again, a buddy of mine has had good luck with no sliders and enjoys some added room between the ground and rocks.
Any of these options works, the last of which might be best to keep a hammer in the truck so the doors can keep working.
Mine are solely attached to the body. I was concerned about the strength, but they get a workout and I have had no issues. There is so much meat in the back of the rockers and in the pillars that I can support the whole truck and it doesn't budge. And the clearance is awesome.
richardlillard1
SILVER Star
That's what I was thinking. just replace the rocker with something much stronger.
Can't quite tell from the picture, but did you cut out the entire rocker panel (i.e. bottoms of the doors) as well, or did you leave a little?
- Thread starter
- #1,769
Ah I gotcha. And that's interesting. I didn't think the rocker would be strong enough to act as a slider but I guess I was wrong! I may have to rethink my approach of building a slider to the frame. Sure would make it easier. You wouldn't happen to have any pics from underneath would you - after welding the box tube in?
- Thread starter
- #1,770
Welding to both frame and body would probably not be a good idea, given the amount an 80 body moves around, especially while wheeling.
I thought about cutting the rockers out, welding a strip down the bottom to seal/reinforce the bottom of the body in the rocker's absence, then doing a slider that was welded to the frame. A buddy of mine has 4+ sliders from a 60 mounted on his 80 and they are pretty extreme beef; has landed the truck very hard on them multiple times and never had them bend or flex into the body, so if I went that route, it would be something like that.
The other option would be to just replace the rockers with square tube. Using a square tube beefy enough would be able to handle the weight of the truck without as much risk of hurting anything and 55/60 guys have been doing it for years with good success.
Then again, a buddy of mine has had good luck with no sliders and enjoys some added room between the ground and rocks.
Any of these options works, the last of which might be best to keep a hammer in the truck so the doors can keep working.
Yeah I didn't think so either, but I misunderstood what he had said. He's got no attachment points to the frame at all which is nice. I may just get some 1/4" 2x4 or 2x5 and weld it to the rockers. But I'd like to do a kickout tube as well, wonder if it'd be strong enough for that...
richardlillard1
SILVER Star
I would consider 3/8 after seeing my buddy's sliders in action.
Kick outs can and have been done.
Who knows; maybe seeing someone else do it in real time will motivate me to get off my ass and get out the Harbor Fraught sawzall.
Kick outs can and have been done.
Who knows; maybe seeing someone else do it in real time will motivate me to get off my ass and get out the Harbor Fraught sawzall.
richardlillard1
SILVER Star
I will warn you, though. Getting out in muddy conditions can result in some damn dirty pants with a kick out tube. Makes me more of a fan of the "less is more" school of thought. But you had sliders, so you might be used to it.
I'll get some for you, I don't have any on my phone.
I kept it minimal with no kickout, but do have a friend with them welded to the box tube. He hasn't had any issues yet. I should be able to grab some pics of his, too.
The whole panel, including the sill. I even cut the bottoms of the doors, but didn't want to quite go to a full on boatside so I only took a little over a half inch so I could keep a seal in there. Cutting the doors was overkill, but I wrecked my rockers and door bottoms so bad in South Dakota I just cut it all. This is the closest pic I have with me.
nukegoat
Should have bought a Jeep
Like the rocker cut idea. May steal that. And yes, gearing sucks and unless you can get a hold of nwf, I'm not sure we should hold out for a doubler
Finnyfam60
Driving miss daisy
Tcase and diff gears it is then
- Thread starter
- #1,777
I actually sent them an email a few days ago. Said it's still in the works, but no ETA yet
That would be great, I cannot wait for it to hit the market. Marlin's gears and 5.29's aren't terrible, but they aren't great either.
Hey Jose -- sent you a PM
