My 10 year '85 4Runner Build

[zamdrang]

I just wanted to share my experience with my truck. Ive had this truck for about 10 years. This is my second '85 4Runner. I regretted selling the first one 5 minutes after it pulled out of the driveway.

My first 4runner had the Downey Pro Desert 3" spring setup(high end for its day in the 90s) stock spring mounts, stock steering, and 31's... I never needed more. So all the work and extra cost/mods of the rock crawler set ups are overkill for me...ironic that I live in Moab...

I use this truck to go out shooting, camping, backroads, whatever, i'm not a rock crawler. I think those setups are very cool and its been a hard decision...but with how I use it, and the fact that its still very clean pushing 30 years old I can't bring myself to cut into it to install one of those setups. Its far from stock, but everything done so far is undoable so to speak and thats how I want to keep it. If I was going to modify any truck I would build a desert/prerunner truck....next project....

I found this while debating...helped with my decision...mine's not this clean...but these trucks are only getting rarer and more sought after. Is this the nicest first generation Toyota 4runner in the world?

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Anyway, the Superlift springs articulate ok but after an hour off road they beat you so bad your ready to get out and walk. So a change is in order. The rock crawl springs are out, Alcan and Deaver want at least a grand... Downey went under... NWOR ive never read a good thing about, so I started doing some research on alternatives. Ive read a lot of praise for OME Springs, so I just ordered light front and med rears from Cruiser Outfitters who are close to me AND the only vendor who answered my emails
Cruiser Outfitters

I will probably go with 32s or maybe 31s in the future which should put me just right. The 33s make it a real pig on the hwy...even with 4:88s

As it sits today:

Superjunk 4" Springs w/Downey Shackles, Doestch Shocks
33 BFG MT on 15x10s (going to 8's)
'89 Rear Axle Housing
4:88s
ARB rear
V6 Rotors
Downey Cold Air Intake (to be replaced)
Magnaflow muffler (Loud)
LC Cam, Header, Throttle Body, Dual Chain Timing Kit

Im not a fan of the fender flares... they were on it when I bought it and they help with Utah's PITA laws (the '89 axle does not..lol) so i've left them on.

I'm in the middle of a knuckle rebuild and just waiting on the springs. Ill try and post some pics as I go, and take some afterwards showing how the 33s fit in case anyone is interested.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Nice runner! I loved my '85...

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Great looking truck! I applaud you for not jumping into the rock crawler mold, and just building it to suite yourself!

 

[arndog123]

That's a nice and clean looking 4Runner you got there.

 

[zamdrang]

OME leafs

Thanks guys. I finally got the front axle rebuilt and the OME springs on. I have a ton of in progress pictures and was excited to share them...until I got done. So far i've done little mileage just a few dirt road excursions and some highway time. The fronts have settled badly and the rears havent settled a bit and this is how she sits.

The pic exaggerates it somewhat....but if you look at the curb as a reference line you can see how much difference there is. This is not what I expected, other rigs I found on here with OME springs looked like they sat pretty level. Ive got 4.5" shackles at each end, other than that its all stock, no winch or extra weight etc. If the amount the fronts have settled is within spec then i'm thinking the rear shackle is too long in relation to the front... anyone know if the stock shackles front to rear were the same length or different?

I'll put up some better pics, these were just quick shots i got with the cell phone. The 33s do fit and the little I twisted the springs they didnt look close to rubbing (though the previous owner has beat the **** out of the inner fender wells).
[URL="http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk99/Zamdrang/4runner2.jpg"]

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[WarDamnEagle]

Why did you go light in front? I went heavy front and medium rear after much research. Without a heavy front bumper I might have gone medium and medium. I used the matching OME shackles and greasable pins. I'm not home for a few days or I would measure the front and rear shackle lengths for you.