Seeking advice for trail spares / considerations (1 Viewer)

[tgell001]

Been fixing up my 86 SAS 22RE auto 4runner on 35's to use mostly on the trails in the mountains and at the beach. Its Lincoln Locked so its not a great commuter. I'm a pretty solid back yard mechanic and I've been thoroughly going through this rig to tie up any lose ends. I'll be headed up to Cove Campground for Big Dogs Ice Breakers at the end of this month and the last thing I want is to break something stupid and ruin my weekend. I've wheeled this place before and I know what I'm getting myself into, and I am going to push it pretty hard, but I'm a nancy on the throttle and OK with that.

From what I can tell its factory birfields and shafts (front and rear), has high steer, aisen hubs, detroit in the front and welded rear... i think thats the highlights. Mechanically the motor is great, tranny is smooth, and I've been redoing the suspension geometry and giving it a once over so I'm not worried there....

Questions:
1. Anything specific to these trucks I should check before I go and try to mitigate any issues?
2. What typical trail spares do people carry? (birfields, shafts, relays.. etc)
3. Any things specific to these trucks I should pay attention to that will forecast a failure

 

[pappy]

1. Check the knuckle studs. Make sure they are tight. Check driveshaft bolts.

2. When I adventure I carry belts, hoses, TPS, ECU, Ox sensor, alternator contacts, starter contacts, sparkplug wires, dizzy cap/rotor, fuel pump, knuckle studs/washers/nuts, and probably a bunch of stuff I can't think of right now. I used to carry Birfields and axle shafts, but recently upgraded to 30-spline Longfields.

 

[tgell001]

1. Check the knuckle studs. Make sure they are tight. Check driveshaft bolts.

2. When I adventure I carry belts, hoses, TPS, ECU, Ox sensor, alternator contacts, starter contacts, sparkplug wires, dizzy cap/rotor, knuckle studs/washers/nuts, and probably a bunch of stuff I can't think of right now. I used to carry Birfields and axle shafts, but recently upgraded to 30-spline Longfields.

Holy cow thats thorough, not sure I can afford to compile that much stuff this first go around. Is that for full on overland adventures? Typical stuff like O2, TPS and plug wires I can venture out in the tow rig and within 40 mins get to an auto parts store and buy. Its the strange junk yard type things that auto parts stores dont stock that worry me. Maybe I should buy the long side shaft/birfield combo and that way I'm covered on the weaker axle side and can use the birfield for either side???

Good look on the knuckle studs, thats something that I would have absolutely overlooked.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Checking the knuckle studs are very important. I probably would keep birfs and inners in your tow rig. If you break one on the trail, You can pull the shaft out and still drive it back to the tow rig. Another thing to have is extra tie rod ends. I have seen those break on the trail more than once and it is always an interesting recovery without a spare to swap in.

 

[pappy]

Holy cow thats thorough, not sure I can afford to compile that much stuff this first go around. Is that for full on overland adventures?

Think two weeks in Baja, camping as remote as I possibly can, with nobody but me around.

Another thing to have is extra tie rod ends. I have seen those break on the trail more than once and it is always an interesting recovery without a spare to swap in.

Ya, I have those too. I've stopped using the aftermarket stuff and gone only with OEM Toyota. OEM is about the same price if you can shop at a discount dealer.

 

[pappy]

Holy cow thats thorough, not sure I can afford to compile that much stuff this first go around.

One other comment. Things like belts, hoses, dizzy cap/rotor, sparkplug wires ... are things I replace on a schedule. What I pull off is still in good shape, and those are what I rotate into the spares. Even the alternator contacts are used, but still usable as a spare. The Ox sensor, fuel pump (which I forgot), and starter contacts are new parts. Knuckle studs/washers/nuts, and TPS are boneyard. The tie-rod ends are the aftermarket bits I pulled off when I swapped in OEM.

 

[txlonghorn]

With a detroit in the front and 35s you're likely going to need at least a spare birf. I'd find some inners too from someone parting out from a longfield/rcv swap if a full replacement set of upgraded shafts is not in your budget.

 

[tgell001]

Gun drilled longfields are in my future but not this year, I turned a $2500 buy into $6000 in 3 months... Gotta slow down with the swiping haha. I can get Rock Auto full birfs/shafts for $50 long side and $70 short side (not sure why the price difference). That's probably the way I'll go unless I stumble into used. I'll browse ebay

 

[Mudder]

I'd also watch Pirate4x4 and the marlin crawler forums for people selling that stuff.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Knuckle bearings. If you pop a birf it can sometimes mess those up as well... The main thing is to take good care of it at home before you go. Things do break sometimes, but you should not be doing maintenance on the trail...