I am looking at a few different options for a mild rock crawling truck. I can find some reasonably priced trucks from the early 90s but they have IFS. It is more difficult to find a non rusty truck from pre 85 with the solid front axle. So my question is how much work is involved in swapping a solid axle from and 83 truck into one from say 92?
Solid Axle Swap
- Thread starter josephpatrickgray
- Start date
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This is too hard to give you a straight answer, there are too many variables.
* Do you have all the necessary tools available?
* Can you weld?
* Do you have a place to do the work?
* What kind of fabrication skills do you have?
* Do you have any help?
* Do you have all the necessary tools available?
* Can you weld?
* Do you have a place to do the work?
* What kind of fabrication skills do you have?
* Do you have any help?
- Thread starter
- #3
I do have the necessary tools, can weld, heated garage, and can fabricate and recruit help as necessary. I guess I am trying to figure out it if it is a monster of a project that could lead to other mod like steering components and the steering box. In other words is it much easier to deal with a few minor rust issues with an older truck with the axle already installed or find a nicer truck and install the solid axle.
This is too hard to give you a straight answer, there are too many variables.
* Do you have all the necessary tools available?
* Can you weld?
* Do you have a place to do the work?
* What kind of fabrication skills do you have?
* Do you have any help?
This is too hard to give you a straight answer, there are too many variables.
* Do you have all the necessary tools available?
* Can you weld?
* Do you have a place to do the work?
* What kind of fabrication skills do you have?
* Do you have any help?
- Cut IFS off
- Grind frame clean
- Install front spring hanger
- Install shackle tubes
- Bolt built mini truck axle into place with hysteer setup
- Weld in shock hoops
- Hook steering and brakes up
- Lift the rear of the truck to match front
That is the simplified version, but no it is not that difficult, but can be time consuming depending how long it takes you to clean up the frame after cutting the IFS stuff off. It can be done in a weekend if you have all of your parts.
Personally I would go with a later model truck for a few more of the creature comforts, lower mileage, cleaner frame and whatnot.
You can also beat on an IFS rig pretty hard before it breaks. I run 35's with dual ultimate cases and a rear locker and am not light on the pedal. Have not broken front end parts yet and can still wheel difficult trails.
- Grind frame clean
- Install front spring hanger
- Install shackle tubes
- Bolt built mini truck axle into place with hysteer setup
- Weld in shock hoops
- Hook steering and brakes up
- Lift the rear of the truck to match front
That is the simplified version, but no it is not that difficult, but can be time consuming depending how long it takes you to clean up the frame after cutting the IFS stuff off. It can be done in a weekend if you have all of your parts.
Personally I would go with a later model truck for a few more of the creature comforts, lower mileage, cleaner frame and whatnot.
You can also beat on an IFS rig pretty hard before it breaks. I run 35's with dual ultimate cases and a rear locker and am not light on the pedal. Have not broken front end parts yet and can still wheel difficult trails.
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What do you want to do with the truck? How big of tires do you plan on running? How much lift?
Depending on what you want out of the truck, a 85 is almost as much work in the end.
Depending on what you want out of the truck, a 85 is almost as much work in the end.
Ah, OK, now I see your question.
I have owned them both (an '84 & '85 and now an '87 that I did a SAS), and I think you're better off getting a later truck and doing the swap. I don't agree with the big attraction to having the factory solid axle setup. The stock push-pull steering setup sucks, so by the time you convert it to hi-steer and mount up an IFS steering box, you'd just be better finding a later IFS truck and converting it. The IFS frame is stiffer in the front, and the stock spring hangers in the older trucks are really weak, I was constantly bending them back out.
I home-built my front spring hanger, shackle tubes, and shock hoops for my SAS, but if you get one of the kits the swap would be pretty easy for you. Getting all the old IFS stuff cut off and cleaning up the frame is the worst part, I actually first attempted to do all the cutting with a Sawzall (didn't work) and cutoff blades in my grinder (broke a bunch), but I ended up borrowing a set of torches.
I have owned them both (an '84 & '85 and now an '87 that I did a SAS), and I think you're better off getting a later truck and doing the swap. I don't agree with the big attraction to having the factory solid axle setup. The stock push-pull steering setup sucks, so by the time you convert it to hi-steer and mount up an IFS steering box, you'd just be better finding a later IFS truck and converting it. The IFS frame is stiffer in the front, and the stock spring hangers in the older trucks are really weak, I was constantly bending them back out.
I home-built my front spring hanger, shackle tubes, and shock hoops for my SAS, but if you get one of the kits the swap would be pretty easy for you. Getting all the old IFS stuff cut off and cleaning up the frame is the worst part, I actually first attempted to do all the cutting with a Sawzall (didn't work) and cutoff blades in my grinder (broke a bunch), but I ended up borrowing a set of torches.
Cube Dweller
Moderator
It's a weekend job. Here's a link to mine...I didn't take a ton of pics. My current project is an 83 and there's fab work there too...IFS steering box mount, reinforcing the front spring hangers, etc. Supposedly it's easier to build a solid axle truck into a lowrider though compared to an IFS truck with an SAS if that matters to you.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyota-truck-tech/95343-91-4runner-sas.html
https://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyota-truck-tech/95343-91-4runner-sas.html
2ndGenToyotaFan
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Mild rock crawling? Just leave the front end alone..... Go dual case, with marlin gears and a rear locker, and spend some money on the rear suspension... Then see if it will do what you want it to, if not, then do an SAS. I always get the feeling that half the people doing SAS's don't' need them....
Totally agree. Liek I said before, you would be surprised what you can do with the stock IFS. Here is my 88 4 Runner, it has the stock suspension with almost 300k on it. Other mods are dual cases with 4.7 gears in the rear case and a TRD rear locker axle from a Tacoma and 35" tires, with stock gearing.
Your location will make a pretty big difference on whether it would be worth doing a swap over dealing with 'mild' rust. To some of us mild rust would be surface/cosmetic stuff but I don't live in the midwest/eastcoast where mild may be considered excessive to me.
When I bought my 85 4runner a year ago it cost me 1700 bucks and doesn't have any rust except some around the rear wheel wells, but I do know that if you're in PA or OH then that's probably not gonna be possible to find.
When I bought my 85 4runner a year ago it cost me 1700 bucks and doesn't have any rust except some around the rear wheel wells, but I do know that if you're in PA or OH then that's probably not gonna be possible to find.
