Builds Starting over with 87 HI TEQ pickup

[Jeremy9A]

Sweet!

Now quick question - do you have another 87? Or is this the same one that's mentioned in your sig...?

This is the 87 in the signature. I mentioned in the first post that I will do do this thread as if it's present tense- just to have a place to document and keep pictures. Sorry for any confusion and I understand if nobody actually reads the walls of text

 

[yotadude520]

D'oh - I read the whole build except for the first sentence apparently.

Can we get a current picture so we can see what it's like?! The suspense is killing me on this one..

 

[rustED71]

D'oh - I read the whole build except for the first sentence apparently.

Can we get a current picture so we can see what it's like?! The suspense is killing me on this one..

I guess I did the same thing, I didnt realize it was already completed, I thought it was stil in the building stage, lol...I always forget to tip my phone sideways to see members signatures too

×2 on suspension pics!!!

 

[Jeremy9A]

I'll get to it! I don't have a lot more in progress pics so there will be flexy pictures soon

 

[Jeremy9A]

I
always forget to tip my phone sideways to see members signatures too

×2 on suspension pics!!!

Oh thanks! I've been switching between mobile and desktop mode in chrome to see signatures.

 

[rustED71]

Oh thanks! I've been switching between mobile and desktop mode in chrome to see signatures.

No problem, I just learned that trick from another member recently, otherwise I'd probably never have discovered it, lol!

 

[Jeremy9A]

I apparently didn't take many more pictures of the suspension install but to sum it up:

2WD truck.
Front
47" AllPro broke a main leaf on an allPro spring. Now Trail gear 3" front springs (2 leafs removed because they sat hideously high) with trial gear front spring hanger kit
Factory 4.88 3rd with lock right. Trail gear high steer arms. 80 series Land Cruiser tie rod ends, 30 spline Longfields from trail gear.

Rear
63" chevy 1/2 ton rear springs with Sky's Offroad kit.
IFS width rear housing, Factory 4.88 3rd with lock right

The original trans was a 4 speed W46. I found a used W56 trans and installed dual transfer cases with a Marlin adapter and stock gears in both cases. For the crossmember I used a stock 4wd one with brackets welded to the frame to bolt it in. During all of this I scored a comfy couch like bench seat from a truck with only 20K miles. My old vinyl seat was torn up and had a bar sticking in my back. The interior cleans up pretty decent!

Finally the truck drove out of the garage on its own. It's a great feeling! Edit: Just noticed there was still some hub assembly required in this pic.

And your standard 1978 Honda Z50A Mini trail for reference

 

[KLF]

I hope you drove it back over to show the guy you bought it from!

 

[Jeremy9A]

I hope you drove it back over to show the guy you bought it from!

Ha! That has crossed my mind. I lived nearby the old owner when I bought the truck. It stayed in it's stock form until we moved about 40 minutes away. I'll do a lap past their house when the weather is nice

 

[Jeremy9A]

I eventually got the truck down the road and found a deep enough ditch to try and exercise the suspension. I had to be somewhat careful because I was still waiting on the front driveshaft being built.

The fender area was clearly going to need a trim....

 

[Manhattan]

How'd the back tires fit in the wheel openings? "I read on the internet" that the 2wd beds have smaller wheel openings as compared to the 4wd beds. I passed on a relatively clean 2wd bed because of this... but then there's your truck on 37s gettin' all twisty... makes me think the 2wd bed's an option.

 

[Jeremy9A]

How'd the back tires fit in the wheel openings? "I read on the internet" that the 2wd beds have smaller wheel openings as compared to the 4wd beds. I passed on a relatively clean 2wd bed because of this... but then there's your truck on 37s gettin' all twisty... makes me think the 2wd bed's an option.

The tires in these pictures are the 35" I started out with. The rears did clear ok for normal driving and flexing in this ditch. The bed ended up needing some trimming for real trail use. I don't think i trimmed into anything above the bed seem though.

 

[Jeremy9A]

I sort of ran out of time with building some bumpers/protection for an upcoming trip. I went pretty simple with the front bumper starting with a winch plate a friend dumped on me. You can tell in the picture that I also did something despicable to most Toyota pickup fans... It hurt me as much as it hurt the truck. I opted to cut the immaculate rockers from the cab and burn in a piece of 2"X3" square tube for sliders. I continued the tube to the bed. That decision was really a toss up and I had no clue how that would work out. I can hi lift off them, come down on rocks pretty hard, pivot, lever, etc...My goal is mainly rock crawling and high clearance so sliders down at frame height are just money and low hanging anchors for my situation. Sorry

In front of the radiator is a free power steering cooler. I grabbed it from a Trailblazer that a friend was scrapping. I saw it mounted down low on the frame as a trans cooler and figured I'd grab it with the bumper already removed. Couple studs welded to the core support and return line routed through an existing hole almost like it was made for the truck!

 

[Jeremy9A]

I wheeled the mini truck for about a week in Missouri at Flat Nasty (seriously recommend) and had a few minor issues that needed to be sorted out.
It ran really hot in trails and 90 degree heat. Swapped an extra fan clutch in and that seemed better. Then in double low the motor would torque over and pull the throttle cable and raise the rpm way too high! There is no slack in the cable from firewall to carburetor bracket on the 2wd. I was able to move the cable down to another spot in the bracket with little modification for an easy fix.

The carburetor did pretty decent at angles but I could never get the thing off high idle consistently. The oem carb was very hard to get started in the cold and if the truck sat for more than two days the fuel had to be pumped up all the way from the tank for about 30 seconds (I think the fuel pump was the issue there). I tried my luck at a rebuild with little improvement. Then I tossed a chinese knockoff Aisin carb on it. Started easy, ran great except there was very little throttle response until about 1/2 throttle. The throttle was like an on/off switch. Oh and if I downshift from high speeds it would eventually backfire like a 12ga under the truck.

On top of all that, the motor was having some serious blow-by and huffing oil. People claim they didn't mind the occasional smokescreen but I think they were being polite.

I just wanted the ease of getting in the truck and turning the key to drive away. Around that time a friend swapped a 3RZ into his 87 4Runner and had a perfectly fine 22RE lying there with a complete harness. He generously gave me everything I needed for the swap and I gladly took it all off his hands. I later sent a gift basket of candy and popcorn from a local store along with a check as a thank you.

So I pulled that old tired (probably making 60HP toward the end) 22R out of there .

I replaced the 22RE's head gasket, timing chain, guides, front and rear crank seals, and set valve lash before putting it in the new home. The wiring for the swap was pretty straightforward. I did have to make a harness for the MAF sensor because in an 87 that was integrated into the 4runners main harness. For fused power and relays for circuit opening and fuel pump I used a nice aftermarket fuse/relay box off amazon. It came with terminals to clip in the underside and you just need your own wire, relays, fuses. So I just mimicked the Toyota diagram for that.

I forgot to mention another necessary part to swap over on a 2WD to SAS. The 2WD exhaust downpipe will run right into the shackle for the left spring. I attempted to cut it short and modify it but in the end it just wasn't worth it. I bought an aftermarket one. I'm pretty sure I just ordered it for an 87 4WD. I have no clue if it bolts up to the factory exhaust behind it since mine was sort of rigged up with universal stuff.

 

[Jeremy9A]

Another slight issue was getting hung up on the factory crossmember seeing as how it must be hanging at least 4-5" lower than the frame. I had originally planned on installing the Low Range crossmember but time had gotten away from me as usual. I wanted to get the one that is already built but was unsure if there would be some odd variance with my 2WD frame keeping it from fitting.

I realized that they offer just the center section of their crossmember with some assembly required. I took a few measurements, installed the brackets, some globs of ugly welds and a coat of wine red paint and it was ready. Those gear teeth on top of the crossmember look nice and all, but I had to cut a few off to get everything tucked up to the floor. I should have cropped out that wrench in the upper right. If that tool isn't a sign of desperation I don't know what is?

The exhaust insisted on running right into the crossmember so I was right back at hacking up a perfectly good downpipe. The square driveshaft is not ideal and hopefully temporary. I had shafts made for the truck and gave measurements to the nearby shop. "31.5" compressed for the front" must have translated to "31.5" wherever you feel the slip should be". It got old really fast having the driveshaft slip apart at the most inopportune moments.

 

[SteveH]

Great project - thanks for the photos and story.

 

[Jeremy9A]

Great project - thanks for the photos and story.

No problem! I'm Happy to share and maybe there's a slight possibility somebody can learn something... or what not to do...

I still have some more to come and more parts lying around waiting to go on the truck at the moment.

 

[Jeremy9A]

We had an annual week long trip coming up with some friends and I got to thinking the mini truck could really use some tube doors. I had been going with no doors in the good weather and couldn't justify cutting my nice doors into half doors. I kept having this image of being drug down the trail by my own truck tangled in the seatbelt and that fear motivated me!
I searched around but kept finding companies with long lead times after ordering which would have gotten me the doors way too late. I would prefer to give some smaller companies my business but I had waited too long and didn't realize the wait time. With no other options I went with trail gear for the doors. I have to admit, they do make a nice set of doors and came with all the latch hardware and no hardware to bolt up to your hinges. They are nicer than anything I could have made and I barely had to spend any time on them!

A coat of primer and then a coat of Wine Red paint mixed at the local paint supply store. I went ahead and painted the "sliders" while I was at it.

 

[Jeremy9A]

I loaded up the mini truck and packed all our camping gear for the week. The rear airbags on the Tundra make for a night and day difference in ride and handling! I towed this setup once before without the bags and it didn't feel as stable to me.

My wife and I headed down to Harlan, KY for our first stop of the trip. The camping there is pretty sweet! We were able to find a decent spot for our group to do our thing.

 

[Jeremy9A]

There is no shortage of trails at Harlan and we had a blast! I think we barely scratched the surface of that place and really want to head back for more.
We had a pretty capable group of trucks and met up with some local friends that knew how to get their IFS Tacoma's through trails.