Swap IFS to solid axle on '89 4Runner (2 Viewers)

[Sifegar]

Hello everyone.

As my near project is swap the unreliable and unflexible IFS of my 89 4Runner for a solid axle, I found a FJ40 in a junk yard that have this front solid axle and I wonder if it can fit to replace my 4Runner IFS.

Any advice or suggest are welcome... Thank you!

 

[Bear80]

Hello everyone.

unreliable and unflexible IFS of my 89 4Runner for a solid axle,
Any advice or suggest are welcome... Thank you!

Keep the IFS first of all. BUT if you have your heart set on a sas use an 80 series hi-pinion. IF you're after globs of wheel travel, yeah you cannot beat the SAS but your ride will suffer. A few cheap mods on the the toyota IFS will work great wheeling and keep great road manners.

Oh yeah, what's with the unrelibale part???

 

[Bear80]

I'm holding off taking pictures of my truck untill I get the chevy spring swap done but I want to give you an idea of a well setup IFS. So here's a guy with the same front setup I have but on a 4runner.(Rancho arms, new axles, center tierod link, idler arm gusset, ball joint spacers, new shock tabs)

Now given it is about the same amount of money for this IFS stuff as a SAS but you retain a great handling truck.

 

[Cube Dweller]

It depends what year 40. I'm not a 40 guy, but I know enough to know that the earliest ones had ball and claw joints, not birfs, then came course spline birfs (both are not sought after), then fine spline (30 splines). Only the later models had disc brakes. And 40's are sprung under, so you'll need to add perches on top. I don't know if the 3rd's are interchangeable with pickup/4runner either or what side of the axle the dif is located.

I would keep searching for a 79-85 front truck axle assembly.

 

[Bear80]

Ok so here's a pic of the cheapest way to upgrade the stock IFS. Ball joint spacers ($100) low profile stops ($50) and maybe a idler arm gusset ($45). Overall for *most 4wheeling I think it's quite do-able to keep the street handling.

 

[Cube Dweller]

Keep the IFS first of all. BUT if you have your heart set on a sas use an 80 series hi-pinion. IF you're after globs of wheel travel, yeah you cannot beat the SAS but your ride will suffer. A few cheap mods on the the toyota IFS will work great wheeling and keep great road manners.

Oh yeah, what's with the unrelibale part???

CV joints, less splines on the CV "axles", smaller diameter "axles", idler arms that fail quickly and often, weak steering components compared to an aftermarket hi steer, less locker options for the 7.5 front dif, lower control arm mounts that bend under impact....

In the rocks there is absolutely no comparison for durability and performance. Desert running is another story.

 

[Bear80]

all relative to how hard you push the limits I guess.

I'm just a fan of how well the IFS handles on road and can be made to work off.

The unsprung weight of using a 40's front axle IMO would make it much less desirable than an 80's or a mini's. But the 40's pumkin is on the passengers side so it *should line up with your 4runners t-case. I also would think the 40's axle would be too narrow since if you want a flexly solid axle you would want the widest, so maybe one off a 60 or 62 if you want that larger 3rd member.

 

[Isotel]

IFS Sucks.. Do a SAS..

For a bit over $1000 you will turn your truck into an offroad machine..
Marlin, All-Pro, and Trail-gear all have kits.. Just use a Minitruck axle.. FJ40 would be cool, but the minitruck ones are all setup for these kits.. You wont regret it..

 

[foxfab]

OMG< you're full of crap.

Ride will not suffer with a SAS. An 80 axle is at least 5" wider, and you're talking out of your ass!!!

Keep the IFS first of all. BUT if you have your heart set on a sas use an 80 series hi-pinion. IF you're after globs of wheel travel, yeah you cannot beat the SAS but your ride will suffer. A few cheap mods on the the toyota IFS will work great wheeling and keep great road manners.

Oh yeah, what's with the unrelibale part???

 

[extremetoy1]

Keep the IFS first of all. BUT if you have your heart set on a sas use an 80 series hi-pinion. IF you're after globs of wheel travel, yeah you cannot beat the SAS but your ride will suffer. A few cheap mods on the the toyota IFS will work great wheeling and keep great road manners.

Oh yeah, what's with the unrelibale part???

Use a mini truck axle period- use the third member from an fj80 high pinion front. as far as ride goes all u IFS guys ever ride in an LX450? yes solid axles and rides nice and car like but flexs awsome - u can make a leaf spung vehicle ride very nice, as far as the IFS goes you have and older rig with many miles i am assuming so do it- you wont be sorry i have done it to my 92 4runner after BREAKING 3 differrent IFS components with a true trac (it held up fine but the other parts didnt) I also have an 83 toyota built for tuff truck and rock crwaling and wouldnt trade you that solid axle for anything

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

My dad has an 84 long bed 4wd mini, and I have an 89 4Runner and used to have an 86 short bed 4wd mini.... None of them have a nice ride! Does the IFS ride better? A tiny bit! It's not worth even thinking about in the what's better for wheeling discusion, because the difference is so small. You want a nice ride? With a solid axle? Get the coil over kit that came out recently for the mini's.

 

[KLF]

Keep the IFS first of all. BUT if you have your heart set on a sas use an 80 series hi-pinion. IF you're after globs of wheel travel, yeah you cannot beat the SAS but your ride will suffer. A few cheap mods on the the toyota IFS will work great wheeling and keep great road manners.

Oh yeah, what's with the unrelibale part???

OMFG, this is PURE BS.

How many SAS'd vehicles have you driven or riden in? Not many, I would guess. Maybe the ones you have were done poorly.

I just got back from a 2500 mile road trip in my SAS'd '87. Very comfortable ride, it drives very straight and smooth all the way up to 80 mph (as fast as I want to take my 22RE). OME springs, Bilstein 5100-series shocks, perfect steering alignment, good tires (BFG 33x10.50 ATs).

I don't wheel often, and I still think this is one of the best things I've ever done to it. This isn't a sports car, if you want good handling go buy a Corvette.

BTW, you don't wanna mess with the FJ40 front axle. It's setup for SUA, and the diff won't match your rear one. I don't think the diff flange will match your front driveshaft either.

Yes, you can use the 80-series hi-pinion diff (I have one, e-locker model), but it needs to be in a mini-truck front axle. The 80 axle is too wide and is setup for coils. Unless you WANT it really wide and want to go coils in the front.

 

[Full_M3tal]

BTW, you don't wanna mess with the FJ40 front axle. It's setup for SUA, and the diff won't match your rear one. I don't think the diff flange will match your front driveshaft either.

Actually If He Really Wanted To To Beaf Up Your Axle You Can Go With The FJ40 Front Axle. Do A Hybird Mini On It, Then Tak A Rear FJ40 Pinion And Cut The Housing And Slide Mini Housing In It (Good Thread In Hardcore Section For The Mini Hybird Rear).

Also For The SUA On A FJ40, Just Weld Perches On Top And You Have SOA....

I Plan On Taking My IFS Out Of My Isuzu And Making It An Isuto.....

MINI Front And Rear Axles, and Leaf Spring... Never Seen One Done Before So I Plan On Doing It Soon To....



But Yes It Would Be Easier If You Just Used A Front Mini Axle 79-85...


Just My .02

 

[Full_M3tal]

4RNR Has IFS Swap...

(Welded Rear, 5" Alcan Springs, Doubled t-Case, Dont Remember Tire Brand 37" I Think)

 

[Leaping Deer]

If its a disc front brake 40 its worth something. Sell it to someone looking to covert to disk brakes and find yourself a mini axle. Just my$.02

 

[Toyminater]

Actually If He Really Wanted To To Beaf Up Your Axle You Can Go With The FJ40 Front Axle. Do A Hybird Mini On It, Then Tak A Rear FJ40 Pinion And Cut The Housing And Slide Mini Housing In It (Good Thread In Hardcore Section For The Mini Hybird Rear).

Also For The SUA On A FJ40, Just Weld Perches On Top And You Have SOA....

I Plan On Taking My IFS Out Of My Isuzu And Making It An Isuto.....

MINI Front And Rear Axles, and Leaf Spring... Never Seen One Done Before So I Plan On Doing It Soon To....



But Yes It Would Be Easier If You Just Used A Front Mini Axle 79-85...


Just My .02

And it would be easier to use a 79-85 TOYOTA truck instead of spending all your time trying to re-invent the perfect wheel!

 

[nspctr1]

If its a disc front brake 40 its worth something. Sell it to someone looking to covert to disk brakes and find yourself a mini axle. Just my$.02

I have a locate on a 84 solid axle from a mini and would be willing to negotiate that for the 40 axle.... pm me at nspctr1@satx.rr.com I am in san antonio tx.
Kevin

 

[bkg]

FJ-40 axle is a waste of time, in my opinion. You can pick up a mini truck axle pretty cheap, so I'd recommend just searching for one.

Also, I agree w/ the otheres; there will be no ride quality issues with a properly done SAS.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

FJ-40 axle is a waste of time, in my opinion. You can pick up a mini truck axle pretty cheap, so I'd recommend just searching for one.

Why is that?

An FJ40 housing has a larger third member, and thicker axle housing.

 

[bkg]

Why is that?

An FJ40 housing has a larger third member, and thicker axle housing.

Are you going to wheel hard enough for the R&P size to matter? Few people do. There are trusses available for the housing as well. Plus, it's already setup and ready to go, 10's of thousands of swaps have been done using it, it's proven and you don't have to cut/turn housings or do an SOA. Plus, the spring perch width isn't the same on a cruiser frame as it is on a mini-truck. Depending on the 40 axle you get, you'll have to convert to mini-truck outers anyway... See where I'm going with this?