Veronica gets new facelift, the runner SAS plans

[Bighead]

An SAS due to some steering issues and a squeak? I hope you have thought long and hard about this. It looks to me like you are making a buggy with a 4Runner body. Why not just build an F-Toy or a truggy?

[4runnerchevy]

I wouldn't worry about what someone else did. Leap, don't look where your going to land, its a better experience. Besides I want to see the finished product.

[neliconcept]

An SAS due to some steering issues and a squeak? I hope you have thought long and hard about this. It looks to me like you are making a buggy with a 4Runner body. Why not just build an F-Toy or a truggy?

those were just smallllll issues, its bigger then that, i dont have room for two toys to work with. ive seen many daily driven and i know this could be too.

[Cheese]

Not to jump the bandwagon, but...

Bumpsteer with IFS rack and pinion?

Build whatever you want. You won't want to DD a truck like that for long, I have one.

[Good Times]

my first thoughts "wow". after rereading everything you want to do, I've got to say "wow" again.

Not sure what trails you've encountered but is a sas really that necessary for the trails that you want to do? I really question this (even if money is not an issue) because I've seen Bruce (3rd gen IFS crawler) do some amazing stuff. So with this in mind, I really think to myself "is a SAS really that needed?"

In your case I've never seen you hit the trails so I'm not sure but with the current setup you have I definitely would want to break some stuff before even wanting to go SAS. Those that have gone the SAS have finally upgraded their IFS crap only because they've broken just about every part of their IFS but in your case I am seriously concerned as to what your underlined motivations are.

As for the laundry list of items you have, it's pretty impressive. Looks like you've done some homework and researched quite abit to get the "I want" list in there. The Poison Spyder rear tire carrier concept is really sick (something I was originally going to do) but decided not to. Here's my beef. The tire will be VERY HEAVY and trying to lift it up will be hard. I built a similar setup on my rear bumper and after lifting and folding the 35's on there I've cut it off and will be going with a different setup. Definitely sexy but after some personal experiences I definitely will be going back to the side hinged setup.

If you truly do plan to do this, I recommend you study Adrian's setup as I really think it's one awesome vehicle. Though I haven't seen it in person, looking at pictures and details of the build just makes me drool. He really did a great job on the build so that'd be one vehicle I would want to follow closely if I had the funds to do something like what you are attempting to do. Another member would be 4mogger on pirate. Though he has a second gen it's still a sick setup

good luck and definitely create a new thread on the build up. sounds like a good 1-2 year build. have fun!

[YotaFun]

You know Blake,
You could Just keep your setup you have now,
And by StevO's runner :-D
Just a thought.

[neliconcept]

thanks Lance, thanks for the input on the rear tire stinger, i may see if its possible to make it a swing out but who knows.

as for everybody else, done yet? i know its a hard thing to imagine, but id rather have input on the list of parts and concepts i have rather then, wtf are you thinking, why???

too much to ask pleeeeeeaseee,,,, pretty please?

[ecchamberlin]

We all build what we build for different reasons. I talked to a Jeep guy once that though my building my rig on the 4Runner platform was the most stupid thing he had ever seen. Whatever....

I have a question about the diamond axles. Why go this route instead of finding a Dana 44? Is it that much stronger and if it is, would that make the front axle disproportionately stronger than the rear? What I mean is, would the strength of the front get you into stuff that rear cannot handle and break? And, cost diff between buying/rebuilding a 44 vs a diamond?

[neliconcept]

Ive heard good and bad about the D44 as far as outers go. For the Diamond its more along the lines of the housing being stronger then a D44. Custom options on width and what you want to put in it, wether you want to use a birfield or go with U joints.

as far as the setup, its basically a setup from a FZJ80 that i want to use, except ill be using stronger housings and beeifer axle shafts and outers. Along with cryoed R&P setups. I could go D44, but keeping the stock rear and using a 37 or 39 will not let it hold up well after some abuse. Brad (mossyrocks) can atune to that.

9.5 is a big rear and if you have ever seen the blue uzj100 that Cristo built, he has that diff in the front diamond and also the stock 100 rear also a 9.5

Right now i need to research over and over. my ideas are just a basic outline at the time.

[Good Times]

some other items to check out:

Tom Wood's Driveshafts! (http://www.4xshaft.com/index.html) - good stuff
Portal Axles (why not right? go big or go home!) - better stuff
Pop up roof? check this bad boy out!!! - awesome stuff

Hutchinson Beadlocks rock! If I could do it I'd get this one



Like I said if the world's the limit then might as well go big If I can find some other saved links I'll post em up. Gotta go thru the hundreds of links I have on cool stuff I want!