89 runner rebuild

Alright one more minor project to address on the pile. All the suspension grease fittings took grease great...but... the drivers front shackle bolts and spring bolt. I need to pick up some fittings and clean out the old broke ones then drill out the hole to get the nasty out, then install the new ones and fill the bushings with some quality grease to get it all moving smoothly and quietly.
did some measuring and will be doing the rod ends on the tie rod sometime this week for sure, the sloppy return to center is driving me nuts.
 
Headed to Gluches this weekend for a shake down run, rig worked great. Did all the park name trails took the fun lines and crawled it all. Added a few dents in the process and found I need to reroute the hydro assist and driver front brake line. The setup as a whole works exceptionally well and I’m really happy. The assist worked perfectly with the stickies and clearance is great, I think 8 pounds is going to be the right number for the bead loaves as 6 seemed a little to low in the rear even. Other than rerouting the lines I only found the AC needed recharging and I may shave the rear diff housing. It hauled the family and cooler in moderate AC through all the hard trails crawling and flexing so over all it was a great day on the trails. Pics of it and my nose dive there as soon as I get them.
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A buddy drove my baby bouncer and it had steering issues with the E power steering box even with the new switch. I’m just over that setup and decided to build a full hydro setup for it after I finalize a few things on the runner. Should make for a fun build as I’m going to go from 32 stickies to 35 stickies on it and put a good muffler on it since it is just loud now.
 
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Couple pics from last weekend. Last of the goodies to rebuild the front end made it in yesterday so once my high pinion is finished up I’ll tear down the front for a full rebuild. Also took advantage of the Labor Day sales and got 30 spline chrome moly front and rear outputs the the t case. Moving the battery to rear tomorrow for sure and adding a battery disconnect to use when I park it between trips. It did great this past weekend far better than I expected so I’m really happy with the build so far. Having room to store a a full size yeti in the back and enjoying AC is really making the family happy with it and willing to go so that is a huge plus!
 
Test fit the new fuel cell and battery location. Put the all inportant cooler in to confirm it all fit and success. I’ll start the swap this week by dropping the stock tank and converting the stock pump assembly into the Motobilt tank. The Barnes tank mount should be here tomorrow finish the install. Should be a nice setup and clear up some space for links and ground clearance under the pile.
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Lots parts in as I waited for my front high pinion to get finished up. Picking it up from diff guru himself Monday. Tore the front completely down and it was a nasty pile. I plan to go full hydro very shortly when I link the front so I am working on what to do about steering arms. Other than that all the goodies are here. Also got the fuel tank out and swapped in a moto bilt unit in the back behind the rear seats is done ready to plumb in. Slowly going...
 
That is one sweet looking 4runner! I especially like that color scheme.
 
That is one sweet looking 4runner! I especially like that color scheme.
Thanks. The faded red works with the Herculiner two tone. Years ago I saw a Toyota cab truck with a flat bed linked that was black cab top with faded red body and a lower cab line black. It really looked good and the runner cried for it.
 
Thanks. The faded red works with the Herculiner two tone. Years ago I saw a Toyota cab truck with a flat bed linked that was black cab top with faded red body and a lower cab line black. It really looked good and the runner cried for it.
Heck yeah. My first toyota was an 87 runner, original brown. Coolest color brown I've ever seen. I always wanted to do some kinda two tone to it. I also traded it straight across to a guy for a '71 Mercury Montego. He needed a 4x4 truck to launch boats into lake Murray and I wanted a race car. Either way, awesome truck you got there!!
I'll see ya around Gulches some day soon.
 
Heck yeah. My first toyota was an 87 runner, original brown. Coolest color brown I've ever seen. I always wanted to do some kinda two tone to it. I also traded it straight across to a guy for a '71 Mercury Montego. He needed a 4x4 truck to launch boats into lake Murray and I wanted a race car. Either way, awesome truck you got there!!
I'll see ya around Gulches some day soon.
Sounds like a plan. Gulches is fairly close for us so it is a favorite. Have to hit ya up when I get the pile back together.
 
Almost got all the fuel system parts together.
Pulled the skid to get the new stock filter with the 6an installed and found the crawl box was missing 3 of the 4 bolts on the mount... so I’ll get that sorted next as I put the fuel system together. I’m going to remove the rear case whilst the plate is off and install these sexy 30 spline long field rear and marlin 30 front outputs. Goal is to build it strong and not worry about beating it so time to put these two jewels in, had them sitting pretty in boxes for the last couple months.
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Fuel pump and lines are sorted. Pulled the rear case to upgrade the front and rear outputs to 30 spline 300m beef and seal the leaking bastard. Found it is 23 spline front and rear cases so cases are now as stout as a Yota case can be. All torn down waiting on silicone to go back together. In typical fashion every where the case was sealed with the stock gaskets it leaked.
 
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Cleaning it was the worst part. Pressure washer and simple green, at least it wasn’t greasy and more. More importantly though it is now rebuilt with all the beef a yota can take. Installed with new lock washers on the box studs and driveshaft bolts, new bolts in both crawl box and rear case mounts! No more missing bolts how novel. Putting the skid back up tomorrow on it and starting the front housing torch work to clear the way for links. I plan to move it forward 3-5 inches to get weight off it and clearance for a little more up travel. I’m visualizing a tube front end with the fenders and grill just hanging on it.
 
This build sure escalated quickly. Keep up the good work.
Right, don’t they always! Thanks, it is moving along steadily which is all I can ask honestly. Cold weather hit quick with little time to go wheel with work being good and busy this summer and fall so just dove into the build, feet first, head first not really sure at this point...
 
Front link goodies made it in today. Refused the box with the arms though as the end was missing along with everything inside. Trail gear got a call and they started processing another box with those items. So in the mean time I’ll pull the axle and strip the stock suspension off. Only part I’m stressing over is mounting the air shocks. I’ll burn that bridge when I get to it I guess.
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What are you stressing about with mounting the air shocks?

These Toyota builds make me miss my HoRunner I had.
 
What are you stressing about with mounting the air shocks?

These Toyota builds make me miss my HoRunner I had.

Basically I want it to look clean and be braced well. The V6 is wider across the top on the intake so running a brace like I did in the past won’t work. I don’t want a brace the requires the hood to be cut out to clear the mounts or braces. I am leaning towards a tube frame with the fenders and grill jus mounting on it. That would let me put the upper shock mounts wherever they need to go and be braced nicely. The AC works on this thing so I plan to keep it and all the factory parts including the factory intake tube that house the stock mass air on the drivers side. If it doesn’t look like a tubed front will be a good route I’ll just mount with hoops like standard shocks and plate the back of the tube to brace it. I’m open to suggestions though.
 
Yeah I have had similar experiences with the picture. To heavy a load, to high pressure to compensate for the load, no sway bar... any pics of the upper shock mount? I like the tube work but would want to keep the grill and lights.

I’m planning to run the 2.5 units I have in the boxes so I shouldn’t have to run the pressure so high. I’m also still considering leaving the rear leaf sprung to balance the fronts leverage. If I link the rear it will have a sway bar for sure since like I said earlier air shocks always seam to need one to work well unless your ok with the torque jacking slinky dance they seem to do on full body rigs.
 
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