Help with build decisions

YotaOnRocks

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2007
Location
Madison
I have an 85 toyota that I've been messing with for way too long now. I'm hoping to finish it up this year and get it on the trail. I'm looking for some advice from others on what to do.

So far I've rebuilt the 22r with an rv cam and put propane on it. I rebuilt the front axle adding knuckle ball gussets and a truss. Installed longfield axles, trunion bearing eliminators, and six shooter knuckles. Did a ruf pack with a sky spring hanger to strech the front out a little and did chevy 63's in the rear. Running 37 pitbull rockers on 15" dig beadlocks

I was planning on doing dual cases with 4.7 in rear one and keeping the 4.10's in the diffs. Haven't decided on lockers, spools, or welded diffs yet.

What says all of y'all that have had different combinations of tcase and diff gearing. And what are you're opinions on lockers?

Thanks in advance for the advice. I'm looking forward fo finishing this long over due project
 
You'll be MUCH happier with lockers for turning purposes. Keep the $ for 4.7's and put it towards 5.29's in the axles. Do it right one time.
 
Full spool in the rear when you regear to 5.29s. Front locker is debatable. Lockright, Detroit, ARB....

Keep the dual cases with stock gears for now. Upgrade later if you feel like you need it.
 
Stock gears in tcases for now to see if you need it, run a lower gear in the axles and a selectable locker front and rear.

On a side note I have a rear case with adapter and twin sticks ready to go for sale if your interested.
 
The most bang for your buck will be to run the stock 4.10 thirds, weld the rear, run a Lock Right in the front, and dual stock cases with a twin stick. It will steer like an open diff when you put it in 2-low. Run that for a while and then you can determine if you want to make any further changes. I hate a welded front, but have no problem with a welded rear.
 
Don't mind spending some money to do gears while I'm in there to do lockers. Seems like I read years ago where people liked the 4.7s and stock axle gearing. Its been 3 years since I touched it and that just stuck in my mind as what I had decided to do. That's why I thought I would get a new game plan from everybody here's past experiences.
 
I can't offer ANY help towards a yota. But I've had 3 Jeeps and a Bronco. Bronco was detroits Fr and Rr, One of my CJ's was open, the other Welded Rr and Lunchbox Fr and my TJ is Eaton Electric Fr and Rr

Not ONE day in the TJ is spent regretting the selectable lockers. Best money I've ever spent!

I hated the bronco after detroits....both on and off road. Took forever to turn it. The TJ is a bear when I'm all locked up, but flick a switch and it's like I have hydro assist
 
Don't mind spending some money to do gears while I'm in there to do lockers. Seems like I read years ago where people liked the 4.7s and stock axle gearing. Its been 3 years since I touched it and that just stuck in my mind as what I had decided to do. That's why I thought I would get a new game plan from everybody here's past experiences.
Axle gears will help while in 2wd just driving around while tcase gears will not.
 
Ecgs carries yukon and motive gears. Is yukon better?

I would like selectable front and rear eventually but that might not be doable right now.
 
If you're sticking with a 37, I would recommend stock duals and leave the stock axle gears. IMO it crawls just fine around here. Weld the rear up really good. Cut small pieces of plate to weld in and tie the spider gears together. Get a spartan for the front and roll out. Get on the trail and have some fun. If its going to spend any time on the road, like more than from the trailer/dairyhut/outpost to the trailhead then yeah toss some 5.29's in there while you've got it apart. It's only going to help your crawl ratio. You can upgrade to selectable lockers later on if you want to and it won't be hard to remove the welded and spartan carriers.

I've had two trucks with stock duals and one with 4.7's. All with stock gears in the axles save for one version of my xtra cab with 4.56 geared tons on 42's. The one with 4.7's was really nice when I needed to place a tire in a specific spot and the control of the low crawl ratio was helpful. But this is the southeast and that moment is rare and can usually be cured with a 2nd gear double low bump. Everyone has a different driving style so thats just my take. I know a number of guys that use the hell out of their 4.7's. I just don't. But if you've got the cases apart, toss an RCV output in. Cheap insurance and that's the weak link once you beef up the shafts and diffs. Especially with that heavier PBR tire.
 
It will be trailered everywhere. Thanks for the input fellas. Keep any advice coming. I started this project in 2010:shaking: as a simple engine rebuild and never finished the snowball that started after that. I have tinkered here and there but I'm determined to finish it this year.
 
Should I go with a budbuilt dual case crossmember or?
 

Between those two, I choose Motive. I've used plenty of each with no negative feedback on either.
Overall on Toyota gear installs, I have found Nitro gears to setup better than any other.
That doesn't mean the others are any lesser quality, the Nitros just seem to be a better machined product.
 
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Ecgs sells nitro but doesn't list them on the website for Toyota's. I'll give them a call and see if they can get them.

I used nitro on my first gear setup last year when my mother in laws 10bolt grenades in her Yukon. I had good success with them then.
 
I run a single case with 4.7s and twin sticks. Rear axle has an e-locker and front has a lockrite, both with stock 4.10 gears. The case gearing is plenty low for the trail. And on 39.5 iroks I can still run it at 60 on the interstate. Finally grenaded the lockrite in the front after 5 years of abuse. I don't regret it, but will probably put an e-locker in the front when I tear it apart. The combination of the selectable rear locker and the twin sticks make maneuvering through tight trail turns relatively easy. If I had to do it again, the only thing I would change on my setup is run dual stock geared cases for the additional gear option...because racecar. And yes, budbuilt is good stuff.
 
I bought a tube bender couple years ago but I don't think I want to learn on a cage so what is a good ballpark to have an interior cage built for this thing.
 
I have stock 4:10's and duel's with 4.7 rear and don't know why you would need any lower gear and budbuilt all the way

Sent from my Z963U using Tapatalk
 
I'm 6ft 220# will I have room inside with an interior cage? I'm not a fan of exos but also not a fan of sitting in a sardine can.
 
I'm 6ft 220# will I have room inside with an interior cage? I'm not a fan of exos but also not a fan of sitting in a sardine can.
When I had a 4Runner with an interior cage, I was 6'3" and about 250. It was pretty darn cramped in there. Headroom was the biggest issue.
 
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