I just finished spending about 3 hours in the yota FAQ. Now I'm hooked. I'm trying to sell my 96 XJ and get myself into a toyota. I'm going to have about 3500 to 4000 to get myself started. I've got a line on a 92 reg cab 4 cyl, 5 speed with low miles. It would take up most of my budget though, and I would have to settle with the 32 mt's it has, and throw a lunchbox locker in the rear for now.

I also have a line on an 84 truck. It is fairly rust free, and already has a flatbed. I would have about 2000-2500 to upgrade this truck, or leave it as is, and pay off my last credit card. I'm just worried that the 22 year old truck will nickle and dime me to death in the beginning.

I want to run 32 or 33" tsl's, at least one locker, and do the mild trails around the southeast for now. Thanks for any advice.

I would get the 92 and do a solid axle conversion on it later. It already has fuel injection, and the power steering box you need for crossover steering.

Depends on what you want with the truck. To drive daily? Go with the 92 and SAS it eventually. Body lift it for now and stick your 33s under it and get a transfer case gear set. Trail rig? Go with the 84. Cheaper and easier to do... well everything on. Gears (R&P), lockers, small lift will run about a grand and change for it.

dont......best advice I can give

dont......best advice I can give

Dont listen to this guy he just had his...

http://www.chaoticconcepts.com/haterade.gif

This is going to be a trail rig, but I still want to be able to run into town and drive it to the local trails. I have an F150 for dd'ing.

As for not doing it, I can't handle the Cherokee anymore. Too much sheetmetal, fiberglass, and windows.

I would personally look for an Extra Cab, you won't regret it. 84-85 is nice, but you will end up chasing rust here in the east. 90's cabs are nice and big, but you will end up having to put a solid axle in eventually. Do you have a welder and the skills to use it? If not, I would recommend getting something with the solid axle. If you do then, anything can be set up to wheel.

Go with the 84' as long as the 84' is mechanically sound. Keep in mind it would have a carb engine. You should be able to run 33's on a stock 84' truck. I would suggest going with 63" Chevy springs in the rear and rear Toyota springs in front for a cheaper lift. Definately go with hy-steer. This setup can be done for about $800-$1,000. SAS will run you around $1,800 in parts.

Here is a good read regarding buying 79-85' Toyota 4x4 trucks.
http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/techarticles/131_9706_toy/index.html

Go with the 84' as long as the 84' is mechanically sound. Keep in mind it would have a carb engine. You should be able to run 33's on a stock 84' truck. I would suggest going with 63" Chevy springs in the rear and rear Toyota springs in front for a cheaper lift. Definately go with hy-steer. This setup can be done for about $800-$1,000. SAS will run you around $1,800 in parts.

Here is a good read regarding buying 79-85' Toyota 4x4 trucks.
http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/techarticles/131_9706_toy/index.html

$1,800?? Send me what your smoking....:smokin: :flipoff2: A SAS on an a 3rd gen can be done for much cheaper than that if you have any fab skills and don't mind putting some extra work into your rig. The payoff is well worth it IMO.

I did a SAS on an 89' and am glad that I got a newer truck to start from.

Cost to build...

84 axle- $200
Sky hi steer- $399
Marlin Rebuild kit- $75
Steel for drop hanger, shackles, flip plates, etc.- ~$50
Ubolts front/rear- $65
Ford Shock towers- $25
IFS steering box- $free!
Rears up front pack- $25
Shocks- $shitty procomp $33/each specials :shaking: (Should have spent more)

The only thing an 84/85 will get you is the axle. You'll still need to swap in an IFS steering box (~$175) when you go to hi steer. To me, it would be a wash as far as the cost is concerned. You will have to do everything else in that list on an older rig.

You'll kick yourself later when you are spending $$ and time doing an EFI conversion on a rust bucket.

Here's a pic..

http://img457.imageshack.us/img457/365/newpictures0567ee.jpg

The 92 is looking better. The 84 has major wiring problems. What is the quickest way to which tranny the 92 has, and if it has the ADD crap. Would it possibly have the chain driven case?

Tranny will be a W56. If it has manual locking Aisin hubs then it won't have ADD. The chain driven cases are only on the V6 models. It sounds like this '92 is a basic truck so it probably has a bench seat, and manual hubs.

You can put in a mild 1" body lift from 4Crawler and fit 33" tires. Put a lunchbox locker in the rear and you will be good to go. Later on you will be able to buildup as your budget allows.

The 92 is looking better. The 84 has major wiring problems. What is the quickest way to which tranny the 92 has, and if it has the ADD crap. Would it possibly have the chain driven case?

I doubt it has ADD if it is a 4cyl. Is it an auto or 5 speed? I could be wrong though....

Its a 4 cyl 5 speed.

Tranny will be a W56. If it has manual locking Aisin hubs then it won't have ADD. The chain driven cases are only on the V6 models. It sounds like this '92 is a basic truck so it probably has a bench seat, and manual hubs.



A 22RE is NO guarantee of a W56 transmission as ADD equipped trucks came with a G-58 transmission and a 26 spline chain drive t-case.

The first check for ADD would be looking for drive flanges instead of manual hubs, but as drive flanges are easily swapped for manual hubs it isn't a 100 percent check:

http://www.off-road.com/4x4web/toyota/tech/add/images/hub2.jpg

The second easy check would be to look for the ADD vacuum pot on the axle (vacuum pot on lower axle shaft in picture below):

http://home.4x4wire.com/erik/diffs/IFS_diff2.jpg

If you are planning on a SAS in the near future I would run skinny 33x10.5 that will work on a stock suspension and rims and throw a lunchbox locker in the rear.

When you do a SAS later on you can still use the lunchbox locker in the front or rear.

Buy the 92! I wouldnt spend one nickel on a locker for the rear, weld the spider gear and for get about it for the rest of your life! Take you lunch box locker money and put it into your SAS fund's box! Ive used welded rear's with 36" tsl sx's with no trouble's, even on the road it is not to bad if you drive like you got some brain's at all! I had a 91 Toy that I wheeled for about a year before I SAS it, with stock susp. 3" body lift, 33x12.5 supper swamper tsl's, dual T-case's and welded up rear spider gear's had alot of fun with it! But when you go to buy wheel's get a set of 15x8 steel wheel's (less $$) with 2" back space to widen the wheel base! Then later down the road when you want to make them into beadlock's, then you've got 15x10's and alittle wider wheel base again! So you spend the money on the wheel's the first time then use the same wheel's for bigger stuff later:eek: !