4-Wheel Drives, SUV's and Trucks

Back in 1988 A.D., this shortbed, standard cab Toyota IFS was purchased by my father as a daily driver to work and back. Occasionally it was engaged into four wheel drive for a hunting trip or two, for icy conditions in the mountains, or simply for regular lubrication. What I'm getting at is that the truck just had to get out more often. That all changed when I obtained my driver's license and my parents decided to give me the truck. Let me tell you, that was a killer deal.

First thing was tires and rims...of course. I added all the foolish extras to the truck and turned it into a Show x Four. (Hey, I didn't know any better, I was 16). Then, a little over three years ago, I saw the light. I was hired at Tucson Differential as a broom jockey. First thing for the rookie were 4.88's. Man, did that truck pick up and go on those little 31x10.50's. The gears were great on the trail, but I needed traction badly. Soon enough, a Detroit Locker was installed in the Toyota 8" rear (World of a difference on the trail that made!). The gears and the locker gave extreme ease to those, what once in the past were challenging obstacles. Seeing that I was still a "one wheel wonder" in my front diff, of course, another Detroit Locker for the Toyota 7.5 IFS. I had to choose the Detroit E-Z Locker, seeing that they did not have a complete carrier. The E-Z was placed inside my original single-track carrier. Once again, a dream on the trail. It became more enjoyable to go wheelin'.

Well, I soon grew out of the IFS and was getting tired of limited articulation. A project was needed. With the combined knowledge of Tucson Differential and Profab, a solid axle conversion was in the making. A Toyota 8" front axle was chosen from an '85, the last year for the solid axle, with the factory trusses. The unbent 8" housing was thoroughly cleaned and composed of: US Gear 4.88's, Detroit Locker, Timken bearings, National seals, and an All-Pro cross-over steering arm. The IFS was torn down on one night at work. The torch cutting and grinding (lots of both) were accomplished on other nights. My truck soon had nothing hanging from the front end. Nothing but frame. Measurements were being taken while my brand new National Springs lay behind my toolbox, awaiting installation. Spring hangers were fabricated for the front and the original hangers from an '85 were also used. Springs were hung, diff was installed, had a rolling vehicle again! The factory tie-rod was "slightly" beefed up by driving a solid rod inside the hollow tube. Not much but an easy way to strengthen what I had. A custom drag link was fabricated, using a left handed thread heim joint at the All-Pro end and a right handed thread at the steering box, to allow for easy adjustment. Shock towers were purchased at a Ford dealership for an F-350. Nice and beefy towers. The truck was a roller and a driver. The truck sat tall on those little 31x10.50's.

Good Year 33x12.50 MTR's were next in line for the truck. The front drive shaft was lengthened, the rear 8" pinion angle was turned up 3 degrees by relocating the spring pads, and the rear shaft was lengthened and acquired a CV head at the t-case end of it. The Marlin Crawler 4.7:1 gears were installed next in the t-case at Tucson Diff. I don't know how I lived without them. Rock sliders were fabricated to prevent damage to the doors and such.

The last and most recent project was bobbing the bed. In one night, Profab took 13inches from my original short bed! 13inches in the dumpster gone. Paint job was soon after. Wish I could say that I never hit my bed now, but I already have. It has helped out tremendously not having worthless sheet metal hanging past the frame. Many projects are inline for the future. It will always be a never-ending project. New project will surely be posted on the site.

P.S. Thanks for the truck Mom & Dad

Juniordiff