Steve's '94 Toyota x-cab mild build

big cherokee

a.r.c fabrication
Location
layton
rears up front love to go negative also. mine go slightly negative in the front of my truck. and have seen pics of people using them going extremly negative.

so a little would not hurt them.
 

Cascadia

Undecided
Location
Orem, Utah
Your brother and I had a discussion about your burly appearance the other morning. He is worried about the unprofessional look.
I don't really work around people other than my few employees. And with the stache I kinda fit in and look like them anyways. Maybe they'll have more respect for me now. Ha.

Sorry for the hijack Steve.
 

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sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
well, in my haste to try and finish the steering tonight, I welded my inner steering mount tubes to the wrong side of the plate. I thought I double and triple checked, but I guess I was too anxious to get it done and I spaced it. One step forward, two steps back. I'll just order another steering box mount kit from Low Range tomorrow.
 
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sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
I think i can salvage the IFS box plates, we'll see if I can make it work without having to buy a new one.
 
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sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
It's 80% done. I still have a bit of welding to do, but that won't happen till tomorrow night. I think I'm going to have to notch the frame slightly for the TRE nut on the draglink to have enough clearance.
 

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
Ok, time for a little update. I got the steering box welded in there. And the pitman arm just BARELY clears the frame.

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But that doesn't matter since the TRE nut (for draglink) won't clear the frame. Guess it's time to notch my first frame. Rick, thanks again for letting me borrow your plasma.

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Mocking up my tube. It's 2" .120 wall. 1/4" would probably be even better, but I feel fine with this. The notch doesn't look as big in real life. If I get concerned about it, I'll plate around it.

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and all painted up.

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I'm starting to get a little burnt out on the build, so I may take a few days off to relax and remember what it feels like to enjoy life for a little bit.
 

Chevycrew

Well-Known Member
Location
WVC, UT
Would it have been easier to just run a slight drop to the pitman arm? Was there a reason to notch the frame? (other than you already had the arm)
 

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
Would it have been easier to just run a slight drop to the pitman arm? Was there a reason to notch the frame? (other than you already had the arm)

Yes, I think that would probably have been easier. Notching the frame wasn't much work, and it wasn't hard, but a pitman arm with a little drop would have been perfect. I had forgotten that someone makes a pitman arm that's halfway between flat and stock.

I actually have both arms. With a stock pitman arm I would have had to move the steering box much further forward, and I would have had to cut the rad support. I'd rather notch the frame than the rad support.

In hindsight, it may have been better to find or make a pitman arm with the right bend in it, but I just feel so hardcore with a notched frame. :D

You bring up a good point though, I wish I had thought of that before. Oh well, what's done is done, and I'm at the point where I just need to get this thing out of my garage.
 
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sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
i just hope the .120 wall is strong enough. I'm no engineer, but it's the same thickness as the stock frame (or maybe even a little thicker), so hopefully it's fine.
 

ricsrx

Well-Known Member
ya Steve i heated my arm and bent it down just enough to clear the frame but it looks great.
 

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
I moved my steering box forward just enough to need to lengthen my steering shaft. Fortunately I had a 1st gen shaft lying around, and I was able to make it work.

Then Eric came over to buy my wheels, and he ended up staying 'till 5 PM. Eric, you're the best, thanks for all the help. We got the front brakes mounted (but not bled), and we pushed it out of the garage so we could wash the truck and clean it off.

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Then we cleaned the garage for a good 3 or 4 hours. I think this is the third time Eric's helped me clean the garage. Then we installed a stereo in his runner. Then we decided to install the TG bumper. Does this look right to anyone?

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You get the idea. Not only is it an ugly bumper that kills your departure angle, but it tips down at the back. I imagine I could trim the sheetmetal to try and make it fit, but I don't want to do that. I'm going to return it and build my own bumper just like the one I had on my '81:


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