Steve's '94 Toyota x-cab mild build

[iamsparticus]

oh steve its not a little more a exo its alot more tube, besides a internal is stronger because of how it can tie in, at least i think so, im also doing a front bumper, slider and front tube fenders on a 2006 quad cab tacoma today, and he's stopping there

 

[airmanwilliams]

If I were doing more crawling in it, then I would totally take you up on the offer. I want to keep it close to stock on this build, since it'll do 90% daily driver duty. If I did fenders, then an exo would just be a little more tube, then I might as well do a flat belly, then bob the bed, then it just goes on and on until I can't drive it on the road

I'm fighting the urge, believe me.

how about building some fender flares that are removable. you can get some fender flares that clamp on, lined with rubber along the body so to not damage paint. I think I heard that teraflex makes these for jeeps so when you go wheeling you take them off. why not make something like that for your truck? if you make them patent them and sell them to lowrange.

 

[sixstringsteve]

seth, you need to start a thread with all the work you guys have produced, then get a blue gear.


Here's Jeff's work in Moab (dirtsqrl)
If I did do fenders, they'd be like this:

 

[Taco4life]

Steve you have had that truck a month now and it already has it's first scratch... Looking through those pictures reminded me how clean that truck really is. With that being said, I understand why you are doing everything to avoid putting some form of flares on it. My vote is to run the spacers.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I'll be wrenching tonight and tomorrow morning if anyone wants to swing by and lend a hand.

tonight I'll be doing the 4.7s in the t-case if anyone wants to learn how to do that. I'll probably do front bumps too, who knows.

Saturday I'd like to pull the bed off, extend the frame a bit, and do the rear bumper.

 

[zukijames]

bead locks dont balance ..if i dont go camping i'll come learn how to put 4.7s in cause i need to put mine in

 

[sixstringsteve]

k. bring you case and your 4.7's and we can do yours too. If anyone else has 4.7s to install, come on over tonight and we'll knock it out. I have a press, so we should be able to finish everything tonight.

 

[TJDukit]

I really like the look of the 1.5" spacer. So I'd vote for the spacer or better yet wheels with 3" of backspacing. I know it's only a half inch difference but the two inch spacers just look like too much.

 

[iamsparticus]

i want to get a blue gear just not in the budget yet soon though and then i will share all the stuff we have done

 

[sixstringsteve]

No pics, but I got a lot done. I sandblasted most of my top-shift t-case, then I tore it all apart. In the process, I bent one of the c-clips, so I need to rob one from my forward-shift case.

So I pulled my forward-shift case from my truck tonight. Not a fun job by yourself, but at least I've done it enough times that I knew what to expect.

So tomorrow I'll be tearing down the forward-shift, making it a crawl box, mating it to the dual adapter, installing the 4.7s in the top-shift, and bolting it all together. Hopefully I can get a hand from someone to lift the duals up to the tranny so I can get the hole cut for the rear case, then install it. That's probably pretty ambitious, but that would be ideal to get to that stage tomorrow.

 

[chans]

Let me know and I can help after about 10:30am. Eventually I will need to change my gear out of the rear case since it is making noises. I will PM you my number if you can send me your address.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Thanks a ton chans, I will definitely take you up on that offer.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I've got to give Chris (chans) a HUGE thank you for helping me out so much today. There's no way I could have gotten nearly as much done if you weren't there.

THanks to Colton as well for hangin out and keeping us company.

Started with this yesterday:

After some sand it looked like this:

Here's what a t-case looks like when it's completely apart, sitting in a dirty garage.

After the 4.7's and crawlbox. A dual-ultimate is born.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Then it was time to install it. I somehow measured spot on and got the second case hole cut perfectly in the floor. I used a jigsaw with a metal blade. It cut like butter.

I can just barely squeeze the twin-stick in through that hole. This is with the seat all the way back. It looks like I'll have to do some modification to the twin stick. Either that, or I'll just slide the seat forward when I want to go into low range.

t-case skid installed with lots more clearance than stock:

I'm looking for one more t-case mount (the rubber part that goes between the t-case and the skid plate).

I'm open to ideas/suggestions for the twin stick. I won't be re-upholstering the seat or going to bucket seats, so it looks like the only other option is to cut the shift levers and dog-leg 'em.

Not bad to have dual ultimates built and installed in a 24 hour time period.

 

[Max Power]

Not bad at all my friend. That t-case setup looks like a lot of fun. I am puzzled why you didn't just pressure wash your t-cases. Mine came very clean and only took about 5 minutes and i didn't have to worry about fine dust making its way into bearings. With the longer case setup are you going to ditch the 2 peice drive shaft?

 

[sixstringsteve]

Yeah, pressure washing would have been better. I didn't even think of that. I replaced all those bearings with The bearings from my top shift, so there's no sand or dust in the case now.

I think I'm going to keep the 2 piece driveshaft. With such a long wheelbase I think a one-piece would get hung up a lot. I wouldn't mind the simplicity of a one-piece driveshaft.

 

[Max Power]

I like the ground clearance you gained with the new crossmember. Did you put chromo shafts up front? Just curious. When is your maiden voyage? Have you gotten rid of your old knuckles yet? If you still have them I am looking for some spares.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Yeah, dirty thirties up front. Maiden voyage is sometime before the 26th, when I take it to moab.

I have a set of knuckles ill sell ta for $40 for the pair if you want em.

 

[Coco]

Wow steve well done!! Ya I entertained and shot the breeze for a little. (wasn't really dressed to help out, and didn't have the time sorry I didn't help more steve!) but you killed that man!! That skid/crossmember looks like it clears a LOT more than I was thinking it would for some reason! Well done!

Just a thought tho, but why not do bucket seats, and a little console there? I'm not a fan of bench seats (but to each his own) I just thought I would ask and see

 

[sixstringsteve]

It's a 40/60 split bench. it has 3 seat belts up front and 2 in back. It's nice to be able to seat 5 instead of 4, but buckets might be nice. If I could find some stock buckets that would bolt right in I'd strongly consider it. One of the biggest pains about the 81was building the seat mounts. That sucked. So if I can find stock matching seats, id do it. But i don't think I can find any toy bucket seats that are grey.

Anyone want to trade their buckets for my bench?