axle swap advise

[badcompany]

im "toying" with the idea of putting my dana 44 front and 8.8 rear under my 95 4runner and making my into a leaf sprung veichle front and rear.

since i have ZERO experience with toyota i just want to ask what do the knowledgable folks think about this plan.

my 4runner is bone stock and it will be running 31's. mild wheeler and expidition veichle in the future.

any thoughts good or bad pro or con please post up all comments are welcome.

 

[dwcjwerfner]

Hey Farook
I am the Jeep guy and I would advise to find your self a Toyota front if you are going to SAS it. The arguments between D44 and Toy 8" is endless but if you switched you have to buy new yokes and besides even in your year aren't the Toy's still flanged which is a much better design?
But Really Leafs front and rear? The are not the most comfortable ride.
I would do something like this

http://trailgear.ca/default.cfm?fa=products&ProdCategoryID=105

and this

http://trailgear.ca/default.cfm?fa=products&ProdCategoryID=63

Before going to Leafs front and rear. I am not saying you have to buy the kits as you could probably fab it yourself.

Dwayne

PS thanks for the manual.

 

[szabotage]

stock for stock, I think a 4D is stronger than a yota, but you can't build a 4D to be stronger (or lighter) than a modified toy. 8.8 over a yota rear may be around par, but the 8.8 is a c-clip design, heavy, and limited aftermarket support compared to the toy, not to mention easier to service on and off the trail IMO

 

[badcompany]

thanks for the advise guys something for me to think about.
my cherokee is for sale too if anyone needs one.
i dont want my axles to sit like my buggy is going too. so thats why im thinking of using them in the 4runner.

i never thought leaf springs could ride that nice im using the jeep yj leafs up front and xj ones in back. just like a caddy.
i guess im leaning to jeep stuff because im ignorant about toy stuff, it looks so puny, the toys stuff. oh well it will be a winter project.

 

[DannyL]

stock for stock, I think a 4D is stronger than a yota, but you can't build a 4D to be stronger (or lighter) than a modified toy. 8.8 over a yota rear may be around par, but the 8.8 is a c-clip design, heavy, and limited aftermarket support compared to the toy, not to mention easier to service on and off the trail IMO

Toy ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Grumpy]

Toy ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

X 2 dude

 

[badcompany]

you guys got me thinking...

 

[aweber]

Definitely Toy - You can run 35's on bone stock axles if you like. Upgrade to Long's or Dirty 30's and your good up to 38's Not to mention that since you are building an expedition type vehicle you can get factory e-lockers fairly easy for the Toy axles. The front e-locker is even high-pinion....

 

[DannyL]

Definitely Toy - You can run 35's on bone stock axles if you like. Upgrade to Long's or Dirty 30's and your good up to 38's Not to mention that since you are building an expedition type vehicle you can get factory e-lockers fairly easy for the Toy axles. The front e-locker is even high-pinion....

Not to mention they are light and tough! (and I have some for sale...lol)

 

[badcompany]

ok.....ok.....im sold on the toy idea.
you guys who responded to this post i respect your views. your experience speeks tons. thanks
ill get busy selling stuff then revisit this for a build thread this spring of 2012.

 

[badcompany]

http://rides.webshots.com/album/580327634DGkMsL

well i dident think id be getting into this already, oh well to the corner of the garage they go

 

[mudturtle]

u cant go wrong with toy rearends there tough,,i had a 85 toy stock rearends and t case,,,had a 355 chevy motor with about 400 horse,,i drove it hard for 4 years and never hurt a rearend,,,i have a jeep and tore out 2 0r 3 rearends a summer, and that was with the stock 4 banger,, ,so stay with the toy parts ,,,that my excperince anyways ,,,,,good luck

 

[badcompany]

thoes axles in the link, the year is unknown and its obvious that the rear axle has had some truss put on it but why did someone re work the pumpkin housing and dose anyone have any idea of the year of these. they have 4:10 gear ratio so i think there from a 4 cylinder.

 

[DannyL]

thoes axles in the link, the year is unknown and its obvious that the rear axle has had some truss put on it but why did someone re work the pumpkin housing and dose anyone have any idea of the year of these. they have 4:10 gear ratio so i think there from a 4 cylinder.

Someone had time and a welder. The most common gear ratio is 4.10 there are exceptions however, take a look here http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/4R_TechInfo.shtml.

The front diff looks sad.....

 

[badcompany]

thanks for the link.
ok ballpark figure, what dollars am i looking at for this swap?

 

[aweber]

Personally, i would upgrade birf's, knuckle gussets, diff tampon, reverse button head mod, arp knuckle studs and high steer, then add locker of your choice.

 

[aweber]

Here is what I did to mine:

http://www.webercomputing.net/~aweber/truck/AxleProject.htm

 

[badcompany]

i looked at the link and what a diffrence.

i should say that this will not be a hardcore wheelin turck.
it will be expidition/mild wheelin. im thinking stock front axle and no locker so hopfully i will not break anything
and the rear has a lockrite it it already and is alll turssed up.
with the gearing and being its only a 4 cylinder 22re im thinking ill stay with 31'' tires for now.

 

[badcompany]

dose anyone on hear have all the parts and knowhow and the time to do the sas on this turck of mine?
im thinking someone must have some springs, shackles and bushings , u bolts ext. lying around..
and want to do this.. id like to have it done for campn,l thats in mid august, or do it myself next year..
of course id help as long as the price is reasonable.. if this intrests anyone please send me a pm

 

[aweber]

I have all-pro front springs, shackles and u-bolt flip I can sell you, really cheap Maybe a case of :beer:

You should be fine with 31's and stock front, for me, as an expedition type vehicle, I would still upgrade the birf's (cheap 27 spline long's) because nothing would be worse than to loose steering when far from anywhere....

PS - You will still need to go Hi-Steer to be able to do the axle swap right....