Mint_spec
Member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2024
- Messages
- 12
Been looking for a place to chronicle my 4Runner build and discovered this forum so here we go. Started out as a bone stock 1990 4Runner that I bought when I was 18. Factory 22re 5speed that I learned manual in.
Eventually did some small mods, lunchbox locker, small lift, trail gear rear bumper, lce header to a full 2.5” tig welded by me exhaust with a fender exit. Basically whatever my 19 year old self could slowly afford.
Eventually I moved out to Colorado and sold my jet boat which I used most of the funds from to embark on a solid axle swap.
I drove 12 hours to Salt Lake and picked up a complete ‘83 pickup axle for 500 bucks. Fit like a glove in the back of my Forester. Then spent the next month sourcing the rest of the needed parts. I loaded up the 4Runner with the axle, all the parts, and my welder and drove back to use my parent’s garage in Missouri to do the swap.
I used a Sky’s off-road design kit, Procomp 3” lift leaf springs, a used 4x4 labs high steer kit, Bilstein 5100s, and two front driveshafts I welded together (totally eyeballed it but it barely even vibrates). I learned a lot and had a few major headaches, namely cutting holes in the frame for the shackles without a torch or plasma cutter, but about 4 days of working with very minimal tools later my buddy and I got it driving and I headed back to Colorado.
Next up in the list was a regear and front and rear lockers. I picked up a set of slightly used t100 housings with 4.88s and Yukon grizzly lockers for a steal of a deal.
Built a front bumper out of some scrap tubing we cut off my buddies rig around a trail gear winch plate.
The second biggest fab project I tackled on it was swapping the stock coil springs in the back to leaf springs. I ended up doing this project in my gravel driveway which sucked ass and definitely added more time to the project but I got it done. I used Ford 57 springs, a Slag factory kit and Barnes u bolt eliminator spring perches.
I now have way more flex on leafs all around coming from the stock rear suspension links with 3” lift coils that I was running.
Currently sitting on some 35s on 15x10” wheels. It cruises ok and is a solid wheeler for now. It’s also my daily driver 85% of the time as well. I’m juggling building this, downhill mountain biking, skiing, and gun stuff so it takes a while on my limited budget to progress the build. Still have a long way to go before it’s what I am envisioning but over the last year it’s come a long way.
Eventually did some small mods, lunchbox locker, small lift, trail gear rear bumper, lce header to a full 2.5” tig welded by me exhaust with a fender exit. Basically whatever my 19 year old self could slowly afford.
Eventually I moved out to Colorado and sold my jet boat which I used most of the funds from to embark on a solid axle swap.
I drove 12 hours to Salt Lake and picked up a complete ‘83 pickup axle for 500 bucks. Fit like a glove in the back of my Forester. Then spent the next month sourcing the rest of the needed parts. I loaded up the 4Runner with the axle, all the parts, and my welder and drove back to use my parent’s garage in Missouri to do the swap.
I used a Sky’s off-road design kit, Procomp 3” lift leaf springs, a used 4x4 labs high steer kit, Bilstein 5100s, and two front driveshafts I welded together (totally eyeballed it but it barely even vibrates). I learned a lot and had a few major headaches, namely cutting holes in the frame for the shackles without a torch or plasma cutter, but about 4 days of working with very minimal tools later my buddy and I got it driving and I headed back to Colorado.
Next up in the list was a regear and front and rear lockers. I picked up a set of slightly used t100 housings with 4.88s and Yukon grizzly lockers for a steal of a deal.
Built a front bumper out of some scrap tubing we cut off my buddies rig around a trail gear winch plate.
The second biggest fab project I tackled on it was swapping the stock coil springs in the back to leaf springs. I ended up doing this project in my gravel driveway which sucked ass and definitely added more time to the project but I got it done. I used Ford 57 springs, a Slag factory kit and Barnes u bolt eliminator spring perches.
I now have way more flex on leafs all around coming from the stock rear suspension links with 3” lift coils that I was running.
Currently sitting on some 35s on 15x10” wheels. It cruises ok and is a solid wheeler for now. It’s also my daily driver 85% of the time as well. I’m juggling building this, downhill mountain biking, skiing, and gun stuff so it takes a while on my limited budget to progress the build. Still have a long way to go before it’s what I am envisioning but over the last year it’s come a long way.
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Hopefully I don’t need to weld anything for a bit.
keep the updates coming ! 
