So Ive been trying to sell my axles that Ive had for my straight axle swap, maybe its just the trail gods giving me a sign but I havent had anyone interested. So heres the deal, I dont have anything but my axles and I need help from you guys. My main problem is I need a high steer kit. I dont have leaf springs, spring shackles or anything but those can be found pretty easily thats why I havent been stressing about them. If anyone has a complete high steer kit laying around I really need it, funds are short but I love to barter. Please let me know, Ive decided to bless my Yota with a straight axle and I dont want anything to stop my determination like last time.
In search of necessary parts for 1989 Toyota pickup straight axle swap
- Thread starter TLDawkins
- Start date
The stock steering arms on the front axle from the 79' Toyota arent correct because they are the original set up with one hole one each knuckle at the front and then the horshoe style knuckle on the back of the driver side with the arm that connected to the steering box. Once I cut everything out and mount the solid axle under there my IFS steering system will not bolt up from what Ive been told?
I dont have any major problems with the setup im running, I just dont like the design of the IFS system, I feel like its weak and on my trail rigs Ive always had a solid axle. When I hear clunks and pops from the IFS system on my truck all I can think about is leaving a trail and my front tires falling off......plus the gear ratios in the front and rear axle I have to put under my truck are different which would help a little since im running 33's but would like to run a 35. Ive done a few spring over lifts, but all of this steering swap stuff is new to me. Ive never had to convert anything and Im trying to do this the cheapest and fastest way possible, because I dail drive the truck and it cant be down for more than 2 days.
Man to do a sas swap in 2 days I would think you would have to be a mad scientist or something. Then you may have to rotate your steering box also. Usually if you put an ifs steering box on a 85- truck you mount the box so that the pitman arm barely misses the frame when you steer. Like I said may have to. What else you need to do is steering studs. Like arp or tg. You don't "have to" if they aren't in the budget but it's a very good upgrade and I almost promise you the stockers will fail you one day. Stay away from Tg tie rod ends. China junk, saw a few go out on my vaca out west that cost him hitting some really good trails. I've had them and the boots bust rather quick. And they rust. Get on car-parts.com and see if you can score some off an fj80. Oems are the best inmho.
Yeah.....Im really stuck right now because this is my only daily driver, its an IFS truck so the steering gear box and everything is there, I just dont know what all goes into it. Im supposed to be meeting up with a bunch of guys here in Columbia and Im pretty sure all of them know some important info on doing a SAS with a Toyota. I know it sounds crazy, but I think if I had the necessary tools and parts I could do it in two days. I mainly just want to get it under the truck and back on the road, fine tuning and tweaking as I go.
We did the trail gear swap kit on my brother's 87. It could be done in a weekend. It took us much longer but we only worked on it a little here and there... he used the tg axle kit and steering kit. Get your axle all ready before you tear into the truck. Steering arms, tie rod, drag link already on it. The actual swap kit is pretty simple. You need a good hole saw or torch to cut the holes in the frame for the shackle mount, weld in the tubes, weld on the front crossmember, shock mounts, and bolt in the springs and axle.
It takes more time to remove and clean up all the ifs brackets/mounts off the frame than it does to install the new hangers.
It takes more time to remove and clean up all the ifs brackets/mounts off the frame than it does to install the new hangers.
We did the SAS on miles 4runner in 10-12hrs but that was with 5 guys & plasma cutter. Larry's right the tg kit goes together fairly quick its cutting off the old stuff that takes the longest ( hence, we had a plasma cutter) but having everything ready before hand it should be reasonable to do it in a weekend.