5.29 ring & pinion gears (this is the recommended ratio for 35" tires. Use solid spacers instead of crush sleeves; it makes replacing pinion seals easier.)
1985 front axle housing (I discovered that the original housing had been bent beyond repair in the previous owner's accident. This housing has been completely rebuilt by Doug at TrailMax Manufacturing, who also gussetted the spring perches, welded on a differential cover (pumpkin hat), and drilled the perches to move the axle 1.5" forward.)
1994 rear axle housing (3" wider for better tire-to-frame clearance during compression, bigger drums, bigger axle tubes. Mine came out of a truck with only 60000km on it.)
ARB air lockers front & rear (ARB wiring harness modified to allow operation of front locker independent of rear. The compressor pwr switch is a Toyota "ECT" switch from an AT-equipped 4Runner, with the button turned 90º.)
Custom 2.25" cat-back exhaust, high-flow muffler made for a 5.0-litre Mustang (tucked up high, and installed on the far left of the truck to clear the angled long-travel shock setup; exits forward of the shackle and allows full droop. Very quiet, with just a hint of throatiness.)
Extended diff breathers (prevents water from entering the diffs during deep water crossings; both terminate at the top of the firewall. You can use Nissan diff breathers, p/n 38323-C6010, or you can use Toyota p/n 90404-51319; the Toyota breathers are a bit longer than the Nissan breathers but they are functionally identical.)
Ford-type wheel studs (1/2-20; they have about a 1mm wider diameter than Toyota studs, for higher strength, and fit with no modifications. Longer and stronger studs are needed for use with front wheel spacers, and if you replace the rear studs at the same time, there won't be any lug-nut mixups on the trail or at the tire shop.)
Front driveshaft lengthened 2" (I didn't need to do this with the taller springs, but once I moved the front axle forward, the yoke would pull apart on the hoist. Lengthening provided by Breeze Industries.)
K&N replacement air filter (once the restrictive snorkle gets installed, the engine will need a bit of help breathing. I didn't have to buy it; it was installed in a parts truck that Ryan and I bought.)
Niehoff fuel injectors (p/n 57520. Since the originals were 16 years old, I replaced them when I rebuilt the motor in April, 2001. I kept the originals as spares.)
NWOR metal-backed timing chain guide (the original plastic long guide will eventually break from the constant pounding and pressure, allowing the timing chain to slap around and wear through the timing-chain cover into a water jacket; installing a metal-backed guide eliminates that problem. You will need to obtain new bolts; the original bolts are too long as they had to fit inside the thick plastic guide as compared to the new thin metal guide bracket.)
Remanufactured 1985 22RE motor (bored .030 over, rebuilt in June, 2002.)
Replaced 2-piece rear driveshaft and steady-bearing with 1-piece driveshaft (reduces driveshaft angle, and eliminates one potential source of vibration on lifted trucks. A used 1-piece driveshaft is around the same price as a new steady-bearing, and can be found on a 1988 V6 Xtra-cab.)
Shadbolt M1144 camshaft
Toyota low-profile Allen-key magnetic diff drain plugs (p/n 90341-18021) (helps to prevent rocks from loosening the plugs. Uses a 10mm Allen key. You can also replace the fill plugs with these; keep the original plugs in your tool box as spares.)
Warn Premium manual hubs (lifetime warranty, and cheaper than a set of new Aisins. However, they are slightly wider than the Aisin hubs, and the dial requires a 3/4 turn to engage instead of a 1/4 turn. I whacked one with a rock; minor cosmetic abrasions only, and the rock broke.)
Suspension, Steering, and Brakes
4OffRd 6" rear springs (63" long, 4-leaf + overload; custom spring hanger located 11.5" forward of stock, custom drop shackles made from modified Con-Ferr 6.5"-long Toyota shackles and modified ProComp 7.5"-long Chevy lowering shackles (Chevy's use inverted shackles). A short piece of a leaf spring was welded to each Con-Ferr shackle to prevent the shackles from inverting, and a low-profile poly bumpstop was bolted to the shackle cross-brace to prevent the shackle from banging on the frame. They have a nice, soft ride, both on the street and on the trail. They soak up bumps with no problem, and flex extremely well. UPDATE: these springs have sagged unevenly, so I have a set of stock Chevy's and a set of ProComp add-a-leaves waiting to go in.)
Custom Metal Action 25mm aluminum front wheel spacers with integral studs (provides clearance for the big brake package.)
Daystar splined polyurethane frame, spring, and shackle bushings (holds more grease than non-splined bushings.)
Energy Suspension polyurethane bump stops
Ford F-250 gussetted extended front shock towers (p/n E5TZ-18183-A) (requires inner-fender cutting; had to raise the coil/igniter with a spacer to clear the left-side extended shock tower.)
Front axle relocated 1.5" forward (to increase tire-to-rear-fenderwell clearance; requires an adjustable drag link and an adjustable torque rod.)
Front brake line brackets bent to point the brake lines down instead of out to the side (the lines were maxed out on droop; this provides a couple inches more slack.)
Front springs: ProComp 4"-lift rear springs for Jeep YJ (These springs provide approx 6" lift for my Toyota. The front shackle sits at a decent angle. They are quite stiff, but they still somehow manage to flex okay. They are very inexpensive.)
Frontier greasable spring pins (I use Castrol synthetic grease for better retention in water.)
Frontier Wide-Body greasable front shackles (eliminates the shackle-to-body-mount contact under compression, common with Con-Ferr and similarly-shaped shackles.)
Land Cruiser vented front rotors, V6 4Runner calipers and pads
Modified Teraflex adjustable greasable extended torque rod (an adjustable rod is needed when lifting the truck and moving the axle forward; it's actually a control arm from a Teraflex 4" lift kit for a Jeep TJ; a torque rod is not needed with cross-over steering. I stuck the Teraflex sticker on the canopy window for the benefit of Jeep owners ("But, Teraflex doesn't make Toyota kits...".)
Pro-Comp adjustable greasable dropped drag link (a dropped unit is needed to correct the steering on lifted trucks, and the adjustability is required when relocating the axle forward.)
Pro-Comp DOT-approved braided stainless-steel extended brake lines (gives a firmer pedal because they don't bulge like the rubber lines.)
Rancho RS9012 long-travel adjustable shocks front & rear, polyurethane bushings (no shock boots; they just trap dirt and moisture, which results in rust. You can also see the "clean" mark on the shaft and determine how much of the shock travel you are using. Fronts are usually set to 3, rears are usually set to 4.)
Rear U-bolt flip with Chevy spring plates (for more clearance under the axle tubes.)
Removed front stabilizer bar (for increased articulation.)
Spacer for parking brake junction (to allow cable to clear right rear shock, and to allow more droop. I used one of the spare steel sleeves that came with my Rancho shock bushings.)
Wheels and Tires
BFG MT-KM 35x12.5R/15 mud tires
Rubber valve stems (Rubber stems "give" when struck by a rock; metal stems will break and are more prone to leakage.)
Some cheap used 8x15" aluminum wheels of indeterminate origin (I don't wash my truck that often, and aluminum wheels won't rust when scratched, unlike steel wheels.)
Body and Protection
Aluminum diamondplate in front of front cross-member and lower rad-support (to protect rad from puncture damage from sticks.)
ARB front bumper (allows 90º winch pulls, very strong, provides multiple attachment points.)
Black 1988 SR5 pickup mirrors (slightly larger than 1985 mirros, and nicer looking. They bolt right on.)
Custom rear bumper (with swing-away spare tire carrier, clevis points, hitch receiver, and 4Runner license-plate light; built by Richard Sikich. The clevis points actually go right through the bumper and are part of the bumper mounts. Quick-release latch installed by TrailMax Manufacturing. Another pic.)
Diff housing armour (The diff cover prevents rocks from denting or punching a hole in the diff housing. The diff drain plug protectors help stop rocks from ripping out the drain plugs. Breeze originally installed the protectors front and rear; TrailMax installed the one on the new front axle housing.)
Dual front tow hooks & retainer clips (the clips hold clevises or chain hooks on the recovery hooks when there is slack in the recovery medium. Note: use a clevis with a tug strap and a tow hook; do not attach the strap or loop directly to the hook. Failure to do so can result in slack causing the strap or loop to impale itself on the tow hook, punching a hole in your strap.)
Energy Suspension polyurethane body mounts (I had to replace the body mounts when I removed the previous-owner's body lift, so I got poly mounts as they are impervious to oil and weather, and won't crack or disintegrate like rubber. I used thicker-diameter bolts than were provided with the kit.)
Front wheelwell body seams pounded flat (for additional tire-to-rear-fenderwell clearance.)
Removed factory carpet, and replaced with sprayed-on rockguard (no worries about mud or water on the floor now.)
Replaced factory floor "cups" above the body mounts with 4"x4"x.25" steel plates (to help prevent the cab from separating from the frame during a roll-over or major accident.)
Rubber fender flares (made from a roll of black rubber fender-flare material purchased from a manufacturer of commercial truck bodies. They look good and help keep the truck legal. Rubber is far superior to fibreglass because it flexes when whacked hard, where fibreglass will crack or shatter. pic2pic3pic4.)
TrailMax severe-duty bed rails (while off-camber, they allow me to lean the truck into a tree and slide the truck along the trunk, without damaging the box or the canopy. Will be used as the base of the future custom roof rack.)
TrailMax rock sliders (protects rocker panels from damage & provides jacking/recovery points on the sides. Also allows you to pivot around rocks or trees on extremely tight trails. Welded to the frame in four places with gussetted mounts. I have come down HARD on these, and they didn't budge. Another pic.)
Electronics and Lighting
Alarm
All electrical connections are first crimped, then soldered, then covered with rubber heat-shrink tubing (for reliability and weather-resistance.)
Bosch 55w halogen cornering lights (mounted on front bumper inboard from the headlights, angled off to the sides; wired with a Hella 40A relay.)
Custom aluminum switch panel for lights (mounted between the shifter and transfer-case lever; utilizes factory holes for mounting.)
Docking lights (2), mounted to factory spare-tire supports under bed (Grote p/n 64931 black rubber "tractor" lights; wired with a Hella 40A relay. The GE sealed beams won't fill up with water, and the rubber casing will absorb blows from branches and rocks. These are "docking lights", not "reverse lights". In BC, commercial vehicles are allowed two reverse and two docking lights.)
Hella Rallye 4000 100w Eurobeam lights (2) (mounted on front bumper; wired with a Hella 40A relay. The Eurobeams provide a nice wide pattern in front of the truck, as well as a far-reaching beam. Pencil beams are not needed for the type of driving I do.)
Hella Vision Plus H4 headlights; Hella 80/100w H4 bulbs (these lights are much brighter than stock, and have a sharp cutoff which eliminates glare and does not blind oncoming drivers.)
Interior canopy lights (one at the front and one at the rear. Great while camping or loading/unloading at night.)
Kenwood TM-742A 400-ch FM multi-band amateur radio, Larsen NMO2/70SH antenna for VHF and UHF (includes shock spring), Larsen NMO800 antenna for 800 MHz (includes shock spring) (remote head, direct frequency entry, 50w RF output VHF, 35w RF output UHF; covers VHF-FM, UHF-FM, 800 MHz FM, and VHF-AM aircraft. I installed it primarily for use as a scanner, but it's also my backup VHF radio.)
Kenwood TS-440SAT HF amateur radio, Hamstick antennas for various bands (covers 30kHz-30MHz, all-mode, 100w, built-in antenna tuner, custom aluminum mounting bracket. Designed for long-range communications, it adds an extra measure of safety when in the bush where there's no telephone coverage. I can reliably work stations all over BC and Alberta, from pretty much anywhere in the bush.)
Magellan NAV DLX-10 GPS, Larsen GPS001 active antenna (wired to 12v vehicle power).
Motorola Meteor 3w transportable cellular phone (model# 52328), Larsen NMO825 antenna (includes shock spring) (a 3w phone with a high-gain antenna allows emergency phone calls to be made from further out in the back country. A hand-held phone is rated at only 0.6w RF output. I've made emergency calls with this phone where a hand-held phone didn't even have a signal.)
Motorola Spectra 128-ch, 50w VHF-FM radio, Larsen NMO150C antenna with shock spring added (Reliable communications is essential in the back country; Motorola is the best there is. Larsen antennas are durable, and the optional shock spring helps to prevent bent whips on overgrown trails.)
Neihoff continuous-duty solenoid (p/n FF138), wired via a switch to jump both batteries together for boosting purposes (eliminates the need for jumper cables. This is GREAT when you are running a 12v cooler, which can drain your battery overnight (after 8 hours), or if you need more current for an extended winching session.)
Optima 800 CCA red-top dual-post "starting" battery (custom-mounted in cab to aluminum rack behind driver's seat; powers the starter only. Marine connectors, 1/0 cable.)
Optima 750 CCA yellow-top dual-post "deep cycle" battery (mounted under hood in stock location; powers everything except the starter. Marine connectors, 1/0 cable.)
Replaced cig-lighter socket with Neutrik "Speakon" positive-locking connector (requires a catch to be pulled back, then the body to be twisted before it can be removed. Eliminates all accidental interruption of power due to a cord vibrating loose from, or getting pulled out of, a cig-lighter socket.)
Replaced green instrumentation bulbs with orange marker-light bulbs (because I like the look of the orange lights better than the green lights. Replaced the "clear" high-beam indicator bulb with a green-covered bulb to reduce it's brightness; a bright blue light in the dashboard is extremely annoying when it's really dark outside, the only time you need the high-beams.)
Rewound 100A Toyota alternator (bought it used but new-in-box (the previous owner never installed it as he decided to sell his truck); apparently it was built by Moben in Surrey, BC. Sorry, no other details.)
Rock lights (2); mounted to the cab mounts below the front of the doors (Grote p/n 64931 black rubber "tractor" lights; wired with a Hella 40A relay. The GE sealed beams won't fill up with water, and the rubber casing will absorb blows from branches and rocks.)
Statpower Portawattz 700 voltage inverter (converts 12v DC to 120v AC with a 700w continuous load capacity, 1300w surge. Mounted to rear bulkhead.)
SurePower 90A battery isolator (mounted where factory junction for alternator & charge wires used to be; I think this is best location due to the ease of wiring.)
Custom aluminum panel for 2-way radio mics (this was a great addition; it's very convenient when attempting to locate or replace a mic while bouncing around on the rocks. Utilizes factory holes for mounting.)
Custom aluminum rack to replace pressboard factory rear parcel shelf (serves as the base for the second battery's tray.)
Factory sunshade from 1984 4Runner (apparently very rare.)
20mm ammo boxes behind rear wheelwells for storage, bolted to bed sides (7.62mm ammo boxes fit PERFECTLY inside these. I use the 7.62mm boxes for storing tools, air hose & accessories, and other small items and parts. I use the 20mm boxes for storing recovery chains, a tug strap, battery jumper cables, and other gear. All ammo boxes are waterproof as well. This was a better storage solution than one large box behind the bulkhead, as I need the entire length of the bed for sleeping during trips.)
ARB air compressor (and modified ARB "pump-up kit" for airing up tires and blowing compressed air.)
Con-Ferr shovel mount in bed (spaced out from the bed side with a piece of aluminum diamondplate; I needed to do this because the shovel has a curve in it, preventing flat mounting.)
Dual-tone horns from 1977 Buick Park Avenue (wired with a Hella 40A relay; Toyota uses switched ground, GM uses switched positive.)
Loc-Rack mount for Jack-All in bed (I didn't like the way the original kit hung the jack base, so I used the Loc-Rack locking section, and a piece of redi-rod and a wingnut to replace the hanger mount for the other section.)
Range Rider cab-high fiberglass canopy (I prefer the roof line of a cab-high canopy, and it will allow the roof rack to sit a bit lower.)
Rubber bed mat (very thick and great for sleeping on; modified to fit around ammo storage boxes. Mounting the ammo boxes on top of the mat would not allow enough clearance to open the lids with the TrailMax bed rails and canopy rails in place.)
Warn MX6085 rear winch, Warn roller fairlead, 80' of 5/16" cable (mounted in a custom TrailMax hitch receiver mount. Uses a 175A quick-connect, which doubles as a battery-boost connection.)
Warn XD9000 front winch, Warn roller fairlead, 125' of 5/16" cable (solenoid box located under hood, wired with 1/0 cable. Controlled with in-cab winch control.)
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