my 85 yota rockcrawler project

[megadesertdiesel]

well since the RZR1 is running and does not need alot of attention, my trusty ol Rhino never needs anything and i am almost done with my patio bar. i have decided to finally work on my crawler.

i bought this truck 5 years ago with a bad motor. so i had the motor replaced and installed a 3" All Pro extreme lift suspension kit. then bent a rear "B" hoop and let it set on the side of the house while i played with UTV's.

this truck is an 85 reg cab longbed with 22re motor and auto trans.

i plan on making the flatbed and starting on te rock sliders over the 4th weekend. then i have to install the front shock hoops and rear shocks.

after that i will finally take it out and see how it does before i double up the t-cases and find an 86-95 rear axle.

here is a pic from now and a picture of what i want the bed to end up looking like.

its been a while since i have been in the crawling scene so if you know something i should know about toys let it rip. dont worry i dont have feelings so flame if you must.

 

[mosslager]

Well you already know enough to have picked a great base as the 85' was the last year of the straight front axle and first year of efi. That was I think the #1 stolen truck around 86' and they are still hard to find in good shape. I have kicked the exact idea around of build a fun crawler out of an 85' to trash in Johnson Valley/Ocotillo. I had a truck picked out that I saw sitting everyday for the last 10 years in my brothers neighbors driveway, and then one day it was gone. Brother says the owners son turned 16 and it was supposed to be for him but he hated the truck so they sold it. Kid didn't know what he had. Truck was a solid 7 outta 10 singlecab shortbed 4x4. Have fun with it Mega!

 

[loco]

Going slow is a must!!! Get yourself a Marlin Crawler, Inchwork, Trail Gear which ever one dual case adaptor or just put the 4.7's in the T-case. Night and day difference. My old 84 ext cab had duals and 4.7's in the rear case with 5.29's so final crawl ratio was 225:1.

 

[megadesertdiesel]

here is this mornings progress.

 

[dnf736]

Crawling was a blast, we were hard into it until we discovered the Rhino.

Be safe, be smart, and have fun, we loved it...until my jack ass brother in law drove his Jeep off a cliff one night.

Keep up on the pics.

I miss my old Sammy...pics circa 2004

Built it to crawl, locked & geared, made many a Heep look stupid.

Built it for fun!

But dont be afarid to sctatch it or you're really missing out on the whole experiance of taking it just a little too far.

 

[Zerofield]

Mike my brother had an 85 yota with a chevy 4.3L sitting on 42" iroks, may have some spare parts laying...



I've been wanting to build a full tube buggy lately. So just might get back in the wheeling with ya

 

[megadesertdiesel]

Mike my brother had an 85 yota with a chevy 4.3L sitting on 42" iroks, may have some spare parts laying...



I've been wanting to build a full tube buggy lately. So just might get back in the wheeling with ya

well get to bending. winter weather will be here before you know it.

hmm spare parts are always good to have. not sure wha i need untill i drive it and see what breaks. i will keep you in mind. thanks.

 

[O'Malley]

Mike my brother had an 85 yota with a chevy 4.3L sitting on 42" iroks, may have some spare parts laying...



I've been wanting to build a full tube buggy lately. So just might get back in the wheeling with ya

Remember I bought it from him and he still owes me front axle shafts 30 spline longfeilds and who knows what else

 

[megadesertdiesel]

made alot less progress than i wanted to and changed a couple of things along the way. oh well

 

[megadesertdiesel]

did a little more work this weekend. started on the floor and decided to move the spare to the bed area.

 

[JoeyD23]

Awesome Mike!!! Keep the pics coming!!! I am into this build

 

[VIAIR]

So are We... keep the pictures coming

 

[suicidejockey]

Hell Yeah Mike, Yotas are a blast to beat on....Keep The Pics Commin

 

[megadesertdiesel]

thanks guys.

i did a little more work to the bed recently but this damn AZ swamp ass heat turnned me into a hibernating pussy, i have been staying inside watching movies.

but i did order a front bumper winch plate and diff armor from Trail Gear earlier this week. sometimes its just easier to buy pre bent and drilled parts then make them yourself, plus i am getting lazy in this heat.

 

[Bryan M]

Nice build....after crawlin in my rhino for the last 6 months...Ive got the bug...and I am looking at zuks as my build platform.

 

[VIAIR]

Nice build....after crawlin in my rhino for the last 6 months...Ive got the bug...and I am looking at zuks as my build platform.

I built a Sami... about two yrs ago... I did missing link shackles, SPOA kit,
re-gear the transfer case(crawler gear) & stuffed 35's with alittle trimming.. I ended up caging it & putting a winch on the front...

I would lead my buddies in there full built jeeps around ocotillo

if i was to do it again... I would link the front & rearon coilovers on dana 60 axles, with a 4.3l vortec s10 motor with a 700r4 with a atlas tcase. on 38inch tsl's
(but It would be a tin top with AC)

 

[megadesertdiesel]

found some cheap 36" tires and mounted them on new steel wheels.

 

[mosslager]

You're getting there.. nice work. Keep the pix coming.

 

[megadesertdiesel]

got the bed sides finsihed, rear shock tabs welded, dual optima battery trays made and mounted. still lots of things to do but the list is getting smaller.

 

[StrRacerX]

looking good mike