85 Xtra Cab: Linked, Tons, 42's

[Stretch]

Been building this thing since July '10. Picked it up for $400 out of a parking lot. Some kid had bought it for $2700 3 years before and let it sit in his apartment complex parking lot.

A little timeline to where it is now. Looking back...I mangled a really clean truck.

Brought it home, cleaned it up and sold the 33" ThornTurds in favor of some 36" Iroks.

Welded the rear, put an Aussie Locker in the front and went to Harlan for the ECORS KOH Qualifier a week later. All downhill from there. How it sat before we left for Harlan.

Came back, bobbed the bed and installed some stock duals.

Flatbelly and duals

Grenaded a birf, hated the crappy lift springs in the front, rebuilt the whole front end with Nitro 30splines and rears up front

Added a few leafs to the front pack, trimmed the fenders...snow wheelin' season.

Rear Bumper build...wanted something that could take a hit but not be wicked heavy. I drive by braille.

Started the rear section of the cage and rear shock hoops

Some LED Bling so I could cruise it around town...

Traded for some 38" TSL's and TN CUT em...

Making the Seat frame and trans tunnel for the corbeaus...74Chevota giving the approval and drinking beer. (PS...get up here and finish your damn buggy)

Flopped a bunch more times...figured a fuel cell and finishing my cage would be a good idea.

Got bored with the Toyota stuff...wanted to try something different so cut apart a perfectly good working truck back at the beginning of November and have been putting it back together as parts show up.
How it sits now...

Still mocking up the links right now for the back. Shooting to have it sitting on its own weight by the middle of the week.

 

[Stretch]

Finished and sitting at full bump...

 

[fordcontraption01]

That guy on the bike is the coolest

 

[zukiscott]

DAMN I like the look of an ole beat up yoter truck on some big axles and big tires

probly what I would have if I didnt start out with my ole zuk all them years ago :****:

 

[doctordick]

Forties and Forties, that'll work.

 

[roll over dave]

What front spring are you using

 

[Stretch]

Thanks guys. It's definitely a beat ol yota haha.

Front springs are a bastard pack of Toyota rears and whatever I had laying around the shop. Pretty sure I added 2-3 thin leafs is all.

 

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A few more pictures of the rear 14Bolt DIY truss kit from PJ at M&M. Pretty killer truss for money and a lot more surface to weld to the axle tubes than most standard bent plate trusses.

Links are 2" .250 wall lowers with 1-1/4 Heims and 1.75" .120 wall uppers with 7/8 heims.

 

[TacomaJD]

I <3 Toyotas....beat or unbeat. Gonna be a tough rig when you get it done!

 

[Stretch]

Milled down dually hubs thanks to Cole

Orbital mounted

Hydro ram and tie rod in place

Back together ready for plumbing and exhaust work.

Should have it wrapped up in a few weeks. Still need to swap pinion flanges, extend my drive shafts, wash and paint everything, bend up a front bumper and weld/lock the diffs.

 

[P]

Kickass . I want to find an 85 Xcab for 400 bux !

 

[Stretch]

Charged the airshocks last night. The rear will sit about an inch or two taller than in the pic since there's a strap holding it down right now. Rear axle is back together with new 4.56 gears and a welded carrier (was told 4.56 when I bought the set). Front driveshaft is in now too.

Went up to RPM Offroad in Bristol, TN today and picked up some 35 spline stubs, driveflanges and forged spicer joints. Should be able to give this thing a good beating with the propane powered 22r under the hood.

While things were at a standstill waiting on parts we picked up a roll bender for the shop, just waiting on some dies from SWAG once they get back from KOH. Might tube out the back soon.

Just some plumbing left on the brakes and hydro. Hope to have that and the front bumper and winch mounted up sometime next week.

 

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Rear brakes are plumbed. Just waiting on some fittings from Jegs so I can wrap up the front.

 

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Moved under it's own power today. Drove it up to the beer store and back. Hydro still has an air pocket that needs to be bled out. Brakes are still a little soft but it is rolling. Stock 22r PS pump is coming off soon in favor of a better pump. It turns the tires but is obviously overworked. It should get it for the time being til I can decide on what pump to run.

 

[Stretch]

Winch mounted up and the grille cut to fit. Ready to roll for a shakedown on Saturday.

 

[AllGoNoShow]

I love me some old beater trucks. Post some pics of the shakedown.

 

[Stretch]

A little shot from this weekends shakedown run.

Would have liked to wheel more but the stock steering pump just cant keep up with the hydro like I expected. It flat out worked for everything I tried. Could use a little more gear for slow technical crawling...but how often does that happen down here? Its awesome to have it dig on climbs rather than hop and do other wierd ****. Just gotta get the steering sorted out and we will see what other little things need to be addressed as the beatings continue.

 

[Stretch]

Cranked this out with the night off work...still needs some gussets and tube caps.

 

[AllGoNoShow]

Why not bring the top bar down to connect with the lower bar?

 

[Stretch]

Looked kinda goofy when I tacked one in there like that. I will probably notch the hood out and tie the top piece into the front shock hoops when I build them.