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The Gremlin - Toyota beater truggy build

TBItoy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2010
Messages
10,900
Location
Dodson Branch, TN
since the ECORS Stock Class IFS race truck is well, no longer an ECORS stock class ifs.... loller.gif


I'm combining the good parts of my buddy's truck that has taken up permanent residence at my house with the chassis of the race truck to gain a cage, EFI, seats, harnesses, and non-Flintsone-esque floor boards.

Ecors race truck as seen at it's last race:
a5y5umyp.jpg

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Donor truck: front axle with Dirty 30s, Longfield hub gears, aussie locker, 4.7 geared case, 34 LTBs on alum wheels... and the engine/trans/rear axle is good too, but will be relegated to spare parts.

Body is garbage, wiring is garbage
da5ahy3y.jpg


yvegered.jpg
 
The PLAN:

buggy out the front end (while keeping stock radiator location and mech fan/shroud)
3 link w/ panhard
12" FOX air shocks
full hydro steering (not sure on DE or SE ram yet...)
dual cases, 4.7 rear
Sch 40 drive shafts
ax the bed
relocate gas tank to behind cab
4 link rear end
"free parking brake mod"




vyta5aqa.jpg

u5y2atut.jpg

So fresh so clean

Donor
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I considered cutting the frame off, but honestly after staring at it for a while, can't see that I would gain anything, considering that I'm planning on keeping the stock radiator location and previously fabbed winch plate.

Where the axle is in the pics below is at 5.5" of bump travel from ride height (chassis level, stock rear springs with AAL, so we'll say 2" of lift?)

I may run air bumps in the front too... since I have a set just hanging out on the shelf


The front will be getting links much like the "Stock Runner", short links, all the same length, all interchangeable. with some initial measurements from today, it's looking like I'll run 24" eye-to-eye length, all links will be 1.5x.25" wall DOM with 3/4x3/4 rod ends.

tuhupeqa.jpg


anuvu7yn.jpg
 
Little links
5epyha3u.jpg


Upper link bracket... Bent a tab, piece of scrap, nut is welded to the inside (will be inside frame)
vyde8eha.jpg

8ynezyqy.jpg


Little notch for the diff and panhard clearance. I cut the notch with the plasma, stuck a chunk of 5"x2" rect tube in the hole, welded it up, then plasma'd off the tube that wasn't part of the notch. Easy.
myty6uty.jpg
 
Pretty close to ride height, maybe drooped an inch. I'm matching up to stock rear springs with a single AAL.

ypeze9yh.jpg

6eqyhupy.jpg

a9ydegyj.jpg


Full bump, ~6"+ up.
edetutas.jpg

A little more clearance on the motor mount and I'll be good
yny3y8a7.jpg


Panhard at full bump
yzy5yraq.jpg
 
Booger Weldz;17734466 said:
further ingenious from the guy who builds all the cool stuff from what seems like the wisest, yet smallest budget:)



-All my tabs came from DIY4x - Generic tabs saves a ton of time. (cheap)

-I used a Harbor Freight unibit to enlarge the hole in the tabs (cheap)

-Short links won't bend, so no crazy big/thick tube is needed (cheap)

- 3/4" rod ends are cheap and hold up fine on a Toyota (IMO)

- My upper link "tower" is a drop of 2x2x.25" square tube, it'll get gusseted/trussed up

-Frame side upper link bracket is basically free and will work fine.
(Compared to what 1 of the laser cut "fancy" brackets from Barnes/Ruffstuff/Artec, I'll have less $ in all my brackets/tabs combined)

-I'm going to try to do a cheap ass full hydro setup with all new parts, BUT, it'll still be $7-800... Because that's the cheapest you can do it (for all parts)... The Trail-Gear full hydro kit from one of the vendors is definitely the way to go if you don't already have parts laying around...

Break down:
I can do the TC pump, pulley, belt for ~$100-125, stock reservoir is fine, stock feed hose (or some I've got laying around)
The pump fits in the stock bracket, it just needs the back side cut off and a new piece welded in.
New hoses, adapters, and fittings are about $100 (maybe a bit less)
Ram is $200 (Surplus center)
Orbital is $250 (Tri State Hydraulics)
Figure $100 for 3/4 rod ends and tube (already have)
$50 for a cooler, or whatever you can get a junkyard one for (already have)
Misc hardware is ~$20

So that adds up to $800....
 
Got a lil bit done this weekend. Mainly clearancing and triple checking everything before it gets burned in solid.

Got the bed cut apart and out of the way, removed my corbeau XPs and prp harnesses and fitted tristans corbeau bajs seats with chassis unlimited sliders, and some crow harnesses.

ytu5a5u8.jpg


ugaqehup.jpg


Rebuilt the one bad airshock and got the airbumps in place.

If you notice the gussets on them, they are 1"x3" 11 gauge tube, cut on 45°. Makes awesome clean strong gussets. I'll set up and cut 20-30 at a time and throw em in a bin. Oh...and it's cheap too.

2uqe7edy.jpg


Cut some knuckle gussets out of some 3/16" wall tube scraps.
yju7y8yj.jpg
 
Got a diaper welded on the diff and drain plug deleted

6ene8apy.jpg


Everything welded on the axle, gusset on the upper link mount, cleaned up etc

gajyty9e.jpg


Simple angle iron core support, even re used the factory hood prop (cut down), narrowed up the hood and mounted the grille to it

qytusamy.jpg
 
Orbital (7.6 cu in) and steering column all mocked up
eraja4ed.jpg


Super ricer intake setup. Bout $70 of parts (including filter) from advance auto. They have the parts in stock and I know exactly which parts I need so it wasn't really worth my time to try and save money here
uge5azu2.jpg


"conversion fitting" -6 jic fitting brazed onto the stock pressure line fitting. Didn't want to spend any $ on a "real" conversion fitting since I may not stick with the Toyota pump. Also chopped up the stock coolant pipe (shortened both ends) and rerouted outside the alternator. Should still be able top change alt without dropping coolant line.
bu3u5evu.jpg
 
Finished the tank mounts. I used 2 factory skid plate brackets cut up and welded up.

e6aqe9ym.jpg

a2yny3ah.jpg

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Still gotta mount the filler neck


Also doing the Tacoma rotor swap
mase4yje.jpg
 
yna5e8us.jpg



Hood still needs to come down about an inch. Should have awesome visibility (at least compared to all my past rigs)

7ederuqa.jpg


2amu9uzu.jpg


Got my steering ram mounted, still need to get appropriate length 3/4 bolts, going to have to notch the frame a bit for the bolt heads just for safety sake at full bump.

I ~might~ be able to get away with turning the heads down a bit on the bolts...

ram is offset 5" to the driver side to clear the diff and get it inline with the steering arms at full lock.



 
hit up a junkyard and snagged a High Pinion front diff and a couple v6 rear diffs.

Gonna do kinda the same diff setup on this truck as the old stock runner.

HP front case with a V6 carrier and Spartan locker.

Considering running the ARB I have on the shelf in the rear.... Never had a selectable rear locker before...








I sold the 34 LTBs and wheels, couldnt stand the thought of watching my 39 reds sit in the corner, so I ordered up a set of 17x8 2.5" back spaced Pro Comps from Dave's Offroad Supply (also where I got the spartan lockers).

I'll be building the FJ80/mini truck rear axle here shortly. I'm not even going to try to run an 8" rear with 39s...again.





Oh I'm also doing a double shear setup, a little different than last time. Cut down some stock arm and I'll hit em with some nickel rod. Still need to pick up some appropriate length hardware ::)



welded



 
time for some more random re-used po-boy tech.

1st off, I HATE the stupid double nut-star lock washer setup that Toyota uses on the spindle.

A couple months ago, I was parting out a 87 4Runner with auto hubs, and ran across something I'd never seen before...

Badass spindle nut lock ring setup! Uses 3 T20 Torx screws to hold the lock ring and nut together.



But, it's too tall to fit with a normal locking hub!





Cut off the "excess"









Oh yeah, I noticed that TG sells some nuts that work like this for $40 too.

F that.
 
Knuckle installed:



I needed to replace one of the trunnion bearings, SO
Here is something else I did that "should" work better/be stronger.

So the factory knuckle bearings are like this:
knewkbRace-big.jpg


Most aftermarket ones are actually wheel bearings for some little MG car, and are made like this on the left:
attachment.php



since the bottom bearing's main loading is vertical, and the top bearing mainly sees horizontal force, I put the aftermarket bearings on the TOP on both sides, and good factory bearings on the BOTTOM on both sides.

Also boxed the shock tabs and added an upper ball gusset.



small (15" wheel) Taco rotors with 94 model IFS calipers.

stock bolts from the inside of the caliper, with a 1/2" hardened "structural washer" .100 thick as a spacer between the caliper and knuckle.

Had to clearance the outside edge of the rotor slot in the caliper a bit. No big deal with a 7" grinder. 4.5" grinder didn't have enough "reach".





Tinkered around on 'er some more. Did a lot of finish welding, go the tcases in, etc

finally added the other tube to the front that I cut and bent a long time ago


cut all the hack job door bars out and plan to replace with tube doors. trail rig at it's finest


mounted steering valve and fuse box



Made a bit more progress, mounted the afm
IMG_20130916_195921_605_zps4ad1a215.jpg


Finished up the fuel tank mounts and ran new soft lines
IMG_20130916_195631_374_zpsc2f68d8a.jpg
 
Also sold the little corbeaus and got a set of more appropriate sized PRPs throught Dave's

2" taller, dual shoulder holes, and a cool feature- the seat bottom has a "mud screen" to let the seat drain out.



 
TBItoy said:
time for some more random re-used po-boy tech.

1st off, I HATE the stupid double nut-star lock washer setup that Toyota uses on the spindle.

A couple months ago, I was parting out a 87 4Runner with auto hubs, and ran across something I'd never seen before...

Badass spindle nut lock ring setup! Uses 3 T20 Torx screws to hold the lock ring and nut together.



But, it's too tall to fit with a normal locking hub!





Cut off the "excess"









Oh yeah, I noticed that TG sells some nuts that work like this for $40 too.

F that.




I say toyota bible tech there!!!! :drinkers: Def be doing this asap!
 

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