1986 Toyota SR5 XTRA Cab

Jan. 01, 1996 By ORC STAFF

Vehicle: Toyota SR5 1986 XTRA Cab bought brand new in 1986.
Owner: Michel Drainville.
History: It has ridden on 31,33,35" BFGoodrich then on 36" Swampers.

This is how my truck looks with the solid axle.

The engine that powers my Toy. Buick 3.8l, 4BBL, Crane cam, single plane intake manifold, Holley 390CFM carb, 9.5:1 pistons, high volume oil pump, Edelbrock double roller timing chain, Advance Adapter headers, 100 PSI valve springs, three angle valve job, match ported heads, Accel high energy coil, 160 thermostat. I did the assembly myself using parts from Kenny Bell Buick.

Previous setup. Winch bumper, replica of Pro Zap bumper, 35" BFG's.
Photo taken during a trail in St-Michel des Saints, Quebec.
The bumper is for sale!

2 day Trail at St-Alphonse; shortened to 1 day due to 5 broken trucks on a total of 11. 2 ring & pinion, 1 drive shaft U joint, 1 front axle joint, 1 center bolt broken. We did 3.6 miles in 14 hours. "Tough trail..."

After a day playing in the stuff.

Just before the solid axle swap. Trail Master 4" lift kit with custom stainless steel skid plate.

Photo taken during a snow drag event.

 

List of equipment installed on my Toyota:

  • 36x12.50 Super Swampers
  • 15x8.5 wheels
  • 5" Skyjacker lift kit, softride
  • 6 Rough country gas shocks
  • 3" trail master body lift
  • 2" Bushwaker flare extentions
  • Custom traction bar from the top of the rear diff to a crossmember
  • 4.88:1 gears
  • Detroit Locker in the back
  • Buick V6, 200HP est.
  • custom made radiator
  • TH350 transmission with shift kit and extra clutches
  • 2500 RPM stall torque converter
  • Advance adapter kit for Toyota transfer case
  • Dual exhaust system with Turbo Sonic mufflers
  • Cibie 100 Watts headlight
  • Chromed front valance
  • Tinted windows
  • Marantz 100W sound system
  • B&M ratchet shifter
  • Dyno steering wheel
  • Smittybilt double/single roll bar
  • 4 Dick Cepeck 130W light
  • It's about it.

    Activities:

    Member of a club: Club 4X4 du Nord
    Member of ACQRMQ; association governing rules of clubs here in Quebec for Mud, Sand, Snow drag competitions.
    I prefer trails with mud.
    Also like the Mud drag competitions.

    Informations on the both swaps:

    I did all the work myself and found it to be quite simple but time cosumming. (money consumming too) For the V6, I replaced the 4 cyl. after a connecting rod failed and put a nice hole in the side of the block. This was after I tried to cross deep water; too deep!. I chose the V6 instead of a V8 because I didn't want to put too much weight on the nose and I can squeeze the same amount of HP in a smaller package. Why Buick instead of Chevy or Ford? Simply because, at the time(1988) there was a lot more after market parts for this engine and modifications are easier.

    For the axle swap, I did it because I do a lot of mud trails and there is always a about a hundred pounds of mud that you carry in your skid plate and A arms. Plus the skid plate acts like a snow plow in deep mud causing a resistance to foward momentum. A solid axle cuts through the mud and is stronger too.

    I'm very satisfied with these mods.


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