September 2010

August 2010

HUNTING TACOMA

Hello 4x4 AnswerMan,
I have a 2005 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 with the 6 cylinder. I have 3-inch body lift, and I am looking to replace the suspension, front and back.  I don’t do a lot of off-roading, however I do some hunting and live in Saskatchewan, Canada. Our roads are just like off-roading.
What do you suggest?

Thank you,
Luke

Hi Luke,

Greetings to our Canadian friends. For your Tacoma, you might consider swapping your shocks with some premium gas pressure mono-tube shock absorbers from Bilstein. They are the same company that makes the shocks for many of the Toyota’s TRD trucks.  This would be the most cost-efficient upgrade. They will handle better on and off-road, and will also help control swaying, especially when you are carrying a heavy load on your hunting trips.

Here’s an article recently done by editor Josh Burns that you might find informative.

Toyota Tacoma Off-Road Tune-up Project

There is no wrong answer here--it all really depends on the type of off-roading you plan on doing, and how much you are willing to spend.  Sky’s the limit.

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FORD BRONCO 5.0 MAF SWAP

4x4 AnswerMan,
If I use an EFI system off of an ‘86 Mustang (speed density system) can it be converted to mass air by adding a MAS air sensor, new computer, and wiring harness? I should be able to use the manifolds, correct? Should I stay away from the ‘86 all together or will I be able to use the main parts off the system? Please give me some insight on this.
-Billy

Wow, let's call Vanilla Ice and get the 411 on this 5.0 Mustang conversion. In all honesty, if you want to keep it simple stick with a 1988-1993 5.0L Mustang intake, computer and mass air flow (MAF) meter for your speed density swap on the Bronco.  It will go a lot smoother.

You didn’t state what year your Bronco is, but if you have a 1987-95 Bronco the manifold on there should work. If it’s older, then you will need to swap out the intake to a throttle-body style.

Take a look at this old Off-Road.com article we pulled from the archives on just the subject:

Big Bronco Mass Air Conversion Info

Once you’re done with the conversion, you’ll be set for more flow in your engine. You’ll also notice a gain in throttle response and maybe even see an improvement in fuel economy.

Have fun, and please let us know what you end up doing.

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CHEVY K5 BLAZER MAKEOVER

4x4 AnswerMan,
Really great stuff.  I am about to do a ‘72 Blazer. Thinking about doing the inside and outside. Thoughts?
Don Overton

Nice choice, Don, it will do just fine.
If you really want to personalize it--the windshield drape with decorative tassels might work.

You might get some inspiration from this old Jeep we spotted in Bishop, CA.

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OH DANA 44, WHERE ART THOU?

4x4 AnswerMan,
Several months back I was researching Dana 44 tech articles and I came across yours.  I am converting a van to 4x4 with a Blazer drive train and found the waterproof Dana 44 hub article very informative and an excellent “how-to” piece. My problem is that your website seems to have changed and now the article does not have any photos with it. Is there some way I can get the original?
Thanks,

Donald Wells

Hello Mr. Wells,

Thanks for your email. Unfortunately some photos were lost during our website re-design.

We don’t have any images for this article at this time. Trust us, if we ever find them we will be sure to add them again.

In the meantime, I am confident that if you read through the article it will give you good direction.

I know, pictures help … but whatcha gonna do?

How to Waterproof a Dana 44

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FJ CRUISER RING & PINION

Hi 4x4 AnswerMan,
I need ring and pinion 4.56 or 4.11 for my FJ Cruiser ’08. I have ARB air locker RD121 front and RD132 rear.
-Gustavo Araujo

Hello Gustavo,
Try Yukon Gear & Axle. They make a good, heavy-duty product. They also have everything you need to do the job right.
Yukon Gear & Axle
http://www.yukongear.com/
 
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TOYOTA TWISTED SUSPENSION

4x4 AnswerMan,
Can I do a torsion lift on an ‘82 Toyota?
-Michael

Hi Michael,

If you have a 1982 Toyota 4x4, you have a straight axle with leaf spring suspension in the front.  There are no torsion bars. The Toyota IFS didn’t come out until 1986.

Take a closer look at your truck and get to know it. You’ll appreciate it that much more.

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HARDBODY SUPPORT GROUP

4x4 AnswerMan,
Nice info you have here. Very impressed. I currently have a 1990 D21 Hardbody with the x-cab and the 3.0 liter. This is a sweet running motor. I somehow lost the guts of the inward (back) torsion bar support bolt. I cannot even get a special order from the dealer because it is no longer available due to the age of the truck. Any suggestions?
-Dana

Hi Dana,

Try a local wrecking yard that specializes in Nissan or Import trucks. You can also try looking at Pick-A-Part or Ecology wrecking.

Search on Craigslist and Nissan-related forums in the classified sections. Sometimes people are parting out these vehicles and you might be able to get what you need. Try our forums to see if anyone has other suggestions: http://forums.off-road.com/

The Nissan Hardbody and Pathfinder are similar platforms for this year, so expand your search.

Push comes to shove, try fabricating something similar. You can use the one you still have as a sample.

Good luck!

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RETRO WHITE WHEELS

4x4 AnswerMan,
I am looking for a set of vintage Jackman white spoke wheels for my '69 Ford 4x4 restoration project. Any ideas?
Thomas
 
Hi Thomas,

Keeping it real--nice! These beauties are hard to come by since Jackman Wheels has been out of business for quite some time now.

With some luck and patience you can still find them around in fair to good conditions. Maybe some light surface rust. Nothing some paint can’t fix.

Try your local wrecking yard, craigslist, and our forums (http://forums.off-road.com/).

Sometimes people don’t know what they have, so do searches for “white wheels,” “white rims” and “white spoke wheels” to see what comes up.  You can also search by wheel size.

Good luck!

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SQUEALING BELTS
4x4 AnswerMan,
I have a 2005 Nissan Frontier. It has this belt squeal. It started at 40,000 miles. Co-worker friend also had the same problem with less miles on the odometer. Do I need to change the belt? It doesn’t look good for a do-it-yourselfer, to me anyway.
Thanks,
-Larry Fregin

Hi Larry,
Inspect the belt for any tears or fraying. Also look for cracks in the rubber. It might be time to replace it. 

If the belt still looks good, and the squeal is the only problem. You can try the old bar of soap trick, or you can buy a can of belt conditioner at your local auto parts store. It will help lubricate that dry belt with silicone and make it quite again.

Enjoy!

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RUSTY YOTA

4x4 AnswerMan,
Hey I got a Toyota pickup and the floorboards are rusted out with holes. What can I do to get rid of the holes?
-Tyler

Hi Tyler,

Sounds like a good winter project.

If you can weld and fabricate, replace the pieces and floorboards with new sheet metal. If you don’t, you’ll be Ya’ba Da’ba do’n your way home like Fred Flintstone. Please don’t let it go that far.

If the cab is too far gone with rust damage, you might be better off finding a donor cab at a local wrecking yard.

Make some calls, get some pricing and see what works best for you.

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XTERRA CHASER

Hey 4x4 AnswerMan,
I own a 2007 Xterra base model x. I was wondering if you had any info for guys like me trying to find a locking differential for the rear of my 4x2 c226 diff. I know the m226 came with an ARB air locker. But I’m just looking for a Detroit or something. If there’s any info you have it would greatly be appreciated.
I’m looking to build a chase truck out of mine. I'd throw in a Currie 9" if I could...but the tone ring sensor in the rear seems to keep me from doing so...So how do I get this thing to lock? The m226 sounds like the only option...but how strong is it?
Ryan Rhodes

Hi Ryan,

The Xterra Chase vehicle concept sounds cool. Make sure to check out http://teamxterraracing.com/ for some idea on your project.
 
If you want to control when your rear diff locks and unlocks, an ARB air locker is the best option for your c226 rear differential. Unfortunately, the mechanical locker option like Detroit and such are not being made for your model. It’s either go with the ARB, or swap out to a rear 4x4 version like you mentioned.
As far as strength goes, it really depends on how hard you’re going to run your Xterra. Also, if you’re planning on multiple modifications to the rear end, including re-enforced housing, heat-treated internals, and hardened axles--the Currie 9-inch is your best bet.

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ICON vs. DR

4x4 AnswerMan,
In regards to the lift formerly produced by Donahoe Racing ... Is the IVD (Icon Vehicle Dynamics) kit for the Tacoma up to snuff? I have to assume it's basically a clone of the DR setup, since IVD purchased all the stock when Donahoe closed their doors. Do y'all have any insight on the quality of their products?
-Guy

Hello Guy,

Some of the pre-2007 components are similar to the DR suspension. After ICON Vehicle Dynamics took over, there have been changes and the designs have evolved to include other components, like billet A-arms and such.

The ICON products are just as good, if not better, since many of the original staff are still around and they’ve built on their experience. They also still continue to heavily test and race off-road.

Hope that helps.

If you have specific questions, give them a call.  I’m sure they’d be happy to talk.
http://www.iconvehicledynamics.com/