Yota Experts

[Cruiser]

Put A Dana 60 On It, If You Don't You Will Brake It! Well Lets Put It This Way.. I Could Brake It!!:d

 

[Panos]

Put A Dana 60 On It, If You Don't You Will Brake It! Well Lets Put It This Way.. I Could Brake It!!:d

x2

 

[Greg]

Which axle all depends on how you plan to use the vehicle, what your crawl ratio will be & what size tire you want to run.

I disagree with the Dana 60 talk... I run a Dana 44 & use it pretty hard. I've had my 4Runner wheeling since this spring & have yet to brake any parts in my front axle. Upper Helldorado, 21 Road, Pritchett, everything on Hells Revenge, Green Day, etc. I think the power & weight of a Toyota are great for running a front Dana 44. If I tried to break parts, I probably could... but I'd rather try make them last. I don't mind carrying around spares, but have yet to bother with them. I do think that a 37" tire is pushing the limitations of stock Dana 44 shafts & u-joints, so I'm sticking to 35's.

Once breaking the Dana 44 becomes common, I'll start thinking about the next step.

As for which axle, I'd use a Ford full-width 44, to get the high pinion. Shorten the long side a few inches (it's easy, if I can narrow an axle anyone can) and make it about 62" wide. Get a set of Chevy rotors & you have a matching 6 lug bolt pattern.

 

[SAMI]

I've got built up Toy front axle (profields, Chromoly shafts, Lockratchet...) and they hold up great against the 37" TSL SX's so far... had that combo for 4-5 years now, and i know i wheel it harder than the previous owner.

just a little food for thought...

-Jason

 

[yellowbronco]

I'd be careful with a comment like that. There are some knowledgeable women here that might want to kick your arse for that one.

Tru dat!

 

[Rot Box]

I think it's sixes between the 9 inch and the Stock rear. They both have their benefits in one way or the other. Might just be me, but the radius arms on the D44 would be the way I'd go for sure. They are simple, strong, capable, and cheap.

I like projects like these there are soooo many possibilities! And it's even funner when someone else is spending all the coin

SAS Tacoma = ................................Toyota's in general =

 

[Greg]

I've got built up Toy front axle (profields, Chromoly shafts, Lockratchet...) and they hold up great against the 37" TSL SX's so far... had that combo for 4-5 years now, and i know i wheel it harder than the previous owner.

just a little food for thought...

-Jason

Wrong drop for a Tacoma though... they have a drivers side t-case.

 

[SAMI]

Wrong drop for a Tacoma though... they have a drivers side t-case.

yes... i, uh.. .knew that... i was simply mentioning it to see if you'd catch it... yeah, that's it...

-Jason


:greg:

 

[Rot Box]

I saw a Tacoma with adapted twin T's from the earlier style Toyota's. He also had the Toyota pickup solid axle. Pretty cool, but it seemed like LOT'S and LOT's of work just to do that.

 

[Greg]

It's not a bad idea actually, then you can regear the t-case or run dual cases. I think the adapter from a Tacoma transmission to the older t-case as about $500-600. How about this setup...

Replace the stock Tacoma t-case with an older one, add a set of 4.7 gears, then use an FJ80 front axle to get a high pinion (e-locker?), decent width, and all Toyota parts.

 

[Rot Box]

It's not a bad idea actually, then you can regear the t-case or run dual cases. I think the adapter from a Tacoma transmission to the older t-case as about $500-600. How about this setup...

Replace the stock Tacoma t-case with an older one, add a set of 4.7 gears, then use an FJ80 front axle to get a high pinion (e-locker?), decent width, and all Toyota parts.

I like it , but I think some serious exhaust work is needed, and mabey a new fuel tank location to name some major issues involved. Very possible though, again a lot cheaper than the more common alternatives.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I saw a Tacoma with adapted twin T's from the earlier style Toyota's. He also had the Toyota pickup solid axle. Pretty cool, but it seemed like LOT'S and LOT's of work just to do that.

Marlin has all the parts to do it... you use his Taco trans to doubler adapter, and then just a mini transfer case (pass drop) OR get even trickier and do double TC's.

The trans to older TC adapter is only ~$350:
http://www.marlincrawler.com/htm/transfercase/taco_box.htm

The doubler adapter (for older non-taco TC's) is ~$349:
http://www.marlincrawler.com/htm/transfercase/pickup_dual.htm

RL has done some work on rigs that way, not sure if they have done a Tacoma, but Ed's? T100 has older TC parts for the doubler if I remember correctly.

Now, my opinion on SAS a Taco...

What is your goal? 35's? 33's? Truthfully, unless you are making a "rockcrawler", the IFS can be reliably worked with up to 35's. There are some excellent suspension options out there that will give a far better ride (both on and off road) as well as make it a decent trail rig. I always said that once my Tacoma was paid for, I would SAS it... Now you couldn't pay me to do it... There is no doubt a SAS can be set up to ride just as good as an IFS system (arguable of course), but not without a TON of $$$. It would be cheaper to turn the Tacoma into a decent trail rig, and buy an older pre 86' era mini-truck if you want to build a "crawler". I use the word "crawler" loosely as I have done plenty of wheeling in my Tacoma, trails like Rattlesnake, Pickle, PSM, etc... open diffed, 32's and no sliders. Add a locker or two, bumpers and some bigger tires, and I think 95% of the trails in Moab are do'able.

Thats my 2 cents...

 

[Panos]

Replace the stock Tacoma t-case with an older one, add a set of 4.7 gears, then use an FJ80 front axle to get a high pinion (e-locker?), decent width, and all Toyota parts.[/QUOTE]


i thought about this set up my self, you can also swap a t-100 t-case in place of your tacoma one making it pass side diff with no extra adapters, then run the fj-80 axle.

or keep your t-case and get a diamond axle custome built and be done with it
or i belive it is front range offroad that has a diamont axle housing you can buy that uses mini truck components, only thing you have to have custome made are the shafts thay have to be longer. boby long can do it for about 400 i belive

its tough to say and i stil dont know what i will be doing when the time comes

 

[rondo]

My pal's 92 SAS yota always breaks axle shafts in his pass drop D44 on 37 MTRs. The last time we hit Moab he even broke an allow shaft and CTM. He's so pissed!!
I've broken several shafts and hubs in my SAS Nissan on 35s, including a Randy's Ring/Pinion allow stub. It gets irritating.
With that said i've wheeled my YJ in some hard core places and i've only ever broken a stock shaft (running a Ford HP D44 front, 9" rear). Miraculous! Must be the weight savings of a hacked up YJ (with a 4banger motor).
Moral of the story is you have to know what size tire you want to run, and think about if you are going to upgrade it in the years to come. If your wheeling is going to evolve, then go with D60s now! Or you'll be spending money twice.
I've spent a $$ of cash on my HP D44 for my YJ since going to 37s and beadlocks. Don't know how long it'll last but i wish i'd just gone to a D60. The first time it breaks it'll get upgraded cause chromo shafts etc etc ain't exactly cheapy cheap.

 

[Panos]

fact is that 44 under your yj would hold up just fine it doesnt weigh nearly as much as a tacoma front end, and with the 3.4 he has more power.

i just think the 44 is a bad idea and i wouldn't go down that road if i did it again.

 

[rondo]

Mr Panos
yeah i know but i forgot to mention that my pal blows through ball joints constantly also in his SAS yota. it even has a 4banger and 1/2 of the rig is tubed. It should still be quite light. Ja i wish i'd gone with the D60 already haha

 

[Panos]

oh ya i definatly agree with you on going with a 60 thats what i plan on doing when the time comes for me to do my SAS.

cuz i have already done the 44 and then built it up and still broke **** so ya..... no more 44 for me

 

[Greg]

I didn't say the Dana 44 is perfect for every application, but you can't say a 60 is the only answer for his rig without knowing the intended use, tire size, etc, etc.

I'm into my 44 with 5.38 gears, a locker & crossover steering for way less than you can buy a stock Dana 60. I'll keep running my 44 and wheelin' every weekend while the rest of you are saving for that 60.

 

[rondo]

Greg, I didn't think anyone said a dana 60 is the only answer. What i say at least is that if he thinks his 4wheeling is going to evolve into the hard core, then why not start with a D60 right from the start? It means saving $ in the long run. So ya don't buy a D44, break it, get parts, break it some more, change ball joints, buy alloy stuff, etc etc.

If a stock D60 costs, say $1100, then you got a D44 ready to go for less than that. Awesome I say to you. My HP D44, shortened to stock Waggy D44 length, long side, with 4.56 gears, lockright, flattop knuckles that had to be sourced (by me) drilled and machined, custom tie rod and drag link made, with labor (except that i installed the shafts, knuckles and steering myself) and i'm into it about $1800. With the alloy shafts and $$ U-joints that i bought recently, it adds quite a bit of cost.

 

[Greg]

I just get tired of the 'Dana 60's are the only way' mentality, especially in this case. Zak hasn't mentioned how hard he plans to wheel, what tire size he wants to run, etc. A Dana 60 would be wasted money & overkill if he's sticking to 33's or 35's. I do understand the rig-evolution process, I think that's definatley another thing Zak needs to take into consideration. I also think we need to hear back about how this Tacoma is going to be built.

When my Dana 44 starts breaking parts on a regular basis, I'm going to build another axle. Another Dana 44... with 60 shafts, u-joints & knuckles.

I guess I'm patially defending my rig & axle choice. If I tried to build a Dana 60 for my 4Runner, I know it would still be on jackstands & I wouldn't have done any wheelin this year. Point is that the Dana 44 works in the right application.