Talk me out of this...

So ive always been wanting to do this...

swappin a 4.6 stroker into a 80's Yota pickup.

The unibody just seems like it has so many limitations as far as fabricating goes.. sure you can plate it etc...

i guess im just going for the "best of both worlds": a very stout engine with plenty of low end torque on a frame that i can weld anything on and not worry.

overall goals:
Ford 9" rear. leaf sprung.
Waggy 44 front. 4 link using links/springs/shocks i already have.
stroked 4.0L
tranny?
tcase?
37/38's, 5.13's?


i understand that anything can be done if you throw enough money at it but i dont want this to be a showcase buildup or anything even close. i just want a solid frame that i can build a cage off of and whatever else i decide with enough power/torque to turn 37/38's.

i want it to be a quality build on somewhat of a budget

So what do you guys think? its going to take a while to gather parts, axles, a motor and build it etc...

Thanks,
Shomsky

whats wrong with the 22r? You can get a stroked 22r that would work just as good as 4.6L in my opinion.. leave the heart of the Yota a yota.. you might as well just build a small block chevy or stuff a 4.3 in it..

I have to agree, inline six might be a little tight. Sure would be different though.


I have been trying to talk my brother into setting a suzuki sidekick/geo tracker up with a 2.5, aw4, 231, d44, d30 and running some 35's

my best friends got a 22re in his 85 yota. he turns 36's but with a double t case kit. i just dont think the power is there to turn 38's without running a dual tcase setup and not to mention the lack of power when driving to and from the trail.


as far as the 4.3 swap goes. ive heard that is a fairly common swap for the yota guys but is it as abundant as the HO 4.0? im really not familiar with anything other than the 4.0 and barely at that (owned a HO and currently a Renix).

i guess a part of me just doesnt want to completely turn to the dark side and ive always wanted to build a stroker


yes the 4.0 does look a little long for the yota, the Xota build up has pics of the firewall having to be cut a bit however, he had the cherokee grille and rad etc...
if i push the rad as far forward as possible, run a taurus fan it should save me from having to cut and repair too much firewall

pm sent

Put an LS motor in there!

38s on a 44? lastara

cracker said:

38s on a 44? lastara

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most likely 37's
but a trussed and built 44 with shafts and hubs? i dont see that being a problem.

They put supra straight 6's in them so it should fit. But I agree, not worth the hassle. Get LC engineering (I think that was the name, been a while) to build you a nice motor for the toyota.

38's .. stroker .. low pinion 44.

at least with the yota emblem up front, everyone will expect the carnage.

always wanted a sfa toyota, hard to find, maybe I can find someone to trade : ) I especially like the hilux

Shomsky462 said:

most likely 37's
but a trussed and built 44 with shafts and hubs? i dont see that being a problem.

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:laugh2:

Stick with the 22R then. :confused1

I know a guy running 39's on a dana 44 and I also know a guy running stock toyota axles on 37's. they do some hard wheeling, and never really seen anything break

oh and keep in mind the toyota has the stock 22r, and the rig on the dana 44 has a 2.8l..and they both are very capable rigs

89cherokeexj said:

I know a guy running 39's on a dana 44 and I also know a guy running stock toyota axles on 37's. they do some hard wheeling, and never really seen anything break

oh and keep in mind the toyota has the stock 22r, and the rig on the dana 44 has a 2.8l..and they both are very capable rigs

Click to expand...

That is cuz they don't have any power.

Look at zukis. With ultra low gearing they don't break either.

Put a stroker in there and that is a different story

so a waggy front 44 runnin 37's is a no go?

im not the kind of idiot that just hammers down and hopes for the best (been runnin 35's on my locked front D30 for a while now and no problems there)

but i do want a solid setup i can crawl on without snapping shafts left and right.
i just dont want to go too huge on the axle, because of weight considerations. a 4.0L with a 60 all up front seems like too much

44 should be fine.. depending on how much power is going to it.

Shomsky462 said:

So ive always been wanting to do this...

swappin a 4.6 stroker into a 80's Yota pickup.

The unibody just seems like it has so many limitations as far as fabricating goes.. sure you can plate it etc...

i guess im just going for the "best of both worlds": a very stout engine with plenty of low end torque on a frame that i can weld anything on and not worry.

overall goals:
Ford 9" rear. leaf sprung.
Waggy 44 front. 4 link using links/springs/shocks i already have.
stroked 4.0L
tranny?
tcase?
37/38's, 5.13's?


i understand that anything can be done if you throw enough money at it but i dont want this to be a showcase buildup or anything even close. i just want a solid frame that i can build a cage off of and whatever else i decide with enough power/torque to turn 37/38's.

i want it to be a quality build on somewhat of a budget

So what do you guys think? its going to take a while to gather parts, axles, a motor and build it etc...

Thanks,
Shomsky

Click to expand...

My brother's getting ready to sell an '84 4-runner with exocage and 300 HP Supra Turbo motor in it. It will run circles around a 4.6 any day. PM me if you're interested.

Shomsky462 said:

so a waggy front 44 runnin 37's is a no go?

im not the kind of idiot that just hammers down and hopes for the best (been runnin 35's on my locked front D30 for a while now and no problems there)

but i do want a solid setup i can crawl on without snapping shafts left and right.
i just dont want to go too huge on the axle, because of weight considerations. a 4.0L with a 60 all up front seems like too much

Click to expand...

You had mentioned 38s a couple of times before but a 44 pretty much peaks out on 37s and you will have to be careful while driving on it ESPECIALLY with a stroker. When I had my 44 on 35s, I never broke once and could all but abuse it with the throttle. On 37s, I have seen a handful of carnage and issues and experienced some broken shafts myself and I have to drive SUPER careful like I am 'walking on egg shells.'

You want the experience of crawling and never breaking. You will NOT have this experience in the rocks with the Dana 44 and 37s (but you will on 35s). If you want this experience then go a D60 on 37s (or even a larger tire). Weight penalty is about 120-150 pounds more than a D44 BUT you will have to carry spare shafts with a D44 as well as spare hubs and rotor hub assembly (only if you are running 5 x 5.5) and that will weigh almost the difference of a Dana 60. (FYI My 609 only weighs 100 lbs more than my Dana 44.)

You also were talking about the stroker and that will put even more stress on the 44 shafts. The weakest link on the Dana 44 is the ears of the shaft yolks once you beef everytihg up.

Read up on it. One of Naxja's best tech threads in on the Dana 44.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=52219&highlight=Dana+tech

This post confirms what I speak of above:

CRASH said:

Durability is what you make of it. We are breaking stuff on the most extreme obstacles, in the most extreme rocks you can take a full body XJ through (and someplaces you really shouldn't). You can break anything anywhere if you are not smart about your driving.

If you don't mind replacing hubs and stubs, run the 37's. Just carry spares and know how to work on your junk so you don't hold up your group. If you want to be virtually bulletproof, stick with 35's.

I have not broken a single D-44 part in 4 years on 35's. And you've seen me drive.

CRASH

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BTW, I have 2 rigs on 37s with Dana 44s at the house

So basically...

you want a Toyota pickup body on a 1/2 I6 J-truck with an efi conversion..

Johnnie Walker said:

Put an LS motor in there!

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Here is the correct answer! forget the 4.0l. More HP and it wont even run hot. You will even get better fuel economy.

:cheers: