The Solid Axle Swap

Page 1-Toyota Pics& intro
Page 2-Rusty Frame
Page 3-Axle swap Part 1
Page 4-Axle swap Part 2
Page 5-Axle swap Part 3
Page 6-Friends Trucks
Page 7-My Hit-to-pass Car
Page 8-4x4 Pictures
Page 9-Engine swap
Page 10-Videos
Page 11-New upgrades

Oct 2006

This is a few pictures of what it looks like before I started anything.

And the Engine that is in there at the moment, pretty much stock 22re engine.

Now here is the front differential I have chosen to use in my truck. It is out of an 85' Toy which is the best one to choose because of the extra added brase on the top of the diff housing.

I first started by cutting off all the original mounts and pieces on the housing that I would not be using (like the swaybar mounts and the track bar or whatever it is attaches to) then grinding it all smooth.

After that was all done I started to cut off the old IFS suspension. I used a grinder with a cutting wheel on one side, but that takes FOREVER, so I recommend using a cutting torch. That is what I will use on the other side. Then grinding all the cuts off smooth with the frame. Here are a few pictures of the progress.

Well that is all I have gotten done up to this point. I finally have the front hanger made (Picture further down the page). So all I need before I can start welding on the mounts are the rear shackel hangers and the leaf springs.

The other day I decided to repaint the deck on my truck so it didn't look so shitty. Here are some pictures of that.

*UPDATE*Mon/Oct 24th 2006
Over the past week I have been working almost every night and managed to get all the old brackets grinded off and smoothed out. I bought a pair of H4 Headlight Converstion lights, and ordered the rear spring hangers from Toyota. Here are a few pictures of these things.

*UPDATE*Sat/Nov 5th 2006
More Updates coming next weekend.

My rear spring hangers were supposed to be here on friday (from Toyota). They were back ordered from Japan and were supposed to be here. I went to pick them up and they only got ONE in. The other one is back ordered again and will be here (APPARENTLY) in 11 days... AHH!! My front diff rebuild kit (comes with all bearings and seals etc.) was also supposed to be here on friday but also did not show up. It is supposed to be here on tuesday now. So hopefully I can get some work done next week. Until then I will just continue to clean up the diff housing, and maybe finally get the holes in the frame welded up.

I also ordered a set of Energy Suspension polyurethane busings for the front leaf springs.

As of now I don't really have any work to tell you about but I do have an un-exciting picture of the one spring hanger I got from Toyota.

****Update Sun/Nov 6th 2006

Tonight I worked on getting the rear leaf springs out of the rear of my truck, these are what I am going to use for the front. I may change them to something different later on, but for now I will just use these with some added leafs and longer shackels. I removed the leafs and will have them Re-arced this week or next.

After I had the springs removed and all the old bushings removed from them I started on cleaning up the front diff and spraying it with primer. I first started by sand blasting the majority of it then wire wheeling the rest. After this first coat drys tomorrow I will spray a second coat and then spray with the final color. I am using Dark green Tremclad rust paint for the front and rear diffs.... I know... green?? Ya DON'T let your girlfriend pick the color. Oh well I think it'll look kinda cool with the frame being all black and the diffs dark green.

And for the last thing to update today is, I finally got a picture of the front spring hanger I had made by a friend of mine. It is very well built and if anyone in the area needs one built (can be made in any size and with or without tow hooks or reciever hitch) let me know.

This one is about a 2 or 3" drop hanger (compared to stock).

*UPDATE* Wen/Nov 9th
I got the front diff painted and some what assembled. The paint should get darker as it drys, I took the pictures right after painting and with the flash the color looks not quite the same... but anyhow. Here they are... as well as a picture of the shock mounts i will be using. They are factory Ford f-250 shock towers.

*UPDATE* Thurs/Nov 17th  2006

My other mount came in the other day for the rear of the front springs, And today.... MY DIFF re-build kit FINALLY came in after like 2 months. So this weekend I can finally get the diff built. Here are a few pictures of the diff once the paint dried, It is a lot darker than before.

Page 1-Toyota Pics& intro
Page 2-Rusty Frame
Page 3-Axle swap Part 1
Page 4-Axle swap Part 2
Page 5-Axle swap Part 3
Page 6-Friends Trucks
Page 7-My Hit-to-pass Car
Page 8-4x4 Pictures
Page 9-Engine swap
Page 10-Videos
Page 11-New upgrades