Keep IFS or SAS 1988 4runner. Wheeling/Camping rig
- Thread starter Carolina82
- Start date
dorton
#rockcreekoverland
I've got basically the setup you've described. Ball joint spacers, 1" body lift, elocker rear, auto locker front, 4.7 tcase, twin sticks, 4.88s, Chevy 63s rear springs......I'm happy. We(wife, daughter, dog, and i) did 6k mile road trip last summer, and same year before. It's been wheeled in 13 states, and hasn't left us walking. Will it go everywhere a coil over sas'd will? Nope. I also don't know many sas'd rigs that want to drive a couple thousand miles one way to go off roading.
Nice looking rig by the way.
Nice looking rig by the way.
Carolina82
Member
Thanks. Believe I'm going to keep the ifs and make it a capable wheeler/camping rig.
Dwill817
Toyota Fanatic!
It'll be fine with an OME kit, but you will be highly disappointed in capability. Got a buddy with a 88-89 4runner, 4.88s, rear locker, dual cases, 33x10.5 KM2s & he struggles to keep up with my SFA, no lockers, and 32x11.5 rig..
I'm willing to drive my SFA rig hundreds of miles to wheel.. It's not anymore uncomfortable than an old IFS rig.
The biggest reason Im saying SAS is because you'll have to really be pushing your IFS rig hard to run the trails you wanna run and that is more likely to break down than an overbuilt SAS rig.. I feel the SAS would be more reliable because it wouldn't have to be pushed as hard.
Now if you were gonna stay on fire service roads, then IFS all day... But you've already mentioned single black Diamond trails
I'm willing to drive my SFA rig hundreds of miles to wheel.. It's not anymore uncomfortable than an old IFS rig.
The biggest reason Im saying SAS is because you'll have to really be pushing your IFS rig hard to run the trails you wanna run and that is more likely to break down than an overbuilt SAS rig.. I feel the SAS would be more reliable because it wouldn't have to be pushed as hard.
Now if you were gonna stay on fire service roads, then IFS all day... But you've already mentioned single black Diamond trails
Carolina82
Member
I wheeled my 04 Tacoma on 33's and a rear locker on the same trails I've wheeled my 82 locked f&r on. Now the 82 did the trails easier but they both worked. The solid axle obviously performs better offroad. I just don't want the thing to struggle so much on the road that I don't want to drive it far off.
Dwill817
Toyota Fanatic!
Yeah I know what you mean..
I just don't feel like my SFA rig is any worse on road than say my brothers 94 Pickup.. RUF with good shocks rides pretty decent..
Either way, it's your rig lol.. you may wheel IFS for a year then SAS, or wheel IFS exclusively, who knows.. we do crazy things to trucks!
I was gonna stay stock and restore mine when I first started...... not any more!
I just don't feel like my SFA rig is any worse on road than say my brothers 94 Pickup.. RUF with good shocks rides pretty decent..
Either way, it's your rig lol.. you may wheel IFS for a year then SAS, or wheel IFS exclusively, who knows.. we do crazy things to trucks!
I was gonna stay stock and restore mine when I first started...... not any more!
zidaro
Explorer
before i 3linked my 87runner i was running 31's with stock 4.10 gearing and a detroit in the rear. 4.7 geared single case, sliders. i would air down and gear down. ran every decent trail in the eastern sierras and death valley. used to run with all the jeep groups that would come thru here and never was waited on, ever. I had a full bodied crawler, but i loved wheeling this thing cuz it was such a capable sleeper.
It looked like this quite often.
Now it looks like this
clearly one works amazing on the trails. but the other is much more enjoyable on the highway.
Beat the hell outta the IFS then build it or SAS it.
It looked like this quite often.
Now it looks like this
clearly one works amazing on the trails. but the other is much more enjoyable on the highway.
Beat the hell outta the IFS then build it or SAS it.
bkg
Explorer
needs paint. :fangers:before i 3linked my 87runner i was running 31's with stock 4.10 gearing and a detroit in the rear. 4.7 geared single case, sliders. i would air down and gear down. ran every decent trail in the eastern sierras and death valley. used to run with all the jeep groups that would come thru here and never was waited on, ever. I had a full bodied crawler, but i loved wheeling this thing cuz it was such a capable sleeper.
It looked like this quite often.
Now it looks like this
clearly one works amazing on the trails. but the other is much more enjoyable on the highway.
Beat the hell outta the IFS then build it or SAS it.
Carolina82
Member
Nice 4runner. Don't really need anything that big around here. 35's are a good tire around here to make the trails still a little challenging. Think i'll stay with the IFS then down the road if I decide I want to SAS i'll start collecting parts.
If I get the itch to wheel harder trails I can still take the 82.
If I get the itch to wheel harder trails I can still take the 82.
Last edited:
Carolina82
Member
I think that depends on your terrain.
That is probably true in Alabama, but here in the west, lockers and gears make all the difference. I had the reverse experience as the guy above: Guys with no lockers and big tires could not drive up what I could. Now, out here, we have all the traction we could ever want, even in the wet. I know in other places, Alabama i'm guessing is one, that you NEED all 4 tires on the ground, as the mud is slick and even with all 4 wheels driving, you cannot keep up if you don't have all 4 connecting the ground.
Stock IFS, 33x9.50's all terrains, ARB's front and rear, dual cases with 4.7s in the back, 4.88's in the diff.
Drove this unassisted.
The only time that truck held me back was due to my aversion to body damage: Essentially, I wasn't willing to drive up something because of the assurance of body damage. The truck could have driven it fine.
That said, I don't know what black diamond trails compare to out here, so I'm not sure if you are considering much harder terrain. As I said, it all depends on your terrain.
Wheeling IFS hard means you MUST have a light foot. That may also not be possible where you are at, so totally understand the need for beefier components, which a SAS would get you.
Anyway, sweet truck, and looking forward to the build!
Dwill817
Toyota Fanatic!
We have rocks with nice traction, but a lot of our rocks are protruding from the ground and covered in dirt and roots so having all 4 on the ground really does make a difference.. Plus it feels like everything is steep and off camber and having all 4 down makes me feel a lot safer. Lol
We do have rock gardens like you pictured and I agree 100% IFS can run them but that is your own drivers skill.. You being a good driver is making the vehicle more capable.. which is 90% of it anyways.. I know guys with JK's on 37s that freak out in rock gardens like that and I'm just driving along smiling..
I just know when I made the switch from IFS to SFA my mind was blown at how much easier just the simple things were..
And I was wheelin hard when my truck still looked like this..
So I've been through almost every stage of it
We do have rock gardens like you pictured and I agree 100% IFS can run them but that is your own drivers skill.. You being a good driver is making the vehicle more capable.. which is 90% of it anyways.. I know guys with JK's on 37s that freak out in rock gardens like that and I'm just driving along smiling..
I just know when I made the switch from IFS to SFA my mind was blown at how much easier just the simple things were..
And I was wheelin hard when my truck still looked like this..
So I've been through almost every stage of it