Hello toyota world

i am balls deep in my 2wd toy project and wanted to get some feedback on generally how much to z the frame.

is it usually.. 1/2"...1"... 2"..?

Reason is, tonight i started fabbing up the mounts for the IRS. And I think I could get the chassis to be a roller again pretty soon. but I want to knock out the Z'ed frame in the next week or two while im waiting on my buddy to finish his tube bender, and currently have no money for tube anyways.

since i don't have any frame a couple inches behind the cab it will be a good time to do the front frame chopping. while i can easily lift and move the chassis parts Solo or with assistance of cherry picker, jacks and blocks.

It's an 80-82 pickup. going bags, obviously..

im going to be modifying the front control arms (or possibly making some) when the time comes..who knows, one task at a time

want it to be as low as possible, since the back is ridiculously low on mock up, wheels and tires will vary depending on CL find's, but starting with 17" IS300 wheels. but shouldn't really be factored in to the equation really because i want room for upgrades and have more than enough room for anything later.

not the kinda thing you want to do and then a year or so later.. be like, dang.. wish i had that extra 1/2" or 1" of stuffage for these wheels, or clearance.. or the opposite side of.. sonofabeechore my _____ doesn't fit or work because i did an extra 1/2" or 1" of raising front susp.?

SOOO... if that's too much info, my bad,i always read the need more info post's. or if im over-thinking it.. then i'll just start cutting away, no problem there.. lol .. or need any more info.. lmk.

i'll start a build thread pretty soon i guess.. im kinda slow paced sometimes, that whole life, wife and family thing and figured if i started a thread 1/3- 1/2 way it would be more enjoyable than the never ending thread begging for updates that usually happens. haha

Thanks! -Ben


p.s.
just an after thought.. anyone ever think about moving the front suspension forward an inch or so during a Z'ing.. to make more room for the firewall? Im am cutting the shee' out of this truck and testing the limit's of my fabrication, sheet metal, and ury-thang else.. but i am concerned with what im going to do with my master and clutch cyl. when i need to start fitting the body back on anyways.. thought about some different hot rod pedal options from summit(just hydraulic with no brake booster), but didn't know how they compared to stock with booster, specially since my IRS has disc brakes also. AND of course potential upgrade for fronts later... body wise, i think an inch forward could pass cosmetically maybe have to modify the fenders a little for look.. trim the back like with the 4wd toy's for rubbage.

 

Usually a Z is 1 1/4"- 1 1/2" I guess it depends on the truck from wat I'm read an ppl tellin me. Don't move the suspension forward at all it won't look right. Wheel won't be centered an it'll be a waste of time IMO. Kinda like an s10 notice the front wheels don't sit centered in the wheel well

 

The 79-83 trucks the front wheels are already perfectly centered. I wouldn't mess with it. And you will have to tub your truck a lot no matter what. You will also have to move the brake booster and clutch slave, even if you are only laying flat frame on 17s.

The Z amount for a stock un drug frame is generally 1 1/2". But it is best to measure for yourself, because the trucks differ a bit from the factory.

Also you would be well advised to swap over to an 84-95 front suspension, the design is quite a bit better, less camber change and bump steer. Toyota really nailed it in 84, they where close in 79.

Even if you don't do the suspension swap, narrowing the clip an inch would benefit you a lot too. You have to run high offset wheels on this bodystyle to begin with, and still don't have much room to turn.

I did all of these things in my Shop Truck build thread, in the builds section here.

 

10-4, thanks guys.

my buddy might get the final welds(access to bigger welder) burned in on his bender soon, so i'll be able to keep moving forward. but will probably still z the frame before i get tube and start bending for the stuff i was working on.

i forgot about your advice on narrowing the front until now(good time to think of it...lol) but my main concern with that on this application is that my IRS is already wider than the stock rear, and i don't wanna make a large visual difference in width front and rear.. does the practicality of it outweigh the potential visual defect? in your opinion.

i dont know the width offhand, but i believe it'll be about flush on 2wd bed at ride height, and will camber in hard when all the way down hopefully limiting the bed skin cutting or i may have to do some major bed modification and bulge the entire side to make it look stockish wide-body or something, already going to double bob the bed..

i have the 84+ drop spindles already, and wasn't sure if i was going to modify the stock arms, try swapping parts, or one off options/combo's. uniball would be cool.

i mounted the mounting brackets for the front of the IRS, still need/want to plate and gusset. and need tube to connect the frame to the rear mounting bracket/beam/crossmember.. area. i've gotta get around to putting some pictures and stuff up so i can ask a question or give an idea of what im doing without a 3 page essay post.

anyways, thanks, i'll look over your old and new build threads again seth, and hopefully keep on keepin on.

-Ben

 

I would narrow the IRS if it was mine.

I kept the stock rear axle on my truck, and with my wheel offset, the wheels are basically flush with the bedside. They are tucked in like an inch. When laid out, my wheels look a little sucked in, because I have about 4º of camber, but at the height that the lip of the rim is about even with the fender, they are nearly flush, only inside about 3/8". So ti looks rather even there. I guess it will depend on your offset. I have 18x7 +35 wheels.