Ok here is what I have: And the last race of the season ooooops: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJS70_z1gAY Now here is what I want to do....I want to have a second suspension setup to road race or autocross this truck. Anyone have any racing experience with toyotas? I don't want to just lower it to look cool, it has to be all for performance. Thanks guys!
the amount of work it would take to make it handle well for autox would just be silly. better off to get a new truck and make it the street version. a lowered 2wd on blocks with the stock springs and drop spindels plus a upgraded sway bar would do very nicely on the track. id also do poly bushings too. ya the more i think about it, its just silly to convert it to street racing. easiest way would be a 2nd frame and do a body swap
How would the amount of work be silly? The amount of work to build a new truck vs unbolting some suspension isnt even comparable.... It uses stock suspension, the only differences are lower control arms are plated for strength, and it uses dual shocks and SAW 300m Race torsion bars. So what you're saying is put some dropped spindles, and blocks in the rear... Are there any lowering leaf springs that are good for hard cornering? All the ones I see "Maintain a soft ride" which is no good for racing... Are Belltech the only dropped spindles out there? Heres the kind of work that into it...at this stage it could be a drag truck, auto crosser, off road racer, desert truck....its a race chassis, what you bolt onto it decides where it races.
I think you should do it. A Wide body autocrossing Pickup would be legit. If the susp. is stock, then there is nothing working against you... Typically wider trackwidth would benifit the handling of a vehicle. It's already caged and all. Besides offroad vehicles need traction just as onroad vehicles do. Do it man see how it works... I want to do the same thing (have a 5 lug with Total Chaos susp and glass too.)
i was about to describe how silly it would be then i had a thought. you convert the truck to coil overs/4 link. then just swap coil overs, sway bars, and tires and go racin however. looks like thats the real next step, very sweet chassis btw
With the amount of fab work that has already gone into it, I think that lowering blocks just don't do it justice. How about a four link with some coilovers? Notch the frame a small bit to get it nice and low (for handling purposes only, of course, not because it would look bad ass). Either way, I think it will work fine for what you want to do with it. Looks like you've had a lot of fun with that truck!
Simple minds seldom differ! Nice cross post! So that makes two votes for a custom 4 link and coilover setup in the rear.
no matter what kind of racing, a properly designed 4 link and coilovers is the way to go with a straight axle.
I suppose.....i could get another 8" rear end, put all the link tabs on it, and put the opposite tabs on the frame and it would be as simple as unbolting the driveshaft, shackles, and brake lines....slide out offroad diff complete with springs on it, and slide in complete road race diff and bolt everything up. Probably a 3-4 hour change over. Bolt in the drop spindles up front, re key the torsion bars and go race! I have the parts from another project that stalled to built a 3 link with panhard/watts link...which is really the ultimate road race/auto cross setup. But, leaf springs can be made to perform very well too with a lot less geometry thought. Thanks for the ideas!
I know a guy with the watts link in his mustang that he runs for drifting.. can't say that would be a bad set up.. . but for swap ability I would recommend the 4 link so that you have one less thing to reset before you go. (4 link seems like its more likely to stay aligned.
I vote 4 link/coil overs as well. Ease of swapability (that's a real word, I swear), reduced axle wrap, ability to really get the center of gravity down to a respectable level.....I see no reason to want to use leaves (other than the fact that Z06 vette's use leaves, and do pretty well). For the front, I'd say spindles AND lower control arms. Tubular arms weigh less, anytime you can reduce unsprung weight you increase handling. That chassis is AMAZING! I can't wait to see what powers that rig!
is there specific rules (roll cage wise) do race in that division? i have the NHRA rule book, is it similiar? i wouldn't mind turning one of my trucks into something like yours....
The cage rules are pretty standard for material size/thickness, I think the organization I run in stole them from somewhere else. SCCA has a pretty detailed cage section in their rule book. Its powered by a 3rz.... My new favorite toyota motor! My lower control arms are super heavy...does anyone make any street tubular arms? 4 link sounds cool...i will look into it more.
well here are my thoughts on making something that can flip from one to the next. run a set of tubular arms for for both sets for street. it will lower unsprung weight and can have any characteristics needed worked into the balljoint angles. by doing both you could also increase the track width and as long as upper, lower and tie rod end are changed the same, it wont tweak geometry. i would set the extension over the stock size to whatever puts a zero offset front rim at the edge of those widebody fenders. as for the rear, i would take the axle you have now and 4 link it. make a mounts on the frame that will work for both long arms to have the lifted height, and shorter arms to work with a lowered height. and run a set of coilovers for either. dont have to tweak with break bleeding each time or fight leaf spring bolts. just swap spring and link bars. triangulated bars would allow you to not need a watts or panhard that differs from setup to setup. or you could have 2 sets of watts frame mounts. a set up high for street and a set down low for the lifted setup. youd probably need 2 drivelines as well, but thats easy. if you are able to make all that, im sure you can build some link bars and some control arms. and ive been dying to see a toyota lowered with prerunner body panels. with some serious dish. the only issue i could see with one rear end in place being used for both is gearing. im not sure if you have one that would work for street use as well. thats the way i would do it anyways. make it simple. link bars and control arms. even leave the spindle attached to the lower arm on either set, with rotors and things all installed and ready. with air tools and a buddy, a system like that could easily be swapped in an afternoon.
The only catch is that my off road class has rules....and keeping leaf springs is one of them.... I see where you were going with it though! Since everything is new on this truck, taking the springs out is really easy, no seized bolts/bushings. I cant wait to get this thing back in the shop and get to work on it...I will post progress as I go...
