[randbeast]

What are toy 4 speeds like? Are they any good. As strong and reiliable as the 5 speeds? What is the first gear ratio vs 5 speed? I have a 4 speed, and am considering putting it in for the better gearing as I have no plans of driving the toy on the road anymore.

Second. I want to shorten my wheelbase. I plan on putting the chevys in, with likely a 2 or 3 inch block, depending on how much of a lift pack I can make for the front. I have 3" front lift springs, rear springs rearched to a 3" lift, as well as stock front and rear leaf packs. Any ideas for getting 5-6" lift? Anyway, for moving the rear axle forward, I don't want o have to lengthen or shorten the rear shaft, so with the chevys, a block and double shackles, how much can I move the axle forward while keeping stock rear shaft length? Anybody got an idea. I don't care about how to do this, I'm going to be welding new hangers anyway, so its no problem to move them farther than 11" forward.

I don't care much about street legal. I don't really intent to drive it on the street. I hope to find a flat deck trailer and simply tow it. I had more ideas/questons, but can't think of them

Heres the plan for the truck. The engine is currently overheated. I have another, in better shape, but needs some work. I have no time to rebuild, my buddy goes to BCIT and gets off at 2, he's volunteered to rebuild it (he's more experienced anyway). The chevys go in, lift block, double shackle (may scrap that if the hanger gets moved farther forward). Mess around with my leaf packs to make a decent lift pack. Take the box off, bob it at least a foot. Its staying on 33's, with 4.10's, but with the 4 speed. Spool rear, maybe front aswell, maybe welded instead of spool. Likely won't even run shocks. Um, theres more, can't remmeber it all. Its not supposed a crawler at all, just a good bush beater that go still go places.

 

[Wil]

No worries with the 4speed. I ran one for years. The only pain is on the highway with 5.29 gears. I think the 1st gear is not quite as low as on the 5speeds but very close.

Run shocks...they do more then you might think.

 

[jeremy]

the early L43 tranny is junk. the L45 which is probably what you have, has the lower 1st and is very durable. if the shifter is on the top, then its a L45. L43's had it on the side.

id leave the rear axle where it is. youll find that as the springs decompress, the axle moves foreward. with my rear 3/4e fully drooped, my rear shaft just bottoms out. the double shackes will be similar. if you have a long box, you could move it 8" foreward and use a s/b shaft.

you could gain the extra 2" of lift in the front by building a 2" drop hanger and longer shackles. that is if you dont want to get new springs or add a leafs.

save your cash, and weld the rear. leave the front open. you can weld it or detroit it later if you want more traction.

use shocks! the truck will be VERY unstable without them and super easy to roll.

 

[BBP]

You're really not going to be able to move the rear axle forward all that much without shortening the d-shaft. It's cheap, don't worry about it.

As for trannys, I was browsing the OTT website last night and noticed they make a 22R -> SM420/SM465 adapter, and also an SM420/SM465 -> Toy t-case adapter.

22R - > SM420 - > Toy case with 4:1 gearset and 5.29s in the diffs is the setup I'm thinking will be perfect. Nobody needs more than 150:1 anyways.

 

[randbeast]

the early L43 tranny is junk. the L45 which is probably what you have, has the lower 1st and is very durable. if the shifter is on the top, then its a L45. L43's had it on the side.

id leave the rear axle where it is. youll find that as the springs decompress, the axle moves foreward. with my rear 3/4e fully drooped, my rear shaft just bottoms out. the double shackes will be similar. if you have a long box, you could move it 8" foreward and use a s/b shaft.

you could gain the extra 2" of lift in the front by building a 2" drop hanger and longer shackles. that is if you dont want to get new springs or add a leafs.

save your cash, and weld the rear. leave the front open. you can weld it or detroit it later if you want more traction.

use shocks! the truck will be VERY unstable without them and super easy to roll.

Its an L45. Looks like I'll be getting 9012's. A drop hanger and longer shackle is on option for the front. The front springs flex decently, but at the moment are totally limited by the Rancho 5144's.

 

[Wil]

the early L43 tranny is junk.

I've heard people say that before but my experience is completely opposite to that. I had the sideshift L43 in my old truck for years without problems. The truck was a daily driver and wheeled a lot. Never had any problems. Personally other than the lack of 5th gear for highway travel I wouldn' hesitate to use it again.

 

[Jr]

put your rear lift springs up front, i was going to do it till i found waggies. if you have 3" lift rear springs you will have plenty of room for 35" tires up front

 

[randbeast]

put your rear lift springs up front, i was going to do it till i found waggies. if you have 3" lift rear springs you will have plenty of room for 35" tires up front

too much of a pain in the but

 

[slacker]

I've heard people say that before but my experience is completely opposite to that. I had the sideshift L43 in my old truck for years without problems. The truck was a daily driver and wheeled a lot. Never had any problems. Personally other than the lack of 5th gear for highway travel I wouldn' hesitate to use it again.

I agree with Wil , I had the L43 in my /80 .... 36" swampers , 5:29's , ARB front and rear , so on and so on , and I drove the bag off of it > I rebuilt it once in 12 years , parts were hard to find , but it saw some real abuse .
other then the 5th gear , highway sinerio , I thought it was bullit proof .

 

[jeremy]

k, i wasnt meaning to imply an l43 is useless, after all, its still a a toyota just i feel that there are several things going against it. input bearing size, external shifter, and the overall size is smaller than any other. im sure that it can be a reliable tranny, ive just read and heard that is the contrary in abusive situations. personally, my choice is the l45. low first, one piece cast iron case and bellhousing. my buddy put a l45 in his '92, cause he likes it so much. coincedently, previously he bought a beater truck for the winter, it had a l43 and he spent most of his time holding it gear with his knee. i dunno, people seem to have exceptionally good and bad experiences with just about anything.

 

[pitter]

id leave the rear axle where it is. youll find that as the springs decompress, the axle moves foreward. with my rear 3/4e fully drooped, my rear shaft just bottoms out. the double shackes will be similar. if you have a long box, you could move it 8" foreward and use a s/b shaft.



ok for the chevies to get them centered u need to mount the spring mounts to the frame 11" forward, of the original hanger if u mount them 8" u will be moving the axle back, not forward like the wants to do.

 

[jeremy]

for the chevies to get them centered u need to mount the spring mounts to the frame 11" forward, of the original hanger if u mount them 8" u will be moving the axle back, not forward like the wants to do. [/B]

i meant moving the axle 8" foreward, for a total perch relocation of 19". this way he can use a stock short box shaft which is 8" shorter. this would essentially turn a l/b into a s/b and allow an extra 8" of frame bob doing this with the lift springs should eliminate any frame clearance issues. shaft shortening is cheap and simple, but my preferance would be to keep such an easily breakable part stock for ease of emergency replacement.