Found a 96 Tacmoma with a SAS..should I get it?

I'm not familiar with crossover steering and have never done a SAS. I've only done a similar steering setup on a Jeep with Grand Waggy 44. It just depends on how much UP travel you have on that thing...... On the Jeep - (it's been a while) the steering box is mounted on the inside of the frame rails.


Personally.... You have a welder and you like to tinker. You're already on this forum and doing research. Lots of information here and online to do SAS on a tacoma.

I would highly recommend you find a nice STOCK truck. You can build it exactly how YOU want it setup. You won't have to deal with un-doing and re-doing someone else's hack job. Based on those photos - I can almost guarantee there will be much more shit to deal with (that you can't see in the photos). You'll be kicking yourself for not starting fresh and building something from scratch.
Just something to think about.....

 

Well I ended up getting the truck. I plan on pulling the body lift, front shims and putting 35's on it. If everything else does ok, I'll eventually fix the pinion angle issue in the front. I fixed the double carden joint on the front driveshaft bolted it up and noticed that the rubber on the transfer case crossmember mount was torn and the driveshaft comes close to rubbing the metal since it separated now that the rubber is gone. I ordered a transfer case bracket from 4x innovations. It's supposed to be in this week and we'll see what happens. I drove it down the road with the front driveshaft out and it runs good and strong just rough as hell over bumps in the back.

Found out the front end is out of a 86 Jeep Wagoneer and the guy found all of the reciepts where he had the SAS done by a shop. $6200 worth!! I couldn't believe it.

The odometer or speedo does not work so I unscrewed the cable and this is what I found. Does anyone know what's missing? Or did the shaft shear off inside the cable. It's hard to tell because I'm not sure what its supposed to look like.

 

Looks like the speedo cable inside is broke. Prolly from the body lift stretching it out. I'm not sure if you can slip a new cable in or replace the entire sheath with new cable.

 

Cross member is butchered and frame doesn't look reinforced.

 

6200 and it looks like they attacked it with a torch and bfh. Id be PISSED.

 

I didn't pay $6200 the guy I got it from did. I wouldn't have paid till they fixed it. What's the proper way to do the crossmember drop? Is there a bolt in one out there?

 

Looks like it'll be some work involved. Need to address the front axle angle and ditch at least one of those shims. May need to move or lengthen the leaf hangers and/or brackets to correct this properly. That pitman arm is sketchy. Functional onroad, not really offroad. Looks like a lot of surface rust everywhere, BTW. That crossmember is crap. There are several vendors that sell a new bracket. Body lift is welded? Not good. May as well leave it and get some of those gap guards.

But for $3000, I'd bought it as well. If for nothing more than a parts donor.

 

It really depends on what work you're capable of doing yourself and what you're wanting out of the truck. It has a solid axle, a good motor, and a good body. That being said there's a lot of things that need to be addressed.

I actually just bought a SAS tacoma project a month or so ago for $3300 but the fab work on mine is much better and mine has a lot more going for it parts-wise.



Is it geared? If not that's going to be a big expense. You will have to run 5.29 rear and 5.38 in the front with that setup which will run upwards of $800 and that's just for parts. If you have to pay someone to set them up add another $600 or so. Is it locked?

I still say it's a decent deal if you have the tools and the know-how to go through the truck, check every nut and bolt, and re-work the things that need it.

 

After close inspection of your project gear head, I think I know why it's not getting good traction.

 

Lol, it's on 39.5" iroks now

 

It's not locked and the gearing needs work. As I've found out, the rear end has 4:10's and the front 3:73. I have no clue why anyone would do that. I want to match the rear 4:10's in the front dana 44. From what I understand I'll have to replace the carrier as well since there was a carrier break.

What's the best option since I will need to replace carrier and ring and pinion?

I know it needs a deeper gear than 4:10 but I plan on downsizing the tires.