1985 X-Cab Pickup

 DOA Head, Plenum Conversion, Header, V6 4.88 Diffs, Lockers, 3" Lift, DT Shocks, CB Radio, Stereo, Bridgestone Dueler MT, Rear Bumper, Winch Bumper, Nurf Bars, Manual Hubs, Vented Brakes, Auxiliary Tank, Other Stuff
This truck was acquired in May 1999. Like the 4Runner, this was the last year Toyota installed solid front axles and front leaf springs in their USA trucks and 4Runners. Currently this truck has over 200,000 miles on it, with 40,000 miles on a rebuilt motor.

This truck has suffered from many of the common problems that face older Toyota trucks. The front main seal leaked. The axle seals leaked as did the steering knuckles. The alternator brushes were worn. The resistor coils to the AC/heater fan were blown (no slow speeds on the fan). The O2 sensor was faulty. All of these items/problems have been fixed (yes, I do it myself).

In addition to the improvements listed below, we are also planning on the following:

Improvements

DOA Performance Head

While I was hoping to install a new DOA motor, circumstances just didn't allow. I was having a problem with the exhaust manifold studs pulling out of the old head, and helicoils were not holding. Replacing the head was sounding like my only option. This head was ordered from Tim Jenkins at DOA Racing. It's a ported and polished head with a TRD Level 1 camshaft and an adjustable cam sprocket from LC Engineering. Tim also installed cleaned and balanced fuel injectors.

DOA Hiflow Plenum Conversion

Images on the left are the old style. Note the redundant linkage, the tipped throttle body, and the kink in the connector hose.

This conversion involves installing the upper plenum and throttle body from an 88-95 22re motor. Both items are an improved design and allow the removal of the Air Flow Valve which robs power. Tim at DOA over-bores the throttle body 3mm and the upper plenum is opened up slightly to improve airflow. In addition, the throttle linkage is simplified using a late model cable. Over all, the throttle response is significantly improved. Of course the new head and TRD cam helped. But I'm comparing this to the 4Runner with the same setup minus the intake (fixed Aug 2000!). Tim thought this combo would result in 135-140 hp.

For this conversion you will need from a donor 1988-95 22re: upper plenum, throttle body, throttle cable, the rubber hose that connects throttle body to cross-over pipe, and some water hose to hook up the throttle body. This setup has a straighter flow from the air box. Both the late and early throttle bodies have a 55mm opening.

Doug Thorley Header and 2.25 inch exhaust

This header was installed right after we purchased the truck. It's the same tri-y smog legal header we put on the 4Runner that improved overall performance and mileage. The header was purchased from The Dynoshop .

When we bought the truck the exhaust system on the truck was rusting and leaking. In addition the exhaust manifold was leaking around the number one cylinder. Installation of the header took about 1.5 hours. As with the 4Runner the connector pipe did not line up. I took the truck to a muffler shop and had them fabricate a connector pipe along with a 2.25 inch exhaust system. I also installed a free-flow cat. The performance increase was noticable. The truck turned 5th gear easier, though not as easy as the DOA motor in the 4Runner.

V6 4.88:1 Differentials

The rear differentials used in trucks and 4Runners up to 1995 are all the same 10 bolt units with 8" ring gears and are interchangeable with differentials going back to at least the early 80's. One advantage of these newer differentials is the availability of different gears from the 4.10 gears offered in 1985. Another advantage is the V6 differentials which are about 20% stronger than 4-cylinder offerings. In this case, I selected a pair of V6 differentials with factory 4.88 gears. This gear ratio is found in V6 trucks and 4runners with automatic transmissions and 31" tires from the factory. The axle code is G144. Due to the lack of availability in Albuquerque I ordered these diffs from a boneyard in Washington. They were a straight bolt-in into the xcab. Both the front and rear differentials on the 85 are the same. On IFS trucks, the front differential is a different size, so I used a pair of rear diffs from the donor trucks.

Note that should you attempt this installation on a 1983 or older truck the pinion flange will not bolt up to your existing axles. In 1983 and older trucks the bolt pattern is 56mm x 64mm. On 1984 and newer trucks the pattern is 60mm x 60mm. In addition the bolt size is different with 8mm bolts used in older trucks, and 10mm used in newer. Since both diffs use 27 spline pinion shafts the flange from the old diff could be transfered to the new differential.

Exchanging diffs is easy, and can be cheaper than purchasing gear sets, installation kits, and paying for installation. Here are the available diff options available and the trucks they came in. The code given is the axle code and is available on the firewall of older trucks, or on the drivers side door piller of newer. There are rumors of variations to the table below. Always count the ring and pinion and do the math to make sure what gears you have.

G292: 4.10 (41/10), 4 cylinder, manual tranny
G294: 4.10 (41/10), 6 cylinder, manual tranny
G292: 4.37 (35/8), 4 cylinder, automatic tranny
G252: 4.56 (41/9), 4 cylinder, manual tranny, 31" tires from factory
G254: 4.56 (41/9), 6 cylinder, manual tranny, 31" tires from factory
G144: 4.88 (39/8), 6 cylinder, automatic, tranny, 31" tires from factory

4.88 gears are recommended for trucks running 33" tires. Currently the xcab has 32" tires and the highway RPM's are quite high. I installed the 4.88 gears since I'm planning on 33" tires in the future.

Detroit TrueTrac and TRD Electric Locker

I installed TrueTracs front and rear on the 4Runner and really like the increased traction. Because of Burfield issues I decided to install a TrueTrac into the front of the xcab. For the rear I installed a TRD electric locker. Jim at Inchworm Gear provided me with the locker equiped with 4.88 gears and the modified axle housing. Personally, I think this was an easy install. Figuring out the wiring was the only issue, but even this was not hard. The switch is mounted into a stock location above the ash tray, and the indicator light was mounted to the right of that.

3" Suspension Lift

This lift was on the truck when we bought it. I think it is a Rancho suspension kit including 3" front springs and a rear add-a-leaf. It had RS5000 shocks on it, but these were too stiff so they were removed. Also removed were the rear springs with the add-a-leafs. The Downey springs off the 4Runner were sand blasted, painted with graphite, and installed to improve the ride. They sag quite a bit, and additional lift from longer shackles was necessary. In the future I'll install Alcan springs front and rear. The rear shackles are 3" longer than stock and came from Advanced Off-Road. The front shackles are Downey and are 1" longer than stock.

Doetsch Tech PreRunner Shocks

This is the first time I've tried these shocks. They are softer than the RS5000's and should contribute to an improved ride after the Rancho springs are replaced.

CB Radio

We frequently travel with friends and find the CB radio to be a very useful tool. We communicate about trail conditions, discuss natural history, keep the group together when going through Mexican towns, and keep folks from getting dropped when machines fail or get stuck.

It's a Radio Shack TRC-504, selected for several reasons including cost, simple features, and size. We mounted the radio on the bottom of the accessory tray in the center console, where it installed very cleanly (same location as the 4Runner). The antenna is a fiberglass whip on a ball-n-spring assembly attached on the driver's side of the truck bed. It was mounted on the drivers side so when the whip was hit by trees it tightened on the ball instead of loosened.

Kenwood Cassette Stereo

When we purchased the truck the previous owner had installed a Honda factory radio. It appeared to have been a rush installation. We pulled the receiver out and installed a Kenwood KRC-107S. The trim panel around the radio had been cut so we replaced it with a new part. The front speakers were missing so Pioneer TS-1018 speakers were installed in the stock location. The rear had Pioneer two way speakers installed in the quarter panels. These were removed and the panels were replaced with new parts. We then acquired some Pioneer TS-6959 three-way speakers and mounted them in Q-Logic speaker boxes that sit on the rear shelf.

Bridgestone Dueler MT Tires

I've been running Bridgestone Dueler AT's since 1984 when I installed them on my old 1982 short bed. They have been very good tires, getting long miles (up to 80K), with only a slight "sing." I was quite pleased when I bought this truck and found Bridgestone MT's installed. This tire has a more aggressive tread than the Dueler AT's, and they sing nicely. Even though I like this tire, I'll probably install AT's when they wear out.

The tires are mounted on Weld Racing Super Single II wheels with 3.5 inch backspacing (15x10). This places about 1.5" of the tire outside the fender. Personally, I prefer 8 inch wheels with my 32" tires since this usually keeps the tires under the fenders. These wheels were on the truck when we bought it.

Stout Equipment Bumper

Stout Equipment was a company here in Albuquerque. It was nice to walk into there shop instead of the usual phone ordering. This bumper is serious, made out of .25" thick steel with reinforced brackets. This bumper will not shift! I would recommend this bumper to anybody who is concerned about what they are backing into. My only regret was not getting the tire carrier the first time. So after two years I took the bumper back and had the rack installed.

Stout Equipment is now out of business. For Stout products contact Steve Hinken at Hinken Specialty Fabrication, 505/203-4639. Steve used to work for Stout and has the Stout jigs and equipment necessary to make most of the Stout line. Steve is actually the person responsible for my new rack.

AllPro Winch Bumper

AllPro Offroad makes a pre-runner style winch bumper that is as solid as they come. The bumper mounts with six bolts without drilling and can be installed by one person in about half-an-hour. The bumper is drilled for Warn winches. The only tricky part was installing the turn signal lights. They need to first be placed without the amber lens, upside down. The lens can then be installed without trouble. Installed in the cradle is a Warn M8000 winch.

GSP Nurf Bars

I've used Smittybilt nurfs on every vehicle prior to this, but this time I changed gears and installed nurfs from GSP. These are round tub nurfs that serve as steps around town, and rocker protection offroad. Unlike the current Smittybilt product these were ordered without the plastic steps.

Manual Hub Swap

When I purchased the truck it came with the old style automatic hubs. These hubs are problem prone and not reliable. I've always been partial to manual hubs because of their dependability.

This swap, in my opinion an upgrade, was very easy. The old automatic hubs came off in just a few minutes. The manual hubs were purchased at a local boneyard, cleaned up, and installed. I did need to acquire an installation kit that included spindle nuts and washers. I found the dealer was cheaper than the Warn conversion kit.

Vented Brake Upgrade

I read an article at Off-road.com about a vented rotor/brake upgrade. In addition, Allpro Offroad had a vented rotor/V-6 caliper/master cylinder upgrade. Since I was in the process of rebuilding the steering knuckles I decided to install the upgrade.

For this conversion I purchased vented brake rotors for a 1982 FJ-40 Landcruzer, brake calipers for a 1988 V-6 4x4 pickup, and a brake master cylinder and booster from a 1994 truck. When installing the calipers I noticed that not only were the pads larger, the pistons were larger than those in the original calipers. I also learned that the original master brake cylinder needed more pedal travel to deliver enough brake fluid to compress the calipers. A master cylinder upgrade was therefore required.

After inspecting brake masters from coworkers 1988 and 1995 trucks, I went to the boneyard and picked up a brake master and booster from a 1994 truck. The brake master from the 1988 truck had different plumbing, attaching to the top of the master, and was 15/16" diameter. The plumbing on the 1995 brake master attached on the side, as did the 1990, and was a full 1" diameter. If I went with the 1988 brake master it would require bending one of the pipes, an idea I didn't like.

With the 1994 brake master I also acquired the pipe that attached to the front end of the brake master and the three-way on the brake booster. This way I didn't need to bend the pipes. The second (rear) pipe bolted right up with a little tweeking. The rest of the lines also required some bending, but did hook right up.

There were three problems with this upgrade. The sender to the brake warning light on the 1994 did not fit the existing connector on the 1985 truck. This was solved by cutting the connector off and installing blade connectors that fit the truck's existing connector. Second, when I went to bolt up the calipers the bottom end of the caliper interfered with the dust cover. I had to file back the lower edge of the dust cover so the calipers would have enough room to bolt up. Third, the lip on the booster hit the steering joint. This was pounded back slightly to clear.

Originally I used a 1" brake master from a 92 truck with the 1985 booster. I did this conversion in the 4Runner with the matching booster and really liked the way it performed. With the old booster the pedal was very hard. With the matching booster the truck stops quick with little pedal. This is the only way I would recommend the conversion.

13 Gallon Auxiliary Gas Tank

Of all of the modifications we have made to our trucks, the auxiliary gas tanks rank at the top. This tank gives us over a 600 mile highway radius and makes gas anxiety a thing of the past. We just don't worry about it traveling or off-roading. This tank also proved useful while traveling in Baja where fuel is scarce and not dependable. The way the tank mounts is the only thing I don't like. Unlike the 4Runner tank which bolts with 1/2" hardware to the frame, this tank bolts to sheet metal with 3/8" hardware to the bottom of the truck bed. Should I ever run this truck without the spare tire attached I would be concerned about the bolts pulling out.

Other Stuff

  • One thing I thought I would try is installing a center console box from a 4Runner into the truck. The box contains switch locations that I thought could be used for lights (front and rear), and an interior winch control. Fog light switches can be purchased from the dealer for $12 (pn 00550-35976). Our 4Runner console has places for two switches. When I ordered the box from the dealer it appeared the part had been superceded by a three position box. Since I didn't need three switches in the truck I installed the three switch box in the 4Runner and put the 2 switch box in the truck.

  • The cool red Magicore 8.5mm spark plug wires are held in place with the LC Engineering billet wire loom.

  • Truck has a SnugTop shell with a carpet kit.

  • Installed below the winch bumper are a pair of Hella Micro FF fog lights. The relay is wired to the corner running lights. The lights are switched from the dash using a lit Toyota fog light switch (pn 00550-35976, $12). The switch is mounted in a dash box from a 4Runner normally used to house the rear defroster switch.

  • The drivers side is pre-drilled for a grab handle. I picked one up at a boneyard, with screws, and installed it in a few minutes.

  • The Inchworm Gear dual transfers cases are held up by a BudBuilt crossmember.

  • Electrical power for this truck comes from an Optima "red-top" battery.

  • The winch is wired to a switch inside the cab. No more cable over the hood.

  • Installed an adjustable cam sprocket from LC Engineering. Currently set advanced 2o degrees. Love the low end boost.

  • The motor is cooled with a Modine 1R2041 heavy duty three-row core radiator.

  • Installed a 12V power point from a Tacoma in the rear of the center console. The socket was part #85530-06010 ($17.12), and the cover was #85535-35010-C0 ($8.37).

  • TRD stuff includes a TRD leather shift knob which has more class than the truck deserves, billet oil filler cap, and on each side of the bed are "TRD Offroad" decals pirated from a Tacoma.

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