This takes care of but one weak link in the IFS. What do you do when you start snapping axle shafts.

More brain, less skinny pedal. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/nana.gif" alt="" />

Lower gears!

X2
X2

Being able to crawl over the rocks and keeping your tires straight is the best way to prevent breakage regardless of what you are wheeling.

When do you usually see breakage of either cv's or birfs on the trail?, with speed and with wheels turned. More times than not the driver is trying to find tracton with either the wheels turned sharp, or turning the wheels back and forth, or with the wheels turned and up against a rock. This type of breakage can usually always be avoided by stopping and stacking a rock, or backing up and taking another line. I know it is less fun to have to engineer the trail a little to get the rig over an obstacle, while powering over it gets you applause/yells from bystanders, but to me, spending hours on the trail side fixing your junk just doesn't seem to be worth the applause.

While on the subject, and just out of curiousity...does anyone out there make heavy duty ball-joints, tie-rod ends etc.?

OEM or Moog are about as strong as you can get, I put Beck/earnly(Made in Japan) on my '91.

As far as I could find out(after breaking one) the tie rod ends on the 1/2tons are the same size as those used on the 1ton 2wd, the T100's and the 1st gen Tundra. I think the ones used on the Cruisers(not FJC's)) are bigger, but I am not positive. The easiest/cheapest thing to do is go to the wrecking yard and get some spares, they don't take up much room at all.

Good subject!

I have had a brainless idea for awhile and wondered if it would be feasible to completely remove the torsion bars and use coil-overs instead?
This may not be possible at all, just wondered since
I think the newer tacos don't have torsion bars any longer?

Just my thoughts.

Jon
1994 Toy

Sure is possible, and already done <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Total Chaos

But if you wanted coilovers, why do you need to necessarily replacet he A-arms, joints etc? Why not just use the stock suspension, but w/ the coils in coil-overs replacing the function of the torsion bars?

In the end, while this might gain you some flexiness, the weak point/problem is still the CV axles/joints. By the physics of how one works, a CV simply can't deal with large angles.

I think there isn't enough room with the oem A-arms to allow a coil over to be bolted in. IIRC, the Chaos kit has wider A-arms.

If you are breaking Cv's do to steep operating angles you can replace them w/Porsche 911 CV/s for about $1500. Of course once you add it all up you are at the same costs of a built SAS, so it would depend on what you are doing w/your truck.

Steep angle are bad regardless of what you have, IFS or SA, driving style and keeping your ego in check will prevent a lot of breakage.