The Official BUILD A CHEAP RIG thread

[WildYoats]

Ok, let's see what we can all come up with by building the cheapest Toyota wheeler. What do you think it could be done for. Post you cheap mods for building it. Cheap as possible.

Let's start it out with a 85 Toyota Truck - $500

My cheap mods-

Welded diff - free
black rockcrawler rims $125


We're up to $625..... next?

[oregon85wheeler]

Used 33s or 35s for them back spokes $350
Fender trim $0
New Total $965
Gears and lift next

[robrocketanski]

man, are you recycling your gear lube! that's cheap :beer:

[robrocketanski]

somebody's rear springs in the front should be free. with decent friends anyway.

[BigDaddy]

second.


1 1/2 OD 1/8 wall pipe $15.00 a stick. We will need one stick to do the rock sliders and one for the front and rear bumpers.

With extra metal to make bumpers and sliders lets call it

$60.00
+
3 Inch Body Lift $85.00 = $145.00 + $975.00=


$1120.00

NEXT!

[Pnutt]

Why the $85 for the body lift ? Made mine out of 2" round dom tubing and new grade 8 bolts for a total of $25 tubing and bolts.

$975.00-$60.00 saved on making own body lift =$915.00

[unrepentant]

one of those cool drink holders that hangs on the door between the window and interior door panel---priceless!!!!!!---:santa:

[CoreyPerez]

8" Pipe Cap (Diff Covers) cut in 1/2 covers both ends! $18

Total $933.00

[joez]

half doors=free

ford shock towers=$22

Gabriel extended shocks=$80

80+22=$102+$933=



$1035

[AZWILDYOAT]

Bob the bed= free

[booger weldz]

63'' chevy rears, $100

$1135

[booger weldz]

this one hurt$, but is a MUST!

ifs steering box and hysteer

$500.

$1635

[booger weldz]

dual case adapter $275 and extra case $100

$2010

[jvmin]

this is all great but you have to be a mechanic / welder/fabricator/ or know a bunch of great friends to do it for you the next mod would need to be a good cage or at least a roll bar. 200 to 450 depending on where you get it

[AZWILDYOAT]

Originally posted by booger weldz
dual case adapter $275 and extra case $100

$2010

Bud Built dual case x-member $250=2260

[oregon85wheeler]

Pnutt made a math error which was perpetuated. The real total is $2405.
He took something off bigdaddy's list but subtracted from the truck total bigdaddy started with.:D

[sparky]

okay :D

i was in welding class for a year.

welded rear diff $0 freebe
homemade shackles $0 freebe
homemade front spring hanger $0 freebe
junk yard 15x8" wheels (5) -$30
diff protectors $0 freebe
rear springs up front $0 freebe
roll cage (junkyard) -$50
sold my sr5 seats + $150
bought 60/40 bench seat -$50
rear 91 springs in back -$50
add a leaf springs front -$30
sold other parts of truck + $100
32x11.50x15 bfg muds (4) -$500
flatbed and sliders -$150
all pro hysteer arms $0 freebee
fj60 steering box and linkage $100
shocks $ 50
ford shock mounts $20

still needs gears.


total over 3 years of building $1240
plus
much of my truck is built out of scrap steal. but if you can't tell its alright!

just don't let my wife read this!!!!

not ot bad for a pretty capable rig.
:bye: :yes:

[Pnutt]

sorry ya'll i can't add my bad:beer:

[suv]

Yeah, the crossover steering is nice...but do your own standard crossover for $160 + the box like I did, save the extra $240 for some trail snacks.

Home made traction bar - $20
Redrill center pins, move front axle forward - free

[joe]

I recently found a relatively inexpensive way to do a beefy crossover steering. It went like this. I went with the used stock passenger side steering arm upside down welded to my stock one with 3/8 inch plates. Then the guys at Rocklogic built me a drag link and a tie rod out of thick DOM and chevy rod ends. They also re-tapered all of my stock arms and converted my IFS pitman arm to take the same end.

used steering arm. $20.00
used IFS box $70.00
new tie rod with ends $100.00
new drag link with ends $100.00
converting pitman arm $30.00
re-tapering 3 steering arm holes $15.00

Thats $335.00 including the IFS box, so if you want you can take $170.00 off the total and bring it to $2240.00

[schmedly]

twenty or so cans of wally world spray paint for that custom paint job 20 or so $$ and a case off old milwuakee 11.99 cold. It worked on mine

[schmedly]

twenty or so cans of wally world spray paint for that custom paint job 20 or so $$ and a case off old milwuakee :Freak: 11.99 cold it worked on my truck

[chadbuckner]

Originally posted by booger weldz
dual case adapter $275 and extra case $100

$2010
where are you getting your 275 case adapter?!?!? aren't they up around the 400s

[Ghetto]

Sound's good so far but you are not going to wheel very far if you do not get some beefier berfs. Send in your cores to long and you can be back on the trail for 170.00.



2240.00
+ 170.00
-----------
2410.00

[trailtoy]

Originally posted by Pnutt
Why the $85 for the body lift ? Made mine out of 2" round dom tubing...

That sounds a little scary. How do you keep the tubing from moving around??


Ideas:

2" body lift and have the Budbuilt made 2" higher than stock.

Rear springs up front, this could be free but you will need to add leaves to them so they could cost some $. Rear lift springs or stockers with leaves added.

Gearing options:
4.7 case - 4.10 diffs: 76 to 1 (case gears)
2.28x2.28 case - 4.10 diffs: 84 to 1 (adapter, 2nd case, driveshafts)
4.7 case - 5.29 diffs: 98 to 1 (case gears, diff gears)


You decide what's better/cheaper.

Ford shock towers for the front, homemade Budbuilt style rears. Rancho 5012's

Extended brake lines.

Grab some 35's and rims from somebody that's upgrading.

Standard crossover with beefy rods.

[MattMan]

Buy semi-built rig for $3500, trade out front and rear air lockers, hi-steer, and EFI. Resell same rig to non-wheeler for $3000. Save mucho coin. :D

[Pnutt]

trailtoy tighten the bolts down dude.:D

[yarddog]

Originally posted by AZWILDYOAT
Bud Built dual case x-member $250=2260

Good guy and great product, but for a el-cheapo build up I'd drop this. I like the DIY cross over steering, that's a free set of Longs if you look at that way.

[southern_yota]

y'all are forgettin a longer travel, possibly cv, d-shafts or there's gonna be hella limited flex. cept i'm not sure on a price but they're a must in my book.:Rockonman

[oregon85wheeler]

If you were in the Willamette Valley in Oregon where it's often mud slingin' you could get along just fine with cheap lift, a lock right, 35s(boggers or swampers only and in newer condition), lower gear for the 35s, and a winch. The trails a slipery this time of year and the tires and a locker is key.

[Spider]

Originally posted by oregon85wheeler
If you were in the Willamette Valley in Oregon where it's often mud slingin' you could get along just fine with cheap lift, a lock right, 35s(boggers or swampers only and in newer condition), lower gear for the 35s, and a winch. The trails a slipery this time of year and the tires and a locker is key.

Here here!

Truck $500
3" trail master lift, Les schwab $270 (or so)
3" body lift, just buy the pucks, get the bolts from work $20 at most.
welded front and rear, Free you gotta know somebody that has a welder
60" high lift, $60 brand new
36" 50% tread swampers $250 (used, nickelads)
black steel wheels $220.
$680 for misc other stuff (cam, efi, longs, whatever)

$2000 Total

Not the most "fancy" or "name brand" setup, but there actually are people out there that dont have alot of money to throw around.

That setup should get you around in the Oregon hills pretty decent.

[pitter]

u bolt flip front and rear

u bolts front and rear.

make your own crossmember, mine is out of 5/16. not as strong as budbuilts but it took a few hours with a angle grinder and a skillsaw with a metal blade and then torches to cut the holes. drill the 8 holes for the rubber t case mounts and you have yourseld a $40 high clearance crossmember. i say dual stock cases, square front shaft no 85 cv. use the rear u joints take the cv and put that in the rear.

if its no dd get some 38's

you will need an extra third should be free from a friend everyone has extra thirds,

you will need and extra birfs. unless you get some upgraded new ones.


and fawk the body lift just cut the tranny tunnel and tuck the cases up high

also with the steering go with a welded arm and just beef the lower tie rod up thats if its a trail rig. for cheap crossover.


no winch its to much and get an e locker instead of a lock wrong its around the same price but this is on the cheap:D

[oregon85wheeler]

No way,:no no: you got have a winch. In my days I've gotten many late night "come save me" calls.

Spider-- We ought to go wheelin some time, PM me if you up for it.

[SOCALXJ]

I assume the tools to do all this are coming from Harbor Freight too :santa:

[BigDaddy]

Originally posted by SOCALXJ
I assume the tools to do all this are coming from Harbor Freight too :santa:

With this Bunch I am sure of ithttp://smilies.crowd9.com/contrib/lilly/hmm3grin2orange.gifhttp://mindscraps.com/s/otn/realhappy/xxrotflmao.gif

They may last a week if your dont use them!

[chevota]

here's my cheap set up
80 truck 500
parts truck 2 for 250
chevy v6 rebuid 1000
b&m th350 donation for the cause
dual case 275 case came from parts truck
38.5sx new 930
rears up front mixed with old pro comp free both were on truck
sold motor out of parts truck +350
shocks 100
ford shock tower free friend owns salvage yard
chevy rear free see above
bed bob 2 sawzal blades
welded diff free
custom cross member home made 10$ steel
home brew cross over free
total $2717
that should cover it

[Kokobud]

Here's my budget rig
80 toyota long box
$100 for truck Found in farmers field
$300 aprox for timming chain and misc engine parts
$150 4 inch pro comp lift
$50 rear block and ubolts, fliped
$200 extended shocks
$700 new 35 inch bfg m/t (on sale)
Freebies: ford shock towers, spare steel for flat bed, bumpers
custom built brake line extensions, bobbed frame, lots of duct tape and mechanics wire, 1 heavy foot, welded rear diff, !5 x 10 white spokes came on truck, junk yard buckets, about 100 lbs of weld.
Aprox $1500
probably closer to $2000 with some misc stuff

[bigrubbers4x4]

my cheap rig
81 parts only and 82 toy running= $200.00 off the neighbor
3" rough country lift w/rear springs=$400.00
2" lift shackles from rough country= freebee
3" body lift= $0 had blocks laying around the garage
home built tube bed and rock rails=$100.00 for 1 1/2" square tube
stack of sheet metal to cover bed=$10.00
got sponsord by a local salvage yard and they gave me:
power steering unit, cab from an 83 toy w/no rust, eclipse bucket seats, chevy 305, th350 tranny and t-case.
also got sponsord by optima battery $65.00 yellow top battery,litegrip mag light holder=$0, Explorer Pro Comp 8" lights and spotlight=$0
8"' white spoke wheels=$50.00
tires=? dont know what to go with yet
lockers=$0 welded spider gears in rear, not sure if i should do the front, will doing the front be hard to steer on the road?

TOTAL=$725.00