79 build help.

[wombat]

This is not a BUild thread, nor is it a "build my truck for me thread".. I just have some questions regarding my 79 that I would like straight answers to because I really have no idea. My truck is a 79, with a 20r, and 4 speed, mated to a top loader. My truck has been in the shop since I came to Iraq, and now I go home in a month, nothing on my truck has been touched, so I reckon I am just going to have to do it myself when I get there. I had serious thoughts of swapping in a 350, and TH350, and using my toyota t-case, until I realized the price involved in doing it right. I know that the 4-speed is junk, but don't know what to replace it with, and I have never heard the 20r run, but I do have a spare parts motor.. I plan on running 33's, bogger's rear and tsl's front. No lift, or as small of one as possible. I don't mind doing some fender trimming, but I have been unable to find pictures of a stock height 1st gen with 33's.... My questions are simple. Running the 33's with the stock 4.10 gears, will m 20r if fixed have the power to pull me up and down the trail? this will never see the street, just want to play at the creek, My rear- end will be welded up, and if the 20r won't have the power I am looking for, what gears would you suggest, or what motor would you suggest for an easy swap, that dosen't require a body lift or transmission swap? And what is the tranny that I should be looking for to replace my stock 4 speed? The 4-speed is fine with me, but I have been told that it is junk, so now I need to be pointed in the right direction as far as what series to look for, and what are the different options in that series? Thanks for your time.

[fourwd1]

First off, 79's have 4.38 gears, not 4.10s.

33's will probably need some sort of mild lift (suspension or body) to fit, even with fender trimming.

Since it'll be offroad only, you could get by with stock gearing by using low range all the time. But you still may not have enough power to do all you want (you didn't say what kind of wheeling you wanted to do).

An easy swap would be a 22R and 5 spd, or even a 22RE (but that would be quite a bit more work).
Even better a 22R with your 20R head !

Your L43 4 speed isn't junk, it's fine for the engine it's mated to under normal useage. The tranny to really stay away from is the 83 L52 5 spd, that's junk.

There's other options, depending on what you want to do.

[wombat]

Thanks for the reply, to clarify, My wheeling is mostly muddy creek bottoms, and east coast trails. Not much into the rock crawling scene, but that may just be because I haven't had my first taste of it yet. I have been looking at a 22r or re swap, just need to find an engine, or donor truck in my neck of the woods (kentucky). I am not crazy about a body lift, but I have been reading up on chevies, and running rears upfront, but still undecided if I will go that route. Thanks for the info on the tranny, I was under the impression, from another sight, that the early 4-speeds were lucky to hold up to "normal" use... same place I was told the truck came stock with 4.10's...
As far as my plans for the truck, I don't plan on going bigger, then 35's... not on this truck. But I want to build it reliable, and safe of course. It will not only be used for wheeling, but also to get to thoughs, hard to reach, camping spots, and fishing holes. Creature comforts are nice, but I don't mind bare bones either.. I am having an interior cage done, but all that will be covered in a different post, when it actualy gets started...
Thanks for your input, and feel free to give anymore info you might have.

[jacksh002]

there is also the Big as s add a leaf option... i know of a couple wranglers with a flip kit and chevy AAL's that run 44"s

i used a smaller add a leaf up front with my 82 and i had a good amount of space with my 31's and with my bed bodded to the shackle it was taller then the front on a stock leaf, i guess because of the weight reduction in the rear. i definetly could have run 32" and probably with minimal rubbing if any..and no trimming

that and a 1, 1.5, 2" body lift and you should have plenty of room, might not even need them if you want to chop up the body a little bit. but the old schol 4wd fenders are sweet

[fourwd1]

The Chevy's in the rear/rears up front suspension setup is primarily to improve articulation. You also get 2" or so of lift from it.

It's possible that the 4 spd has a worse rep than I'm aware of, I don't know many people that have it.
The info on the L52 is first hand

Either way, if you swap in a 22R/RE you will want a heavier duty 5 spd with it.

[wombat]

could you tell me the model numbers for the "heavier duty" 5-speeds so that I could at least know what yo be looking for?

As far as running chevies, I may have been misinformed again, but I was told they would net me between 3 and 4 inches of lift, and who dosen't want more articulation??

I know that alot of the info will need to be leanered first hand, but I would just like to get as much of a head jump on it as I can and go ahead and get my core parts up-graded to standard.. Thanks for all the info.
Josh

[shawnruley]

my '82 has about 275xxx km's on it and the 4 speed is still going pretty good, it pops out of third every so often and sometimes I have to double clutch to get into reverse but for a 25 year old tranny thats got that many k's on it I cant really complain

[wombat]

yea but how hard do you wheel your truck?

[82yota]

My dad has gone through 2 4 speeds in his 80. But it sees snow plowing duty all the time. I've also killed the 5 speed in my 82 through normal driving. Stock size tires on both and nothing stupid done in driving. The 20R is a fine motor for the truck it was in. My dad's in his 80 is still going strong with a pile of oil pressure at 27 years old. The odo is broke so I can't tell you the kms on it.

[fourwd1]

wombat said:

could you tell me the model numbers for the "heavier duty" 5-speeds so that I could at least know what yo be looking for?

An L50 5 spd from 81-82 should bolt right up.
A W65 from an 85-88 EFI truck would be best, but 89+ W56's are for a forward shift case, so won't work for you. They're also longer than your case so the x-member would have to be moved and DS lengths adjusted.
I can't remember if the G54 on 86-88 carbed trucks is for a top or forward shift case, if top, it would work too.

As far as running chevies, I may have been misinformed again, but I was told they would net me between 3 and 4 inches of lift, and who dosen't want more articulation??

Actually 3" or so is probably right, it's been 5 yrs or so since I did mine.

[wombat]

I am to believe that the L50 would be better then what I have, but the W56 would be the best that I could get for a direct swap? so long as it's from one of the earlier years? Thanks alot for all of your help.
Josh

[82yota]

I've got the L50 and I had to replace the input shaft bearing twice and I did a full rebuild on it once. I would say go to one of the newer trannys even though you would need to change driveshaft lengths. It would be a much better tranny. If I were to do it all over again I would not have rebuilt mine or even put just the new bearing in as it was $224 for one bearing from Toyota. I should have gotten a newer one for it. But this is all just my opinion.

[shawnruley]

a little bit unrelated but which 5 speed tranny was in the '87 22RE pickup

found another doner truck for a steal of a price

[wombat]

I just sourced a couple local fella's parting out trucks, one says he has a good running 22r that I could pick up for 500 bucks, but I don't really watch the going rates on these engines, reckon thats a fair price for a good motor?

[fourwd1]

shawnruley said:

a little bit unrelated but which 5 speed tranny was in the '87 22RE pickup

found another doner truck for a steal of a price

W56-B

[fourwd1]

wombat said:

I am to believe that the L50 would be better then what I have, but the W56 would be the best that I could get for a direct swap? so long as it's from one of the earlier years? Thanks alot for all of your help.
Josh

Yes, the W56-A or B, but you'd have to make adjustments for the length.