CAPTDASH

I bought me a very nice looking 85 4 runner last weekend. It has never been abused the best I can tell. The dash is all intact and not busted. the interior is in good shape, and the rear window works. It runs great and doesn't appear to have ever been rebuilt. It is an auto, but it seems to work flawlessly. I will post some pics tomorrow.

I need to do something about the 2 bucket seats and the brakes. Do you guys have any suggestions for some good replacement seats? I want some that will be comfortable for daily driving. Does any company offer NEW replacement seats?

I need to go through the whole brake system. What would you guys suggest to upgrade the system? Would you just replace everything with stock or use some other model year brake components?

Thanks guys.

Outsane

Alot of guys upgrade to V6 calipers and rotors.. they are vented..
for the rears there are adapter kits to put disks on the rear, not sure how much they really help though..

Eliminate the LSPV (Load sensing pressure valve).. can get full of air, and its hard to get out.

I have a set I have not put on yet..

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Are the brakes not working or just working poorly? From your sig looks like big tires? Find a set of used 1st gen 4rnr seats and swap out. Whole thread on seat options and several on brake upgrades. Email me if u got any specific questions.

ccannon222

First thing I would do is get ride of the solid rotors. Replace them with FJ60 vented rotors. You will need to run either FJ60 Calipers, 4 cyl IFS (86-92) calipers or V6 IFS (88-95 and 93-95 4cyl) calipers. In order to run the larger “V6” calipers you will need to use a larger master cylinder, 15/16” or 1” bore. Yours is 13/16” bore. Some people have noted a stiff pedal feel with the larger bore master cylinder and stock 85 brake booster. The vehicles with the larger master cylinders came with larger dual diaphragm brake boosters (9 3/4 dia and thicker). These boosters do not fit in 85 and older solid axle Toyotas because of the larger steering u-joint. You could pickup a dual diaphragm brake booster from an FJ60 or some 2wd pickups through 1st gen tacos. These boosters are 1” smaller in diameter and will clear the u-joint.

Recap,

Easy: FJ60 rotors and FJ60 or 4cyl IFS calipers.

Harder: FJ60 rotors, V6 IFS calipers, 15/16” or 1” bore master cylinder, FJ60 or 2wd 4cyl dual diaphragm 8 ¾ dia brake booster.

As for the rear, there are disk brake kits which you will lose your e-brake and you will need to go to larger master cylinders with built in residual valves, and larger brake booster. Not worth the trouble MHO.

You could swap in an IFS rear 86-95 which comes with larger drum brakes. However this rear is 3 inches wider.

If you want to keep your stock narrow rear, you could press off the backing plates from an IFS rear and press them on your 85 axle shafts, then bolt up with the larger drums and internal brake hardware.

The overall biggest improvement you can do is get ride of the solid rotors, they suck.

Chris

CAPTDASH

HEY guys thanks for the tips. Waskilly, the brakes practically don't work. I think I have a leaking wheel cylinder, and the master cylinder is trashy looking on the inside. I am going to clean it out and check the wheel cylinders.
It sounds like I need to find a FJ60 and rob the MC,BB, rotors and calipers from. Is this all bolt on? Can you buy this stuff new from a parts store? I plan on doing a 100% project on this 4 runner so it will serve me as a daily driver and weekender for many years to come. I would like to fix it up nice.

CAPTDASH

Oh and the truck in the sig is my other truck.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Email me and I can get you all the parts you need to do it right, new. No need to try to find used ones.

Etype R

For the front brakes, tell the parts guy you need front rotors for a 86 Toyota Landcruiser.

For the calipers, tell the parts guy you need calipers for a 94 4runner, V6 4wd. Turn in your old calipers as cores, they won't know the difference. You can also buy a new Master cylinder for the same 4runner, though its cheaper to buy one from Marlin Crawler. Actually Marlin sells a complete kit for the front brakes, really well priced. http://www.marlincrawler.com/brake/b...rade-combo-kit I spent more then that alone on new calipers, pads, and rotors locally. Plus no core charges to deal with

ccannon222

I would buy the rotors new. You only need to upgrade the master cyl and booster if you go to “V6” calipers. If you go with FJ60 or 4 cyl IFS calipers, your stock 13/16” master cylinder and single diaphragm booster will work just fine. The difference between V6 calipers and FJ60/4 cyl IFS is the V6 has 4 large pistons where the FJ60 and 4 cyl IFS have 2 large and 2 small. The FJ60/ 4cyl IFS and the 79-85 solid rotor calipers all use the same brake pad. When you change to larger V6 calipers you need a large master cylinder to keep fluid volume even. Then you need a bigger booster to help push the larger master cylinder as your ratio’s are different you lose a little hydraulic leverage.

Everything is bolt on. Usually 4 cyl IFS calipers are cheaper than FJ60 calipers.

If you do go to V6 I would use 15/16” bore master from 88 V6 4runners. If you can not find one, you can go with a 1” bore non abs master from 89-95 V6 4runners and pickups. However you will need to get the steel brake line that goes from the front master cyl port to the junction box located under the master and bolted to the front of the booster.

As said by others you can get reman calipers and master cyl from the parts store and turn your old ones in as cores at a later date. Most part store guys will not know the difference. The only part I would source from a salvage yard would be an 8 3/4” dia dual diaphragm brake booster. Again this is only needed if you go with V6 calipers and master cylinder.

One thing to watch out for is wheel clearance. Not all wheels will clear the V6 calipers. If you are running wheel spacers this is not a problem. The FJ60 and 4 cyl IFS calipers will clear just about all wheels.

Chris

CAPTDASH

Thanks again guys.Y'all are great. Is there a real advantage in braking power with the V6 calipers over the others? This thing isn't very fast with 4.10's an auto tranny and 33 inch tires. I plan on running 35 to 36 at some point. What would be the best gear to run? I am thinking 5.29. What do you guys think? I would rather be over geared, opposed to still being under geared.

CAPTDASH

What are my options for a header. I have an exhaust leak at the manifold. i just assume rplace that junk with a header. I have the EFI, so I have an o2 sensor in the manifold.

desertcamper67

I ran the '86 IFS 4cyl calipers and Land Cruiser rotors with no problems in my last 4Runner. Actually I think my new calipers hit my Rock Crawler black spoke wheels and I had to get spacers right away.
I like the Doug Thorley header for the 22re. I've had them on my last 2 but haven't tried anything else. On both trucks I had a bung welded to the collector for the O2 sensor. Seems to help better than reading only one pipe for smog tests.

CAPTDASH

I live in South GA where the air is fresh and NO SMOG tests are necessary. I am going to see what LC Engineering has to offer for a header. When i was building my other toy some years ago, they were great to work with. I just haven't had time to check on a header. Brakes and a header are going to be my first order of business.

CAPTDASH

Have any of you tried the master cylinder that marlin offers? Is there a better MC to use. The marlin is 130 bucks. Here is a link to it.
http://www.marlincrawler.com/brake/m...aster-cylinder

What year FJ60 do I need to get rotors for? Thanks

Etype R

Read my post again, I listed the year for the rotors, calipers, and master. But I would recommend buying the rotors and calipers through Marlin, I spent more buying my parts locally then I would have through Marlin. But at the time, Marlin didn't have that kit yet.

laskt9

i was reading this thread over again, do you actually need the brake booster when you do the MC or can you install just the mc and deal with the hard pedal

CAPTDASH

Etype, I am probably going to use the FJ rotors and calipers. I don't feel like having to change the booster to handle the V6 calipers. If I could do it painlessly,I would do it, but it sounds like more trouble than its worth to swap the MC and BB. Does anyone sell a booster that will work, or do you have to find a used one? Thanks

Etype R

I am still using the stock 85 booster and master with the v6 calipers up front... works fine.

However my rear brakes are useless, and I am going to be installing rear disc brakes this weekend. Using my 85 front calipers and rotors, with some adapter brackets I picked up. For the master I am using a 3/4 ton GM master cylinder with a adapter bracket. Manual prop valve for the rear brakes, so I can dial it in. Going to run the stock booster for awhile, till I can find a larger one. I haven't looked for one yet, but not to concerned about it right now. That could change quickly once I upgrade the master though

Many people run the larger v6 calipers and V6 master cylinder with the stock booster. And with 35 inch tires, I wouldn't run anything less then that.

I'll update my build thread this weekend when I do the rear brakes if you are interested in what that takes. Overall my brake job has not been cheap. New wheel bearings all around, axle seals, brake lines, calipers, rotors, pads, and some other little parts. By the time its all done it will be close to $1000 brake job.... I am afraid to add up all the receipts now.

Red_Chili

I run V6 IFS calipers/FJ60 rotors/spacers, the Marlin/FJ80 1" MC, V6 booster, Front Range Offroad rear disk/full floater conversion with I4 SA front calipers/rotors and a Front Range (Summit) manual prop valve. Some days I almost have to wipe noseprints off my windshield.

Exaggeration, sure, but they work better than the '97 factory brakes, even with 35s. FAR better with a light feel. ABSOLUTELY worth the trouble. BEST BRAKES on any vehicle I have ever owned.

I ran with the I4 booster for a bit but could not get sufficient leverage on the brakes. Hated it.

If I had it to do over, I would use the Front Range kit with Celica calipers in the rear, and retain the stock-ish ebrake. The Allpro ebrake is minimal at best and not sufficient for emergency road use.

CAPTDASH

Still needing a model year for the FJ60 rotor and calipers. I think that is what I am going to do. I am installing new stock rear brakes this weekend. i already have new drums, shoes, wheel cylinders and spring kits. It has been my experience running high power Dodge diesels, that disc brakes will not stop as good as drum brakes in good condition. I don't see changing the rears, unless I was to go to the 10 inch back plates and all that.