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I have been searching high and low for a LS400, then I stumble upon an 2 week old Facebook listing for a trade to swap a working 4l60e into a Chevy Avalanche and get the title to a 93 LS400. Well this weekend I will be bringing home this LS400! Spent some of last Saturday swapping in a free 4l60e from a Jeep friend and with the little time I had. It's in, just ran out of time to get it all back together. This build has been a brain child of mine for quite some time and overthinking on how to go about this. Building a 4x4 IFS/IRS LS400 will definitely present it's challenges, but coming from a Rock Bouncer world of fabrication, I feel anything is possible to build. Here's the run down and I hope ya'll stay tuned to see this come to life!
- Coilovers in a 4 corners
- DOM control arms and links with heim joints
- DOM Tubular Subframe and Front Cradle
- 255/75r17 Tires
- Rear Diff up front (need one in hand to check R&P likeness to a reverse cut Toyota mini truck R&P) (2nd Note, I have seen Supra diffs ran in the front of 4runners but no info on the build)
- Motor and Trans raise
- Trans adapter to gear driven transfer case (already have from previous project with a 1UZ)
- Cut and Lengthen CV axles
- Interior Cage, Suspension seats and harnesses
- Spare tire carrier in trunk
- Some sort of Subframe/Cradle connection to tie them together (also gives me something to run a belly pan to project trans/t-case
I know some of the issues I will run into with the front diff idea with the oil pan location. Once I get the car in the drive and on jack stands, I can get a better sense of the room provided. I know there's so much to be shown vs written about. Feel free to ask questions! I have been noting and planning this build for over a year and know just about everything I want to do, but it all comes down to what I am allowed to do without making this LS to high or lose ground clearance. Gathering tools since this car was basically free! Tube bender and band saw on the way after Christmas!
Here's some old pics from my 2013 Samurai build of what the adapter and transfer case set up looks like on back of the LS transmission. It adds some length for sure. Hoping I can get away with moving the rear diff back a couple inches to widen the wheelbase, then cut the driveshaft down. Running cable shifters so locating them will be no issue.
whoa, there was another guy trying to do a 4x4 mod to his LS400 around here and i thought that was unique, but now here you are with the same kind of idea!
fascinating to see such different car cultures everywhere (and i'm in socal, arguably the automotive hub of the world)!
whoa, there was another guy trying to do a 4x4 mod to his LS400 around here and i thought that was unique, but now here you are with the same kind of idea!
fascinating to see such different car cultures everywhere (and i'm in socal, arguably the automotive hub of the world)!
I posted another thread with the idea, idk if that's what you saw! ha. Unfortunately the deal was a bust. There was some issues, so I said what I had to said and left it alone. On the search for another LS40), hopefully white with the silver bottom (which is my favorite color combo) but I will take anything at this point! ha.
I come from tube chassis, LS powered rock bouncers and see how much of that knowledge over the years can lend itself to this potential build!
I posted another thread with the idea, idk if that's what you saw! ha. Unfortunately the deal was a bust. There was some issues, so I said what I had to said and left it alone. On the search for another LS40), hopefully white with the silver bottom (which is my favorite color combo) but I will take anything at this point! ha.
I come from tube chassis, LS powered rock bouncers and see how much of that knowledge over the years can lend itself to this potential build!
oh haha same guy...got it!
sorry to hear about the other, but you'll find old LS400s still kicking around. just remain patient!
Digging more about diffs. From what I discovered is that Supra diffs can fit early 90s 4runner R&Ps. Which is a bonus to get a lower gear set, but leads to the curiosity of reverse cut front gears fitting in to have a proper set up. But I am willing to run a rear gear set up if that's what it comes too!
sorry to hear about the other, but you'll find old LS400s still kicking around. just remain patient!
It's all good man! They seem to be pretty hard to find in Louisiana. Even if, they are priced so high. I'm willing to buy an non running one, with a spare motor, trans and the complete ECU laying around I might come out good. Looking daily!
Looking at the front of the LS400, really racking my brain on what I want to do for the front diff. I do need options for gear ratios, which limits what I can run. As much as I wanted to do a center diff, it would leave me with a low hanging center section. I need it to be tucked in as much as possible. I can pick the motor/trans up an inch. Front cradle will have to accommodate the front diff, motor mounts, steering rack and LCA's. What I think I can do is mock the cradle based off a Tundra with the 2uz. With that idea I can use the Tundra oil pan setup to give room for a front diff from a tundra (I have a spare Tacoma diff that's the same with a locker), possibly use the Tacoma steering rack as well. That throws my trans/tcase setup out as well, chain driven toyota cases are passenger drop and tacoma/tundra front diffs are driver drop. No sweat there, I have my 4wd Tacoma that I can pull the output shaft, tail housing and tcase from and swap into the ls400 trans. All doable, plus it keeps that extra length out of the drivetrain. Now the rear diff, I am going to opt in for a Ford Explorer 8.8 07-10, super cheap to find. Gives me the same options for gears as the toyota front. I will address axles when the time comes, even if that means just cut and splice together some Frankenstein axles in the rear.
Update On Parts List:
Have:
Tacoma Front Diff
Tacoma Axles
Tacoma Spindles
Tacoma Transmission & Transfer Case
Tacoma Front Driveshaft
Need:
07-10 Explorer Rear Diff
07-10 Explorer Axles
07-10 Explorer Driveshaft
00-06 Tundra 2 Piece Oil Pan, Oil Pick Up
On tires I have decided to run a 235/80r17. I want to run larger calipers front and rear so 17's will be key! So with a notebook full of notes. Nothing is going to beat getting into the LS400 and start pull parts off. Stay tuned!
i gotta see how you're gonna convert a unitbody car like the LS400 to use parts meant for ladder frame chassis for 4x4!
Looking at the front cradle, it has some good mounting points to build a 1 piece unit from DOM, just comes to fitting a diff in there lol. I'm still not sure on ride height yet, I am going to pick up some used 235's to get an idea. That will help determine how much room is available to mount something. In the end I will run "frame rails" to connect the 2 subframes and skin it for belly protection.
Not much of an update. Just pulling parts off that are damaged and tackling the interior. While doing that, I discover some shotty work lol. Explains why the passenger door on the driver side doesn't close flush.
Sourcing these tundras parts locally seems impossible. Marketplace is failing me at the moment.
YEAUX'S LS400 4x4 Build
