You may have figured out that show trucks you can't drive off-road are going away from Off-Road magazine. You may think that this particular truck pushes things a bit too far in the other direction, though. Nope. This Toyota may look as if it lost the war with the rocks, but mechanically, it's flawless and can take on just about any trail, no matter how difficult. An added feature of this truck is that owner Ken Francisco drove it all the way from Phoenix to Hurricane, Utah, for the two photo shoots it took to cover this feature. Since it was shot at two different times, you may notice some minor differences in the photos; Ken had changed some things. Suffice to say, the truck worked great both ways.
Some of you may remember Ken from back in the day, when he was known as Zuk, a builder of functional Suzuki Samurais who was willing to put himself and those Samurais in just about any peril for a photo. Well, the Samurais are long gone, and Ken has returned to his first love -- Toyota pickups and 4Runners.
Ken's '92 Toyota pickup is a well-built trail rig that has obviously seen some of the toughest trails in North America. Ken also likes to take in nice scenic trails with an overnight campout here and there. Check out the photos and see how this Toyota was built to take a licking and keep on ticking off- and on-road.
Specifications
Year/make/model: '92 Toyota 4x4 pickup
Owner/hometown: Ken Francisco/Chandler, Arizona
Engine: 22RE inline four-cylinder
Induction: Toyota fuel injection
Transmission: Toyota five-speed manual
Transfer case/Low-range ratio: Dual transfer cases; 4:1 gears; 215:1 Low-range ratio
Frontend: Dana 44 with Detroit LockerRing-and-pinion: 5.89:1
Suspension: Custom suspension; Rancho and Valley spring packs; Rancho 9000 shocks
Tires/wheels: 36x13.50R15 LT IROK radials/15x10-inch Champion bead locks
 Ken's Toyota can take on the...  Ken's Toyota can take on the toughest trails, yet he drove it all the way from Arizona for the photo shoots. The truck's wheelbase is 97 inches -- the result of too many modifications made over the past few years. Once a new flatbed is fabricated, the wheelbase will increase to around 103 inches for better climbing stability. The 215:1 Low-range ratio is achieved by dual transfer cases, with 4:1 gearing and 5.89:1 gears in the front and rearends. |  The Budbuilt crossmember and...  The Budbuilt crossmember and skidplate is simple yet effective. It sits much higher than the stock crossmember did. |  Ken fabricated the flatbed,...  Ken fabricated the flatbed, which is a great place to hold the spare tire and other tools. A portable Quick Air II 12-volt air compressor from Sun Performance, MIG-welder, and Hi-Lift jack reside on the back. |
 A 1,000-watt inverter from...  A 1,000-watt inverter from Vector allows the use of 110-volt A/C appliances in the backcountry. Ken is always using some sort of mixer or grinder when he's not driving. |  The wheels are 15x10-inch...  The wheels are 15x10-inch alloy bead-lock wheels from Champion, while the tires changed between photo shoots. The first set was 36x12.50-15 Interco Super Swamper TSLs, and the later set is 36x13.50R15LT Interco IROK radials. |  CTM U-joints, along with Warn...  CTM U-joints, along with Warn hardened axles were installed up front. Ken has experienced no axle or U-joint failures since he made this upgrade, even with the heavy tires jammed into tight spots. |
 The Ramsey 9000 winch is always...  The Ramsey 9000 winch is always ready to lend an extra hand, although it looks as though someone could use a lesson in correct winch-cable winding. |  The rear driveshaft uses a...  The rear driveshaft uses a Toyota CV-joint on top and a Jeep TJ Wrangler lower half to interface with the Dana 44. It's amazing what you can find to make things work at the local salvage yard. The rear Rancho RS9000 shocks are in an earlier position here. |  The external 'cage built by...  The external 'cage built by Ken is beat up and doesn't seem to offer much protection to the body, although he claims otherwise. |
 Even with 170,000 miles on...  Even with 170,000 miles on the odometer, the Toyota 22RE fuel-injected four-cylinder is still running well. The engine and exhaust system have been left stock, with the exception of a change to the Toyota V-6 muffler. A Toyota V-6 radiator keeps things extra cool in the desert. |  |  |
 The independent front suspension...  The independent front suspension was torched off and discarded in favor of a Dana 44 that Ken built himself from salvage-yard stock. It features 5.89:1 gears and a Detroit Locker in the third member. The front leaf packs are Rancho's 44044 series, designed for a Jeep Wagoneer. They afford about 4 inches of lift mounted over the axle. The shackles were moved to the front to give more stability when descending steep climbs and to keep the front tires from stuffing into the fenderwells. The beefy Hi-Steer drag link and tie rod are up out of the way and came from All Pro Off Road. |  |  The rearend is another salvage-yard...  The rearend is another salvage-yard Dana 44 built by Ken, with 5.89 gears, Dutchman axles, and a Detroit Locker. The custom leaf packs are from Valley Spring, and the long rear shackles with a "horizontal shackle stabilizer" are Ken's own design. The springs are mounted under the axle to negate spring wrap. This photo also shows the major changes made since the first photo shoot. The center-mounted coil is a Rubicon Express TJ 4-inch front spring. Ken says this gave him the extra lift he needed and improved the payload. The leaf packs should last longer, as they're no longer carrying the full load. The ride was greatly improved, and the Rancho 9000 shocks were also relocated. |