Hi guys quick question here i purchased a 1985 toyota 4runner sr5 22re solid axle ,5speed and i was so stoked to have bought it at a killer deal,divorced lady selling her ex's crap as she put it..ok i never checked to see if the 4wd worked,so got it home and now i only have rear drive,the shifter manual shifts fine and light on dash turns green and it says im in 4wd.but only rear wheels spin .it has a driveshaft,
1985 4runner (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Alcholoco82
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- #3
Yes ,could it be the transfer case.the guy who owned it was a mechanic,and he put new motor .,is there any selenoids? .is snowing outside so i cant crawl under it to verify that the shift forks are moving .??
My 4wd wasn't working because even though the hubs were locked, the gear wasn't extending. Even if one side is locked, with an open diff it won't get power. I had to pull and rebuild both hubs and found rust in the one that wasn't engaging.
Jack up the front end, lock the hubs, and try spinning the tires by hand
Jack up the front end, lock the hubs, and try spinning the tires by hand
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Thanks will do!!!i'll try that tomorrow thanks guys!!
These trucks are fully mechanical ... which is their charm. Much simpler and way more dependable. No electronics, no vacuum, no solenoids.
That said ... where in Hades are the obligatory pictures. Come awn man, get with the program here. You can't come on here and claim you have bought the holy grail of Toyota 4Runners without proper proof. Otherwise it's fake news.
Also, is this an SR5 with automatic hubs? If so, that could be your problem. The solution would be to swap out for a set of manuals.
Like said below, jack up front end ... both sides. Lock the hubs. Turn tires (tc in 2WD). If the driveshaft turns you are golden. If not, take the hubs off and rebuild them. Of course, it could be something stupid like they were installed incorrectly (happens a lot by newbies). Someplace I have a thread about that.
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Im very new to the forum but i will send pics and i appreciate the help /input ,thanksill figure a way to post pics bear w me !!
Hit reply.
Hit Upload File.
Navigate to the pics.
Select the pic, click ok, then select Full Size.
Then post
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There you go!! I'm a quick learner ,thanks
Nice. Very nice. OK, SR5. Do you have manual hubs? The SR5 usually has autos.
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2ndGenToyotaFan
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Looks clean! 
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- #14
Has manual hubs,all electric,anteannae, windows etc.vin # checks ,paid 1200 bucks did i score or got stiffed?? I bought it sight unseen and drove it in 2wd in a snowstorm 300 miles .runs perfect .needs paint ,over all clean,it does have a i think locked rear diff cause it chirps in turns,and i only driven it after buying it,and one in clear weather,but found out im in 2wd,will keep you posted ,thanks guys in advance ,cheers from idaho
$1200? Dude, laugh all the way to DMV.
If you have a locker in the rear you need to be very careful on snow, and even on wet roads. That locker will spin you out before you knew what happened. It's great in deep snow, but spooky on roads. Solution: a selectable locker like the ARB, or the TRD electric.
Also, it looks like you still have the factory push-pull steering. It will give you a bit of bump steer with that lift, so be aware of that. The solution is cross-over steering.
I can't tell for sure, but it looks like your knuckles are leaking (oil streaking on the inside of the tire). It's a big job, but a good introduction to working on your truck. Rebuilding your knuckles is almost a right-of-passage to solid-axle truck ownership. There might be a FAQ (https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/truck-4runner-faq-frequently-asked-questions.151199/) in the stickys (above) on doing the job. You can get reasonable kits from Marlin Crawler, Trail Gear, or others (Cruiser Outfitters).
I've owned my 1985 4Runner for 30 years. I won't sell it. When I die they will put my ashes in the truck ... and bury the truck. Congrats and welcome to both the sickness ... and the brotherhood.
If you have a locker in the rear you need to be very careful on snow, and even on wet roads. That locker will spin you out before you knew what happened. It's great in deep snow, but spooky on roads. Solution: a selectable locker like the ARB, or the TRD electric.
Also, it looks like you still have the factory push-pull steering. It will give you a bit of bump steer with that lift, so be aware of that. The solution is cross-over steering.
I can't tell for sure, but it looks like your knuckles are leaking (oil streaking on the inside of the tire). It's a big job, but a good introduction to working on your truck. Rebuilding your knuckles is almost a right-of-passage to solid-axle truck ownership. There might be a FAQ (https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/truck-4runner-faq-frequently-asked-questions.151199/) in the stickys (above) on doing the job. You can get reasonable kits from Marlin Crawler, Trail Gear, or others (Cruiser Outfitters).
I've owned my 1985 4Runner for 30 years. I won't sell it. When I die they will put my ashes in the truck ... and bury the truck. Congrats and welcome to both the sickness ... and the brotherhood.
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Thanks!!yeah it is a really scary locker on snow ice road driving back from salmon idaho to hailey via hwy 30 there is a summit and all downhill in ice covered roads w new snow on top! That was a fun drive,yes i need the crossover steering before i shear it off,and yeah i wanna redo the whole front,but i got plates for it yesterday and im happy w the purchase ,thanks to all there's a few hardcore trails here mainly to old mining towns,and our local trails can have it all in a 60 mile radius,truck mechanically is good engine ,trans ,heck even the rear window works!!,thanks and is a honor to be in the toyota brotherhood!
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Yeah i think the guy ended in jail! Must have done something to her ,well is already registered in my name.couple of my friends think he might do just that!,now this guy was really into toyotas he had a few of them,well heading to work and to jack that front end to see the cause of no 4wd will keep posted thanks
Wow! What a score! Looks great!
