Questions about buying a high mileage 1st gen 4runner
- Thread starter Z3R0
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Have you ever off-roaded with Toyota straight axle trucks? I guess it depends on what you do. Add a couple lockers and a marlin crawler and these things will best most IFS rigs when the going gets really tough.
- Thread starter
- #23
Ah I suppose I should have stated that differently. I meant more so in power, on road drivability, comfort, or the type of driving out here which is hammering down rough roads and whatnot. I dont do any crawling and plan on leaving this thing fairly stock.
ntsqd
technerd
I wouldn't sell its ride quality short. My '84 Xcab had OME front springs with Bilstein 5100's and GM 83's in the rear (WFO kit) with Bilstein 7100's. I used it to chase desert races for years and people couldn't believe how well it worked and rode.
If you do push it that hard you will go thru steering bearings about every two years. I did anyway. I could tell when the steering started to feel 'notchy' that they were due to be replaced again.
I had to make the steering arm for it to work, but I was able to go cross-over steering at that low lift with 3/4" spacers for the stock bump-stops. I left the tie-rod low because I didn't feel like I needed it to be any higher, and with the "Marlink's" it didn't need to be.
If you do push it that hard you will go thru steering bearings about every two years. I did anyway. I could tell when the steering started to feel 'notchy' that they were due to be replaced again.
I had to make the steering arm for it to work, but I was able to go cross-over steering at that low lift with 3/4" spacers for the stock bump-stops. I left the tie-rod low because I didn't feel like I needed it to be any higher, and with the "Marlink's" it didn't need to be.
- Thread starter
- #25
Awesome thanks for the info, I will look into the "Marlink". I have been heavily read about "low lift" suspension with good performance. Like you I wont need high-steer but definitely want to do crossover steering and delete the torque bar. I believe Front Range Offroad makes keyed steering arms that drops down below the leafs? For front leafs I was looking at Sky's 3F, Deaver's, or Alcan. I swear leaf springs doubled in price since the last set I bought 10 years ago....
The OME set looks nice because its drop in, I had a full OME lift on my 95.5 taco and loved it but it seems 50/50 here some people says they're too stiff.
On a side note all the pre fab'd weld-in parts for these older trucks is awesome.
ntsqd
technerd
"Marlink" is Marlin's FJ80 based steering linkage upgrade.
If you use the truck hard you're going to wear out parts that aren't normally considered to be wear items. Like leaf springs. When I bought the second set of front springs they came with a couple of short leafs that can be removed per OME guidelines. Since the OME's that were in the truck when I bought it didn't have them I removed them from the new set.
My drag-link ran above the springs, just barely. I had to cycle the truck a bunch before I found the height that the RS TRE of the drag-link needed to be to clear everything.
I started out with building the then usual double-arm RS steering arm (machined arms DNE then):
I also converted the IFS pitman arm to have a tapered hole, also built before the aftermarket made Toyota pitman arms:
The angle of the drag-link was almost perfectly flat at ride height, but it didn't clear when cycled. I ended up with a Sky Mfg pitman arm that was nearly flat.
I reversed the taper direction to lower the RS of the drag link, and that got me closer, but it wasn't close enough. I ended up notching into the steering arm and welding in a block with a downward pointing taper.
(Can see the PO added bump-stop spacer welded to the bottom of the frame. The spacer he also added for the swaybar had to go away - no loss there.)
The only semi-decent pic that I have of the result, taken after over a decade in service:
The most transformative mod that I made was putting the GM 63's under the rear of the truck. They are long, and is good. This is the shackle angle most strongly suggested by a former Deaver employee:
It was achieved by placing the WFO shackle hanger butted up against the rear of the OEM shackle hanger and using the WFO supplied shackles. Another view of the rear springs:
With the GM springs and a shell on the truck the damping in the 7100's needs to be their 275/78 shim stack and not the more common 255/75 shim stack. I suspect that a 4rnnr will want the same 275/78 damping. The 255/75 wasn't bad, but I could feel that it needed just a little bit more.
If you use the truck hard you're going to wear out parts that aren't normally considered to be wear items. Like leaf springs. When I bought the second set of front springs they came with a couple of short leafs that can be removed per OME guidelines. Since the OME's that were in the truck when I bought it didn't have them I removed them from the new set.
My drag-link ran above the springs, just barely. I had to cycle the truck a bunch before I found the height that the RS TRE of the drag-link needed to be to clear everything.
I started out with building the then usual double-arm RS steering arm (machined arms DNE then):
I also converted the IFS pitman arm to have a tapered hole, also built before the aftermarket made Toyota pitman arms:
The angle of the drag-link was almost perfectly flat at ride height, but it didn't clear when cycled. I ended up with a Sky Mfg pitman arm that was nearly flat.
I reversed the taper direction to lower the RS of the drag link, and that got me closer, but it wasn't close enough. I ended up notching into the steering arm and welding in a block with a downward pointing taper.
(Can see the PO added bump-stop spacer welded to the bottom of the frame. The spacer he also added for the swaybar had to go away - no loss there.)
The only semi-decent pic that I have of the result, taken after over a decade in service:
The most transformative mod that I made was putting the GM 63's under the rear of the truck. They are long, and is good. This is the shackle angle most strongly suggested by a former Deaver employee:
It was achieved by placing the WFO shackle hanger butted up against the rear of the OEM shackle hanger and using the WFO supplied shackles. Another view of the rear springs:
With the GM springs and a shell on the truck the damping in the 7100's needs to be their 275/78 shim stack and not the more common 255/75 shim stack. I suspect that a 4rnnr will want the same 275/78 damping. The 255/75 wasn't bad, but I could feel that it needed just a little bit more.
If I could spare the cash at the moment I'd be snapping this one up quick. Guy said it needs a new brake booster and probably a power steering pump. Attached undercarriage pics he sent me that aren't on the listing.
1989 Toyota 4Runner Deluxe Toyota 4Runner | $6,100 | Orem, UT | KSL Cars - https://cars.ksl.com/listing/9454718
1989 Toyota 4Runner Deluxe Toyota 4Runner | $6,100 | Orem, UT | KSL Cars - https://cars.ksl.com/listing/9454718
That truck will make somebody happy.
It looks super clean. Not sure what the details/reasons are on the salvaged title (could be something very minor on a truck this old depending on when it happened) but man this looks like a great candidate for a motor swap, long travel, comfy daily driver build to me. I know the 3.0's are supposedly better for swapping in a newer 3.4 as the motor mounts mostly line up from what I've heard, but I know lots of people have done it still on 22re trucks.
I believe there is aftermarket engine mount support out there to drop a 3.4 into a 22re truck.
I wouldn't doubt it. I've never driven a motor swapped 1st Gen or pickup, but wow all the 80's 4-cylinders I've driven are so gutless (especially on the highway) compared to the late 90's and early 2000's offerings from Toyota. A 1uz swap out of an LS400 would be my preferred setup, though not as common I know. Such a smooth engine.
- Thread starter
- #33
"Marlink" is Marlin's FJ80 based steering linkage upgrade.
If you use the truck hard you're going to wear out parts that aren't normally considered to be wear items. Like leaf springs. When I bought the second set of front springs they came with a couple of short leafs that can be removed per OME guidelines. Since the OME's that were in the truck when I bought it didn't have them I removed them from the new set.
My drag-link ran above the springs, just barely. I had to cycle the truck a bunch before I found the height that the RS TRE of the drag-link needed to be to clear everything.
I started out with building the then usual double-arm RS steering arm (machined arms DNE then):
I also converted the IFS pitman arm to have a tapered hole, also built before the aftermarket made Toyota pitman arms:
The angle of the drag-link was almost perfectly flat at ride height, but it didn't clear when cycled. I ended up with a Sky Mfg pitman arm that was nearly flat.
I reversed the taper direction to lower the RS of the drag link, and that got me closer, but it wasn't close enough. I ended up notching into the steering arm and welding in a block with a downward pointing taper.
(Can see the PO added bump-stop spacer welded to the bottom of the frame. The spacer he also added for the swaybar had to go away - no loss there.)
The only semi-decent pic that I have of the result, taken after over a decade in service:
The most transformative mod that I made was putting the GM 63's under the rear of the truck. They are long, and is good. This is the shackle angle most strongly suggested by a former Deaver employee:
It was achieved by placing the WFO shackle hanger butted up against the rear of the OEM shackle hanger and using the WFO supplied shackles. Another view of the rear springs:
With the GM springs and a shell on the truck the damping in the 7100's needs to be their 275/78 shim stack and not the more common 255/75 shim stack. I suspect that a 4rnnr will want the same 275/78 damping. The 255/75 wasn't bad, but I could feel that it needed just a little bit more.
Thank you for this it put me down the right track to start researching low lift builds. More questions to come soon.
- Thread starter
- #34
That’s a clean truck for sure
- Thread starter
- #35
I went and looked at the 4runner today and it wasn't nearly as clean as the pictures looked. The interior was in decent shape especially the dash and seats but there was quite a bit of little dents, one side had a spray painted door/ body, passenger, inner wheel well was falling apart possible got hit at some point, window seal and door jam had some kind of rtv seal, the "rebuilt transmission" was a junkyard swap in, front axle seals were shot, tcase rear seal was leaking, and the undercarriage was more rusty that I am used to. I dont know maybe my expectations are too high? The owner was really nice, all of the work done on the vehicle was from the previous owner and the truck does start right up and drive straight down the road, shifted good, clutch felt good, but I think I am going to be patient and hold out for something a little cleaner.
ntsqd
technerd
That's a Bud-Bilt t/c cross-member and those front shackles are aftermarket parts. I'm not completely sure, but I think those front springs are also aftermarket. They are remarkably flat if they are. Add in the K&N sticker (& I'm assuming that air filter [booo! hiss!]) and the broken inner fender (never seen one do that) and this isn't an innocent truck, it's seen some stuff. I would be leery of it being buy and drive type of project.
Oh, come look at mine. My entire inner fenders, both sides are spider cracked. Plus the inner fenders have separated from the firewall (currently screwed on), and separated from the core support (currently braced).
