As I am sure you've noticed, I am new to 4Runners. I bought my '87 for $400 from the original owner. I just bought it for a winter driver as I store all of my other cars in the winter. bones stock with 31"s right now.





I am enjoying the truck and I am considering having some fun with it this spring instead of selling it like I had planned. I am wondering though, how good of a platform is it really? It is a 5-speed, 22RE, 4WD obviously. 80k~ miles on the new drivetrain (installed at Toyota dealership in 2006) body is in decent shape, interior is in FANTASTIC shape! has had seat covers on it since new which I just recently had to take of due to burrs and stuff from hunting...
I know it is an IFS vehicle and that SFA is better but in all honesty, I don't plan to get too "hardcore" with it. I was thinking snorkel, 5.29 gears, 16.5X8.25 rims with 4" backspacing, 36x12.5x16.5 Wrangler MT's, 6"-8" lift, fender trimming if needed. I just don't see the 90hp~ 4-banger doing a whole lot. I can get a 7MGTE for pretty cheap (about $500) or a non-turbo 7MGE for a little less but I am not sure that would even be worth it...?


My old toy was an '88 Bronco, 350hp~ 351W, 6" suspension lift, 3" body lift, 40" SS's and was a ton of fun and got around GREAT. I am just trying to decide if it is worth dumping $2k in or if I should sell it and pick up something else. The truck below, I had a grand total of about $1000~ in as I traded the stock rims with new 31" tires for these rims and 40"s straight up, 6" lift kit from Rough Country was $600~, 3" body lift was $100~ I got the bronco in trade for a car I paid $300 for so...
(yeah, we did a little front fender trimming shortly after)




I mainly enjoy playing in the water, random off-roading and of course mudding. no rock crawling or anything like that. My family own a few thousand acres with a creek running through the center and a bunch of forest, hill climbs, mud holes etc... I have taken it out a couple times as it sits and it has been VERY impressive but IDK...

That is kind of confusing I think...

'87 4Runner, stock 22RE/5spd, 5.29 gears, 6"-8" lift, 36x12.5 tires, snorkel... worth doing? If not, how about with a 7MGTE engine swap?


Or, would I be better off doing the 7MGTE swap first, then not getting as extreme with the tires/lift since it is going to stay IFS? something like a 4" lift and 33"s still with the 5.29 gears.

OR, should I find something with a SFA and start there?

Sure, it's done all the time.

This forum is filled with proof that the little 22RE is more than capable as an off road engine. There are ton's of people here with rock-crawlers that are more able on the trail than the big V8's out there, with rock solid reliability. Look around and see what others have done.

I'm a daily-driver guy, 30" BFG ATs... Nothing special. I'm all about capability in the snow and having a good daily driver for a 6 mile commute... I can only tell stories of the hell that I put my original '86 4Runner through, including 5 months with a dry radiator and 3 months with no alternator, both as a daily driver.

Also, IFS to solid axle is not a hard swap, the 84-85 4Runners were solid axle with the same frame.

As for a good starter, I think it is. Just remember, the Japanese build a great engine, but they can't build a body for crap. I joke that they came factory pre-rusted. Make sure you do some good rust-proofing on the frame and body if you build it up.

Keep us informed!

Yeah, he had the frame and underside coated when it was new and every few years since. He also had a "Zeebart" warranty, whatever that is. He has receipts from the three times they replaced the rusted out quarter panel and rockers. Frame is SOLID and still coated, I am going to clean it and POR-15 it if I do keep it. on "bad" rust is on the passenger rear wheel well. I would fix that and I think I would POR-15 or "rhino-line" the whole bottom portion of the truck, from the body line down if you get what I am saying...

Side question, anyone know how good the GoodYear Wrangler MT's are? I can get pretty much brand new stock Hummer take offs for like $300~ a set. those are the 36x12.5x16.5's I planned to run.

Also, I can only seem to find 16.5" rims with the right bolt pattern in 4" backspacing, Will that do? I was hoping for less so I could get the stance a little wider. if I go 15" rims, I can get 2.5", 3.5" or 4" but then I obviously can't use the Hummer tires so I would be spending a ton for a nice set... so basically, if I can get away with the 4" of back spacing on the 16.5"s, I would like to do that. If needed, I guess I could always run spacers. so far, the narrowness of the vehicle has came in handy quite a few times out on the trails. I squeezed through a LOT of pretty tight spaces.

Your 4runner is a very good, capable platform to start with! I would advise against the 16.5" rims though, since tires almost fall on and off the rims unless you run beadlocks! But don't worry about the 22re, go with the 5.29's like you stated and you will be fine. Then later on you can always perform a SAS and have a great trail rig! Or, if you want your money back, let me know!!

really? the 1.5" makes that much of a difference in rim diameter? I won't be doing any "SERIOUS" off roading if it matters. My favorite thing to do is just drive up the creek. Sand/pebble creek bed, 4"-4ft~ of water usually, there are deeper spots that I go around obviously. I also just like nice casual cruises through the forest, up over logs, steep hills, dips/holes nice and slow... Then of course, mud holes, straight shot, hit it fast, tear through it type stuff.


the main reason (well, only reason really) for the 16.5"s is because of how cheap I can get the Wrangler MT's. Heck, I paid $400 for the 31"s I have on it now, anything even remotely decent for 34"+ used tires around here is going to run me $600+ easily. Brand New 36x12.5x16.5's for $300 is just crazy cheap and would be awesome.