First Time buyer of a 4RUNNER, HELP!

[ToneDanza]

Hi everyone,
im looking to purchase a 87 4runner as a second truck, simply because i have always like the look of a older toyota and also the removable top, this is a far cry from the usuall, im a die hard chevy man, so im kinda lost when it comes what to look for in a toyota, i know the basic, rust, cracks, knocks, leaks, etc. but im wondring if there is anything specific i should look for .



heres the link

LIFTED TOYOTA 4 RUNNER


The truck is an 87 4runner, i called the guy today and he said the body has about 200k on it and he put a new cab on it (thats why the paint doesnt line up) and the engine he said has about 50k on the rebuild, in the post it says needs mafs, he told me that it hop a tooth on the timming chain, and that he was fixing it, it also has a 3 inch body and a 6 inch suspension lift on it and he said it rolls straight and true, Im just looking for any guidance before i go look at him and make him an offer, any suggestions or comments or tips would be great thanks !

 

[SV_Dude]

You don't just "hop a tooth" to fix a maf issue. If there is an issue with the maf (called an AFM on these toyota's) then the AFM needs to be replaced which could be about a hundred bucks or so.

As for the runner itself, I would steer away from it. The expanded steel on the front of the runner seems hokie and red-neckish which in my mind hints to rigged work. I may be wrong but I am not a fan of rigs that look like that because most times they're in bad shape and usually involves things that that have been poorly maintained. Poor maintenance such as jumping a tooth on the timing.

The rust on the body seems to be covered up with black spray paint, the tires are way too big for stock axles and they're a ticking time bomb. The 3" body lift is way too much and serves no purpose.

I would steer away and keep looking, I don't think that runner is worth anything near 3k.

 

[BucknutBob]

I tend to agree with SV Dude on this--with that extreme amount of lift, plus the shaky engine problems, it sounds like something to pass on. There are plenty 1st Gens out there (and those with minimal mods are your best bets), so don't despair if you skip this one.

 

[SJC]

Offer him the cost of the boggers, the rest looks sketchy

 

[KidVermicious]

I tend to agree with SV Dude on this--with that extreme amount of lift, plus the shaky engine problems, it sounds like something to pass on. There are plenty 1st Gens out there (and those with minimal mods are your best bets), so don't despair if you skip this one.

3rded - that's a 1500 dollar truck, tops. For one thing, the cab and bed are one piece, so that's not a new cab, that looks like it's just new doors and fenders. The steel mesh is probably there because he didn't lift the radiator to match the body lift, that's another warning sign, and assuming it's the 2.4l 22re, the chain hopped a tooth because it stretched and wore out the guides, another sign of poor maintenance. But he says it's a V6, which doesn't have a chain, the v6 has a belt... frankly the whole thing is shifty, I'd stay away.

 

[SV_Dude]

If the owner is saying it's an 87, then it's a 22re. But if he is saying it has a v-6 then it's an 88 or 89. He doesn't know what he has.

 

[ToneDanza]

my fault, it is a 88 4runner, not a 87 , idk why i typed that, and yeah i was thinking the front end looks a little bit sketchy, that mesh up front is most likely for the radd that he did not raise,


id like to go look at it and see exactly how bad it is, and if it was beat on , the pictures do point in that direction,

as for the price i was gonna offer him as much as the boggers cost ahaha

 

[ToneDanza]

okay just got home from looking at it , here is my recon.


the frame has not one spec of rust on it, all solid, and is all painted, the rear suspension is leaf with some shackle, no shocks back there, the front is a ifs lift kit 6.5 inch, not to bad, all the tie rods are in okay shape, has a steering stabilizer that is faily new, missing the pitman arm nut ............

as for the body, the only piece of rust or rot on the body is that fender that was painted, that is it, the interieor floor is stripped and rihno lined, he has the 2 front seats, NO rear seats, dont know if the rear window goes up and down,

has a 4 inch body lift, as for the drivetrain, the emmissions on the engine were completely bypassed, the rad does sit behind that wire that is welded on the front frame, driveshafts are both there and in decent shape, was wheeled, locking hubs are warns, no stereo, has extra front cv axles , (both sides)

over all condition , not to bad but pretty rough around the endges, no interior makes me iffy, and the fact that the timming was off and he fixed it, and the 38 on the small yota axles,

i spoke with him and asked where he was at with the price and he said i could come down a little bit to 2500 but im kinda firm on that price, i didnt give him an offer, i want to get some other peoples oppinions and then if i do decide to go with this one i was gonna offer him 1900 hahah :banana: and see what he says,

 

[BucknutBob]

Look, it's obvious that you've fallen for this rig, because you're overlooking a LOT of warning signs, and you're probably about to buy a lot of misery. Why no shocks in the back? Why is the pitman arm nut missing? A 6.5" lift is way too much for IFS--heck, it's too much for ANY suspension under a narrow 4Runner. A 4 inch body lift is homemade--there are good reasons why professional companies don't go beyond 3". The interior is basically gone. That thing has been cobbled together, and poorly maintained (and quite frankly, it sounds downright dangerous to drive). You should not walk away, you should RUN! Forget your feelings, and think logically for a second--he's screwed it up for himself, and is hoping anyone will take it off his hands. Pass!

 

[Hepar]

Look, it's obvious that you've fallen for this rig, because you're overlooking a LOT of warning signs, and you're probably about to buy a lot of misery. Why no shocks in the back? Why is the pitman arm nut missing? A 6.5" lift is way too much for IFS--heck, it's too much for ANY suspension under a narrow 4Runner. A 4 inch body lift is homemade--there are good reasons why professional companies don't go beyond 3". The interior is basically gone. That thing has been cobbled together, and poorly maintained (and quite frankly, it sounds downright dangerous to drive). You should not walk away, you should RUN! Forget your feelings, and think logically for a second--he's screwed it up for himself, and is hoping anyone will take it off his hands. Pass!

I hate to be a downer too, but I'd pass on it as well. If you really want a 1st gen with a big lift, go for one with a solid front.

 

[KidVermicious]

That's a mud truck. It's not been loved, or even appreciated, it's been bogged and abused by an owner that didn't know what he had or what to do with it or how to do it. There's better trucks out there. You'll pay $2000 to buy this one and another $4000 putting it back in reliable and driveable condition.

One thing nobody mentioned yet, the 22re is an interference engine. Depending on how badly the timing chain skipped, that motor could be a time bomb.

Run from this one, man. Run far and run fast.

 

[SV_Dude]

I agree with everyone else here... leave it. You can find a much better 4runner for the same price that has been maintained and is reliable. Get on yotatech and look through the classifieds there or look around more on craigslist. These 4runners are all over the place if you look a bit. Good luck!

 

[ToneDanza]

yeah im gonna have to say that truck did look thrown together, missing this , missing that, now that i think of it , it would have became a huge headache rather than a fun beach/sunday truck, nice truck till that kid got a hold of it lol, oh well im gonna keep looking, see if i could find a stock one or an older one with a solid front axle to build off of,

 

[Hepar]

yeah im gonna have to say that truck did look thrown together, missing this , missing that, now that i think of it , it would have became a huge headache rather than a fun beach/sunday truck, nice truck till that kid got a hold of it lol, oh well im gonna keep looking, see if i could find a stock one or an older one with a solid front axle to build off of,

Good move. :thumb3:

 

[KidVermicious]

Where are you, Tone? A couple of the guys in the Classics forum watch the craiglist ads like hawks, put up a holler and I bet they'd keep an eye peeled for you.

 

[ToneDanza]

im located in NJ , ill be sure to make a thread in the classifieds