New 4Runner owner

[1987inVT]

I'm probably in the wrong thread..Mods please move if I am. thank you.

I got my 87 3 weeks ago and before i touched her heres the only pic i have as she sat at my parents house (I'm in college)

I need some help from everyone here because I'm new to this site and its not that i'm lazy but I'm looking for specific information and parts that I'm having a hard time finding.

First off, I'm in vermont and I'm wondering if there are any other members here?

Secondly, I want to buy 31's for it and I'm looking for a slightly used set to start with since this is my first offroading truck I'm working on. I'd like a mud tire but aggressive all-terrains will do. I'm looking locally and on the internet currently but no success. (found new mud 31's for 370 shipped so far.. http://treadwright.com/Tires-31x10_50R15_OTR-P15.aspx )

The truck has a 3" body lift, a rebuilt motor and a new clutch and flywheel almost 2 years ago. The body has 184k with welded smitty nerf bars.

My plans are the following:
-taping off the windows and trim and rolling on several coats of bedliner (never worrying about the exterior again)
-31's (anyone have a used set?)
-new speakers in the front
-fix exhaust leak (new gasket)
-front brush guard (preferably used but a link to a new one would be great)
-4 150w kc daylighters on light bar (ebay most likely)

Done:
-seat covers
-aligned bumper better
-rubberized undercoated the frame and some of the front end that showing due to body lift and no lower variance.
-cleaned whole interior
-installed cd player
-new cap and rotor
-Fixed electricals (blinkers and rear plate lights didn't work)

What do you think? Any personal suggestions i should look into doing or buying? Is there any quirks i should keep an eye on owning a 1st gen t4r? Thank you

-Darin

 

[Streamline]

sweet ride bro, keep up the good work, sorry I don't have any tech advice for you, I just joined the other day and had a post similar, but the forum would not comment on my post exdept 4R mac. to cool i guess but theres alot of info to read in the topics

my .02

 

[1987inVT]

Well if people are too cool to help out a fellow t4r owner then thats too bad. I'm also on a toyota celica site and they will help new guys out all the time, its like a family over there. I guess I'll stick to searching aropund the site. Thanks for your .02 streamline

 

[Even Steven]

I'd go bigger than 31" tires, considering the lift.

 

[1987inVT]

I'd go bigger than 31" tires, considering the lift.

great idea, the previous owner had 33's with the lift. I was planning on 31's because i don't want to lose any more power out of my 4 cyl and i think i have to get new rims to put 33's on... i know i can put 31's on the rims i have now. 33's would be badass but idk how much wear it will continue to do or how much of a power loss it will cause (from what i've read by searching around). Or have I read wrong?

 

[MT4runner]

if you want just 31s i personally would dump the body lift. i noticed a 2nd gen bumper on that bad boy.
you should have posted this over in classic 4runner. i would have replied alot sooner

 

[BTLFED]

Well if people are too cool to help out a fellow t4r owner then thats too bad. I'm also on a toyota celica site and they will help new guys out all the time, its like a family over there. I guess I'll stick to searching aropund the site. Thanks for your .02 streamline

We are very willing to help, but a lot of people won't post if they don't have any actual insight to your questions. I really only know about 3rd gens which is why for the most part I stay in the 3rd gen forum. I'm sure a lot of the guys with the classic 4Runners do the same thing. I would post in there. You should get more responses faster.

Sidenote-This is one of the most friendly forums I am on, and I am on ALOT of them, so don't think that we are too cool to help. :biggrin2:

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Welcome! The bedliner coating is an interesting approach that would probably work well. I'll bet it'd make the car quiet inside.

From what little I know of the 1st gen I'd say watch the condition of the radiator, it's fluid and the thermostat. If I've got it right they can blow a head gasket easy. On the flip-side other than that one issue they're supposed to be bullet-proof.:cheers:

 

[1987inVT]

I haven't received any email notifications of replies for a while now So now that I've come back to check, I'm happy to see theres a few of you who responded. So what i've learned is that I should have posted this in the classic forum to begin with!

But now that I have a fairly new set of 31's in my possession, should I keep the 3" body lift so I have more clearance or should I scratch the lift all together and give myself a better chance at being less top heavy(whatever its called so the likelyhood of rolling over is less) I think someone mentioned i can fit 31's without a lift?

 

[MT4runner]

if your gonna run 31s get rid of the body lift. i think they look stupid without a suspension lift to go with it. 31s clear just fine. a tiny rubbing at full crank usually in reverse but its not even noticeable.
my .02 cents

 

[CJ3Flyr]

I haven't received any email notifications of replies for a while now So now that I've come back to check, I'm happy to see theres a few of you who responded. So what i've learned is that I should have posted this in the classic forum to begin with!

But now that I have a fairly new set of 31's in my possession, should I keep the 3" body lift so I have more clearance or should I scratch the lift all together and give myself a better chance at being less top heavy(whatever its called so the likelyhood of rolling over is less) I think someone mentioned i can fit 31's without a lift?

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