1991 4Runner New to Me
06-20-2009, 08:27 PM
#1
1991 4Runner New to Me
I just put a down payment on a 1991 Toyota 4Runner. Although I know a bit about these trucks because my brother's had one for 12 years, I'm still new to them.
The truck I purchased has a 1" lift via rear bushings and adjustment of front torsion bars (I hope I got that right). Also 33" x 9.5" tires.
Rear gate works well... window slides up and down easily. All other electrical comforts work well with the exception of the cruise and A/C but I'm not planning on getting these things fixed as this truck will be primarily used for off road purposes.
Just wondering what recos you guys have. One of my first major purchases will be an upgraded bumper to add a winch to. I have brush bars but suspect these will not be winch friendly.
Here's pics for now...
The truck I purchased has a 1" lift via rear bushings and adjustment of front torsion bars (I hope I got that right). Also 33" x 9.5" tires.
Rear gate works well... window slides up and down easily. All other electrical comforts work well with the exception of the cruise and A/C but I'm not planning on getting these things fixed as this truck will be primarily used for off road purposes.
Just wondering what recos you guys have. One of my first major purchases will be an upgraded bumper to add a winch to. I have brush bars but suspect these will not be winch friendly.
Here's pics for now...
06-20-2009, 08:36 PM
#2
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Nice looking truck. 
As far as recommendations... it's probably better to tell us about what you want to do with it and how you want to use it than it would be to ask us to suggest things to do.
As far as recommendations... it's probably better to tell us about what you want to do with it and how you want to use it than it would be to ask us to suggest things to do.
Last edited by abecedarian; 06-20-2009 at 08:37 PM.
06-20-2009, 08:40 PM
#4
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very nice. i just traded my 94 (green in avatar) for a 92 (white) that was in much better shape. i love these things. my family has now had 4 and more than a dozen toyotas in the past two decades or so. never gotten rid of them bc of break down. Unless youre going to tow this thing to offroad parks youre gonna want to fix that ac, at least i would, it gets old fast, had to fix it on my 94 last summer, turned out to just be a belt and a cheap fix. Are thos tires really 9.5? if they are, wider tread will give better traction, but airing down aids that anyway. check your gear ratios and consider locking your diffs. wheel it for a while and see if anything breaks. if your itchin for rocks and have the cash, consider an sas. Otherwise good luck out there and have fun.
06-20-2009, 08:58 PM
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nice runner! Like has been said, there is tons of information on different builds and modifications, depending on what you want to do with your ride. Take some more picures and you've got yourself the start of a nice build thread! If you're looking for an entry-level lift, I would personally recommend rear coil springs, front ball joint spacers, and new shocks all around. That would fit your tires pretty well as it is, and allow you to relax your torsion bar to stock giving you a better ride. I'd consider re-gearing. The narrower tires you have are great for winter road driving, and should get you some decent road mileage. Let us know what you want to accomplish on your ride, and maybe you can get some more useful advise. One last thing, most questions that you would consider asking, I would suggest you search for first. Although you will find many of us more than happy to help you find answers, many members aren't too kind to someone starting the ten thousandth 'how will my truck look with this or that size tires on?' thread without doing his or her own due diligence. Welcome to Yotatech!
06-21-2009, 03:53 AM
#7
Yeah, giving more information on what I plan to do with the truck would be helpful.
I essentially want something that will get me into remote locations to do the odd camping/fishing. Not planning on climbing large rocks or going through deep mud (although I anticipate that can't be avoided at times). I want a relatively cheap truck maintenance wise so when I do go offroad, I'm not looking to beat it unnecessarily.
Don't plan on doing too much road driving with it except for the odd drive to Home Depot, etc... therefore AC at this point is not high on the priority list.
Re. searching first... I don't understand why people get all out of shape when you ask questions prior to searching. This is a forum, no? A place for discussion. That's what this thing lives and breathes on. I'm sure every question posted on here has been addressed at one time or another. Now that being said, I will search as specific queries come up but once in a while you need to engage in conversation prior to knowing what you need to search.
Thanks for the motivating words and I look forward to this next automotive adventure.
Cheers guys.
I essentially want something that will get me into remote locations to do the odd camping/fishing. Not planning on climbing large rocks or going through deep mud (although I anticipate that can't be avoided at times). I want a relatively cheap truck maintenance wise so when I do go offroad, I'm not looking to beat it unnecessarily.
Don't plan on doing too much road driving with it except for the odd drive to Home Depot, etc... therefore AC at this point is not high on the priority list.
Re. searching first... I don't understand why people get all out of shape when you ask questions prior to searching. This is a forum, no? A place for discussion. That's what this thing lives and breathes on. I'm sure every question posted on here has been addressed at one time or another. Now that being said, I will search as specific queries come up but once in a while you need to engage in conversation prior to knowing what you need to search.
Thanks for the motivating words and I look forward to this next automotive adventure.
Cheers guys.
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06-21-2009, 04:06 AM
#9
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Rear locker and sliders and your set.
Welcome.
Oh, We get pissed cause people dont search, when the same topic has been covered 4 times that week.
Such as "which tires will fit" or "how do I crank my torsion bars"
Welcome.
Oh, We get pissed cause people dont search, when the same topic has been covered 4 times that week.
Such as "which tires will fit" or "how do I crank my torsion bars"
06-21-2009, 06:06 AM
#11
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where you at in ontario
we got a little offroading club in the south..
always could use more toyotas!
your turck looks clean and i love the rear tire carrier!!!
we got a little offroading club in the south..
always could use more toyotas!
your turck looks clean and i love the rear tire carrier!!!
06-21-2009, 08:42 AM
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I would only lock the rear differential. After that if it preforms offroad like you want great, if not then research SAS. I hate to see people put lots of money into IFS only to cut it all off later.
06-21-2009, 10:42 AM
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It's less about re-asking the question and more about starting a new thread on the subject. If you search, and find a months or years old thread on the subject, feel free to bring it back from the dead. There will be other people's previous conversations and information on the subject there and it will all be bumped to the top of the list so everyone browsing the tech pages in the near future will see it.
If you want a low-buck bit of clearance, I second my recommendation for ball joint spacers and rear coil springs. Old Man Emu makes good rear springs, but you can find lift springs in a landcruiser (although those come at slightly different lengths) on the cheap. Give yourself some new shocks. If you still find you need a little more clearance, get a 2" body lift with radiator relocating bracket and shifter lift. All of this stuff isnt very expensive at all. Armor thick enough to save your sheetmetal is highly recommended as well. I have rock rash up the @$$ for neglecting that one. In the wintery north, bare metal and body damage turn into cancerous rot but quick. Regear to better deal with your 33" tires. For beat-around driving, you could install a full time locker in the rear and make it an extremely capable trail rig, but since we have entirely removable 3rd members and not fixed loaded pumpkins in the axles, swap in work is pretty easy if you get a completed locked 3rd member. You can also modify your axle (or a junkyard donor so you have zero downtime) to accept a toyota factory electronic selectable locker for your rear axle, which I plan on doing. In the front, you can get an ARB air locker for a top-of-the-line approach, a detroit locker or some other fulltime locker for low-buck uncompromising offroad performance (you can forget about safely driving on the highway in the winter with a full time locker), but I'm going for a detroit truetrac gear-operated (not clutch disk type) limited slip differential for economy and realization that I just plain don't need a rock crawler's level of front grip in my IFS - I'd lock it up if I swapped in a solid front axle, which is a whole other pricey but drool-worthy can of worms...
If you want a low-buck bit of clearance, I second my recommendation for ball joint spacers and rear coil springs. Old Man Emu makes good rear springs, but you can find lift springs in a landcruiser (although those come at slightly different lengths) on the cheap. Give yourself some new shocks. If you still find you need a little more clearance, get a 2" body lift with radiator relocating bracket and shifter lift. All of this stuff isnt very expensive at all. Armor thick enough to save your sheetmetal is highly recommended as well. I have rock rash up the @$$ for neglecting that one. In the wintery north, bare metal and body damage turn into cancerous rot but quick. Regear to better deal with your 33" tires. For beat-around driving, you could install a full time locker in the rear and make it an extremely capable trail rig, but since we have entirely removable 3rd members and not fixed loaded pumpkins in the axles, swap in work is pretty easy if you get a completed locked 3rd member. You can also modify your axle (or a junkyard donor so you have zero downtime) to accept a toyota factory electronic selectable locker for your rear axle, which I plan on doing. In the front, you can get an ARB air locker for a top-of-the-line approach, a detroit locker or some other fulltime locker for low-buck uncompromising offroad performance (you can forget about safely driving on the highway in the winter with a full time locker), but I'm going for a detroit truetrac gear-operated (not clutch disk type) limited slip differential for economy and realization that I just plain don't need a rock crawler's level of front grip in my IFS - I'd lock it up if I swapped in a solid front axle, which is a whole other pricey but drool-worthy can of worms...
06-21-2009, 05:06 PM
#15
06-21-2009, 05:08 PM
#16
It's less about re-asking the question and more about starting a new thread on the subject. If you search, and find a months or years old thread on the subject, feel free to bring it back from the dead. There will be other people's previous conversations and information on the subject there and it will all be bumped to the top of the list so everyone browsing the tech pages in the near future will see it.
If you want a low-buck bit of clearance, I second my recommendation for ball joint spacers and rear coil springs. Old Man Emu makes good rear springs, but you can find lift springs in a landcruiser (although those come at slightly different lengths) on the cheap. Give yourself some new shocks. If you still find you need a little more clearance, get a 2" body lift with radiator relocating bracket and shifter lift. All of this stuff isnt very expensive at all. Armor thick enough to save your sheetmetal is highly recommended as well. I have rock rash up the @$$ for neglecting that one. In the wintery north, bare metal and body damage turn into cancerous rot but quick. Regear to better deal with your 33" tires. For beat-around driving, you could install a full time locker in the rear and make it an extremely capable trail rig, but since we have entirely removable 3rd members and not fixed loaded pumpkins in the axles, swap in work is pretty easy if you get a completed locked 3rd member. You can also modify your axle (or a junkyard donor so you have zero downtime) to accept a toyota factory electronic selectable locker for your rear axle, which I plan on doing. In the front, you can get an ARB air locker for a top-of-the-line approach, a detroit locker or some other fulltime locker for low-buck uncompromising offroad performance (you can forget about safely driving on the highway in the winter with a full time locker), but I'm going for a detroit truetrac gear-operated (not clutch disk type) limited slip differential for economy and realization that I just plain don't need a rock crawler's level of front grip in my IFS - I'd lock it up if I swapped in a solid front axle, which is a whole other pricey but drool-worthy can of worms...
If you want a low-buck bit of clearance, I second my recommendation for ball joint spacers and rear coil springs. Old Man Emu makes good rear springs, but you can find lift springs in a landcruiser (although those come at slightly different lengths) on the cheap. Give yourself some new shocks. If you still find you need a little more clearance, get a 2" body lift with radiator relocating bracket and shifter lift. All of this stuff isnt very expensive at all. Armor thick enough to save your sheetmetal is highly recommended as well. I have rock rash up the @$$ for neglecting that one. In the wintery north, bare metal and body damage turn into cancerous rot but quick. Regear to better deal with your 33" tires. For beat-around driving, you could install a full time locker in the rear and make it an extremely capable trail rig, but since we have entirely removable 3rd members and not fixed loaded pumpkins in the axles, swap in work is pretty easy if you get a completed locked 3rd member. You can also modify your axle (or a junkyard donor so you have zero downtime) to accept a toyota factory electronic selectable locker for your rear axle, which I plan on doing. In the front, you can get an ARB air locker for a top-of-the-line approach, a detroit locker or some other fulltime locker for low-buck uncompromising offroad performance (you can forget about safely driving on the highway in the winter with a full time locker), but I'm going for a detroit truetrac gear-operated (not clutch disk type) limited slip differential for economy and realization that I just plain don't need a rock crawler's level of front grip in my IFS - I'd lock it up if I swapped in a solid front axle, which is a whole other pricey but drool-worthy can of worms...
Seriously, thanks for the info. I will come back to this thread to review as I start to understand more about the mechanics of these trucks.
Great info so far. Thanks for the patience and help.
Cheers.
06-21-2009, 05:12 PM
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Give me 6 months and maybe I'll understand what you're talking about.
Seriously, thanks for the info. I will come back to this thread to review as I start to understand more about the mechanics of these trucks.
Great info so far. Thanks for the patience and help.
Cheers.
Seriously, thanks for the info. I will come back to this thread to review as I start to understand more about the mechanics of these trucks.
Great info so far. Thanks for the patience and help.
Cheers.
06-21-2009, 05:12 PM
#20
Whereabouts you guys located... your club I mean?
Truck looks better in the pics than in real life. The previous owner did some body work to it last year. Budget repair job but I figure it'll prevent it from rusting for a little while. Price was fair and it give me something to learn some body working skills as time goes on. Nice thing about these trucks is it doesn't have to look perfect which is great for beginners.
