I just bought an 1981 toyota Pickup. Well thats what the guy said. He said its the SR5 with a 22R. If i post the vin number can you guys tell me what year and what it has in it for a motor, gears, and all that jazz. Im new when it comes to toyotas and want to get some more info on my rig before i start the building up process. I want to run 33's too. Ive talked to people and they told me i would have to regear. I have 31's on now. (Is 2 inches that big of a deal??) How much to regear? It will be my daily driver. Half city half highway.

Sorry for the long post. Just a lot of questions have been runnin through my mind.

Thanks for your help/

~Sully

 

First off welcome to YT.
I am not sure how to tell the year from the VIN, I have an '81 so if you want to sent me a PM with your VIN I can compare it to mine and tell you if it is close. The year should be on title.
-Gears: '81s are an oddball year, they came stock with 3.90's. I am currently running 33's on the stock 3.90's, it is no speed demon but my engine is a good runner and it runs around town run, 5th is useless in the hills but works on the highway. get about 18-20 combine mpg.
Standard gearing recommendations:
4.88's for 33's
5.29's for 35-37's
-as far as going from 31's to 33's- 2" increase in diameter is not so much the killer it is the increasing in rolling diameter.
-regearing will definitely put some pep back into the truck.

sr 5 should have a 22R, 5 Speed transmission, a tach, and possibly AC.

-check your frame for rust, inspect the floor under the carpet for rust: they like to runs in the 4 corners of the floor.

hope this helps

 

'81s have 3.90 gears ('82s have 4.37s evrything else has 4.11s)so they have no power when you put larger tires on them without regearing, I don't know what shops charge in your area but I'd figure at least $1500 for parts and labor. I used mine as a dd for years but they're pretty small inside the cab and very primitive compared to newer trucks in terms of handling and ride. My Subaru is a much better dd.

 

The sure way to tell if it's an '81: The build date is on the VIN plate in the driver's doorjamb. The build date will be 8/80 to 7/81, give or take a month.

The sure way to tell if it's an SR5: All SR5's came with bucket seats; non-SR5's came with benches (AFAIK). Check the floor pan of the cab for 8 factory seat mounting holes (4 for each seat). All you really have to do is compare the front mount holes for either of the seats. The factory mount points both look like the ones on the outside.

Of course, if the dude changed out the cab (kind of a big job), then none of the above applies.

 

swapping out a cab is a big job, so is trying to get to vin plates back from the guy who gave you it, cause he drilled them out like a true moron

 

tach is the big and obvious thing to look for with sr5. A lot of people swap the bench out for buckets.

Also if its a 22r with round headlights (assuming OEM equipment), it has to be an 81 (82 had sq. lights; 80 had the 20r)

 

Everything that the fellas have already said is true.

My brothers truck is an 83 SR5, square headlight, 22r, 5sp, AC, bucket seats..

My truck is an 80, round headlights, 20r (stock, has a 22r in it now) bench seat (now has buckets out of an acura) 4spd tranny ( ewww ) no AC

The best place to check is the doorjamb, as previously stated.

 

Be careful when judging by the headlights. Toyota switched over in 81. Mine was built in May 81 and it has square headlights. FYI Fred.

 

Yours looks like it has a completely swapped out grill and headlights, Fred.

 

Ita got square headlights and a tach, bucket seats and a 5 speed. i got the vin number if anyone can tell by that. Thanks for your help guys. Looks like i found the right site for info on toyota's. One thing. I dropped my oil pan and the thrust washers were out. I ordered new ones but i told the guy at toyota it was an 81. Big deal or not?? Thanks for the help.

 

Sounds like an '82 to me.

 

IIRC mine was in june of 81 (i'll have to double check) but it has rounds. i bet yours were swapped.

Al

 

Well tomorrow i will look on the side of the door to make sure.