I have the opportunity to purchase a 1985 4runner with the 4cylinder and the manual transmission for a couple hundred bucks. Would I be crazy to think I would be able to tow a small (2000lb) boat with this truck?
I love the old 4runners but I would like to know more about its towing capabilities.
Thanks for any information!

 

welcome to yotatech.... sure it can sounds like a big boat .... if you do some small mods to the 22re it well help

 

Here's a couple shots of my '94 22re hauling a 3,000 lb boat. I wouldn't recommend highway towing though.

 

Thanks for the quick replies, unfortunately I would have to tow on highways with posted speeds of 65MPH.
If I get this truck then I will probably have to keep my Jeep Cherokee for towing the boat.
By the way, the 4runner has a broken timing chain at the moment (broke yesterday) do you guys think the truck would be worth fixing if I can get it for under 500 bucks?
It has 280,000 miles on it and the engine was rebuilt at 100k.
Any advice?

 

A broken timing chain can lead to expensive problems. If you can, find out the circumstances of the break. If it broke during startup (like mine did), there is a good chance it's OK. If it was running when it broke, there is a good possiblity of bent valves and damaged pistons. Replacing a timing chain isn't expensive if you do the work yourself, but if you start getting into heads and pistons, the cost goes up quickly.

 

ditto my timing chain snapped on my 22re wasint pretty

 

I think there's 500 bucks worth of parts in that 85 even if the engine is bad.

 

ditch the heep... going to a beat up '85 4 runner that you have to push is an improvement.

 

Thanks for the info, I guess I will see what the circumstances of the break were.

 

keep the heep for towing, give me the oppurtunity to buy the 85 for a couple hundred bucks....

 

I pull my 2000 lb Correct Craft Mustang with my 4runner with no problems.