So i sorta went big and just bought a 1990 4runner 3.0 V6 with rebuilt motor, rebuilt 5 speed trans. It has 269000 on the chasis and is IMO in good shape for a 23 year old truck. It has the trail gear front axle kit with dana 44 axle (no drive shaft yet) trail gear front and rear bumpers, and sliders, a warn i9000 winch (new) roof rack with jack and full size spare. it rolls on 35 mud terrains and runs strong. Has bilstiens all around (14" travel). All power doors and windows work (even the back window). Body is straight with a couple minor dings in the rear. i paid $3400 for it. My question is did i do good? I will post pics soon. Any good recomendations on what oil you guys prefer or any helpful hints (dos and donts) will be appriciated too, thanks.

 

My son just purchased his first Toy, a 1990 4runner with a SAS, trail gear kit, trail gear bumpers front, back, sides. It rides on 35's, has a rebuilt 5 speed manual trans, everything works good, heat ,a/c, power door locks, windows, and runs strong. Body is straight with a couple minor dings in the lower rear tailgate and a scrape barely past the paint on the passengers side rear light section. It has a Dana 44 front that has not been completed with drive line or gear ratio (i want to go 5.29's) but other than that its pretty sick. It has 269,000 on chasis but has a rebuilt motor. It also came with a new warn xd900i winch, a yakima basket roof rack with jack and full size spare tire mounted to it. Alpine stereo and speaker box with amp. He paid $3400 for it. Did he do good? I think so. I have a question about doing the gear ratio, would it be easier to go with a dana 44 on the rear also? or stick with the toyota axle and re-gear that with 5.38's?
I will post pics soon.

 

 

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It passed smog today no problem.

 

Far as I know there is no 5.38 gears for Toy 8" diffs. Not sure if there's a 5.29 option for Dana 44's, but I doubt it. Can't tell from the pics, but is the rear converted to leaf springs already, or is it still a coil sprung suspension? If it's already swapped to leaf springs, then swapping to a Dana in the rear might be easiest, otherwise I'd say swapping a Toyota front axle in would be easier.
I'm no expert on sas or gears, just taking a shot at it since nobody else has yet.

 

Thanks Johnboy, I was also thinking it would be the easiest route going with the Dana in the rear since it is already leafs in back. They seem easier to locate and work on.

 

Should be fine as is.

:wabbit2:

 

From what I understand, 5.29's and 5.38's are close enough that it won't make a difference.

 

That's what I've read too, less than a 1% difference in ratio.

 

is that a full length Dana 44?

 

Yes, we'll I believe so, it's a lot wider than the Toyota rear. I haven't had time to get into it yet.

 

Are you going to shorten it or get a matching with rear?

 

I would rather get a matching rear but I'm new to this, It looks to me like the Dana is easier to work with being that the gears are easier to get at but I'm not really certain. I need to see what the Dana has in it (it's missing the front shaft) but I'd like to go with some 5.38s in it with the 35" tires.

 

Dana isn't easier to work on IMO... a toyota is a drop-out style which is nice to change gear sets if you have a whole nother case and what not...

 

It's a Dana 44 with 4.09 gear ratio and from my code on the door it's is g294 which translates to a 4.10 ratio (I hope)

 

umm a g292 is a 4.10 ratio

 

G294 is also.
http://www.off-road.com/trucks-4x4/t...ion-18588.html

 

Did you do the rear leaf spring swap yet

 

Good looking 4runner. I would think keeping the axles similar would be your best best. Then matching gear ratios wouldn't be all that difficult.