I personaly own an 85 (not stock though!) and I love every inch of her and definitely wouldnt trade it for anything. BUt i will admit the 3rd generation with the 3.4 and the 5 speed coupled with the Elocker is the most badass 4runner produced out of the factory. I was going to buy one of those when I was in the market for a toyota, but I ended up discovering my beauty of an 85 and bought it the next day. My next toyota will be a highlander 4runner though I imagine...that is what I origionaly set out to buy anyhow heh.

 

What was so special about the highlander 3rd gen?

 

99-00's are the same. Hood Scoop. More refined than the 96-98's. Before the VSC and TRAC, last years of the 5spd and locker.

 

84-85.
No contest, best ground clearance, best suspension, strongest, lightest, smallest. And clearly best looking...

 

Elocked 3 Gens's hands down. The locker easily compensated for the '85's bit of extra flex (if it's there). The frame on a 3gen is good, and they won't rust through after 10-15 years. The rust protection on newer vehicles is much better.
For mud and sand the extra power and low end torque make for a much better performer.

 

I have to agree with the others. The 3rd gen with locker is more capible out of the box. I have owend nearly all models starting with a stock 81 pickup, 89 pickup, 88 4runner, 85 4runner and now two 3rd gens. Stock with locker, they perform better offroad. The coilspings make a huge difference in the rear over leaf springs. The IFS is not all that good for flex in factory form.

 

Forgot to mention they came with the highest ground clearance out of all the 3rd gens

 

I still don't understand the advantage of the Highlander vs. any of the other E-Locked 3rd Gens. How does it have higher ground clearance? I know this is a "search, n00b!" question, but it would be nice to have the info in this thread.

 

the hoodscoop lets you just glide over those rocks

the 99's came an inch higher stock. taller springs for that year for some reason.

 

that would be a 99-00 4Runner Highlander.

Rear e-locker, 4.30 gears, option of no running boards and a 5-speed.

 

All 99s, or only the Highlanders?

 

99-00 highlander.

it was a special version of the SR5 that you could get w/ a 5 speed and without running boards - something you couldn't get on a limited.

the thing that made the highlander special is that it also came stock w/ 4.30 gears and a rear e-locker. some regular SR5's came that way, but they are also like finding a needle in a haystack while the highlander came that way standard...

 

i think all 99's... but i'm with beau, i'm not really sure of the advantage of a 99 highlander versus any other 99 with a factory locker.

edit: n/m after andy's post above.

so its the gearing that made the difference between highlander and base/sr5/limited with e-locker?

 

The running boards fold out of the way once they hit something. I tested that on my '91.

 

all v6 e-lockers are 4.30.

only some SR5's had them and only some limited's had them. ALL Highlanders had them.

 

I think that non-Highlander e-locked Runners could have the 4.30s, also. I believe Christian (<96Runner>) found a 4Runner with them.

I think it sounds like the most capable stock 4Runner is any '99 with the E-Locker and 4.30s.

 

or 4.56s

 

Which are not stock! Hehe, just messin'

 

e-locked 4 cylinders had 4.56s

 

That's one for the MythBusters. Proof!