Hi,

I am looking for a little direction/advice about purchasing a truck that will be used primarily as a trail truck for my wife, we have been looking for a 1985 extended cab with 22RE and AC for about a month now but have been unsuccessful so far

Due to the lack of success finding the 85 I am now considering a newer model most likely a 1990 - 1993 extended cab 5 speed V6 but I am unsure of what to watch out for on the 89 - 95 trucks and have a few questions.

1. V6 VS 22RE
What motor is preferred and why? I know the 22RE is a proven/ strong motor and have owned a few 22R's and been very happy with them, but the additional power of the V6 is tempting, but I have heard they are a nightmare to work on and have issues with the head gaskets.

2. Auto VS 5 speed
Is there a reason to stay away from the auto box in the 1989 - 1994 trucks, are they a solid unit like the early trucks where the transfer case and auto transmission were one unit? We may end up adding gears to the transfer case or a crawler box will this make a difference of the choice we make?

3. Wheel base (Extended cab VS STD cab short bed)
Is there any reason to stay away from either one when building a trail truck? Such as drive shaft length issues or vibrations.

Here is what we are currently think of using for parts, All Pro SAS kit and rear suspension setup, cutting the frame back and adding a tube bed, 35 - 36" tires, Gears, lockers, axles and all of the little other items that go along with a buildup

I have done some searching here and on other sites, but have not found enough information to form a solid opinion on the matters above, if I missed a good thread or FAQ in my searches please feel free to point me in the correct direction

Thanks,

Dave

 

1. Get the 22re. It's a much better motor and very easy to work on. The head gasket issue isn't just a little problem. It can easily drop you back $2K if it blows and the head gasket recall has already been done. There are multiple people on this board with the V6 that have had the head gasket blow a couple times. Others here will say that the V6 isn't a bad motor and that they like it. IMO the head gasket problem, lack of power, poor gas mileage, and expense to replace ($3-4K depending on who does it, but sometimes you can find a better deal) outway it's longevity in my book. Like I said, others here may disagree.

2. Definitely get the 5-speed. Whether you get the 4 banger or the V6, you want to have the 5 speed. The auto is one of the reasons the V6 seems soooooo slow (aka 3.slow). Trust me, I know. I couldn't even imagine the auto tranny with the 4 cylinder. Yes, the auto and t-case are still one unit. I think the auto is pretty solid but like a said, it eats power.

Also, performance upgrades for the 22re are easy to do and relatively inexpensive. You could make your power comparable to the V6 without spending that much money.

I'm not sure about #3 on your list. I'm sure someone else will know.

Good Luck with your search.

 

If you go 22RE go manual, no options. An automatic on the V6 is not all that bad if geared correctly. But you do lose power and gas inthe torque converter. The 3.0 does have a history with the head and all but its still a good motor. My previous rig had 135k and ran just fine. Although it would get a little toast going up the mountains and such. I wrecked it before I got to the bottom of the issue. I guess the only other option would be getting a 3.4
Swap Swap Swap

 

Thanks for the quick replies, so it sounds like the 22RE and 5 Speed combination is the way to go for reliability.

So that brings up another question, do all of the 1990 – 1994 trucks have the 22RE or were their still some 22r’s installed in that time frame?

Does anyone know of any know issues to look for when purchasing a 1990 – 1994, not necessarily a list of standard items that need checked on any used car, but know issues specific to the model of truck that I am looking at?

I think I may post question #3 in the Hard core or 4x4 area since I have my choice narrowed down to a 1990 – 1994 22RE 5 speed

Thanks again

 

Item #3.
Make your list of pros and cons.
Extracab: Accomdating more leg room, carry a few little people outa the weather, ability to get 'things' outa the weather and into a more secure place.
Standard cab: Manuverability, manuverability, manuverability.

I just bought a 2002 Xcab, for all the reasons stated above. But I also have my 68 Landcruiser bought back in 1970. And believe me, a bobtail on the trail is the way to go!!

 

I'll go ahead and field this question too.

1 - the 22re engine is: economical, reliable, under powered
2 - the 22re with an auto is: useless
3 - the 22re with AC is: well, underpowered/useless
4 - the 22re & W56 5spd is a good combination if you are not looking for a powerhouse with punch.
5 - The 3.0 V6 Engine can be just as reliable if care is taken on it's upkeep.
6 - If you want AC and you want a DD/Wheeler, I would opt for the V6 and 5spd

Do you know what YOU want in a wheeler? If you want a solid axle front, then you will have to go with the 22re. If you don't mind the IFS down the road will consider an SAS, then go with 86 or newer.

I built an 84 Toyota Truck w/22Re with 35's, 4.56 gears, dual cases and dual lockers and drove it everywhere and back again. It was underpowered and would rarely see 5th gear. The frame went (it was from an 82). I've now picked up an 88 4runner w/V6 and all the options to SAS using the parts from the 84.

It's basically a matter of what you plan to do with it.

 

With all do respect I will have to disagree. The 3.0 V6 does not have anywhere near enough power for me to justify buying it over the 22re. The 3.0 couldn't get out of the way of its own shadow. I had a 92 4x4PU with the 3.0 and had to have the head rebuilt twice. And believe me, I baby my vehicles. The problem with the headgaskets scare too much and I will never own a truck with the 3.0 again. After it was all said and done I sunk almost $3k into getting my engine rebuilt, and Toyota paid for it the first time. Now the campaign is over so if it blows you get the fun of paying to have the head rebuilt yourself. For off-road use i would get the 22re and re-gear it and put some lockers in it. You don't need massive amounts of power to go off-road (not that the 3.0 has that anyway) but the 22re will do the job. If you do all the things you plan, then the 22re will be a great motor for you.

 

22RE 5-speed standard cab is my vote.

 

Man, you guys ROCK!

“Do you know what YOU want in a wheeler? If you want a solid axle front, then you will have to go with the 22re. If you don't mind the IFS down the road will consider an SAS, then go with 86 or newer.”

The truck will not be a daily driver, although it may be used to get to work and back if one of our daily drivers is in the shop, but really it will be used mostly for a trail truck, living in Colorado we have a great selection of trails and we try to make it to Moab as much as possible (18 days last year including valentines day) With the type of trails that we run SAS is a must and will be at the top of the list.

 

The 3.0 V6 is NOT the way to go for a trail rig. I have owned a 3.0 for 4 years and sank my fare share of money into it. I would perfer the 22RE over the 3.0 for the purpose of maintance and simplicity.

The 5 speed is GREAT!

If you get a pickup with A/C then consider keeping the compressor and ditching the rest. There are many GREAT articles in Yota about using A/C compressors as air compressors.

Just me thoughts and I am willing to live with them.

, Amusement

 

22RE's were used for more years than just 90-94. 89-91's are exactly the same, then only small changes for 92. My 91 pickup has a 22RE, and so does my friend's 85 pickup. Don't limit yourself to just 90-94.

 

Believe me I would LOVE to find a 1985 extended cab w/ 22RE and AC but I have not had much luck after a month of searching

So I figured if I am going to SAS a truck I may as well step up to the newer body of the 1989 - 1995 and gain the extra space inside so that is the reasoning for skipping 86 - 87 and the 1995 and above models are out of my price range so we end up with the 1989 - 1994 models to choose from if that makes sense