prerun94

Hello everyone, I'm new to posting on YotaTech,

I recently purchased a 94' single cab pickup with only 99k original miles. It's now at 105k, but anyways.....I love the truck and that fact that I found the perfect platform to build up a mild-prerunner as I've wanted to do for sometime. While I enjoy the fuel economy/5spd setup and the fact that I found such a clean truck for a low price, I have one major concern....Space. I feel as though if I ever get in a wreck over 30mph in the thing I'm done! So I've been considering a bigger truck now(T100) also for the fact that an extended cab would be nice to have. At the same time though, I love the truck and figure a T100 probably won't be as fun to drive on or off road. So my main question is how these single cabs hold up in an accident if anyone has been in one and are able to share they're experience on how it did?

Also, if anyone has gone from owning a Pickup to a T100, how they'd compare the two? Thanks in advance!

prerun94

Sorry to post this in prerunner/2wd section. Meant to post in general truck talk, feel free to move mods!

Teuf

Keep it and drive like an old lady. Its a matter of how you look at it. Get a t100 then you'll want something bigger. How they hold up, thats impossible to answer. At least there is a frame involved......wear your seat belt and don't fret.
And welcome to yotatech.

prerun94

Thank you Teuf,
guess I should have been more specific about wondering how they hold up in an accident, I'm just wondering about front-end collisions since I live in a busy city and also if a rear-end hit would push the bed into the cab. Ironically enough, I see ppl driving single cabs on the road all the time where I live, and can't recall ever seeing one smashed to a pulp

Robert m

iTrader: (2)

you will be ok with a standard cab. thats what mine is and it works fine but i guarantee you will want an extended cab after your first serious offroad trip. the wheel base is better on an extra cab for higher speed stuff and the extra storage space definitely comes in handy. i love my truck but if i could do it over again, i would build an extra cab.
however, if your truck is clean and not dented and scratched up at all, id keep it as a clean DD and go find a good running beat up truck for an offroad toy. especially if you plan on being in the go fast desert scene and will be replacing the fenders and bed sides with fiberglass anyway.

MudHippy

Somebody's obviously never seen the Top Gear killing(trying to kill) a Toyota PU episodes. All you need to know about the integrity of a Toyota regular cab is shown there.

From personal experience, and having seen another guy roll his, they are COMPLETELY SAFE. You're not going to hardly dent one at 30 mph. At 65 mph, you might have some broken glass. Other than that, if you're wearing your seatbelt, you're walking away unscathed. You pretty much can't crush a Toyota regular cab...on accident.

prerun94

Thanks for the reply guys, I feel much better now that I can recall that top gear episode and how well it held up. Robert m, I considered a 2wd extended cab but was told they had weaker frames?? Also, if you could specify how higher speeds are better suited for a longer wheelbase truck than a single cab as I was under the impression that a 2wd single cab was like the ultimate platform for a prerunner-type pickup I also considered a 4x4 extended cab but would've felt guilty ripping out a perfectly fine transfer case and front-end components. As for my plans with the truck, if I do decide to remain humble with driving such a small truck, my plans are to upgrade the suspension and maybe some flared 4x4 fenders, nothing too crazy, just a nice setup while retaining the stock look. It's too clean for me to want to cut up and gut out, plus I still need the utility of a bed. To be honest I don't even get that crazy off road, but I'd like a setup that can handle the terrain in case I ever wanted to I had another '94 2wd before this one with just a 3 inch lift and 31's and I was able to go anywhere my friend went with a Silverado that's had thousands put into it

Robert m

iTrader: (2)

the difference in frame strength from 4x4 to 2wd will never really be noticed. yes, the 2wd frames are a little smaller but you would have to give it a hellofa hit to test the strength of either frame and then it would probably be the least of your worries. people have raced the 2wd frames for years and i have never really heard of any issues. i can tell you with the 4x4 frames though, people have plowed the ground with the LCA cross member and bent the mounts back.
both standard and ext cabs are great platforms for desert trucks but the extended cabs have a longer wheel base and that helps with stability when going over whoops at speed. the standard cab with the shorter wheel base will be a little more nimble when making hard turns and through technical stuff. honestly, if you dont plan on going very fast, you wont really notice a difference for what you say you'll be doing, so either will work just fine.
like i said, i love my truck and have loads of fun in it when ever i can, i just wish it had more cab space. my buddy has an extended cab and that extra 13'' of cab really comes in handy for a weekend trip.

so maybe its my meds kicking in and i missed it but what do you actually have? 2wd/4x4? 4cly/v6?

prerun94

Thanks for the clarification Robert, good to know that about the 4x4 mounts being subject to bending if hitting too hard. However, I do want to clarify that I was told by someone that the 2wd extended cabs had weaker frames compared to a 2wd regular cab....Probably they meant that the longer wheelbase made it easier to crack in half? but I'm really not sure of the strength differences between 2wd extended vs 2wd single. I know what you mean about the lack of space though, usually it doesn't bother me because I won't usually have more than one other passenger riding along but if and when I have 2 passengers, it's almost impossible to even shift into 2nd or 4th.

btw here's the link to some pics of my truck here:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116.../#post52114444

Robert m

iTrader: (2)

truck looks good. i remember when mine was that clean.

i seriously doubt there is any difference in ext. cab to standard cab frame strength. its only like a foot and a half longer and they are both fully boxed.
i know of a guy on another forum who is making his standard cab into an extended cab by cutting and splicing in the missing frame section and swapping cabs and he isnt worried about the frame strength. his truck will be seeing lots of air time and more abuse then most peoples trucks see in there life times.

MMP

Hmm, I think you should look up on youtube "killing a toyota hilux" by top gear. Watch the whole vid

Teuf

Just a dent at 30 / just broken glass at 65....... your joking yes?

MudHippy

Well, I'm not about to go right out and test my theory to find out. That's for sure. But I can tell you this with all seriousness, no joking at all. Of all the vehicles I've ever owned, my regular cab PU(either one, got 2 now) is the one I'd choose to be in during any kind of collision. If given a choice. That's based on what I've witnessed as far as how much blunt force it takes to do serious damage to one. Which I've found needs to be an astonishingly strong impact, to do an astonishingly minimal amount of damage. Relatively speaking. Toyota didn't mess around when they designed these trucks. They're tougher than most would imagine. Because they were built to be. They are 1/2 tons, after all. Despite their size. Every bit as strong as any full size 1/2 ton, of any make. Possibly, and IMO likely, stronger.

Krazy Ken

I just got my truck fixed after a 50mph side swipe accident. The kid in a 1990's F150 lost control and took out my front right fender and grill, bumper etc. After hitting/bouncing off me he slid into a newer SUV and t-boned it into the concrete median. All vehicles were towed away except my old Toyota. The police officer was impressed when I denied a tow truck. I like the fact they have a real frame with a real sheet metal body but think I would feel a lot better if it had an air bag.

skoob

My family has a 92 Pickup. It has been in three wrecks. All caused by the other driver.
Twice hit from behind. Bumper dropped under truck and pushed a little on the springs under bed. Replaced bumper and one tail light. Good to go.
Most recent wreck person ran a red light I avoided him best I could. 2,000 plus damage, lost right fender, hood, grill, lights frame untouched had it rebuilt. This was hardest hit I have ever experienced I was traveling 40 mph at time of hit. No damage to me, had her rebuilt still driving it.
I have been terribly impressed by how well it has held up.
I would buy another truck from Toyota in a second.

Mr_Random

As a test; go crawl under any old full size chevy or ford 1/2 ton pickup of the same year as your truck, inspecting the body mounts, suspension mounts, and crossmembers, then compare them to your truck and try NOT to shake your head at how overbuilt Toyota frames are for their size.

Also, consider the weight of your single cab pickup, at 65mph it will impart FAR less force onto any object than any vehicle of greater weight.

Light and strong = ability to bounce off things/cars weaker and heavier than itself.

Toyota REALLY didn't like crumplezones! Just make sure you wear your seatbelt, and if you are still weary, drive around with a couple pillows on your lap (ha).

Elwiney

hope this answers your question its from the back thou