Anyone know where I can buy a cheap rear bumper for an 89 4runner? I don't have one and need something. Junkyards don't have these vehicles in them down here. I have no desire to spend $6-700 on a bumper for this if I can avoid it.

 

1989 is a weird year for 4Runners, as they made a major change half way through the model year. You'll need to get into the habit of mentioning in your post whether it's first gen or second. Or put the model # and production date in your signature.(both would be ideal).

 

This thing is a hodge podge of the change. Manufactured 10/88 but I’ve run into pre and post change parts in the brake system. Booster was post change, master and calipers pre change. Turn signal flasher module was post change.

 

That’s probably from prior owners getting wrong parts figuring they’re all the same. Our galvanized steel counter in our Parts Dept was full of dents from my forehead every time a customer said “it’s a regular one” when I asked details about their truck so I could look up a part number.
You’re gonna have to be a bit diligent going forward when doing repairs. There’s a good possibility that a new part that you just picked up doesn’t look like the one on the vehicle. Was the wrong part installed ages ago, or did they order the wrong one now?

 

Everything has been OEM.

With that said, anyone know where to pick up a rear bumper that’s not a $700 aftermarket one?

 

There's someone on Etsy selling reproductions of the straight bar oem for $325.00. Reviews are so-so, though. But mostly about shipping issues etc.
They did get poor stars over showing things in photo, like the bumper brackets, that weren't actually part of the sale.
The other choice is salvage yard, but that requires patience. How i eventually found mine.

 

You can get a chrome step bumper for 89-95 pickup with brackets for about $235 on ebay. Thats what i am running along with a Curt 2” receiver. You probably will have to modify the brackets.

 

Good to know. Thank you.

 

If you don't mind it not looking stock, you might ask for a quote from a metal fabricator. Bumpers can be pretty simple A length of steel pipe with two bits of steel bar welded on (with appropriate holes drilled) should be cheap.

 

That's what I'm leaning towards. I don't care if it's stock or not. I was thinking some 1/8" plate steel to bolt to the frame and then a piece of like 1/8" 2x4 tubing connected to it. Could probably be built in a single day. Slot the 2x4 tubing so the plate could go through it and then get a weld around it. Could even poke it through the other side a touch and get two weld points on it. Cap the ends of the tubing. Could even get fancy and weld hooks to it for recovery purposes. Maybe the local metal yard has some scrap I can grab for cheap.

 

1/8" plate might be a bit too thin for the brackets; they'd bend easily. My shop-made bumper (1/8" plate) has I think 1/4" mounting brackets. Measure the mounting plates on the truck frame and match that.

My recent truck came with a 4x6 wooden bumper. The mechanic inspecting it didn't approve of that, so I swapped the bumper from my previous truck. It's ugly, but unlike cosmetic bumpers, it can be hit many times without looking any uglier. My previous truck also has a front bumper made from I think 2" steel tubing. I've slung a chain around it to get pulled out of a ditch, with no damage. Can't do that with a cosmetic bumper.