1982 Toyota Pickup

[Overbear]

Sir, there is no such thing as "too much mod" when it comes to a toyota :smiley_drive:

Nice looking rig, a few things to ponder as you grow with it.

1)if you lift, do it right, no blocks! marlin's kit, or even the rear up front/chevy out back setup is the way to go. I personaly went with Alcan springs but thats the $$$ way to go.
2)Once you do lift, crossover it, I suggest the TG 6 shooter knuckles. You won't have any of the problems the 4 bolt ones give (and I HATE my 4 bolt knuckles)
3)Pirate 4x4 has a FAQ on every posible mod/build done to 1st and 2nd gen toys, take a look at it, some great ideas in there.

 

[pat92]

Thanks for the info, overbear, but I'm not planning on lifting the old truck. I'm wanting to leave it as stock as possible. I won't be using it for rock crawling, or hard wheeling, just to go out camping and enjoy all the forest service roads here in Western Washington. I don't want to lose any on road characteristics of the truck and sure don't want to see gas mileage go in the toilet. All be driving more on road with the truck than off road, so that's why I'v decide to go the direction I am.

 

[Overbear]

One thing of note, as long as you gear it right for the tires, you can put a modest lift on it, and not suffer MPG changes. The key is in the gears, always in the gears.

As example, I am up on 33" tires, with 4.88 gears, and a heavy turbo, gas drinking engine, and I can still manage 15mpg, thanks to the 4.88's

 

[kletzenklueffer]

I drove an 82 LWB 4x4 from 87 until 97. The original battery lasted 13 years and only died (with the alterator) after soaking the engine in a water crossing.It went 90% of everywhere I wanted to go with no lift and 31" mud tires. I eventually lifted, regeared and went up in tires. I should have left it alone.

 

[Dave Bennett]

Nice score, those are getting rare!

FWIW and if it were me I'd replace the 22R carb with the 22RE EFI.

 

[pat92]

TACODOC, the 1982's had a 22r not 20r. The 20r came in earlier 79 and 80, but the 81,82 and 83 came with the 22r. For now I'm planning on leaving the 22r, but maybe latter down the road all swap in a 22re for the little extra horses.

 

[Dave Bennett]

Hadnt had my coffee yet. Thought I read 20R somewhere... Carry on.

 

[montypower]

Wow, seems like the general consensus is to keep the rims on the truck now. Didn't realize that those were the stock rims for that year truck. So I guess it will be worth while to just clean them up and find a good tire size to fit the 15in rim. What does everyone think? All never run anything like 33x12.50 or huge tires. I want to keep the truck as close to stock as possible but do want a tire a little bit taller. Ideally I want something like 32x9.50R15 but they don't make a tire that size, so I guess it comes down to 33x9.50R15 or 30x9.50R15. I'm trying to stay towards the pizza cutter style, kinda like the camel trophy guys. 10.50 wide tires might work I just prefer to stay in the 9.50 range. Again any input would be great.

You might be surprised... The BFG AT 33x9.5" compared to the BFG KM2 33x10.5" actual tread width is nearly the SAME! Check it out... Remember tread width and section width is vastly different.

 

[Owyhee H]

I like the idea of keeping it really close to stock. On my 85 I had 235/75's for most of the time and they never prevented me from going anywhere. The 31's I got later looked good too but I wouldnt go any bigger than that. 235's or 30X9.5 will retain more drivability with the 22R as well. People have been driving these all over with stock tires for well....30 years... I think you will be fine.

 

[Overbear]

TACODOC, the 1982's had a 22r not 20r. The 20r came in earlier 79 and 80, but the 81,82 and 83 came with the 22r. For now I'm planning on leaving the 22r, but maybe latter down the road all swap in a 22re for the little extra horses.

One thing some people do, is put a 20R head on a 22R block, it brings the comprssion up. Giving you some more HP and a better flame pattern across the piston, at the price of having to tune it a bit better than most would.

Also huge suggestion, as I remember my 22R blocks right, 81 was the last year they ran the double roller chain and metal guides. 82 introdused the plastic guide and single chain, might warrent pulling your valve cover to look. Its not a hard mod to do (upgrade to double chain and metal guides) and it will give you peace of mind as they dont throw like the single chains will at around 90k

 

[pat92]

Thanks for the advice again Overbear. I thought that the 1982 had the double roller as well but then again I'm not to sure. The plan is a complete engine rebuild, new valves, seats (if it needs them), springs, guides, resurface, along with new pistons, rings, hone or bore the block and deck the head as well. All have to see once I get the engine out. So far the plan is to pull it out in a couple of weeks. All try to make sure to take some pictures and keep everyone up to date on the build.

 

[Overbear]

If you plan on rebuilding it, remember if it does have the single roller. You will need to source a double roller front cover if you plan on going double (and I recomend it)

Another thought, LCE preformance parts has a ton of things to give you a little edge here and there, might want to take a look at their stuff. Keep in mind, the more effecient you can make the motor, the more HP and the better MPG you get out of it.

 

[montypower]

You might talk with Engine Parts Network in Portland. http://www.engnbldr.com/
He specializes in the 22r/re motors. I had him build the 22re for my 83. Best prices anywhere. Has hard to find stuff like: steel chain guide, new timing chain covers... He has designed cams for them too.

I disagree about 31s being big enough for NW trails. It's fine for gravel roads but not trails around here. We have plenty of rock, mud and roots... I guess it depends on where you plan on taking it...

 

[Overbear]

I disagree about 31s being big enough for NW trails. It's fine for gravel roads but not trails around here. We have plenty of rock, mud and roots... I guess it depends on where you plan on taking it...

I have to agree with this too. Anything under a 33" is really just not enough for about 90% of the trails we have on the west coast. Now if you are going to stick to gravel roads and maintained fire trails thats fine, however the moment you want to get off into anything a bit deeper you are going to need the clearence.

However again I point out a lift/bigger tires doesnt mean you have to loose driveablity or MPG. Think it out, look to what others have done, and you can maintain the truck as it is now and get some extra lift out of it.

My personal recomendation for a good day to day driver that has offroad capaiblities and can take you out camping and such would be a long term goal of....

1)Modest lift
2)Crossover stearing (push pull sucks, to ease to break)
3)33" tires, good M/T's with good road behaviour. I run the Goodyear MTR's myself.
4)Marlin crawler dual case (or inchworm, stay away from the TG one) stay stock gears in both transfer cases. From what you are saying your uses are, you just won't need the 4-1 gear set. Dual stock on a stock transmission gives you 100:1 in low/low 1st gear. Plenty for just about everyone short of the guys running big tires and crazy trails.
5)4.88 gears (with 33" tires it should put you right about spot on same RPM level at freeway speed as you have now)
6)A good bumper, winch, rear bumper, and rock bars. protect your body, don't thrash it like so many do out here, thats a clean truck.
7)(Optional) a resonable locker. I run the truetrac in the rear and a arb up front, just the truetrac out back is enough for me to hit 99% of the trails with confidence and they behave on the road.

The above mods will give you a truck that scoots down the road to work every day, get resonably gas millage, and on a trail get you about anywhere you could ever want it to go and a few places you might not.

 

[Rot Box]

One thing you can look into is what gear ratio (R&P) the truck came stock with. A lot people assume because it is a Toyota pickup it came with 4.10's and that is not always the case especially with the 79-83's.

My 79 came with 4.37's stock and a friends 80 came with 3.90's. The difference was quite noticeable between the two as the 4.37's were much better for the 31-32" tire size I was running at that point in time especially on the highway. You can remove a drive shaft on either axle and look at the color of paint on the pinion. Thats really the only way to know for sure :bike_rider:

Man this thread really makes me want to dust the cob webs off my 79 :coffeedrink: