Older Toyota PU Question...

[kcowyo]

85 and 87 are the same body style considered the First Gen. 89 was the start of the 2nd gen.

For clarity and accuracy regarding this Generation and that Generation of 4WD Toyota trucks, here's a list and link provided recently by BogusBlake. The link goes to Pirate, so you know, it must be right.....

Pickups
1st gen= '79-84
2nd gen= '84-'88
3rd gen= '89-'95

4runners
1st gen= '84-88 (looks like 2ng gen pickup)
2nd gen= '89-'95 (looks like 3rd gen pickup)
3rd gen= '96-'03 (looks like 1st gen Taco)
4th gen= '03 and up

Tacoma
1st gen= '95.5-'04
2nd gen= '05 and up

Here's a link to some more history: History of Toyota Pickups and 4runners

 

[Martinjmpr]

It's also important to note that the early Toyota 4x4 trucks have serious rust problems. I don't know if it's the thickness of the metal or the compound, but I don't think I've ever seen a 1st or 2nd gen Toyota 4x4 that didn't have severe rust, particularly around the fenders. And this is in CO, where they don't use salt. I can't even imagine what a 1st or 2nd gen 4x4 from the Midwest or Northeast would look like, probably there aren't that many around because they've all rusted to pieces.

 

[DaveInDenver]

It's also important to note that the early Toyota 4x4 trucks have serious rust problems. I don't know if it's the thickness of the metal or the compound, but I don't think I've ever seen a 1st or 2nd gen Toyota 4x4 that didn't have severe rust, particularly around the fenders. And this is in CO, where they don't use salt. I can't even imagine what a 1st or 2nd gen 4x4 from the Midwest or Northeast would look like, probably there aren't that many around because they've all rusted to pieces.

A couple of things come to mind here.

First, we DO use salt here, it's just that it's magnesium chloride and not sodium chloride like some midwestern states. It's also corrosive, just that it has to be liquid for it to be so and it apparently dilutes faster than NaCl. But it's definitely corrosive and even CDOT acknowledges that and have started running billboards the past couple of years that tell people to wash their cars in the winter. CDOT is having trouble with it corroding the steel in bridges.

Also Toyota delivered early trucks without beds. I dunno if this was a tariff issue, space on the boats or what. I also speculate that having the beds made here at NUMMI was a way to shake out the production issues with getting a new factory up and running. But for whatever reason, the beds were not made in the same way as the cabs. In the '79-'83 trucks, didn't seem to make a whole lot of difference, they rusted quite badly all over (front fender lips and floor boards are most common). The beds on those were also single walls, so that didn't help. The '84-'88 trucks had double wall beds, so dents and bumps inside didn't compromise the appearance presumably, but they still rusted along the seams. But you'll see that on the 2nd gen 4WD trucks that the cabs tend to fair better than the beds generally. That's because the Japanese were getting better at corrosion protection and all the cabs were made overseas. I think by the '89-'95 trucks the North American production was up-to-speed with the Japanese corrosion-proofing and they seem to be much better all around.

 

[toyota_jon]

It's also important to note that the early Toyota 4x4 trucks have serious rust problems. I don't know if it's the thickness of the metal or the compound, but I don't think I've ever seen a 1st or 2nd gen Toyota 4x4 that didn't have severe rust, particularly around the fenders. And this is in CO, where they don't use salt. I can't even imagine what a 1st or 2nd gen 4x4 from the Midwest or Northeast would look like, probably there aren't that many around because they've all rusted to pieces.

mine doesn't :wings: ...yes i know i'm a rare case, but thats what you get for buying your truck in NM. the biggest problem, in my opinion, is not washing the sand and dirt off. i wash mine religiously. any place sand can collect, sand will hold water against the frame/body/ anything steel, and cause it to rust. one thing i did was cut the lip off all the inner fenders that way sand won't collect there. Also it's worth noting places like on top of the gas can where you can't see is a very problematic place because you don't think about it and sand collects big time there. this should go without saying but i'll say it anyways, if you drill a hole in anything, ex to mount a CB make sure you coat the inside of the hole with either paint or silicone to prevent that bare metal from the elements. I have noticed on my truck, because of the larger tires i run, it throws rocks very badly so my rockers are all chipped so i'm gonna use Duraback bed liner and coat the entire lower body line on my truck to prevent bad rust from forming.

 

[ntsqd]

Not all 2nd gen beds are double walled. My'84 is single walled. Does not have and never had the tabs to bolt in the inner walls. It is what I call the "Canadian Bed" i.e. external rails and hooks, but center tailgate latch.

My '86 turbo has what I call the "Calif. Bed" (Smooth exterior & center latch) and is double walled.

I suspect that at least some of the noted bed rot is due to moisture retention behind these panels. The suggestion of periodically cleaning out behind them is very good advice.