Possible Truck Trade

[SilverBullet]

Okay guys, I want your opinions (even though they may be harsh, no harm no foul.

I miss crawling. Most of you know I sold my 87 Toyota 4Runner built for crawling a few years ago for a family rig. Now, my family does not wheel with me much (just the boys do) and I miss the more extreme and technical wheeling. So I am thinking about trading it for this:
http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum/sh ... p?t=162242

I cold still drive this daily to work (necessary for us, we only have the 2 vehicles), and it is much more built than my truck. To get my 4Runner ready to crawl well again, the axle swap alone gets to near $5K in cost, so buying/trading right now is much more effetive than building. Toyotas are cheap right now.

Any thoughts? I need some logical arguments both ways. Like these...
This truck will need tires, I know that (size is too small)
It also has lts of possibility to go buggy like i eventually want to do.
As for a expedition rig, Kristi wants a Jeep (she has all her life) so we eventually want to get a 4-door wrangler rubicon adn that can be built for the expeditions.
This does not have dual cases, but the 4.7 gears should work fine. Mine does not either.
This does have street ability, just not great.
Trailiering? I don't have a tow rig, but the trailer my father-in-law has could be borrowed and put behind the Navigator for short trips (not sure about another missouri trip like that though).



This part in particular scares me

I also put in a 4.3L Chevy V6 TBI with the 4L60E auto trans from a 94 s-10. It has the adapter from there back to the Toy xcase

since I know less about Chevy's than I do about how to make a human from the dust. Is this a good reliable engine/trans?

I obviously would go down and test drive it before final decisions are made, but wanted opinions especially on the motor/trans setup.

Anyway, keep these thoughts up... thanks.

 

[RusM]

I'm doing the same thing, except I'm getting an older built Yota to wheel and also buying a late 90's Camry to DD. I've never had any luck with any Chevy product, my buddy in high school had an S-10 of the same era that motor is out of and it was nothing but trouble. Constantly breaking down and left us stranded in the woods on multiple occasions.
In my opinion your truck is worth more and that truck looks like it would be trouble. Throw your truck out for sale or trade on craigslist and any local 4x4 boards and see what happens.

 

[CA-RJ]

Linky no worky.

 

[Klierslc]

http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum/showthread.php?t=162242&highlight=Toy+xcase+adapter+chevy

 

[Rockcrawler]

That is a pretty solid engine configuration. The 4.3 is based off of the 350 and uses all the same accessories, same bore/stroke etc. It has nice low end torque as well. The 4l60e is the electric version of the 700r4 and is a solid 4 speed auto. If the engine/trans are in good shape and it was a clean swap I think this is a great option.

 

[AxeAngel]

Just an FYI, I'm in the market to buy a 98 4runner. I would look at the feelers you get for yours and go from there.

Buying is cheaper than building a rig. But the building is half the fun(or more).

-Sam

 

[SilverBullet]

Just an FYI, I'm in the market to buy a 98 4runner. I would look at the feelers you get for yours and go from there.

Buying is cheaper than building a rig. But the building is half the fun(or more).

-Sam

While that is very true, building takes money, and I don't have much if any to spare. It also takes welding skill, and I have none of those right now either, thus more money...

I built my first crawler with a friend, and my trailer. The rewards are great, but the time and cost is more than I have (especially to convert a 3rd gen).

By the way, thanks for the link fix.

 

[SilverBullet]

FEELER for possible sale or trade

I am putting out feelers for a trade or possible sale. I miss rock crawling, so I would be intrested in trading my Expedition truck for a crawler, but it has to be street legal (daily driver) and straight axle. Ability for long drives (no 3 gallon fuel cells please) is also a plus, as I do enjoy the expeditions. If it is a stock rig "ready to be built," please don't even offer. I onl ywant to trade for something ready to wheel. I prefer the Toyotas, but as long as it has 4 seats and some cargo room, I will entertain other ideas.

HERE IS MY TRUCK
-1998 Toyota 4Runer
-3.4 L V6, Automatic Transmission
-Roughly 168,000 miles
-Sonoran Steel 1.2 lift kit
Sonoran Steel lift includes: http://www.sonoransteel.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_2_3&products_id=2
2001-2002 - System 1.2
Starting at: $1,274.00
Front:
(1)-Toyota Progressive TRD Front Coil: Driver/Left Side
(1)-Toyota Progressive TRD Front Coil: Passenger/Right Side
(2)-Toyota Stover Nuts
(2)-Toyota Upper Shock Bushing
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Polyurethane Top Plate Retainers
(2)-Bilstein 5125 Series Nickel Plated Adjustable Heavy Duty Front Shocks
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Front Differential Drop Spacers

Rear:
(2)-Toyota FZJ-80 Land Cruiser Coils
(2)-Bilstein 5125 Series Nickel Plated Shocks
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Polyurethane Shock Bushings
(1)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Adjustable Trac/PanHard Bar
(1)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Extended bump stop Adapters with
(2)-Daystar "Competition Style" bump stops
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Rear sway bar adjustment brackets
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Braided Stainless Steel extended brake line

-TJM Front Bumper with XRC8 Winch (prefer to keep teh winch unless it gets replaced by the trade)
-Rear Toyota Electric locker
-Custom Rear storage drawers
-Sliders (forgot where I bought them, but tucked in nicely)
- Bud Built Front and Center Skid plates
-265/75/16 MTR (old style) tires with stock spare still under it.
-2M and CB radios inside (again, I would like to keep these unless replaced in the trade)
-Tow bar mounts on teh fron tbumper and tow bar could also be included.

Pictures:

tons of images in my photobucket account:http://s225.photobucket.com/home/AZLetendre/allalbums


I have more, but you get the idea. If I sold the truck, I would probably ask $7,500 with everything left in the truck. $7,000 with my recovery gear (winch and radios) out of it. Does that sound too low? be honest.



POSSIBLE TRADE MUST HAVES:
- 4 SEATS or more (belted and legal, not negotiable)
- Straight axle or SAS swap completed
- Capable crawler, but also safe daily driver for highways and relaible
- Closed cab with AC and heat (I live in AZ, what did you expect)
- Future buggy build base is a plus (1 gen 4Runners), but not mandatory.
- Possible ideas include a SAS 1st gen 4Runner, 4-door JK with Rubicon Express 6" lift (dreaming now for my wife, she wants that one, sorry)



Let me know what you are thinking, since this is a family rig, it is a family decision for sure.

 

[speedtre]

Your links aren't working, at least not for me.

 

[Jis4Jeep]

x2 link not working

 

[Klierslc]

I'll have to disagree with Terry on the transmission. The 4l60E was used on tahoes, suburbans etc, and was instrumental in perpetuating GMs rep for building bad transmissions. Easily as unreliable as the 700R4, just more complicated.

That being said, the weight of this truck is a lot less than a tahoe, so the tranny will think that it is being driven downhill all the time and should last pretty well.

The 4.3 is a pretty good engine. If I was going to do a motor swap on an older toy, it would be high on the list.

 

[SilverBullet]

Thanks guys, I wish the "..." would not do that. Here are the details, added above too.

Sonoran Steel lift includes: http://www.sonoransteel.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_2_3&products_id=2

2001-2002 - System 1.2
Starting at: $1,274.00
Front:
(1)-Toyota Progressive TRD Front Coil: Driver/Left Side
(1)-Toyota Progressive TRD Front Coil: Passenger/Right Side
(2)-Toyota Stover Nuts
(2)-Toyota Upper Shock Bushing
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Polyurethane Top Plate Retainers
(2)-Bilstein 5125 Series Nickel Plated Adjustable Heavy Duty Front Shocks
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Front Differential Drop Spacers

Rear:
(2)-Toyota FZJ-80 Land Cruiser Coils
(2)-Bilstein 5125 Series Nickel Plated Shocks
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Polyurethane Shock Bushings
(1)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Adjustable Trac/PanHard Bar
(1)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Extended bump stop Adapters with
(2)-Daystar "Competition Style" bump stops
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Rear sway bar adjustment brackets
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Braided Stainless Steel extended brake line



Pictures:

tons of images in my photobucket account:http://s225.photobucket.com/home/AZLetendre/allalbums

 

[Capt Sport]

Early 700R4's were unreliable, but your talking back in the early 80's. The later models and the 4L60E are pretty stout transmissions. And, you'll get a much lower first gear compared to most automatic's. 3.06 if memory serves.

 

[SilverBullet]

Thanks guys, I love all the input. I posted my truck trade as a possibility adn have 4 vehicles now offered, maybe the old 86 is not the top runer any more...

 

[SilverBullet]

wow, lots of responses, thanks.