new to the forum and to toyota

[dakota davies]

hey, my name is Dakota and im considering buying a second gen Toyota 4runner. my max price is about $2500 and i was wondering if i should get one. most that i have seen have had 200k+ are they still worth getting? what should i look for when im buying one?
all help is appreciated
thanks, Dakota

[Robinhood4x4]

Second gens are a good platform from which to build but most do have a lot of miles on them. As such they will have the usual old car problems. Specifically for 2nd gens you'll want to check leaks like the power steering pump, front and rear main seals, water pump, CV axle boots, etc.

The 3.0L V6 is notorious for blowing headgaskets but supposedly once the HG has been replaced with the latest material they're fine. Just check the oil to make sure there's no coolant in it.

Like I said, they're good reliable vehicles but just realize anything that old will need to be worked on.

[DHC6twinotter]

Hey Dakota.

Biggest thing with the 2nd gens is that some of them have week head gaskets on the 3.0 motors. Toyota had a recall on most of the 3.0s. Mine has had them replace by the previous owner, and I haven't had any problems with them so far. Other recalls included the AC expansion valve and steering relay rod. If you aren't sure what recalls have been issued for a particular vehicle, call Toyota Headquarters at 1-800-331-4331 and give them the VIN number.

My 2nd gen has just about 206k on it, and has been pretty reliable. I paid 2400 for it back about 5 years ago, and have put about $800 worth of parts on it since then. Still has the original tranny, so no complaints from me. :D

Anyways, just my $.02.

[dakota davies]

ok thanks for the replys

[Robinhood4x4]

I have 200k on mine with the original auto tranny as well but it is starting to show signs of wear. The expansion valve was taken care of on anything later than 92, because mine was already done.

What are you plans with it? Build it up or daily driver?

[dakota davies]

your site is one that really got me thinking about getting one, thanks.

i will be doing both, a couple inches of lift at the most and some all terrain tires some other small upgrades along the way like sliders and bumpers, what are your suggestions?

[Robinhood4x4]

It sounds like you know what route you want to go and that's half the battle.

My usual suggestions for a mild build are rock sliders, crank the tbars (or bj spacers), 2in springs in the rear, 33in tires if you can bare the lose in power, then a rear bumper. Rear bumpers aren't as sexy or as easy to get as front bumpers, but they are way more practical. That rear overhang is a killer.

After that you can decide if you want to go to the next level with lockers and more armor.

The next step after that is SAS.

I can go into more detail if you'd like.

[dakota davies]

what are tbars and bj spacers?

[slosurfer]

Torsion Bars are what holds your front end up. They run along the frame and are attached to the front upper control arms, you can crank them to get some cheap lift, or you can get aftermarket tbars that give lift.

BJ spacers are spacers that go between the upper balljoint and the upper control arm, thus giving lift to the front end, usually 1.5". An added bonus, they also add 1.5" of travel.

Either way you lift it, it puts added strain on the cv boots since the ribs will now be touching. This is why it is important to add manual hubs, that way your cv boots won't always be spinnning and will last longer.

Also, not sure if it has been said before, but try to get a 5spd. The auto's are really sluggish. :D