I already bought it: now learn me 1st gen 4runner.

So I just bought an 87 4 runner 4x4 from my dad in Montana. The truck has lived it's whole live out there so minimal rust. The frame still has factory paint!

I also know the two previous owners, which takes the fear out of buying a used car a little. 425,000 on the body, but only about 70,000 on the 22r 4 cylinder and 5 spd. Suspension and steering was rebuilt less than 10,000 miles ago.

Besides rusting back to the Earth, what do I need to know?

Well... as you mentioned already, keep watching for rust. Especially above the rear wheels. I seem to remember they fixed the welding process towards the end of that body style run where the spot welds don't pull apart so easily, but was still an issue.

My '86 seemed to eat freakin clutch master cylinders. Check the pedal bushings.

The first gen is the best. Afterwards the just started dumping in useless luxury crap. 22R has a good following for speed parts, checkout some of the pre-runner stuff for more ideas.

Take the top off! My buddy bought one at an auction a couple of years ago. The first thing we did was take the top off and cruise around. It was February and probably in the low 40s F.

Nothing to learn. It's a Toyota with a 22R, you're golden.

Pop the top off and enjoy some open air wheelin'

My only experience with a common failure is breaking the front shock mount(s). But that is only because my 16 YO friend used to beat the crap out of his and constantly break it. I would consider it user error.

When the motor was done, did they put a metal timing chain rail in? If not, I would count on doing that in about 100K miles, just for the hell of it.

I drove my 86 RN Truck in to work again today. I've been driving it a lot this winter because I had the snows on my Rolla and we had like 1 snow day. I've been saving the snows for future snow days. I rebuilt the motor at 290K. I should have left it alone and just fixed the head (plastic timing chain rail broke...) It needed a light polish on the crank and there was .003" taper in the holes. At 290K miles. I put a torquer cam in then. Helped a lot with low end grunt, but runs out of air on top.

Congratulations man! Use it and abuse it, they like it when you treat them rough.

I have over 300k on my 22r, 5spd, 1987 pickup. Aside from the usual tune-up/lube she's a dream.

I do have some steep incline issues with the carburetor when off road. (she's completely stock) Someone mentioned running a hose off the float drain to keep her from flooding while climbing hills but I'm to lazy so I usually just floor it. It seems to work.

What happened to my truck was the timing tensioner got worn down and allowed the chain to slap the upper guide breaking it. Then it basically "clearanced" the timing cover but didn't end up chewing into the water jacket. I put the $50 crap time chain kit on and now 50K miles the damn thing is starting to slap around a bit again on startup before the hydraulic tensioner does its job.

Also keep on top of coolant changes, some castings have issues between the cylinder 1 and 2 where a coolant passage rots out, at least my truck does. Currently held in check with JB weld and stop leak. If I do the time chain again a spare head is going on and the rotten one will get tig welded or scrapped.

oh how i miss my 1985 clean 4runner should of never of sold it..... it has changed hands twice since i let her go..and cleaned up and improved along the way.. last i heard she wen for 6500 cash. should have never let that one go.

I digress... Like benzbaron said, i too got a cheapo timing chain and within 10k miles it was slapping around. Spend the money for the japanese one...get some metal timing chain guides from like DOA, LC engineering, Marlin, or someone reputable and should be good to go for awhile.

you want to talk about bullet proof..... upgrade or replace your radiator tstat and water pump. replace oil... add gas and go on and on and on and on and on.

that is the one i will have nightmares about getting rid of.

I have no knowledge of Toyota. At all. What are places to look for wear items like the aforementioned water pump, timing chain, etc... I don't think I'll use Pepvance Zone for anything but oil.

It does need parking brake work, for example. Where is a place to start looking for part? I also would like a cheap "brush guard" to hang some driving lights off of. Looked on E-bay for a used one but no luck. Any favorite web forums?

Thanks again. I'm getting exited. It should be here tomorrow.

Oh... And if you live in the northeast, learn how to say, "No, it's not for sale" in Spanish. And keep locked. Always.

There are some people saying to pop the top, but source a new seal before you do. If its never been off or off a couple times, it's gonna leak when you put it back on.

If it uses the same underpinning as my 1994 pickup the parking brake and rear brakes are the same thing. I'd pull the rear brakes and clean up the adjusters, maybe have the drums turned with new shoes then adjust to when the rear shoes just drag. When you pull the parking brake you want a good three clicks before it is fully engaged, more than that and the shoes need to be adjusted tighter. I'd buy the drum brake tool to get at the adjuster also. I don't understand why some people spook about doing drum brakes there ain't much to them.

Also when you pull the rear brakes check to make sure the drums aren't soaked in gear oil. I had the inner axle seal fail, this allowed gear oil to get passed the bearing and wash it out, this in turn caused the bearing to spin in the cage. All in all I ended up needing new bearing, bearing cage, and inner and outer seals along with machine work to press the bearing into and out of the cage.

If the time chain doesn't rattle on start I wouldn't worry about it, they give you warning, at least half the gardeners around here are heard rattling about in their ratty little toyotas hauling goods and services.

I never heard the timing chain rattle. I did hear the harmonic balancer squeal from the broken dampener rubber on my '92. My rear axle bearings went at about 250K on the '86. I typically get 100K out of a water pump and alternator. Lifetime warranty at O'Reilley's and Autozone. That's what the deserve for selling Toyota Truck parts with a Lifetime Warranty. You know you'll be back in 100K miles.

What problems are you having with the parking brake? There is an adjustment in the middle of the truck. Follow the cables back from the wheels. You'll see it. Start with the shoes properly adjusted, of course.

The "problems" with the e- brakes are all second hand form my old man. I didn't get to look underneath it when I was out in Montana for a day. I'll update this as soon as I can.