Decisions, Decisions - Full Size V8 Pickup vs First Gen 4Runner

[jeff parker]

I have an 87 4Runner. I rebuilt the engine two years ago and added a mild cam. It's still slow as hell with 30's and stock gearing. The only way I can get 20mpg is if I keep the speed below 65mph. At 70mph I get 16-17 mpg unless I have a tailwind to bump me to 18mpg. Driving to Wyoming this spring into a strong headwind I could not go over 55mph and returned 13mpg. I got passed by a pickup towing a huge boat.

For Latin America, where the speeds are lower and the city streets very narrow, the Runner would be good. For U.S. and Canada it pretty much sucks on the long, fast highways.

[locrwln]

Stick with the Ford.

I agree. I had a 1st gen 4runner. Key word being had. I would never own another one. Too slow and you can forget 25mpg unless you are doing 45mph on level ground. I am only 5'9"/160lbs and hated driving it any distance, very uncomfortable and mine was an SR5 with multi-adjustable seats. $20g into a $2500.00 vehicle doesn't make much sense to me.

Pay off your Ford and keep driving it. It will easily go over 200k miles.

Jack

[reece146]

Exactly... Never confuse marque specific enthusiast blather with the reality of owning an old vehicle.

[BCHauler]

Exactly... Never confuse marque specific enthusiast blather with the reality of owning an old vehicle.

Brilliant!

[cacahootie]

Thanks everyone for the comments! Sorry I went AWOL. Traveling as usual.

I think y'all have clarified for me the correct path. Toyotas are my second love, behind old Chevys (being an Arizona guy with rural connections). I know I will own a Toyo some day, and likely sooner rather than later.

But those of you who recommended paying off the Ford, and doing some of the upgrades I had planned I think are right. It's a known quantity for now, and since my immediate plans take me through pickup truck country, I know I'll get her everywhere I need to... especially with the upgrades people have mentioned and I have planned.

My biggest issue with the F-150 so far hasn't been technical, but more mental. Because it's so big, I'm more concerned about getting stuck when things get really dicey. And since I don't presently have a winch, and I often travel alone, that's too nerve wracking. The flip-side, however, is that I drive much more carefully and conservatively, which is better anyways. I don't want to be smashing my stuff up more than necessary anymore.

My second biggest beef is the fuel efficiency. When I drive like a madman (which I sometimes like to do), I get 11-12 mpg over a tank. However, I've started to find the zen in driving slowly. I just did San Diego-Phoenix at 65-70MPH and NO FAST PASSING and got just shy of 17 mpg. It was a blast, I just listened to my Grateful Dead and Bob Marley and didn't give a crap. Didn't have to worry about cops b/c I wasn't even close to speeding. I looked like an old man (no offense to anyone)! Even at 75mph from Phoenix to Durango or Cortez, I will often get 15-16. I'd have to drive a whole hell of a lot of miles to make 5-8 more mpg pay off. And... 150ish HP max... not on the interstate.

I have a buyer for my KLR-650 that should come through on Saturday, and then intend to go the CAI, tuner, winch, battery, camper route, and use the money I save not buying a new money pit on a Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS, which I will get a ton more use out of than bigger tires or a suspension lift. My brother and I are also getting ready to fab up some skid plates. I've smashed up the bottom of my truck a bit, so I'd like to add some extra steel. When the tax man hands out my dole, I'll tackle the diffs, and that'll be the end of the mods. I think I'll stick to a 33" tire... I really only need another inch.

The sad truth I learn as I get older is that if what you already have does most everything you want, it's better to keep it and fix the small things than jump off into something new because "I want it".

When I begin to prepare for South America, my F-150 will be in the 200k range, and will be done. Then I can sell it for decent money and make the move to a 4Runner. Perhaps then some of the newer ones will be in my price range...

And I like having 300hp when I wanna use it.

[cacahootie]

I'd just mod the F150 enough to fit 285/75 r17 tires are somewhere in that 33" range, 315's might be overkill. Don't fear the gear. 4.30 rules with modular engines and 33" tires. 4.56 for 35", 4.88 for less highway or even bigger tires. The 4.88 and 315's will be a nice combo with the 5.4L. Forget about the rear Truetrac, not a bad idea in the front. F150's are too big, Truetrac performance drops off a bit with bigger trucks. Put a Detroit Softlocker and Superior axle shafts in the rear.

In my neck of the woods a decent prepped F150 will slaughter a 4runner offroad (at least the ones I've wheeled with). But I do things a bit differently. I can't use a F150, I need a long bed for bikes and gear.

Thanks for the advice Buliwyf. Reading over this again, the detail on the gears is appreciated because I've been really stuck on what to do here - which is part of why I'm putting it off. I hadn't heard that about the Truetrac in bigger trucks. I am definitely doing it in the front - I don't want to mess w/ actuation systems (more complicated more problems). My only concern is that I do often drive in snow and rain on the highway, and I had heard that autolockers weren't the best in those conditions. Safety is a priority as well - because skidding off the road and ending up in a ditch is a good way not to make it home.

[Buliwyf]

With long Fullsize trucks you just have to slow down and use good tires. No half bald MT's. It's not bad at all with the Yukon or Detroit Lockers in the rear, but you have to drive responsibly in the wet/snow. Truetrac F, Detroit R is a perfect combo for fullisze trucks. Just avoid the Truetrac rear, it's disappointing.

If your F150 has a modular engine you can get by running higher RPM's and lower gears. Anything less than 4.10 is lame, even in Mustangs. I think 4.30 and 33" tires would be a good all around compromise. Not to much, not too little. If I regear I'm going to 4.56 for 33-35" tires on my truck. I allready have 4.10's, so I wouldn't even feel the difference with4.30.

[cody93225]

I would stick with the f-150. The toyota's are nice but they are grossly underpowered, even with the V6. You should stick with the f-150 and do simple mods to it. When you are loaded you would probably get the same gas mileage.