who hauls w/ a 4 cyl pickup?

[howellhandmade]

99 Ranger 4cyl/5spd. Coming up on 200K. It's what I have, so it's what I haul with. Put in a set of helper springs. Good mileage, usually 22-25mpg with a load, have gotten close to 30mpg unloaded on long trips with a light foot.

 

[GeeVee]

I used to have a '92 S-10 S/B, 2.5/5sp truck when I was a teenager,... It hauled dirt, wood, bricks, whatever I could throw at it. Was just as slow as a tractor, but was a damn solid little truck. I have a '92 Toy Hi-lux now, 22re/5sp/2wd. I would love to have a 4x4, but this has probably been the best little go-cart/motorized wheelbarrow that I've ever owned. It gets about 24-25 down the road, (used to do better, but the the General Grabber tires that I mounted up have a lot more inertia and rolling resistance to overcome than standard car tires do,...). Bought it for about $750.00 w/118Kmi on it and it has about 150K now. As mentioned by everyone else, it doesn't do a load in the bed near as well as my old S-10, (Hellwigs coming soon), but, it will go about anywhere, is stone reliable, gets good mileage and will fit in places that my C/C, long-bed F-350 S.D. will not. I drive it to work and back daily (about 50mi) and use it to haul the saws out to wherever I am cutting, cut all day then head home. I use the F-350 when I'm done cutting and have a substantial pile of bucked wood ready to go, hitch it up to a trailer and haul it back. This makes a lot more efficient use of my time and I burn a lot less fuel, as the 1-ton doesn't roll until there's a commensurately sized pile of wood ready to justify it's mileage. Cummins coming soon,...:msp_w00t:

Do you have a pic of the Hi Lux? I didn't know they were imported here, maybe you brought it back from Military deployment? I am a bit of a Toyota junkie, and really want a four door longbed 4x4 3/4 ton 5speed with crank windows, vinyl seats and rubber floor m,ats, but they dont make them here. I really want the kind of trucks they sell in Central and South America, but American taste says style and comffort, so we get car/truck.

 

[GeeVee]

Toyota Dualy

They are hard to find, but Toyota has had a series of one ton dually that they put out ofr Servicve trucks and Motor home chassis.

If you could find the running minnie winnie with a ragged out leaking camper, strip it and make a dump bed. HARD to find. Usually the crappy motorhome got that way when it got overheated or blew the auto trans. The service body trucks are run into the ground by undermaintaining a/c companies or plumbers.

Ideally is the motorhome chassis, 22 re motor (Fuel injected) with 5 spd manual. 1990 or 91 they changed the body style in 92.

I was thinking of getting one to make a flat bed dovetail to haul Pedro with.

You can get good running Uhaul Toyota dually for 2-2500. Take the van body off and use it as wood storage or tools, or sell it, and build the bed you want. THEY are not hard to find....

The clutches are easy to fix, if you keep coolant in them they run forever, brakes are inexpensive to maintain, smae for starter, alternator, in general about as cheap as a early 80s chevy pick up, if you are in the 87-91 years. I have had five, and rust claimed all but one- (blown head got the last one, my fault)

I'd highly recommend a Toyota UHaul. My brother has one now as moving storage, though his is an auto trans.

 

[jrr344]

I vote for airbags. Firestone, Air Lift, and Helwig all sell them. They take stress off the springs instead of making more stress on the spring ends, and you can adjust them with any tire pump.

+1 on the airbags they work great I don't have them on a 4cyl but on my 1/2 ton chevy they do a great job even when I load the bed and my 18' trailer.

 

[audible fart]

I initially installed hellwig ez level 550 helper springs on my tacoma. $50, super easy install. They did stiffen the springs, but after repeated heavy loads the stock spring was totally shot. I ended up ordering skyjacker 2.5" leaf springs from summit and that solved the problem. As far as air bags go, my truck like most 4cylinders is rated to tow 3500 pounds. If you need air bags to tow a measly 3500 pounds, i'd say you have a spring problem.

 

[T_F_E]

 

[audible fart]

Nice old Toyota!

If this site gave me the option to post the "guy applauding" smiley anymore, i would post several. Can you tell us a little of the truck's mechanical history?

 

[T_F_E]

260k One motor rebuild in there, air shocks, and some coil springs over the bump stops. I work landin on the weekdays and cut firewood weekends, cant get away from my saws. Theres also 200 feet of 3/8s chain back there, so shes haulin heavy. I beat on the old girl but she takes it.

[video=youtube;gjy9yXxHZcg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjy9yXxHZcg[/video]

 

[audible fart]

260k One motor rebuild in there, air shocks, and some coil springs over the bump stops. I work landin on the weekdays and cut firewood weekends, cant get away from my saws. Theres also 200 feet of 3/8s chain back there, so shes haulin heavy. I beat on the old girl but she takes it.

[video=youtube;gjy9yXxHZcg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjy9yXxHZcg[/video]

Nice! It's got the 2.4, right? What happened to the original motor?

 

[gwiley]

I used to haul with a Ford Ranger - until it got run over by a road grader. Replaced it with an F350 crew cab 4x4 (old) and have never regretted it.

THere is a good chance you could sell the old 4cyl and spend just a little bit more money and get a truck that could haul 6x as much wood!

 

[Somesawguy]

I haul with my 89 Toyota PU 4x4 with the 22RE. It seems to work just fine when I don't try to overload it. I do need some helper springs in the back though.

 

[Wood Mainiac]

This thread is bringing back memories of firewood gathering with my ’03 Tacoma 4 cylinder extended cab, driving down bermed up ATV trails through the woods, as the suspension fully articulates over the berms. What fun listening to the suspension bang as it worked back and forth, wondering if I was going to break something just for friggin wood. But it was so cool driving through the woods, and to have a reason to take a truck into the woods.

I’m now prowling the woods in a ’10 GMC 2500HD extended cab. Needless to say, I miss the nimbleness of my Tacoma. Now when that loaded heavy, heavy HD goes thru a patch of soft sand, the sinking feeling creates quite an adrenalin rush. My Tacoma with its wide tires would have floated right thru that sand. I’m still trying to get used to how heavy this full size truck really is. My lawn has ruts from backing to my wood piles.

I’ll say one thing though, getting wood with a full size truck is damn hard work. I’m lugging and loading wood for almost 3 times as long. So it is kind of interesting. Getting wood with a 4 cylinder always seemed fun and recreational, not having to stop long before you had a load. This big truck is running me ragged.

 

[howellhandmade]

I used to haul with a Ford Ranger - until it got run over by a road grader. Replaced it with an F350 crew cab 4x4 (old) and have never regretted it.

THere is a good chance you could sell the old 4cyl and spend just a little bit more money and get a truck that could haul 6x as much wood!

I'm sure that's true, and if I only drove the truck to haul wood it would be the obvious move. But most of my driving is to and from work, and hauling stuff that the Ranger can handle. In return for having to make a few extra trips hauling wood, I get better mileage and a more manageable size in parking garages. I bought the Ranger kind of just because it was there, but it's worked out far better than I expected. Drove to Topeka and back a couple of weeks ago and got 28 mpg one way, 24mpg the other (I was in a bigger hurry to get home).

 

[Locust Cutter]

Do you have a pic of the Hi Lux? I didn't know they were imported here, maybe you brought it back from Military deployment? I am a bit of a Toyota junkie, and really want a four door longbed 4x4 3/4 ton 5speed with crank windows, vinyl seats and rubber floor m,ats, but they dont make them here. I really want the kind of trucks they sell in Central and South America, but American taste says style and comffort, so we get car/truck.

Sorry I used the Hi-Lux name a bit tongue in cheek, as it's just the pickup, but when you say that, many confuse it with the T100. I would love to have an authentic 4x4 stick Turbo-diesel Hi-Lux. They're damn-near unstoppable.

 

[roostersgt]

I know this is an old thread, but thought I'd share what I did with my 4 cylinder Toyota truck (2.7). Took front springs from Jeep TJ (Wrangler) and compressed them between the rear axle "bumpers"? Had to cut off about 2" or so to achieve only 3" of lift. Used standard spring compressors. This allows me to overload the crap out of my truck. I estimate I've hauled near 1600lbs without dragging. 40 bags of wood pellets at 40lbs per bag. Not a bad ride either. Got my springs for free from an off-road specialty shop. They usually just throw the old stock stuff away when lifting Jeeps. You could probably get them cheap at a wrecking yard also. Best mod I've done to my rig to date.

Toyota gear install

 

[T_F_E]

I know this is an old thread, but thought I'd share what I did with my 4 cylinder Toyota truck (2.7). Took front springs from Jeep TJ (Wrangler) and compressed them between the rear axle "bumpers"? Had to cut off about 2" or so to achieve only 3" of lift. Used standard spring compressors. This allows me to overload the crap out of my truck. I estimate I've hauled near 1600lbs without dragging. 40 bags of wood pellets at 40lbs per bag. Not a bad ride either. Got my springs for free from an off-road specialty shop. They usually just throw the old stock stuff away when lifting Jeeps. You could probably get them cheap at a wrecking yard also. Best mod I've done to my rig to date.

Toyota gear install

Same set up I have, and i have had over 2500.

 

[novaman64]

I used to and am now again... Had a little 92 Toyota Pickup, 2wd 4 cylinder (22re, best 4 banger ever made) auto, would load that thing up till the mudflaps were dragging, sold it, with 220k still running strong. A contractor has it now, with lumber racks on it, still alive.

Then was using my Chevy Full size, but since Im commuting bout 120 miles each was fuel was killing me, so bought another pickup. Toyota Pickup 4x4, 4 cylinder, 5 speed. This truck is great, did better than the old one, I just started hauling wood with it. And hay, I buy hay in NV near work since its cheaper, then brig it home with me. Did 8 bales at around 100#'s each, up and over the Echo pass and it was a little trooper. Love these Toyota's they are indestructible!

 

[Misfit138]

I haul with my 89 Toyota PU 4x4 with the 22RE. It seems to work just fine when I don't try to overload it. I do need some helper springs in the back though.

I had the 1988 22RE with a 4" suspension lift, 3" body lift, 35" BF Goodrich Mud Terrain radials and 2 add-a-leaf kits in it. In 4wd-low, it pulled anything I threw at it, including a 24' Sea Ray with an EZ Loader trailer.
I put 246,000 miles on it and sold it when my first daughter was born. Went through one clutch. Only other maintenance was brakes, tires and oil changes.
Couldn't kill it, even when I was young and all full of piss and vinegar.

 

[daywalker]

My buddy has a '94 Toyota 2wd 22RE 5 speed. It has been on a number of jeep trails, hauled plenty of scrap steel, and withstood lots of high rpm rallying action. After 190,000 he is finally replacing the original clutch. I have to say it's a pretty damn tough truck. As for me, I have an '88 ranger 2wd shortbox single cab with a 5 speed and a Mazda 2.0 liter 4 banger putting out a whopping 75 hp. I think it has 4.10's, It's pretty torquey for what it is. I take it down the woods trails too hauling good amounts of scrap. So far I've only had not even half a face cord of green alder in it before it was squatting a good amount, and I didn't want it dragging it's ass over the logs I had to hop to get out of the woods. Hopefully now with the new monroe air shocks I put in I can put a whole half cord in the bed. So far they seem to work pretty damn good. Also, the 3,000 pound atv winch w/ a snatch block on the front has pulled me out of some pickles. I don't think it's a bad setup for what it is. Sorry bout the long azz post....