The older pickups (89 included I think) were solid front axle - highly desirable for folks wanting to build something for offroad, and thus command more.
The cool thing about the 3rd gen is its essentially a pickup/tacoma whit a different body - but without the price point. The 3rd gen v6 (3.4) is also a whole lot better motor than the 2nd gen (3.0).
Brent
Solid axle was 79-85.
2nd gen pickup is 84-88, runners first gen was 84-88, the 89-95 body style in both trucks and 4runners are all IFS unless it's from overseas or has been SAS'd.
Unless you're planning on some gnarly wheeling, IFS is fine, contrary to the internet's opinions.
IFS will ride better than 90% of leaf sprung SAS jobs, and factory parts are getting scarce for solid front ends. I've seen prices for a complete front end go from $100 to $500 in my area in the 15 years I've been building these trucks.
With a competent driver, a stock height runner or pickup, with a cheap rear locker or welded diff, and good 31's, will go about anywhere you have business taking a truck.
Weak points- the 3.0 mentioned previously is much maligned, but, do headgaskets and headers (the #6 hole blown HG issue is caused by the crossover pipe heating that corner of the head much more than the rest). I like to over torque the head bolts by about 10lbs. I have yet to have a HG job I've done, blow. A few have over 150,000km on them. 3.0 is a decent motor. 3.4s have the same HG issues, they just have a bit more power. A 3.0 that's properly tuned and cared for will move a loaded pickup just fine.
22re is the other available motor. Strong points- change the oil, dont let the timing guides wear out, and they go and go and go. My current one hasn't had a working odometer since 2 owners before me...it is stopped at 499,xxxkm.
Weak points- the timing guides wear out, wear a hole in the timing cover, you get milkshake oil, which is misdiagnosed as a blown head gasket.
Toyota frames always suck. Show up with a claw hammer and a big ol flathead screwdriver. Crawl under it and start tapping and poking the frame. If the seller starts telling you to stop, forget that one. Or beat him down on price, and break out the welder. LOOK BEHIND THE GAS TANK on the inside of the frame.
4runners tend to rust at the upper coil buckets, and link brackets on the axle. Mine was so rusted I cut it all off and put leafs in instead.
Jeeps-the 4.0 is a great motor, and the ax15 5spd is the same as a toyota w56 5spd found in 4cylinder trucks and 4runners.
Ok, I'm done listing good things about jeeps, literally everything else is a weak point.
