New (old) truck - 1986 Toyota Hulix 4x4 - Build thread

[jamesqf]

I have an '88 4x4. Don't have much experience working on it, though, as very little ever goes wrong (knock on wood :-)) I'm in Nevada, where we don't get the road salt/rust issues you folks back east do, so the body & frame are solid.

I get about 26-27 mpg on mine, but I think my driving is a lot different than yours seems to be. When I drive it, at least part of the trip is on really rough mountain roads (places where I've seen Jeeps get high-centered), or hauling loads of hay, firewood, &c. Put it in low range, and it will haul a good load just about anywhere.

[Sporty Modder]

Early left, late right on those valve covers.
I think the Mother inlaw is a bit generous with the mpg's.
I use photo bucket for all my photos. 30 mpg shouldn't be to hard imo, particulary with the natural weight loss.
I would suggest taking care of the rust first then worry about mods. My car really woke up when i put in my e fan. Also not running power steering ac or any other acc except the altenator.

[ps2fixer]

Small update on details of the other 2 trucks, hoping to get them tomorrow! Blue truck (4x4 frame shot one) has been sitting 4 years, which is when he swapped the engine into the silver one (one i got now). Other truck has been sitting around 10 years, was a solid frame when it was parked, but 10 years + under trees = probably not good.

Natural weight loss, gona need to make a bumper sticker to say that on my corolla .

@jamesqf

I suspect your average temps there are a bit warmer than over here in Michigan, average summer day is like 80-90F.

[Sporty Modder]

Looks like a late engine to me.
My Celica sat for 12 years and had Winston tires on it Lol.
Don't write your other truck off yet.

We get cold enough here during winter, but it is said we live in a banana belt, not nearly the problem with rust either.

[ps2fixer]

One way or another I'm getting one of these trucks going, even if I need to buy another lol. Been wanting one for quite a long time since my dad's 89 Mazda is basically the same thing and it shocks people all the time what it can do for towing / hulling. Been a really useful truck for him.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by ps2fixer

@jamesqf

I suspect your average temps there are a bit warmer than over here in Michigan, average summer day is like 80-90F.

I don't think so. I'm in Northern Nevada, which is nothing at all like the Las Vegas area. (Despite being in the same state, we're in entirely differerent realities.) I'm also at about 5000 ft elevation (my house), and less than 10 miles from a 10K peak. 80-90 highs are usually for summer, though hot spells can get over 100. But a summer day with a 90 degree high is likely to see an overnight low in the 50s.

[elhigh]

Originally Posted by ps2fixer

One way or another I'm getting one of these trucks going, even if I need to buy another lol. Been wanting one for quite a long time since my dad's 89 Mazda is basically the same thing and it shocks people all the time what it can do for towing / hulling. Been a really useful truck for him.

Yeah, and people keep forgetting the Pyramids were built by slaves. If you're not in a huge hurry, you can get a lot done with less power and keepin' at it.

Hopefully with a bit less flogging/killing the slave drivers.

Most I ever put in my truck was about 1800lbs of fresh hickory. That was a LOT of firewood, and the rear sank right down. Then I and the wife got in. We didn't have far to drive. Good thing. It got us there, but I didn't dare go fast. That was a little more than was safe.

Never towed more than a ton, but I've had 1000 lbs in the bed and a ton in a trailer, at that point you're moving a pretty decent load for just a half-ton pickup. Nothing to impress the fullsize American boys, but when I unload and unhitch, I'm back to 30mpg. In an f-250, unless you're Big Dave, that doesn't happen.

[ps2fixer]

@jamesqf

Sounds a lot like here, I'm mid state MI, so not really in the snow belt, unlike where I picked these trucks up at, guy said he has atleast 12-18inches of snow on the ground during the winter and 110+ inches of snow fall. My area is probably around 1/2 or a little less than that for a "normal" cold year even though it has been pretty warm the last few years. The major difference I see is if we have a 100 degree day, the night is still like 85, and since there are lakes all around, it is a humid heat. I went on vacation once to CO, it was like 75F at home, and 95F there in a drought. It felt so much better in the dry 95F weather!


@elhigh

My dad has impressed quite a few full sized pickup people, but the average person things a loaded truck is flat across the bed walls full of wood and my dad heaps it and pulls a trailer. I won't go into the safty side of it, it isn't exactly quick to stop or take off, but slow and defensive driving works very well. We don't go though the city or anything, so it is basically all open country roads with farm fields all over.



Anyway, quick update, the trip took a little longer than expected, but I got to use a plasma cutter, OMG I NEED ONE! 2WD truck is a 1 ton long box, non-duels (idk if the rear end is or not, but only single tires are on it). Driver's front top control arm is rusted in 2, so that made keeping the chains tight fun on the flat bed trailer.

The blue 4x4 with the bad frame has a pretty solid cab! Just as I was hoping, however the rear end might need work like the silver truck . The Pinion bolt is loose, and is really sloppy in the housing. I'm pretty sure it was loose when the guy drove the truck 15+ years ago, so the splines are probably worn quite badly. Only thing that kept the nut on was the bashed in spots on the nut to keep it from coming loose, It is catching on the last thread it seems like.

I took photos, my cousin got a couple of interesting videos of us loading, so in time more stuff! The Mazda did well on the trip and no break downs this time since we used the trailer .

Going to have to say for $550 I got a steal of a deal, just hopefully I can get a title for the blue truck. I don't think it is too hard in Michigan compared to other states.

[ps2fixer]

PHOTOS, not a lot but a few. Got the camo one unloaded, the blue cab is going to be fun :P.

Day time photos are at the guy's house I bought the trucks from, night time was almost home checking the load and getting a snack. That front wheel kept going further and further out as we went lol. Unloading it was a pain ^.^.

[Jasen]

Looks like you've got yourself a wee bit of a project

I had an 85 2wd long box SR5 EFI for 10 years.
I drove it like a Celica w/o a thought to FE and avg. 28 mpg. Loaded too the gunnels, tires rubbing many times and it didn't care, even towed a 80's F450 diesel (about 2.5 times the curb weight) a couple miles once, the clutch complained about that one a bit. It was like a faithful dog, wish I hadn't sold it.

Looking forward to the resurrection