2003 Prerunner

Hi everyone.Just picked up this 2003 Tacoma Prerunner. 2.7L,auto,130000 KM's,decent interior and body…….brand new chassis and a few other bits.

 

Congrats and welcome to tw. Looks pretty clean. At first glance thought you had gold wheels

 

Funny to see the new bits next to all the rusty old parts

 

Thank you.The east coast of Canada makes for some lovely rust!

 

Hope the frame is rust free

 

It is right now…..just replaced by Toyota of Canada…..brand new.

 

Sweet!

 

Even sweeter……I only paid $200.00 for the truck from PO. The dealership had it for so long doing the swap the owner bought something else to drive,and when he went back to pick it up they told him he needed a new driveshaft (one U joint has play in it)and an oxygen sensor (someone broke the wires/plug) ,he got pissed and called me at work to crush the truck. I quickly went and collected it right from the service department!

 

Hahaha $200 bucks! Well you hit the lottery with that deal.

 

Yes sir…..I actually did buy a ticket at the gas station on the way home in the truck…..just in case!!!

 

That is a badass right place right time deal if I ever saw one

 

Well "Cheaptruck" passed its motor vehicle inspection with flying colors!

I had to buy one new tire,(I had 2 used ones at home from my Land Rover in the same size so a bit more of luck there),one new U joint,a tail pipe and two rear shocks........and that's it!!

She has a slight pulse in the rotors and the check engine light is on. I know I need a new rear oxygen sensor as they broke the wires/top of the sensor I guess during the chassis swap. I'll address those later.

 

just keep an eye on the rest of the rust. don't want the axle housing to start going. hit everything you can in the spring with a wire wheel and/or sand paper and coat it with some protection of your choice. I've used Chassis Saver and it looks close to the color of that frame.

 

I'm half afraid to touch the rear axle with wire wheel......it,along with some other bits underneath,are pretty rough and I may need to source some used replacements.

Anyone know if these rims I found on a 4runner in a scrap yard would fit mine and not stick outside my fenders too much?

I don't have or want fender flares.

 

Yep they will work.

 

some of those on the 4Runners were 16 inch so you may need new tires but ya they are good. most 6-bolt Toyota rims will work without problems.

 

Thank guys. They are 15 inch rims with 31X10 tires on them. Are they wider than my steel rims?

I'd like to keep fairly skinny 235 tires on my truck.

 

honestly I'm very surprised at the tire/rim on your truck currently. most 01+ (at least XC/DC) had 16's with 31" tires (steel or alum rim). occasionally on reg cab you'd get those steel rims with 31x10.5 in 01-02, OR if someone decided to replace the 16' with 15's

I'd put on those 4Runner rims ad let them stay the tires on them

oh and to answer the question yours are 15x6.5 and the alum are 15x7(16x7) but you can run them no problem as they were designed for the models

if you are getting new tires try to find something close

Tire Size Equivalent Diameter
235/70R15 28X9.3R15 28"-3.1%
275/60R15 28X10.8R15 28"-3.1%
225/75R15 28.3X8.9R15 28.3"-2.1%
235/75R15 28.9X9.3R15 28.9"Equal
29X10.5R15 29X10.5R15 29"+0.3%
255/70R15 29.1X10R15 29.1"+0.7%
265/70R15 29.6X10.4R15 29.6"+2.4%
30X11.5R15 30X11.5R15 30"+3.8%
30X9.5R15 30X9.5R15 30"+3.8%

 

Maybe the steel rims/small tires were more common for the trucks for Canada?

Mine has 15 inch rims listed on the door post and I found another one in the scrapyard with the same combo as mine.

Thanks!

 

I'll have to double check but I think every tacoma has the 15 inch sticker. usually there would be a second one on the door jam with the 16 inch version too but the ones I've looked for online show the 16 inch on the one with the axle code.

I'll see if I can take pictures of mine

also looking at your pics you don't have the fender flares (or holes for the clips) which was possible with the PreRunner so maybe it was a base package model (also noticed the no power options)