the woes of a prerunner owner

If you knew you were going to off road then 4X4 should have been at the top of your list.

Trade it in and get a 4X4. It will nag you till you do. Its a contentious thought, but as to why someone would buy a truck without 4X4 bogles my mind.

 

I agree. I don’t off-road, but I was sold at “better to have it and not needing it than not have it and needing it” when I was looking for a Tacoma.

 

By time you change out spring s, shocks, and of course a lift.... then you have to ensure the vsc systems werent jeopardized,,, better off starting w a vehicle built as a 4x4.
A certified mechanic i know wont attempt a conversion unless it is like on a pre 1995 or earlier preferred.

 

I don't understand that argument at all. Why would you have a 4wd truck if you don't ever use it, or just use it a cpl times a year? It's just more cost, parts that need maintaining, or can fail etc.

 

Correct. Need a fj front diff tube or arb/spool as well to eliminate needing anything electrical

Agreed. Convert it and end up without the nanny front diff actuator/transfer case

You dont know what youre talking about

Please stop spreading bs

Cause you can

 

Because everybody wants to be a 4x4 fanboy.

 

Do a SAS conversion ,why waste money on the junk IFS.

 

SAS is a lot more involved with a lot more custom fab involved. The cost is much higher. Most of the IFS 4x4 conversion is bolt on and the parts can be found used for reasonably cheap.

 

True,but SAS is a lot more reliable than any IFS garbage.

 

Like others have said, if you truly NEED a 4x4, it’s much easier to just buy than convert. Not to mention, you won’t have the headache of trying to troubleshoot any issues you have with the conversion. I still use my 07 prerunner as a daily driver and it serves me well. The majority of people say they “need” 4x4 to go offroad when in reality they don’t. A good set of tires, airing down, and choosing good lines are important. I’ve only gotten stuck once in sand when off-roading with some 4x4 Jeeps. I was lazy and decided not to air down, so it wasn’t even the truck’s fault. Prerunners get bashed, but with patience and a good understanding of their limits, they perform exceptionally well. I say buy it and if it doesn’t serve you well, sell it. The resale value on these trucks are amazing.

 

Yea. When is your SAS gonna be done?

 

it's not any more reliable than IFS. Whether it's a solid axle or independent, they will have a ball joint or kingpin of sort and wheel bearings which are a wear item. As long as they are taken care of they should all last thousands of miles without issue.

 

Because it’s cool

 

The argument of “why buy a 4x4 if you only use it a couple time a year” is bizarre to me. There’s a dozen or more things we all own that we either use rarely or never use but it’s just better to have them around for if you need it.

Either way, I’ll never own a SUV or truck that isn’t 4x4. That’s just my standard, doesn’t have to be yours

 

Just my two cents having bought a Prerunner.

If I NEEDED or wanted a 4x4, I would’ve sucked it up and got one. Couple thousand extra on a loan isn’t a deal breaker since I keep vehicles until they are scrap ready.

I got a Prerunner because I don’t need nor would often use 4WD, and for the same money I got a newer truck with less miles than the 4wd’s I was looking at.

But, if I needed it, 4WD would top my priority list, with double cab being a close second.

 

Exactly how I ended up with a PR. It wasn't a mistake. I wasn't trying to save money. I wasn't trying to avoid additional maintenance. Just don't need 4WD. 35 years of driving and I've never owned a 4x4. So I bought a vehicle that serves me perfectly 99.5% of the time.

If I need a bit more bite from time to time...especially in the winter...then on go my extra rims with Duratracs. That setup along with the LSD turned on, gets me another .25%. That takes me to 99.75% of all the things I encounter. The remaining .25%? I just avoid.

 

OP, sell the PR and get what you really want. Conversion is not worth the costs of just buying a 4WD that you know was done properly from the factory. As for those using extra maintenance as arguments against owning a 4WD, changing diff and transfer case fluids at the recommended 60K is hardly extra costs. Fuel costs, blah blah blah.. is dependent on type of driving, usage, added mods etc.. regardless of PR vs 4WD.

 

...wait? you can actually convert a pre-runner to a 4x4??? sounds costly!

 

How much do you think it costs?

 

It is, it’s ridiculously expensive