What is a Prerunner anyway?

I'd bet 80% of us 4WD owners would have been just as well off with a PreRunner and we'd get better MPGs too.

 

If you have the mechanical inclination and the facility and tools to do so, then absolutely.

My truck as a prerunner with over 200k was worth about 10k, and a 4x4 model comprable to mine was worth near 20k. Even if I traded in I would still be deep in the hole. It is not cheaper to "just buy a 4x4" if you know what your doing.

The prerunner and 4x4 frames are identical with the exception of the transmission crossmember. Which can be easily modified or replaced.

That being said my truck is mechanical 4x4 now, I have a fj cruiser transfer case, and a momentary switch for my front diff actuator. I have no 4x4 module or anything like that.

 

Not for most people.

Workspace, tools, mechanical experience and a collection of all the right parts are minimum requirements.

Gathering the right parts can be tricky. Often best achieved by purchasing a wrecked 4wd of the same year to be a donor.

It certainly has been done, and I'm sure it will be done again. It's just a bit complex for the average shade tree.

 

I just ran up on this. I follow this guy on YT and had no idea of this being a thing. By the sounds of it, he actually prefers Prerunners. I'm looking in the wrong places for information or not looking hard enough.

This is what I'm talking about, right up till now, I've wondered if maybe the Prerunner is a truck for those who couldn't justify the expense of a 4wd. This or maybe liked the look of 4wd but didn't like the lower fuel economy.
This is out of ignorance on my part though.

Enter my personal quest to find out what a Prerunner is and why!!! This video is not that info, it's just a statement Tacomabeast said regarding the Prerunner, made me pause for a moment and really sparked an interest or curiosity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ6q5eyg9Gw

 

They do great, right up until they are useless. Under a lot of conditions they can be OK. But where I live if I'm off pavement I'm in mud where 4x2 sucks. And on fairly level ground a 4X2 does decent in snow, but I live in mountains where roads aren't level.

Real world there is no difference in fuel mileage, nor cost of ownership as long as everything else is the same. Kept stock with sensible tires a Pre-Runner and 4X4 will get fuel mileage close enough to the same that it would be hard to measure the difference. It is when guys go to oversize tires, lifts, and other modifications that add weight and decrease aerodynamics that fuel mileage takes a hit. It will take the same hit on a Pre-Runner that is modified.

You don't use 4X4 components enough miles to wear them out. A truck with 400,000 miles on it will probably not have 5000 miles with the 4X4 engaged.

A 4X4 costs more initially, but is worth more later. A guy could spend a lifetime driving only 4X4 trucks and not spend any more money than the guy who only drove 4X2 trucks. If you only need it once every few years it is well worth having.

 

Yeah, I know what you mean. You have to want to, and love doing it. Things like that take time and money for sure.

I had the privilege of having two friends as a young man who were well versed in Mustangs and Camaros. They provided the know-how for a Frankenstein 66 Mustang project that turned out pretty sweet after all was said and done. I remember a 9" rear end coming out of a 60's station wagon. 4 wheel disk brakes from a 72 Grenada etc. LOL knowing what works with what and where to get it is a big part of the game.

I realize now how lucky I was to have so many friends surrounding me with advanced mechanical knowledge to make all of that happen. All things considered, I don't have any desire to convert my Prerunner. It just came up in the exchange as threads oftentimes do.

I started this thread to try and learn more about what a Prerunner actually was, its capabilities, and what Toyota intended it to be. I didn't realize that it had its own following aside from the all-inclusive Tacoma crowd.

 

Look around here a bit and you will realize credibility for Tacoma Beast is just a few steps below the love shown for Pontiac Aztecs.

 

Is this where I ask what a Pontiac Aztecsis is, and you answer with "SEE WHAT I MEAN"???

I'm not aware of this forum's politics so I'm at a loss.

 

Just found this. I'm sure many or most here have this information, but for those who are where I am, enjoy.


https://www.tacomahq.com/163/what-is-tacoma-prerunner/

 

I can't speak for the credibility / quality / whatever else of Tacoma Beast. I prefer dealing direct with the manufacturers or at least Canadian distributors.

The Pontiac Aztec is just, inside and out, a poorly designed SUV.