Department > Old Iron
Toyota’s Mighty Mini
The ‘79-85 Solid Axle 4x4 Toyota Pickups
by Jim Allen
photos courtesy Toyota Archives
A long wheelbase ’79 Toyota Hilux 4x4. These trucks went on sale partway into 1979. Only two trim levels were offered, Standard and Deluxe, with a number of options. They mounted H78-15 tires in a mud and snow tread.
Prior to the 1973 oil embargo, compact pickups were viewed as cute or a joke and not much in-between. Just a few months after those fateful days, they started on a road that put them on the curl of a wave that has yet to crest some 32 years later.
In those first spooky years after the crunch, the only compact pickups out there were imports... virtually all of them from Japan. While Detroit picked itself up off the floor, wiped a bloody nose and began a major change of focus, the import truckmakers enjoyed a seller’s market. There was just one thing missing in that market. Four wheel-drive.
Fresh off the boat, this shortbed ’79 Hilux has the optional chrome package. Even with the relatively small tires, these trucks had an impressive amount of clearance. They had 7.7 inches under the diffs, a 41.5 degree approach and 29.5 degree departure angles. The most impressive part of these trucks was that they had axles only a notch or two below Dana 44s in strength. That left lots of room for tire upgrades.
Prior to ’79, none of the Japanese manufacturers offered a 4x4 in a compact truck, though there was a small market in converting them. Companies like Diversified Four-Wheel Drive, Mepco, Low’s, Arcadia Datsun and Roadrunner, among many others, converted the popular models. Dana even had a special Dana 30 axle for minitruck converters (BOMs 610065-1 through -15 in case you’re interested). These conversions were fair to good, depending on the converter. Then came Toyota.
In 1979, Toyota introduced a benchmark compact 4x4 pickup. Yes, Isuzu produced a 4x4 that same year wearing the Chevy LUV nameplate. It was an OK rig for the day... but who remembers it and when did you last see one on a trail? The solid axle Hilux Toyota was an instant hit and became a ‘wheeling legend. Among small truck fans in general and Toyota pickup nuts in particular, this is the truck that really started it all and it’s been on “best builder” lists for decades.
Though you can’t tell it, this rare ’85 Deluxe long bed 4x4 has the 2.2L Turbo Diesel. By all reports, the turbo diesel trucks were pretty sprightly, though no match for the 22 or 22RE... except in passing a fuel station. The non-turbo and turbo version were similar engines, but the compression ratio was lower (20:1 versus 22.3:1) on the turbo version. Internal changes for the TD included a stouter, fully counterbalanced crankshaft, a revised camshaft profile, a new combustion chamber design and oil cooled pistons.
What set it apart from the other mini 4-bys of the day was that solid front axle. The other minitrucks used IFS and that limited trail and modification potential. Toyota used the same approach for their new pickup as with the old Land Cruiser; keep it elegantly simple, make it stout and make it capable. In typical Toyota fashion, it was way overbuilt for stock use and that’s what helped create the legend more than anything. That extra strength and simplicity made it adaptable to a great variety of modifications.
The solid axle Hilux 4x4s came in two basic evolutions, the round-fender and the square-fender. This refers to the shape of the wheel openings. The “roundies” were built to ’83 and also had round headlights through ’81, with square lights for ’82 and ’83. For ’84 a major restyle and general upgrade of the entire line changed the look and added a great number of comfort, convenience and cosmetic improvements.
The Xtra cab was Toyota’s answer to the pickup owner’s perennial cry, “more room!” It came on a long wheelbase chassis, but used a short bed. The cab had just under 10 inches more room behind the seat, giving a lot of useful storage space. The Xtra cabs were still a skosh shorter overall than the longbed regular cab.
The solid axle Toys came in two wheelbase configurations, the 102-inch wheelbase shortbed (103-inch from ’83-85) and the 110-inch wheelbase longbed (112-inch from ’83-85). When the roomy Xtracab debuted in ’84, it was on the long wheelbase chassis but with a short bed. The truck based 4Runner, which debuted as an’84.5 model, was on a shortbed chassis.
For ’79 and ’80, the trusty 2.2L 20R four-banger shunted power through a four-speed manual. For ’81, the bigger 22R headlined and a 5-speed manual was added to the options list. This is the combo that really took this truck to the finish line. The 22R is the Chevy smallblock of the Toyota world and has legions of fans, an impressive record and a bevy of performance parts available
By ’82, the roundies had moved well up the “snazz” food chain. This ’82 SR5 longbed is pretty well decked out with nice stripes, white spoker wheels and the new 22R/5-speed combo. As you can see, a sunroof was on the options list. Throughout the ’79-85 run, 4x2 and 4x4 Toyotas wore different grilles, as well as the 4x4s having the fender flares. If this truck had had the optional Chrome package, it would have had either Bridgestone Desert Dueler or Dunlop Max Trak-Grip white letter tires.
The first 4x4 Toyota Hilux pickup had been rather a plain Jane, but Toyota steadily upped the ante. In ’81, the more upscale SR5 (for “Sport Rally 5-speed”) package was added to the Standard (only available on shortbeds) and Deluxe 4x4 trim level lineup. This package included the new 5-speed tranny, white spoke wheels, a much nicer interior with bucket seats, a tach and full carpeting.
When the roundies left the scene in ’84, a bunch of new stuff debuted. The first was a totally new look. The squared off wheel openings and sharper look set the pattern for another four years. The changes went farther than just looks. Glass area was increased a bunch and a double wall bed was introduced. The interior was enlarged and totally revised in appearance and functional qualities. Two new models appeared, the extremely popular Xtracab, which had an additional 9.3 inches of length in the cab, and the 4Runner. Creature comforts were added to the options lists.
The legendary 22R early in its career, as seen on an ’84. This was just a year before the fuel injected version became available in the 4x4 trucks. Power levels for the 22R carbureted ranged from 96hp in smog-choked California, to a high of about 103hp for ’85 Federal rigs.
Also for ’84, a newly uprated 2.2L diesel was added to the lineup. Previously a 2.1L diesel had been available, but only in 4x2s. Though seldom seen, the ’84 diesel offered 31/36 EPA mpg city/highway with a 5-speed, compared to 20/23 for the gas engine. In ’85, it was uprated with a turbo and bumped by 9hp but, like the ’84 non-turbo, was only offered in longbed 4x4 trucks. The turbo’s mileage dropped for some reason to 26mpg city and highway.
A midyear ’84 intro was the 4Runner SUV. For some years, Toyota 4x4 pickups had been converted into pseudo SUVs by Winnebago and called the Trekker. With the addition of a hard mounted fiberglass cap and other accoutrements, they became more van than truck. Some 1200-1500 (sources differ) Trekkers were built from ’81 into ’83 and they had all the bells and whistles available from Toyota and lots of other goodies from Winnebago. Toyota took that concept and offered the 4Runner with a very small investment of time, effort and money.
The ’79 and ’80 trucks used the 20R engine that cranked out 90hp with a 2-bbl carb. Though ignored by many these days, it was the granddad of the adored 22R powerplant and has good performance potential.
The 4Runner featured a removable rear section top and seating for up to five. The Deluxe version (the lowest grade) had two bucket seats up front and a vanlike storage space in back but no bulkhead. The SR5 had a bench rear seat, as well as all the other goodies that came with that package. A rear mounted roll bar came standard on both trim levels.
The year 1985 brought more new goodies. A major highlight was the 22RE fuel injected engine (a lower power version of it had been offered in ’84 4x2 trucks). For ’85, it was only available in the 4Runner and pickups with the SR5 package. This engine performed a lot more impressively than its specs revealed and it replaced the carbureted engine in future year trucks. Mileage improved over the carbureted trucks to 22 city and 25 highway. A new 60 amp lightweight alternator replaced the old 40 amp unit.
The newly clad ’84s built on established mechanicals and an added heapin’ helpin’ of style and a bevy of comfort and convenience upgrades. This is an SR-5 longbed.
Among most Toyota solid axle truck nuts (aficionados), ’85 is the top pick because of all the improvements. Then in ’86, Toyota introduced the IFS trucks and the solid axle era ended. That change marked an improvement in street drivability with only a sight loss of performance on the trail, bone stock for bone stock. For the definite worse, the days of the cheap and easy buildups were over. Toyota called it a good trade, but die hard Toyota ‘wheelers didn’t.
The gas crunches of ’73 and ’79 cajoled many truck people into the mini-truck world, but it was still an uphill struggle for the Toyota 4x4 minitruck to earn a rep in the ‘wheeling world. Like it’s older brother, the Land Cruiser, it persevered by offering capability and adaptability. To quote the title of a 1980 vintage Off-Road magazine trail test, in which an ’80 Toyota pickup was tested on the Rubicon in front of hundreds of ‘wheelers, “The Laughter Stopped.”
The ’84-85 interiors were better equipped than previous years. Shown is an ’84 SR5, which was the top-o-the-line.
Specifications:
1979-85 Toyota Hilux and ’84.5-85 4Runner
Engines:
| EngineModel/Disp. | hp@rpm | torque@rpm | Years |
| 20R/2.2L | 90@4800 | 122@2400 | ’79-80 |
| 22R/2.4L | 100@4800 | 130@2800 | ’81-85 |
| 2L/2.2L | 75@4000 | 114@2400 | ’84 |
| 2L-T/2.2L | 84@4000 | 137@2400 | '85 |
| 22RE/2.4L | 116@4800 | 140@2400 | ’85 |
Transmissions:
’80-83- 4-speed, L43 or L-45
’81-83- 5-speed, L50, L-52 (opt)
’83-85- 5-speed G52, G54, or W-56
Axles:
’79-85 Front & Rear- 7.8-in (8-inch), 30-spline shafts
Dimensions and Capacities:
| Model | LxW(in) | Curb Wt(lbs) | GVW(lbs) | Fuel(gal) |
| ’79-82 SWB | 171.1x66.5 | 2960 | 4550 | 13.5 |
| ’79-82 LWB | 186.2x66.5 | 3015 | 4550 | 16.0 |
| ’83 SWB | 171.1x66.5 | NA | NA | 17.2 |
| ’83 LWB | 186.2x66.5 | NA | NA | 19.2 |
| ’84-85 SWB | 174.6x66.5 | NA | 4800 | 17.2 |
| ’84-85 LWB | 186.2x66.5 | 3400 | 4800 | 19.2 |
| ’84-85 4Ru. | 174.6x66.5 | 3305 (Delx) 3355 (SR5) |
4800 | 14.8, 17.2 SR5 |
The 4Runner was introduced as an ’84.5 model and took off like a rocket. It was a masterful adaptation that turned a pickup into an SUV. It didn’t quite match the features of the “real” SUVs of the day, but it held it’s own in the market nonetheless. The removable cap made for open-air fun and something not offered by any other compact SUV.