1st gen Taco/3rd gen 4runner parts interchangability

Looking to buy a 3rd gen 4runner and have some 1st gen taco parts sitting around. I wanted to confirm how interchangeable are the parts between them, Namely engine, trans, transfer case, and rear drive shaft.

 

03-04 Tacomas are drive-by-wire, as are 01-02 4Runners.

All 3rd Gen 4Runners had ABS; some Tacoma's had it and some didn't.

All 4x4 3rd Gen 4Runners were ADD; some Tacoma's were and some were manual hub.

Auto 3rd Gen 4Runners had a different stall speed than Tacoma's.

A multimode transfer case was optional on 99-00 3rd Gen 4Runners; this transfer case was never made available for Tacoma's.

2001-02 3rd Gen 4Runners had a center-locking differential and did away with the optional rear locker.

A few different gear ratios were offered for the 3rd Gen 4Runner than were offered for Tacoma's, but there were indeed 4.10 between both and a few other (don't remember).

Front suspension on both is nearly identical, with the exception of the sway bar, lower ball joints, and tie rod ends.

Rear suspension is completely different between the two.

Rear axle housings are also different, with slight variations in the 3rd member as well.

Just get your 3rd Gen 4Runner and decide what extra parts are worth keeping and which ones aren't.

Easy.

 

Thanks,Just checking before I make the plunge. I have most of what i need up front to convert the runner to 4wd, Sold the push button transfer case and transmission knowing its for drive by wire. Still have the drive shaft out of my Taco but im certain the runners have a shorter one. Looking at 98-00 4runners to avoid that drive by wire stuff.

 

Same as a Tacoma.

Either, modify the current spindles by dismantling them and installing the appropriate wheel hubs (whether you go ADD or manual hub).

New wheel bearing (the same regardless if 2wd or 4wd, regardless if ADD or manual hub).

Front diff, and necessary components depending on the route you go IE ADD or manual hub.

Transfer case of your choosing.

Transmission, if auto, can have the output shaft swapped out. If replacing the auto, make sure it's of the same engine due to the input gear differences.

Can't recall driveshaft lengths between both models, etc.

 

Already have my 4wd spindles off my Taco new bearings/seals and gusseted so it should be a straight swap.

 

From what I've gathered on the forums and rummaging through junkyards...

3rd gen 4Runner wheelbase is about 1" longer than a standard cab 1st gen Tacoma. You might be able to use a rear 4Runner drive shaft in a standard cab Tacoma, not in an extended or double cab. I think different years (or maybe trims?) of 4Runners also got different drive shafts.

Over the weekend I overheard some guys talking about how some 4Runners had slip yokes and other didn't. They weren't sure why.

 

Thought so. Ill go find out while shopping

 

Can anyone verify if first gen (2000) Tacoma PreRunner front struts will plug and play with a 3rd gen 4 runner ?

 

Coilovers will; neither use struts.

But they may have different spring rates if you're talking stock.

 

Will 3rd gen runner rear shocks work on a Tacoma 1st gen?

 

4Runner rears have stems on top, not eyelets so no.

 

-I learned the hard way that 3rd gen 4Runner's have shorter front doors then our Taco's. The door panels, front windows, the door its self and a few other parts do not fit.

-The hood latch from a 3rd gen 4Runner will bolt right up, but the secondary hood release latch will be hard to get reach.

-Yakima q clips for the 3rd gen 4Runner will fit our Taco's

-The manual hvac controls will swap over.