'Freedom Fighters' Toyota PU's Spec?

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For years or decades now we can hardly turn on the TV news without seeing Middle East, Toyota Pickup trucks with either a 50 cal machine gun mounted in the back, or about 20 guys with AK 47's crammed in the bed.
What is the spec of the truck do they use? Most 'look' kind of old (80's style) are they typically gas or Diesel?
Anyone know?
 
There was actually a article in one of the car mags about how the Toyota PU was a must for insurgents/guerillas everywhere. Car & Driver maybe?

I'm sure spec differs by country of origin....
 
There's nothing really that special about the Hilux. It's really just a matter of the local market and what is affordable. It helps that these pick ups are bare bones. The bodies on them are actually very thin and flimsy but the light weight helps to keep stress on the frame and mechanicals low. There were plenty of 60's Chevy pickups and other domestics 20+ years old running around America on rough country roads hauling real loads and trailers a lot heavier than skinny guys with a machine gun. The Hilux is simple and fairly durable but there's a lot of hype at play.
 
I think the trucks are probaby just the right size, and in general toyota always put quality components in these trucks.
Once in a while we'll have my Dad's '03 F150 4x4 extended cab out on my land and its a much bigger pain in the butt to navigate around than my Tracker. You can't see the ground out of it, its extra ground pressure makes a mess in wet areas and getting 6000lbs unstuck is a bigger job than getting 3000lbs unstuck...
 
NATO countries use pickup trucks to haul soldiers around, too. The make and model differs based on the ubiquity of the manufacturer. I have mostly seen Mitsubishis.

Worldwide, Toyota has been more successful in establishing dealerships and service stations. If any other manufacturer had been as successful, we would see their trucks used as widely as Toyota is.

In this picture, we can see three Georgian pickup trucks. This army is paid for and trained by the US. As you can see, the pickups are of different models and makes.
Jeep_Georgian-army_08112007_news_001.jpg
 
a friend of mine grew up in panama, his dad was in the army there. they had a hilux. said it was similar to the tacoma but was a lot more capable of handling abuse. no frills, stout suspension. he thought that the suspension and frame was more robust but wasn't sure. not built for speed-- build for poor "roads" / no roads over its full life.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Seeing a lot of solid front axles on those taliban wagons...


Agree......I wonder if they are 'Old' Land Cruiser based?
 
The Hilux's are the same up until 95 as the Toyotas here were except they kept the solid front axle that ended in 85 here until about 92 and they run diesels in those trucks. I'm running a Hilux diesel in my 92 that I bought from Japan and installed into my truck. Much better motor than the old V6. Also these trucks can take a real beating and are overbuilt. The diesels will last forever and the axles are very strong. The frame is fully boxed and is tough and they are a no frills truck with lots of ground clearance and a tough transmission and Tcase. The little diesels are good on fuel as well. They do use LandCruiser pickups as well which are more like 1 tons. The newest ones run a 4.5L twin turbo V8 diesel that puts out 600 lbft torque from 1400-3400rpm which is nice. Too bad they didn't sell those here.
 
The Toyota and the Nissan trucks seem to be over-engineered and over-built, which I think is why they last a long time. Thin metal and rust seem to be their downfall, at least in the 'States, but the drivelines are pretty much bomb-proof. My '95 Nissan 4x4 had a 9.275" rear axle...huge for a truck that size. My friend with a Ranger was proud that his truck had the 8.8" in it.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
The Toyota and the Nissan trucks seem to be over-engineered and over-built


At least the Hardbody was, the old 80s Toyota PUs were structurally somewhat flimsy (in stock form) with a pretty bulletproof drivetrain.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
The Toyota and the Nissan trucks seem to be over-engineered and over-built, which I think is why they last a long time. Thin metal and rust seem to be their downfall, at least in the 'States, but the drivelines are pretty much bomb-proof. My '95 Nissan 4x4 had a 9.275" rear axle...huge for a truck that size. My friend with a Ranger was proud that his truck had the 8.8" in it.


How many spline were the axles in your 9.275"? The 31-spline 8.8 is a VERY strong diff.
 
I've seen plenty of early 80's Toyota trucks with broken 5 speeds and blown head gaskets. IMO the domestic trucks are much better in every way. S-10 with the Iron Duke 4 cylinder weren't prone to headgasket failures.
 
The early 5 speeds were junk till 83. The input bearings weren't strong enough. After that they were good. The newer R series work great. The 3.0L V6 was the one that ate head gaskets and is a completely junk motor which is why my truck is a diesel now. The older trucks had the 22R in them and it was bulletproof. I'd take my old 82 with the beefed up transmission over anything for reliability.
 
I always thought Nissan and Toyota had it all over the domestics in the compact truck market (and still do today). And I think the domestics still have it all over Toyota in the full-size market. I've experienced enough '80s and '90s S-10s to know that I'd not want one. My '95 Nissan with 200k miles was as tight as the day it was new, and felt better than 80k mile S-10s from the same era. The 2005 Chevy Colorados we have at work aren't much better than the old S-10s, and don't hold a candle to the Tacoma, at least in my experience (and I know that varies for everybody).
 
I think the Nissans for your vintage are better built than today's Nissans.

The Tacoma up here in the NE USA is a rusty truck with frame problems, but a real solid driveline, especially the 4 cyl/5-speed manual. Think the early 90s Hilux is a better built truck.

GM S trucks and Colorados aren't good for reliability. Both the S-10 and Dakotas rust like crazy here.

The Ranger (I have one) is quite durable and sturdy, but simple.

To me, in a non-salty climate, it is the Tacoma and Ranger are the most solid. The Frontier a close runner up.
 
I think the '90s Nissan trucks are better also...even the '98 Frontier was a step in the wrong direction according to many. My Nissan had frame and bed rust also. From the outside, it looked like a real clean truck (and it was). But underneath, there was some cancer. I don't think many vehicles from the '80s and early '90s fought rust very well.
 
I up-graded from a 95 Toyota PU (that I had from new) to a mint condition 84. The better Fit finish and feel (on the older truck) was like night and day!
I had bought the 95 after I had given away my 82 PU that had over 500k on the clock, it was still a good work horse but 'rusty'

I would say the frame of these trucks was Adequate, if you want to see 'overbuilt' look at the frame of an old, late 60's Toyota Crown
shocked.gif
 
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