AutoMoto Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Tonight I just looked at a '88 Pioneer, 4.OH!, Auto, 2WD, LWB, in decent shape. Keep in mind, I want this for my "shop truck". I own a consulting business, where I may need to tow a small car from time to time or, a motorcycle trailer. I consult dealerships. My mechanic, said it needs a radiator, steering box, some wiring, valve cover gasket, and a matching front wheel/tire. It also features a button on the dash for "Power" or "comfort. What's that? The tires on it are noisy as 2 skeletons @#$%ing in a garbage can, what's a good ROAD tire? It's a 2wd, I'm never going off road. :yes: What say you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oizarod115 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 anything that says michelin on it is a good tire IMHO the power/comfort switch is gonna most-likely be an easy junkyard find, and a 20 minute fix with a phillips screw-driver. it changes the shift points on the transmission from low rpm shifts to higher rpm shifts. as for the radiator, steering box, and valve cover gasket... thats up to you and your budget... take fair price for the truck and add the amount of those three into it and then decide whether or not you can afford it. should be a decent truck as long as its not rusted out. i say its up to your budget. it's an oldie but a goodie, but it's going to cost money in repairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasbulliwagen Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 The Michelins arent as good as they used to be, and if you do get them, they will be dry rotted before they even wear out. In my opinion they arent worth the extra money you will spend to get them. Yokohama, Kumho, Toyo all make good tires at a good price. Go to tirerack.com type in the size you want and it will bring up a list of whats available with performance ratings, and customer reviews, though they don't carry the Toyo's, BFG's are also pretty good. The power comfort button just changes the shift patterns in the trans, Jeep later did away with that and all were programmed to the power setting only. Check to see what rear axle it has, it will either have a Dana 35, or a Dana 44. The 44 will be much better for towing and will have heavier springs better for towing a load. Sounds like a good purchase asuming it isnt rusted too much. How much are they asking for it??? These trucks may be rare, but they are not collectable so don't fall for too high of a price. Some owners think that since they are rare they are worth a pretty penny. That just isnt the case with our trucks. Send us some piccs too. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AutoMoto Posted November 10, 2009 Author Share Posted November 10, 2009 The Michelins arent as good as they used to be, and if you do get them, they will be dry rotted before they even wear out. In my opinion they arent worth the extra money you will spend to get them. Yokohama, Kumho, Toyo all make good tires at a good price. Check to see what rear axle it has, it will either have a Dana 35, or a Dana 44. The 44 will be much better for towing and will have heavier springs better for towing a load. Sounds like a good purchase asuming it isnt rusted too much. How much are they asking for it??? These trucks may be rare, but they are not collectable so don't fall for too high of a price. Some owners think that since they are rare they are worth a pretty penny. That just isnt the case with our trucks. Send us some piccs too. Good luck! I've ran Kumho's on my cars for the past 5 years. I even run them on my Audi! How do I tell what axle I have? (sorry for the noob question) He's asking $900, and I can't seem to find any rust perforation. Just some surface stuff. In this economy with my company, every dollar counts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Just because it has a D44 doesn't mean it has the MT springs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperWade2 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Just because it has a D44 doesn't mean it has the MT springs. :agree: My D44 (ordered from Factory per Buildsheet) SWB= NO MT Springs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 He's asking $900, and I can't seem to find any rust perforation. Just some surface stuff. In this economy with my company, every dollar counts! Our trucks tend to rot fro the inside-out. Pull of the corners of the carpet and check for moisture or funny smells. look underneath for any signs of rot under the floorboards. Right above the rear flares is another spot that typically rots from the inside-out. If you see any evidence of bubbling out the outside, then it's probably pretty bad on the inside. If you're looking to haul a car around, you might want to look into a bigger or newer truck. These little guys are all 20 years old and the brakes will need some maintenance or even upgrading. Trailer brakes are HIGHLY recommended and some would say required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AutoMoto Posted November 11, 2009 Author Share Posted November 11, 2009 thanks for all the help guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AutoMoto Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 Made the deal. $700...pick it up this weekend if things go as planned! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oizarod115 Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 great, hope it works out for the best. and you can at LEAST get 700 back out of it if you had to cut your losses and sell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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