I’ve found that to be successful in trapping you really have to have a reliable yet durable pickup. I’ve not found a whole lot that will beat up a pickup more than a season on the trap line. My poor mechanic would cringe when I pulled into his shop. I remember one time I had both shocks completely busted off, and I believe the sway bar was completely gone yet I was still going field to field with that truck.
Finally have come full circle and found a trapping truck that meets my expectations.

A little back story I drove a 1992 Toyota for 15 years, and did just about anything in that truck. In 15 years it was stuck twice that I could recall, and one time was in a culvert deep enough when they were pulling me out only one wheel was touching the ground (I’m still not exactly sure how that happened). Well I added about 1k into the truck for the last few years every year to make it road worthy, and one cold morning it wouldn’t crank over (that was the one thing the darn thing always did was crank over). It sounded as though the engine would flood and die out. Come to find out I had punched a hole in the gas tank. Anyways there was a lot of work to be done on this truck, and frankly I thought I’d ran it about as hard as it could go. So I sold the truck.

In the last 1.5-2 years I’ve went through a number of trucks. I started with a 2001 S-10 two wheel drive, and quickly found that 2-wheel drive just doesn’t make my kind of trapping plausible. The second was a 2004 Ford Ranger Extended cab which wasn’t a bad truck but the four wheel drive went out, and it was going to cost nearly what I paid for it to get it replaced. I traded that truck for a jacked up 1997 Chevy Silverado with newer tires, and a rebuilt transmission. I quickly remembered why I liked the smaller trucks as you darn near had to jump to get a trap out of the back of it. I traded that truck straight across for a 2003 Chevy s-10 four wheel drive four-door. It wasn’t all that bad of a truck but I needed a little better car so I traded that truck on a newer vehicle I could use to get around for my multiple jobs with better gas mileage. That left me with a 2000 two wheel drive Dodge Ram 1500 that I traded my older gas mileage car for. Once again I figured I’d give two wheel drives a shot, and was quickly reminded that it just wasn’t plausible. I spent 45 minutes zig zagging up our pasture in about 3 inches of snow trying to get up the hill. Finally I’d had enough and sold the truck, and for the first time in my driving career I did not have a pickup at home.

I decided that I needed to be patient as I had in total tried out about 5 other trucks. None of them ever compared to the Toyota, even though it was a 1992 it just fared much better in situations I found myself in trapping compared to anything else I attempted to put it up against. The Toyotas around here are ridiculously priced you can get one for under $10000 once they hit 200,000 miles. Finally it happened. My father in-law mentioned his buddy was moving to Colorado and his wife was making him give up his Toyota. He thought he could get it cheap for me. Best part was this truck was exactly like my first truck other than it’s got the extended cab. I assumed it would be like my poor Toyota was. Years of beating on it had taken its toll. To my surprise this guy had kept this truck immaculate. The interior is like it was first off the lot in 1992, not a blemish in it. He replaced the engine 20,000 miles ago with an engine that had 40,000 miles on it, so I am currently sitting at 60,000 miles (anyone that knows Toyota engines know that they run forever). He also had just put $700 worth of tires on the truck right before they realized they were moving. I expected the usual crazy price range from Toyotas, but when my inlaw talked to his buddy he offered him $2500 to get it gone. Even though this gal is 26 years old you wouldn’t know it looking at her, and if she gives me half the life my first 92 did I’ll be a happy camper.

Hope she works out good for ya.
Your right, ya need something that will get ya back home!

I was out running around the Sandhills a couple years ago, not the place i'd want to break down!

Nice looking truck! I would be all over that for $2500.

Dave

I’ll have to bring some car wax!!!! Glad you got the Yota!!

I had an 05 siverado, engine went at 100k then the tranny went the 2nd time at 240k. I was done. Found a 06 4wd Tacoma ext cab with 140 on it for 12k.. Took it to the local yota dealer to run the vin for possible recalls because of the history on carfax and the coating on the frame is flaking off. They evaluated and are recoating the frame for zero.. I had an 85 yota 4 banger, ran for years after I replaced the engine at 150k.

Low gear off road driving is tough on trucks, my advise is to have the frame checked and the front suspension before season. Good choice.. Hope yours is a 6 cyl. One more thing, if you get deep snow get rid of the running boards. They drag bad in deep snow..

I always looked at them Toyota's as good trapping rigs.

Great deal for sure

First thing I did was crawl under and look for rust on the frame. That seems to be the downfall of all of those older Toyotas. It is a 6 cyl. Doesn't leak any fluids. The only thing I wish was different is that it's an automatic. My first truck was a 5 speed. I'm going to let the running boards go for now, we haven't had much over 6 inches in quite some time (honestly I don't even use them, but they will be nice for the kids). I catch a lot of flack around here as Toyotas aren't really that popular of an outdoor truck, but the reliability has been the key for me. For 15 years that Toyota cranked over in the mornings whether it was 80 degrees or -20. Everything else I drove in the last two years I took a deep breath every morning I cranked it over. This truck so far seems the same, instant start, and hums right along. Not fancy, but a workhorse.

Most all the hardcore predator trappers Iv'e spoke with about trucks drive yotas. My first was a manual shift but I have grown to love automatics. You can always shift into a lower gear with autos too. Keep an eye on the front ball joints, they are prone to brake. Spoke with a trapper in western Montana for advice "buy the taco bud" There's a website Tacomaworld.com that has alot of great info. Later bud

Good deal, congrats. That guy's wife must be awful special to make him give up that truck that cheap!

Can your inlaws shop for me? Everything out here that's good price is beat to death.

Nice ride Toyota has a good rep!

That's what I was thinking! Ha. They did fall into a pretty good deal. His brother married a millionaire rancher in Colorado apparently. The wife is going to be the wedding planner on the ranch I guess they do about 6 weddings a year. He's going to be a ranch hand (he's been an administrator in the local school system for 30 years it will be interesting to see what kind of ranch hand he is), and they'll get free living/housing with about $50,000 a year. They also guide some elk hunts so I'm trying to sneak my way in the door ha. Not a bad retirement gig, and he got to buy a brand new truck for the trek. I told him he was going to miss it when it was gone.

I love the 01 yota I have its been a good one. the front end is the only thing that has given me any problems. replaced the originals at 240,000 and now on my 4th set at 280,000. the aftermarket ones are not as good.