TOYOTA STOUT

OVERVIEW

Manufacturer: Toyota

Also called: Toyopet RK, Toyopet Stout, Toyota Lite Stout, Toyota Stallion

Production: 1954 – 1989

• Body and Chassis

Class: light truck

HISTORY

The Toyota Stout was a light truck produced by the Japanese automaker Toyota from 1954 through 1989. The Stout shared its platform with the Toyota Dyna until 1968, when the Dyna was given its own platform, called the Toyota “U”. In Japan, it was sold at Toyota Japanese dealerships called Toyopet Store.

• First generation (1954-1960): (RK)

Introduced in April 1954 as the Toyopet RK 1¼ ton truck, it was larger than the similar Toyota SG light truck but smaller than the Toyota FA medium duty truck. In 1955 it was upgraded to carry 1.5 tons.

In 1957 the RK was revised to become the RK30 and the RK35. In May 1959 it was named the Stout. Its main competitor was the Nissan Junior

• Second generation (1960-1978): (RK40, RK41, RK43, RK45, RK47, RK100, RK101)

Completely redesigned in 1960, this is the most familiar version of the Stout.

• Third generation (1979-1989): ( RK110, RK111, YK110)

Facelifted and modernised in March 1979, the 1.5-ton Stout now used the front pressings of the smaller Hilux but still fulfilled the same role as before.

Most third generation Stouts were exported. The double cab version was retired in July 1985. Stout production came to a final halt in March 1989, although there are indications that production continued until as late as 2000. These later versions (YK110) are supposed to have received the 4Y engine.

DESIGN

• First generation (1954-1960): (RK)

The standard body was a 2-door, 3 seater pickup with a separate well body (with a fold down tailgate). Other bodies advertised by Toyota included a van, an ambulance, double cab coupé utility (2-doors, 6 seater, integral well body), drop-side pickup, pickup with stake sides, a pickup with full height metal side with a canvas top, a light bus (precursor to the Coaster) and an ice cream van.

All models used mechanicals common to new vehicles of its time, such as a ladder frame chassis, leaf springs, solid axles and 4 wheel drum brakes. The engine was the 48HP 1500 cc Type R with a manual transmission. The body was professionally finished with windscreen wipers, dual outside mirrors (1955 onwards), hubcaps, chrome trim and dual headlights.

• Second generation (1960-1978): (RK40, RK41, RK43, RK45, RK47, RK100, RK101)

Along with the new optional engine, the Stout also underwent a facelift, including twin headlights. In September 1963 there also appeared a shorter and lighter duty (type RK40) model called “Light Stout”, which featured independent coil sprung front suspension for a more carlike ride. This was meant to compete directly with Nissan’s Datsun minitrucks, but it never sold particularly well in its home market and was replaced by the Briska and Hilux following Toyota’s takeover of Hino Motors.

Conventional mechanical parts were used in the form of leaf springs and four-wheel drum brakes on a ladder frame chassis. Body styles include a pickup (two-door, three seater), a double-cab pickup (four-door, six seater) and a two-door panel van.

• Third generation (1979-1989): ( RK110, RK111, YK110)

Body styles included a pickup (two-door, three-seater) and a double-cab pickup (four-door six-seater). The Stout was cancelled in 1989 without a successor, as Toyota’s first full-size pickup, the T100 (as well as the later Tundra) were built mainly for North America, where the Stout had been replaced by the Hilux in 1968. In Japan, the third generation Stout saw very limited sales, as trucks in this weight class were nearly always of a cab-over design.

SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOYOTA STOUT

The following are the main areas in which improvements have been introduced in the Stout:

New styling: The use of dual-lamp headlights and a more spacious front windshield lets the Stout retain its image of a tough, sturdy truck, while the double-cab type now has four doors instead of three, making for greater ease of use.

Compliance with 1979 emissions and noise standards: Noise control standards have been met mainly by using a higher capacity muffler and a temperature controlled fluid coupling fan.

Increased durability and stability: The use of rustproof steel plating and of rust preventative in key places. As an added convenience the fuel tank capacity has been raised from 40 liters to 61 liters, thus allowing longer periods of driving without refueling.

Increased safety: A large-size brake booster used in the single-cab type improves braking performance, and a Load-Sensing Proportioning Valve―standard in all model types―allows adjustments in the braking force according to actual truck load and provides a stable braking performance in emergencies.
Greater glass area gives the driver a wider field of vision, and improved window wipers clean a wider glass area in rain and snow.
Other safety factors include continuous-webbing 3-point type seatbelts for easier fastening and unfastening.

Greater comfort and improved equipment: The wider, longer cabin interior gives the Stout greater roominess, enabling the seats to now slide a total of 140mm instead of 100mm, and the seat backs to recline up to 24 degrees instead of 17 degrees: these improvements make the driver’s seating position more comfortable.

Several other improvements contribute to giving the Stout both functions and comfort usually found only in passenger cars.

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR CAR?

Fixing deep scratches on your used car before the rust forms with something as simple as a dab of touch-up paint will save you endless trouble in the long run.

• Keep it clean

Giving your Toyota a regular all-round wash is a great way to keep it in the best possible shape and inspect the bodywork and interior for any wear-and-tear that you can attend to before it becomes a big concern.

Similarly, if you allow brake-dust and road grime to accumulate on your used car’s alloy wheels, it will, over time, leave dark spots or make your used car’s rims appear dull.

It is very important to remember that you should never wash your used Toyota, or any other used car for that matter, with standard dish washing liquid or other household cleaning detergent.

Think about it: If your Toyota is regularly equipped with clean filters, oil and other lubricants, its engine will operate without any undue strain. This will lead to better fuel consumption and better engine performance in the short term and greater durability in the long term.

• Keep an eye on your tyres

Make it a habit to regularly check your tyre tread and the tyre pressure of your Toyota.

Inspecting the tyre tread helps you to quickly identify irregular wear patterns, such as wear on the outside of the tyre. If you spot this early enough, you can address it and extend the life of your tyres.

If you see an irregular tread pattern, you may need to check each wheel’s balancing or the alignment between the wheels at an approved tyre fitment centre.

Checking your tyre pressure is equally important. An under-inflated tyre will cause more wear and tear and will increase your vehicle’s fuel consumption. An over-inflated tyre will, in turn, cause uneven wear on the tyre and may negatively influence your vehicle’s steering and wet-weather performance.

• Monitor your fuel economy

Keeping an eye on your fuel economy is a great way of tracking the mechanical integrity of any used vehicle.

By keeping an eye on your tyres, bodywork, fuel economy and by regularly servicing your Toyota, you can be sure that it will maintain its value very well as a used vehicle and it will give you many years of trouble-free service.

Source: wikipedia, globaltoyota.