Myself I would stick with a Gen II full size. They are absolute beasts for towing, great stability, stiff suspension with adjustable shocks, AWESOME braking capability, more room for gear and such....The only real desicion should be older 3.5 Vs newer 3.5, and whether you want that extra 15hp of the older 3.5 ,or a newer rig. As well gearing gets pathetic later on, so I think a 94-97 SR with 215hp and 4:65 gears would be the way to go.

1996 SR From the Area 51 Skunk Works. 37"BFG Tires, 5" lift, Rock Track 4:1 Case, Tom Woods Drive Shafts, Oasis Air, Front ARB, lifted gas tank, T-max winch and lots of stuff that cost too much.