TacomaDude's Truck

Welcome to the 'build' thread for my 2002 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4.

Just a little food for thought on what got me into these trucks in the beginning, the '01-'04 style specifically, before we start out if you're interested.

My Grandpa, before he passed away several years ago, worked at a Toyota dealership for a while and one day while I was visiting him there as a young kid, had the opportunity to gaze over the newly styled '01 Tacomas that had just been recently introduced. Back then, I used to pour over auto brochures and read everything that I could about cars and trucks, so when I got to see the new styling of the Tacoma in person, it was something else. I absolutely LOVED the new front ends and remember telling myself (and Pops) how Toyota did it right and that they should keep the design for along time because of it! Haha. I vividly remember walking infront of the long row of new Tacomas they had on the lot, stopping infront of a red one, looking up at it and telling myself "that is one nice looking truck, I'm going to own one of these someday." Infact, my Grandpa even made a dealership key tag for me that was filled out and dedicated to that very truck with miscut Toyota keys attached to it so that I could pretend I owned one back then, lol. Ever since that point, I never grew tired of the body style and always looked forward to owning one. Suffice to say, I am finally living that dream.

Anyways, I'll start out with a brief history and pictures of when I first got it to how it looks now, all in chronological order.

I bought it February of 2010. I had been looking to buy a first gen for a while (did TONS of research) and one day this beauty popped up listed on Auto Trader by a Toyota dealership that stuck out and caught my eye. Maybe it was that candy apple red, I don't know, but it got me giddy like no other that I had seen! Immediately after looking it over and hearing it run, I knew it was the one. It was originally a one owner vehicle before I bought it and has a clean CarFax, never seen any accidents or had any issues. From what I could/can tell, it has been very well taken care of. Needless to say, I am very stoked to own it and it is one great truck.

The pictures and everything below are in order of when I got it to how it looks currently, so basically the first half is when it was stock until the second half after lift was installed to how it looks currently.

For reference, here is the mod list:

-Bilstein 5100's on all 4 corners
-Rancho HD Coilovers
-Toytec 1/4" Driverside Spacer (to correct the 'Taco Lean')
-New extended top plate studs
-Toytec 1" Diff Drop Kit
-Wheelers 1.5" AAL's & Extended U-Bolt Kit
-Toytec 1" Lift Shackles
-ProComp 1069 Rims
-ET Conical extended length, splined lug nuts
-Spidertrax 1.5" wheel spacers
-BFG T/A KO 285/75/16 Tires
-Revtek extended BPV Bracket
-CV Boot slide mod
-Magnaflow 14" Round Muffler
-Shortened tailpipe, hidden behind the frame rail
-TRD Skid Plate
-Toyota bug deflector
-Weathertech rubber floormats
-Black leather seat covers
-ALL fluids changed out to synthetic Amsoil
-Optima Redtop 34R battery
-Valentine 1 Radar Detector
-And a whole 'lotta love.


Here are the pictures starting out from the beginning of when she was at the Toyota dealership. As you can see, it was a completely stock TRD. Man it was an exciting day bringing her home!!






Soon after I bought it, I purchased a set of WeatherTech rubber floormats as I have never liked the idea of having carpet floormats in a truck. If I had it my way, there wouldn't be any carpet in trucks!

I also changed out all the fluids in the truck to synthetic as well.






Also bought a TRD front "skid" plate because I've always liked the look of them.


Fairly soon later, I bought a set of ProComp 1069 16x8 wheels with a backspace of 4.0" and sold the stock wheels.



















Ah, back home in SoCal with my buddy Bear! I LOVE this dog!





I decided that I wanted the tires to be kicked out a little, so I bought a set of new Spidertrax 1.5" wheel spacers.























At the Gormin trail run in SoCal back in August of 2010. Sure a lot of fun!







Occasionally I use it to tow my Z1000. That's my father's Street Glide next to it.



Or my KTM.

August 2011- The Lift kit soon to be installed! Oh the anticipation.





Picking her up after the lift install!! I remember pulling into the parking lot and seeing her sitting behind the bushes a lot taller than it was before for the first time. DEFINITELY an exciting day to say the least!





How it looks currently:














































Dan's (CHPT11) and my truck chillin' side by side at the 2011 August TW meet and greet in Issaquah WA.

 

i think if you go with bigger tires get a leveling kit up front and then add a leaf in the rear with 31" tires i think it looks pretty nice with that setup.

 

nice truck looking good

 

I've never seen an engine compartment that clean!

 

Pics of the new Spidertrax spacers on,

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/121454-got-my-spidertrax-spacers-pics.html

 

Looks good man!

 

I decided that it was finally time to do a lift, so I pulled the trigger as to speak on some new suspension parts.

They include:

-Bilstein 5100's, front and rear.
-Wheelers 1.5" AAL kit

For now, the 5100's will be used with the original coilovers set at 2.5". The stock rake of the truck is actually still in spec.

I will be getting some new tires of course to go along with the lift. I am pretty sure that I have decided on 285/75/16 BFG A/T's. I realize right off the bat 100% that I will need to do some trimming in order for them to clear and even then they may still rub depending on the situation. I have 1.5" Spidertrax wheel spacers which I will probably use with them to see if they help with that.

The lift and tires (once I buy them) will get installed mid next month sometime in August.

 

Thanks,

and yeah, definitely looking forward to it. I thought long and hard about getting the coilovers, but think I'm going to hold off for now and put the cash torwards a new set of tires instead.

As strange as it sounds, I don't mind a little rake. It gives the truck somewhat of a stock look and when you attach a trailer or put a load in the back, it levels it out. I'm ok with it.

 

FINALLY decided on the tire size that I'm going to run after much research and looking at zillions of photos all the while going back and forth between sizes.

I decided on the BFG A/T KO 285/75/16's, ordered them through tirecrawler.com as they had the best price around that I could find. I knew that if I got a smaller size, I'd be wishing that I had gotten these instead. If I end up not liking the power and mpg drop, then I'll sell them and buy smaller tires. Simple as that.

As I mentioned before, I'm going to be running the stock coilovers for now with the 5100's set to 2.5". I've learned that the front end will settle over time because of the stock coils, so I purchased two 1/4" Toytec top plate spacers, which apparently give you about 1/2" of lift, that I will have installed to give a little extra room for the 33's for that purpose.

Also made the appointment today to get the lift & tires installed next month.

 

Thanks man!

 

looks great!

 

Thanks!!

These guys showed up today. SO glad I decided on these instead of the 275's I was considering! Love 'em!!

 

Gosh darnit, if I don't say so myself I am so stoked about these new tires!! Lol. Just like a little kid almost that has to keep going out to the garage to look at them. One of the best parts of the truck for sure. Before I owned a Tacoma and used to dream of owning one, I always pictured myself running these exact tires on the truck, so kind of a dream come true type of thing. Always have loved the look and design of them, especially on these trucks. My mind is so at ease now because I feel these are the perfect size for what I'm after and I know that if I had gone with the 275's that I was considering, I would have wished I had gotten these instead.

Three weeks away and the lift & tires get installed. Hopefully can wait 'till then.

 

that is one clean truck. i take it that it never sees the trails.

patiently waiting for lifted pics.

 

x2

 

I have seen it on the trails 1st hand

X2 for pics with lift n tires....

 

WOW, that is one clean engine compartment, i wish mine was still that clean now i got like 3" of mud all over the place, nice truck btw

 

Thanks!

It's definitely not the easiest thing in the world to keep clean, but I do my best to keep it looking that way.

Nice, and thanks!

Yeah, they were great people to work with. Mark Brown was my sales rep, nice guy and wasn't too 'pushy'.

 

wish i had some money laying around for those spidertrax. i love the color of your truck! i usually dont like chrome, but it goes great on your taco. x2 pn the clean engine compartment. i recently cleaned mine, but nothing compared to yours lol

 

Damn your motor is CLEAN lol...makes mine look sad haha

In for Pic of the lift!! Can't wait to see them coils on