Help me plan my (2013) build!!! ($7k budget)

I've been on here lurking for a while (before getting a username) and I've done a ton of searching, looking at options and about all I come up with is more confusion!!!

I've got a 2013 Access Cab (V-6, 6 speed, 4x4, SR5), just bought it last saturday:


Now I am trying to figure out what to do with it! It is my dd, it will be wheeled (hopefully at least 1 weekend every month, hoping for more but, with a wife and school, my weekend activities are seldom planned by me!) mostly rockcrawling wheeling-wise as I don't know of any place near me that offers go fast terrain!

My budget is $7k, assuming that I can get my wife on board when it comes to the mods. (wish me luck!!!) Here's what I have come up with so far:

I'm thinking 3" lift, IDK what kind, (HELP!!!) I'd like to have adjustable front coilovers and tubular upper control arms. For front spring rate, I do plan on a heavy winch bumper eventually so, that should be planned for.

Been looking at CBI sliders (opinions? definitely want bolt on), some sort of rock sliders will be a necessity as on the trails I intend to travel, I have whacked the rock sliders on taller, bigger tired, shorter wheelbased past rigs that I have owned.

Definitely need skid plates, my truck is currently devoid of any skid plating other than the laughable front splash shield and T-case codpiece. I've been looking at Bud Built. (opinions?)

Definitely want a rear locker: ARB will likely get the nod for this!

Wheels: I hate the stock steelies so, I am wanting Konig Countesteers in Gunmetal

Tires: a toss up between Goodyear MTR Kevlars, Hankkok Dynapros, Nitto Trail grapplers, or Toyo Open Countries, all in the 285/75R16 size.

FLAW with this route: Suspension budget will be minimal, keeping dinky spare
Approximate prices (assuming 4 tires/wheels):
Rear ARB (installed): $1600
CBI sliders (with options): $750
BudBuilt skids (after paint): $1000
285's: $1200
Konigs: $800
SO, THAT LEAVES: Suspension budget:
$1650 (is that enough to do this right for a dd/wheeler?)

(or can I go way cheaper suspension wise, my buddy keeps telling me I should get some Bilstein kit for $600? Anybody familiar with this? I am kind of leery of anything really cheap as I plan to use the truck but, if it is cheap and works great, heck, I'll run it!!!)


So, on to the questions:
Obviously a full size spare wheel and tire is better but, can I get away with dinky stocker without the truck's computers freaking out? (This would open more $$$ for other mods and would work nicer in terms of fitment and clearance with spare in stock position. Obviously, I would eventually plan on going full sized but, not for the first quite a while)

TPMS sensors: I assume I need new ones for aluminum rims since my stock are steelies?

For 285's will performance be okay without need to regear? (I believe I have 3.91's at the moment)

Suspension wise: my understanding is anything long travel is geared toward high speed offroad work so, would crawling performance suffer as a consequence of shock valving?

Computer calibration: On my JK I had an AEV procal that allowed me to run bigger tires, lower air pressure, and different gearing without the traction control, PCM, etc getting upset because it changed the parameters for the Jeep. (also corrected speedo) Is there anything like this for Tacoma's? Not a full on programmer, but a plug in to change enough to get the truck happy again?

If not^, is the truck going to be happy with 285's? Will the computers freak out?

3 other possible ways to modify this build, (to be more focused on one trait or another, the one above is kind of all-rounder but with a little bit small of budget for suspension):

1. Get sprung!:
Icon IVD stage 5t suspension with Deavers out back instead of add a leafs:
about $4.5k
Sliders and skids: about $1500
255/85R16 BFG muds on stock steelies: about $880 for four
(pretty much right at budget)
Disadvantages: no lockers, stock wheels

2. Locked and loaded:
ARB's front and rear with regear: about $3250
Sliders and skids: about $1500
265/75R16 muds (5): about $1250
Konigs (5): $1000
TPMS: $???
(right at budget)
Disadvantage: no lift, gonna be running high RPM with lower gears (but would go ahead and regear to 4.56 or so anyway since I want to regear eventually, I think, and since both diffs are getting opened up for ARBs, it'd be less $$$ now than later)

3. Texas sawzall massacre:
35x12.50R17 muds (5): about $1500
17x8 wheels of some sort (5): about $1500
skids and sliders: about $1500
Rear Detroit locker: $1000 installed
Body work and paint necessary to do this cleanly: roughly $1500 (I can do the cutting and welding but, to make it clean and nice, I would need finish work and paint professionally done)
TPMS: $???
(right at budget, would be only stock height 35's Taco I've seen!!!)
Disadvantages: No lift, not a very streatable locker (done it before but, not on a rig with such a light rearend weight distribution), cutting up brand new truck may be hard to stomach

I really wanted to stay under $6k total budget but, looks like $7k is necessary to get it done! Any suggestions for getting it under budget are appreciated, I know skipping the konigs and running 255/85R16s on stock steelies would do it but, IDK, not quite sold, not sure it would look right. If anybody has a black Taco with 255/85R16's on stock steel rims, please post a pic!!! Also, 255/85R16, any options other than BFG KM2? I keep looking and they're all I find!

What would y'all do? Opinions wanted! Lemme know if you think I am missing the boat altogether as to what should be done to make a nice Taco! THANKS!!!

 

as long as you arent dumping all your savings then go for it!

congrats on the new truck.

 

I wouldn't drop 7 grand on a new truck

 

Thank bro!!! It's dropping a good chunk but, do-able.

But, it makes the truck damn near exactly what I want! (there's no pleasing me really, exactly what I want is not attainable in the confines of any truck budget I will ever have, outside of winning the lotto, LOL!)

Now, I could get it down to $4k, but, it would either be an appearance only build (lift kit, tires and wheels) or stock height with stock wheels (locker, 265's, skids and sliders). First would look great but not be all that functional, second would be functional up to a point (not much ground clearance) but not look as good. (stock steelies look good on most any color other than black, IMO)

 

see bold....

 

X2 truck still brand new enjoy it stock and do more research . We can give you advice but it ends up being your decision.

 

if he wants to drop 7k, who cares? i have dropped over 25k into a truck, not including the cost of it.

gotta pay to play!

 

mod away

 

I have been contemplating this truck purchase for the better part of a year and have been researching what mods I want over that time. It's just the suspension that trips me up. Too many options and numbers and such, LOL!

Thanks bro! It's easy to do, isn't it? LOL! Looks like you've got a sick truck there! (your sig pic) I will have to check out your build!!!

Oh, I forgot to respond to your bold highlights, sorry! I am confused by all the options and options within options within options when it comes to lifts! My past builds were all solid axle rigs (ZJ, K5, JK) so, simple choices suspension wise! Slider wise, bolt on is my preference, I would like the sliders to not entail welding to the frame.




I absolutely vehemently hate the stock tires (basically a station wagon tire on a truck damn C.A.F.E. standards! LOL!), I would have replaced them the day I bought the truck but, nobody had any 265/75R16 mud terrains in stock in my area. Also, am not satisfied with the wheels (they kill the heck outta the looks of the rest of the truck on a black truck, IMO) I am also going color matched front grill with Grillcraft mesh insert, and color matched rear bumper (then the stock steelies are really gonna stick out like a sore thumb) but, didn't mention these items as they are appearance only and no big ticket items (compared to the rest). Only way I am willing to keep stock steelies is if I have to to keep within budget (the fancy suspension build idea).

I can't stand a stock vehicle (except for high end sportscars, those I like stock, I'll likely never be able to own one but, I like them!!!), I modify every truck I own. The least modified 4x4's I've owned were a BlaZer2, had mud tires on it and that's it in the 1.5 years I owned it. Only reason it didn't get modded was because I was contemplating a solid axle swap and decided to sell and buy a solid axled Jeep instead. The only other one was my Duramax I used to have, it only got bigger mud tires, Line-X, a tool box, and an underseat storage setup. It only stayed stock because it was the tow pig for my offroad truck. My ZJ, K5, and JK had too many mods to list.

I like a modified vehicle, it's my preference.

 

Yeah there's a lot of options I would do total chaos uppers you get better alignment with those an then coilovers basically pic your color there's icon,king,saw,fox and for the rear and you plan on putting a lot of weight back there get the allpro expo pack.

 

for 2nd gens it would be 885 or 886 OME's.

886's are recomended for the dbl cab's with a bumper and winch. Im sure it would be the same for acc cab.


OP, If I had that to drop on all those mods I would do

-OME 885's with nitro charger shocks (this will handle the added weight of all that armor youre adding) and should be able to handle a bumper down the road
-for the rear you could do the all pro expo leafs ($400 i think) or the OME leafs ($300 i think) and whatever shocks you want (would need to find the corect extended and collapsed lengths and extended rear brake lines)
-camburg upper control arms with the 1.25" uniballs or the Light racing UCAs to save some $$$


-bud built skids
-weld on sliders (cheaper and stronger)
-get a rear bumper from a vendor on here, cheaper than ARB and just as good of quality, you can have it built to your specs too

-ARB locker with compressor

your choice of wheels and tires, Id go 285's with either 16" or 17" wheels

-recovery gear, hilift, recovery strap,

 

No truck payment is the best mod to have IMO.

 

My budget will likely end up being curtailed by my wife anyway, we'll see.

I just want to plan out exactly what I want to do to the truck, regardless of whether I am doing it immediately or over the course of the next couple years!!! (granted, some of the optional builds are all at once, but hey, gotta keep options open, right? LOL!) This $7k budget is not necessarily a plunk down right now. (as much as I would like it to be) It could be, and I would love it to be, and it would be if I was the sole decision maker in my household but things don't always go as I'd like, LOL!

Basically, I just want to see what I might be able to do, I have a self imposed max budget, and a preference as to what my build will be like and I'd like to see if there's anything I am missing, and would like clarification on lift questions that would hit in my max budget. Also, opinion on the other choices are desired as well!!! If there's something I've missed or something I'm mistaken on, I'd like to know!

Thanks!!!

 

very much so .. I dropped about $7-8k on my used Tacoma within a couple months of buying it.
I would say its time to do more research before deciding your path .. there are lots of options to save $$ in your build and lots of options you haven't mentioned.

Sliders - bolt-on are more expensive but can be installed with basic tools. If you can weld or know a cheap local guy, do weld-on. The only reason for bolt-on is if you intend to sell the truck

Skids - Bud Built is great, but there are lots of options and used armor isn't hard to find.

Bumpers - also not too hard to find used, ARB stuff is pricey new. If you are definitely getting a front plate bumper you will need heavier springs regardless of suspension choice.

Tires - 285s will require a cab mount chop (search the forums) and will be fine without any calibration. You should actually have 3.73 stock, not 3.91. There isn't an easy solution for OEM speedo calibration that I know of.

Wheels - you will want new wheels or spacer at the very least to run the larger tire. Running a stock spare is a horrible idea IMO, especially if you have 4WD. If you really can't afford a full-size spare then I wouldn't wheel anywhere that requires 4x4 to get home.

TPMS - I'm not sure because I started with alloy rims, but pretty positive that steelies use different TPMS still and would need to be upgraded with the rims

Gears - With 285s and intending to wheel once a month you will want a re-gear. I did 4.56, some recommend 4.10s for a daily driver or 4.88s for more wheeling. Some gear ratios will require a new carrier so be sure to check. You can also save some coin by only going rear locker instead of both right away

Grill/Color Matching - to each his own, but IMO this is a waste of build funds. Get the truck in wheeling condition and then replace the OEM stuff when it breaks. The grille was going to be my first mod until I realized there is so much more you can accomplish for using the truck with that money.

Suspension - a front coilover with upper control arm is great. You can get almost 3" without binding on 4x4 and the alignment will be fine. There are many options, so search the forum. For the rear you can do a replacement leaf pack (OME, All Pro, Deaver, etc...) or do an Add-A-Leaf. AAL is much cheaper, but also much stiffer. If you get a replacement pack be sure to get one for your intended use - Deaver is designed for light-weight (nothing in the bed) and All-Pro makes a Standard and Expo pack. If you lift the rear be sure to look at longer shocks and brake lines as well.

This is just my input

 

Nice! I was looking at those uppers! Hadn't seen the Allpro spring pack, I will have to take a look at them, I was looking at OME Dakars and Deavers.

Good details on suspension, thanks!
Only disagreement I have is rear bumper, I don't know it (wink, wink) but, my wife bought me a color matched stock rear bumper for Christmas!

I have some recovery gear already, will just have to collect up some more. Will likely hold off on the Hi-lift for a while, I've had two for a combination of 8 years (IIRC) and not used them but once for anything pertaining to my vehicle. (Used all the time for my car hauling trailer after the tongue jack broke off on the second use! But, I no longer have that trailer or the truck that pulled it)

Check! I don't. We will on my wife's new SUV come January but, it'll stay stock.


On a totally separate note:
I noticed my front diff sits at exactly the same height as the crossmembers around it, obviously this means no diff drop for me, LOL! But, question is, do Bud Built skids space themselves away from the crossmember at all? I am worried that my front diff will be sitting squarely on the skid!

 

take it slow on the mods is my advice.. ive seen tons of these threads on the subaru forums and they dont usually end well. especially for those claiming to want to keep it a DD. =/

 

I've read good things about the 4xInnovations sliders and I believe they have both weld and bolt options. They recently acquired Armor Tech Offroad, and are currently having a sale on skids. IIRC you could get a full set of skids for something like $750 including front, transmission, tcase, and gas tank skids. I have the front skid and it's beefy at 1/4" thick. I believe the others are 3/16".
edit: heres the link for the sale on the skids: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/ar...64-tacoma-skid-plates-armor-tech-offroad.html

 

Thanks for the input!!!
I've been looking at these different options for quite some time now, the list I gave is what I have narrowed it down to, not just what I have seen.

I'm not enamored with weld on sliders. I understand benefits ad drawbacks of both, it's just my preference. I've had two sets of bolt ons and 2 sets of weld ons on past rigs. After having both, I just prefer bolt on. If it were a purpose built caged trail rig or a unit body rig, weld on all the way, for this truck's build, I prefer bolt on.

Bumpers- likely Elite off road, CBI, or the like (high clearance plate design with tucked in winch). Hadn't put too much though just yet as that's not a concern for a few years yet. Rear bumper- color matched for now, likely a custom built by a local shop in the coming years.

Grill/color matching- yeah, I know there's no function to it but, I fell in love with the looks so, now I "have" to have it! LOL!

Cab mount chop- Yup, seen it! Planned on it! From what I've read, I will need cab mount chop, inner fender clearancing, mud flap removal, and maybe a little bit of other trimming, correct? On my gearing, I will have found my window sticker, I swear it said 3.91. Sounded odd to me as I have never seen that gear ratio in anything before so, it stuck in my head! (always seen 3.73 and 4.10)

Spare issue- right now, it's the $$$ and the place to put it (as I have read that mounting a 285 in stock location is difficult, and I would guess that it'll make for a good-sized loss of ground clearance) I plan on a full size spare in a VERY different (both location and style) spare tire mount than I have seen anyone run but, it is a down the road project not something for right now.

Spacers- not really something I like the idea of. The only time I have ever been willing to run them was on an 8 lug truck, and only on the rear axle (K5, to match 14bff rear track width to that of my Dana 60 front, 1.5" difference per side) I am not a fan.

^along that lines, are spacers needed when running 255/85R16's on stock rims? If so, I will strike that tire size from consideration.

 

whats wrong with it being a dd? lol who cares. so many nay sayers

 

LOL! I think this is a reasonable build though, it's not like I am asking for major engine mod advice or building a rally cage (my assumption for Subaru forums that they would likely be hooked on massive turbos and the like or making their cars rally ready) or, more specific to here, it's not like I am asking about a solid axle swap, or a full bloat long travel IFS set up, or a doubler!

Hmm, that's a heck of a deal, thanks for the link!!!