2005 Prerunner DC

In 2004, the year i graduated high school in Houston, Texas, my parents gifted me a new truck to my surprise! As a high school student about to go to college, i couldn't be more thrilled.


2004 Tacoma Prerunner, 3.4, auto, deckplate mod, spray bed liner, Goodyear Wrangler 31s

I used it mostly for commuting to college, hauling furniture to dorms, working at summer camps and lifeguarding during summers in Houston! I had no problems with this truck at all. I wish i would have kept it, done suspension, and maybe 4x4 conversion or just a nice mid travel kit. Oh well, lessons learned.

In 2008, i graduated from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas and moved to Colorado. I lived just north of Winter Park, CO during the summer that year and did some fire roads in the mountain and absolutely loved it. Come winter, i moved to Golden and 'made' it with my Prerunner through the winter with no issues but wishes of 4x4 or AWD. Long story short, i moved back to Houston in early 2009.

I had hopes of moving back to Colorado so i sold the 2004 Tacoma to CarMax, and bought a 2011 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport. AWD was fun, and served its purpose to Colorado for vacation, but i never moved back.


2011 Subaru OBS, stock


stock in Colorado on vacation


RalliTek front/rear sway bars, Yakima bike rack, Rally Armor mud flaps


ALMOST swapped to 15 rally tires, new springs/struts and a/t tires

 

In 2009, I began work for a lifeguard company i worked for in high school. Recreation (what i majored in at college) jobs where hard do find, so i took a full-time job in aquatic management in Houston. Hauling chemicals in the Subaru and strapping backboards on the roof rack got old.


Subaru with roof basket

A few years passed, i got married, bought a house and was expecting a child. Welcome to the rear world, right? After a busy work season and a promotion, i had an itch to get a dirt bike which i rode in high school. My boss' husband had a mint 2004 Honda CR 250R, twice the bike a rode in high school. Money from a deposit on a rental came in the form of a check and i cashed it in for my dirt bike.


Clean garage bay for new toy


New toy loaded in garage. Ahhhhh two-stroke gas fumes, brapppsss in the morning, LOVE

When i bought that, my son was just a month old. His name is Carson and he is 17 months as i write this.


Carson's new born pictures

When he was 5 weeks old, on my wife's 28th birthday, September 5th, 2012, i went to a track outside of Houston, by myself. There were a few riders who encouraged me to go slow since i was new to the bike. I didn't take their advice, had a crash and broke my left femur and left ankle. After a seven hour surgery, and three days in the hospital i was release. NO walking for three months, doctors orders.

PT isn't cheap, X-Rays aren't cheap, surgery definitely wasn't cheap, but we made it and had support from our church, family and friends. My wife was taking care of Carson and me during her maternity leave. I sold the bike to pay for the deductible.

Come January 2013, i began thinking of my summer 2013 aquatics season. I needed a new vehicle, was walking better and a truck was just the right thing since i didn't have a toy and the car was too small.

I found the 2005 Tacoma Prerunner double cab.


2005 Tacoma double cab, 4.0, 99,000 miles, $14,000, TRD Offroad

 

I drove it home after the trade in process and my wife says "what the hell, it looks like you hit a Smurf." She hadn't seen it and wasn't happy but i think it's a neat and unique color.

I drove it for a few thousand miles and then wanted to lift it. Money was tight due to the accident, a house and child, so i bought used Bilstein 5100s front/rear from two members on hear. I got them set at 2.5" and had a 2" Toytec AAL installed.


2.5" 5100 + 2" AAL and 5100

The ride was different, firmer, and on highway, i couldn't tell if it was good or bad. After reading reviews about UCA at that height and adding 20,000 miles through October, i decided to pursue a stock height.

I couldn't afford adjustables, so i found 2013 TRD suspension from a member, here and swapped them out. It only had 5,000 miles so it is defienlty something i won't have to focus on for a while.

Not knowing the route of a build, i decided to stay within the realms of a daily driven truck used of child hauling, carrying pool and lifeguard equipment, limited offloading and overall finance restrictions.

From TW member K&N Intake and Predator step bars. After installing both, i thought, i don't need the bars because it's not high enough and if/when i do go off road, they serve no protection. As for the K&N, it sounded cool, but that's all, so i uninstalled and off loaded to other members or Craiglist.


K&N, stock was fine and what i'm running now


Predator step bars looked good, but not needed

In classified section, i found a set of 265/75/16 BFG AT with some miles on them, but they were significantly cheaper than new, so i drove to Austin and got them. Got them mounted the next day and from what i can tell, should be sufficient for my needs.


265/75/16 BFG AT…when these wear out, i'll get same size, either BFG AT, General Grabber AT2 or Cooper Discover ATP. I like the size for the height of the truck.


Tires on truck in its natural habitat.

And on Christmas Eve 2013, under my tree are truck parts. How do i know? I ordered them! OEM Tailgate Extender and Armor Tech Offroad 1.5" rise bed BAR. Extender will help with hauling rescue tubes and O2 bags for pools and bed bars for strapping backboards too or a basket. However, i made a mistake and ordered one bed bar thinking it was two judging by the websites pictures. Second one is ordered!

I plan on doing what a Prerunner does best, light offloading, hauling things and looking sharp.

 

Some inspiration for modding comes from my younger brother, Eric. He used to be a member on here as Eric3187. He has a spirit for adventure and is all around a cool guy!

Here are some of his toys i've seen him and my dad build in 2004 through present.


1997 Ford F-150 Lariat that was our dads. Eric bagged the front, static drop, system and exhaust. Haha


CJ-7






2007 Ford Ranger
Was stock 4.0 with JBA headers. I raced him in my 2004 Prerunner at a 1/4 track. He ran 15.5 in the Ranger and i did a 16.8 in the Tacoma 3.4. It was slow.

Ranger then got Blitzkrieg Motorsports mid travel, glass fenders, 33s, LSD rear.
After that, he caged the bed, upgraded shocks, gutted interior, interior roll cage, Master Craft seats. I believe he sold at that stage and it may be found in California on Dezert Forums.

After that Ranger, he drove the 2004 Tacoma i had for a while, got out of the Navy and bought a 2011 Tacoma 4x4 DCSB. His build is on here and it went from OME to TC Mid Travel. He did a road trip which I'm super jealous of and sold it.



Now he's in a 1999 Chevy Tahoe, looking to sell to buy a Van so he can convert to a travel style, off road expedition rig.

 

Texas Offroad Ranch in Huntsville, TX on December 28th, 2013


Christmas gift in 2013 from the wife

 

Armor Tech Offroad 1.5" bed bars


With a Toyota OEM bed extender, i had to move the rear one closer to the front


Tight fit


Sprayed with Rustoleum black paint


Phone mount

 

Update: truck was sold in July. Now i have a 2003 Toyota 4Runner 4WD V8.