Wheeling with a stock truck

OK, apologies for what might be a dumb question, but just wanted to ask how capable our trucks are off road with little or no mods?

I recently picked up a 2006 TRD Sport 4x4 quad cab and was looking through the below thread and would like to get into some wheeling but am not looking to heavily mod my truck. I use it as a daily driver and commute about 100 miles round trip each day.

As of now I have picked up a set of Pro Comp steel wheels and will probably wrap them with some Firestone Destination ATs just to have a better AT tire on my truck for winters as well as some beach driving in the summer. Any must have mods, if any, in order to make my truck more capable off road? Or should I be good to do some minor off roading with my pretty much stock truck?

Again apologies for my ignorance as I am new to the truck world and thanks in advance for any info you guys may have.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/north-east/170123-southern-nh-meet-greet-aug-sept-2011-a.html

 

Around here in New England*, I think just some tires other than stock should do well for off roading. And I've been looking into some sliders. Although lifts (and bigger tires) are good for a number of reasons while off road, they can do a number on your gas mileage. And depending on how much wheeling you intend to do versus how long your commute is, you'll probably get your answer on which way to go.

Since my Taco is my daily driver, and I go to school right around Boston, I'll probably stick with my stock suspension and tire size for that reason. Once I move out away from the city though, that'll be a whole different story

All in all, I've had no problem doing some wheeling in my pretty much stock truck. I've been up to the Mast Rd area, and rode it just fine, and have done some more "out in the wild" stuff in the backwoods of Maine.

*Edit - Eastern, southernish New England. Where there are more interstate highways than trees.

 

The lift itself shouldn't affect gas mileage. I have a 3" lift with 305/60-18 tires and gas mileage isn't much worse than stock, but it all depends on the size of the tire, and possibly how aggressive the tread pattern is.

 

Try it out on a dirt road / path. Our trucks are pretty capable stock, better with better tires. Unless you hard core off road wait on the lift and armor mods until you need them.

Be careful and don't break your truck!

 

I have the firestones on mine and I can't stand them. As soon as its a little wet on or off road they just love to slip/ spin. It doesn't matter how gentle I try to take off. But that's just my 2 cents.

 

I think thats with all tires with these trucks. I have the Nitto Grappler A/T tires on mine, def. an upgrade from the stock firestones, but in some instances like to spin and slip on wet or semi wet roads if i put my foot into it to much after sitting still.

 

Hey Panther, what or where is the Mast Rd area?

 

It's in Nashua, NH. Not far from the Budweiser Plant.