First time off roading with my new to me 96' 4x4

Well after having it for a couple of weeks i finally went out and playing with 4x4. The tires on now that came with the truck are some general, generic discoveries that don't have too much tread left, so i knew that may be a hindrance but i didn't do anything today where it was a big deal. Over all the taco did fantastic, and exceeded my expectations with these sub-par tires. Today it made me realize why i'm going to put up with the rough ride, the worse gas mileage, the maintenance repairs and high miles...because this truck is an absolute blast to drive off road, its stupid reliable off road and i just have such a high level of confidence driving it off road. I love the new taco


First time touching dirt driving the truck. I have been eyeing this dirt shortcut up the side of the hill for a couple of years now, but never had a truck that i could take up and try it. the first part right after the pavement is fairly steep, then it mellows out and curves up to the road the next switch back up.got up the steep part without even slipping the tires once.



there were 3 hippies hiking around, and i couldn't tell if they were staring at us impressed we were crawling up this trail, or if they were mad that we were 4x4ing on their precious mother earth



The top part was a steep, sandy transition. I checked it out first and put it in 4lo to be safe, there was a bit of slip, but nothing major at all and came over it no problem



just playing around on some rutted hills





This was the only section that actually gave us problems. I let my friend drive and for some reason he kept getting stopped and spinning the front and back left tires and not getting up it on the right side of the path. After a couple of tries i hopped in, came at it at a slightly different angle and got up it pretty easily, i guess i just got a better perspective outside at first.



and a few posing shots

 

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Just wait till you hit some real fun stuff, you'll be addicted!

 

Sweet man! Stoked for you. That was the best feeling ever when i got my first tacoma 4x4.

Yeah, us open-diff guys have to navigate our way up hills, makes it trickier. Gotta pick the right approach angle and good maneuvering. Speed is also a factor.

 

Let the addiction begin...

 

You'll come back to that spot in a couple years and drive it in 2wd and remember the first time you went wheelin and laugh to your self for thinking it was hard. Granted by then you'll have the truck lifted with bigger tires and have conquered harder trails. We've all been there and that's why we go back!

EDIT: If i came off like I was implying you didn't do anything hard I didn't mean too. Just sayin ur gonna do harder stuff in the future and remember this trip.

 

yup, i see this being a never ending money pit for as long as it can roll on all 4 wheels.

oh ill go drive it in 2wd next week haha. If any of it was hard it would have taken more then the first try to go through it. Todays goal was just get the feel of the tacos pull and break it in, not see what i can and cant climb in pre runner mode

oh no you're totally fine. I am fully aware that nothing i did today was even remotely ground breaking, and i have a loooooong way to go to knowing what im doing as far as off roading goes. And im positive im going to be doing more and more challenging trails and for sure look back and think dang, i was excited driving on that...i guess it just felt rewarding today because i have been eyeing thoes trails for some time and finally getting to do them, and do them with ease was like checking off a huge goal on my list.

 

Nice. Looks like you had fun. But like others have said your truck was probably thinking, "man, can't wait until we get in some really fun stuff"

I've been wheeling with my truck for 12 years and just this past summer my expectations were far exceeded on a trail. And my truck is fully stock

 

Awesome. its nice to see fresh enthusiasm . it IS an addiction.....and down the rabbit hole we go.....

 

Congrats on the new ride, we'll have to go wheeling at some point.

 

ben is going to be close to boise this summer and we were going to go exploring and wheeling. Hopefully by then i will have tires and a lift so i can keep up with your destroyer of trails.