Best bang for buck performance upgrades?

Just bought a 2010 Tacoma double cab and I can see that its gonna cost me a lot of money with everything I want to add on/upgrade. However, I'm happy to do it! I would like to start in on performance now that I have my lighting sorted out and wondered where I should begin? CAI, headers, exhaust are just a few of the things I've been reading about. I'm not gonna shell out the bucks for a supercharger or turbo but is there anything else I should look into? I did search first but couldn't find anything specific enough for me. If I missed a sticky or something relating directly to my question, I apologize. Thanks in advance!

 

Best other than f/I are gonna be weight reduction mods. cheap for the most part (sometimes free) lighter wheels tires etc. cai exhaust won't net u much if any

 

Really? That's it? No one else?

 

Supercharger. Everything else doesnt really work and it makes more noise to be honest.

 

Wait for the UCON to come out for 2010+

it's coming!

 

URD Maf Cal...Thorley headers...y-pipe...intake will help a little...NO2

 

Bang for buck would be a SC. Otherwise don't waste your time.

 

OK. Thanks a bunch fellas. I may do exhaust and CAI just to try and trick myself into believing that it has more power (and sound a bit better) but I will keep my eye out for a good deal on a supercharger.

 

Depending on what you want to use the truck for, I'd say the best bang for the buck mod is re-gearing. If you want to go fast, super charger.

 

So theres really nothing to increase HP/Torque unless you go forced induction? Even exhaust wont do much? How do you know are there dyno tests posted or something?

 

There is a member on here that goes by torspd he is one of the most knowledgeable people on the 4.0 I know of. find any post by him admin his Sig there is a link for dynos for n/a and f/I mods. most of the intake and exhaust mods will get u small gains at done above 3000 for n/a but below 3000 go down. with out a blower the power gains are pretty much just power trade offs.

 

Thanks for the response, I will find his sig. So a chip for the computer wouldnt do anything, is that a myth?

So in a nutshell Toyota gets these motors as good as they can possibly be without f/i?

 

More or less bully dog has a programmer that has a tune for n/a that give like upto 30 hp allegedly for about $900. But these motors are a compromise for tq/hp, mpg, and reliability. again u can get gains in small gains in hp but mpg and reliability may suffer. if u take long term in account that will most likely not be a good bang for ur buck. that's why my suggestion was weight reduction which will increase felt hp and mpgs

 

Cool, makes sense. I searched for a weight reduction thread, didnt see one. Can you direct me where to look for that?

 

Weight reduction can help considerably. I gained 2 mpg just by switching from large heavy off road tires on steel wheels to lightweight low rolling resistance street tires on light alloy wheels.

 

These trucks are already pretty quick and efficient at the same time. Just make your truck look cool.

 

Tires (stock height and narrower would be lighter and have less drag although ud be giving up traction for wheelin or take off in 1/4s) when if shopping research the weight before u buy and compare for the lighter tires(don't forget to swap if heavy spare too). drop ur rear bumper and cut if tail pipe off right where the bed starts. if u have steel wheels or 20s look for some 16" alloy. they make light weight batteries that can save some poundage. and extras u have bull bar brush guard nerf bars weight in the bed remove it. Skid plate can be replaced with plastic or something light(I would think just removing it would cause enough if drag and highway speed to negate weigh loss. If u have a double cab u can take the storage dividers out from behind the back seat. this would be the cheap/free mods. now u can replace all the pullies on if motor with aluminum or some high density poly. carbon fiber or aluminum hood. fiberglass corner panels. U can Polly drop close to 1000 lbs if u really want too.

 

I removed the AC compressor, power steering pump, long serpentine belt, and the fixed pulleys. So now I run a short simple belt where the crankshaft only turns the water pump and the alternator.

 

Toot.... Ur crazy doing that with LA traffic!

Lmao, I assume ur redoing the ac for summer?

 

For 17 years, I drove without AC or PS in my old Taco. I live and work in an unincorporated sparsely populated rural area and am rarely ever in the city, so I don't need either of them. Since performance options for these trucks are so limited, I focused on reducing weight and engine load as well as simple non invasive bolt on intake and exhaust mods. Latest fillup today was 25.3 mpg mixed street and highway driving on 87 octane winter blend gas.