New to "off roading" which Toyota question

Hello all, FNG here, and I'm new to off-roading. I don't have the cash or the time to dive head over heals into a new hobby at the moment, but I'd still like to get a bit into off roading.

For starters, I'm going to be attending my first Overland Expo in AZ this May. My primary question is about which Toyota to use as my off-roading vehicle. I have a 2002 4Runner "sport" edition w/ V6 (195k miles), and a 2009 dual-cab Tacoma short bed, with the 17" wheel option (100k miles). I've done light offroading with both, and have very little preference between them. I've owned both since they were new.

Not being the least bit mechanically inclined, I don't know which of these two is generally believed to be the better for off roading...or the better base vehicle if I ever really got into upgrades.

Thanks in advance for any help.

PS- Out of curiosity, would the 17" wheels from my 2010 Taco mount just fine on the 2002 4Runner? The 4Runner is fully paid off, so if I messed it up off roading I'd probably cry less.

 

which one is 4wd?

 

Take out the Runner. It's a little older so dings and scratches won't matter as much.

 

Both, Steve.

Both have scratches and dings, Buzzard. I said I was new to off-roading, not new to mistreating my vehicles.

 

and with that i will leave this thread to fail on its own

 

I'd go for the tacoma since I'm assuming the 4runner is open diffs. At least the sport edition tacoma has an electronic LSD.

It also comes down to which you prefer to pack things in. 4 runners are nice for keeping things dry and sleeping in if you don't have a camper shell for the tacoma.

 

Sorry to offend, Bandit. In my old age I've learned not to take myself too seriously.

Thanks for the feedback Steve, I'll read up on differentials and the electronic LSD.

 

sorry not to say you offended but you seem to know more than what you say..

Jedi5150?

 

Yeah if you're going to do mild stuff the 4runner should do fine, but more traction is almost always better.

It might also come down to which one has better tires on it

Also I apologize for this random dude posting like he's drunk or something. We're not all like that around here.

 

Nice. Although in actuality, I've never heard of "5150" shocks. "5150" is the name of a Van Halen album (I'm a child of the 70's and 80's). The album title is based off of the California Welfare and Institutions code for "danger to self, danger to others, or gravely disabled"...in short; crazy.

Crazy jedi (jedi5150) has been my screenname for over a decade on forums ranging from advrider, to Snipershide, backpackinglight, flickr, etc. I'm a cop, and 5150 is a common phrase we use to describe people we meet almost daily. There you have it...way more info than you ever wanted to know about the most famous CA government code.


Thanks again, Steve, and no worries...I've got pretty thick skin.

 

5150 is LEO code for ~crazy subject.
Do a little google searching before you assume stuff.

 

i apologize for my rudeness last night, i was a little intoxicated lol

 

LOL who called it?!

 

No worries, Bandit. Thanks for the apology but it's no big deal.

Well played Steve.

 

On a serious note, the Google pictures I've seen of Overland Expo suggests no tight spots where the narrower 4Runner might be better.

Mods, in order of importance (in my opinion)

AT or MT tires
Sliders
Skid plates
3" lift
High-clearance bumpers

 

Thanks Ken, whichever I take will have a new set of AT tires on it. The Taco tires are almost bald anyways, so provided the same wheels can be used on either vehicle, the new tires will go on whichever truck I take.

I've got to look into a lift. The 4Runner suspension is shot anyways (according to my wife, who drives it). So maybe a lift would not be a whole lot more expensive than repairing the suspension to begin with? Just guessing here since I've never considered doing it before. I'd always heard, and maybe completely in error, that a lift can make a vehicle more inclined to mechanical problems. Is this true, or not really?

I've never been to the Expo before, but they are very clear to say in the course descriptions that these are not "wheeling" classes, or Baja 1000 in style. They are strictly to teach people better skills for safely traveling across rugged terrain.

Thanks.

Edited to add:
I'd always thought my white Tacoma was girly looking, but this Toyota picture by Tacoma13SR5 is the coolest looking Toyota I've ever seen...maybe I could learn to live with white if it had the right accessories:


Here is my stock 2009 Taco, on June Lake Loop, north of Mammoth:

 

I didn't like my Taco being white until I started looking at the stormtroopers on TW...now I love it in white!

 

Sell them both and get a Prius

 

Now that's badass, 50 mpg's and big tires I like.

Brett