How strong/weak is 1st Gen Tacoma for Rock Crawling

I may be selling my 88 Cherokee that I modded to rock crawl. Picked up an 99 Tacoma TRD, SR5, 5 speed an 4 cyl. I do not plan on doing a axle swap so I can only assume the IFS is a weak link on the Tacoma. Can someone give me a little education on IFS on the Tacoma and how it will handle a lift, tires/wheels and of course off-roading. I'm not a mudder but like to rock crawl. If the Tacoma is not really good at this I will rethink which I want to keep for this purpose. Anything else you can share about the Tacoma and offroading is helpful. In looking at pics on this site I see VERY few with winches. Does this mean noone really 4 wheels their Tacamo that hard. Every Jeep I wheel with has a winch. Don't tell me it is b/c a Tacoma never gets stuck either

 

one of the best sites to learn about hard wheeling a first gen tacoma is over at TTORA...

http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum

be forewarned, like a lot of the jeep forums, they get real abrasive over there...

but, it can be a great resource... i have been on their boards since 2004 and have wheeled at a couple of their events... pretty hard core and many of them are still IFS...

 

Can someone help me with some lifting advice.

Goals:

1) 2.5 to 3" lift
2) Don't want a very stiff ride but don't mind it being stiffer than stock
3) Want to run 15x8 or 16x8 wheels (what offset) or should I keep stock 15x7 TRD wheels
4) Want to run 32x11.5 or comparable 16" wheel
5) Don't want to mess with geometry. Stick lift on and drive
6) Don't want to spend $1k on a lift

Ideas I've read:
1) Bilsteins 5100 up front set to 2.5". With this should you get new coils like Toytec Eibach coils. If so, why or why not.
2) Do I need anything else up front if I do #1. Is #1 a good way to go, okay way or is there a better way.
3) Rear full length AAL - 2"
4) If I do #3 what else do I need (shocks, BPV?). What is necessary and what is nice to have

Thanks Guys!!!!

 

If you're crawling, you're probably going to want a better setup than the 5100s.

 

x2

especially on a first gen...

70% offroad, go with

1. higher end coilovers like Kings, Icons, or SAWs

2. 8 leaf packs like Deaver J59s

3. custom 6 inch shackles

4. 10" stroke rear shocks like bilstein 5125s or 7100s

5. 15x8 wheels with 3.75" backspace with 33 or 32 inch tires or 16x8 wheels with 4" backspace with 265-75 or 285-75 tires

6. front and rear lockers

7. winch, sliders, front bumper, rear bumper

you can go the expensive route and go brand new, or you can take the super secret cheaper route... PM me for details...

 

You holdin out on me Mike? What do you have hiding in the garage?

 

i cant give away trade secrets to EVERYONE... hehehehe

 

Damn. I knew I shoulda asked around before I bought a new lift.

 

all good... now you know next mod you want to do, hit me up and i will see what i can find for ya...

 

Sure thing.

 

I think I wasn't making much sense so sorry. My jeep is set up to rock crawl but it can also be street driven. 8" lift, locked front rear, winch etc etc.

Downside is it has 221k miles and more importantly I don't have much time to spend 4 wheeling like I did when I built it before the 2 children came along. In addition I have an ATV that I can ride to satisfy some offroading. So, the 99 Taco TRD was a deal I found last week that I could not pass up and I bought it. I'm still really debating which one to keep but one must go.

Therefore, If I do anything to the Tacoma it will mainly be just to get some lift, do some light wheeling but not the rock crawling my jeep is/was used to doing. I like my vehicles to be a little different than everyone else so with that said what are good options to lift/wheels/tires. I don't want to regear and don't want it to be a slug while towing my ATV with a trailer or with it on the back of the bed. thanks guys.

 

i vote you keep the jeep since its already built, and swap out the motor and tranny

the taco will become a money pit soon enough to build up

 

X2! You're going to spend a lot less on that, than building your tacoma up to rock crawl or do some decent offroading.

 

Okay, still not clear I guess. I am not going to build the Toyota to rock crawl. I have not "really" wheeled my Jeep in over 2 years. I just don't have the time and with a family now it is a lot harder to go away on weekends to 4 wheel with buddies. Therefore, my jeep sits most of the time and I use it occassionly on weekends and to drive to my hunt club in the fall. Driven about 2-3k miles/year probably.

The Tacoma was a purchase I made last week b/c it was a good deal, only 68k miles had the TRD and I know it will not nickle and dime me.
Also, I knew I could sell it for more ( a lot more actually) then I paid for it. I only want to lift for "looks" and tire clearance. I like lifted vehicles. I may do some offroading but not what I did in the Jeep. Fire roads etc. I just don't want to go too high that I have steering issues or vibrations and I don't want to go with a tire or wheel size that will cause the Tacoma to be sluggish. hard enough getting used to a 4 cyl as it is. Thanks.

 

well, as it stands, to upsize the tires to 265-75-16, you will want to get into a suspension lift up front...

for something comfortable and reliable, you are looking at $1,100 for coilovers, $500 for leaf spring packs, $200 for properly valved shocks...

thats just to start, and of course, once you get it done and start driving it around, you will find out what to tweak and tune...

even if you dont get to wheel like you used to, the kids will grow up soon enough and your calendar will open up...

my first daughter is 6 years old and goes offroading with me a lot which is cool as it doesnt tie me down at home...

OR...

keep both the jeep and the tacoma... put the jeep in storage since its paid off... that way, later on down the road, you can play when you have time or have an additional asset to sell when you really need some money...

 

I know about keeping both. I would love to but between my wife and me we have 6 vehicles now. One is going to a buddies storage unit tomorrow so that I have enough parking at my house for 5 vehicles and our pop up. I keep saying to keep the jeep, sell the Toyota but the minute I do it the Jeep will cost me money. I am also checking my self into a car buying annonymous tomorrow.

Here is a pic of my jeep

 

oh keep the jeep for goodness sakes!!!

hahah

 

Please keep that jeep! Thats a badass rig! I would not be getting rid of that anytime soon!