Just how capable is my tacoma

Wow i did not know what. What’s the point of the sport then? Lol.

What exactly does Trac do?

 

If you just want something for weekend fun for wheeling I'd get the other vehicle and leave your truck stock. Building your current truck can become a money pit. Bigger tires, mild to "wild" lift 2-5gs, bumpers and sliders can be another good chunk of cash. If I could go back in time I'd have kept my first gen Tacoma and bought a tow rig for it. I feel like with your history of vehicles a moderately built Tacoma may not be enough.

 

You know,
Thank you for the advice.

That’s starting to be where I’m leaning. Maybe just find something i can build and go from there. I don’t have 10k to dump into this thing. As much as I’d love too. And i really don’t wanna screw it up.

 

Ahh thank you for clearing that up. Shoot now knowing that it’s open diff means even more money haha

 

If your looking for a weekend wheeling toy. You will save thousands by building a jeep zj,xj or yj.

I had a built zj and it was like driving and wheeling on a cloud. Plush long arm suspension

 

No problem! I love my second gen and what I've been able to do with it, but now days with the family I just don't get out as much with it. Even when I go out I'm worried about breaking it because it's also my daily and I'm in no position to buy an actual daily driver right now. If you can afford it, buy yourself that toy.

 

I think you're finally starting to see the light. Even though you got the Taco cheap, that's a ~$20K truck. Sell it and buy something much older, and add lockers, lift, tires, 4 to1 transfer case, and chromoly front axle shafts and you will still have at least $5K left over. Then go out and drive it like you stole it.

 

Yup! Hit the nail on the head.

 

Nope, it is the same as all Tacomas since 2009. 2005 to 2008 are the only years the Sport had a real limited slip differential and required friction modifiers in the diff oil.

The electronic/ABS limited slip does work, however. The standard mode is called TRAC and in 2WD, a quick press of the VSC OFF button puts you into "AUTO LSD" mode which is a higher level of TRAC that only applies brake pressure and does not cut the engine output (TRAC uses both engine regulation and brake force) to help you move from a stop if one tire is spinning in ice or sand or mud.

In 4WD-HI, the quick press (VSC OFF button) for more traction control is called "TRAC OFF" (which is also what AUTO LSD is called in 2WD). It seems to mean TRAC but with engine regulation turned OFF? Bad names being used by Toyota that create confusion.

The Third Gen Tacoma owners who have contributed traction data seem to think TRAC was stronger than TRAC OFF in H4 and they also say there is TRAC in L4 (which there is not in Second Gen Tacomas).

L4 has no traction assist (2nd Gen) except for the Off Road models (locker and A-TRAC, 2009+).

 

Sport is an appearance package (for looks) and has a special Bilstein suspension for "sport driving". Fake hood scoop, colored bumpers and mirrors, etc.
Off Road has the locker and A-TRAC system (4 wheel locker-like traction) and a special Bilstein suspension that is a bit softer for the bumps.

TRAC is an electronic, ABS brake, limited slip system and works on all the driven wheels. It has two levels: TRAC and TRAC OFF (called AUTO LSD in 2WD). TRAC OFF is not Trac turned off, it is Trac with engine output regulation (throttle cut) turned OFF. If TRAC won't get you moving due to wheel spin, then quickly press the VSC OFF button to go into TRAC OFF for more traction control/ higher level limited slip.
IF you don't want any traction control and need to spin your tires (to clear out mud or snow), then stop the truck and press and hold in the VSC OFF button for a few seconds. Light will come on when you are in VSC OFF MODE which is NO TRAC and NO VSC (Vehicle Stability Control). Pressing the button again or restarting the truck will return you to the normal TRAC MODE.

Vehicle Stability Control keeps you driving in the direction you intend if you go into a skid at speed. It is an amazing feature! Note, in AUTO LSD MODE, the VSC goes off to 30 mph.

 

You may also want to add one of these and drive 88 miles per hour!

 

Good stuff ^^^^.
@BlessdApparel1 , Shop around to trade for a used OR a few yesrs older, you may walk away w your rear diff and some cash in hand

 

This guy has a good point. Even better when you recognize that ultimately, offroading breaks stuff, so if you keep the Tacoma as the truck that pulls the buggy around, then break the buggy and you can still get home at the end of the day.

But break the Tacoma and you're not going to have a good time.

 

Just to give you some ides, my buddy has a mid 70s Land Cruiser FJ40. (Looks sorta like a Jeep CJ) It has a Chevy 350 with aftermarket throttle body fuel injection, turbo 350 trans, 4 to 1 transfer case, lockers in both axles, beadlock wheels, and 38" tires. He airs the tires down to about 5 PSI and that thing will practically climb a vertical wall without hardly even reving the motor. It's beat up, rattle can painted and he doesn't care if he bumps into something. That thing is a beast. I went a different direction. '78 Ford F150, built 460, C6 trans, 205 transfercase, limited slip rear axle, spool front axle, chromoly axles and steering U joints in the front axle, 38" comp cut boggers on beadlock wheels. My truck is much heavier, and I get there with brute horsepower and tire speed. It's multicolored and the body is rusty and I don't care if I bump into something.

 

And the crowd starts to chant, “Pics, pics, pics....”

 

What lift did you with and how much into the suspension are you?[/QUOTE]
Probably 2500$ but my truck came with total chaos uppers so for me I have put in 1700.

King shocks/tc uppers
Dakar leafs
Bilstein 5110 rears

 

When you are in 4H you have limited slip front and rear. You don’t need to do anything special, just put it in 4H and you get 4wd and limited slip front and rear. Awesome traction. In 4L you have open diff. unless you have an off road with the e locker or you do the yellow wire mod. See David K’s excellent thread http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...-controls-trac-auto-lsd-trac-rear-locker.html

 

I don't have pics of my buddies FJ, but here's pics of my Ford.



Here's pics of when I debeaded a Bogger, before I got beadlock wheels




After that, I welded up beadlock wheels.

 

I think were getting somewhere
as much as I love this truck I don't need it to be that crazy
and thinking about it, I can still explore places and mess around and get where I need to because it is 4 wheel drive. you guys have really helped me out. the vehicle im getting is an 83 Hilux that is caged and set up for the desert. it needs a few things but you bet it will be posted on here!

 

So the 2013 Sport is out and the 1983 Hilux is in? Great... Have fun and post photos of the build.