2006 Tacoma durability question

Good point, the 1GR-FE is extremely sensitive. Turbo is on my bucket list for this truck, but I expect I'll probably blow the engine doing so at some point. But I'll just swap it. Don't think OP is wanting to get that far into it.

OP, your 16, my advice, you can get some good 3" lift coils, ext travel struts, shocks and AAL from Dobinson's or OME for under $1,000. Buy some tools, install them yourself, learn about your truck and have fun doing it. If you love your Tacoma you will! Promise New 33' tires ( I highly recommend AMP off-road tires!!!), and new wheels for about another $2,500 depending on which wheels you select.

Max $3,500. Done. Enjoy the truck.

 

What wheels and tires are on it Now? Pic would help. Spacers... Not recommend, plus the $300+ to buy them could be better used to put towards new tires and wheels that would stick out more and get you the look your wanting

If you decide you are going to go the spacer route, just buy some quality spacers. Not EBay $50 spacers. Because of spindle lift, I had to put spacers in the back. Currently using Spider's, no issues.

 

Definetely do all the installs yourself. It makes you one with your vehicle and teaches you a ton of stuff along the way. Driveway installs can be a pain sometimes but just take your time. If you can get a lift for a day to work on it then do so, your body will thank you later lol. Front struts can be removed and installed on a taco in legit 5 minutes. Its the rears that will make you do fancy stuff for them to come out. And with the wheel spacers if you DO go that route ALWAYS go hubcentric, do not spend 50$ for 4 on ebay! Look into spidertrax or something and be mindful of tire to suspension clearance with different wheel offsets.

 

We said the same thing on wheel spacers lmao

 

Front struts in 5 minutes??? What's your secret bro, lol! Takes me like 30 minutes!!!

Rear's, about 5 minutes each, if your having trouble with the rears, simple fix, just adjust the lift/jack to remove the tension on the bottom bolt. Will come out smooth as silk (unless it seized into the shock, that's totally duff story, lol)

 

If the frame was recently replaced it should be easy to replace the suspension.

Modifying vehicles is always lost money. It doesn’t raise the value of the vehicle and insurance will not pay for loss without ryders.

Any truck could be a total loss tomorrow, even brand new ones. If the truck was maintained well I would expect 400k miles without major issues. But lifts tires and turbos will speed up the time it takes to encounter problems.

I would just enjoy the truck for now and not get caught up in blowing thousands on this vehicle when you don’t have a license.
Worry about funding college or other important life expenses.

Sorry about your dad.

 

The stock tires are on now and I don’t know a thing about the tire sizes or offset. What is the biggest tire offset I could get that would give me that look without having to cut or get suspension upgrades

 

Thank you all so even if I didn’t get a whole suspension kit maybe fox shocks would be nice for the ride and wheels most likely with hubcentric.
lmao my dad is fine he is just getting a brand new TRD PRO and I’m getting his old one. I wanted him to get a raptor so I could have the OG taco but he likes them so much, what can I say they are awesome trucks.

 

You said you inherited a truck from him.

So really you mean you were given a truck.

 

I have an 06 and i think the biggest thing that failed on me so far was my transfer case wouldn't come out of 4wd, so replaced with a low mileage unit. and i've got 265k on it and just did Spring under axle and Long Travel... so when something fails i will replace it as it comes....and yeah modding trucks is addictive...

 

Yes I mispoke lol

 

i make it a point to my father that we should replace fluids every once in a while and I rarely use 4 wheels drive even in snowy conditions but most definitely things will go bad. The altinator went bad about 60k mikes ago and also the truck now is making a chirping sound at a little under 600rpm and I think it is the power steering pump so that will be something I look at.

 

The secret is a lift and air/electric tools plus one or two wrenchs. We started suspensions in my T-TEN class at school and hes like "alright you get the taco Adam" literally 5 mins later i had both of them on the table, guy nearly shit bricks

For the rears i cut a slit into it with a cutoff wheel and held it with a 8mm wrench and spun the nut off with a ratchet dont judge my new england rusty bolt hackwork. (obviously this was on my truck not a customers or something!)

 

creative I will get there eventually I need to get a real job and possible start my little side business again to save up for lift and such

 

Stop.

 

I can't advise you on the turbo. But on the lift, it will put a strain on the U-joints and other driveline components. So at the very least, I suggest replacing the U-joints.
Yes oversize wheels/tires and especially wheel spacers will stress the wheel bearings and axles, ball joints, etc.
Also consider upgrading your brakes if you go oversize tires.

 

3" lift isn't bad. Specifically ensure that you get strong leaf springs in the rear to counteract axle wrap. Forget the turbo, the 2nd Gen has more than enough power.

 

Agree,I personally would not invest any money in your 2006,way to many miles,and you will never get anything for any money put into the truck.

 

If you want to have a fun truck to wheel in stick to suspension/tire mods for now. Turbos sound like fun but they can lead to expensive problems that weren't there before. Then you can't go wheeling because your truck is in your driveway and you're looking for a motor

 

Anyone out there with an Ls swapped taco? I mean i could make a custom exhaust charge pipe if i turbo`d this engine and if i get an Ls, or different motor, i could run my turbo on the replacement motor and wouldn't have wasted hundreds on manifolds.