Long Travel 21 Tacoma (thoughts&questions)

Thanks haha, I wanna see your truck!

 

Pretty much anything that brings joy is illegal out here, but we aren't supposed to get political so I'll just leave it at that.

 

@Buttskevin21 and @Vegasstunts

Got details on what size/length limit straps you used? I'm mid-travel, Fox 2.5's on stock lowers and spc uppers. Just need to know what I need to buy.

 

I’ve owned, built, and daily driven long travel trucks. My most significant one was a 20 year project, with more time and money than I’m willing to admit.

It was a T100 with a street legal V8 swap and just about every part of it had to be built as custom one-off parts. There are no “kits” available. Anything I didn’t build on it was done at Solo Motorsports.

I sold it in 2020 after having cancer and bought a sxs that was more practical for my family.

Then I decided I still needed a street/off-road truck and bought a Raptor.

I was disappointed that the Raptor didn’t perform as well as the T100 did and sold it to buy a new TRD OR Tacoma. ( I tried to convince myself I just needed a “normal” truck. )

The Tacoma is stock, but I find myself constantly reading about the long travel options out there and what it would take to build a half decent long travel Tacoma.

I honestly think I can get it done with about 30k, to do it right.

Then I start thinking about the simplicity of buying a turn-key Raptor again, and knowing with all that money and custom work in a Tacoma, I would be better off to buy another Raptor.

OP, Once you start down the long travel path, it NEVER ENDS. It will never be finished and for every part you add you encounter a new problem leading to another part and more work.

If you decide to do it, just know you need to start with a significant bankroll or serious skills and available time.

 

Modern LT builds are super reliable, especially if you don't push the limits of tire size. That being said, the frequency of shock rebuilds, CV's wearing out, steering components shitting the bed and bushings/uniballs wearing at ungodly rates should have many steer clear. Expect to and be capable of putting your truck on stands and rebuilding once a year. You likely won't need to unless you wheel hard, but being able to do so (or having the funds to pay someone) is important.

 

First, your truck looks great and seeing any well thought out truck just makes me want to do it again more.

I agree current LT and the ability to buy a pre fab kit made for the Tacoma is a big plus. But yes, there is still a need to rebuild, replace and maintenance that comes with ownership. A built truck is also so much cooler than a ‘bought’ truck.

There is so much pride in knowing the truck is yours, unique and with your own purpose. Seeing a built truck on the street makes me smile. Seeing a Raptor or a TRX just makes me cringe. Most Raptor owners I’ve met are tools. They own them because they can ($$$) and they never see dirt.

I just know I don’t physically have it in me anymore to keep up with a custom build, but I thoroughly enjoy seeing them here.

 

Think I got 8" straps. The mounts where off Amazon I think. Just welded the double sheer tab on the arm and the adjuster to the frame

 

I think you are being short sighted. Someone of us look beyond the verbatim question and try to understand the bigger picture. Sometime’s you can help someone much more by looking deeper instead of rattling off a stock answer. This is a very common strategy in my profession.

Also, I caution you to be skeptical of all claims of X brand or Y build being the answer to your dreams. It seems to be human nature to claim something is awesome regardless of any evidence after spending a lot of money on it.

EDIT: also note that you posted in the 3rd gen forum, not the long travel forum. Not every taco owner is rocking a long travel kit.

 

Nah…not a Can Am salesman. Only brand I can think of off the top of my head. Just think an off the shelf LT kit is disappointing for the money. Of course I have been Trophy Trucks before…so go big or go home. Anything else is rather lack luster, at least to me it is.