What’s broken while offroad?

It’s unavoidable on the Tacoma, unless you got HC steel rear bumper.

 

Is it common to break a drive belt whilst wheeling? I am not too serious into wheeling yet, but it sounds like it may be a good idea to keep a spare in the truck?

 

I've never broken anything while off-road, knock on wood, but certainly could have several times if I didn't have skid plates on the LCAs, bash plates on the under side, and rock sliders. Certainly have scraped up the tail hitch a bit but so what? I don't know.

Speed breaks things. Go slow over obstacles and you'll reduce the risk of damaging something.

The spindles on these are pretty easy to bend, definitely not a weaker link than a tie rod end, however. I carry a spare tie rod with me at all times.

Something somewhat unrelated, but kind of not really, protect your battery terminals with dielectric gel, pads, and covers. I went through a battery only after two years (factory battery) because down here the dirt is everywhere and when you mix that with water you get nasty corrosive clay shit on electrical parts. The factory battery is pretty much unprotected. Had I not been good about checking under the hood every time I fuel up this could have been a problem.

If your truck doesn't start out the middle of nowhere, that's a lifeline you're using. Carry a power supply that can jump your truck.

Not really sure what you are doing with your rig. Just know that everything is breakable. Too many people get into these things and just think "oh well it's a Tacoma I got nothing to worry about". Run them hard enough on a trail and you'll find that is not the case.

 

I keep a spare belt as well. Take a picture of your pulley system so you aren't trying to figure out how to route the damn thing if that day ever comes that you need to change it in the middle of nowhere

 

Cheap insurance if anything!

 

That’s so true.

 

What I've personally broke while wheeling:
CV, upper ball joint, wheel bearing, inner and outer tie rod ends, rear bumper, front bumper. I've gouged skids and sliders but that's what they are there for.

What I carry:
CV, upper ball joint, wheel bearing with seals, u-joint, 1 inner tie rod end, left and right outer tie rod ends, u-joint press (doubles for upper ball joint), couple spare lug nuts, impact, tool kit, BFH, 1 jack stand, MAP gas torch. All of this fits on the floor board behind the drivers seat. All my recovery gear is under and behind the back seat.

 

Oh wait I take that back.... Driver side front shock was BTFO when I put my suspension in at 25K miles. lol.

I also punctured a lower control arm ball joint boot on a cactus once (stay on the trails my dudes, lesson learned, the rubber parts on these are very exposed... sticks and cactus will ruin your time).

 

belt noise from water and mud, screaming belts make for a bad time lol

 

Most body panels, rear bumper, front coils, leaf spring, CV. Once you break it you can upgrade it!

 

my steering rack...pretty sure it was because I took a texas exit when the interstate was backed up and the ditch was a little steeper than I expected...WHOMP...if I was going at a respectable speed I wouldn't be replacing it...pretty sure that's what did it

oh...this one time I also slide into a brush pile with a solid tree stump that was about 4 feet tall but hidden while doing donuts in 4wd...that cost a pretty penny...wished I had my arb bumper installed then :\ I don't do donuts anymore XD

 

I'm curious about that as well. Never even heard of breaking a drive belt on anything shy of original V belts from the 70's due to dry rot.

How does that even happen on any gen Tacoma?

 

I broke a lot of hearts off road. The women watch me wheel by, and call out with their siren song, but I stay focused on the trail and pay them no mind, because on my path, the warrior’s path, I must walk alone.

 

I ran into a guy in a 5th gen 4Runner that broke a sway bar end link. No big deal, but it tore his cv boot all apart in tbe process, and he had a 900 mile ride home.

 

I’m with the rear bumper crowd, it was the very first victim, and ruined a hitch cover that I dearly loved, almost took out the front air dam too.

 

What spindles would you recommend for a 3rd gen? Just to stay ahead of the possible-problem curve.

 

There are several gusset kits you can buy but Camburg makes a complete replacement.

 

You can also buy spindle gussets and have them welded on your spindles... They are fantastic but if you aren't doing some really hard wheeling don't waste your money on them.

Something's gotta give right, beef up the spindles, what weak point are you creating now? Personally I'd rather bend a spindle than sheer a cam bolt off one of my control arms. Not saying that is what will happen to you, but understand that just because you strengthen one part, doesn't mean something can't still fail.

Cam gusset tabs would be a good idea - Total Chaos makes a good set. Find a shop that knows what they are doing with the install. Not expensive

 

most common damage is probably a flat tire and a full size spare is often overlooked. Can’t tell you how many Jeep and Tacomas I’ve seen on 35s with a stock size spare wheel

 

There's always one in the bunch!