Where do I start?

I just bought my 2016 SR5 Tacoma and I want to get offroading and improving it ASAP. Should I start with suspension? I was thinking a 4" inch lift with 35" tires. What kits would you guys recommend? I'm mostly running sand and red clay in Florida.

 

I'd start with general maintenance and an over all assessment of the truck.
No need to sink money into parts you can't use.

After that, I'd pick the size wheel and tire you want. Then build the suspension around that.
Once you pass 3" of lift. It is going to get expensive. Do NOT buy the cheap drop bracket kits.
There are plenty of vendors on this site that are more than willing to help you. Don't be afraid to call a few.
Tell them what you want, and what you expect from the suspension. Contrary to popular belief, most shops won't try to sell more than you need.
Because anyone in business will tell you, "You can price yourself out of a sale" easier than you can "over sell" to someone.

 

I suggest you start with off-roading. After some experience you won’t need to ask someone what upgrades you need.

 

I'm with the above. With one caveat, you wheel with the more experienced for their input and help.

I myself am taking a different tack. I'm making all the additions to the vehicle and keeping the final tire size and suspension change for last after I weigh the vehicle. I suspect I will be a great deal heavier then than I am now.

 

I posted some ideas over here

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/accessories.833714/#post-29873136

 

Stick to a max of 23" front and 24" rear center of hub to fender for a lift. Anything more and you will reduce ride quality dramatically. Then trim, beat, Body Mount chop or relocate for the bigger tires. 35" tires will likely take a lot more work compared to 33-34"

Learn about wheel offset, backspacing, width
Learn about caster and how LCA vs UCA moves the wheel in the Wheelwell in opposite directions.

Spend hours reading on here.

 

I think you are over think this. Many people (myself included) simply drive their stock car, truck, or motorcycle off the road one day, have fun, do the same many more times, and then start experimenting with different tires and such. I belong to an off-road club where rigs range from stock Subarus to trailered Jeep Wranglers. My mid-travel OR is in the upper quarter.

In any case, tires are the biggest ROI in the majority of cases. Then perhaps rock sliders, lockers, and then maybe suspension. This does however depend on your driving habits. For example, if you are a go-fast guy, then suspension might be more important than sliders and lockers.

Note that you do not have to modify your suspension to fit bigger tires. That is a common misconception.

 

Here are some resources.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-tacoma-lift-guide.509171/

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-those-that-wheel-and-love-alignments.594309/

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/put-255-85-16s-on-stock-or-wheels-and-suspension.491079/

 

And here are some great videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_68Hc8GtLko&t=299s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1tTelhdEiM&t=6s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAYGdcKSA3o&t=98s

 

For starters a 4 in lift is definitely not a prerequisite for off roading.

2 in lift is probably the sweet spot for daily driver + overlanding.

Fitting 35s will need cutting and hammering. Have fun

 

Nope, not over thinking. On my Samaurai I added 1/2 ton of “improvements” before even packing up for a trip. I will eventually get this truck through the Rubicon and Fordyce. Both rock gardens. Your advice above is spot on, just not for me.

I expect to be over the payload with just the improvements.

 

Most people don't lift these trucks more than 3". Once you get above 3" you start having issues.

 

Ok, but was it your first time or did you have previous experience, knowledge, and skills? My assumption (perhaps wrong) is that the OP has never been wheeling before.

 

LOts of great advice, I appreciate @gudujarlson input, but I would have to have ANY basis of knowledge to be able to apply your initial advice, and I don't. It's good to know that a big lift isn't necessary and would prove both problematic and very costly. I think for now I'll focus on the difference between long travel lifts, drop bracket lifts, and getting smarter on IFS.

 

Your assumption and mine are the same as to the OP's experience. My main advice (post #4) is he gets some local help in learning with a group whom he will get many different opinions and will be able to watch and guide him as he learns. Like you and your club does for its new members, plus the safety factor of traveling in groups.

It seems many new to 4-wheeling concentrate on tires & lift (the OP did in the Original Post) and are more concerned with looks than function. Tires are consumables that get changed often and are thus temporary - these can be easily adjusted within the limits of the current wheel well; in stock configuration narrow 33" tires can be immediately installed such as 255/85/16 on the original rims with only an alignment. Many people new to 4-wheeling view the suspensions as a one-time thing and concentrate on not making errors with their choices. The suspension is also temporary in my opinion and the OP may not have realized that and the effect weight can have upon those suspension choices.

Overall, my advice would be to take a moderate step up in tire size when his tires wear out and go from there adding mods in a slow and deliberate manner as he learns. The 4" lift and 35" tires right out of the gate is ambitious thinking with no experience.

 

Bigger lifts are not necessarily problematic if they are done properly, but 'done properly' does mean $$$$$ (and again, do you really need it?).
Like others here are saying, get out there and see what other people in your local area are using to get to the same places you want to go. You're bound to make fewer costly mistakes on your own rig this way. Also, going into it a little at a time as your skill level requires can prevent wasted $$$ as well. Relying on what people on the internet have though won't necessarily translate to what's best for your rig. Mine for example is built for the (often boulder-strewn) trails here in the West, so yeah bigger lift and taller narrow tires (along with lockers, skids and other armor). The sand & clay you mention seems would require wider tires, and not so much lift. I've not lived in Florida myself, so I'm not in the best position to say what works best there.


At this point in time, I'd suggest start with something fairly universal such as a 2-inch or so mid-travel shock +

$190 add-a-leaf kit for 1995-2023 toyota tacoma - 21.5" short AAL set with isolator pads and square bend u-bolts

add-a-leaf kit, and then go from there (the Bilstein 6112/5160 kit seems to be a popular option that shouldn't break the bank). Save the long-travel and/or drop-bracket expenditures for later after you've gained a better understanding of your truck's suspension and what its capabilities/limitations are.

 

@gudujarlson those were great videos! After a little bit of education, I can see that I don't need 4" of lift, two should be plenty, and 33's. With what I plan to do, relatively fast driving over uneven trails with deep sand and ruts, down travel will be more important than up travel, which would be more important for rocks and boulders, correct? This is my daily driver, I have no plans to take it to the mud park or climb big rocks as I just can't afford the damage that will inevitably follow.

@Toycoma2021 nailed it when he said I was trying to concentrate on not making costly mistakes.

@4x4junkie, I've come to the same conclusion for my first lift. I overdo things and a long travel kit would be overdoing it for my initial needs.

I can't thank everyone enough for their input, I never thought I would get so much feedback on my first post.