What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

I appreciate the perspective. I have a pretty solid approach for tires and it certainly varies from yours in all aspects

I have TE37 knockoffs and they look so good, I can never see myself changing them. In fact the wheels and tires have to look good in general. I don't care if the reviews are great, if I don't like the tread pattern, I ain't running it. Aka coopers

I run LT, always have. Sure a bit of weight and ride penalty, but I believe they can hold up to high speed bumps better with the stiffer sidewall. Aired down they work all the same.

I have done the 5 tire rotations in the past, still do on the van. But I have a brand new cheapo spare under the bed and there isn't enough value in it to have it match and do 5 if I go to a 32. It's a non-issue if it needs used, throw it on the front passenger and replace the other one that's failed.

Your last point is key, do what works for you. There is no real right or wrong way to go about it.

 

I cut my spring perches off. Spot drilled and ground the cracks. Welded the cracks and the cut a piece of I think 4" pipe to weld over top and then welded new perches back on. It's held up great.

 

If I didnt plan on going full LT in the next 6 months I would definitely do that. Just not worth the effort if im going to throw this axle away soon .

 

35s. No questions.

Again...35s

In my eyes, a LT/E rated tire from 32-35 is heavy no matter how you look at it. MPGs range from 14-17 (if youre lucky). Not a huge difference tbh. Most I had gotten was like 18.5 and that was a 265/70R16 (~30") Standard Load Michelin. Depends on your commute too. Running Premium in that truck, its expensive to drive either way. 33-35 to me is a negligible difference at this point.

Send it.

Big Tires >

Nitto >

 

Luckily (for me) my frugality has thus far been able to overcome my want of pretty things. Otherwise I'd have a full set of SCS F5 powder coated white I'm also lucky enough to think the 5-Stars look good.

Newish cheapo spare makes sense, a fifth fancy rim and LT tire is $$$.

My only real rant about tires is when people buy a matching spare and don't rotate it through. I'll see a set of five wheels for sale, four tires nearly bald and one "never driven on". That's just throwing money away.

 

Lol I know I know, 35s are best but then I gotta find a spare tire solution, can't do the 31 as a spare at that point. I think I just need a stop gap for now hence the compromise. I'm on P rated 31s right now and get 16mpg around town. I see as high as 19-20 on the highway. But, to your point, premium here is nearly a dollar more per gallon than 87

Nittos have been pretty good on the van outside of mud, and I will be replacing them with the next gen terra grapplers next season. I like trying different things for the truck so MT will get a shot!

 

Changed my trans fluid, shifts sooo much better it’s incredible to see instant results like that.

also got new tires the other day replacing my 10 year old Federal MT’s

feels like a new truck again haha

 

Yea Premium is insane. Thinking ill go to the new Terra Grappler G3 after i wear these falkens out on my second gen. The MT's are heavy, heavier than most other MT's on the market. But they have been my favorite trail tire indefinitely.

 

Shit dude. I used to get 18-19 on the reg with my 31s haha and I have actually gotten 20+ even with 33s on Igor a few time before I put the bumper on.


And I'd argue it's still a huge cost difference becasue the tires themselves are way more expensive to buy and replace. That and to really get the most out of the truck he should really regear which is another 2-3 grand. So...32s are pretty cheap in the big picture. Plus I've seen him drive a lot of places in 32s.




And IMO for now, 32s will work great. Once he gets settled(just moved a few state over) and finds a differnet DD or way to store 35s nicely for the trail. Fuckin send it.

 

Replaced my bent, dented, rusty chrome bumper with a nice new black powdercoated bumper, and installed the new specialty license plate.



Indiana has some interesting plate options; the BMV will let you reuse a plate from the year your vehicle was made as long as it is 25 years old or older. But when I learned that the age is the only requirement to get the "historic vehicle" plates, for no extra fee, my mind was made up.

 

The hell did you do to Igor for him to get such shitty MPG this last trip, you were worse than Mike somehow

 

I never turned it off. Had the AC going for the doggos.

That and bigger wider tires now ha

hopefully my 4.56s help.

 

If you were geared for it I'd say go 35's.
Gearing has been my main reason for not going bigger

My current tires are a 235/85-16 (ST Maxx) and they have been amazing. Definitely made it through a few things I wasn't expecting.

Gearing has been my main reason for not going bigger. Boost definitely helped make the gearing feel better even with the auto trans I agree with you there.

I haven't even taken a hammer to the pinch welds, I was planning to skip that stage and go straight to tubbing for 35's

 

Sorry I meant MT's as in mickey Thompsons. Fairly light for their category.

Actually one draw to 35s is the fact the roads here suuuuck. Pretty rough especially with rear shocks that top out in one inch of travel. 35s would smooth that shit out better I'm pretty set on the 265/75 though.

 

I've been there, 35s, stock gears, weighing over 5.5k. manual makes a big difference. It was a pug but actually not bad. Used 4th a lot in the highway mostly to prevent detonation even though 5 probably had the power for some hills. It all depends on how sensitive you are to it.

 

Tran cooler went in today

 

Started with the idea of doing the entire rack bushings but was having a real hard time getting the rack far from the crossmember. Gave up and just did the bushing that needed it - the large clamp. Original bushing was destroyed from oil and just ripped apart. Put that 333 clamp on too figured might as well. Only thing... guess I need an alignment now the steering wheel is off to the side. Picture shows "going straight." Also did swaybar bushings while at it.

Also anyone know how to actually quiet these leafs down the whole neighborhood can hear them

 

I ordered that 333 clamp today! gotta order bushings and another rack now.

 

Do you have nylon friction spacers between the leafs? It looks like it but it's hard to see for sure with all that foam. If so try taking the pressure off the springs and spreading them with a pry bar and get some molly grease inside the waffle like pattern of the nylon pads.

 

If anyone has any 28mm shims lying around, I am looking for 2.73, 2.74, 2.75, 2.79, 2.81, and 2.83 sizes