Newbie here, with some questions.

Hello all, name is DeafGryphon.
Was reading your forums and liked what I seen so far, and decided to ask some things, pick your brains, what have ya…

I own a 2019 Toyota Sienna, which me and wife love, also has a BraunAbility seat for me as I am in a wheelchair.

I ‘may’ be purchasing a Tacoma in the spring (hopefully with wife’s blessing^^) when my SSDI retirement comes in after a ten year battle for my benefits and backpay. i was a CDL truck driver for eight years before I had to retire due to health issues. (I can drive stick just fine, I just have trouble walking, hence needing the wheelchair.

I ‘really’ like the X-Runner with the manual transmission when they were available. However, we have a adult daughter that loves cars as much as me and wife, that means no X-Runner.

However, we do like the Tacoma, but as a crew cab, or double cab so we all can enjoy driving places.

My dream Tacoma would be an XRunner Crew Cab, lowered, with the five speed, or a six speed. I am unable to climb into a 4x4 and my wife and daughter are petite, at barely 5’1” tall.

Is there a way to lower a RWD crew cab Tacoma to the height of the XRunner, or even lower?
And to add sweetener to the mix, can I add a manual transmission as well?

I would love a truck to drive, row some gears, and be a nice cruiser. And maybe later on, do a GM Ls2 swap with a Tr6060 transmission? I had seen a few V8 swaps, but they were mainly 4WDs. Has anyone here done the V8 swaps into the Tacoma RWD CrewCabs?

Main question, which Tacoma would be the best basis for the project? lowering parts first, nice wheels? i know the RWD CrewCab Tacomas were never offered with the manual transmission, but the 4WD models were.

Get the 4WD model that does have the manual, and change it to RWD, OR get the RWD model, and swap in a manual transmission?

I will be all ears on this, as I love doing things quite differently.
Cheers.

 

Nissan may make a nice little 2wd Fronty.

 

Well, thank you for the reply. But, a Nissan?

Hmmm, no one here likes the idea of a four door Tacoma X-Runner?

Could I ask what years, or generation RWD Crew Cab is easiest to lower?

I mean, I did see references to Toyota Racing having parts that will lower trucks.

Help a guy out here, please?

 

The easiest would be to get a 2nd gen (pre 2015) 5 lug (base model 2WD). Those came from factory as a spring-under-axle, and are already pretty low to the ground. It might be easier to add comforts to the cab of a base model 5-lugger than to rework the suspension of a later model. Everything 3rd gen (2016-2023) is spring-over-axle, and everything fourth gen (2024+) is on independent rear. For either of those you will need to do a lot of customizing. Some people have converted a 3rd gen to spring-under to get the ride height lowered, and from fuzzy memory, I think its possible to get a shorter spindle for the front. I have not seen lowering kits for the 4th gen yet.

 

Now this was a great answer I was looking for. Thank you for the tips, and I will narrow down my looking for a Tacoma. A Pre 2015 model, or I might have to settle for something newer if that is what my wife will agree to. The main thing, is the Crewcab comes first, and since it will be RWD, it will be an Automatic only, correct?

And I guess a manual transmission swap is out of the question? A little disappointing, but certainly Not a deal breaker.

Thnk you again for the reply.

 

The RWD 5 luggers did come in manual, but I do not think its possible to find a crew cab unless you look at the higher stanced prerunner. (Edit, at least in the US. I have rented crew cab 5-lugs when being a tourist around the caribbean.)

This is going to be the closest hit to your wish list without suspension modding. Otherwise, there are many threads about "3rd gen street trucks" that get somewhat close, but not quite the ride height of an XRunner. I would expect to pay a couple grand to add a lowering kit to a 3rd gen.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicle/729489618?

 

Thank you again… this helps a LOT…

 

I think u should get a 1st gen Tacoma







My Tacoma is a 96 Xtra-Cab. Its got a 5-speed manual, and it's RWD. It's easy to get in and out, but the back seat might be a little uncomfortable on long trips- can't win them all

 

Welcome
Sent you a p.m.

 

Your truck looks amazing

 

i LOVE your truck, but we need the crew cab, double cab… but I will do what I can to swap a manual into it, and have the white letters like your truck… LOVE IT

 

Our 2019 Sienna, in Alumina Jade Metallic, with the power side seat from BraunAbility installed at the Factory, a $4,000 option. Possibly one of only one produced at the factory, with the optional chrome molding, side seat, and LE options.

I do have the window sticker as well. only has 24,000 miles on her, and wife keeps her detailed every week.

 

There are a couple threads here on that. One was all the xRunner body stuff strstched and put on a gen2 double cab. Another was an extreemly clean gen2 extra cab auto xRunner build (no auto factory gen2 xRunners)