NW WA BS Thread (Whatcom, Skagit, Island counties)

I'm up for a run to wherever, within reasonable terrain destination... It is only a baby taco, but it's about time my truck saw some dirt.

 

Sweet! I have the OR package and 265 75 r 17 so not really bigger but bigger than the ORs. Anf scratches are not an issue. Been on light trails in mt baker and more.

 

I have the "This is the only way the RC 2WD AT comes equipped" Pkg.... I do have 235/75/R15's, so it should be ok-ish.... Let me know, just not this Saturday.

 

I'm not even kidding when I say that you have a hard road to hoe if you want to offroad. You have a stock 2WD with no front or rear recovery points, no armor, no clearance.
What you do have is a pristine vehicle still.
I would highly advise NOT offroading to the extent of Tahuya or harder. This is not about 'exclusive club membership' or anything. Your truck simply has a different purpose, and you are going to be very frustrated with a lot of burnt money and damage.
Since you are at the beginning of this crossroad, you need to make the judgment call:

• Sell for something more equipped
  
• Buy a side by side like a Polaris RZR, Can Am, etc., an ATV, etc.

My recommendation would be the latter option. You can easily tow it with your current truck (once you buy a tow package), and it will be a monster offroad.

 

Don't let my sarcasm twist my appreciation for the advice. But trust me, I know full well where my truck falls in the Tacoma hierarchy. I've been at this crossroads since I joined TW, nearing 4 years ago... And there's been no shortage of people telling me that my truck basically sucks for off-road adventure. I'm not looking to destroy my truck while trying to overly man-it-up, just a little bumpy fun is all I seek... I don't have the space or money for any new toys.

 

I respect that. I didn't realize you had a Regular cab till you brought it up. Tahuya would be ok for you, a few tricky spots that might need a pull up from someone else. but you have a worthy craft! i think some forest service roads would be great to go explore! I love a good FS road that takes me to views that are unseen by me. Lets go hit some FS roads sometime. i know of a challenging road that would put your 2WD to the test. and a hill climb. ever get up to the snoqualmie pass area?

 

Unless he's modded, he has no place to pull from. He needs to weld on a front recovery point or buy a TRD front hook, plus put on a tow package.


Here's the only thing local I could find. FYI I sold my tow setup for about $100 with hardware (no electronics)
https://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/pts/5143514313.html

 

If there's some FS roads to venture, I'm all over it. I haven't really done anything in WA since I moved up here last year, so it would be cool to get off the island. The last thing I want to do is get towed all day doing stupid shit my truck has no business doing, that's just inconsiderate to everyone. I'm willing to push it to an extent, but my brains to balls ratio is about even, give or take... Thanks for looking up the tow pkg. on CL, Chickenmunga!

 

Are these stock rings not good enough, should I need a tow? I'm still up for a mission, anyway. We can at least see just how incapable my truck really is, if anything...

 

They are transport hooks (for when your vehicle gets shipped from the manufacturing plant to the sales center) and not rated for recovery. There's people who use them anyway, but it's a gamble if they will fail. You're going to hear both sides to that conversation.

A better option is to buy and bolt on the TRD recovery hook (here, or here)

Even better is a closed loop. A closed loop ensures that the strap can't fall off. Someone designed one here for sale. You can of course do cheaper with some fab work, but this is an easy off the shelf solution.
It MUST be big enough to hold a 3/4" shackle, so his 'light duty' are pretty much no better than the transport hooks.

 

Got it... Does anyone here fab, or know of any good fab shops on the island, or island-ish...? I don't have the means to do it myself, and would rather it be done correctly. These kinds of mods were at the top of my list when I first joined TW. However, this has not been the cheap, easy, & mod friendly truck I had hoped it to be...

 

Talk to the guys at better off road. They might be able to help you out.


ALSO I have just recently purchased front coilovers!! I may need a hand with installation! I have never done any suspension work but I've been working on vehicles for years. So if anyone is on the island and has a decent shop or wants to come on base to the auto hobby shop and do some work let me know! 6 pack on me!

 

I caught this Coho off the shore at Bush Point around sunset yesterday. My first fish in WA!

 

good looking fish! nicely done!

 

^ Thank you!

Went up to Northern Cascades National Park yesterday. There's some soft-core action up in the mountains on the NF roads and some old logging roads. Namely a few passages off of Sauk Mtn. Rd. The LC did ok, pops almost caught the brakes on fire coming down the road, though. Since I saw this AC 5-Lug on stock tires and an Impala at the top of Sauk Mtn. Rd., I will definitely be taking my truck up there next time...

From the Skagit River surface, to aprox. 5,000 ft elevation, not even the top. Another 500 ft. up, looked higher, but it was pretty steep. It was already 4pm when we got up there, so we didn't go up to the lake. More views from 500 yds. into the trail...

 

If you google maps it, earth view, there's a lot of trails up there not just the Sauk Mtn. ones. Depending on the weather, I might go back next week.

 

Who's up for a meet and greet in a week or so? Maybe somewhere in Anacortes, Bobs Burger's at Cook Rd or NYP in Burlington?

 

This is the only 2016 at Rodland in Everett, at least for today... $30k

 

Any good wheeling/off-roading up around concrete?

 

Anyone down for a camping trip sometime soon? I wanna bring the truck off road and I'm to familiar with trails out this way!