Long Travel vs Mid Travel

That is still a +3.

When we say +2 or +3.5 - it means per side.

You probably new that.

 

He has the DTF +6 per side race kit. Maybe Baja Kits can make something similar to turn our trucks into street legal trophy trucks. I'll be down some day when I win the lottery

 

Gotcha!

 

You guys can offer slight frame reinforcements like I saw when I was at the shop

Lol

 

"slight" ^

 

Back to the topic at hand though there are varying degrees towards full long travel and a lot of non-CA guys go with a +2 kit in front and a really good SOA setup in back.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/dakotas-yota-build-long-travel-chevy-63s-and-bs.319048/
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/northwesttacos-lt-build-w-35s-and-bs.343693/


Then there's guys with SUA kits that use the stock spring mounting locations to cut down on fab costs like the old defined kit that MxPatriot has, the TC kit, and now Baja Kits has one like this as well found on the Enigma build.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ravel-4x4-tacoma-alaska-offroad-thread.66924/
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ladies-and-gentlemen-the-enigma-build.454621/

You don't get the same travel numbers but then that's where the intended use for the truck comes in. For me what I'm looking for is more of a truck that can get me to places I want to explore on foot - quickly through varied terrain not mash the throttle through whoops or jump it (well if money was no object then I'd be down). Speaking of how you use your truck coming into play even long travel trucks with the more serious DMZ kit can keep the bed intact while sacrificing some travel by using shock hoops below the bed.



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/white-knight-fixedtrd-build.126828/

I plan on making this (shock hoops & SUA w/ stock spring hangers) happen with my truck since I need it to stay waterproof in the bed for how I use it when I go camping / hiking. Plus I'll be saving $$$$ by not having a cage built and use it for a nice bumper & winch combo which I am more interested in having.

It sounded like the OP was primarily interested in romping at desert playgrounds like Ocotillo & Barstow, etc., still I thought I'd kind of throw in the other points between aal / stock LCA mid travel and standard long travel since the thread was mid vs. long travel.

 

Buy an older truck that already has a kit and rear suspension done IMO. If you wait for the right deal, they can be had for the price of the suspension alone, and you get a free truck! Yeah, you might inherit someone else's problems but its so much nicer to work on something that is cheap than a brand. new. truck.

I have a 2003, bought it with the cab cage already done, a new front kit on it, and new rear sua set up. Paid roughly what I'd pay for a stock tacoma. But what had happened was some guy built it, got burned out on the project, and sold it. His loss is my gain. Older trucks also have a used parts market not available for something that's brand new. You can't buy used fenders when the manufacturers don't make them yet. Can't get a used kit that needs new bushings and uniballs either.

That's just my $.02

 

If I ever make it out to the west again, that's my game plan right there...full out 1st gen! OP, Im currently in your boat but maybe just slightly ahead. I only have king Resi's on the front right now but I just got the TC SUA with BAMF relocation done in the rear. TC hasn't posted on their site yet, but they do have the hoops in their catalog if you want their shock relocation hoops for the SUA midtravel rear which seems to be pretty straight forward as far as fab work. Im getting a full 12 inches out of my rear with full droop which isnt bad considering Im not LT. I have only had my truck out on one trail since installing the SUA, but my truck was able to hit things on the trail at much higher speeds without issue compared to the others thanks to that set up. I am buying up my stuff now, but plan to go with the TC 2+ RACE series since you get two more inches of clearance due to the lower control arm construction over the basic 2+ kit. As others have said, def need to reinforce your stuff sooner than later. I would at a minimum get spindle gussets as Im sure when you get your LT on you will want to go with speed and these spindles arnt that strong stock...especially at higher speeds. To me, LT is a great option as I like speed even if its just on trails and fire roads here but I like the robust capabilities that can be had if you reinforce your front right. To conclude, I plan to have spindle gussets, cam tabs, and a secondary shock partly for valving, but also to serve as more reinforcement for the front end as I imagine that will take a lot of the stress when bashing rocks.

Coot

 

I completely agree with your logic, but I think one should really compare the actual cost between the +2" kits and +3.5" kits and doing a chaos SUA or going big and buying the DMZ SUA kit. I think you might find that the cost might only be a couple hundred bucks difference when it is all said and done.

This was the issue that I dealt with when I initially went long travel (4 yrs ago). The Chaos +2" kit had just come out but glass wasn't available. The cost between the +3.5 and +2" kit was like $300 difference. As for the rear, I have always wanted to do the SUA so that was a no brainer. I did think long and hard about the bed cage and having a usable bed (See my build thread in my signature). In the end I am glad with my decision. I mainly use my truck for what you described. I travel to remote areas in Utah to go camp/ hike around/ explore/ wheel. I don't bash/ jump the truck even though I have a +3.5" kit and the full DUZ SUA kit with 16" bypasses through the bed. I always keep in the back of my mind that I need to be able to drive the truck home.

The point being, I am glad I went down the road of getting the +3.5" kit. I have no second guesses on if I will ever want more travel (I do but don't want the truck any wider lol).
Just my two cents!

 

This is a good read... I am mid travel right now and it performs great on small/medium washboard roads and trails, I really can't complain unless I want to go over 50 on some good whoops. I guess I'll just count my blessings with the mid setup until I get another car to daily drive, and stumble upon $15k to do it right as a mostly-off road, trailer it to the desert rig.

 

It's a nice, newer truck you can still daily drive and drive to the desert easily. Mine has plates, but it's not a daily. So many people I know went the "full build trailer my truck to the desert" route and HATE IT. The cost goes up so much to use a truck that you have to spend a bunch to maintain, buy a tow rig, and a trailer. They're all trying to "unbuild" their trucks or start over with something that's simpler and can be driven on the street. So many trips and places (ocotillo) require you to have license plates to go on certain trails anyways. Its a vicious cycle. Those with mid travel want long travel. Those with long travel want mid travel when they used their truck more. I'm just stupid and don't take my own advice.

 

depends if you are just daily driving or looking to actually off road. Daily driving a LT gets very old

 

i disagree i love DD my LT

 

Depends where you live I guess. I wouldn't say I HATED it but for me it wasn't ideal.

 

Lol those with long travel want mid travel, I would never go back to mid travel. that's like I want a v6 mustang instead of the 5.0

 

What if it's a twin turbo V6?

 

Sounds like you didn't understand the analogy.

 

I think he was referring to the mid travel kits that his company puts out that would be the equivalent of a turbo'd V6 in this case.

 

Oh I understood.

I was just cracking a joke.

I'll stop right there until this conversation goes too far.

Have a good day!