Got me a new old truck

Hi Guys!
I just picked up a 2003 Taco TRD 4wd auto extended cab. Clean truck for being in Chicago and dealing with all the salt they put down. Its a one owner truck that i saw on CL and i called right away and was there in less than one hour. As we all know, these go fast and the seller didn't know what he really had. Truck has 144k on it and it came with all the maintenance history from the dealer. I paid 5k for it, so i think i got it for a good price Its at the point where its starting to rust but you would have to look for it. The frame at one time was coated, not sure if the dealer did it, but it has rust buildup that peels off in layers. I poked around and could not find a hole that went through the frame, so i would deem it solid. I don't think the dealer would replace it if i took it in and i asked if it had the frame replace, the seller asked why would they do that? So now for a few questions, i did by the way look thru some of the post's on here to see if i can get some answers. Sometime i came up with even more questions, lol.I will be using the truck as a DD and also to carry general light construction material/debri. With that said, i like nice s%!t, so since it needs a few things replaced, i rather spend the money on better then stock parts. The truck is completely stock and still has what looks like the OG suspension. Here are my questions, and advice would be really appreciated!

1. The 4WD is not working (maybe thats why it was 5K) I hit the 4wd button, no light. i jacked up the truck, tap the actuator in the back of the transmission case, light comes on, even if the button is off, but still no 4wd. i spin both the front wheels, they both spin the front driveshaft (is that normal?) i thought the front ADD is supposed to disengage the front axles from the drive shaft? So, it looks like if i get the actuator behind the trans working, it should activate the front drive shaft? I am taking it to a shop on Thursday to get it looked at, but i wanted to be somewhat informed, so i don't get sound like a open check book.

2. Temp gauge is always stuck in the middle, don't know the correct temp. When i shut off the truck, it will go down, but as soon as i start it, it goes strait to the middle of the gauge.

3. The suspension feels a bit worn out. Since it needs new shocks and could use rear leaf springs, i would like to just lift it at that point. Iam sure some other parts in the suspension will need some attention, so anything stock that should be replace, rather go aftermarket. Looking for a nice stance, so maybe 3 to 6 inch lift? A little bit of flexing would be cool but i don't go off road to much yet, but would like to be ready. How high can i go before i have to drop the front diff? What is involved to drop the front diff? Also, i read that some of the entry level bilstein leak, i read King, Icon and Fox might be a worth the upgrade. Also, some shocks have a separate reservoir. At what point are these needed?

4. Wheels and tires. I like the low profiled mud look with a wide rim. What rim and tire size combo will i be safe with. Can i get 18's or is that to big and heavy? Are 20's all show no go? what is the sweet spot on these trucks.

I have a 5k budget, am I dreaming here? I am ready to go and thank you all in advance

 

I'm surprised this hasn't already been done

Congrats on the new/old truck

 

Congrats

Please post pics

 

Forgot the pic

 

Sultry

 

I like it! It looks great from the picture, it could be an awesome off road beast or could easily be enjoyed stock. Either way, if you're able to take care of what it needs you should have a very reliable truck in no time.

 

Welcome to tw

 

Nice truck, at a very good price.

First thing I would do is verify the status of your extended frame warranty. If you have the maintenance records, there should be a dealer record from around 2010 for applying the corrosion protection (undercoating). I would also take it to your local trusted Toyota dealer and have the frame inspected. Should it check out that the undercoating was applied, your frame will be covered by the warranty until 2018 or so, 15 years from the original "in service" date. While it may seem solid now, that can quickly change, as I found out with my 2001 Tacoma, which had its frame replaced several years ago.

Suspension wise, your are probably right that the leafs are shot. You probably will also need new steering rack bushings. I went with a combination of OME coils and Wheeler's Offroad leafs and shocks which kept the lift close to stock, but also improved the ride and handling. You can check out the OME thread for more ideas. I kept my stock rims.

I'm sure you'll figure out the 4WD issue. Hope it's just a bad connection somewhere in the system.

Good luck with the truck and mods.