Just starting my off roading journey...

New here. Owned my '99 Tacoma for 15 years, but I've just finally started modding it this last fall. Just a spacer lift and a new set of KO2's with an aim to ultimately make it a unelaborate but capable little off-roader. I used to so some light off roading with my Bronco a long time ago, so I'm not inexperienced though I'm far from an expert.

I'm just looking to do beginner and intermediate trails at off roading sites, and be able to go where the forest roads take me (however unmaintained). I've got the basic recovery gear. Because I do a lot of adventuring alone, I figured a good bumper and self-recovery winch would be the next best investments, so I was planning to get that next (maybe some lights) and call it good.

I've been advised that rather than get a bumper and a winch, I should swap out my IFS for a solid axle as my IFS will snap like a twig if I start to 4x4. Tacoma owners, given my intentions, is this true in your experience? Is this the better choice than the bumper and winch?

 

Solid axles are way better than ifs but not sure how much you know about SAS but to do it right you could buy another vehicle with the cost it WILL BE over 5k if your not doing the fab work yourself

 

Your IFS will get you through 99% of the intermediate trails and is probably a more comfortable ride on the pavement. Solid Axel is at its best when rock crawling IMO. If you plan on doing a lot of rock crawling, then SAS is probably a good fit for you. It sure looks bad ass. Welcome to TW!

 

Thanks for he response. I don't live in a circumstance where I can do work myself, so yeah, that doesn't sound like an affordable upgrade for me. Everything else I was going to spend was only about 2.5K, which is top of my budget.

 

No plans to rock crawl. Will mostly be unimproved rutted out roads (some in terrible shape), pooled water, mud, snow, some steep inclines and declines, occasionally rocky roads but no specific boulder climbing. If you know the area, Power Line in Brown's Camp would be a good example of what I plan to do.

Thanks for the welcome. I look forward to transforming my rig.

 

Welcome to the club!Great info from everyone above^!