How capable are '05-'08 4WD Tacomas? Need advice on trim selection

Yeah I was mistaken initially. I thought the early TRD OR's didn't have a rear locker.

 

That is what the Off Road has had since its inception in the late 1990s... a rear locker and why I only would buy Off Road TRDs. The Sport TRD did not exist before 2005, and it is mostly a 'looks' package as it has no traction advantages (other than the first 4 years when it had a limited slip rear differential).
I got my 2010 without knowing about A-TRAC. It had the locker and that was the reason, again. I would soon discover that A-TRAC gives locker-like traction on all 4 tires, not just the rear two. I was sure excited to find this out and then used Tacoma World to learn more about it, and test it myself and share what I learned so others could appreciate the technology.

 

I have a 07 sport with LSD. After 09 the sports dont have the LSD? Only open diff 4x4? Learning something new today if thats true

 

09+ TRD's have ATrac, which is like 4-channel traction control, better than a locking diff

 

That's exactly my point in this thread. I appreciate your input and I too love my A-TRAC. Hopefully I can find a clean, stock, 2nd gen TRD off road when the time comes very soon.

 

rarely use my rear locker, also don't rock crawl a whole lot but most the climbs in the area are usually slick mud climbs or loose shale rock. then there's snow and ice in the winter. picking the right line is half the battle.

 

Yeah definitely. I use ATRAC usually once or twice each time I wheel in the 4Runner and it has spoiled me. Im definitely not into hardcore rock crawling and I'll never be at that level anyway, I just know how well ATRAC and lockers work and I have seen first hand how easy they make loose, steep terrain so I want to make sure I buy the RIGHT 2nd gen tacoma

 

I was very happy to find my 2008 last year with only 16000 original miles, always garaged, nearly brand new inside and out (a couple little dings near the hood where something fell on it, awwwww), and COMPLETELY stock, still had the original tires, even. yeah, an 09+ with atrac would have been cool but this is just fine for me.

 

Yeah I'm hoping to find a 4WD 2nd gen that grandpa has owned and has never really been wheeled and still has the low hanging factory side steps. I know it's out there! Hoping to find one with no more than 150000 miles on it. I also hope to find a later model year because I know the paint on most early 2nd gens is often oxidized to heck and looks terrible.

 

And you have the last year of the access cab cool folding back seat.

 

this one belonged to a 20-something who's dad had given him as a grad present, but he couldn't afford to drive it (had a ratty old honda civic that got 35mpg). 4x4, 4.0L V6, TRD Off Road access cab. paint was perfect except for the couple dings.

 

oh, they got rid of that???!? Yeah, I really dig that, we hardly ever have back seat passengers (other than our dog, hah), so those seats are always folded flat, my low profile toolboxes fit under them, and we carry assorted junk (and said dog) on top of them.

 

That is correct.
In 2009, ALL Tacomas got TRAC and AUTO LSD (electronic, brake assisted limited slip). The mechanical limited slip in Sport TRDs was discontinued after 2008.

 

Only OFF ROAD 4WD TRDs, NOT SPORT TRDs.

 

CRAWL is like Cruise Control for Low Range, so you can let the truck get you up or out, automatically. It is MTS (Multi-Terrain Select) that incorporates A-TRAC for improved traction. I have yet to drive one to better describe it.

 

Same here. We bought an access cab to haul stuff, not people. With those fold down flat rear seats, we toss groceries, suitcases, and other assorted stuff in there. Starting in '09, the lower seat cushion folds up and back and also you have those big giant headrests blocking your view out the back window.

 

Forgot to update this thread, in December of last year I found my dream tacoma (basically). Only problems were that it was on a spacer lift & absolutely awful wheels. Prior owner didn’t appear to wheel it at all based on its condition and lack of a single pinstripe (I live in AZ).

2008 trd OR 4wd 128k miles, 1 owner clean car fax. $18k.

First 2 show the state of the truck when I bought it. Second two show where it’s at now. Build info on profile. No spacers now . Been wheeling it as much as I can. Keeping the build simple effective.

 

Since I sold the rockstar wheels IMMEDIATELY after buying the truck I rolled on these stock 3rd gen wheels for a while while I got the suspension sorted out.

885 + Bilstein + total chaos UCA

DAKAR pack + 5125

Superbumps front/rear
Extended SS brake lines

 

What size tires and what offset / backspacing?

Looks like maybe 285/75r16 and the -25 offset? 16x8 wheels?

 

What did they go to?

Losing the underseat storage in the AC would not be a good thing for mew. I can count on one hand the amount of time I have actually put people in the back seats there.