New member and first time taco owner!

Welcome

 

Mine isn't a daily driver, but I will be using it for camping, hunting, fishing, going to the range, various adventures, etc. I won't be rock climbing either but I will be sending it down, for instance, rough class IV roads in national forests in NC, TN, VA, SC....they have sharp rocks, are a mess, haven't been maintained since Roosevelt, lol. And I do need to be able to do a little pure offroad (e.g. to get to good camping sites). Here is a list of what I am doing for now:

1. Bed cover. I chose the Diamondback HD and would never go back. It is a tank. Your stuff in the bed is very, very secure. (Done)

2. Bed stiffeners. I went with Total Chaos. (Done)

3. Replace the driver's side CV axle needle bearing with East Coast Gear Supply clamshell bushing. This was done yesterday, actually. The OEM part will likely give you problems if you mess around at all with your suspension. (Done)

4. Better shocks and leaf spring. I am leaning toward Fox 2.5 reservoirs front and back with add a leaf. I am looking for maybe 2" up front and 1.5" in the rear. This is to make sure I have really full articulation for bigger tires (see next) in rough environments after allowing for some sag from a front winch. (This coming week)

5. 265/75/16s. Probably KO2s. I will add Hypertech's spedometer correction device before long after going to them. (This coming week)

6. Exhaust re-route. Currently snakes under the transfer case, just begging to get donated to the trail. (Within the next few weeks.)

7. Winch up front. Right now I am seriously considering one of these hidden winch bumpers (one from SSO is probably my current front runner). Probably get a second battery in at the same time. (Probably by Xmas)

8. Armor underneath (dang sharp rocks). I went with IFS, transmission, transfer case and lower control arm skids and rock sliders from RCI. I went with aluminum skids to save weight. To me the $5k-8k in damage a buddy did to the undefended underside of his Subaru Outback and another did to his 4WD Volvo wagon on national forest service roads justifies the expense of armor. (Armor purchased; will install after suspension and exhaust re-route work done.)

9. Locking rear diff. I tried the 4lo on a 20 foot or so maybe 20-25 degree incline off a dirt track near here. It has a lot of loose stones and it had been raining. That convinced my I need it. That said, despite the winch and locking diff, I bet you I can get out of 90-95% of situations with just my MaxTraxs traction boards. I want to assess the need for a regear before doing this. (Within next 6 months)

Longer term I will probably turn my attention to the rear bumper, possible roof rack, etc.

Anyway, that's just me. But since you asked what changes could be made.

 

I was also looking at the same fox setup as you and will eventually go that route when funds allow me to do so! One of the hills i want to try up by my land is about a 20-25 degree angle and brings you up probably 80-100’ id say, never measured but just eye balling it. Will be going hopefully within the next month. Pretty confident it will make it but if not ill look into a ARB locker.

What are bed stiffeners? I understand that it stiffens up the bed but what would be the reasoning for that? Sorry for my ignorance lol

I appreciate all your help and feedback on this as the only wheeling i have ever done was driving into the hunting land 400’ driveway with very slight uphill and off camber sections with greasy clay after a little snow or rain. Other than that its was just back when i was 16 and finding your typical mud hole and breaking parts on my old silverado. Your gonna have to thow a picture of your truck up when you get some of those parts on for sure!

 

Thanks! It was in between this and the cement gray which was my favorite for a long time but opted for this and couldnt be happier!

 

Bed stiffeners are L-shaped braces that you put in the bed that add structural strength at the rear. This can become particularly important if you offroad and/or put a shell or hard cover or any kind of bed rack that will put weight on it. Folks have different opinions about their necessity (e.g. how hard do you have to offroad? How much weight?) but I put them in bc there doesn't some to be a lot of hard evidence (all of us have few or just one observation) and it is an easy and cheap mod. I think of it as insurance.

I posted my install here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/first-mod-an-overrated-post.548790/

The stiffeners I put in are here:
http://www.chaosfab.com/2016-2017-Tacoma-Rear-Channel-Bed-Stiffeners-48676
These are not the only ones you can choose but seem to be a pretty popular choice.

I am Captain Clueless mechanically so if I say it is easy then it is really, really easy by the standards of normal people!

Per pics, this is my truck as it stands now:



As you can see, I dumped the OEM chrome up front. Installed black grill bezel and painted the grill emblem. I don't mind chrome but there is something odd to me about a scheme where you have 85% black and 15% chrome. (Sorry about the bright glare on the second pic; it is crazy bright out today here in the Southern Part of Heaven.)

 

Thanks man I appreciate it big time! Everyone seems to be real friendly around here not like the Ford Ranger forum very negative. Sharp looking truck!! i too am ditching the chrome in the front and having a body shop that a relative owns paint match the rear bumper caps till i can figure out what aftermarket one i want. Stupid that everything is paint matched but the rear bumper caps and some of the grill, Oh well!

 

Welcome! Nice truck. Black caps look great on qs. Just sayin...