New Owner: Suspension vs Tires?

Hi all, first time truck owner, loving my 2020 TRD OR. Naturally, had a lot of questions and have been doing a lot of reading but there's a lot of sift through. If anyone could provide some answers or at least link me to existing threads I could read for my potentially dumb questions, it would be much appreciated.

Biggest questions I have currently are regarding tires and suspension:

I would like to start upgrading slowly, but still wanted to keep most of the car's stock feel. I would probably be doing about 40/60 on vs off road, but since I'm new at this most of my off-roading is done on beginner trails for now. The ultimate goal is to have an overlanding rig that can handle some moderate off-roading to get me where I want to go, but never really plan on doing anything as intense as crawling.

Plenty of threads addressing 265/75/16 fitting stock. Is the extra 1 inch worth it? (Besides the look) Does it actually get me any increased function or off road ability?

And if I'm going to start somewhere, a lot of places saying that a suspension upgrade is necessary if you want to lift the Taco, but is there any benefit in just upgrading my suspension if I'm not considering a lift?

I will be upgrading my tires from the stock tires, essentially asking if a tread upgrade with a better suspension set up will provide increased benefits or should I just suck it up and go for the 265/75/16 and plan on recalibrating the speedometer in the future?

Thanks in advance!

 

So I just upgraded to duratracs in 265/75 the tread is super aggressive for an all terrain and they still maintain their road manners. I took them off road in the desert last week and they did GREAT. Theyre available in C load too so you wont have to get a super heavy and stiff E load tire, they havent dinged my mpg's at all.

Upgrading my tires has increased the functionality of my truck off road by leaps and bounds so it is a great place to start.
For you I would suggest slapping on some great tires for the upcoming warm months, get out do what you want to do, and in the meantime keep researching. This will give you a sense of what your truck is capable of without a lift and what kind of suspension upgrade you might want, some are better for drivings fast through the desert while others are better at carrying a heavy, loaded out vehicle.

So for me, I sucked it up and got an awesome set of 265's and am continuing to research and save money so I can buy the right suspension for my needs.

 

Welcome aboard! Your truck is good to go right now.

 

And yeah @9th is right, you should probably wear down those factory all terrains a bit more before you start spending money.

And welcome to the forum

 

Much appreciated. Yeah, I'll definitely be driving it on my current tires and suspension to get a better feel for everything before pulling the trigger. I guess my follow up question is if 265/75s have any significant benefit over the 265/70s. For example I think the KO2s come in both sizes, and either would be a tread upgrade.

 

Well a 265/70 would smaller so i would go with 265/75’s, theyre about an inch taller so any amount you can raise the differential and other components helps you avoid damage/getting hung up
And the KO2’s are quite heavy for an AT, pretty much the heaviest in their class.
That’s why i chose C load duratracs, theyre much lighter
Here is a write up i did on tire comparisons a while back
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/popular-tire-comparisons.654241/

Here is a tire size calculator so u can compare
https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc

Any other questions about tires or suspension just ask

 

Depends in the type of terrain you are offroading in.
The number one thing for me was tires. I live in a swampy, muddy area. Those stock tires will not be able to take me anywhere. Even when I go up north and head for the mountains, they would get me there, but I had to be extra careful not to get stuck. It's common in my area to go 285/75 just because of how wide it will be and kinda "float" on top of the mud. Since it's swampy, skinny tires like 265 or lower would just keep digging and not find solid/compact mud. It actually gets softer the more you dig in.
Suspension wise, you can use the stock ones. I wanted to do mountain runs going up and down 30+ mph and camping. So I upgraded mine. This is actually my second time upgrading my suspension (2018 OR w/ 40k mi) cause I choose an entry-level suspension when I started but found that it starts having shock fades and becomes uncomfortable for me. Honestly, though, a stock one can go wherever I go, just slower and less comfortable. Heck one time I went up a mountain and we had a civic following us. Had to go like 5 mph and it had pretty good dings and scrapes on the bottom of it, but it still got up there without a fuss.

 

It is really easy to get caught up in modification frenzy here. A couple weeks ago I was sure I wanted 285s and suspension and a regear… I spent the last couple weeks physically distancing myself from people by driving around the woods. As it turns out the OR is a pretty capable truck for the world around me. I rattled down some washboard roads and over stumps and realized the stock suspension isn't actually bad. Honestly the only two issues with my setup are the stock tires are just not good and the driver has some judgement issues.

So I'm in for some new tires but something easy 265/70/17s and I'm adding a winch to help recover from lapses in judgement. The last thing I want but don't need is a rear bumper that moves the hitch up. Every time I fill my receiver with dirt I put $50 in the glove box. Once I have enough to pay for the bumper I'll know it was a recurring problem.

Anyway, enjoy the show here because there are some sweet builds. Just remember your truck started pretty awesome. Drive it until you know what you want to change... or just change it because you like the look, just try to be honest with yourself on that one.

EDIT to add relevance: Unless you are going up in tire size to 33s or larger you can probably get the tires first and see how the suspension needs play out. If you are planning on 33s just get the suspension first because you are almost certainly going to need it. Sticking with 265s? Get the tires because the stock tires really are the weakest part of the truck imo.

 

Welcome to the forum @AZTacoDoc! Every that has posted pretty nailed everything. Getting better tires will help for sure. Going to 265/75 is not a huge jump coming from the 265/70 but might as well since it will fit the stock suspension. Since you said you are not doing any crazy offroading and you want to build an overland rig stay on the stock suspension for a while and see how it does for you. IMHO for an overland rig the only reason for needing a suspension lift is because of the added weight from a winch, bumpers, gear, RTT/camper shell etc. as well as road manners. You can definitely build a sweet rig with 265/75/16 or 265/70/17 tires. 285s are nice but I dont feel its necessary for what you want to do.

 

Big thanks to everyone for the help! Glad this community is so welcoming.

Is there a good reference for suspension and how much weight I can pile on my truck before needing to get upgrades? Or is that more by feel?

 

On a note . If your stock tires are in good shape. It's a fairly easy sale or trade in at a tire shop. I did a trade in when I first went to 265s. And again when I went to my 285s. Just a thought.

 

255/80r17s are 33” OD and known to fit with stock suspension. Those would increase ground clearance and grip. See how that little extra bit works for you and lift the truck down the road if needed?

 

In the front, you may be able to get 100 lbs or so before needing to do a suspension upgrade there (winch, bumper, armor). You will probably get tire rub if the suspension is sagging too low in the front. The back can probably take about 300 lbs of constant load before needing upgrade. If you are constantly hitting your bump stops on your rear suspension then you will know for sure if you need to upgrade. You should also see the sagging as well. The rear can be helped with an "air lift" suspension if needed. They are not too expensive and can help you while you save for a suspension upgrade.

 

Second this x1000 !!!

everyone who gets 285s will tell you 285s are the best off-road tire or look the best. Everyone with Icon suspension will say you're being cheap for not spending $$$$ ... etc etc. Spend time in your truck and see where it falls short in your opinion. Build it for YOU and use the forum for ideas and asking questions.

 

Definitely take a few months to figure out what you feel are the weak points. Are you bottoming out suspension frequently, oyou have trouble with traction. Maybe you take tight trails and would prefer to put sliders and skids on first. The challenges you face will inform the upgrades you need.

 

Congratulations on the new ORP. These are fantastic, competent trucks.
I suggest you spend your time & resources taking it to interesting & challenging places. Let your experiences tell you what it needs to accomplish your goals and requirements.

 

@AZTacoDoc , I was (and am) in the exact situation a few weeks ago. Maybe you can get some useful info out of the thread I started then - I sure did!

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/critique-or-criticize-my-first-mod-plans-please.661749/

Seems like we have similar plans for our trucks. So far I can tell you that better tires absolutely make a difference even for folks new to off-roading like us - like not spinning the wheels anymore in 2WD on sections where that would happen with the stock tires.

 

Well... I'm not an expert, but even moving up to 31.5" tires will give you an extra half-inch of clearance. And most of the issues with clearance that I've encountered exist within a half inch or so... So probably, yes! Tires alone will help a lot. It's literally the difference between scraping that rock you thought you could clear, or not!

As far as suspension lifts, even an inch and half will improve your approach/exit angles, so again, yes, do it! Also, temperature degrades shock performance, so beefier shocks can handle more heat and will perform better for longer periods of time.

edit: reminder, not an expert... I play with computers for a living... but I read a lot of stuff...