Don't ban me!*

Good morning, and Happy Friday! New member here, probably in the midst of my mid-life crises. I went ahead and bought a 2021 TRD OR DCSB and now want to justify buying it and want to enjoy it as much as I can.
What can I do, and where do I start? Should I look for beginner level off-road trails and ranges or do I need to go ahead and upgrade suspension, add lift etc etc. How about EDC for getting out of trouble and helping others? What do I need to buy?
I could google most of that, but I can't google your personal experiences.
Appreciate your time; thanks in advance!

*I am sure I didn't break any rules with this - my second - post here.

 

Suspension | Tacoma World


Wheels & Tires | Tacoma World


3rd Gen. Builds (2016+) | Tacoma World



Lots of info here to get you started. Congrats on the new truck.

 

headstrongoffroad.com has some great prices on suspension setups. I personally recommend ICON and they offer their suspensions in stages 1-10. I went with a stage 4, but realized I needed additional lift in the rear a year later because I added a bed rack and roof-top-tent, so I replaced my stock leaf pack with ICON RXT leaf pack at option 3. I'm also running 285/65r18 BFG KO2s on 18X9 with 0mm offset FUEL rims.

The pictures below are from last weekend.

 

Bedmat

 

YES. GET A BEDMAT AS YOUR FIRST MOD! In my opinion, best MOD under $100.

 

This. Also, where are u?

 

you should be banned for having that ugly black vehicle in the photo

You can do a lot in stock form! The only thing I would upgrade right off the bat is new AT tires and wheels. Wheels make the truck look night and day different while the tires will give MUCH better performance on and off road.

 

Looks like he's in Maryland

 

Hi ow did you find that, I couldn't find on his page lol

 

Ahh license plate

 

His introduction post in the new members section.

 

I'm going to disagree with everyone here.

Go out and drive it before this forum drains your bank account. Enjoy it, learn what you like and don't like, and then come back with an idea on what you'd like to improve.


Welcome to TW.

Also, buy the bed mat.

 

Looks like he also loves to wear G-SHOCK watches

 

If ya gotta justify it now, after the fact, ya shouldn't have bought it.

Don't know where you are, so I can't/won't make any suggestions about major mods, trails, off-roading etc.

I just picked up my TRD OR AC yesterday (after a 6 month wait). No major mods planned - mostly just reversible aesthetic stuff to start with. Some stuff that I'll be adding:
- Better mats (WeatherTech Floorliner HP)
- Window deflectors
- Inserts for cupholders
- Console organizer & tray
- Other little aesthetic tweaks
- Leer cap is on order
- Clazzio seat covers on order
- Trailer brake controller
- Load equalizer trailer hitch (I tow a 2,000 lb subcompact tractor)

NO suspension mods considered at this time, other than maybe an add-a-leaf to offset the weight of the cap.
NO fixation on "leveling" - so what if it has a bit of a rake.

I don't get why folks ask others what to do - you just joined TW - you just got your Taco - get familiar with both.
Determine what you'll use you Taco for.
Look for inspiration by lurking around TW and YouTube.
Do what mods make sense for you.

 

No idea how you came to that conclusion

 

I'd start with a tire pressure gauge, air compressor, jumper cables/jump starter, and know how to install your spare tire. You don't need any mods to have fun on or off road. You bought a super fun, capable truck. Go enjoy it!

 

+1 on bed mat.
+1 on Headstrongoffroad.com they do have good prices so good the bilstein 5100/OME lift I'd like is sold out so I'm waiting to see in a few months if its back in stock. I might try some 265/75/16 AT tires first
AVS window deflectors are nice

In general don't rush too much drive it around some before you spend money on bigger mods. See how well it works stock first. I haven't spent over $200 for anything on my truck for except the Lomax bed cover.

 

Bed Mat and organizers for my glove box and center console were my first mods.

I'm in the process of adding an in-bed toolbox, camper shell and a set of Sumo Springs for the rear.

Like others have said figure-out how you're going to use the truck before you start going crazy with mods.

Oh, and welcome to TW!

 

Drive it for six months... stock.... don't touch it. You will then have the answers to the questions you ask.

 

I'd like to echo what others have already said. Don't plan any big mods until you've taken the truck out and tested its capabilities stock. I've been on some brutal trails around Colorado and Moab, and the only "upgrade" I have are some slightly larger (265/75/16), more aggressive AT tires. Next I'm going for armor (skid plates) instead of a lift and oversized tires. It suits my needs better to have a protected, very capable off road vehicle that is closer to stock, than a jacked up, turbo charged, giant wheeled mall crawler. That being said, once you drive it more, decide what's right for you.

Invest in decent recovery/safety gear no matter what though. Doesn't have to be a new bumper with a fancy winch or anything. But some straps, traction boards, recovery points, a shovel, small air compressor, plug kit, and maybe a battery booster will get you out of the vast majority of situations you find yourself in.