Question of Sand Driving.

Ok
I am not new to 4wheeling. and I have a 2018 2.7 L Xtra Cab Prerunner, (No locker.) I will have it paid off next year. So! I am always around sand and have got away with not getting stuck. Running on 265-70-16's have worked for the most part.
I have looked for another Tacoma (4x4) and I am really hooked on the 2.7. but don't seem to see a lot of Gen 3, 4x4 and the 2.7L out there. I looked across the states and prices are pretty stout no pun intended.
My wife asked could I buy the parts and or buy a recked 4x4 and switch out parts and build it cheaper than buying new or used. Or_____ Do an SAS and yes do the transfer case and build the SAS. Meaning all of the parts for the 4wd would only start with the transfer case and all of the 4wd parts and the IFS would be scraped anyways.

One other question and thought is what about the long travel pre runners that run all over the desert and jumping around and they have a locker and long travel suspensions.

Thoughts. Ideas and yes all of our projects are money pits. But we love them anyways!!!
Thank you,

Just thinking out of the box until next year and now would be the time to think about it!

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Welcome!

 

I do a fair amount of sand driving. I don't think that lockers or long travel are particularly valuable in the sand, as you probably won't spend a lot of time with a wheel in the air. 4WD, larger tires, and airing down will pretty much get you going well in loose sand.

 

What are your wrenching skills and have you priced a long travel or SAS conversion?

 

My wrenching and welding skills are pretty good and I have family members who wrench and fab weld for a living. Three sons and a grandson all are experienced fabricators. Plus they build cars for street. My grandson is Union trained from my son who has 20 years in Fab and instructor Union in LA county. So yeah I have a means of Fabing and wrenching.
And as far as pricing I know it is spendy. 10 to 15K depending on junk yard and what I need. (But its not the price of a newer rig.)
Again next year June, 2024 is my time that I get to dig in. I feel your right on the money for what I am getting into. Plus my stock 8inch rear end will it be ok for know if I do a SAS, but would need to be replaced. As far as buying parts and building the IFS parts my thoughts are it looks fairly straight forward. and the prerunner is more of a bolt up for IFS 4x4. Thats why I have started looking into service manuals.
But again yes 4WD is my goal. And I think after looking at the new 2024 Tacoma I will stick with GEN 3 Tacoma's.
Why June next year are moving to Yuma from Phx. We travel Baja and we have a place there south of Ensenada Mx.
So many trails and beaches! Thus 4x4 is needed!

 

Do a TW forum search. There are dedicated TW long travel and SAS threads. Also there is some TW information on a 2 to 4 wheel drive conversion. Some recommend using FJ parts, less electrical. If I was moving to the southwest I would go spring under.

 

Me and my dad dune bash around in the desert in dubai for years in a 2003 200series Land cruiser, with all the off-road whistles at the time. Which came with a aux fuel tank, rear tire carrier, LSD, and fridge.

Anyway….. A few key points:
GPS: Duh.
Don’t be too heavy: Carry what you need, not want. Soft sand with no momentum and a heavy vehicle is not a good mix.
Tires: get good tires. Mud tires work.
Tires pressure: deflate them. We did 10psi.
Suspension: Doesn’t matter.
Fuel and drinking water: Carry a lot of it.
A pice of 3x3ft plywood, a shovel, a jack, you will need it when you eventually get yourself stuck and you need to use a jack.


Other than these, enjoy yourself. Dune bashing is a lot simpler than off-roading in a rocky forest.
Do you don’t need a lot of stuff or mods, in fact you need only the essentials.

Oh welcome to TW

 

Welcome 2 TW!