Not a build placeholder

First truck was a slant six red dodge ram and looked just like this one.

I bought it from a family member and drove it in high school until I went into the military. Served me well.



I drove a VW Gti, and a Volvo XC70 wagon before I bought my dream truck K5- and eventually a Colorado 6 speed manual for reliability as a college student.



The colorado looked like a car compared to my 1980’s bricks (and got the MPGs! Like a car too)

Eventually I settled down and needed a vehicle that had a real rear seats and doors for my little passengers and the Tacoma seemed to meet all the criteria including reputation for lasting a while. So I said goodbye to the manual transmission - and I could have a long bed with the trade off and jumping brands.

 

First big change was wheels and tires.
I bought a second set of factory OR wheels and put snow tires in them with dedicated TPMS. (That is a story in its self)




Then I bought 17’s and went up a tire size as well.

 

Over the summer I needed a work vehicle and a tacoma was available. Obviously I snagged it.


So… my build is wheels and tires and I will be reviewing the tires off road during deer season in Northern Michigan on mostly sandy soils. I have put 1000 miles on them all highway so far.





over the weekend I cleaned with a brand, new Westinghouse pressure washer, Clay-bar’d and sealed with chemical guys Ceramic (hydro slick)

 

Nitto recon grappler in 265/70R17 are LT and E rated - they are 51 pounds. https://www.nittotire.com/light-truck-tires/recon-grappler-all-terrain-light-truck-tire/

During my 10 hour drives over the summer
I would fill up from near empty with 91 and every other fuel up I switched between 87 and 91 when i was near 1/2 tank. Why?

Prices! (I was paying the same for premium in Tennessee as I was for 87 back home) And to average my octane level around 89/90 which improves MPG. I have done this on most my long hauls and have seen as high as 22mpg averaging at 80mph with the stock tires and OR wheels.

With the new wheels and tires on my 550 mile trip - I had a head wind of 5-10 mph which I expected would lower my fuel economy and unfortunately I had a head wind on the return trip as well.
Like before I filled up from near empty with 91 and every other fuel up I switched between 87 and 91.

However… the extra rolling resistance and weight dropped my fuel economy to 17.5 mpg at 80mph and 18.5 at 70/75mph. As I said earlier I believe I can attribute some of this to the head winds as well.

I only broke traction once in a very wet area accelerating from a stop. Otherwise these tires feel plenty steady and stopped great.

 

Installed diode dynamic elites in yellow.