Looking For Off-road Rig

Hi guys pretty new to this I have a 2017 trd sport already. In the next couple years i’m gonna do a built out on a new truck.
What’s the best year and model for heavy off-roading and for modifications. I’ve been looking at off-roads and sr5s

Gonna travel up to montana and washington with the new build in the future if all works out!!

 

Why not just build up the truck you already have?

 

95-04. Unless of course by heavy off-roading and modding you mean 'what stock truck can be easily lifted with tires and go down forest roads.' In that case, you've already got the best one - the one you own.

 

CanAm Maverick or Polaris Rzr if you want a dedicated off roader.

Suzuki Samurai if you want a road-legal off roader that you built yourself.

 

Ford F550

 

I purchased an SR5 new in 2021 because I wanted to save the money from buying an OR and spend it on mods. I’ve built the SR5 out exactly how I want and I drive it all over North America. I live on the east coast but I actually hit Montana and Washington State last year. Highly recommend going the SR5 route.

 

There are a host of pros/cons to every generation. The aftermarket has smoothed over the cons for each. Aftermarket fixes will be harder to find on older models.

For me, I'd choose between 3rd and 4th gen, and decide which matters most, shorter wheelbase/turning radius (3rd gen) or sway bar disconnect (4th gen).

 

Those Samuri’s are really good off-road! My wife was driving a work F150 along with some other crews with more of the same on a narrow and muddy road and the leader got stuck, making all the others following to stop and get stuck as well. They called for a tow truck and it got stuck also. Then a guy passed all of them in a Samurai and continued down the road. Another time, I was trying to get my Blazer to climb some steep steps on a rocky trail and it couldn’t get enough traction to do it, even with a limited slip rear dif. But a Samurai with 4 bobble-headed and sunburned tourists made it with no problems! Samurai’s can also be easily trailered or even stuffed into a toy hauler RV.

 

Get one of these, or get a Unimog!!!!

 

Meh...
Put a good enough suspension (shocks) on there, you won't need a sway bar at all.
I put Fox 2.5 with the DSC on mine, but then found the sway bar end link bolts were hitting the coils... Was going to redo the end links differently to fix it, but then realized I don't even miss the bar at all, so I said eff-it an' tossed the whole thing into the back shed with all the other crap.


As for OP's question, the TRD Offroad will get you the larger rear axle (unless you get the manual trans on a TRD Sport, then you'll still get the bigger axle, but sans the locker).
You didn't say what your ultimate goals were (tire size, etc.) but the bigger axle might be something to consider with your build.

 

What is heavy off roading to you? Rocks? Mud? Go fast? Crawl? Snow? Jumps? All of it?

 

@Strictlytoyz I would say rocks mud and rock crawling and forest roads would be sick to hit canada and snow but curious on what you think

 

Depends if you're looking for a dedicated trail toy or something that can also get you from A to B

 

The 80 series Land Cruiser market has cooled down a bit. You can get a triple locked 200-300k rig for 10-15k. Just try and find one that has at least had some of the big ticket baselining done in the last few year if you can. (Rear main seal leak, coolant hoses and radiator, trans and diff fluids) Then figure out which of the buggaboos you can live with (Slow power windows, non functioning electronic seats, torn seats, non functioning electronic locks etc).

There is fixes or workarounds for everything and well documented on ih8mud. Most OEM parts are still in stock, albeit a little more expensive than they should be. Then modify to your needs/liking.

Also triple locked is overrated unless you are doing something very technical or serious rocks. It's something that can always be added down the road, especially if you are going to do tires larger than 35" and regear down the road.

 

Why not build the sport?

 

Short of this,

https://www.motortrend.com/features...-arctic-trucksbuilt-2017-toyota-tacoma-on-44s

the TRD off-road, as far as 3rd gen Tacomas, is the best bang for the buck as far as functional off road features.