Hello Everyone!

Hello! Just wanted to introduce myself. I am a proud new owner of a 2011 timber mica dual cab, long bed, trd sport. I am originally a Jeep guy and prior to this had a 2011 Wrangler Unlimited (4 door). I loved my jeep, but just needed something that could haul more stuff. I heard great things about the Tacomas and had to give them a try. I found it on the lot at the dealership. My mom and I came in to drop off her camry for an oil change and we ended up trading in the camry and jeep for a rav4 and the taco.

I had the choice to get a silver TRD sport short bed, but fell in love with the color of the long bed. Hopefully I won't regret it when I try to manuver this tank off road... it's about 2ft longer than the JKU haha. But the trade-offs were worth it.

 

welcome and congrats on the new truck!!! timber mica is a pretty sweet color

 

nice and welcome to TW!

most guys don’t like jeep on here. but i think off road they are better than our trucks.(even the DCSB and AC) but for all around use the taco can’t be beat. i have the short bed, and load it up with stuff all the time. also off road it some and it does great! i’m glad i got the short bed over the long bed. and plus the TRD off road has a rear E locker.

i have only needed a longer bed one time. thats was to go pic up the hot tube cover for mom and dad, well i just took dad ’00 tundra with a 6’ bed.

 

Oh yeah I agree, the wrangler is (imho) the king off road, it just comes with a lot of things stock and the angles are hard to beat. But off the trail, it's practicality is suspect haha.

I'm excited to start modding my taco and feel a little overwhelmed coming from the Jeep side. I spent all my time studying how to upgrade the jeep and only some knowledge carried over.

So from what I'm understanding so far in regards to the taco, the largest tire size without modifying the fender wells is around a 32" tire (not really familiar with the metric system yet). The lift kits are two fold, with the front being a coil system and the rear being a leaf system. So I guess that means that there won't be as much flex as compared to a jeep (again just going off what I know, not pitting the vehicles against each other).

What would be a good first mod, keeping the budget under $1000?

 

And thanks for the warm welcomes!

 

Welome to TW!

 

largest tire is 265/75R16 or 265/70R17 thats with no lift and no rubbing.

also the rear will flex some. the front like you said is a C/O set up with IFS. but they still flex quite a bit. also with wanting to off road, i would stay a way from spacer lifts if you can. all pro, OME(OLD MAN EMU) dekars(sp?) make good leaf spring packs to replace the stock ones and can be set up for what ever size lift you have. also you don’t really gain much with a 6” lift over a 3” lift, because of the drop bracket for the front diff.

their is a general question thread for lift info. think it’s in the suspension sup forum.


edit: maybe a good set of tires? the stock rugged trails suck off road. and stock with a good set of tires the taco’s will do a lot more than you think off road. or maybe get a set of rock sliders.

 

Congrats and welcome!

 

Yep, reading the lift sticky now. More homework haha.

So 3" is also the magic number on tacos too? It was the same with the jeep, any higher and I'd have to worry about driveshafts mods and other things.

Can you explain the drop bracket? Not really sure how that affects anything.

 

yeah 3” is pretty much the magic number for the taco if you want to off road.

well the jeep has a Solid front axel. the taco has an independent front suspension(IFS) and the front differential (on 4x4 models only) if you do more than 3” the front drive shafts are at a really back angle and maybe not even turn. so to keep them at a “safe” angle the differential has to be lowered. witch lowers your G/C. should be some pic of the difference on here some where.


i will say that their are some guys that have 6” lifts and off road. but the thing is, is you don’t really gain anything from that extra 3” of lift. other than fitting a bigger tire.(most get 3” and 33”s and 6” and 35”s. but some guys (i think like 3 or so) have 3” lift and 35” tires. but you have to do a lot of trimming and cutting

 

Welcome!!!

 

Ah ok, thanks for all the info and for being very helpful and patient with me. I really appreciate it. What does G/C stand for, center of gravity??

From what I've been reading and what you have told me, I'll be sticking with a 3" lift and some 33" tires.

 

G/C= ground clearance. lol. i should have spelled it out but was being lazy.


and thats my plains, 3” 33” and some armer.(rock sliders, front bumper, skids and maybe at some point a rear bumper) also going to build a roof rack as soon as i can get a welder and tube bender.

edit: and no problem man! glad i could help thats what these forums are for after all.

 

Hahaha yeah I was staring at "G/C" and was like, ok... I should know this. Thanks for the breakdown.

Good luck with your plans!

 

yeah. i kinda thought you may know.

and thanks. you can look at other plains i want to do, and stuff i have done in the link to my build in my sig.

 

Welcome aboard! You're gonna love it here and really enjoy the Tacoma! Congrads!

 

Haha I was stumped staring at the comp screen trying to figure it out lol. After you said it, I was like "OOHHHHHH!"

I'll definately follow your build. I gotta start my own page too. Juts gonna be stock for a while! I might pick up a cheap welder and teach myself how to weld.

 

And again, thanks everyone for the warm welcomes! It's good to know that everyone here is just as friendly and willing to lend a hand as in the jeep forums.

 

ya. and i got to get a welder and tech my self as well.