new to me 1st gen Taco 4wd 5spd 2.7L

New to Toyota trucks after owning Domestic trucks mostly. I notice that the 2003 Tacoma is almost exactly like my friends 1983 - sparse interior, tough exterior, dead reliable and capable offroad even in stock form.

This truck will mostly be a daily driver, but I'm looking to do some mods to make it capable since the Uwharrie Nat. Forest is in my backyard and the Pisgah Nat. Forest is in my dads backyard.

 

Welcome! 1st gen 4wd 2.7L 5spd is a great truck :beer:

 

Ya one big upgrade to the last Toyota truck that I drove is the 2.7L DOHC engine. It's peppy enough to throw this little truck around offroad and has enough highway power to pass trucks on the interstate. Hopefully I can get some highway mileage north of 20MPH, but if not oh well. I know a truck can only do so much due to the aerodynamics involved.

I plan on switching to all synthetic fluids ASAP.

What size tire do you guys recommend for a mostly stock truck. It has 235/75-15s on the factory steel wheels now. I was looking at maybe moving up to a 265/75-16 with a new set of aluminum wheels.

 

welcome! thats a good truck you have there.

 

thanks man. I like it. The J50 ball joint recall fixed some shimmy in the front end, but Toyota of Concord lied and said they did an alignment. If they did, they did it without loosening any of the adjustment bolts lol. When I changed the diff fluid I got under there and nothing had been touched except the ball joints. Figures.

But now I have all synthetic in the two gearboxes and syn blend in the axles.
Next up is some fresh plugs and a drop in filter. Then I'll work on getting some real rubber up under this thing.

Just for laughs I parked next to a newer JK jeep unlimited. It has at least a foot more wheelbase, and less ground clearance.
I had to bite my lip as I almost laughed at the 'trail rated' badge.

 

so far I have:

changed oil and filter (cheap mobil 10W30 and Purolator)
changed plugs for the first time!
changed diff oils to syn blend
changed trans and xfer case to synthetic
adjusted throttle cable which had stretched quite a bit. Revs out now!

went wheeling today and did a water crossing lol. This thing rocks!