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1st Gen or 2nd Gen best for wheeling

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Nowhereman04, Apr 16, 2010.

  1. Apr 16, 2010 at 5:27 PM
    #1
    Nowhereman04

    Nowhereman04 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I am posting this in the 1st Gen thread, but I was wondering, from you guys that have had the pleasure of having both Gen's of Tacomas, which Gen really is the better truck for wheeling? You could also throw in an outside make of truck/Jeep if you like. Just wondering about your opinions.
     
  2. Apr 16, 2010 at 5:43 PM
    #2
    98_Mud_bug

    98_Mud_bug 98_mud_bug

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    a first gen is a smaller truck so it can fit smaller places. but the second gens have just as much aftermarket support it all depends on how you build it. but a sas'd truck will go further than anything if you know how to drive.
     
  3. Apr 16, 2010 at 5:49 PM
    #3
    rab89

    rab89 Well-Known Member

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    I don't see any area that a 2nd gen would be superior for wheeling..
     
  4. Apr 16, 2010 at 5:59 PM
    #4
    h_curtis

    h_curtis Well-Known Member

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    I will be honest here since I have done plenty of this. Small is good. The best of the best is a CJ, Wrangler and the like. The 1st gen is better than the 2nd gen. Why? Smaller and lighter is king in real 4wd. 2nd gen is a full size truck. Full size trucks are not all that great for real off road use. A tacoma is pretty good, but don't go against a small jeep or you WILL get waisted. Sorry, but that is just the way it is.
     
  5. Apr 17, 2010 at 10:46 PM
    #5
    01taquito

    01taquito "thats what she said"

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    :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::(
     
  6. Apr 17, 2010 at 10:50 PM
    #6
    1337Taco

    1337Taco Well-Known Member

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    It's true, I would probably get a first gen SAS to do some serious wheeling.
     
  7. Apr 17, 2010 at 10:55 PM
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    Digiratus

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    Been many places that would have been just too narrow for a 2nd Gen Tacoma. As for the Heeps, they are great, until they break down that is. And they will, blocking the way on the trail. :stirthepot:
     
    zjdietz likes this.
  8. Apr 17, 2010 at 11:01 PM
    #8
    ktmrider

    ktmrider Senior Member

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    I would choose a first gen for wheeling, its smaller so i think it would be a lot easier
     
  9. Apr 18, 2010 at 1:56 AM
    #9
    kumaWRX

    kumaWRX Well-Known Member

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    True, when I went wheeling with my friend who has an 08 Ram, I could get through tight passages no problem. He could make it through but not without some scratches to the sides of his truck.
     
  10. Apr 18, 2010 at 3:11 AM
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    Sparky4.0

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    not exactly true.... i have a 81cj7 geared to hell.. arb rear ox front etc ... and it WILL NOT go places my taco WILL because of the EXTRA length and weight.. but at the same time my taco wont follow a heep on rockwells and 49 iroks or a lcg (low center gravity) heep on d44's and 35's to keep it small ie rubicon. but to complicate it even more my 2wd buggy will go places that rockwell heep wont. so now that your post (taco will get wasted against a small jeep) is totally bashed from real life experience.. .we can talk about........Full size trucks are not all that great for real off road use..... so if i lived in the swamplands and had to cross a bottomless pit that was 4 ft across with a jeep. i would have all front and rear tires in the hole. and prolly get stuck....but if i had a fool size truck i could drop the front end in the pit while the rear tires havent even got muddy yet...so the rear end pushes the front out of the hole... the rear falls in and the front that is now on high ground pulls the rest of the truck out of the mud...is that not (real offroad use?).... in that instance it seems a fool size truck is alot better than the smaller jeep etc......... to the OP imho you prolly should've left it 1st vs 2nd gen tacos.....because this is gonna turn into a pissin match between unimogs/6x6/tacos/tube buggies etc.. i prefer the 1st gen over the 2nd. but my favorite offroad toy was a jeep ZJ. then my fool size comp mud truck. then the buggie then the taco and last the cj7 which has the most offroad goodies.
     
  11. Apr 18, 2010 at 5:41 AM
    #11
    Janster

    Janster Old & Forgetful

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    Depends on what type of wheeling you're gonna do....and what types of modifications you're gonna do.

    For rockcrawling.....
    I've wheeled with a mildly modified 96 tacoma and I've wheeled with a somewhat highly modified Wrangler.

    I think the 1st gens are better than the 2nd gens - but only because these 2nd gen trucks lost the durability and seem too 'dainty'. The first gen trucks are heavy duty and you can slame 'em around and they bounce back.

    But overall, we bought a Wrangler specifically for offroading because JEEP has an extrodinary aftermarket support with tons & tons of options on how you want to build one. There are available used parts everywhere (if needed) and you can mix/match parts across from other vehicles. The front & rear axles on the Wranglers are weak - but its much easier to swap them out than it is doing a SAS on a tacoma for a similar equipped rigs.

    My husband and I built a nicely equipped Wrangler and it never gave us a lick of problems in terms of reliability. If you take care of them, build them right (to fit your style of wheelin) and drive responsibly - you won't have any problems.

    Ultimately.... if you're gonna do serious offroading, you're much better off buying a separate vehicle and modifying that.

    If I was gonna do it again....and having the knowledge I know now..... I'd love to hunt down an older tacoma and do a SAS. But unfortunately, with the frame rust issues...I wouldn't want to put gobs & gobs of time & money into one and discover in a couple years, the frame is failing.
     
  12. Apr 20, 2010 at 11:48 AM
    #12
    totaco

    totaco Member

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    Funny on a Toyota website nobody mentioned the mighty landcruiser BJ40 or better still landcruiser BJ42 if you can find one
     
  13. Apr 20, 2010 at 1:18 PM
    #13
    01taquito

    01taquito "thats what she said"

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    Bjs... what guy dnst want a bj?
     
  14. Apr 22, 2010 at 2:16 PM
    #14
    jonny

    jonny Betty White Edition Heep ZJ

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    haha
     
  15. Apr 22, 2010 at 9:57 PM
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    marchev90

    marchev90 Well-Known Member

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    How do you guys deal with the 1 gen differentials? i got an 96 and when i get stuck somewhere i notice that only 1 wheel spins in the front and the back. No A-TRAC or limited slip diffs on the 1 gen. Is there a fix for that?
     
  16. Apr 22, 2010 at 10:04 PM
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    lotsoftoys

    lotsoftoys pavement is boring....

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    yeah, get the rear locker:D it does wonders....
     
  17. Apr 22, 2010 at 10:13 PM
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    lotsoftoys

    lotsoftoys pavement is boring....

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    whats a-trac? how does it work?
     
  18. Apr 22, 2010 at 10:26 PM
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    lotsoftoys

    lotsoftoys pavement is boring....

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    i dont know man.... i see ur point and mine. i think there are times that a locker will be nicer to have vs the atrac and vise versa. obviously both are amazing for off road use. i will tell u this. u can def beat the shit out of the first gen way more than the second gens.... second gens are too much of a nice ride, comfort blah blah blah. first gen is the down right get ur shit dirty truck.... thats why i bought one:D this is my .02 of course...
     
  19. Apr 22, 2010 at 10:46 PM
    #19
    RelentlessFab

    RelentlessFab Eric @Relentless Fab Vendor

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    I really like my 2nd gen for offroad. Coming from a fullsize chevy, it still isnt too big IMO. The 1st gens are smaller, so if fitting through tight trees or between huge boulders is a concern it may have an edge. I've taken my truck some places that some of my 1st gen friends couldnt quite make it, but that may have been due to different tires or having more power. The 1st gens are tough as hell though, i've got a friend who beats the crap out of his mobbing it around the dunes and trails and it has held up for him.
     
  20. Apr 22, 2010 at 10:56 PM
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    4WD

    4WD cRaZy oLdmAn

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    Well I'll be honest too, I've had 7 - 4x4's over the past 30 years, 3 full size (1 Power Wagon ,2- F250's ) an 83' Toyota sr5 solid axle , a 68' Kaiser built CJ5 Jeep w/ posi rear end, buick v6 , I currently have my 2000 TRD 4x & an 84' Samurai that will be a crawler of sorts soon & that

    83' Toyota I had could make them ALL look useless offroad ESPECIALLY THE JEEP, I never felt safe in that fucking thing, theres no "feel" to it. Get leaned over a bit in it, not much, just enough to know your not level & go a tad more & your on your side so don't try to tell me about some superior jeep cause I've had them both. & like the other guy said about full size trucks not being very offroadable , dude, my 1 ton Dodge was lifted 6" thru suspension 1 ton leafpacks front & rear, tru-arced by National Spring, 8- Gabriel racing E series shocks kept things smooth, it had Old school Jackman white spoked STEEL center hubbed mounted with Cepek 38.5" x14.50x16.5". my doorhandle was 67" off the ground & I promise you I took it places I know you wouldn't take your jeep , but over all that little 83' Toy beats them all including that small Jeep,

    Sorry , thats just the way it is.........:cool:

    jeep eater.jpg
    Jeep Eater2.jpg
     

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