Best mechanically advantageous (non-visual) mods for 2nd gens?

Hopefully the thread title is explanatory enough, but I'm looking for what people's opinions are on the BEST functional mods for the 2nd gen Tacomas. Could be a CAI, LCA's, ECGS bearings, etc. Anything that's more than just a visual or "just for looks" mod. I want to start doing more work on my truck myself and I'm hoping I can get a few ideas from you all to start with. Thanks!

 

#1: If you might ever cross water over ~15" deep... The rear differential breather mod. See link in my signature... Here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/my-differential-breather-mod-photos.111954/

 

Lockers for those non-TRDOR

Otherwise regular maintenance with quality parts and lubricants.

 

Intermittent wiper mod if you don't have them already.

I haven't done it but I hear there's a way to reroute the AC drain..which I need to do

 

Best functional mods I have done to my Taco in order of preference:
Full synthetic fluids - motor, diffs, and transfer case
Iridium spark plugs
24/7 power to the power ports
A second battery
Front 5100 Bilstein shocks & ARB coils
Kill switch
Oil catch can
Rear diff breather mod
200-amp alternator

 

Chuy reminds me... I also upgraded the suspension to 5100s all around and added Ride Rite air springs (bags) to the leafs to control ride height and prevent bottoming with heavy loads.

 

If I did one thing to my truck and nothing else it would be Archive Garage Hammer Hangers.

They're all go and no show. (Unless you have a keen eye, they are beautifully engineered and fabricated.)

Unfortunately I wasted like twice what they cost hunting for other solutions to problems I never would have thought were related and they were like the 9000th thing I did and they fixed a lot more than I expected.

 

Fumoto valve, extend all vents, skid plates(steel) to include LCA. Cheap beer.

 

Accumulator delete mod, if you have a manual transmission.

 

Good maintenance first as previously mentioned. Then think of the things you do the most & expand on that. My truck is sometimes my office so lighting was important. So does reliability at -40C so I went AGM battery & voltage upgrade. No sense modding something you’ll never use. Your money tho.

 

A lot of suggestions will be specific to you, your truck and how you use it, but I really love my short throw shifter in my 6 speed. Obviously it’s a truck and not a race car, but once I installed it I wondered why I had waited so long.

 

You have any issues when went to the bigger alternator? I’m guessing you upgraded all the cables but and problems you had to deal with having the extra power? What’s your charging voltage at?

 

What is this mod ??

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/clutch-accumulator-delete-kit-in-stock.583922/

 

Thanks

 

A truck bed without a bed mat is a pretty useless truck bed

 

That’s a good one, those are super handy.

 

LRA fuel tank. Gonna pay for the gas anyway, might as well make fewer stops.

 

Yes, I upgraded the wiring and added the HKB voltage booster; voltage averages 14 volts. The alternator is from BnR, an eBay vendor. I also bought an alt for my daughter’s Corolla. That one is 160 amps, and I also upgraded the wiring. The alts were installed about six years ago and both are functioning as expected.

 

I’m going with the sdhq from dc power engineering. 270 max output with 200 idol amps. 14.8 volt output. All p&p but I’m going to replace all the cables to handle the higher power. They claim it has no effect on the pcm and is safe for the system but I’m doing a lot of research before going forward to make sure I’m not going to cook anything. My audio system goal is about 2000 watts rms but before I even start that part I’m upgrading the charging system so I can support the loads. Just wondering if you experienced and side affects from the bigger alt. But sounds like you all good.