Box Rocket - 2003 TRD Doublecab

Dont listen to these crazy tacoma worlder's!!!! LOL



Saw a gold Tacoma today....and i sighed...thought of ur truck

 

This taco looks awesome! I have the same truck in silver and want to lift it. Im leaning heavily toward the OME lift kits. I hear good things about them. I have one question, About how much did that lift cost?

 

http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/sus_Tacoma.html

 

whats with your hella work lamp? looks like you have moved it around? is it magnetized or something? im working on a bedrack right now and am stumped with lighting... i want something that i can move around. haha and need to figure it out before i head back home to utah here in the next two weeks!! any ideas?

 

I've just changed the mount. The one I have mounts to a post with a clamping base (wingnut to tighten it). I have a post on my tire carrier, and one on my bedrack so the light can move, but it pretty much stays on the tire carrier full time now.

 

Hey man, I just live over here in sandy utah and was wondering if you knew of any good offroad shops around?

Btw, love the truck man! Keep up the good work!

 

Adam got me a rear swing out built about a month ago. I'll get some pics up after its sandblasted. Then it goes to be powder coated.

 

Your best bet is Cruiser Outfitters. They are right there in Sandy. They are total Toyota guys and know Tacomas as well as anyone in the country. Tell Kurt I sent you his way.
http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/

 

Any Utah peeps that are following this thread, I am leading a Wasatch Cruisers club run on January 11 up Skyline Drive in Bountiful. This is a WC open club event so members and non-members can attend. 10:00am at the "B" in Bountiful.

 

sweet dude ill go check them out! do you know if they install clutches there?EDIT: i just got off the phone with him, great guy!, but they dont do clutch work..

 

What can I expect for this run? I'm not familiar with the bountiful area but would like to get out. Just don't want to bite off more than I can chew on something that is super technical.

 

if i can remember right bountiful just has a bunch of hill climbs not much rocks, it wasnt too bad.

 

Adam,

Now that you have had them on for awhile what is your impression of the GY MTR's in the rain and snow for DD? I'm looking at a set and torn between those and the KM2's siped.

Thanks,

Mike

 

It's nothing technical. Skyline Drive is a grated dirt road that can your grandma can drive in here Honda Accord in the summer time. The snow is what creates the challenge in the winter time. We've been doing this un off and on for the past 14 years and nobody has been able to get to the top of the road yet. As of right now there is not quite as much snow up there as there normally is so maybe we'll have better luck unless we get more snowfall between now and the 11th.


It's not a run that should cause vehicle damage, but plan on getting stuck and needing to dig/winch yourself out at some point.


Here's some pics from past trips.












there are 37's buried in there somewhere









35's, SAS, fully locked, dual cases.....none of which helps much when it gets deep

 

i take it back ive never been up in the snow looks cool tho!

 

That looks like a wicked good time. I'm sure it could get frustrating, but a damn good challenge.

 

Having had both tires now there a some clear differences. Here's my take on the two tires in different areas.


On the road: KM2 is a better dry pavement tire. It's relatively quite for a MT type tire and has decent road manners. Seems to balance well and has even treadwear as long as they are rotated and balanced regularly.


The MTR is a louder tire on the road than the KM2. The tread pattern is slightly more aggressive with slightly larger voids. You can hear more tire noise and feel the tread blocks hitting the pavement more with than you can on the KM2. The MTR still has good dry pavement behavior and the stiffer sidewall feels more stable in the corners.


On the Trail: I prefer the MTR on trails with a mixture of dirt/rock. They go where you point them better than the KM2, particularly at faster speeds. I have noticed less slipping and loss of traction on trails with the MTR.


The KM2 is a great trail tire, and in most cases has good traction. In loose dirt/rocks they will break loose earlier than the MTR. I was never stopped or stuck with the KM2s but just noticed they would start to spin earlier than the MTR.


In the rocks: MTR is superior in the rocks. On technical rocky trails with both tires in the 10-15psi range, the MTR has better traction and control than the KM2. When I had the KM2s, I never had a complaint about them in the rocks. They are very good, but once I replaced them with the MTR, I have found that the MTR just outperforms the KM2 in the rocks. It's not a HUGE difference but noticeable.


In the Rain (pavement): Both tires seem about equal in the rain. I haven't noticed any tendency to hydroplane from either tire and both had good wet traction.


On Icy hardpack roads: Both tires are dismal in these conditions unless they have been siped. The large treadblocks on both tires are just not the right design for a tire used on icy roads. Siping makes a big difference and both tires can be an acceptable winter tire if siped. Even with siping neither tire is the best choice if you are looking for a tire specifically for winter driving. There are better tires out there for icy hardpack driving. The GY Duratrac and the Interco Trxus are superior MT style tires for winter driving.


In Deep Snow: The design of the treadblocks seems to make a difference here. The tread of the MTR has more sharp corners than the KM2 and the voids are generally larger on the MTR. These features seem to provide better deep snow traction and keep you moving forward better and longer with the MTR. Air pressure is a big factor here too. I like to run in the 8-10psi range for deep snow. This gives better floatation and I'm able to keep moving better than with higher air pressure that tends to make the tires dig and spin. There is a constant debate about whether floatation in snow is better or worse than a tire that will dig down to solid ground. The way I look at it, if the tire is digging down to solid ground that is putting axles, skidplates, wheel hubs and even bumpers closer to the snow that can drag and hinder forward progress. The more parts of the truck you have to drag through the snow the more you're going to get stuck. I am a believer in floatation in deep snow.


In the Mud: The MTR is a better Mud tire without question. I don't like to play in the mud and I typically avoid it at all costs but every once in a while it's unavoidable. In deep mud I would get stuck sooner with the KM2. I was shocked on a recent trip where we encountered LOTS of deep mud. I'm certain that the KM2s would have lost traction and left me stuck and needing a strap or winch in a couple spots. I never needed either one with the MTRs. I was able to drive through all the muddiest spots we encountered where other trucks needs help.


Bottom line for me on these tires is I have found that I like the MTR better is almost all areas except for icy roads and for the amount of road noise and road comfort. If you want a smoother riding, quieter tire, then the KM2 is a better choice that will still perform well offroad. But for me the extra benefits offroad with the MTR will probably make me buy another set of them instead of KM2s when the time comes to replace them.


The KM2 is better in the icy conditions when siped. So if you're looking at the biggest weakness of both tires its in icy hardpack snow. If you have both tires siped, the KM2 will still be slightly better in these conditions than the MTR. If you don't have them siped, they are miserable.

 

Dang.... I may need to get some MTR's next then.... Haha

Definitely trust your judgement between the two!

 

How many miles you think you're gonna get out of the MT/R's?

 

Awesome assessment there Adam. I can't speak for the siping (but I'm sure you are absolutely correct) since I never did it to either tire, but I concur with everything you said.