Do better tires in a 4x2 TRD OR Make A Huge Difference?

hey guys,
I'm days away from purchasing a Tacoma. I told myself 4x4 is nice, but realistically I don't know how much offroading I will be doing since I will be doing my fishing from a kayak rather than having to drive to remote areas just to have a shot at catching fish here on Oahu. So I will be launching from places where you couldn't drive the truck on the sand due to legal issues.

My question is, does better tires on a 4x2 trd or make a large difference in the event I want to do some light offroading when the ground is dry, just loose dirt and rocks and I don't fish from the kayak? Or will it only help minimally compared to say a trd sport 4x4

Thanks in advance

 

Tires make all the difference for every vehicle.

 

True but I guess I meant that in specifics. Does having better tires significantly increase the 4x2's off-road capabilities? I'm new to trucks and have almost 0 experience with them and offroading

 

4x4+ko2=unbrostoppable

 

I wouldn't say significantly. If you are staying on dry ground, some loose dirt and rocks, you should be fine with stock tires. You may want some better quality/thicker tires depending on the rocky area to minimize a chance of puncture.
A driver that knows what he/she is doing can take a 2wd a lot of places a 4wd goes. I would suggest the first few times have a buddy bring their truck too and try it out. If you get stuck you have help. Once you get comfortable in the area and determine yours and the trucks limits, you can better judge where you can go and where you should stay away from.

 

Yes better tires will help any vehicle get to or travel further in adverse conditions, you can take a two wheel drive vehicle into some fairly tough terrain, but knowing how far you can go without getting stranded is the biggest factor. I'll use the analogy of winter driving and using snow tires with my 4wd truck, most of the time I can go in 2wd just fine, but in certain situations, it's nice to have the 4wd as an option if needed. When I got my license to drive 41 yrs ago, there were very few 4wd and all wheel drive vehicles on the road, most cars were rear wheel drive, everyone bought snow tires and usually had tire chains if it was really bad, people prepared better for what they might encounter in their drive. So, if do go the route of 2wd just be aware and take extra precautions to not get into a situation where you wish or question why you didn't spend the extra money for a 4wd truck.

 

The tires can make a huge difference in a 2x4. Less in a 4x4. I've got a 2x4 Tacoma with 31" wrangler authority's and can go anywhere there isn't a huge incline. I live on a dirt road that turns to red clay snot when it rains. However having the low gear from the 4x4 is very nice also. 4x4 can get you out of trouble and it can get you in trouble.

 

Yes they make a huge difference. Even if you just throw a couple offroad tires on the back

 

For what your looking to do 2wd will be just fine, better tires will help for sure

 

Better tires will make a difference but YOU as the driver will only experience it during extremes. It's very difficult to objectively review tires in the exact same situation as there are always variables. Some people have better experiences in tires over others and vice versa. The biggest change you may experience is the difference in a P tire vs LT tire.