My first Tacoma - 2020 TRD Sport

Hello, everyone: I just purchased my first Toyota product - a 2020 Tacoma TRD Sport. I wanted to introduce myself and hopefully learn some things from other Tacoma owners. I have many questions and this certainly looks like the forum for answers far and wide. I’m new to all of this - especially a Toyota vehicle so I’m anxious to learn from everyone!

 

Welcome and congrats on the new toco
Need pics

 

Congrats and welcome Joe

 

Thank you very much! What’s the best way on this forum to ask questions? The reason I ask is that there are many different categories - should I just fire away and see who responds?

 

Sounds a fun purchase for you! Lots of experts around here. Congrats and welcome.

 

Thank you everyone - what a fantastic way to learn. I certainly appreciate the hospitality! I have several questions and will make some posts tomorrow. Time to get some sleep - at least tomorrow is Friday! Take care

 

Welcome aboard. The 3rd gen section awaits your posts. WARNING, Friday is a "Special" day at TacomaWorld, and a very "Special" day for 3rd genners.

 

Now I’m intrigued - looks like I’ll have to check in while I wait for my computer to boot up...and for the coffee to brew!

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld!

 

Mice! Welcome!

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Sup Joe?! Welcome to the best damn Tacoma forum on the interwebs!

Don't let any of them 1st or 2nd Gen scare ya none. Their bark is worse than their bite. Hell, once you build a reputation for not being thin skinned or being an asshat you'll find out just how nice they can be.

Oh, you'll soon learn "mods first, sleep second". I'll be 58 this year, get up at 0630, work 10 hours, drive an hour each way on a good day, and tonight I came home, ate, then went down to the garage for 2 hours doin' mods..........

The Tacoma is an addiction and I'm a Tacomaholic!

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Welcome and congratulations!

 

Congratulations and welcome. Now, hide your credit card! TW is an addiction. You wont stop reading and ordering more mods. My 2020 has been on order since September (build date is next week) and I already have several hundred in mods. Mostly from Meso and KTJO4x4.

 

Hello, everyone - thanks so much for your hospitality! Regarding my 2020 TRD Sport....The most pressing question I have is regarding the ECT PWR mode. Is it safe to always drive with this engaged? I love the response and feel. If I drive with the ECT always engaged, will it ruin my engine or transmission? I have never owned a Toyota, much less a truck, and want to make sure I’m not causing any harm. If the consensus on TacomaWorld is that it's ok to do so with no damage whatsoever, then I was seriously thinking of installing the ECT PWR always on mod. Found an updated version manufactured by a gentleman in California. I know you experienced owners may laugh, but I'm scared to death of this install. He has a great video on YouTube, but what scares me the most is dismantling the dash. My 2020 is only a month old and my baby and I would hate to break anything. I've seen a few videos and they all make dismantling the dash look easy so maybe I'm being too paranoid. Can anyone give me some advice, pointers, etc.

Also, I've noticed with any mods requiring a fuse tap that the original fuse box cover no longer fits. I found an extended height cover from MESO customs - just type into Google but they say "limited run" and I cannot purchase one - don't know if they will ever be made again. Does anyone have any suggestions - another supplier, etc?

Thanks!

 

To meet EPA standards, Toyota "turns down" the throttle response. To get around this, turn on the ECT. This is the reason why you have to turn it on every time you start your engine. Every time I drive my wife's Rav4, that's the first thing I do after starting.

 

Joe,
Essentially the ECT mode disables the ability of 5th & 6th gear to act as an overdrive gear. It was designed for towing heavy loads. Will you break anything using it all the time? No. Well, maybe your bank account paying for the gas you will be using. If you have it though, burn it. Take a look on here about the OV Tune mod. Also, a well designed intake and exhaust system will also give you a little more umph, and will certainly make it sound like you have more than it feels like, and sometimes that's enough.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2016-toyota-tacoma-ovtune-1-05-tune-development-thread.495735/

Hit that thread up before you make a decision. It's a lot to take in but you are young, and time is on your side. Let the truck break in first. Learn about doing your own maintenance and what things you need to make that an easier job. Learn not to rely on the dealership for that.

If you have a 4WD Sport and/or plan any water crossings or even just driving trough water up to your axles you should look at the Rear Axle Breather Mod. This is almost mandatory according to most guys.

Start slow, with simple wiring mods. Then move up to the big stuff like a dash. Not because it is hard but because unless you have a second vehicle on hand anything can happen and leave you stranded. You break a clip or pull the wrong wire off etc.

A lot of guys will look for others from the forum that live near them. These guys on here love nothing better than to help you spend your money and for the price of a pizza and a couple of six packs will dismantle your entire truck. Make sure before you choose to have a mod party that you get to know who they are and they are not just some guy experimenting on your truck first before he does his own. You'll learn who each type is. Right now, I would hand the keys to my new Pro over to just about any of the guys I socialize with. I would never do that before this forum.

Like I said, go slow, take your time, let the truck break in first before the big mods. Hell, Toyota wont even change your oil until 10k miles, which is bullshit. Before synthetics us older guys would do 3k max. Your oil filter if you've ever done an oil change before is not like anything you've ever seen. It's this plastic housing and inside is a paper cartridge. It's cool and all that but I prefer not to have a plastic cartridge, so I swap mine out with a metal version. It's an OEM part too. I also add a Fumoto drain pan valve which makes it so you just run your drain hose down to your oil catch pan or right into a container, like an old milk jug. So you have the breather mod, oil filter cartridge mod, drain pan valve mod, intake mod, and exhaust mod. All of which you can do by yourself with minimal tools or expertise.

Look on the B/S/T thread in the 3rd Gen section for that MESO fuze cover. Some guys resell theirs in there. T-Taps are a easy and reliable way to do interior wiring connections but you might want to consider learning how to solder wires and all about heat shrink tubing, etc. You're gonna want to add off road lights and that's something you want to do right.

Consider joining a bunch of threads with like minded owners. But do not rule out those 2nd and 1st gen threads. Those guys don't put 200k + miles on their rigs by being proficient with duct tape and vice grips.

Well, most of them anyway!

Oh, I didn't even mention the Hood Strut mod. You're gonna definitely want to do that first off too. Especially if you're vertically challenged like me.

 

Now the mods begin
I have a sport also the 1st thing I did was a bed mat took off the front air dam , add pedal commander, seat covers, step bars and BFG KO2. Just ordered 5100s plan to set them at 2nd notch, add bed stiffeners and a behind the grill light bar
That will do for a while but thinking about a front skid rear differential breather
Enjoy your truck