New truck owner- few questions about 4X4, reliability, etc.

Hello everyone,

I'm a new Tacoma owner, and this is my first truck so I'm a total newb and need some help.

First off, the community seems like it's pretty good here, with people willing to help which is amazing, so I thank you for being positive.

Sooooo the questions I have... I purchased a DCSB OR, and want to keep this for 20+ years. I already got it Krowned 3 months ago when I first got it and am probably going to use fluidfilm one more time before the snow hits (I live in Canada and the salt is not good to our vehicles) so for the 4X4, I haven't even tried it yet and have 9000 kms. Is there anything special I have to do to engage it? Like be stopped before engaging into 4X4 high, or anything? Snow gets a bit hairy here, so I already purchased snow tires with rims, instead of going the off road tire combo.

I would love to raise the truck a few inches (the wife says "your not a little kid anymore) but I like the look, so I called the dealer I purchased the truck from and they want $3400 for the TRD kit installed...I know I could probably do the same for waaaay cheaper, but my model has the 360 camera and sensor in the front and don't know if getting a non Toyota lift would cause drama with the sensor...anyone have any experience with lifting with the 360 camera and sensors?


I always do oil changes with synthetic around 6,000 km to my vehicles (ya I know it's a bit much, but I'm a bit paranoid) and I'm going to do their front rear diff every 10,000 km...is there anything else I should be doing to make sure this lasts?

Sorry for ramming all these questions to you guys, but I do appreciate all the help.

 

I think if you service it normally, it will last just as long.

 

I did a level for $550 (Eibach Pro truck lift and no issues with sensor.

 

Many of your answers are in the your manual. The section on 4wd is a good read.

Some others are here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-tacoma-lift-guide.509171/

I haven't heard may reports of sensors not working with exception the occasional need to recalibrate some of them after a lift. I personally have not had any issues, but I also only have the basic sensors that come on a 2020.

 

Keep in mind that the TRD lift kit installed by the dealer keeps your warranty in tact on your suspension since it's factory authorized. Not saying that's the way to go, just something to consider when weighing the options.

 

Check your sunvisor....

 

4wd high on the fly. 4 low you need to stop.

Keep the suspension stock if you want long term longevity.

 

Those intervals are just silly. At least move it up to intervals used in the 1990s. You are using 1970 intervals man. Paranoid or not give the oil a chance to do it's job. 16Km is normal for oil change.
However, why stop there? Just change it every thousand kilometers lol. There's prudent and there's silly.

 

Changing your diff oil every 10,000 km is like taking a shower every 30 min.

 

Welcome to Tacoma World.

A good place to start for information on you 4 wheel drive system is in the manual. It is a good idea to find a gravel lot that you can go and test it out on. Drive in 4 hi and 4 lo both straight and turns to get a feel for it. Even try the crawl modes and rear locker. It is a good idea to activate these once a month so the work when you need them. ( manual says to drive in 4wd at least 10kms per month.

The best advice I can give you about a lift is get off Tacoma World or else .

Good luck.

 

Great info here! Thanks again guys!

The oil thing was kinda based on my BMW 335 and 328 I had... Kept the oil fresh and never had a problem, they had over 300K when I got rid of my last one... so I guess I should really up the milage a bit lol...

 

While I understand the convenience of the trd lift kit, that quote seems crazy high. Coulda swore I just saw someone say they got that same kit installed for like 2800. I went with fox 2.5’s, just waiting for them to arrive so I can install, I have the 360 cam too, not worried about it. A bilstein lift could cost you less than 1500, keep that in mind too. Id ask some guys on the trd lift kit threads what they paid and present that to your dealer if you do decide to go that route. 3400 could get you a pretty rad suspension, more than the trd lift would provide I think. Best of luck with the new truck!

 

I did a 2 inch lift (Teraflex Falcon + OME leafs) on my ‘21 ACLB 6MT, and all the shop did was reset the steering angle sensor and did an alignment. Toyota Safety Sense and radar cruise control still work, no errors/warnings. I have heard on the forum of some issues with TSS/Cruise Control if you go for a larger lift, something to do with the calibration and angle of the radar.

 

Keep in mind the OP is talking Canadian dollars. That's about $2,650 in the US.

 

I’m in Quebec. I get my truck sprayed yearly with ProTec by a guy who puts it up on a lift and cleans it thoroughly then goes through every possible place corrosion could occur. He’s equipped and a professional and it’s still a 4 hour job. I wouldn’t trust fluid film here. The Vaseline/wax type products applied annually are proven to work over a long period.

 

My Toyota dealer is recommending oil change every 6 months or 6K kms. I drive less than 6k kms per year so I will get the oil changed once per year.

16k kms oil change interval is for "normal driving only", which means highway driving only and no short trips. In other words, no one actually qualifies as "normal driving" in the real world. The 16k kms oil change interval is a marketing ploy to get potential buyers to think that their car or truck is low maintenance/low cost of ownership. 16k kms oil change interval is fine if you are leasing or plan on fairly short term ownership.

 

Lift kits increase wear and tear on drive shaft components, more susceptible to rollover if you slip off into the ditch, harder to load heavy or awkward items into box, etc.

 

Strange the dealer didn’t show you how to use the features in the truck . All the info on 4x4 is in the manual like others stated . If you are serious about lifting read some of the posts here about people have ran into when they lifted the truck from noises and vibrations . If you are just looking for looks of the truck go bigger tires .Oil changes 6k is not unheard of . As far as differential fluid change unless you are towing alot or doing off-roading . Changing at 10k is a waste of money not to mention the fluids are expensive .

 

If you already had the truck treated with krown, don't spray fluid film over it. Chances are you can have a reaction like a buddy of mine did. He ended with a dripping mess.
When using 4wd this truck is slicker than any truck i've owned when wanting 4wd....just turn the knob and you have it, whether stopped or on the fly. If on the fly i try to keep the speed under 40 mph when switching in or out. These trucks in stock form are extremely capable in most normal off road conditions.
As far as reliability i've learned stock is always best if you plan to use the truck how it was designed to....serious off roading would be the exception if planing to do a lift.
I'm not the easiest with these trucks, and minimal maintenance is usually it. That said i had my 2001 tundra 19 years and 292k miles before selling it. As far as i know its still running great with its new owner.

 

Welcome @RacerX1911 And congrats on your new truck!

come join the Ontario section and post an Intro into the BS thread! Lots of people around your area, and lots of Ontario/Canadian specific info and get togethers..

https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/ontario-canada.263/

@Da Voke you’re welcome as well! There’s some QC guys in there as well.