Off-Roading with your Daily Driver?

I bought the OR model because I hoped to do some minor off-roading - mainly going places that are at the end of a 4x4 road not off-roading for the sake of off-roading.

I assumed the OR would be good at this and I guess for the most part it is. However, each time I find that I just don't have quite enough clearance to keep from crunching stuff underneath. Obviously there will always be bigger rocks, but it seem like an additional couple inches would be idea. Getting that 2" however is both expensive and will affect the ride and it's also my commuter and I like how it drives now.

If one cannot afford two vehicles, what is the solution here? I could put on 265/75/16s but that only gains me like 1/2".

 

Stay on the roads.

 

Easy peasy man.... IMO, it is all a give and take.

You can add some spacers for cheap but then have to deal with increased wear and tear and higher likelyhood of failure.

You can go with a 5100s set up, which is not too expensive.

You can do 6112s-5160s, if you dont mind investing a little more coin to get a little more in return.

Or you can blow the bank and get a big 3 kit and off road till your heart is content.

You can also do a 255/85/16 (skinny 33s) set up and that will hive you extra clearance, at the expense of some contact patch.

 

Commit or don't. If you bought the truck to go offroad, and don't want to make it more "offroad proof", then you should trade it in and buy a car.

That said, here is my DD. No other vehicle but a motorcycle.

 

Thanks but can you clarify what 5100s, etc. mean?

 

Not helpful. I actually want to drive off-road some not build a mall-crawler.

 

http://www.headstrongoffroad.com/store/p401/Coil/Bilstein_5100_Kit_(HS16BK-1).html

 

Oh, sorry....

Bilstein 5100 shocks. They are height adjustable and can net you right below 2”. Very very inexpensive.

You can just get the front shocks for like $200 and do a 1 - 1.5” block in the rear. That would make it a very budget friendly and easy set up.

 

Get full skid plates and sliders. It'll protect the stuff underneath and get you home. Then to work the next day.

There is always a risk of a breakdown, whether you're stock or modded to the hilt. Just keep driving, know your trucks limits and have fun. There are a PLENTY of trails that you can run a stock Tacoma on.

By the way, I also like how it drives stock and plan to leave it stock.

 

I realize one can drive an off-road rig to work. I don't want to. I also don't see why one has to commit to do light off-roading. It's called a TRD OFF ROAD and should be a reasonable middle ground. In truth, stock hasn't been bad and I've not got stuck or anything, but a bit more margin of error would be nice.

 

Stock tire size is 30.5". You can fit 255/85r16 on stock wheels and suspension and those are 33". Boom, there's 1.25" of extra ground clearance. Also a mild lift of 1.5"-2" won't have too much of an effect on how it rides and drives if you use the proper components. You can lift it that amount for around $800 and pretty much retain a factory ride.

 

I offroad my 04 nearly every weekend on some pretty rough trails at times, and take it to work every day for the past 2.5 years.

You really need to know how to do basic maintenance/repairs though or you're going to spend a lot of money having other people do it for you...wheeling and daily driving your truck takes it's toll over time. I've never been in a situation where I couldn't get to work the next day, but I have had some issues come up (broken CV axles, flat tire, etc.) that can happen to anyone when you're wheeling. Not to mention you have to be okay with the odd noises that are going to start happening, and dents and scratches...just par for the course.

 

There is plenty of "off road" to be had that 1) can't be done by a non 4x4, high-clearance vehicle like the Tacoma and 2) doesn't involve damaging your truck.

There are also basic protection items you can get for those accidental "shoot, didn't see that rock" times.

Sounds like to you, "off roading" is the same as "rock crawling." If that's so, you're in for a bad time. If not, get a copy of Gaia GPS (or paper maps) for your region and go explore other trails.

Going slow, picking a good line and not "just gonna send it bro" is also pretty important.

 

Is this what is meant by a body lift, or is this something else? What are the pros/cons? Much impact to how it drives?

 

Sure you can take it offroad as is. The stock "skid" plate and road tires probably won't hold up for shit. There's no HD skid plates or sliders to protect the body of the truck from rocks etc.

There are lots of good aftermarket companies with products to beef up your truck to get you there and back safely and with minimal damage.

 

Thanks. This might actually be the way to go. Any idea how much? I've looked at sliders and they seem in the $800 range. Haven't looked into skid plates yet.

 

Ideally you could run the 5100s with OEM springs, so as to not pre-load and sacrifice ride comfort, with an AAL in the rear. But just the shocks and rear block would work for you.

 

OP,

You talking about fire roads and going off the beaten path to get to a fishing spot? Or do you mean crawling up rocks and passing through rivers?

 

Sure, anything you drive daily is a daily driver but some things are more practical than others. For example, motorhomes and giant trucks not all that practical. A prius is very practical but sucks for camping. I think a Tacoma is a good middle ground and why I bought it. Not really interested in lifting and armoring it thought as I don't need that level of capability. Skids and sliders are probably my answer.

 

No, not a body lift. Body lift is for looks only. As it offers no additional under carriage clearance.

If you use just the shocks, without OME springs, you will have to pre-load the stock springs. It will ride a bit stiffer. But keep in mind that “stiff” is subjective.