The Off-road Knowledge Dump

(overlanding, wheeling, preparation)


Trying to focus some knowledge into a single post, as there are so many repeat/redundant threads pertaining to this topic in some way... Look no further. As a community, share your knowledge and lessons learned here.

If you have experience “off-roading” in your Tacoma, or any vehicle, leave some wisdom/knowledge here, by answering the following 10 questions for those who are seeking to learn how to navigate the beginning of their own series of adventures.

1. What year and model is your rig? Why did you select that model?

2. What was your intended off-road use? (overlanding, wheeling, both?)

3. What was your first modification to it, to make it more off-road capable? And, in hindsight, knowing what you know now, would you have reprioritized anything or done anything different?

4. What suspension, tires, and armor (if any of these) have you upgraded (or not) to? What drove you to select these?

5. What other modifications have you made to the truck, specifically, for off-road and/or emergency capability?

6. What recovery gear (if any) do you carry with you, and what conditions are they intended for (daily driving, off-road, or both)?

7. What other gear do you carry with you always vs. when off roading? Or do you always have your truck kitted out and ready to go, why?

8. What are your plans for your rig going forward?

9. List a few of the coolest places you’ve been in your truck, that are unique to you and/or your home/grid?

10. Lastly, pucker factor moment in your truck while off-roading – what happened? Then tell us about the coolest or most serene moment (for you) while off-roading, or just something memorable in a positive way.


My vehicle:


1. 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-road (short bed) – I chose the off-road trim for the nuanced but, for me at the time, important extras. For example, the low gearing, polyurethane side trim, crawl control features, locker, and moderate suspension upgrade over the stock SR5, among other things. My plan when buying the truck was to step deep into the overlanding/off-roading world. So, early in 2020, I did some research, and after a few weeks of this and a little nudge from a friend of mine who owned a Taco previously, and after driving up north with him to pick up his Raptor, I went straight to the dealership and told them exactly what I wanted. Picked up the truck with 4 miles on it.


2. My initial intended use was preparation and bugout capability, among other things like being able to go camping in the middle of nowhere during covid. This quickly expanded obviously into an all-purpose off-road vehicle after a short time. It is a daily driver, as well as something I can take a detour in a moment’s notice, and not have to worry about emergency situations.

3. First modification was removing the front torsion bar… The added flexibility and comfort through the front end were pretty apparent.

Then tires. Tires not by choice, but by mishap/negligence. When the truck had 450 miles on it, I shot down into AZ from the Utah border. The infamous “Arizona strip”… Eats tires. And it shredded the stock front passenger tire while I was 10 miles out on my way back. Went to change the tire but realized the factory bottle jack was designed with the torsion bar in mind… So, as I started to jack up the truck, and that front tire wasn’t lifting. Oops. This was a humbling moment, and it was 107 degrees outside. Luckily, I was able to get a text message out. Also, I did have plenty of water, so this wasn’t about to be some emergency situation, rather an annoyance if it came down to walking back later in the evening when it was cooler with a pack full of water.


Knowing what I know NOW, however, the very first thing I would modify/upgrade would be the tires. These are the most common thing stranding people down here when left stock or not aired down. If you are on a limited budget or have some hesitancy in dropping $9K immediately all at once into your vehicle, this is the way to start. And your old tires are worth money as well, to offset that cost. Sell them. I sold my stock 4 tires (spare was still good), for 500 bucks that week. Anecdotally, I’ve never had another flat (knock on wood), other than a damn nail I picked up on the road at some point. But I’ve been careful since then and not too reliant on my gear to get home. Make smart decisions when off-roading. Your gut is your best indicator of whether something is a good idea or not.


A hindsight close second in modification priority (for me, because there is a lot of rocky, boulder, rough terrain where I live – everyone should consider their environment is unique) would be vehicle armor. Specifically, full length bash plates/skids, rock sliders, lower control arm skids, as well as a gas tank skid. I have absolutely checked all of these at some point… Hard. I didn’t put skid plates on the truck until after we got back from Moab (Canyonlands, Arches). And to be honest this was a misalignment in priorities, and I had a few close calls while out there. After both my friend and I returned from that trip, we quickly realized armor is worth its weight in gold. If you plan on crawling over rocks, ever, the $1K or so put into a good set of steel skid plates may save you from being stranded, and absolutely will save your truck from being seriously damaged at the same time in those moments.


So, there’s number 3 for me. Tires and Armor. My humble advice is to not screw around with shit like cold air intakes and exhaust until you get this done (if you are truly serious about off-roading in austere environments in your truck). If you are planning on having just a pretty pavement princess, sure, your priorities will be different. Do you. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Just think everything through. I would have never touched the intake on my truck, in hindsight. Maybe the exhaust, for other reasons than performance, but it would not have been one of the first things I did. Not even close. Leave your intakes alone if you wheel and get a good snorkel to keep them cleaner. Pretty simple logic that will save you tons of headache and prolong the life of your engine. Aftermarket CAIs, like K&N and others out there, DO NOT filter particulate as well as the stock filter does. They don’t. Not even with the “filter sock mod”. I’ve seen this, I’ve dealt with it, I’ve wasted my money… That mindset of performance was left over from my days working on and tuning mustangs and other track cars. This is a completely different game with different goals. Take my perspective for what it is worth… But I did not buy a truck to go fast. It simply needs to be reliable and outlive me, but I digress. I understand the area in which I live is a unique environment to most – with basically sharp and large rocks, fine powder dust and clay everywhere, and extreme heat during the summer. Consider your own situation but understand that you should probably be prepared for anything. Many times, I’ve been out somewhere, anticipating a certain terrain or condition, only to find a washed-out trail, a weather shift, or a complete deviation from the initial plan. Plans change. Plans are only a common starting point. This is just how it is sometimes, be ready.


4. Old Man Emu Medium duty kit, full kit with the OME upper control arms, carrier bearing spacer/drop kit, and “taco lean” fix from OME. OME Medium kit was selected because I knew I was going to need the extra support for armor and gear. It was a happy medium for me, as I know the heavy kit can be pretty rough on the street. And, after doing a lot of reading and research I concluded that I just didn’t need an adjustable racing setup from King, Icon VD, or Total Chaos – all great companies, no doubt. But the mindset was to install it and forget it. I also intentionally looked for a UCA set that required minimal maintenance and the OMEs stood out for several reasons. The main one being that there is a lot of dust and shit down here that wears on these parts over time, I wanted the ball joints to be protected from the elements, but still serviceable. The added 4 degrees of camber built into them was also important for longevity. Again, figure out your specific use-case (simply driving on the street, probably wouldn't need UCAs).


Tires were changed again at 25K (down run your tires to the ground and expect them to perform in terrible trail conditions btw…) to 265/75/16 BFG KO2s, from 265/75/16 Big O Bigfoots! (yes, Big O brannnnd… I didn’t know much about off-road tires when they were recommended, so with a few questions and a small crash course from a tech, I decided to try them out). What sold me, ultimately, was the tread design and ply count. This made complete sense from an engineering standpoint, and I made a mental note to study and research more on modern off-road tire technology. Anyway, the Big O tires turned out to be fantastic tires with some minimal complaints, TBH, considering I put them through the ringer. Zero major issues. However, for a seriously rugged all-terrain, I’d have gone with the KO2s from the get-go (knowing what I know now).


Armor – ARB full length skid plates, @CaliRaisedLed LCA skids, RCI Rock Sliders, CBI gas tank skid plate – the reason for selecting these brands was simple. All steel. All reputable companies. The aim here was ruggedness and strength. And they’ve done their job at protecting the vital and very breakable parts of the undercarriage. And if you think you don’t need them for some wheeling, just wait until your tire slips off an obstacle you’re moving over, or you hit a pothole on a dirt road because you didn’t see it, because it is high noon, and no shadow is being cast on the trail. Or how about rocks and other things that get kick up underneath the truck when you’re ripping down a road? I have literally found rocks the size of my fist sitting on top of my skid plates after pulling them down for maintenance (changing washers or doing oil changes).


Tire and rim size was carefully considered. When I had the OME kit installed at 25K, I had already been through some extremely rough terrain in the desert and mountains. The ON-road drivability was something crucial for me, so going with a much heavier tire, with more rotational mass, just didn’t make a whole lot of sense to pick up another inch or so of ground clearance and comfort. Also, not wanting to deal with the safety aspects of having a larger tire mounted (brake fade, stopping capability as I drive in the city a lot… and therefore the Toyota Safety Sense calibration being thrown off, etc), I decided to keep the stock rims and move to an only slightly larger tire (32”). I did consider bead locks as well, but I do not air my tires down below 18 psi when they are cold, and again the added marginal capability of a bead lock rim was not worth the headache and risk. They need to be maintained constantly, bolts get broken on rocks and obstacles, just a pain in the ass. Yet again, I will say that you need to figure out what is best for YOU. There is so much to consider. These topics couldn’t be covered in a 10 hour podcast. Do your own research, and learn everything you possibly can.


5. Emergency capabilities…


Wouxon 50 Watt GMRS radio (redundancy for COMMS… I also have a handheld HAM)

Full med kit, with anything from band-aids to disinfectant, to antibiotics and epinephrine pens. These aren’t just for me, however. Somebody else may need it. I was stung by a wasp once while I was 60 miles away from civilization… Never been stung by anything before, and it was good to know that had the reaction been an allergy, I wouldn’t have died lol. I keep my med kit mounted directly behind the driver’s seat.

Garmin Mini that stays mounted inside the truck, and two separate phones synced to it in case something happens to one of them.

DJI Mini 3 Pro (drone) – having aerial perspective of terrain can be lifesaving, and it can simply save you time. Several times I’ve put the drone up to decide if a detour is viable. Both phones are synced to this as well. Redundancy.

ARB Tread Pros (traction boards) – you won’t need them until that one time you do. I’ve only used mine to get other people out, however (knocking. on. wood.) Don’t get the cheaper ones… Invest in these. The benefits over the cheap ones are their resistance to deformation, splitting, cracking, and just wrapping up into your wheel-well. You typically get what you pay for.

Tire repair kit (for plugging holes – practice doing this a few times on an old tire).

Jack, a deep socket specifically for breaking my lugs loose, power tool for quick removal, torque wrenches, road flare, small reflective road sign, wheel chocks, bright orange reflective beanie – reducing exposure time on the side of the road reduces risk. Don’t dilly-dally. Have all this stuff easily and quickly accessible. Everything I need to fix/repair/change a tire is neatly organized beneath the passenger rear seat.

“Screw on” valve stem tire deflators. Airing down takes a total of 5 minutes… Just keep an eye on your watch or else you’re getting the air compressor out. The benefit of these is their small footprint and, most importantly, you can maintain situational awareness while airing down. A handy tool I would have picked up a long time ago had I known about them.

Digital tire pressure gauge

Analog tire pressure gauge

ARB rapid tire deflator (I keep this in case I need it, and it also has a gauge). This is the gauge that removes and captures your valve stem core.

Extra valve stem caps

50 foot extension cord

20-160 ft lb tq wrench

10-200 inch lb tq wrench

5-30 inch lb tq driver

One (metric) standard-depth and deep socket for every possible nut/bolt on the truck that I may need to loosen/tighten.

Two gear wrenches, with adapters to and from 1/4 and 3/8, as well as extensions

ARB single piston air compressor mounted and wired by me into a weatherproof case

20’ ARB Air hose and attachments

Extra fuses for the truck, as well as extra fuses for the radio and air compressor

NOCO Boost GB40 – jumper cables are cool. Jumper cables connected to a portable battery pack is even cooler. Don’t get stranded. Your battery is a single point of failure. Your truck not firing up in the middle of nowhere is not the way.

Zip ties – I use these all the time.

Cables to charge accessories – radios, Garmin, phone, battery packs. I use twist ties to organize and stow these away in my center console.

A cheat sheet of all relevant torque specs on the truck – tie rod ends, diff cover bolts, skid plates, driveshaft bolts, suspension components in general, roof rack, bed rack bolts, etc. This is kept in the glove box with the maintenance manual… which also has a cheat sheet inserted listing types of fluids for everything Tacoma.

ARB kinetic straps, and shackles

3 x 5-gal NATO fuel cans, and a funnel (I use my own funnel because it will never get broken, and it is faster). My fuel loadout varies, however. Sometimes I only take 1 can, sometimes 3, sometimes none. It depends. Fuel isn’t always carried for myself… Somebody else in the group may need it.

Gas Siphon – you never know. These days, things can get gangster real quick.

TOILET PAPER

Trash/garbage bags

Fiskars Axe

Fiskars Hatchet

Fiskars Hand saw

Shovel

Water Port Day Tank (3.5 gal) mounted in the bed of the truck, with hose attachment.

5 gallon water tank

8’ x 8’ tarp

120’ of 511 cord

25’ nylon rope

Complete and detailed HARD COPY National Geographic (waterproof) physical maps of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana… the glove box always

Nikon range finder

Surefire red headlamps

Multiple flashlights of varying luminosity, mostly streamlight or surefire

A 1 liter water bottle in every door cup holder (honestly love this about Tacomas… cup holders)

So many knives…

At least 2 quickly accessible firearms, which types and storage location are dictated by the anticipated environment.

Rubber tubing, multiple types of tire/hose repair compounds

Spare drive belt

Tie rod ends

Spare tire… duh

$100 cash

Sunscreen

Balaclavas

Heavy duty gloves

Nitril gloves


Loadouts change, but this is a rather standard baseline for me. Add or subtract camping gear, food, coolers, etc.


Miscellaneous Truck Mods…


Prinsu Roof Rack

UpTOP TRUSS Bed Rack

Rough Country Molle bed panels (can’t recommend these enough)

Molle Center Console Panels (can’t remember the company who made them, but they are steel)

S&B CAI (paper filter, for better filtration)

Catalytic converter delete (removed 1 from both sides), and custom designed 3.5” single pipe catback exhaust with flowmaster 40 series muffler

Glove box gear organizer

Center console gear organizer

Taco Garage Dashtop Multi Mount (for mobile devices, radio receiver, tablet, etc.) with RAM ball mounts

Full ceramic window tint all the way around (again, hot down here… Keeps the sun at bay) including the front windshield

Weather Tech window deflectors (front and rear)


6. I suppose number 6 was already answered. Traction boards, essential tools to change/repair tires quickly and efficiently, considerations to warn other motorists of a disabled vehicle if any of this ever happens on a main road or highway (flares, reflective clothing, signage, etc.)

7. Everything mentioned is NOT always in the truck because, for the most part, I am driving around town, running errands, or whatever else. EVERYTHING, however, is staged in my garage and I can have it loaded and ready to go in less than 5 minutes. Whenever my buddy and I are traveling somewhere, though, we let each other know, and our trucks are kitted out and ready to go on standby.

8. Future will include more armor – front and rear bumpers, with a winch. After that, a fully enclosed bed system may be in queue. The added security and cleanliness of having a closed bed system is something to seriously consider early on. I love the bed and roof rack, but they will be replaced eventually.

9. Places I’ve been in the truck that have been the most memorable, either overlanding or camping… Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park (White Rim Road, Schaffer Trail, and other misc trails), Twin Point (Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument), Whitmore Canyon (Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument), Toroweap Overlook (Grand Canyon National Park), Great Basin National Park… There are tons more. Sedona AZ (Broken Arrow and Schnebbly Hill… but really that entire area). Been all over and around Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Southern Utah is a unique place for sure.

10. Pucker factor moment was definitely the time me and my fren went up Black Rock Canyon Wash outside of Mesquite Nevada. Going up was just fine, a little slow moving in some places but nothing super technical aside from a couple spots here and there. The pucker moment was coming down the other side of the mountain, which was the dark side of the mountain, which meant tons of snow, mud, and shit. We had already come up, and we certainly weren’t going back the way we came. So, we decided to press on. At about the middle of the trail there was a point of no return. It was slick, muddy, and on cliff sides at one point, while navigating switchbacks. There was a section that took a sharp left through an alcove that was slippery and graded enough to be pretty concerning. We both got out of the trucks, and stared at this for a good bit, walked through it, stared at it again, and decided to controlled-slide through it, knowing the trucks would potentially be pointed towards the ravine. Both of us are pretty good drivers so this wasn’t amateur hour or anything, but that 3 or 4 miles of trail we did that day was probably one of the most dangerous things I’ve done, just in general. 0/10 would not do again.



That’s it for now, as I think of more (sure I missed some things) I will come back and update this thread. Pictures below


Cheers

 

cool thread idea, amazing photos

 

awesome pics!


signed,
the guy incapable of reading that much without a few breaks

 

1. What year and model is your rig? Why did you select that model?

2020 TRD Offroad, DCSB, 6MT, basic package.

I had an old 1999 SR5 before buying my current truck, and was always super jealous whenever I'd see a TRD Offroad driving around town. I liked the black fender flares, I liked the bedside stickers, and I liked the idea of a rear locking diff. That all translated to me choosing the Offroad for my 2020. I spent a lot of time going back and forth between wanting a manual transmission, a 6 foot bed, and a double cab. Ideally, I would have liked a DCLB in a 6MT, but it doesn't exist. My next choice was an ACLB in a 6MT, but only those lucky Canucks up north get that configuration on the offroad, where we get the Sports in the US. The last thing I was going to compromise on was the 6MT, so I ended up with a DCSB.

No regrets whatsoever, the back seat has been invaluable (for hauling my dog, and for throwing stuff back there that won't fit in the bed). I've found that the back seat also doesn't turn into a bottomless pit of random things like the back seat did on my access cab SR5, maybe because there's always a chance I'll have a passenger back there now. The 5' bed has fit everything I've needed it to, and if it ever doesn't, I'll buy a small trailer.



2. What was your intended off-road use? (overlanding, wheeling, both?)

I never really intended to do much overlanding/wheeling when I bought the truck originally, although a buddy of mine had a 2017 on 34" tires, lifted, with full steel bumpers that I really admired. Not long after I bought my truck, my friend group at the time realized that we all had relatively new Toyota's, and after messing around a bit at a local OHV park, we planned a trip to Moab in 2021. Had the absolute time of my life. It was nerve racking at first to wheel such an expensive truck (my 1999 previously was also the newest vehicle I ever owned before the 2020, and I had never spent more than ~$9k on a vehicle), but I had a serious revelation after I smashed one of my rear chrome bumper caps on a trail, it's like all of my anxiety was lifted away. We did another Moab trip in 2022, and are in the midst of planning either a trip to Windrock Park in Tennessee, or the Black Hills in South Dakota for later this spring. I still try not to beat on the truck (too much) since it's my daily driver, and I'm hoping it'll last me 10+ years.



3. What was your first modification to it, to make it more off-road capable? And, in hindsight, knowing what you know now, would you have reprioritized anything or done anything different?

Prior to Moab 2021, my budget was limited to buying 2/3 of either tires, suspension, or armor. I chose tires and armor first, which I would absolutely recommend to anyone looking into wheeling before modifying anything else.

4. What suspension, tires, and armor (if any of these) have you upgraded (or not) to? What drove you to select these?

Suspension is pretty much stock, although I removed my sway bar, am on my 2nd set of OEM leaf springs, and 3rd set of rear shocks. Definitely next on my to-do list is to get a new leaf pack, another set of (better) rear shocks, and 2.5 coilovers with an aftermarket UCA for the front. Hoping to lift ~1.5"-2".

Tires are Mastercraft Courser CXT's in 255/85R16 (33"x10"). I really like the practicality of pizza cutters, and these were the best way to "lift" my truck before Moab, since tires are the only thing that lifts the diffs higher. I wanted some Cooper ST Maxx's in the same size for their supposed prowess in the snow, but they weren't available anywhere when I needed them. The Mastercrafts have been awesome, but I'll be looking to get some dedicated snow tires (Wisconsin) for the winter sometime in the future.



Armor, I went with the engine/tranny/tcase steel skids from RCI, and I love them. They've saved me numerous times in our two trips to Moab, I would recommend anyone looking into wheeling, especially on rocky stuff, to invest in these (or similar). I went with the flat tcase skid, so my exhaust had to be rerouted at the crossover, local shop took care of it for $100. My buddy is a welder by trade, so he was able to make me a set of sliders for my truck. I had them sandblasted, then coated them with a two part epoxy primer, and finished them in Raptor liner (truck bed lining). They've held up great for ~2 years. These have also proved invaluable the handful of times I came down on them on rocks. Invest in armor!





5. What other modifications have you made to the truck, specifically, for off-road and/or emergency capability?

Not much, honestly. There are not a lot of options around me for wheeling/overlanding, so my truck is usually pretty bare bones for 99% of the year. I did mount a fire extinguisher in the bed near the tailgate, picked up some soft shackles and a tow strap (although not ideal for recoveries), an air compressor, tire patch kit, and some basic first aid kits for people and pets. Those are in the truck all the time.



6. What recovery gear (if any) do you carry with you, and what conditions are they intended for (daily driving, off-road, or both)?

See #5.

7. What other gear do you carry with you always vs. when off roading? Or do you always have your truck kitted out and ready to go, why?

Offroading, I make sure to bring plenty of water, walkie talkies and some basic tools. I'd like to eventually build out a portable toolbox with truck specific tools to throw in for trips, otherwise it seems like I end up bringing damn near every tool I own. A spare CV axle and tie rod are on my list to (eventually) bring with, but we've had enough spares to share in the past in our group.

8. What are your plans for your rig going forward?

High clearance rear bumper by ATH Fab, bought it a few months ago and got it coated (same as my sliders), but winter hit before I could get it on, so it'll go on this spring. I've smashed two rear bumper corner caps and would rather not continue doing that.



Next will be a lift, basically all I have nailed down right now is a Deaver Expedition U402 leaf pack (stage 1), and SPC UCA's (Rockauto special). I'd like to get some 2.5 Fox's or Kings from Accutune Offroad, but we'll see if that's in the budget.

Eventually I'd like a high clearance front bumper, currently I like the C4 hybrid with the tall center hoop, or the C4 overland with full headlight hoops. Eventually want a winch too.

Next will probably be a few lighting upgrades (nothing crazy) for the front and rear bumpers.

After all of that, it'll be a big decision if I want to re-gear or not, leaning 5.29's if I do but 4.88's might work. This will be dependent on how the truck drives (6MT, so less in need of a re-gear than AT's) and how big of tires I end up running, currently happy with my 33's, but I'm tempted by some tall skinny 34x10.5's. I don't see myself going to 35's, as it seems like that's the point where fenders are starting to get cut up pretty good and CV axles start breaking frequently. The truck is still my daily 99% of the time, so I might stick to the 33's in the long run.

9. List a few of the coolest places you’ve been in your truck, that are unique to you and/or your home/grid?

Top of the World in Moab is the coolest place I've been in my truck, and everything behind that was also in Moab.



10. Lastly, pucker factor moment in your truck while off-roading – what happened? Then tell us about the coolest or most serene moment (for you) while off-roading, or just something memorable in a positive way.

I mentioned earlier that once I smashed my first rear bumper cap, it felt like the 1000 lb gorilla was finally lifted off of my back. It made me wheel harder, and I enjoyed every second of it so much more without the anxiety of hurting my truck.



Biggest pucker moment was riding in my buddies linked and solid axle swapped 4runner on 39's, we almost ended up on the roof (or so it felt like). It was a blast.





Man, this almost turned into a mini build thread!

 

Nice write up! Never thought of using a drone as a scout. I’m going to look into that! Thanks for the idea.

 

Holy f'n novel.

 

Vehicle of choice: 06 4Runner because I needed the covered cargo area for strollers and such.

I started with the usual, icon coil over lift in front and toytec springs and coils in the rear plus bigger tires.

years and years later I think I’m finally in a place where I’m happy with everything my truck has including but not limited to, rock sliders, skid plates and ARB rear locker.

if I was still start over I would add a rear locker and air supply first. Then full skids including rear diff, rock sliders, lift and tires, recovery gear and lastly quality lighting.

having a rear locker really changes the game when you’re in some slippery situations. Had I known this before I would have made sure to spend my money here first.

 

1. What year and model is your rig? Why did you select that model?
I've got two, a 2021 Off-road manual, and a 2007 regular cab(the wheeler)

2. What was your intended off-road use? (overlanding, wheeling, both?)
Strictly offroading and back roads cruising. I have no kids, so the regular cab offers the best offroad package for me.

3. What was your first modification to it, to make it more off-road capable? And, in hindsight, knowing what you know now, would you have reprioritized anything or done anything different?
The 2007 was already heavily modified, but my first mods were a snorkel and front bumper. If I was starting stock...it would be good tires and body armor. Specifically bumpers and rock sliders.

4. What suspension, tires, and armor (if any of these) have you upgraded (or not) to? What drove you to select these?
I've got Fox coilovers, all pro leaf springs with 12" travel shocks, and bumps tops. Bumpers front/rear, and rock sliders. Also, an aftermarket front skid( definitely needed). Currently running 37x12.50xr17 BFG KM3.

5. What other modifications have you made to the truck, specifically, for off-road and/or emergency capability?
It also has a arm skids, snorkel, bobbed bed, etc.

6. What recovery gear (if any) do you carry with you, and what conditions are they intended for (daily driving, off-road, or both)?
I carry tools(metric sockets, prybar, knipex pliers, side cuts, etc) and a hi-lift jack. Straps, shackles, and associated gear is key. Being able to winch yourself out when alone is a big key.

7. What other gear do you carry with you always vs. when off roading? Or do you always have your truck kitted out and ready to go, why?
Toilet paper...never know when you have to go. I also carry food such as beef jerky and nuts. Lots of water(or trail sodas if the situation warrants). I keep my truck always ready, because I am usually in rural areas where help is far away.

8. What are your plans for your rig going forward?
Plans are possibly a SAS. Otherwise, I'm happy with it as is.

9. List a few of the coolest places you’ve been in your truck, that are unique to you and/or your home/grid?
I've been to the local offroad parks(interlake, redbird). Previous owner had truck all over the west, including Moab.
10. Lastly, pucker factor moment in your truck while off-roading – what happened? Then tell us about the coolest or most serene moment (for you) while off-roading, or just something memorable in a positive way

Wildest one is a toss up. Laid the truck over in a washout...locked the front locker in and drove it out on its side. Other time, I nosed down a steep embankment, and stood the truck on its nose. Rode on the nose all the way down the hill.

 

Bro....lmao

Nice.

 

What other gear do you carry with you always vs. when off roading? Or do you always have your truck kitted out and ready to go, why?

TOILET PAPER, ALWAYS TOILET PAPER

 

In days of old when knights were bold and toilet paper was not invented, you wiped your ass on blades of grass and walked away contented

 

Honestly I lost interest in the massive amounts of words…but nice pics dude. There is a build section

 

My friend,
I learned 35 years ago the difference between a daily driver and a true off road machine. They are different and if you try to make a daily into a true off road buggy you will lose big time.
I bought a 1984 4Runner off the showroom floor and immediately started taking it off road. I went down a similar path as you are doing but went even further...roll cage anyone? Once I took a deep breath I realized I had a really new 4Runner that was hacked and cut to shit that did great off road and was a fucking pig on Road...and I still owed on it. I took as many mods as possible off of it, fixed the mess, took off all the lights and drove it until I had it paid off.
I sold it, got a new stripped truck, and bought a beater Jeep to take off road.
Before that, I had fixed up a 1976 square body for off road so I thought I knew what I was doing. Apparently not.

So, enjoy your path but it is a worn one from many who tread before you. Take these words to heart....every mod you do to make it better off road will reduce the performance on the road.
BTW, my Tacoma is stock and I know in stock form it will go places my courage will fail. Good luck.

 

cant use drones in national parks, govt land

 

Subbed and claiming my spot here

 

I literally don't care. Taxation is theft.

(george washington probably)

 

Uh-oh. Politics has entered the chat.

 

wake me for the part out

 

So is stealing gas

 

Gangster lol