Tinkerer Compares the 4th gen to the 3rd gen TRD off-road

I had a 2023 trd off road 6 speed manual for 1 year and 13k miles. It got totalled by a careless idiot. I liked the truck. Liked.

Got a 2024 trd off road 6 speed manual transmission as a replacement. Had it less than 2 months and I put 1800 miles on it. I love this truck.

the 2024 is superior in every way compared to the 2023. Interior, dash, touch screen, power, ride, mpg, just everything.

I miss the power seats and sliding rear window, but you can pay if you want them. I can't knock my 24 for not having them since I wasn't willing to pay like 5k to get them. F that

 

I agree. I shared my same size ramps test results with him back in April and found a swaybar-less 3rd Gen at 1/2" lift height on Bilstein 5100 coilovers (22.23" length), flexed 4.125" up and drooped 4".

Cong has the stock coilovers on his 3rd Gen, which are a bit shorter than 5100s, so I would expect his front droop to be slightly less if he removed his swaybar for the video.

What will get both trucks up the ramps are longer rear shocks so the rear axle can droop further. Then the rear can push up the front. Lift leaf springs on 3rd Gen or lift rear coils on 4th Gen, will permit longer rear shocks.

My rig rear flexed 7" up, and drooped 7.75" in my April test. The remaining flex needed to reach the 12.75" ramp tops came from the c-channel frame twist.

 

True, and 4th gen is also whole other league for safety and comfort. Having had prior gen Toyota 4x4, engine and transmissions we have another strong reason.

It may well be that a 3rd gen is better for a more extreme off road enthusiast but as an off road worker and truck for work utility owner it is the best of 5 pickups I've owned. It is also a better value than many seem to realize and this review catches that. My TRD OR with upgrade package, inverter and a little more was well less than $50,000. Larger trucks had 5.5 ft beds at times as useless as the 5 ft beds. A Nissan could have 6 ft bed but is no way in same league.

Unfortunately I have no good answer for people who are but hurt or bugged about the generation change. It didn't make the prior gen a bad vehicle. The marketplace has choices.

 

I understand the 4th gen in his video was a loaner but with approach and departure angles he was comparing a stock 4th gen to a 3rd gen with larger tires. Yes, they matched the tire size of the 4th gen, but he also mentioned it's the biggest tire you can put on a stock 3rd gen. For true apples to apples he should have measured both with stock tires or both with the largest tires that fit stock.

Other than that I thought the video was good, had never watched/heard of tinkerer before this.

 

Some Ramp Travel Index scores and a suspension analysis of the Pro and Trailhunter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sedExcaUrJY&t=1s

 

Many 3rd gen owners have used a 255/85-16 (approx 33" tire) on factory rims and stock suspension without any other modifications..

Would be interesting to see a RTI score with those 33" tires along with a simple suspension upgrade on a 3rd gen which is offered on the 4th gen Pro and Trailhunter for comparision. The 3rd gen stock TRD Pro with 30.5" tire RTI score is listed at the end along with the 4th gen Pro and Trailhunter.

 

You can subscribe to his channel

 

There are plenty of people running 34" tires on the 4th gen and even 35's with the removal of the crash plate. Last line of defense on YouTube is running 37's, but that required some minor trimming of the fenders.

I am running a true 33" and am not even close to rubbing, I probably could have gotten away with running a 34".

Again, stock vs stock would be a true apples to apples.

 

I'm sure you must know that there are 3 to 4 different size tires provided on both the stock 3rd and 4th gens from the factory.

My point was to equip a 3rd gen with a typically upgraded suspension and 33" tires as is provided stock on an upgraded 4th gen TRD Pro/Trailhunter. Other 4th gen Tacos don't have this suspension nor the 33" tire size that were used in the above RTI score.

RTI scores allready show how poor the 4th gen non-TRD PRO/Trailhunter variants are vs the 3rd gen. Just in case you missed that video..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4oymoFNhnM&t=485s

No one in their right mind would take a stock 3rd gen off-road in a difficult trail environment using stock tires and suspension delivered from the factory. Neither would an owner of a 4th gen, unless it was a TRD Pro/Trailhunter. The 4th gen doesn't even have front bump stops and rough use of the non TRD Pro/Trailhunter is a known problem.. ..

 

I understand where you are coming from but he is comparing a vehicle that is not stock to a stock vehicle. You're saying he should mod it even more making it even less of an equal comparison.

Yes there are several tire sizes available on different trims but the 4g off road has 265/70 r17 which is what he put on the third gen.

I have personally taken my stock sport off road several times and again after changing wheels and tires. I guess I am not in my right mind. I can't speak to the 3rd gen but the 4th seems plenty capable from the factory.

Again, the only point I was making, it is not an apples to apples comparison in terms of approach and departure angles when you compare a vehicle on stock tires to a vehicle with upgraded/bigger tires. A size that I don't believe came on any trim 3rd gen from the factory.

 

I wasn't making a point about 33" tires and approach/departure angles. Nor commenting about the Tinkerer video that I posted that started this thread.

I was commenting about the video I posted of RTI scores (post #25) of the 4th gen TRD Pro/Trailhunter and how easily a larger diameter tire will increase that score. Similar to adding long travel shocks in the rear creating more articulation (or droop).

If you compare the RTI score of 4th gen TRD Pro/Trail Hunter to those in post #29 for the 4th gen TRD Off-road it should be very apparent.

 

That’s the first time I’ve seen a Tinkerer’s YT video.
Very interesting and informative, and I learned several things, so it’s worth the watch for me.

 

Ok sorry for your misunderstanding. You quoted me when I made a comment about the original video posted then decided to make it about RTI scores. I do see the 3G Pro beats out the 4G Off-Road but again that is comparing a top trim to a lower trim. Same Trim vs. Trim it seems the 4G still wins the RTI score.

 

Interesting that the press trucks got a real spare tire, not that joke "full size" that comes on the retail edition trucks. 15:20 in the video.

 

my hybrid trd off road came with full size same brand spare tire as other wheels just on steel wheel. dont have premium package either just 4k option package

 

Results from the RTI test with the new 4g TRD Off-road with sway bar disconnect and connected.

Per this test result the 3rd gen TRD - Pro surpasses the 4th gen TRD Offroad with Disconnect. (assuming all are in complete stock configuration)

 

Thank you for confirming exactly what I stated.

 

My sr5 came with a full size Toyo spare.

 

4gen 2.4 turbo feels like a v8 compared to my 3rd gen.

 

I came from a Ram Hemi, found it to be adequate, then tried the ECT button, and am seriously impressed.