Touchy brakes

Try not to make assumptions please. I never said I wouldn't "use" bigger tires. I never said I'd use bigger tires solely to fix the brake touchiness. I just asked a specific question about bigger tires and the brakes.

What tires are you running?

 

I am using KO2s, stock size. 2016 TRD Off Road, all stock. I do about 30 very bad off road fishing trips per year. I am putting about 5,000 mies per year now off road. Long drives, and usually 2-3 day trips with 2 or more lakes per trip.

I fish backcountry lakes, alone. Meaning no other fisherman or trucks within 50 miles of my favorite spots, which range over most of the province of BC. Truck takes a beating, but I have never need a lift or bigger tires, as I don't "4x4". The roads I drive typically require 100 miles per trip of horrible washboard (and often 3,000-5,000 foot elevation climb of that), then 1st gear in 4 low range for several miles to get to the lakes. This is common to fish the good lakes with no competition. Fished about 120 lakes in BC now. I do quite bit of hike-in lake fishing too once I reach the end of a road. Backpack my belly boat and gear in.

My 4th 4x4 in last 35 years, I have never lifted any of them or put bigger tires on. Don't need it, unless you spend a lot of time climbing big rocks, deep mudding, and ditch digging, which I do plenty of through necessity to get to a lake, but I don't go out to 4x4 only. My fishing trips give me enough of that. The pics show the different type of spots I drive to get to a lake. When you are solo remote like I am, and typically 100 miles off pavement with no cellphone access, have to tread carefully or it's a long walk out though bear country. Have done that too unfortunately after breakdowns. Live and learn.

My initial point being, tires will not impact touchy brakes. I have the same brake issue, but given how well the brakes do work, which is great, no issue for me. Just use a softer touch. Anything we can do to help us focus our attention more on our driving, including focusing on braking pressure , is not a bad thing. Don't get me started on automatics.... I have had my share too, but I wish every driver today had to learn on a stick. Focuses the attention on the driving at all times.

 

Sounds like an adventure. Nice color choice on the Taco.

 

The only colour available, bought it used.

I looked for months in 5 nearby towns before finding a 2016 TRD OR access cab and 6 ft box. Those were my absolute must haves, OR model, small back doors, longer box and low mileage. Not easy to find used, did not want sport or 4 full sized doors.

Yeah its a great adventure, I live for it, have done this since a child with my parents. When younger would go with buddies and more trucks, but now I go for solitude. Nothing like 100s of miles of high mountain roads and dozens of lakes to yourself. So relaxing. If I see one other truck in a week, then I figure I did not go far enough. Went to a high elevation spot in June that has 25 hike in lakes. Not a soul, just me. Did 3 lakes over 3 days. No big fish, but can't beat the scenery and quiet.

No groomed hiking trails, all thick bushwhacking but so beautiful. One 500 pound male grizzly on the trail in a berry swamp area, he took off into the bush. Lucky for me, don't want to test my bear spray. Mother black bear with 3 cubs too, also took off. Gets your heart pounding. Thousands of mosquitos too, but those I can handle. The Taco has performed very well over the past year, but all my shocks leaking now because of too many miles of washboard roads. If on the flat those roads not too bad, but in my case it is thousands of feet of elevation pounding on those roads. Hate those type of roads but that is BC off road driving if you are going far into the bush. In process of getting something a bit better than stock bilsteins.

Love this tacomaworld site, great truck pics and tons of great user experiences with truck maintenance. Never stop learning.