Tacoma Upgrades

[GotDraw?]

I'm picking up a 3rd gen Tacoma in a couple of weeks and I'd like to upgrade the suspension, wheels, tires, etc. Can anyone recommend a good shop for doing this sort of work in the Missoula area? I'm willing to travel further for the right place. I've searched through old threads and cannot find anything relevant. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

If you want precise advice, best to tell everyone what your intended use case is and what your budget is.

What is your realistic budget?

What is your use case?: Mall crawling/profiling? Towing? Rock crawling? Wash board?

How much weight will you carry?

Cap or camper on the back?

Clear questions get precise answers.

Tacoma World is your source

 

[pk_]

Anybody buy these and just use in factory form? Maybe just a set of all terrains

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Yes. The truck in stock form (esp w/ rear locker and a good set of tires) will go pretty much anywhere within reason for hunting purposes.

The only issue I run into is deep water. But if I am going somewhere with deep water crossings I just take the tundra instead which is lifted on 35”s and if I can’t get there in that, then I probably don’t need to be there

 

[WBT]

If you want precise advice, best to tell everyone what your intended use case is and what your budget is.

What is your realistic budget?

What is your use case?: Mall crawling/profiling? Towing? Rock crawling? Wash board?

How much weight will you carry?

Cap or camper on the back?

Clear questions get precise answers.

Tacoma World is your source

There's no set budget, but I'd like to keep it under $7,500 or so. Of course that could change. My mentality is that if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it right from the beginning and I understand quality costs money.

I'm not into overloading, campers, etc. and I won't be rock crawling with it either. So I don't need anything extreme.

What I'll be doing is driving on a lot of very rough, rocky roads all throughout the mountains. That's what had me thinking a little extra suspension travel and beefier tires. However, I'd also like to be able to drive it on the highway for a couple hours. I have a Jeep set up for off-roading and it absolutely sucks on the highway.

I'd like to be able to haul wood, tools, heavy coolers, etc. and tow light loads on occasion as well. I hope that helps explain what I'll do with it.

 

[mtwarden]

Might check with Hotshot Off-road in Missoula. They carry several brands of suspension, think they do installs too.

 

[NateO 77]

All very helpful. My new to me truck is a manual, so any weirdness in the shifting falls on my shoulders.

All very helpful. My new to me truck is a manual, so any weirdness in the shifting falls on my shoulders.

If it's a manual do an accumulator delete. Also look into the ecgs bushing to help with vibrations after lifting. I am close to pulling the trigger a tune. Like others said get on Tacoma forum and do some research. It's a never ending rabbit hole..

 

[Formidilosus]

Anybody buy these and just use in factory form? Maybe just a set of all terrains

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Ah yeah. 2nd Gen with 340,000 something miles on it with just some bigger tires. Drive it everywhere. Have a new Tundra and would give that up before the Taco.

 

[zion zig zag]

Stock 21 Tacoma here. I’d like a small lift but realistically, I can’t imagine taking my daily driver on worse roads than I have in this truck already. And I don’t really want to get worse gas milage, that’s the big hold up. I would like some KM3’s on separate wheels for hunting seasons though. I’d be changing tires 4x a year between snows, muds and summer tires….

 

[NWOkie1100]

Thanks for posting this. I am in the process of purchasing a Tacoma myself since I don't really have a need for larger truck these days. I had some modifications in mind, but I'm not sure where else to look other than what I have researched already.

 

[BLJ]

If it's a manual do an accumulator delete. Also look into the ecgs bushing to help with vibrations after lifting. I am close to pulling the trigger a tune. Like others said get on Tacoma forum and do some research. It's a never ending rabbit hole..

Accumulater delete? Can you elaborate or provide some links for info? I have a 4 cylinder 5 speed. Does this apply to these as well? Thanks.

 

[hodgeman]

Anybody buy these and just use in factory form? Maybe just a set of all terrains

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Yep... I've ran an 08 Taco, a'15 Tundra, and a '19 4Runner in stock form for years and years. I just picked up my son a '22 SR that'll probably never see a mod either. As bad as the tinkerer side of me hates to admit it, the Toyota guys generally get it right out of the box. I think Tacos are like Glocks and Tikkas...a lot of time, aggravation, and money spent bolting on aftermarket parts when the factory ones were more than adequate.

I get the appeal of building a rig...but I see a lot more "overlanders" out at the mall than out on the trails.

 

[Coveyleader]

I run BFGs on mine, no lift, and it a beast. My only regret is not putting sliders on it. Dent in door and rocker panel would have been avoided.

The crawl on a Tacoma is something to be seen. Unreal vs what you can manually drive

 

[hodgeman]

The crawl on a Tacoma is something to be seen. Unreal vs what you can manually drive

I agree, crawl control on the 4Runner is nothing short of amazing...even in relatively technical terrain.

 

[Marbles]

Accumulater delete? Can you elaborate or provide some links for info? I have a 4 cylinder 5 speed. Does this apply to these as well? Thanks.

MT Accumulator Delete Mod (ADM) and BS Thread

Hey, Folks. Table of Contents 1. What is the Accumulator 2. Swapped, Milled Accumulator Service Option 3. Machined Inner Disk 4. Plug and Play...

www.tacomaworld.com

Not sure if it applies to the 5 speed. It was a solid improvement on my 6 speed. I just used a $7 adapter and hard line AutoZone.

Not sure on tunes for the 4 cylinder, but tuned my 6 cylinder and it was worth it, even in a manual. Not needed, but makes driving more enjoyable.

A heavier shift knob will smooth out the feel of shifting. Again, not needed, but improves enjoyment.

 

[amassi]

Yep... I've ran an 08 Taco, a'15 Tundra, and a '19 4Runner in stock form for years and years. I just picked up my son a '22 SR that'll probably never see a mod either. As bad as the tinkerer side of me hates to admit it, the Toyota guys generally get it right out of the box. I think Tacos are like Glocks and Tikkas...a lot of time, aggravation, and money spent bolting on aftermarket parts when the factory ones were more than adequate.

I get the appeal of building a rig...but I see a lot more "overlanders" out at the mall than out on the trails.

I assumed most of the mods were purely cosmetic. I fell into that trap once with a jeep wrangler and all they did was destroy my mileage and ride
Is the forerunner on par with the Tacoma?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[hodgeman]

Is the forerunner on par with the Tacoma?

I like mine a lot...especially the 4.0L 1GR-FE, I like the 4.0 4Runner better than the 3.5L in the Tacoma. Otherwise, the bones of the two vehicles are a lot more alike than not.

 

[sneaky]

For those that have run Tacoma's a while, how are you dealing with the Tacoma rear spring sag? I recently picked up a used 3rd generation Tacoma and find the suspension pretty stiff, yet it can't handle much weight. I don't load it tight but prob run about 300-400lbs of stuff in the bed once fall rolls in.

Seems like every Tacoma I see has the a$$ dragging even when empty.

Add a leaf is quick and inexpensive. Cured mine. Although I did mine when I changed shocks all around

 

[sneaky]

Thing about TacomaWorld is guys get on there and all of a sudden think there's a thousand things on their trucks that need to be fixed when in reality there's nothing wrong with theirs and they need to just drive it.

 

[CoStick]

Yep... I've ran an 08 Taco, a'15 Tundra, and a '19 4Runner in stock form for years and years. I just picked up my son a '22 SR that'll probably never see a mod either. As bad as the tinkerer side of me hates to admit it, the Toyota guys generally get it right out of the box. I think Tacos are like Glocks and Tikkas...a lot of time, aggravation, and money spent bolting on aftermarket parts when the factory ones were more than adequate.

I get the appeal of building a rig...but I see a lot more "overlanders" out at the mall than out on the trails.

Yes, my 09 SR5 has more backcountry miles than most TRD. Pretty shocked what I have been able to go through.

 

[mtwarden]

My oe Bilstein shocks are about done, so I decided I’d upgrade to Bilstein 5100’s, slightly taller front coil springs (instead of raising the front perches) and add a leafs for the rear. Not installed yet, but should yield roughly 1-1.5” lift f/r.

I don’t know if my truck is an oddity, but I don’t have any disparity in ride heights driver and passenger sides- evidently a lot of guys do.

 

[Marbles]

Thing about TacomaWorld is guys get on there and all of a sudden think there's a thousand things on their trucks that need to be fixed when in reality there's nothing wrong with theirs and they need to just drive it.

So true.