Toyota vs SxS

[mxgsfmdpx]

I love my tacoma. I have 5100s an add a leaf and 33 inch tires. I can go farther than a sxs can go that doesnt have a width restiction.

You do not need kings and new arms and all the overland junk to go hunting. Put on a lift, put on tires, and run the tires at 20 psi. Get a truck with sway bar disconnects or take out the sway bars. If you want comfort in any offroad truck let the tires become part of the suspension. In my experience as a tire tech and then a mechanic and someone who offroads for fun you dont run any danger of debeading a tire until about 15psi and then you still have to try hard. You will wear your tires faster driving on the road. But i drive my tacoma 80mph for 3 hours to go hunting every weekend and leave my tires aired down all hunting season and still get 40k miles a set.
DO NOT GET A SPACER THAT BOLTS TO THE TOP OF THE STRUT. You need to get a spring lift, 5100s, or true coilovers. If you bolt a spacer in your bump stop is essentially in the wrong spot and if you bottom out hard youll rip the shock off. A lot of toyotas come in on a wrecker around here like that. If you lift with springs theres no problems.

Theres nothing i enjoy more than being comfy and warm my whole drive to go hunting and to not hear the annoying noise of a sxs all day.

We've ran the method wheels with "bead grip" lips on the rims, regularly at 10-12 PSI and no issues yet. My Jeep tires are almost never above 20 PSI unless it's a long trip somewhere on the highway.

 

[dster3]

I'll throw in my 2 cents - I think a tacoma would be a lot more practical.

I'll try not to repeat what has been said too much. Suspension is a rabbit hole.

Airing down will help a lot.

I run method race wheels with their bead grip texturing on the inside - I've seen videos of guys running them down to single digits. I usually stick around 10 - 15 depending on the terrain. Never had any issue.

Mounting a compressor under the hood, lines to all four wheels, something like a Morr Flate kit will cut down on the hassle that is airing up and airing down.

While you might not need a full bumper, a winch would be advisable - SDHQ makes hidden/semi hidden winch mounts. Even a little bit of snow and mud can turn a decent road into a long night.

 

[The_BuckingSpot]

jeep/tacoma. Three year old plus wife plus baby, it’s the difference of going hunting at all vs staying at home. There’s maybe 4 trails that are 50” or less that I can’t go on. And the heated seats during the late season are a blessing. I’m a whiner.

 

[180ls1]

I love my tacoma. I have 5100s an add a leaf and 33 inch tires. I can go farther than a sxs can go that doesnt have a width restiction.

It really depends on the SXS. Some yes, others will run circles around your truck.

5100 are also a poor low speed shock for comfort. I have them.

 

[RichardSkinner]

When I was on regular old steelies and 35" tires I would run 10psi in the front and 8psi in the rear. A whole lot of rock crawling and only time I'd hiss air is when coming down off a ledge and having to land turning. That's the reason for slightly more in the front.

I have had logs jam bark between the bead and had to deal with that (air down more, ratchet strap a steel tube from the frame to pull the bead back to scrap crap out, then air back up).

You can run a lot lower PSI than you think even without beadgrips or beadlocks.

a smitty built 12v compressor is like $175 and will air you up in a few min. Now I run 5 PSI on beadlocks with 37" so that takes a bit longer... haha.

 

[FoggyScope]

It really depends on the SXS. Some yes, others will run circles around your truck.

5100 are also a poor low speed shock for comfort. I have them.

I will hate on sxs's every chance I get. But I gotta call Bullshit on that.

The real problem is most people are scared of hurting their trucks but not their sxs. Take the same attitude with a truck and you have more ground clearance, larger tires, more power and a longer wheelbase. You will outdo a sxs unless you physically cant fit through a gap in the trees. If youre going to say you can slide a sxs down rocks then you just need skid plates and rock sliders for the truck.

Thats why i said what i did about gear. Most people spend so much they wont use their truck.

 

[180ls1]

Take the same attitude with a truck and you have more ground clearance, larger tires, more power and a longer wheelbase.

It's not that simple. Geometry matters. A longer, wider vehicle with more ground clearance can have less functional capability than a shorter/narrower one with less ground clearance.

Many SXS now have the same tire size as your truck, better power to weight ratio, 20-30" of wheel travel, better weight distribution, better entry - departure and break over angles, lower center of gravity, etc...

PS - even the weight distribution and wheelbase of most SUV's offer a significant advantage offroad over most trucks.

 

[Bama67]

LOL @ Tacoma going where a SxS can go.

There is nothing special about a Tacoma. Actually, they aren't very good offroad, especially the older ones with open diffs front and rear.

Hell my 4Runner Trail with locker in the back and ATRAC can't even go where my Mule Pro will go and it has an open front axle. And if the Toyota could get there, it takes 3 or 4 times as long.

But the real limiter on what a pickup can access, and how fast; is up to how much you don't care about said vehicle.

 

[FoggyScope]

It's not that simple. Geometry matters. A longer, wider vehicle with more ground clearance can have less functional capability than a shorter/narrower one with less ground clearance.

Many SXS now have the same tire size as your truck, better power to weight ratio, 20-30" of wheel travel, better weight distribution, better entry - departure and break over angles, lower center of gravity, etc...

PS - even the weight distribution and wheelbase of most SUV's offer a significant advantage offroad over most trucks.

Fair enough theres situations that short small vehicles might be better. Im speaking more from my experience watching sxs high center on large rocks or getting stuck in swampy holes/river crossing. And yes most of them were not 2025s with 30" of travel. Also i think that gets to the point of overcapable for a hunting rig. Im not sure where i could use 30" of travel in the entire state of montana. Guess i havent looked up new sxs specs in a few years. I stand corrected. Let me change it to my truck will out do 80% of sxs. And the ones it technically cant outdo im getting to the same spot anyways.

 

[Thinkingman]

It's the virtue signaling of the offroad world. Gotta let people know you think you're rugged.

The batman tool belt of trinkets strapped outside is hilarious. Especially, as you said, when there is still factory paint on the shovel heads and stuff.

Don't forget to use the foglights in traffic.
Gotta get noticed!

 

[Poser]

Don't forget to use the foglights in traffic.
Gotta get noticed!

Don't forget ditch lights pointed straight forward instead of, you know, into the ditches.

 

[WRO]

LOL @ Tacoma going where a SxS can go.

There is nothing special about a Tacoma. Actually, they aren't very good offroad, especially the older ones with open diffs front and rear.

Hell my 4Runner Trail with locker in the back and ATRAC can't even go where my Mule Pro will go and it has an open front axle. And if the Toyota could get there, it takes 3 or 4 times as long.

But the real limiter on what a pickup can access, and how fast; is up to how much you don't care about said vehicle.

The sxs sits on the ranch most of the time because we take the Tacoma, my old one would go 95% of the places a sxs would go and faster. To clarify we run Honda pioneers not the fun ones with no real usable bed.


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[WRO]

The real problem is most people are scared of hurting their trucks but not their sxs. Take the same attitude with a truck and you have more ground clearance, larger tires, more power and a longer wheelbase. You will outdo a sxs unless you physically cant fit through a gap in the trees. If youre going to say you can slide a sxs down rocks then you just need skid plates and rock sliders for the truck.

Thats why i said what i did about gear. Most people spend so much they wont use their truck.

If you’re willing to full send with the right suspension, you can go most anywhere a buggy can within reason.


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[Customweld]

My SXS seems to average about 20 mpg.

That's about where my Honda is too.

 

[RichardSkinner]

Look let’s be real, best part about SxS is that the driver and passenger are closer together to better facilitate holding hands.


But for real, this is like debating 260 rem vs 6.5 creed or something.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

SXS provides flexibility for me, especially when base camping and day hunting a big area. Use the SXS when appropriate and use the truck when appropriate.

Way lighter weight, way better power to weight ratio and almost all of them come with front and rear lockers.



I bought my SXS in 2015 for $12k out the door. The same one is $16k today. You don't need a $30k+ SXS by any stretch of the imagination.

Not to mention most people are running tires with more aggressive tread as the norm vs all terrains like the Falken AT4. Then you can chain up ALL 4 on the sxs without issue. Good luck chaining up the front on a Tacoma or any modern truck without compromising modifications. Rear only chains just don't do it in the mud like the front. Oh and higher clearance basically snag free undercarriage helps a ton.

I have both vehicles and there is something to be said for not taking your only ride home out in the Colorado back country during hunting season.

Also lol @ Tacoma going where SxS can't go or faster. You must have been on the asphalt. My speed in the sxs is limited by sight lines and being safe/aware of oncoming traffic.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

No. Your Tacoma will 100% not go where a SXS or a Jeep will go. Tacoma’s are the number one “off road vehicle” that get yanked off of trails trying things they are 100% not built for.

You have to spend absurd time and money on a Tacoma to enable it to go where a nearly stock Jeep Rubicon/Mojave or any basic SXS will go.

I love Tacomas. They have their place and application for sure.

 

[WRO]

No. Your Tacoma will 100% not go where a SXS or a Jeep will go. Tacoma’s are the number one “off road vehicle” that get yanked off of trails trying things they are 100% not built for.

You have to spend absurd time and money on a Tacoma to enable it to go where a nearly stock Jeep Rubicon/Mojave or any basic SXS will go.

I love Tacomas. They have their place and application for sure.

That’s a driver issue more often than not.

Jeeps don’t go worth a shit at high speed in the desert, simple suspension upgrades will get you through the whoops with a taco just fine.

I’ve never had the need to do much rock crawling in my hunting adventures and admittedly am not into driving around in the rocks for fun.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

That’s a driver issue more often than not.

Jeeps don’t go worth a shit at high speed in the desert, simple suspension upgrades will get you through the whoops with a taco just fine.

I’ve never had the need to do much rock crawling in my hunting adventures and admittedly am not into driving around in the rocks for fun.

You’ve clearly never ridden or driven a Mojave edition in the dunes or sand washes here.

 

[HuntHarder]

Tacomas in this thread.