Bought the truck (1st gen Tacoma), now what? :P

[yurtdweller]

Hey overlander friends!

I've had my eye out for a 1st generation Tacoma for about a year now, and I finally found her! 89k miles, and looks beautiful. My experience so far with vehicle adventuring has only been a 2001 Subaru Forester which I've repaired and done maintenance on for the last 100,000 miles of her life, so I've learned some things as a home mechanic learning from the repair manual and Youtube

I'd like to build out this Tacoma slowly as I figure out what we need over shorter trips, with the eventual goal of doing the PanAm in about 2 years. I'm in Ohio, so we'll probably make our way over to the MAOF next month to meet some folks that have done this sort of stuff, and try her out in the dirt. We don't have many large swaths of land here that are 4x4 friendly, but MAOF is only 4 hours away so it looks like I'm not far from lots of weekend testing in the forests of PA. :sombrero:

My first order of business is the suspension. I'm not entirely sure what the previous owner did, but it looks like maybe just a cheap lift kit. The tires seem OK to start with, Cooper Discoverer AT/3's. I'll probably wear those out before getting something else. I'm looking at Icon's complete suspension kits, but haven't figured out what "Level" to go with. I'm considering doing the install myself, to save money, but have only every done struts/coils on a Subaru, so I have no idea how hard it is to install a new leaf spring set on a truck. Do you folks think it's do-able for a home mechanic?

After I figure out suspension, I'd like to get a truck cap that's capable of holding a RTT that is rated for 3 people. (We're two people and a dog). I'd love any recommendations on reliable brands that people have experience with in regards to the truck cap and RTT. I've also got my eye out for used gear, so if ya'll know of anyone selling things that might fit this truck, let me know

For now, I think that would be the bare minimum to start going exploring. Even without a RTT, we could camp next to the car or set up camp inside the truck bed under the protection of the cap.

Advice and knowledge from those who have worked on this vehicle would be appreciated!

 

[herecomestony]

Nice truck! It would look better with bigger tires

 

[AaronK]

Nice rig! Crazy low mileage

Sent from my OnePlus One using Tapatalk.

 

[p nut]

Just do regular maintenance and drive it as-is. Plenty of people have done the PanAm in lesser vehicles. For suspension, OME is not a bad idea. Give cruiseroutfitters a call.

 

[Deleted member 96197]

I second the vote for OME, you can get their kit with the springs installed on the struts up front before they ship from (http://www.rocky-road.com/old-man-emu-tacoma.html) that way it's an easy driveway job with basic tools. For what you described, too much suspension work only serves to require more up keep and more difficulty to fix in a remote location.

 

[sasquatch15]

Truck looks fantastic. My vote is for OME also. I have an 01 double cab with a full setup from Wheelers Offroad. I went with them because they seemed to have the most complete kit and the shipping was reasonable. Cruiser Outfiters would be my other choice. This is my 4th vehicle with ome and I really like the product. Deff get the struts pre assembled. The leaf springs are easy to install but heavy. Did my whole lift in about 6 hours by my self with hand tools and my rug has 245000 New England miles on it. 870 mile drive last weekend and it handled like a dream. I'm running 235/85/16 tires also.

 

[mtnkid85]

Looks like a good base, start calling around the local junkyards and find a complete axle with the factory elocker to swap under there. That will make a big difference in your capability.

I was able to find a complete setup from a limited 4runner with the 4.30 diffs to help with the taller tires too.

 

[ol' scott]

Another vote for OME. I think I pieced a kit together through ToyTec and found it the lowes cost after shipping and pre assembled shocks/springs, at least once you use a discount code. I've heard awesome things about cruiser outfitters though.

 

[Clutch]

Snugtop offers a Sportsman package, able to support 500 lbs.

http://www.snugtop.com/accessories/sportsmanspackage.


Could always go the Flip Pac or Wildernest route too.


Which ever brand you decide, suspension installation is easy.

 

[Clawhammer]

Hey, Y.D., where are you in Ohio? I'm near the WV border myself and I've got a similar truck.

Did yours get the frame sprayed or replaced? Would definitely be worth checking out real good since they're notorious for rust issues. Also, do you have the 3.4 V6? If so, you'll need to change the timing belt. Keep up with that though, and these engines last forever.

I'm assuming by "cheap lift" you mean spacers? If so, I'd ditch that. My stock shocks and springs were shot, so I replaced the suspension with an OME kit from Cruiser's. Worth every penny. I actually bought the kit secondhand from a forum member here, but it had never been installed. I saved enough doing it that way that I paid a shop to install it (They did in a day what would have taken me a week probably, so I thought it was worth it) so I can't speak to difficulty. Anyway, highly recommended. I hear good things about King and Icon, but that's more expensive.

The Coopers are good tires, made in Ohio too I think.

I just threw a topper on mine and built a simple sleeping platform. It works pretty good for two people, but might get a little cramped with a dog in there. This was cheaper than going with a RTT, but each has its own advantages.

Enjoy your new ride!

 

[yurtdweller]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, everyone! This is a great start.

Clawhammer, I'm in Akron, only 4 hours away from where MAOF will be this year! The frame was sprayed in 2010 and I plan on getting it inspected again. I have the 2.7L 4 cylinder model. It's got spacer and a leveling kit, definitely going to give OME a try.

For toppers, I'm going to look around. Flip pak looks amazing, but might be a little too pricey. Going to give them a call and see what those cost, but I have a feeling they aren't cheap

Anyone have any LED lighting suggestions for inside of a topper?

 

[Clutch]

For toppers, I'm going to look around. Flip pak looks amazing, but might be a little too pricey. Going to give them a call and see what those cost, but I have a feeling they aren't cheap

I just picked up a Wildernest for $600. This is my second one (regretted selling my 1st one)...we are two people and a dog, really nice having the dog with its' own bed below ours....especially after she has been playing in the water all day. Needed a little TLC, plus I am converting all the hardware over to stainless. Have just under $800 into it, including the price of the camper.

Was getting ready to plunk down some cash on RTT...then I found the 'nest out of the blue. Considering the price of a shell and RTT...I ending up spending way less. The RTT I was looking at was $2000+ alone.

 

[sasquatch15]

Check out west marine or some of the other marine stores for led lights. There are plenty of options s out there that aren't pricey. I've run some of the smaller ones under the gunnels of my skiff and they work quite well. Not sure if there are any dimmable ones. Too much light may be bothersome.

 

[yurtdweller]

Thanks for the suggestions on suspension, lights, and roof top tents / Wildernests!

So I've figured out what the previous owner did for the suspension. It's got a 3" block lift kit with rear shocks from Tuff Country on it, and a front pre-load spacer and front strut spacer. The website says it can accommodate up to a 36" tire. The ride is pretty jerky when hitting bumps, I'm thinking because they never changed the upper control arms to accommodate the lift. I know blocks aren't the greatest for hitting the trail with, since they can contribute to axel warp and a myriad of other issues. What do you all think? Is it worth hitting the trails with, or spend a weekend wrenching beforehand to stay safe?

Overall, I'm thinking of changing it out with the Complete Old Man Emu suspension kit and ditching the blocks completely. My only question is this: do most of you change your upper control arms, and if so, which ones did you use? The tires that are currently on it are Cooper Discovery's AT/3 265/70R16. I don't think I have any reason to change the tire size anytime soon for my uses, but am open to hearing why I might want to.

 

[Clawhammer]

Thanks for the suggestions on suspension, lights, and roof top tents / Wildernests!

So I've figured out what the previous owner did for the suspension. It's got a 3" block lift kit with rear shocks from Tuff Country on it, and a front pre-load spacer and front strut spacer. The website says it can accommodate up to a 36" tire. The ride is pretty jerky when hitting bumps, I'm thinking because they never changed the upper control arms to accommodate the lift. I know blocks aren't the greatest for hitting the trail with, since they can contribute to axel warp and a myriad of other issues. What do you all think? Is it worth hitting the trails with, or spend a weekend wrenching beforehand to stay safe?

Overall, I'm thinking of changing it out with the Complete Old Man Emu suspension kit and ditching the blocks completely. My only question is this: do most of you change your upper control arms, and if so, which ones did you use? The tires that are currently on it are Cooper Discovery's AT/3 265/70R16. I don't think I have any reason to change the tire size anytime soon for my uses, but am open to hearing why I might want to.

If you stay below 2.5" of lift or so, you can probably work with the stock control arms. Notice I said 'probably'. Every truck is different. Once you get up around three, alignment can become an issue. I'm running 2" or so of lift, so I'm working with the stock arms. They don't have a lot of adjustment left, but they're working.

It sounds like you know the lift you have now is pretty crummy, and since you have doubts about wheeling it, maybe go with your gut. At least you'll feel better that way. I would be concerned that if the previous owner skipped things like the control arms, that he also probably skipped things like a brake line extension or proportioning valve, which would be a good idea on the trail (though maybe optional in the mall parking lot). A busted line could easily leave you stranded. I don't want to claim to be an expert here though...

I've run both 265/75's and 235/85's. When stuffed, the 265's rubbed the frame, but not enough for me to worry about. I like the utilitarian, military-esque look of the pizza cutters though, and they both have the same overall diameter, roughly. The 235's are cheaper, so if you like the look, that's a nice bonus. Either one is about an inch taller than what you have now. I cannot imagine running 36" tires with that lift. 34's are about the biggest I've seen on Taco's or 4Runner's, and honestly, that's more than enough most of the time.