beaten sagbrush smells good...

[hayduke]

Hello all I am new to posting but have been reading for a while and am very eager to enhance my tacoma. I know there is lost of information previously posted and I have found a lot of it but I would really like to ask again. Thank you for insights and experience.
My last car a 1988 mazda 323 lasted me from 16 years old all the way through college. During this time I rolled it twice, had to have it pulled out with a snow cat, fit 4 climbers and gear on several climbing trips, and had rafts and elk and deer strapped to it on several occasions.
Now I have a black 98 tacoma 4x4 ltd trd ext. cab w/ 100,000 and am soo happy. Newly paid off with a aluminum topper w/racks and side opening windows and side crank out windows w/ screens. I plan on converting the back but first need new tires and since I am going down that road I figure some suspension is in order (the stock is really saging on one side unloaded)
I am thinking OME HD, any suggestions for shocks to go with that? I am carrying quite a bit of weight. A sled in the winter, tons of gear in the summer, dead animals in fall, rafts in spring etc. After research OME DAKAR seem pretty good but is there no HD leaf spring?
Next lift height I would like 2.5 ish as long as it does not hurt the IFS any body have pointers on IFS lift?
Than tire size, I really like the way 32 or 33 in tires function. I also like the thinner tires. Could I go BFG AT 33x9.50x15 with a 2.5 OME lift? I am not at all opposed to banging some wheel wells for clearance but would rather have no contact and smaller tires, than occasional contact/rubbing.
I also would like to know the gearing on 32 and 33 inch tires. What is the MPG with 33 and 4/10 (stock) gearing or is it contraindicated and regearing manditory. How about the MPG with 32 and 4/10? What is the difference in MPG, ride, 4x4 for 9.50 vs 10.50? I am all about function and economy but end up driving some pretty hairy places for all kinds of recreating/hunting and would like some more clearance.
Another question, anybody pull a truck with a chainsaw winch? Just wondering.
Any how thank you and great web site with function first. I will add some pics later. Dang I love toyotas...

 

[Nullifier]

If you are on a budget the OME lift is a great lift. I have had mine for 2 years and it has done everything I have needed form carry boats to be overloaded to baja and back with a trailer.

As far as tires what size you run is partly based on your engine since I did not hear you mentiona nything about regearing. fitting a 32x11.50x15 or 265/75/16 are probably the top of your size range if you do not want to regear especially if you have a 2.7. any larger and you will lose alot of performance and put undo stgraight on your motor and clutch if it's a manual tranny.

You can run a 31" size no problem and it will not to akward with only a 2-3" lift. Remeber driver skill and tire tread will have the most impact on offroad driving plus the lighter tires will help keep gas mileage high.

My truck is running 255/85/16 with 4.88 gears. It is powered by a 2.7 with manual trans I get 20mpog highway but my rig is also really heavy with armour, tools and toys.

Before the lift I ran 31x10.50x15 bfg muds witha 1.5" spacer to comp for my winch bumper. Except for maybe two or 3 times there is nothing I have done now that I didn't do with the 31" tires. and I was getting 23 or 24 mpg then.

Since the truck is a dedicated trail rig however I decided to go with the larger set.

Enjy your rig and keep it right side up!!!

 

[hayduke]

Thanks for the reply. Up date on truck 3.4L with a manual trans. Would the 3.4 push the bigger tires OK or would a regear be in order.
Suppose I was not on too much of a budget... Would the Deaver be better or what are your thoughts? Would I be best off with custom 12 pack due to lots of weight? 1,000lbs at times. I figure if I am getting heavier suspension I probably get a small lift and tires also due to my current BFG ATs being pretty bald.
I am now no longer in school and working as a RN and have a wee bit more money than previously. I really like to tinker with things and leaving anything stock just doesn't feel right....modify and enhance and repeat. Thanks for the reply again!

 

[hayduke]

Another thought... Mainly the clearance would be nice in my mind for the snow... I always wish for a little more with the deep powder of the ak. With those tire sizes could I still fit chains on? And I definately would like to regear if there is undue stress on truck with the larger gears. More to come.. Thank you

 

[gearbox]

You could fit chains, but they might tear up different parts of your truck if you're compressing a tire or turning. Trimming would be required to be certain. Chains would gain you incredible traction at a logistical cost.
I suppose if you've got LOTS of room you could carry 4 stock-sized tires with the chains installed and swap them as needed :Mechanic:
/shenanigans

 

[allochris]

i can't tell u much w/ my 91 pickup 4cyl model. but i can tell u that i like my pizza cutter (33x9.5r15 bfg w/ 4.88/no body lift/1.5" ball joint spacer/2" longer shackle&1 add-a-leaf) very mucho when they cut deep down in the snow to get traction in our montreal snowy winter here. Have fun!

 

[Scott Brady]

Wet, beaten sagebrush smells even better... When the desert is wet and alive, it is my favorite smell in the world.

 

[hayduke]

Thanks for the replies.... In terms of regearing what would be best for 32 or 33 with the 3.4 manual? things to watch out for.. cost? would like to retain highway ability. Thank you guys and see you out in the boonies.
Research led to a chart on http://intercotire.com/site63.php which says 4.11 gears are good for gas milage w/33in. This seems very contradictory to what I have been reading. Please help. Seems to me like a lot of people run 4.56 with the larger tires. And thank you guys for a sweet site and being very nice to the newbies. Thank you

PS I am trying to add some desert pics but am having trouble..any pointers?

 

[Martinjmpr]

Just FYI I have an '04 Taco with the 3.4l and 5 speed and I just went from the stock 265/70R16 tires to LT235/85R16s, which is almost a 32" tire. I went with Yokohama Geolander AT/S tires which is a bit more of a street/snow oriented tire rather than a mud/rock tire, but given how I spend most of my time I think it is an appropriate choice. Of course, a tire choice is almost always a compromise, so you have to figure accordingly.

Obviously, in AK you have much more extreme conditions than we do in CO so bigger tires are probably more appropriate. I have to balance the needs of a DD with my off-road desires.

I do notice that there is a bit of close clearance between the tire and fender, especially in the front. I would be worried about running chains for exactly this reason without a lift.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Thanks for the replies.... In terms of regearing what would be best for 32 or 33 with the 3.4 manual? things to watch out for.. cost? would like to retain highway ability. Thank you guys and see you out in the boonies.
Research led to a chart on http://intercotire.com/site63.php which says 4.11 gears are good for gas milage w/33in. This seems very contradictory to what I have been reading. Please help. Seems to me like a lot of people run 4.56 with the larger tires. And thank you guys for a sweet site and being very nice to the newbies. Thank you

Take the generic tire/gearing charts with a grain of salt. They are set up for a small block Chevy truck and not necessarily useful for our Toyotas. Domestic trucks usually have a 3.27 or some similar ratio to start, so a 4.10 or 4.30 seems like really low gears. Toyota engines historically tend to make power a little higher in the power band and are happy with a lower ratio.

It's more useful to determine a ratio change compared to stock. Most people find that a 4.88 or 5.29 ratio works pretty well with a 33" tire. I'm running a 33x9.50 with 5.29, but I have a 22R-E and it needs the help in the mountains. Anyway, each increase in tire height is about a 6% increase in tire diameter. So a 31->32 is about 6% longer around (the diameter of the tire is what you need for gearing, not height), 31->33 is 12% larger, etc. So to keep the exact same apparent gearing you need to go 6% or 12% lower. So 6% lower than 4.10 is about 4.30, 12% of 4.10 is about 4.56, etc. So this gearing retains stock drivetrain ratios fairly close (within 1% or 2% of stock gearing, so the speedometer is still close). What the numbers don't account for is the increase in unsprung weight of bigger tires, the bigger contact patch, the higher air resistance of a lifted truck, the increased friction as you add more payload and have more rubber contact. So I think it's useful to pick the next lower ratio to compensate for the other modifications. So if the numbers tell you 4.30, a 4.56 ratio can restore some lost pep. But in any case, 32" or 33" tires, with a 3.4L V6 I think a 4.88 is a good ratio. Although FWIW, I'm super happy with my 5.29s (although if someone would have made them, I'd have gone with 5.17 I think).

BTW, wouldn't a Tacoma with a 5 speed and (being a TRD) 31" tires have 4.56 gears already? Or do Tacoma axles differ from the older trucks?

 

[hayduke]

Thanks for the info. Dave I really like the 33x9.5 on your truck the taller thinner really makes sense to me. I very well might be wrong about my gearing and will look into this more. As for gearing what would optimize the gas milage? the 4.88? I am not really worried about the power in 4 lo as the tacoma has plenty, but more intrested in the economy and ability to get to more areas ( less money spend =more adventures in my book).
Hows the weather in Denver, My girl friend and I are headed that way Today (its 1201 in Ak pullin a night shift flying out in the AM) for some skiing and such.
Thanks for the reply.
As for chains, Maybe I will just rely on the 4x4 and narrow tall tires and the trusty shovel as needed. Something fun about getting stuck and doing some shoveling. You guys ever been up hylight canyon above bozeman MT. It is one of the places that sold me on toyota with access to ice climbes and various redneck activities. Anyhow nasty deep snow for miles along a rut in the winter and all kinds of full sized trucks stuck for days and weeks and the smaller lighter toyotas just eating it up. Still averaged a couple of stucks a trip but that was part of the epic. Thanks guys I will be working on the pics..

 

[shawkins]

On my '98 4Runner that had the 3.4L V6 and 5-speed, I ran 255/85R16's on it with the stock 4.10 gears and got amazing highway mileage. I got upwards of 22 to 23mpg.

 

[hayduke]

On my '98 4Runner that had the 3.4L V6 and 5-speed, I ran 255/85R16's on it with the stock 4.10 gears and got amazing highway mileage. I got upwards of 22 to 23mpg.

Dang, your 4r sounds sweet...I would love to have a comparable vehicle in my tacoma. Those tires 255/85R16s are a little bigger than 33s Right? you got those under a stock 4r? any mods? Hows the 4r doing after the crash? getting it back running?