Let's talk lifts (2013 Tacoma)

[cdthiker]

DaveinDenver.
This is true. I guess a better way of trying to communicate my point would have been to say something a bit more specific. Or more to the point, if one lifts a Tacoma much beyond an inch or two without making adjustments to the rest of the truck then it is going beyond what all of those many hours set up in the first place. For an example, handling, mpg, drive line geometry and much more are all set to be at a given point from the factory. It gets rather expensive to appropriately take these into account when going for the bigger lifts.

I admit, that the cosmetic effect of my suspension upgrade is pleasing to my eye, more so now that I have the taller skinner tires on the truck. And, like you the upgrade was done with specific purposes and outcomes in mind the physical height of the truck was a side effect that has some positive and negative aspects.

 

[Fefrank]

Plenty of people go off-road without a lifted Tacoma. Think about where you want to go and what the limitations may be. Sure, lofted Tacos with meatier tires looks great, but will it really get used like it should. You said you aren’t a looks guy though...

Figure out the terrain you’d like to conquer. Stock height with some 265/75/16 or 265/70/17 tires will be fine with little to no rubbing besides maybe on the mud flaps if you still have them. I’m running some 265/75/16 Cooper AT3 4S on my 08’ with no lift besides a little leveler in the front.

Before going with a lift, maybe go explore and see if you “need” something taller. With suspension over 2” on Tacos it’s highly suggested to do the ECGS and possibly other components that will need to help with vibes and angles etc.

When I bought my Taco I wanted to do the works... then I looked at cost vs reward and also payload issues with adding it all plus passengers.

You could still upgrade your suspension and make it “super stock” with front 6112 Bilsteins and either 5100 rear or something cushier.

Current plan is just some skids and then go from there.

I like that picture. Thanks for your take on this.

 

[Fefrank]

I went out on the trail again with my kids today and enjoyed some good time outdoors. The truck did great. However, there was a creek that I wanted to cross, but stopped myself from doing so, because of fears of hydro locking my engine?. It didn't seem too high though, probably 18 inches or so, does anyone know what fording height spec Toyota gives out for their Tacomas? I can't seem to find that anywhere. Maybe I should spend some money on a snorkel?


That's my son Leo, who is in love with the truck now, because of where it can take us.

I think what I'll do next is spend some money on some skid plates and extra protection for down under. Also, I think I will buy what was mentioned by most of you as recovery gear (Shovel, Offroad Jack, Extra Gas tank, etc.). Maybe a bed rack to put all those things on will be a good addition, but those are so freaking expensive.

I see most of you have a bed cover, is there a reason you prefer it over a bed rack?

On the other hand, I feel like the suspension is fine for what I do right now, I might go the Bilstein route later on in the year when I start going down to Moab on more extended adventures.

I do have some AT tires from the dealer, they are brand new wrangler adventure AT tires with the "Kevlar" on it. I don't know what to think about them, but if I have to be honest, I don't think they are very good. They don't do well in the snow for sure, and they seem "bouncy" on the highway, but they seemed to grip fine on the dry rocky terrain. The best tires I've ever had were some Falken Wildpeaks AT3's, those things had more grip than anything else I've ever experienced.

Anyways, Thank you so much for all of your input! I will be posting here more often about our adventures as spring makes its way to Utah.

Cheers!

 

[DaveInDenver]

The air intake is located on the passenger side fender. The opening is roughly at headlight height.



The open end of the intake tube is between the inner and outer fender, facing backwards to prevent spray ingestion to some extent. It has an upward slope so water can't collect inside the tube and has to be actually forced uphill.



Generally speaking a 2nd gen Tacoma can safely be in water as high as the bottoms of the doors without much worry. You can drive through water up to bumper height if you're careful in how you manage the bow wave.

A snorkel is misnamed, or at least misunderstood. They aren't for deep water fording but rather to keep down the amount of dust you suck into the engine. They can make bumper to hood height water crossing possible but that's only if you have taken the time to seal and waterproof anything else that might be a problem.

You have to think of things in the engine bay and inside the truck that might not like being submerged. Your front diff and transmission have raised vents but the rear axle vent is on top of the housing. The exhaust is not raised.

Staying out of water above the doors is easier and safer to remember. That's really the practical limit anyway since the cab isn't sealed and water will seep in, soaking your carpets.

 

[phsycle]

I went out on the trail again with my kids today and enjoyed some good time outdoors. The truck did great. However, there was a creek that I wanted to cross, but stopped myself from doing so, because of fears of hydro locking my engine?. It didn't seem too high though, probably 18 inches or so, does anyone know what fording height spec Toyota gives out for their Tacomas? I can't seem to find that anywhere. Maybe I should spend some money on a snorkel?

View attachment 572095
That's my son Leo, who is in love with the truck now, because of where it can take us.

I think what I'll do next is spend some money on some skid plates and extra protection for down under. Also, I think I will buy what was mentioned by most of you as recovery gear (Shovel, Offroad Jack, Extra Gas tank, etc.). Maybe a bed rack to put all those things on will be a good addition, but those are so freaking expensive.

I see most of you have a bed cover, is there a reason you prefer it over a bed rack?

On the other hand, I feel like the suspension is fine for what I do right now, I might go the Bilstein route later on in the year when I start going down to Moab on more extended adventures.

I do have some AT tires from the dealer, they are brand new wrangler adventure AT tires with the "Kevlar" on it. I don't know what to think about them, but if I have to be honest, I don't think they are very good. They don't do well in the snow for sure, and they seem "bouncy" on the highway, but they seemed to grip fine on the dry rocky terrain. The best tires I've ever had were some Falken Wildpeaks AT3's, those things had more grip than anything else I've ever experienced.

Anyways, Thank you so much for all of your input! I will be posting here more often about our adventures as spring makes its way to Utah.

Cheers!

Those tires are decent. I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy them but especially for a stock tire, they do well. I ran through some tougher trails and they held up fine.
My favorite are BFG KO2’s. I’d get them in 265/75/16 and call it good (if you’re stock height). Once you lift and want bigger tires, 255/85/16 would be my rec (Cooper ST Maxx).

Where was that at? I was out at 5 mile pass yesterday on an ATV. It was a warm day yesterday (65 deg!)

 

[Bdiddy11]

Bed racks are another thing that can be done without. Some buy then to complete that “hey look at me I ‘overland’” look. They’re cool, but sometimes can be overkill. There is a guy on TacomaWorld who just built his own, all bolt on 80-20 aluminum extrusion which cost him around $300 I believe. Looks great too and lightweight.

I have a topper for a few reasons. Originally I was going to build a rack but scored a deal on the topper from the guy I bought my tires from. I sold the stock Kevlar tires like you have for $400, bought the Cooper AT3s for $400 and his son was selling this topper for $200.

I wasn’t a huge fan of toppers for the longest time, mainly due to looks. I’ll be building a rack for my topper though. Partially for looks but also for functionality. Think, Home Depot runs when I don’t want to have to bring a trailer.

Reasons why I got a topper: storage out of the elements (for the most part). Added security for storage (lockable door and will add a tailgate security line as well). Also when we bring our dogs somewhere, they’ll be less inclined to jump out of the back... (our boy dog did that while in the neighborhood so I don’t trust him yet).

Snorkel has been covered. Unless you see yourself doing a lot of deeper water crossings, to me it has become another Instagram-worthy addition. Money that could be spent elsewhere. They look cool, but really how many people use them for their intended purpose regularly?

Tires, I liked the soft ride of those tires, but the reviews online for any real off-roading apart from gravel or nice forest roads weren’t the best. I do like my Coopera, haven’t rode on Falkens but they get a lot of love on TacomaWorld.

Starting with a minimalist approach, tires, skids, recovery and maybe some upgraded shocks at some point will allow you to go and see a lot without breaking the bank. Build from there. A lot of new to Tacoma owners fall into the belief of needing the next Instagram overlanding truck.

That’s where I started, then I sobered up. I really like(d) the TRD faux eBay grille... only $80-100 but now 8/10 people have them. I bought a 2011 style honeycomb grille for $5 and love it a lot.

I just bought some 2012 Sport mirrors to color match and wire up the blinkers. My off-road has the plane Jane black mirrors and these are a two tone. Mostly an aesthetic upgrade, but for $50 for OEM mirrors, it’s worth it to me to get the look I want. Also traded my non scooped hood for a hood scooped, straight across trade. Just a cosmetic upgrade but gives me the look I like.

In the end it’s your truck. Some people regret adding certain things down the road due to the initial hype of an add-on. Just trying to help you think it through with your brain and not with your wallet.

 

[Fefrank]

Those tires are decent. I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy them but especially for a stock tire, they do well. I ran through some tougher trails and they held up fine.
My favorite are BFG KO2’s. I’d get them in 265/75/16 and call it good (if you’re stock height). Once you lift and want bigger tires, 255/85/16 would be my rec (Cooper ST Maxx).

Where was that at? I was out at 5 mile pass yesterday on an ATV. It was a warm day yesterday (65 deg!)

This was near Springville Canyon. Is a mining trail I like taking up to the old salt mine. Pretty tame, but some technical obstacles for sure.

 

[shade]

An inexpensive, strong bed rack can be made with a pair of bed bars with side tabs, and some Unistrut bolted between the bed bars. The rack will be plenty strong to support whatever you want to mount to it, including an RTT. The same goes for the Unistrut.

2005-2023 Tacoma Bed Cargo/ Cross Bars (SET OF 3)

Bed cross bars, set of 3 bars, for your 2005+ Tacoma. Mounts with only a 9/16" wrench required with our included hardware, and no drilling or modifications to the truck necessary. The set of 3 bars makes a great mount for a RTT or cargo basket where the extra bar will help distribute load. With...

www.relentlessfabrication.com

I used to carry my RTT on two Relentless bars.



The gold bar between the bed bars is Unistrut.



If you chose to mount much weight that rests on the bedsides, I recommend replacing the plastic OEM bed caps with metal ones. The plastic parts will chew up the top of the bedsides, leading to rust. If enough weight is focused in an area, they may begin to collapse. KB Voodoo and Relentless make them; there may be other sources. If you have the ability, you could make your own.

 

[shade]

For a lift, Headstrong Offroad has a good selection of quality kits at a variety of price points.

05 + Tacoma complete kits

2005 to current Toyota Tacoma complete lift kits

www.headstrongoffroad.com

The rear springs are often too weak once you add a load to the bed, so you may want to add a leaf (AAL), or install new spring packs. I'd recommend replacing the OEM bump stops at that time. The OEM bump stops are very hard, and impart a nasty thump when struck. Wheeler's Off-Road SuperBumps and Timbren SES/Off-road are popular options.

Be aware that lifting the front more than 1.5" may require using aftermarket Upper Control Arms (UCAs) to add enough positive caster angle for good road manners. Also, the closer you get to 3", the more likely your truck will experience CV boot wear and/or driveline vibrations.

 

[cdthiker]

The topper, as mentioned is great for dogs, dry locking storage etc. For me having the regular cab it was absolutely needed due to the lack of storage in the truck. I also got it as a place to sleep. I just leave a foam bad and sleeping bag in my truck most of the time. Always nice to have bed ready to go for those long road trips when you need to pull over and take a nap. Or, when you want to head into the backcountry and do not want to mess around with tents. Two people and a dog are a tight fit. Lots of folks build up platforms and the like but I decided to leave mine empty. I have a series of boxes and crates for all of my stuff that can go in an out based on the need. These days the back of the truck is used mostly for hauling dogs and collecting firewood, but it still serves as a back county base camp most falls to keep hunting gear out of the element when I am pretending to chase deer around in the mountains.

I have gone back and forth on the bed racks a number of times but as mentioned they are a bit pricy for what they are and do not offer the flexibility like the cap does.

 

[redthies]

I’m freshly back into a Tacoma after a long break (since ‘09) with a 100 series. I’m going to lift mine 2”, but only because my wife asked me to, since she wants to sit a bit higher for better visibility. At this point, since I have the TRD Offroad model, I will only be going 1” taller than the TRD Pro, which sits about 1” taller than mine according to side by side measurements taken off two brand new trucks on the lot. If I adjust the alignment specs to match the Pro, I should be still in the ballpark for keeping things from wearing funny. 2” is plenty of lift in these trucks, and with the 255/85-16s I have (they were already in shop so I just mounted them up), I should have no clearance issues in 99% of trails I’d go on.

As for “Overlanding”, first off, stop using that word. It makes you and everyone else sound like an idiot. It’s car camping on dirt roads. Period. As others have said, grab a Coleman stove, a cooler, some sleeping gear and hit the wilderness. You don’t have to go out and get lost. The nearest state forest is fine. Just get out and enjoy your rig! Congrats on the new Taco!

 

[Fefrank]

I’m freshly back into a Tacoma after a long break (since ‘09) with a 100 series. I’m going to lift mine 2”, but only because my wife asked me to, since she wants to sit a bit higher for better visibility. At this point, since I have the TRD Offroad model, I will only be going 1” taller than the TRD Pro, which sits about 1” taller than mine according to side by side measurements taken off two brand new trucks on the lot. If I adjust the alignment specs to match the Pro, I should be still in the ballpark for keeping things from wearing funny. 2” is plenty of lift in these trucks, and with the 255/85-16s I have (they were already in shop so I just mounted them up), I should have no clearance issues in 99% of trails I’d go on.

As for “Overlanding”, first off, stop using that word. It makes you and everyone else sound like an idiot. It’s car camping on dirt roads. Period. As others have said, grab a Coleman stove, a cooler, some sleeping gear and hit the wilderness. You don’t have to go out and get lost. The nearest state forest is fine. Just get out and enjoy your rig! Congrats on the new Taco!

Redthies,

Congrats on getting back to a Toyota, do you like being back on a Tacoma? I hear a lot of people saying that the older truck were the real Tacomas, and that now they are all made in mexico and they are not as good? what do you think about that?

Thanks for your input. Let me also clarify my "Overlanding" statement. I guess I should say "off-roading". I am an avid, and experience camper/survivalist, camping solo and in groups most of my life and being an Eagle Scout from back when being a Boy Scout meant something. So far my kids and wife a fairly new to the camping experience and have taken them camping with me for a couple of seasons so far, and they LOVE IT.

The info I was looking for initially was to build the truck enough to take it into more challenging expeditions, and make it more capable offroad. With that said I don't plan on getting lost, there are plenty of trails I would like to take my Tacoma on that are plenty hard without chances of getting lost (Hell's Revenge in Moab is my most anticipated one). But because of the kind of vehicles that are normally associated with these activities, I felt like my stock-Non TRD Tacoma was way under classed to do them, or in other words not ready to take on the trail. For what I hear from everyone so far is that I don't need a 6 inch lift with 33's to do these trails. I feel much better after reading everyone else's experiences.

 

[Bdiddy11]

I wouldn’t build your truck with a super suspension and big tires for just one trail. If you see yourself needing those things for multiple trails that you do at least a few times a year then go for it.

Most people could easily get away with a mild lift and tires for 97.62927% of what they do regularly. It would be like buying a Ferrari and only opening it up on a highway with no speed limit once or twice in its life.

 

[redthies]

Redthies, Congrats on getting back to a Toyota, do you like being back on a Tacoma? I hear a lot of people saying that the older truck were the real Tacomas, and that now they are all made in mexico and they are not as good? what do you think about that?

I’ve had lots of Toyotas in between. Up until an hour ago I had 3 Toyota 4x4s in the driveway, but the new owner picked up my Land Cruiser tonight. I’ve still got my convertible ‘89 4Runner, which will be sticking around for a while. Truth be told, if I could have bought a brand new ‘01-‘04 era Doublecab instead of the ‘20, I might have given it a bit of thought. The ‘01 we had for 8 years was fantastic! I’m just getting to know the new one as it only has around 900 miles on it so far, but I have high hopes. It is definitely a nice truck!

Your background as a Scout will lend itself nicely to back country travel (my preferred term for the “O” word). Being prepared for anything is good, but you can do that with a lot less than you think. The key is knowing your limitations, and that of your equipment, which it sounds like you do/will.