tires + lockers for me are more important than bumpers! The bumpers wont get you out in the remote places you want to go but the locker(s) will!
Very true, but sliders to me are more important than anything at this point. It just sucks that there are no options available for these trucks so if I'm going to get sliders built, I'm going to get a front bumper and skids at the same time to make the trip to the coast worth while.
If you are pulling the rear diff apart to lock it you might as well do gears at the same time. Save yourself the trouble in the future.
Pulling the rear diff sure, but if I regear the rear diff I gotta pull the front and ad a locker and gear it as well.... which is considerably more work than just throwing an ARB in the back.
The rear diff can be pulled in under an hour, I wouldn't worry about it being more work. You wouldn't save more than $200 in labor by regearing simultaneously.
If you're fine with your current gears for now, I'd prioritize getting the ARB in the rear and at least skids and sliders.
My good friend is a Toyota master tech. He has already offered to help me set the locker up so I just have to pull it and plan a day to do it. I've pulled lots of rear ends before and I agree it should be fairly easy. Definitely leaning this route just to get me back on the trail. I agree sliders are essential and will get me on the trail again and not worrying about wrecking the truck. The factory bumpers can get beat up all they want, but the same can't be said for the rocker panels. Too bad I'm too OCD and want a bolt on version of sliders so I can re paint them with little effort every couple of years, or else I'd have ordered some All-Pro or Stubbs by now. The White Knuckle ones are SO nice but with the Canadian dollar dropping even more, the already expensive White Knuckle bolt-on option is officially off the table.
Jason @ Cruisin Offroad in Vancouver has been great to deal with and I'm quite certain he's going to be building my armor. But like I said above, with a 10hr. road trip to get some sliders built, I might as well get some skids and front bumper at once!