SAS for expedition tacoma?
- Thread starter Winky
- Start date
shahram
Adventurer
I know this may be stirring the pot or bringing in a non-sequitur, but if you're dead set on...
a) a Toyota
b) a pickup
c) solid front axle
...you could always pick up an 80-series Land Cruiser and do a pickup bed conversion on it, a la the Slee Offroad "Vlakvark". You'd be getting a tried and true overlanding platform, big carrying capacity, and mad props from pretty much everyone on this board! I've seen guys sink serious dough into SAS'd vehicles. It's not cheap, and it comes with a whole host of new issues--constantly playing catch-up with breaking parts.
It's possible that you might get away with buying a used 80 Series and building an LC pickup conversion for a comparable price to a SAS'd Tacoma, with all the requisite bells and whistles you'd need to get the SAS'd Taco running reliably. Plus, everything below the body on the Land Cruiser would be standard "out-of-the-box" parts, easily serviced, easily replaced.
Something to think about, anyway...good luck with whatever you do.
a) a Toyota
b) a pickup
c) solid front axle
...you could always pick up an 80-series Land Cruiser and do a pickup bed conversion on it, a la the Slee Offroad "Vlakvark". You'd be getting a tried and true overlanding platform, big carrying capacity, and mad props from pretty much everyone on this board! I've seen guys sink serious dough into SAS'd vehicles. It's not cheap, and it comes with a whole host of new issues--constantly playing catch-up with breaking parts.
It's possible that you might get away with buying a used 80 Series and building an LC pickup conversion for a comparable price to a SAS'd Tacoma, with all the requisite bells and whistles you'd need to get the SAS'd Taco running reliably. Plus, everything below the body on the Land Cruiser would be standard "out-of-the-box" parts, easily serviced, easily replaced.
Something to think about, anyway...good luck with whatever you do.
Clutch
<---Pass
Dirty Harry said:Saying the IFS on a Tacoma is the same as what is run on Trophy Trucks is like saying that Rosie O'Donnell and Salma Hayek are both women. The really don't have that much in common.
Too damn funny...
I was just wondering....why...
I think was comparing highend IFS to highend SAS. I don't always right down what is going on in my jumble of a mind.No offense to anyone, but rock crawling just ain't my thang...
I rather be strapped into a Class 1 buggy skating across the desert.
And this is me beating that dead horse.....Other than serious rock crawling, I don't see why one would go through the trouble, time and expense SASing a Tacoma for expedition use. Just to have maybe a little more reliable front end. Seems like the money and effort could go into other items...like a gas powered blender and such....
But...everyone is different...yadda yadda ya....
Last edited:
viter
Adventurer
jjwinky said:
not his pictures, but still an FJ...
this is an FJ cruiser built by donahoe racing - it one Baja 250 in its class this year, finished second I think in baja 500 just a couple weeks ago, has long travel 4wd ifs, and is very happy rockcrawling or racing baja
donahoe racing is really cool I think for keeping 4wd on their race vehicles and using them not just for racing!
not pushing the IFS on you (I'll be very interested to see what you do with a SAS), but just since you mentioned about how you liked an FJ...
Dirty Harry
Adventurer
Did you take those photos Viter? They are very nice!
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
Being intimately familiar with that canyon, Odessa Canyon @ Calico, they are a bit tilted...........
The floor of the slot is tilted, but not that much. This pic being in roughly the same spot as that last pic:
Never the less, Dylan is a sharp guy. We started out at just about the same time, he at SAW and I at Wilwood. I've come across him over in Doran Cyn. in the 'peanut gallery' & we've kibitz'd about the line someone took or whatever when he wasn't spotting one of his group thru that rock garden.
The floor of the slot is tilted, but not that much. This pic being in roughly the same spot as that last pic:
Never the less, Dylan is a sharp guy. We started out at just about the same time, he at SAW and I at Wilwood. I've come across him over in Doran Cyn. in the 'peanut gallery' & we've kibitz'd about the line someone took or whatever when he wasn't spotting one of his group thru that rock garden.
ChuckB
Expedition Leader
shahram said:
I believe is was recently for sale too...
(edit) BAM! http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6090&highlight=slee
BajaTaco
Swashbuckler
Josh, you know how to get a good discussion going
Some points for all of us to keep in mind:
1. There are many ways to skin a cat.
2. In the realm of off-highway vehicle projects, it is unlikely you will ever be able to multi-task without compromises of one kind or another.
3. There are likely just as many SA expedition vehicles exploring the globe as there are IFS. Overall, neither concept is superior to the other, they just have different attributes.
4. You must remember to follow your heart and do what you enjoy. As long as you do that, no one should fault you for it.
In my opinion, I think doing a SA conversion or a LT-IFS conversion on a Tacoma is kind of like adding mud-terrain tires or something crazy like XZL's to your ride. Yea they are inefficient and noisy on the highway, but they sure are fun in the dirt. It all gets back to compromises.
In this case, I think Josh has wisely solicited opinions from an expedition/overland based forum, and as a result he probably has had more info to make an informed decision. It seems to me like he has considered the situation at great length and is satisfied with his original plan. So I say - go for it! We can all learn something valuable from his experiences if he is kind enough to share them with us after he uses his SA Tacoma for some trips that reflect what we all enjoy here at ExPo.
Some points for all of us to keep in mind:
1. There are many ways to skin a cat.
2. In the realm of off-highway vehicle projects, it is unlikely you will ever be able to multi-task without compromises of one kind or another.
3. There are likely just as many SA expedition vehicles exploring the globe as there are IFS. Overall, neither concept is superior to the other, they just have different attributes.
4. You must remember to follow your heart and do what you enjoy. As long as you do that, no one should fault you for it.
In my opinion, I think doing a SA conversion or a LT-IFS conversion on a Tacoma is kind of like adding mud-terrain tires or something crazy like XZL's to your ride. Yea they are inefficient and noisy on the highway, but they sure are fun in the dirt. It all gets back to compromises.
In this case, I think Josh has wisely solicited opinions from an expedition/overland based forum, and as a result he probably has had more info to make an informed decision. It seems to me like he has considered the situation at great length and is satisfied with his original plan. So I say - go for it! We can all learn something valuable from his experiences if he is kind enough to share them with us after he uses his SA Tacoma for some trips that reflect what we all enjoy here at ExPo.
viter
Adventurer
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Yanking this thread from the depths... Some stock (you know, more or less) FJ Cruiser pictures from Cruise Moab '06. Keep in mind that these are Trail Team guys driving these, so they are pretty dang good drivers.
DenCo40
Adventurer
First time I have read this thread...Lots of good interesting stuff here. I have learned over the past 20 years of off roading and several different vehicles that having the best off road/expedition truck boils down to money and opinion. In this case some people prefer the ride of IFS and some want a solid axle for strength and abilities. Both have drawbacks both have some advantages. Until someone comes up with the perfect suspension this will be the case...
Last edited:
devinsixtyseven
Explorer
I hadn't seen this thread in a while...
Kermit! You're not helping. :hehe:
That video brought a tear to my eye...now you've got me wondering if I shouldn't have gone 73" on the new rear axle, so as to accomodate the width of an LT kit in the front. :smiley_drive: I had perma-grin watching all those glassed fullsizes float the whoops.
Where's Josh? Progress pics?
-Sean
*edit* I went and scanned Troy & Molly's LT thread on Yotatech...there are a lot of kids (I am certain they are kids, 16yos with 40yrs experience) who either spend all their time on BV Carnage and similar buggy-only, competition rockcrawling courses and seem to think that's all CO has to offer, or who flat out just don't know what they're talking about. I'm looking forward to seeing Josh's expedition-style SAS as much as I want to see Troy & Molly's LT rig on the rocks here in CO.
Kermit! You're not helping. :hehe:
That video brought a tear to my eye...now you've got me wondering if I shouldn't have gone 73" on the new rear axle, so as to accomodate the width of an LT kit in the front. :smiley_drive: I had perma-grin watching all those glassed fullsizes float the whoops.
Where's Josh? Progress pics?
-Sean
*edit* I went and scanned Troy & Molly's LT thread on Yotatech...there are a lot of kids (I am certain they are kids, 16yos with 40yrs experience) who either spend all their time on BV Carnage and similar buggy-only, competition rockcrawling courses and seem to think that's all CO has to offer, or who flat out just don't know what they're talking about. I'm looking forward to seeing Josh's expedition-style SAS as much as I want to see Troy & Molly's LT rig on the rocks here in CO.
Last edited:
BigAl
Expedition Leader
As I read thru the first 3-4 pages of this thread I get the impression that most feel you are giving up ride quality by going SAS. Forget all the other advantages/disadvantages. A properly set up solid axle suspension can be plenty cushy. I am SOA on stock full size wagoneer front spings. My jeeps handles the pavement great, stiff in the corners, tracks straight, doesn't rattle my teeth. I just set up a longarm solid axle on a cherokee and that thing is a cadilac. I'm not saying solid axle is better than IFS, but I wouldn't rule it out for ride quality. You just have to make sure it's set up right.
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
I agree that a SA can be made to work and ride fairly nice, but for the work of cutting out an IFS & replacing it you could easily have a better ride than is possible with an SA.
Put another way, if ride quality and speed over the rough stuff are the goals, then for the equal amounts of $$$ & work the IFS will always be ahead.
Were it reasonable to do I'd own the only (?) IFS converted '84 Mini (WITH an 8" diff, thank you very much). As it is I'm resolved to making the SA work as best as I can.
All comes down to personal prefs and goals.
FWIW I must admit to taking comments like "handles great" with a grain of salt. I've ridden in a couple "handles great" trucks or seen them on the road and they were a far cry from my describing them as such. I do not want to offend anyone, but this is a very, very subjective thing. Coming from vintage and current road racing employment my idea of what this means apparently is radically different than what others think this means.
Put another way, if ride quality and speed over the rough stuff are the goals, then for the equal amounts of $$$ & work the IFS will always be ahead.
Were it reasonable to do I'd own the only (?) IFS converted '84 Mini (WITH an 8" diff, thank you very much). As it is I'm resolved to making the SA work as best as I can.
All comes down to personal prefs and goals.
FWIW I must admit to taking comments like "handles great" with a grain of salt. I've ridden in a couple "handles great" trucks or seen them on the road and they were a far cry from my describing them as such. I do not want to offend anyone, but this is a very, very subjective thing. Coming from vintage and current road racing employment my idea of what this means apparently is radically different than what others think this means.
Arivalsend
Adventurer
Winky said:
Hey I am with you all the way Josh. I think that while there may be a variety of reasons to not convert over to SAS, there are a good many reasons to do so. I would go with what you really want on this. You only get to do a build once and then its over and we all get the itch to start again or go another way with it. Sounds like you have given it some thought and it is what you want. Good luck and keep the rest of us jealous bums posted