Soon after I bought the Toyota Tacoma I now live in, I spent six months tooling around the woods in it: using it for off-roading, and to access trailheads for backcountry skiing, running, mountain biking and whitewater paddling. Frankly, I was pretty happy.
Compared with my previous car, a Subaru Forester, the stock Tacoma’s ability to crawl over rocks, float over potholes and clear other obstacles was a night-and-day difference. Still, I invested roughly $1,000 into the rig — primarily in the form of better tires, as well as some recovery tools I discussed in the previous installment — and as a result was able to safely go further into the backcountry. If you take the time to improve your skills offroad, a Tacoma will get your surprisingly far.
But far never seems to be far enough. Once you get hooked into driving on dirt, the slippery slope begins. A few epic weekends on the trail often lead to longer trips in more remote places. These require higher clearance, more body protection and brighter lights to keep yourself out of trouble — a much larger investment, albeit one that quickly pay dividends on the trail.
So if you’re curious what’s around the next bend, here are my suggestions for upgrading your Toyota Tacoma in order to make sure you get there.
Suspension Lift
Tacomas are, as their reputation suggests, made to last. They hold their value well — and if they do break down, nearly every mechanic has spare parts for them. That said, durability can come at a cost of versatility, especially when it comes to driving on dirt.
The first big step you need to take is a suspension upgrade. After hours of research, I decided the best bang for my buck was a ToyTec 3-inch lift kit with Total Chaos upper control arms for added travel, and additional leafs and airbags in the rear to compensate for my heavier load. This setup rides well on the highway and performs impressively well offroad.
