Wrenching on Toyota Tacomas and 4Runners has never been so much fun
Pirelli Scorpion ATRs on a 1997 4Runner
Autoblog.com is reporting that Toyota is now replacing frames on some rusty Tundras too. This doesn’t come as a complete surprise considering the damage I personally saw when attempting to buy a used Tundra in Pennsylvania.
After lifting my 2005 Toyota Tacoma, I thought it was time to throw some bigger tires on it to fill in the newly created wheel-well gap and provide a more aggresive stance. Research on ttora.com and toyota120.com pointed me at the Bridgetstone Dueler A/T Revos, which were just recently replaced by the Revo 2. I called up my local tire shop, Farr Family Tire, and got a reasonable quote for four new 265/70/17s. After painting a set of 4Runner rims gunmetal gray, I took the wheels up to Farr to have them mounted.
The Kumho Ventire SAT KL61 is an all terrain tire designed with a combination of off-road looks and on-road manners. I picked up a set, sized 265/70/16, for my 2005 Toyota Tacoma after realizing that my Firestone ATs were not going to make it through another winter. The tires are designed with a ‘flame inspired’ tread pattern, which sounds lame, but allows the tires to easily disperse water and stay clean when traveling through gravel, dirt and mud. As an added bonus, the tires are also rated for severe weather and include the ever-important ‘snowflake’ which alerts people to this rating.
There are lots of options for lifting your Toyota Tacoma. I know it is a cliche, but you often get what you pay for with lifts. While most people ask, “what are you going to be doing with your truck” I always start with, “do you like how your truck rides” because that’s what matters most. If you like a soft, plush ride, then don’t lift your truck. No matter how much money you spend, your truck will never ride as smooth as it does when it is stock. My next questions are more important:
So if you really want to lift you truck, here are the right and wrong ways to do it.
Toyota Tacomas are ultra-reliable trucks, but one serious issue that has plagued them is rusty frames. When I say ‘rusty’ I mean rusty, with frames literally falling apart and collapsing. You can see photos of the damage on the TTORA.com board if you are worried about your frame and to read other people’s experiences with getting their frames fixed and their trucks bought back.
