Thank you.

Awesome!!

Well, we finally got our 2012 Toyota Tacoma a couple days ago. I got it with the TRD Sport package. It has an automatic tranny in it. I have a couple questions for you Tacoma owners. When you are off roading and are in 4-wheel high do you turn the 'Trac' system off? Also, like most new auto tranny vehicles I have the option to use manual shifting. So my other question is do you leave it in 'Drive' when 4-wheeling or do you use the manual shift? I will post pics later as it is raining outside. We really love this truck and it's the first 4 wheel drive truck we've owned.

Well here are the pics of our first 4 wheel drive truck. We really like this truck. It is a 2012 Toyota Tacoma 4.0L V6 with the TRD Sport Package and it has a long bed. Due to the fact that we like to camp I ordered 'Leer's' top of the line topper painted to match the color of the truck. The only other additions planned are a Toyota cargo divider that attaches to the bed rail system to keep things from sliding around in the bed and more aggressive tires. The truck has a 110 outlet in the inside back passenger side corner of the bed. The tarped container you see in the bed is a heavy plastic box that is wired and locked to the tie-downs in bed. I have a 20' gold chain, (1) snatch strap, (2) 20' tow straps, (4) heavy duty clevises, 2ton come-along, tools and important fluids. I'll be adding a shovel and any other things that pop into my mind. And it does have a full size spare. Here are the pics:

Nice ride

Thank you, it's only four days old...and dirty inside already

Good! Good parts/equipment list too. I would add a flashlight or a drop light in there too. A couple cans of fix a flat can also be handy.

Get a first aid kit!!!!

Good advice. I do already have two flaslights and one hand held spotlight, a boo-boo first aid kit onboard. I also have a more serious first aid bag I keep handy to grab on the way out the door. Don't have any fix a flat and a drop light would be real handy too! Will have to add that to my list, thank you!

I learned alot in the school of "hard knocks" i have the scars and stories to show for it. The shovel is a great call. The more wheeling you do, the more little items will be added to your gear..... It's continuous learning. That and helping others on the trail, a little bit goes a long way in that aspect.

Toss in a basic tool kit, a spare air filter and a spare serpentine belt.  If you hit the dirt (or gravel) roads a lot you will clog air filters pretty regularly. Don't waste the money on the K&N style filters you have the oil. Just buy a few of the basic paper ones and keep a spare with you at all times.  Check it after you splash through any water too.

Does it have a full-size spare? It should if it is a 4x4, but just want to make sure.  If you upgrade your tires make sure to upgrade the spare as well. I always laugh when I see 4x4 guys running four really nice tires and then still have a crappy undersized spare.

What kind of recovery points does it have up front?  What about skid plating?

Oh, and nice truck The TRDs are pretty awesome trucks.

Yes, it does have a full size spare under the bed behind the bumper. And I am currently saving up for new tires and will certainly add a fifth of the same. I do have basic tools in my off road box but I never thought of the air filter...good point. Will add that to my list. Yes, it does have skid plates, that was part of the TRD package. It has two places, like eyelets, to hook on under the front off the frame and two in the back. That's one of the reasons I bought and carry four 3/4" clevis/shackles. I'm not sure about the serpentine belt. I must confess I never gave it a good look yet and have never changed one out. Will have to research that one. I did though get my LEER topper put on tonight and it looks great. My PopLock tailgate locking latch came in yesterday and I plan on installing that on Saturday. After I get it on I'll take another pic of the truck....Thanks again for the advice. It is appreciated.

Well I got my topper installed this week and today I installed a PopandLock lockable tailgate latch. Since mine has a back-up camera I was concerned if the camera would be calibrated to the distance and centering lines of the unit. In the first pic you will see the standard tailgate latch with the camera pointed more downward and on the right hand side of the latch. Second pic: The new latch moved the camera to the left hand side and more visible....but it works just fine.

I know I have been quiet on here lately (been busy with school) but I recently - finally - got my Jeep back up and running.  Had a few hoops to jump through to get it to pass inspection here in the Communistwealth of PA

Anyway, hitting the trails this weekend so if people are interested I will post up a few pics and give a little AAR.

Also, some future spring projects I have are: 1) Design and build a rear cargo management system 2) Overhaul the suspension on the Jeep 3) Build a off-road capable utility trailer.

I will also be going through and redoing everything I carry with me on a daily basis and out on the trails.

Keep in mind everything I am doing is "on a budget" since I am still a student right now (ah the life of a poor doctoral student).  I paid $4,000 for the Jeep a few years ago and everything I try to do to it is a smart calculated move.

Yes, I would definitely be interested in pics of your trail adventures. It's always interesting to see the different countrysides in others AO's.

Trail Ride AAR - 2012-02-25

So I made a trip to the local off road park here in central PA. Rausch Creek (for those that have never been) is pretty cool in that it rates the trails Green, Blue, Black and Red kinda like a sky slope.  The ride I tagged along with was a Green ride for stock/near-stock vehicles.



As Mentioned my Jeep is pretty "mild" in that is has only a 2" lift and 31" tires.  It still had stock axles, stock gearing, and no lockers.

That doesn't keep me out of the mud:


Or the rocks:




The BFG All-Terrains did really well in the rocks and in the mud.  I aired them down to about 25 psi to give a little more of a contact patch. Usually I go lower to about 20psi, but it was REALLY cold and I didn't want to wait that much longer to both air them down and then air them back up later.

In the mud, since I don't have any lockers or a limited slip, I had to turn the wheel back-and-forth a lot to get the tires to bite.  That trick also keeps just one wheel from spinning due to the open differential.  In some of the soupy mud (sorry, no pics) I had to do a lot of throttle modulation. I used to live by the saying "When in doubt throttle out" but that led to too many broken parts.  Now, a little smarter and a little wiser, I take my time and use MOMENTUM rather than SPEED to get through the mud.  The All-Terrains did an EXCELLENT job in the mud.  I was a little worried that when I got the new ATs I should have sprung for the new KM2 style Mud Terrains, but after today I am VERY happy I stuck with the All Terrains.

Through the rucks I just kept a slow and steady speed.  The nice thing about the 4.0 straight six in the Jeeps is that it makes all it's TQ very low in the RPM band.  Most of the time I could just let the Jeep idle through the rocks burping the throttle only when I needed to climb something a little bigger than the idle could handle.  Most of the time I just tapped the breaks to keep the Jeep from running away.  When I work with first timers I always stress that they should let the engine and gearing do the work rather than just mash the gas.

A few things I realized I need to fix/upgrade.  I really need new shocks.  The ones I have on their now came with the lift kit and weren't anything super special.  They worked for the time being but I think they have worn out.  I also have a vibration that I think is the result of exhaust hitting my heavy-duty cross-member.  I just put in a new exhaust manifold and down pipe, so I am sure the rest of the exhaust needs tweaked.  I also have to do something about the tire on the roof.  My old rack had an air deflector and REALLY helped cut down on the "drag" from the tire being up there.  I really noticed it this time, and I think so did my gas milage.  I also need to make sure I get some front recovery points. Right now the only tow point I have is a rear 2" hitch. I was the last man in line and had I gotten stuck someone would have had to loop around to pull me backwards.  Something I need to remedy very soon.

Oh, and I found out my CB radio and inverter both shit the bed.  This meant no rig-to-rig communication other than a cell phone and no GPS mapping (I use an old Dell Laptop with a USB antenna and mapping software).  Two other things I need to add to my to-do-list.

For a mild "reasonable" build I went a lot of places that would surprise the average person. I out-wheeled a few buys in Wranglers with 33s and lockers just by being smart.

All in all, it does pretty good for what it is:

Excellent pics! Thanks for sharing your experienced advice. One question, do you get a lot of tire noise/hum at highway speeds in your BFG All-Terrains? I've got my eye on some BFG Rugged Terrain tires that are not as aggressive as the All-Terrains but better than standard tires. The reviews said they experienced no extra highway noise from them.

The ATs are pretty quiet.  They give off a little more noise due to the square tread giving more contact with the pavement, but they don't "hum" like the Mud-Terrains.  I never notice the tires over the engine/exhaust or the radio... even the wind noise is more than the tire noise.

Thanks pajeepguy!  I might do some research on those All-Terrains!

What's it take, money wise, to lift a Tacoma a couple inches? I know nothing about it. Is it something any mechanic can do easily? And if I get it done can I go up one tire size and how does that affect the rest of the truck ie. power train, drive shaft, differentials, etc.?

This is the fifth or sixth set I've gotten in the last 8 or 9 years. My last set lasted me 75k miles. I love them.



I don't know Toyotas all that well.  I do know you can do a 1" or 2" body lift pretty easily and that will allow you to run tires about 1" bigger than are on it now.  Suspension lifts for modern trucks get difficult and expensive due to the Independent Front Suspension (IFS).

As for tires... if you go up one or two inches in tire size you won't notice much difference other than a slight loss in gas milage.  My Jeep came from the factory with 29" tires. I run 31" tires now and only saw a 2mpg drop (but some of that may be due to the tire on the roof too) and my speedometer reads about 5% slower than I am going (if I speedo says I am going 70 I am actually going more like 73-74mph).  There are ways to correct the speedometer readings electronically on newer trucks.  My jeep just uses a gear in the transfer-case and it's a LOT of work to get in there and change it.

To be honest though, depending on what you want to do with your truck, you may just be better off keeping stock sized tires and spending you money on GOOD tires.  Then look at things like bumpers, skid plates, maybe some kind of traction adder (locker, limited slip, etc), and maybe a winch.  Taco's are EXTREMELY capable in stock form.  Especially if yours has the TRD package. You'd be really surprised what you can do when you focus more on your driving skills than lifting your 4x4.

Anyway, I have a buddy in the Jeep club with me that is a Toyota guy (ironic, I know).  When I see him for wings this week I will ask him some websites for Toyota stuff and see what he recommends.

Thanks pajeepguy! I appreciate your help.

He said the best place to start is at the Toyota Territory Off-Roaders Association site. He said it is mostly Toyota Tacoma owners and they would be able to answer questions, recommend parts, and answer FAQs. They have their own forum too so I am sure you could post up there and find out more specific info to your truck than you would find anywhere else.

Another place to check is the Toyota Tacoma Section on the Pirate4x4 site.  Pretty good resource.  That community can be rather "harsh" at times with ball-busting new posters, so he/I/we would recommend "lurking" there for a year or so just reading up on stuff before posting.  I have seen well-meaning first-time posters that have gotten ripped to shreds for asking the wrong question and then leaving the site all together.  I am on there but rarely post except for my off-road photo stuff.  Still, it is worth checking out and looking at everyone else's builds.  They also have an Expidition Vehicles Section that has some good info on building up expo/bov style 4x4s.  He says there are a few people with Tacos on there.

The last worth-while resource we could think of is the Toyota Section on Expedition Portal. Another good resource for seeing different builds. I know in the Jeep section there people have reviewed different lift kits.

Again, I apologize for not being 100% informed on some of the Toyota-specific places but I hope it helps get your started.

He said the best place to start is at the Toyota Territory Off-Roaders Association site. He said it is mostly Toyota Tacoma owners and they would be able to answer questions, recommend parts, and answer FAQs. They have their own forum too so I am sure you could post up there and find out more specific info to your truck than you would find anywhere else.
Another place to check is the Toyota Tacoma Section on the Pirate4x4 site.  Pretty good resource.  That community can be rather "harsh" at times with ball-busting new posters, so he/I/we would recommend "lurking" there for a year or so just reading up on stuff before posting.  I have seen well-meaning first-time posters that have gotten ripped to shreds for asking the wrong question and then leaving the site all together.  I am on there but rarely post except for my off-road photo stuff.  Still, it is worth checking out and looking at everyone else's builds.  They also have an Expidition Vehicles Section that has some good info on building up expo/bov style 4x4s.  He says there are a few people with Tacos on there.The last worth-while resource we could think of is the
Toyota Section on Expedition Portal. Another good resource for seeing different builds. I know in the Jeep section there people have reviewed different lift kits.
Again, I apologize for not being 100% informed on some of the Toyota-specific places but I hope it helps get your started.[/quote]




Wow pajeepguy, that was fast. Thanks for the websites. That should do just fine for my 'Taco' research. Till later, take care!

Any other questions don't hesitate to ask here or via PM.

Well, it was sleeting here today. So I took out my 'Taco' for the first time through some grass fields. I didn't even notice it was slick the way the 'Taco' just cruised along in 4H. My old two wheel drive truck would have gotten stuck for sure today. Glad it's gone and I now have the Toyota. The only thing I wanted to do was take it down a long but not too steep grade to our shooting range that sits in a draw. But since I am inexperienced and still have the original dealer tires; I thought it would be wise to try it some other time and when I had somebody with me. All for now but it sure was fun..

The tricks I use to going downhill in slick terrain is to use 4low, keep it in 1st gear, and let the engine to the work (think Jake-break on a diesel semi... engine compression breaking works very similar on a gas engine).  I also try not to use my breaks and actually drive down the hill. I have found even with light break modulation I go into a skid.  By using 4Low and keeping it in 1st gear I can drive in 4wd and let the front end pull me down hill rather than coast without any forward pull.  Although with ice all bets are off because 4wd is pretty much useless on ice unless you have studded tires.

It just takes time and practice and getting comfortable with your truck.

Thanks pajeepguy...I will try that next time. So, next question...On the same hill, do you once again use 4low in 1st to go back up?  I of course will not be driving on ice...on purpose anyway. The times I found myself going down a steep icy back road/country road, I would put my 2wheel drive truck in neutral and found that since the drive-train wasn't pushing me, I rarely started sliding.

Going into neutral downhill is bad because you loose the ability to drive out of a skid so you're basically at the mercy of gravity and momentum.

As for going UP the same hill, you can use drive but you'll want to use momentum rather than raw speed.  Don't hill the hill at full-throttle but hit it with enough speed that you can maintain a consistent speed up the hill.  4low vs. 4high will depend on how loose the surface is.  If it is a "road" you should be okay in 4high... if it is a "trail" you most likely will be in 4low anyway and will just stay in 4low.  When I go out trail riding at the off road park I am in 4low all day.  When I am up in the mountains on fire roads I am in 4high pretty much all day unless I *need* to go into 4low for something tricky.

Got it! Thanks once more!

I am going out trail riding on 31-March and again next month on the weekend of April 20th-22nd.  If anyone is interested in heading out with me let me know.  The off road park is located about an hour outside Harrisburg PA in the central part of the state.  PM me directly for information/time/etc.  It would be a basic trial ride so anything "stock" that is 4wd will work.  Don't have to worry about being an experienced driver either.  This would be a good time for someone to come out, get their truck/suv dirty and learn a few things... or just connect with a few ArfComers in the area.

So I had the Jeep out again this past weekend.  I think the time has come to rebuild the front suspension.  I had replaced my bushings a while back with polyurethane ones but only did the lower control arms. I think my uppers are shot and my lowers are bent up pretty bad.  Too many rocks I guess.

This illustrates two points I guess: #1 - don't cut corners. As much as the uppers in the front would have been a pain to replace, I should have done them when I had the chance.  #2 - Stock suspension components just aren't up to the abuse, especially when other parts (shocks, springs, swaybar, etc) have been upgraded.  Weak links will be found.

I am looking into getting a set of aftermarket arms from a friend that just need rebuilt.  Might snap a few pics of the rebuild process as well as the instal just incase any of you want to see the comparison between what a stock part looks like after years of abuse and 170k miles and what an aftermarket part looks like.

I'd like to see those pics if you don't mind takin' the time.

Why fire extinguishers are a good idea to keep in your 4x4: Jeep Fire at Local Off Road Park

This happened the weekend AFTER I was up there.  Crazy to think something like a transmission line failure can cause a fire like that.

I can also say this is a catalyst for me to not only upgrade my current extinguisher but to also look into carrying a 2nd one.  I am going to try and mount one behind the front seat and then keep the 2nd one in the back where I keep my current one.

Definitely good idea...I will be getting one to put in my cab besides the one that is in my bed's side compartment! Thanks for the heads up pajeepguy!

Well, I finally put the BF Goodrich Rugged Terrain Tires on and took my 'Taco' up and down the Midwest hills here that have about 4" of snow and ice. It didn't miss a beat...like I was driving on dry pavement. Boy, I like this Tacoma! I would have pics but my wife is in Taiwan with our one and only camera. We have throw away phones so we don't have cameras on those either. When she gets home I'll take some pics next time we get snow.

I wanted to add a little here about using the HI-LIFT as a winch.
1) Latch your fixed end to two points on the vehicle (make a triangle with the end of your bar at the apex). This mitigates the twisting motion your HI-LIFT is going to want to do. Use a D shackle on the bottom hole. Test fit your straps, the shackle, and your HI-LIFT before you leave the hardware store.
2) Use a come-along! What? Yes. Like this: put the come-along in series off the hook of your HI-LIFT to the rope or whatever you're using to cover distance. Soak up all that slack with the come-along, then you'll get 45" (or so) of high-leverage pull out of your HI-LIFT. If you use the HI-LIFT to soak up that slack, you're only going to get a foot or so of pull before you reset.
3) Practice this technique in a parking lot or something before you try it in the wild.

You'll want to use a couple of jack stands - maybe. I use them to keep the body of the HI-LIFT off the ground when taking up slack. Also, if you're pulling over a rise, it keeps dirt and pine needles and junk out of your jack.

Self recovery with four carabiners and some rope:

Loop the carabiners through each other, then run the rope like this:

CIMG1403 by Ry Jones, on Flickr


CIMG1400 by Ry Jones, on Flickr

Hook on to the top carabiner like this:

CIMG1407 by Ry Jones, on Flickr

that loose end of rope off the back will pull through pretty easy. Now you can set a rope and take most of the slack out of it without goofing around. You don't have to use carabiners - you can use links of chain - but they're lightweight and won't rust, so I use them.

my 1988 4Runner, with the 22R engine and 235x15 Goodyear Wranglers,  takes me most of the places I want to go.  Most of the time, I am riding  by myself.  I'm older, with some fairly serious health issue, so I don't push things.
More often than not, I'll look at a section of trail, walk it, and if there is any doubt, I'll just not go there.   I carry the normal recovery stuff, including a chain saw.  In the Osceola and Ocala NF, there is always at least one blocked trail.  I do wish that my cell phone carrier had better coverage in the Ocala NF, but things are what they are.
Here is an example of a trail  that I'd have tackled if there were another truck or two with me.   It's forest road 50 11.8, running north/south between FR 50 and FR 54 in the Ocala NF.   I checked this one on foot first, and then just backed out and took another trail.  :)

I'm glad to see this thread, thanks to all who have contributed to it. I bought a 2000 Jeep Cherokee XJ Sport in February and really like it.

Yes. I've learned to not forget your battle buddy also. I have gone out by myself and gotten stuck. To be young again.

 







 
 

Drive a truck like a truck and you wont even notice, lol. its those that treat trucks like cars...Its funny when I let someone drive my truck with the full time locker in the back..itll straighten out a slow turn really quick, esp. under acceleration.

 
I've run my FJ cruiser without any sway bars now for almost a year. No issues, but I don't speed and drive very conservatively.

I thought it was sketchy on my Bilstein 5100s, but with my 2.5" Radflo's it's fine.

 
I'll go with you sometime!

Anyone have experience with SxS like the RZR 900?

I had a Jeep for a while and miss it, 3.5" lift with 33" super swamper tires that worked great.  Now I'm looking at the SxS to get that off road fun again but staying smaller.

We have had a Jeep in the family for over 20 years.
First one was 1942 Ford. I still can't believe I sold
it! After that was a Jeep Cherokee 2 door.
Then a 4 door Wagoneer. Then a 2 door YJ that we sold last
December, and then bought a 2017 JKU. We love Jeeps!

In December of 2015 we bought a Honda Pioneer
1000 EPS 3 seater. The Jeeps are mainly for daily
drivers, but are really nice for snow days we get
in our AO. But the Pioneer is for work & play. I use
it around the yard to move mulch & firewood, etc,
and we use it for road clean up for downed trees
etc, in our development. It goes great in the snow,
and the snow plow makes clearing our driveway
and many of our neighbor's, just fun.

We typically take the Pioneer over to Pioneer
TN, to ride in Royal Blue with my brother, and
a few other couples. We also have a couple of
places to day ride in our county, and we have
been to the Hatfield McCoy trails in VA/W Va, a
couple of times, as well.

Too much fun!

John

P.S. With Tiny Pic gone, what is the hosting service
choice of the ARFcom hive?

John