Bear Grylls Gear

Survive in the Wild With the Latest Gear

2nd Gen Tacoma With 3rd Gen Wheels

7 min read

The Dirt Kings utilize a 3/4″ Heim joint for the inner pivot points which allows for more adjustment of the caster and camber. Dirt King replaced the weaker factory ball joints with a set of 1″ stainless steel uniballs. Both Heim joints and uniballs utilize American-made FK bearings.

They are also independent of each other and dimmable, giving you fully customizable lighting inside the camper. These have proven to be incredibly useful upgrades and are always what we recommend when asked. When we decided we wanted to travel full time, we explored all the options. We had already owned and loved our Tacoma and wanted to keep that as the platform for our travels.

Toyota Tacoma1995 – 2004N100 (USA Market)Body styles: Pickup Regular Cab, 2dPickup Extended Cab, 2dPickup Double Cab

These are 3D printed letter inserts that fit perfectly inside the “TACOMA” indentation present on all 3rd generation Tacomas. This is done by removing all the plastic trim and exposing the thin metal plate that protrudes. Because the metal is arched, many Tacoma owners cut thin slits and bend the pinch weld inwards towards the wheel arch. You can bend it either way and then hammer the weld flat, however, if you bend it outwards you can use that thin metal strip as a flange to secure the plastic fender liner back onto.

With rocking their ICON Rebound Wheels, it just compliments the overall look of my Tacoma. No matter how rowdy and dirty they get on the trail, I can always count on my wheels giving me the perfect shot. One of the main reasons why anyone upgrades their wheels is for aesthetics. Toyota only has a few OEM wheel options for the Tacoma with 90% of them being the TRD Off-Road or TRD Pro style.

What Are the Bed Length Options for the 2n Gen Tacoma?

There is a crown nut on the adjustable UCA that allows you to set the caster angle more forward or back for improved clearance. When fitting bigger tires to a Tacoma, it’s important to note that not all trucks are built exactly the same, and not all 35-inch tires are created equally. This article is designed to be a guide and identify what the possibilities are and what could be required to make 35-inch tires fit on a Tacoma. This set of ball joint UCAs by Old Man Emu provides a great starting point for those of you who need aftermarket UCAs, but don’t want to spend a ton of money. Perhaps one of the most popular modifications for Toyota Tacomas is some type of lift or suspension upgrade.

I am beyond impressed with the product and looking forward to adding Powerbrake braking systems to all my future off-road vehicles moving forward. To further strengthen and reduce the chance of damage, the Powerbrake calipers have banjo fittings for the brake hoses. In addition to that, the kit comes with new extended stainless steel brake lines.

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Adam covered a complete install, and overview – you can read that post here. This next skid plate is one that isn’t as well known – the ABS sensor skid guard. For those who are unfamiliar, ABS is a system on modern-day vehicles that prevents the wheels from locking up under hard braking. Adding this skid plate to your build will complete the full undercarriage coverage which will ensure you are not to stress about getting any unwanted damage while out exploring. It will create a nice sleek and smooth design on the underside of your truck which will help when sliding or rubbing up against rocks.

Those sharp corners at the hub, that inner angled edge, the divots on the perimeter, that aggressive outer lip… sheesh, it’s just all so perfect. Throw a blanket of deep bronze over all that and it stops me in my tracks every, single, time. Also, the versatility couldn’t be better with the hybrid design which allows you to run it as a street wheel or as a true bead lock. I went with a -12 offset on these, giving me a perfect stance with enough poke for that aggressive look. The factory standard gear ratios of your differentials will result in your truck feeling slower on-road and more sluggish off-road. The only way to minimize this effect is to modify the 4×4 Tacoma’s front and rear diff gear ratios.

Who Is Four Wheel Campers?

This is not bad, mainly if you use the truck to pull or haul items daily. It comes with an updated head unit with new steering wheel buttons. Toyota updated the cup holder design and changed the frame, active headrests, and Access cab door locks to improve collision performance. If this problem happens while driving, the consequences can be disastrous, so always inspect your leaf springs beforehand. Overheating side marker light bulbs can distort the headlamp material over time.

The locker essentially forces the entire rear differential to spin together and by doing so, it increases traction. The position of the rear shock is fairly exposed and it is almost inevitable to not smack it one of these days. Fortunately, they are the cheapest skid of the bunch meaning this low-cost investment, which makes the purchase a no-brainer. Weight is a huge factor because when you start adding armor, gear, or otherwise, the pounds quickly start to add up.

Three Dashboard Settings

Almost always extending from the front skid plate, it protects the transmission area between the engine and the rear transmission cross member right before the transfer case. The sole purpose of the transmission skid is to protect vital transmission components as well as the pan from any potential damage from the trails. Now, steel skid plates tend to be 3/16″ thick, which doesn’t rust as quickly as you might imagine. The key here is proper preparation and coating, whether that be a DIY project with rattle-can spray paint or a professional powder coat. Just be aware that steel skid plates require more maintenance or at minimum, good preparation.

Other companies offered only one set spring rate which (if you don’t plan on adding a bunch of weight with aftermarket parts like bumpers and skid plates) could work for you. A complete guide to some of the best aftermarket upper control arms on the market today for your 2nd or 3rd Gen Tacoma. And with prices ranging from $390 to $1500, it’s easy to see that there is a variety of options to choose from. Some of you may make a decision based solely on price while others may be more drawn to a specific design or performance aspect based on their individual needs. JBA Offroad originally started back around 2004 under the name Jeepin by Al. The founder, Al Handy, was looking for a solution to remedy the UCAs that prematurely failed on his 2002 Jeep Liberty.

Aftermarket Body Mount Relocation Brackets

It is also worth considering how hard a heavy truck works on steep grades and in extreme environments. I also know that from experience since I’ve cooked a set of OEM brakes before on a relatively mild forest road. The first, and one I slightly touched on already, is load. It does the job; weighs what it weighs; Toyota designed/engineered. Like me, I doubt many Tacoma owners spend much time laying under their Tacomas admiring their skid plate. Deciding what skid plates to purchase is a lengthy and time-consuming process.

You can solve this problem by replacing the headlights, which is something you can do yourself at home. There are two body options available for the 2nd Gen Tacoma. The four-door Double Cab and the Access Cab have extra room behind the front seats. The four-door Double Cab has plenty of space and comfortably fits four adults. Although the option of a four-cylinder engine helps the 2nd Gen Tacoma get slightly better ratings than you would expect, fuel economy is not generally a strength for pickups.

Glovebox “TACOMA” inserts

They are more commonly used on dedicated off-road rigs or race trucks due to their high strength and fine-tuning capability. One of the coolest parts about Camburg is that they do everything in-house, and their products are race-tested. Essentially, this means they have their hands on everything from the start of the process to the end of it.

Tacoma bed length options

Overall, these are super solid wheels for the size and they stay solid with whatever I throw at them. The KMC brand has a good reputation in the offroad industry. I like that I can trust that these wheels are going to hold up to trail abuse. I really dig that they have a bead ring style to help protect the inner wheel as well. These wheels pair really well with an aggressive tire like my Baja Boss A/Ts and make the sidewalls really pop. The gold accents also have just enough contrast to draw your eyes to the wheels.

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