- fx4 gives you: skid plates, rear locker, off-road traction electronics, off-road cruise control (more useful than you'd think when shit gets really sketchy).
- Tremor only adds Fox 2.0, plus some appearance stuff.
- Fox 2.0 is a very, very basic system. I don't think there's even extra travel available from it.
- FX4 gives you everything you need/want on a stock truck you intend to modify, without asking you to pay more for suspension if you plan on replacing that anyways.
- Consider Tremor if you're leasing, really need everything rolled into a single finance payment, or are scared of performing modifications.
- understand that Tremor cannot match the ride quality, payload, handling, or travel of a really good aftermarket suspension system like OME BP-51.
I am a big fan of the Ranger and can’t wait for the US release of the 2024. I’m really hoping ARB USA partners with Ford like they do in Australia offering their full line of products to be order and installed by Ford dealers. To be able to go pick up a brand new Ranger with bull bar, skids, sliders, and BP51 set up sounds pretty perfect.
I'll second the Nokian tire selection. I've been very impressed in the conditions and lifespan I've ran my Hakkapiletta R3 passenger tires in on my car. I'm in my fourth season @ 58,000 miles (mid Nov-mid Apr, tons of highway miles), and the tread looks like I can get another season out of them. We'll see by the end of it. I know I give up some performance to Blizzaks in some conditions, but I don't regret the purchase ... Yet.
Some great stuff here - aftermarket support for the Ranger almost makes me regret going with it's big brother.
I have the Raingler cargo net as well. I'm satisfied with the final product, but installation was a hassle. Had to Dremel some interior piece of plastic just to reach the metal frame, and then the screws they included for installation were garbage. I pre-drilled the holes and hand tightened with as much care as possible, and still completely stripped all of them before I could get them halfway in. Worked after purchasing some higher quality screws, but not a very smooth process.
It also looks like Shrockworks is out of business as of sometime in December. Maybe that complete lack of customer support caught up with them!
Thanks Wes, great read. Been enjoying my 2021 TRD off road Taco for over a year now. It’s still stock but after nearly getting stuck in the mud a few weeks ago, I already got maxtrax boards and have an appointment to get an ARB front recovery point added. Also considering swapping the stock tires too, will be reading your write up on that. Thanks again for your work and cheers!
I was about to make this my next upgrade due to my nighttime mud/ditch experience where I couldn’t see so well on the peripheries.
Hmmm, what would be effective peripheral lighting then perhaps for someone with no camper to mount lights on? Floodlights mounted low on the bumper angled out perhaps?
There’s the really fun looking KC gravity light bar with individual adjustable pods but then this would cause glare off the hood?
Hope other folks reading benefit from this discussion too.
The minimum viable lighting I'd consider would be a pair of Lightforce Strikers ($450, 1 lux @750m). They'll provide both distance and spread. An upgrade from there would be ARB Solis 21s ($525, 1,020m).
I may have just answered my own question. Reread: “A single pair of driving lights should be able to illuminate ditches, crossroads, street signs, close up stuff, and the far distance, all at once, without making any of that difficult to look at.”
On the Taco (I'm sorry), consult TrailTacoma.com, and find a hidden light bar mount that goes behind the grill. This will position the lights in a stable, secure location. Mount the above there and you'll be good to go.
I am a big fan of the functionality of this vehicle! I am in need of the bigger f150 for work and children. I was wondering what would be your "Ultimate Ford F150" build?
Wes, what are your thoughts on upgrading fog lights? I am in the mountains of NC and frequently find my ranger in dense fog with bad visibility. Worth the upgrade?
This thread is super helpful, but we are ready for a refresh! Is the 2024 Ranger worth waiting for and paying full (new) price? Or is a 2021-2023 a better deal for the price drop on a used truck? I ask because my 2011 Taco is ready to take a dive and you've made me a Ranger covert.
I'd save money upfront, start with a low mile '19 (subsequent model years lost a little content) XLT FX4, and spend your money copying my build exactly. The new one is basically just a heavy facelift, but has a less durable transmission. By the time you've driven through a few mud holes you won't miss the slightly fancier interior.
So here is the question Wes, I am slowly becoming a Ranger believer due to you and me digging in rather ruthlessly on the Australian born history there. I do believe Toyota gave the US the finger with the Tacoma, and we took it hook, line, and sinker! Soooo as I get a little older I want a 4DSB midsize truck. But not the Tacoma…. I’m thinking the Ranger…
I’m hoping my 2015 4x4 Tacoma Access Cab is still worth keeping, solely due to two reasons.
A-2.7L
B-Manual transmission
I have a feeling in a few years having a nice basic 4-cyl 4x4 with a manual will be something others will appreciate.
My bet, from reading a lot of Wes Siler, is that he's not in it for the overlanding. He's got his truck to do something--fishing, hunting, hiking, getting to his remote cabin. It's outfitted to get him to where he wants to be. In his case, it's not about the journey (overlanding) but about the destination (fishing, hunting etc.).
Hi Wes. To echo others, thanks for compiling a lot of your thoughts in this consolidated space. My wife and I just upgraded from an old Forester to our first truck, a 2022 Ranger SuperCrew XLT FX4 (tow package, no current mods other than topper and bike rack) with the 'Splash' package (18" wheels) 3 months ago as that was the only one available where I live near Denver.
Adventuring, we pretty exclusively dispersed camp with our dogs and two MTBs bikes on the back of the truck. When adding all the associated bike stuff, we are close to payload.
We don't plan to spend much time deliberately hitting off-road trails in the truck, but do spend a lot of time driving off-road in the desert ('West End', Moab, Hurricane/St. George, etc) and everywhere in between... with eventual goals to complete the White Rim or similar trails with some friends.
I've been trawling Ranger5G, etc and am still trying to learn about wheel/tire size combos and their implications so I'm wondering what your guidance would be on the utility in down-sizing the stock 18" wheels to a 17" wheel and associated tires based on our use case. I can find the 17" Ranger Raptor wheels online for $950+tax.
I'd skip the wheels and save that money for tires. You would have better tire selection with 17s, and a half inch more sidewall, but it doesn't sound like you're getting tasty enough off-road for that to matter.
Toyo Open Country ATIIIs in 265/70R18 would be a great size for you. Go P-metric, not LT, to save weight, and to get a tire that's better in on-road weather. Grab a Viar 300 or 400 off Amazon, plus a Boulder Tools tire repair kit, and an ARB EZ Deflator. 18psi off-road, door jam pressures on.
I don't think you'll need to remove the wheel crash bars or add a spacer to run that size, but check the forum to make sure.
You should also be running a winter tire in winter. Blizzak DM-V2s are easy to find, and all-round excellent.
Great write up Wes- appreciate you taking the time to do this!
Question: could the exact same build be done to an F150, to make an outstanding yet slightly larger vehicle? Obviously spec’d for the bigger truck but same idea/concept? Or is this best built on Ranger platform?
You can definitely follow the loose parameters, but one of the main USPs for the Ranger is the availability of Australian parts. You'll struggle to find a suspension system for the f150 that's offers half the all round performance/longevity of BP-51, there are no good bumpers for them, etc.
Hi Wes, dittos on the thanks for the article, much appreciated. I’m in the Midwest so really don’t have a need for studded tires but have considered some winter tires or a more winter capable AT. Any recommendations?
So the ONLY condition where studs help is on bare ice that's between zero and 32 degrees F. They can be demonstrated to INCREASE braking distances on bare and wet pavement. The ONLY time in two winters I've benefited from the studs on these tires was last week, when a bizarre 85 degree temp swing (from the low minus 30s to the high 40s) in 48 hours left the very remote, very seldomly traveled dirt road above our cabin covered in 4 inches of bare ice. I'm only running studs because of supply chain stuff, I wanted the studless version of these nokians.
Absolutely everyone who lives above the m
Mason Dixon line should be running winter tires in winter. I've explained the ins and outs of how, why, and the financials multiple times in long form articles and videos on Outside. I bet you can find them.
Do yourself a favor and run a studless winter tire like the studless Nokian LT3 (if you need LTs) or any of their other studless winters. They will work better across more diverse conditions.
Yeah, Nokians put a ton of work into reducing the downsides of studs, but there are still downsides. Having said that, I'd take these tires over Blizzaks regardless. The caveats there being I live at the north pole, use my trucks for stupid stuff, and people love sending me free tires.
Pro tip: Nokian makes it's winters in Finland still and shipping from that country is getting fucked by the war in Ukraine. If at any point you see the Nokian winter tires you want, even if it's summer, buy them immediately.
I ended up getting a set of Blizzaks for my F-150 this winter. I can't explain how much of a difference they made. I'll never go through another winter with all season tires. Thanks again for the advice! Money well spent. Getting ready to switch out to the Toyo AT3's soon.
Thanks for this writeup. It's great to have a resource that pulls together all your IG mentions and other articles into a comprehensive explanation of what you did, and more importantly why you did it.
One question: Would you recommend a SuperCab over the SuperCrew for someone with less dogs than yourself?
And one comment: You didn't mention which Ranger model or packages you started with. Was it XLT + FX4 + tow?
Wes: I’m a 4Runner fan and in the market for a new one. Your comment, “ This is a Hilux beater, not a Tacoma competitor”. Could you elaborate a little about what you mean here? Is a Hilux a 4Runner, Japanese version? Thanks. Joe
- A Hilux is a mid-size pickup Toyota sells in the rest of the world. It has a high payload, and is designed to operate as a commercial vehicle in austere environments for hundreds of thousands of miles.
- A Tacoma is a mid-size pickup Toyota only sells in North America. It's intended to be a personal vehicle for round-town errands and such. It can't safely carry four adults, and lacks the mechanical features necessary for hard off-road use, or any modification whatsoever.
- I am as big a Toyota fan as they come, which I'd imagine anyone else who owns a 200-series Land Cruiser is. But knowing how good a truck the company is capable of making really highlights just how little effort they put into other stuff.
- The 4Runner is not as weak as the Tacoma. It has a fully boxed frame, disc brakes, and can be optioned with some really special features like KDSS and full-time 4WD. Let's specifically look at its problems:
- The 4Runner is not adequately geared to handle its stock tires, let alone any sort of upsize.
- Its 5-speed transmission is not only ancient, but it's improperly programmed, resulting in a tendency to constantly hunt through gears rather than simply downshifting and holding a gear when acceleration is required.
- Its engine is equally ancient, and lacks both power and fuel economy.
- Its interior feels like it belongs in a $16k car from 2001.
- You cannot see out of it.
- If all the above described a vehicle that cost $20k, we could all probably dismiss it as a bargain purchase. There is no reason beyond consumer stupidity and corporate greed that people pay $40k+ for these things.
- If you want a mid-size body-on-frame SUV with excellent aftermarket support, good off-road capabilities, and solid durability, buy a Lexus GX.
Your point about the American consumer is interesting. I feel seen (lol).
Growing up in the Philippines and in a Toyota family, the Hilux had an excellent rep... so when I moved here, I just thought “Oh, the Taco is the Hilux, cool, let me get one.”
Oops. Though so far so good, happy with the Taco so far. I did expect it to feel and handle like a “truck” but then again, haven’t driven other trucks.
Though I wonder how folks like those from X Overland (I know they’re sponsored) seem to portray the Tacos as quite useful and reliable platforms.
Oh god, don't get me started. Rachelle and Clay are very nice people who do some really neat stuff. They also further misperceptions that actively harm consumers. Simply building trucks that heavy is grossly irresponsible, both as an example, and as road users. Overweight vehicles put everyone who must share the roads with them at risk.
Looks like there is really no way to increase payload capacity even with better brakes and suspension systems... is that because the rest of the truck (bolts, the frame) cannot be “upgraded”?
Love watching their work though. Inspiring to spend more time outdoors at the very least.
You can legally increase the payload of some heavy duty vehicles (like the 79 series Cruiser) in Australia through a carefully regulated process. But even then, only by a relatively small amount.
As you say, GVWR involves more than spring rates. It's the cooling system, axles, brakes, transmission, etc etc etc.
We live in a country where normal consumers can buy heavy duty pickups rated to carry 7k lbs or more. There is no excuse here for building a grossly overloaded vehicle.
The fact that American consumers aren't sophisticated enough, and vertical car media isn't expert enough, to prevent Toyota from continuing to sell these heaps in 2023 is just sad.
Great write-up, Wes. It's awesome to have all the info in one place!
One question, what does the wheel spacer do for your tires? I may be remembering wrong, but I seem to recall one of your other articles saying your tires were the same width as stock, just larger diameter.
Wheel spacers move the wheel outwards. I'm using stock wheels. If you were to do this with offset, that'd be +30.
When you fit a taller tire, it alters the suspension geometry. To keep steering sharp and the vehicle stable under heavy braking, you need to move that taller tire outboard in proportion to its height.
Oh, and thoughts on FX4 vs Tremor:
- fx4 gives you: skid plates, rear locker, off-road traction electronics, off-road cruise control (more useful than you'd think when shit gets really sketchy).
- Tremor only adds Fox 2.0, plus some appearance stuff.
- Fox 2.0 is a very, very basic system. I don't think there's even extra travel available from it.
- FX4 gives you everything you need/want on a stock truck you intend to modify, without asking you to pay more for suspension if you plan on replacing that anyways.
- Consider Tremor if you're leasing, really need everything rolled into a single finance payment, or are scared of performing modifications.
- understand that Tremor cannot match the ride quality, payload, handling, or travel of a really good aftermarket suspension system like OME BP-51.
I am a big fan of the Ranger and can’t wait for the US release of the 2024. I’m really hoping ARB USA partners with Ford like they do in Australia offering their full line of products to be order and installed by Ford dealers. To be able to go pick up a brand new Ranger with bull bar, skids, sliders, and BP51 set up sounds pretty perfect.
I'll second the Nokian tire selection. I've been very impressed in the conditions and lifespan I've ran my Hakkapiletta R3 passenger tires in on my car. I'm in my fourth season @ 58,000 miles (mid Nov-mid Apr, tons of highway miles), and the tread looks like I can get another season out of them. We'll see by the end of it. I know I give up some performance to Blizzaks in some conditions, but I don't regret the purchase ... Yet.
Some great stuff here - aftermarket support for the Ranger almost makes me regret going with it's big brother.
I have the Raingler cargo net as well. I'm satisfied with the final product, but installation was a hassle. Had to Dremel some interior piece of plastic just to reach the metal frame, and then the screws they included for installation were garbage. I pre-drilled the holes and hand tightened with as much care as possible, and still completely stripped all of them before I could get them halfway in. Worked after purchasing some higher quality screws, but not a very smooth process.
It also looks like Shrockworks is out of business as of sometime in December. Maybe that complete lack of customer support caught up with them!
Thanks Wes, great read. Been enjoying my 2021 TRD off road Taco for over a year now. It’s still stock but after nearly getting stuck in the mud a few weeks ago, I already got maxtrax boards and have an appointment to get an ARB front recovery point added. Also considering swapping the stock tires too, will be reading your write up on that. Thanks again for your work and cheers!
I forgot to ask, why not have ditch lights? The ones mounted on the GFC do the trick?
My theory about ditch lights is this:
- Americans refuse to understand effective lighting
- mounting lights in the correct location can be a challenge
- real driving lights cost money
- ditch light mounts cost pennies and are easy to mount to the hood supports.
- silly little pod lights are cheap
What do ditch lights do? They just create reflections and glare on your hood, which actually works to reduce vision.
Summary: for the love of the sweet baby Jeebus, please don't fall for this scam.
Quite the eye-opening note (thanks).
I was about to make this my next upgrade due to my nighttime mud/ditch experience where I couldn’t see so well on the peripheries.
Hmmm, what would be effective peripheral lighting then perhaps for someone with no camper to mount lights on? Floodlights mounted low on the bumper angled out perhaps?
There’s the really fun looking KC gravity light bar with individual adjustable pods but then this would cause glare off the hood?
Hope other folks reading benefit from this discussion too.
The minimum viable lighting I'd consider would be a pair of Lightforce Strikers ($450, 1 lux @750m). They'll provide both distance and spread. An upgrade from there would be ARB Solis 21s ($525, 1,020m).
I may have just answered my own question. Reread: “A single pair of driving lights should be able to illuminate ditches, crossroads, street signs, close up stuff, and the far distance, all at once, without making any of that difficult to look at.”
On the Taco (I'm sorry), consult TrailTacoma.com, and find a hidden light bar mount that goes behind the grill. This will position the lights in a stable, secure location. Mount the above there and you'll be good to go.
Thanks again Wes. Cheers to more adventures and meat in the freezer this 2023!
I am a big fan of the functionality of this vehicle! I am in need of the bigger f150 for work and children. I was wondering what would be your "Ultimate Ford F150" build?
Wes, what are your thoughts on upgrading fog lights? I am in the mountains of NC and frequently find my ranger in dense fog with bad visibility. Worth the upgrade?
I'm curious to try the new SAE fogs from Diode Dynamics and Baja Designs. Paranoid Fabrication (I think) makes a mount for the ARB bumper.
This thread is super helpful, but we are ready for a refresh! Is the 2024 Ranger worth waiting for and paying full (new) price? Or is a 2021-2023 a better deal for the price drop on a used truck? I ask because my 2011 Taco is ready to take a dive and you've made me a Ranger covert.
I'd save money upfront, start with a low mile '19 (subsequent model years lost a little content) XLT FX4, and spend your money copying my build exactly. The new one is basically just a heavy facelift, but has a less durable transmission. By the time you've driven through a few mud holes you won't miss the slightly fancier interior.
So here is the question Wes, I am slowly becoming a Ranger believer due to you and me digging in rather ruthlessly on the Australian born history there. I do believe Toyota gave the US the finger with the Tacoma, and we took it hook, line, and sinker! Soooo as I get a little older I want a 4DSB midsize truck. But not the Tacoma…. I’m thinking the Ranger…
I’m hoping my 2015 4x4 Tacoma Access Cab is still worth keeping, solely due to two reasons.
A-2.7L
B-Manual transmission
I have a feeling in a few years having a nice basic 4-cyl 4x4 with a manual will be something others will appreciate.
I think that's extremely wishful thinking. Just like other Ponzi schemes, Tacocoin will eventually collapse too.
Why does the word "overlanding" make you cringe? (I feel the same way btw, but can't explain why.)
My bet, from reading a lot of Wes Siler, is that he's not in it for the overlanding. He's got his truck to do something--fishing, hunting, hiking, getting to his remote cabin. It's outfitted to get him to where he wants to be. In his case, it's not about the journey (overlanding) but about the destination (fishing, hunting etc.).
Hi Wes. To echo others, thanks for compiling a lot of your thoughts in this consolidated space. My wife and I just upgraded from an old Forester to our first truck, a 2022 Ranger SuperCrew XLT FX4 (tow package, no current mods other than topper and bike rack) with the 'Splash' package (18" wheels) 3 months ago as that was the only one available where I live near Denver.
Adventuring, we pretty exclusively dispersed camp with our dogs and two MTBs bikes on the back of the truck. When adding all the associated bike stuff, we are close to payload.
We don't plan to spend much time deliberately hitting off-road trails in the truck, but do spend a lot of time driving off-road in the desert ('West End', Moab, Hurricane/St. George, etc) and everywhere in between... with eventual goals to complete the White Rim or similar trails with some friends.
I've been trawling Ranger5G, etc and am still trying to learn about wheel/tire size combos and their implications so I'm wondering what your guidance would be on the utility in down-sizing the stock 18" wheels to a 17" wheel and associated tires based on our use case. I can find the 17" Ranger Raptor wheels online for $950+tax.
Thanks for your time.
I'd skip the wheels and save that money for tires. You would have better tire selection with 17s, and a half inch more sidewall, but it doesn't sound like you're getting tasty enough off-road for that to matter.
Toyo Open Country ATIIIs in 265/70R18 would be a great size for you. Go P-metric, not LT, to save weight, and to get a tire that's better in on-road weather. Grab a Viar 300 or 400 off Amazon, plus a Boulder Tools tire repair kit, and an ARB EZ Deflator. 18psi off-road, door jam pressures on.
I don't think you'll need to remove the wheel crash bars or add a spacer to run that size, but check the forum to make sure.
You should also be running a winter tire in winter. Blizzak DM-V2s are easy to find, and all-round excellent.
Thanks for the speedy reply and I'll look into these suggestions!
Great write up Wes- appreciate you taking the time to do this!
Question: could the exact same build be done to an F150, to make an outstanding yet slightly larger vehicle? Obviously spec’d for the bigger truck but same idea/concept? Or is this best built on Ranger platform?
You can definitely follow the loose parameters, but one of the main USPs for the Ranger is the availability of Australian parts. You'll struggle to find a suspension system for the f150 that's offers half the all round performance/longevity of BP-51, there are no good bumpers for them, etc.
Ah very good to know. Thanks again for the outstanding build, description, and especially for sharing it. Awesome stuff!
Hi Wes, dittos on the thanks for the article, much appreciated. I’m in the Midwest so really don’t have a need for studded tires but have considered some winter tires or a more winter capable AT. Any recommendations?
So the ONLY condition where studs help is on bare ice that's between zero and 32 degrees F. They can be demonstrated to INCREASE braking distances on bare and wet pavement. The ONLY time in two winters I've benefited from the studs on these tires was last week, when a bizarre 85 degree temp swing (from the low minus 30s to the high 40s) in 48 hours left the very remote, very seldomly traveled dirt road above our cabin covered in 4 inches of bare ice. I'm only running studs because of supply chain stuff, I wanted the studless version of these nokians.
Absolutely everyone who lives above the m
Mason Dixon line should be running winter tires in winter. I've explained the ins and outs of how, why, and the financials multiple times in long form articles and videos on Outside. I bet you can find them.
Do yourself a favor and run a studless winter tire like the studless Nokian LT3 (if you need LTs) or any of their other studless winters. They will work better across more diverse conditions.
Thanks man, appreciated. I had read some of your other stuff on winter tires and the studded tires threw me off a bit.
Yeah, Nokians put a ton of work into reducing the downsides of studs, but there are still downsides. Having said that, I'd take these tires over Blizzaks regardless. The caveats there being I live at the north pole, use my trucks for stupid stuff, and people love sending me free tires.
Pro tip: Nokian makes it's winters in Finland still and shipping from that country is getting fucked by the war in Ukraine. If at any point you see the Nokian winter tires you want, even if it's summer, buy them immediately.
Good advice, thanks. I may just order a set and when they come, they come. If they are slow, might as well get in line.
I ended up getting a set of Blizzaks for my F-150 this winter. I can't explain how much of a difference they made. I'll never go through another winter with all season tires. Thanks again for the advice! Money well spent. Getting ready to switch out to the Toyo AT3's soon.
Thanks for this writeup. It's great to have a resource that pulls together all your IG mentions and other articles into a comprehensive explanation of what you did, and more importantly why you did it.
One question: Would you recommend a SuperCab over the SuperCrew for someone with less dogs than yourself?
And one comment: You didn't mention which Ranger model or packages you started with. Was it XLT + FX4 + tow?
Cab vs bed length: definitely go longer bed if you don't need the rear seats/dog space.
Ideal Ranger Spec: XLT, 302A (for the heated seats and remote start keyfob), FX4 (skid plates, rear locker, terrain management, trail control), tow.
Thanks so much!
Wes: I’m a 4Runner fan and in the market for a new one. Your comment, “ This is a Hilux beater, not a Tacoma competitor”. Could you elaborate a little about what you mean here? Is a Hilux a 4Runner, Japanese version? Thanks. Joe
- A Hilux is a mid-size pickup Toyota sells in the rest of the world. It has a high payload, and is designed to operate as a commercial vehicle in austere environments for hundreds of thousands of miles.
- A Tacoma is a mid-size pickup Toyota only sells in North America. It's intended to be a personal vehicle for round-town errands and such. It can't safely carry four adults, and lacks the mechanical features necessary for hard off-road use, or any modification whatsoever.
- I am as big a Toyota fan as they come, which I'd imagine anyone else who owns a 200-series Land Cruiser is. But knowing how good a truck the company is capable of making really highlights just how little effort they put into other stuff.
- The 4Runner is not as weak as the Tacoma. It has a fully boxed frame, disc brakes, and can be optioned with some really special features like KDSS and full-time 4WD. Let's specifically look at its problems:
- The 4Runner is not adequately geared to handle its stock tires, let alone any sort of upsize.
- Its 5-speed transmission is not only ancient, but it's improperly programmed, resulting in a tendency to constantly hunt through gears rather than simply downshifting and holding a gear when acceleration is required.
- Its engine is equally ancient, and lacks both power and fuel economy.
- Its interior feels like it belongs in a $16k car from 2001.
- You cannot see out of it.
- If all the above described a vehicle that cost $20k, we could all probably dismiss it as a bargain purchase. There is no reason beyond consumer stupidity and corporate greed that people pay $40k+ for these things.
- If you want a mid-size body-on-frame SUV with excellent aftermarket support, good off-road capabilities, and solid durability, buy a Lexus GX.
Your point about the American consumer is interesting. I feel seen (lol).
Growing up in the Philippines and in a Toyota family, the Hilux had an excellent rep... so when I moved here, I just thought “Oh, the Taco is the Hilux, cool, let me get one.”
Oops. Though so far so good, happy with the Taco so far. I did expect it to feel and handle like a “truck” but then again, haven’t driven other trucks.
Though I wonder how folks like those from X Overland (I know they’re sponsored) seem to portray the Tacos as quite useful and reliable platforms.
Oh god, don't get me started. Rachelle and Clay are very nice people who do some really neat stuff. They also further misperceptions that actively harm consumers. Simply building trucks that heavy is grossly irresponsible, both as an example, and as road users. Overweight vehicles put everyone who must share the roads with them at risk.
Looks like there is really no way to increase payload capacity even with better brakes and suspension systems... is that because the rest of the truck (bolts, the frame) cannot be “upgraded”?
Love watching their work though. Inspiring to spend more time outdoors at the very least.
You can legally increase the payload of some heavy duty vehicles (like the 79 series Cruiser) in Australia through a carefully regulated process. But even then, only by a relatively small amount.
As you say, GVWR involves more than spring rates. It's the cooling system, axles, brakes, transmission, etc etc etc.
We live in a country where normal consumers can buy heavy duty pickups rated to carry 7k lbs or more. There is no excuse here for building a grossly overloaded vehicle.
This was immensely helpful as someone who was looking at 4Runners.
The fact that American consumers aren't sophisticated enough, and vertical car media isn't expert enough, to prevent Toyota from continuing to sell these heaps in 2023 is just sad.
Thanks. I’ll take a closer look at the Ranger
Great write-up, Wes. It's awesome to have all the info in one place!
One question, what does the wheel spacer do for your tires? I may be remembering wrong, but I seem to recall one of your other articles saying your tires were the same width as stock, just larger diameter.
Wheel spacers move the wheel outwards. I'm using stock wheels. If you were to do this with offset, that'd be +30.
When you fit a taller tire, it alters the suspension geometry. To keep steering sharp and the vehicle stable under heavy braking, you need to move that taller tire outboard in proportion to its height.
Googling "scrub radius," can provide more info.