Just About There

[drb77]

After 7 months and about $7K, the 4th gen SR5 is starting to look like a real 4X4 truck.
Below are the significant external mods;
BFG KO3 265/70-17 tires
Lomax tonneau cover
Rough Country front and rear recovery shackles
RCI steel front skid plate
Bed step

 

[tacojoel]

Thats nice, I can see the tonneau cover, and maybe the bed steps, but did you really need the other junk?

 

[drb77]

Yes, when my current 2nd gen TRD OR work truck fails to be reliable in the oilfield, this 4th gen will be it's replacement. I've had many occasions when I've been drug from mud holes on "lease roads" with a dozer. And they need to be ready to go in any weather/road conditions (my operations are 24/7). I have an FJ Cruiser for fun stuff, but the Tacomas are intended for the business.

 

[tacojoel]

Idk, about the 2024 gen4 tacoma's being intended for business. Other than the sr models for light duty service work, the rest of the trims are too nice to beat on. I think toyota made them more of a white collar person's truck to play with.

 

[drb77]

Idk, about the 2024 gen4 tacoma's being intended business. Other than the sr models for light duty service work, the rest of the trims are too nice to beat on. I think toyota made them more of a white collar person's truck to play with.

IDK what Toyota intends but all of my Toyo 4X4 trucks, 4 since '91 have been near-perfect vehicles for my mixed use. And that's why I went with the new '24. I'm not at all sure these new models will be as reliable, but I didn't find anything better that I wanted to experiment with.

 

[tacojoel]

Depends who you ask on these mid size trucks these days. Ford has a pretty good start with the ranger, and good reviews with their smaller maverick. A buddy of mine traded his 2019 trd or for a 2021 Nissan pro 4x...claims it's a better truck than the garbage gen3 he had. Even gm has up'd their game. Hopefully toyota has done enough on these gen4's to stay ahead. Imo, toyota has been getting more like the domestics every year.

 

[drb77]

Depends who you ask on these mid size trucks these days. Ford has a pretty good start with the ranger, and good reviews with their smaller maverick. A buddy of mine traded his 2019 trd or for a 2021 Nissan pro 4x...claims it's a better truck than the garbage gen3 he had. Even gm has up'd their game. Hopefully toyota has done enough on these gen4's to stay ahead. Imo, toyota has been getting more like the domestics every year.

With all of the fed safety and EPA regulations/specs, Toyota is surely being forced to comply, just like all of the other brands. Consumer choice has been relegated to last place (and the deep state couldn't care less). Get ready for the midget, e-cars with fees for each mile driven.

 

[tacojoel]

At least that won't happen for awhile if the orangeman, and republicans take control of both houses. They're not all in like many of these crazy dems.

 

[Rock62]

FWIW. Every time you fill your ICE ride you are paying road taxes. The EVs skip that tax and are able to use the roads "Free".

The fees being proposed on EVs is to offset the missing road taxes on a gallon of fuel.

They should pay their share of road use fees. Several issues are coming to light with road safety is not able to handle the increase weight of EVs. Example: guard rails are designed to redirect a 5000 lb vehicle. Many EVs that is just the weight of the battery pack. Meaning if an EV impacts a guard rail.....it'll go through it, resulting in an ineffective guard rail.

 

[tacojoel]

Believe me it won't be long before a new type road tax is put through taxing ev's every year for the road miles they accumulate on their odo's. I'll be similar to these emission tests that states did to create other fees.

Now it's time to go out, and check how my prime brisket....been in the smoker all night. Going to be some hopefully good eats for lunch.