Big_Geek
Drop Bear
Hi all! I'm strongly considering purchasing a Tacoma TRD Off-Road, but have a few questions before I go down this path.
Suspension:
I'm looking for roughly 2" of lift and a much better off-road ride from the stock Bilsteins/coil-overs and rear leafs.
I am considering the Icon Vehicle Dynamics Stage 4 or stage 5 suspension up front. I know the coil-overs were legendary when they were Donahoe - are they still that good after changing to Icon? Has anyone actually measured the increase in wheel travel associated with the new UCAs?
I am considering a new set of Deaver springs for the rear. I would like to have a leaf pack made of thinner steel to improve the ride quality and provide a more dynamic and progressive spring rate. Am I on the right track here?
Can anyone with this (or very similar setup) speak to the impact to the factory ride of the vehicle? Should I expect a firmer, softer, about the same ride quality? Is there "squishiness" or increased body roll? Any "gotchas" that I would need to consider?
Performance/Economy:
I looked into the supercharger that is available for this setup and can't imagine it being practical. Any disagreements here? I'd love to have the increased 20% power bumping up to 360HP, but I don't see any significant increase in fuel mileage to offset the associated expense over the life of the vehicle. Can anyone with the supercharger installed provide any information on real-world impact of the system?
I also looked at the TRD cat back system and am not sure that 5 to 8 HP increase is worth the price tag. I can't find any information on the fuel mileage impact (if any) on this system. Does anyone have this installed and is there a fuel economy increase? I know it is reported to be one of the quieter systems on the market, but is it louder than stock?
It appears that a cold air intake seems to have the best price/performance bang-for-the-buck. Is there a way to link this with a snorkel or does the snorkel provide the same function? Does this increase the usefullness of the cat back system allowing the entire engine intake and exhaust operate more efficiently? Does this result in a net MPG improvement?
Thanks in advance for any input from this well-respected group!
Suspension:
I'm looking for roughly 2" of lift and a much better off-road ride from the stock Bilsteins/coil-overs and rear leafs.
I am considering the Icon Vehicle Dynamics Stage 4 or stage 5 suspension up front. I know the coil-overs were legendary when they were Donahoe - are they still that good after changing to Icon? Has anyone actually measured the increase in wheel travel associated with the new UCAs?
I am considering a new set of Deaver springs for the rear. I would like to have a leaf pack made of thinner steel to improve the ride quality and provide a more dynamic and progressive spring rate. Am I on the right track here?
Can anyone with this (or very similar setup) speak to the impact to the factory ride of the vehicle? Should I expect a firmer, softer, about the same ride quality? Is there "squishiness" or increased body roll? Any "gotchas" that I would need to consider?
Performance/Economy:
I looked into the supercharger that is available for this setup and can't imagine it being practical. Any disagreements here? I'd love to have the increased 20% power bumping up to 360HP, but I don't see any significant increase in fuel mileage to offset the associated expense over the life of the vehicle. Can anyone with the supercharger installed provide any information on real-world impact of the system?
I also looked at the TRD cat back system and am not sure that 5 to 8 HP increase is worth the price tag. I can't find any information on the fuel mileage impact (if any) on this system. Does anyone have this installed and is there a fuel economy increase? I know it is reported to be one of the quieter systems on the market, but is it louder than stock?
It appears that a cold air intake seems to have the best price/performance bang-for-the-buck. Is there a way to link this with a snorkel or does the snorkel provide the same function? Does this increase the usefullness of the cat back system allowing the entire engine intake and exhaust operate more efficiently? Does this result in a net MPG improvement?
Thanks in advance for any input from this well-respected group!