To be quite honest, I had no idea when I bought my Tacoma, that it would
ever reach the level of performance that it has. Granted, I researched the
available trucks at length before making my purchase, but since owning
this vehicle for so many years I have been pleasantly surprised that it
has met my expectations and surpassed them. My original intentions were to
get the most reliable and capable light truck that I could, in the hopes
that I could reasonably develop it as a "road trip" machine that
would aid in my pursuit of an outdoors and travel related lifestyle. I
found out that the more I used this truck and gained experience from it,
the more I found myself carefully developing it, and the more I enjoyed
it. This has turned out to be the "perfect" expedition vehicle
for me, because it suits all of my needs for what I want to accomplish.
I like to think of my camper and modifications as "backpacking
equipment" for my truck. I have tried to design everything with the
"go light" philosophy in mind. Every ounce counts. Yes, there
are ways I could have made some components even lighter, but
unfortunately, cost has to be considered when evaluating these things. I
like the fact that I can get on the highway in this truck, and cruise
comfortably at high speeds with amenities such as cruise control, air
conditioning, premium audio and refrigerated refreshments (haha!). Then, I
can pull off of the highway, air down the tires, and venture into
inhospitable terrain (trails rated at 3.5 + on 1-5 rating scale) to get
into some remote areas, or just to have fun challenging myself and the
vehicle. When the day turns to night, I can find a place to park, crawl
into the camper, and sleep in a comfortable bed. If I really like the
place, I can set up a base camp and stay awhile. When the trip nears an
end, I can air up the tires, get back on the freeway, and this truck will
still drive straight as an arrow with no vibrations. I have been using
this truck like this for years and years, and it always makes me smile.
To summarize my truck, I would say that it is a light expedition
vehicle, for the minimalist traveler, who wants the capability to traverse
difficult terrain, yet maintain long distance efficiency, with the option
of traveling self-contained for up to two weeks at a time.
A very popular modification to the Tacoma these days is what has become
known as an "SAS", which is an acronym for "solid axle
swap". Basically, it is removing the IFS (independent front
suspension) and replacing it with a straight-axle. Here is my take on the SAS with regards to an expedition vehicle on a
Tacoma platform:
1. If you can justify the cost of the swap for what you will be doing
with the axle, then that is a big part of the decision. What I mean is
that, in my opinion - you will not really see 100% of the potential of the SAS if
you put it on an expedition vehicle. The reason is that an SAS has some incredible trail capability, but only if it is matched
with a lighter truck, 35" or 38" tires, super
flexy suspension, and low gearing. 3 out of those 4, you wouldn't
ideally see on an expedition rig. Although the suspension issue might
be worked out with additional project time and expense.
2. If you do decide to SAS after considering the above, you would
probably want to keep the amount of lift considerably lower than the
average swap that is seen done so often. The first reason being the center-of-gravity. You are already at a
disadvantage with COG because of the weight (and possibly height) of
your expedition rig/gear. If you put full width axles in front and rear,
this would help, but can lead to more decisions when considering Tacoma platform. The
second issue being your rolling resistance or profile where fuel economy
and power-robbing wind, and are concerned. This also gets into
the issue of tire size. 35" or 38" tires are generally not
considered efficient or economical for long distance touring on a light
truck like the Tacoma.
3. By increasing the trail capability of the rig with the SAS and the
things that come with it (larger tires, more lift, more articulation)
you are inviting yourself to tackle much more technical obstacles and
therefore you get into issues of strength where the frame and
cross-members, shackle hangers, etc. are concerned. If you have a heavy
expedition rig, these considerations are amplified.
I have definitely entertained the thought of doing an SAS for a few
reasons, but so far I have decided not to do it for the reasons I
mentioned above. I don't claim to know it all though, and I certainly
might change my mind - only time will tell. For now, I am more than
happy with the Tacoma IFS. I think it is a very strong, reliable, and
comfortable setup - for being an IFS. As long as I am doing
long-range trips and have 33" or smaller tires, I'm pretty happy
with it.
