Most car people love a lifted truck with bigger wheels and tires. I certainly do, as both my bank account and the rig in my driveway can attest. Even those who don’t necessarily do heavy off-roading or overlanding can enjoy and appreciate the benefits.
As much fun as lifted trucks are, though, there are many reasons to forego these upgrades and keep things stock. This article isn’t to dissuade anyone, rather, it informs new owners on what to expect should they go down the modification rabbit hole.
I’ll be talking about my 3rd Gen, but this subject applies to most Toyota owners.
Table Of Contents
Wheels & Tires
Adding larger tires to your Tacoma seems like a no-brainer. The improved stance (seemingly), better traction, additional ground clearance, and voila! Your truck is no longer a cookie-cutter Tacoma.
Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. It never is.
Larger tires have several hidden costs, monetarily and in day-to-day performance.
A quick search for stock-size tire prices for my 2018 TRD Off Road model shows less than $190 per tire. My aftermarket tires, from the same retailer, show a per-unit cost of closer to $240. Some larger tires like 34-35″ mud terrain varieties can be around $400.
$50 bucks may not seem like a huge deal at first, but you’ll also need a full-size spare and likely a new 5th wheel if you’ve gone the aftermarket route. My wheel and tire package was by no means the highest-end available and came to nearly $3k.
Outside of cost, you’ll experience worsened fuel economy due to the increased rolling resistance and ride height. The slower acceleration and increased braking distances will also take some getting used to.
Finally, there’s the cost of aftermarket wheels. For example, if you go with a tire width greater than 285 or 10.5″, your stock wheels likely can’t accommodate them. Spacers are an option, but they also add cost.
Suspension
Lifts come in all shapes and sizes, with mild ones costing a few hundred dollars to “sweet feathery lord, HOW MUCH!?” Plus, just like with wheels and tires, there are several hidden costs.
If you lift your Tacoma more than 2″, you’ll need aftermarket upper control arms to achieve a proper alignment. Those start around $500 for the pair and go up from there.
Most mid-travel lift kits are 100% bolt-on and can installed in your driveway over the weekend. Custom long travel kits, on the other hand, will potentially require extra fabrication work and increase your costs. Whether you’re installing a lift on your own or having a shop do it, you’ll also need a backup mode of transportation if it takes more than a day,
After all suspension upgrades, you’ll need an alignment which is around $150, just be sure to go to a shop familiar with alignments for 4x4s.
Drivetrain
An often-overlooked consideration is the necessity to re-gear the front and rear differentials after installing larger tires. Left stock, you’ll be running higher RPMs and further erode your fuel economy, as well as causing additional wear on your engine and transmission.
Re-gearing reduces the engine RPMs at cruising speeds and improves acceleration. It makes a HUGE difference in daily drivability and helps claw back some of the lost fuel economy.
Regear kits for the 3rd GEn Tacoma run around $1,400 and you can easily expect another $1,200 to $1,600 for the installation labor.
While the front end is opened up, it’s worth replacing the stock needle bearings on the driver-side CV axle. Our Tacomas have needle bearings that the aftermarket has helpfully upgraded to a sintered PTFE coated bushing to help control vibration and shaft float which is common on these differentials. The part cost is only $60, but with installation and materials, you’re looking at another couple of hundred dollars added to your total.
While not a drivetrain mod, a tune might also be helpful for better throttle response, shift points and more.
Body & Frame
For some reason, Toyota decided to awkwardly place the front cab mounts of our trucks so that fitting larger wheels is a pain.
The accepted solution for this is referred to as a cab or body mount chop (CMC/BMC). It involves a block-off plate, some cutting, and some welding. If you don’t have the skills or tools to do this yourself, expect to pay someone $300-$500.
You will also likely need to smash back the pinch weld and trim the fenders, bumper and flares.
Maintenance & Replacement Parts
Generally, a lifted truck won’t take much more maintenance than a stock one, if the installation is done correctly. What WILL happen is that the remaining stock parts will get more wear and tear and may require sooner replacement.
For example, if you purchased a nice lift kit and upgraded your upper control arms, you’ve likely avoided issues with those for the next 60,000+ miles.
But notice how I said upper control arms? Lower control arms, for example, mount the frame to the steering assembly via a ball joint on the steering side and bushings on the frame side. These can begin to squeak and fail when stressed more than normal. The front CV shafts can also fail sooner due to the increased angle and additional stress.
I’ve had both of these parts fail recently and needed to replace them. Factory lower control arms start at around $300 per side, plus installation and alignment and rapidly increase from there for aftermarket varieties.
While it’s true that these parts would still need to eventually be replaced on a stock Tacoma, they’ll likely fail sooner with a lift and larger tires.
Fuel Economy
To be fair, none of us purchased our trucks for delightful fuel economy. Stock, my Tacoma with automatic transmission got MPGs in the upper teens and low twenties, on a good day.
With my lifted, re-geared, and mildly armored rig, I typically see MPG in the 14 to 16 range. A reduction of around 25%. Imagine what a rooftop tent, or heavy overland rig might expect.
Again, not a deal-breaker, but certainly something to keep in mind if your truck is a daily driver.
Final Thoughts
My mid-level upgrades, done properly by a reputable shop with friendly rates, came to around $11,500 when it was all said and done. While admittedly higher than I would have liked, it was a comprehensive upgrade and covered all of the bases that I had researched.
Which is to say, just be aware of what you’re getting into, should you still want to go this route. Get a few estimates, do your own shopping, and know roughly what to expect. And even then, goose your estimate by another 25%, just in case.
With all things considered, would I do it all again? Absolutely. Put simply, this is a hobby, and I thoroughly enjoy everything I’ve done to my truck. Honestly, the most difficult part for me is getting passengers into the cab. I need to lift my dogs in and out. Fortunately, I’m no longer weighed down by a full wallet and have more mobility. That’s what I’m telling myself anyway…
Hopefully, this outline helps inform your decision and gives a thorough snapshot of what to expect should you decide to start modifying your Tacoma.
