bj40
Member
This is my first post and I want to begin by saying that I have been very impressed by the friendly and helpful nature of the members of this forum.
I began "wandering the west" as an Outward Bound instructor back in the late sixties when I turned twenty. Back then it was backpacking in the mountains of Cali, Oregon and WA. Later in my thirties and forties it was river expeditions in the canyons of Utah. I always had to pinch myself to think I was getting paid to do such work. And along the way I was carpentering houses in Wyoming and Alaska and even New Zealand and teaching middle school. Been lurking here for the past year.
Now I am an outdoor painter, oil on canvass and my expedition vehicle has been a 94 Toyota single cab, 2 wheel drive with a cap and a couple of rocket boxes and a foam pad; ac is attained by rolling down the window. Great MPG. BUT, I am turning 70 in July and feel I'm ready for an upgrade.
I have a Bobcat shell on the build schedule at ATC and a 2014 Tacoma 4x4 DCLB(new to me) In the driveway. Yes, I have read about the problems of the Toyota and overweight issues. I plan to do the buildout myself trying to think like a thru hiker on the PCT. Yes, I definiitely want to get off the beaten path but have little to zero experience with 4X4. I imagine that the majority of my driving will be on the highway, then forest service/BLM, to roads that say "4 wheel only". Will be looking for "dispersed camping" as I have used regular campgrounds less times than fingers on one hand in this whole life.
Any mods to the truck will only come as the need arises. From my reading here, I'll probably go with airbags to start. But even before that I need tires as the ones on the truck are very near the end of their useful life. Currently using 265/70/16. Been tire shopping but am getting lots of different answers. Not interested changing the rims unless it makes good sense. One tire salesman asked me how I wanted the tires to look on the truck, and yea I know that tires and rims can be pretty cool looking but...........
If you understand my quandry about this tire purchase and have an experience or reccomendation I would sure be happy to have you share it with me.
BTW,
I do own a 1980 Landcruiser BJ40. Hence my handle. It gets shifted into four wheel once per month unless I am pulling a trailer with block or sand or rock up a steep hill. It has been my construction vehicle for the past twelve years. I suppose that if a person can have love for a truck, then I'm guilty with this one. Runs like fine watch with only 150,000 kilometers. "Un regalo en mi vida."
Thanks
I began "wandering the west" as an Outward Bound instructor back in the late sixties when I turned twenty. Back then it was backpacking in the mountains of Cali, Oregon and WA. Later in my thirties and forties it was river expeditions in the canyons of Utah. I always had to pinch myself to think I was getting paid to do such work. And along the way I was carpentering houses in Wyoming and Alaska and even New Zealand and teaching middle school. Been lurking here for the past year.
Now I am an outdoor painter, oil on canvass and my expedition vehicle has been a 94 Toyota single cab, 2 wheel drive with a cap and a couple of rocket boxes and a foam pad; ac is attained by rolling down the window. Great MPG. BUT, I am turning 70 in July and feel I'm ready for an upgrade.
I have a Bobcat shell on the build schedule at ATC and a 2014 Tacoma 4x4 DCLB(new to me) In the driveway. Yes, I have read about the problems of the Toyota and overweight issues. I plan to do the buildout myself trying to think like a thru hiker on the PCT. Yes, I definiitely want to get off the beaten path but have little to zero experience with 4X4. I imagine that the majority of my driving will be on the highway, then forest service/BLM, to roads that say "4 wheel only". Will be looking for "dispersed camping" as I have used regular campgrounds less times than fingers on one hand in this whole life.
Any mods to the truck will only come as the need arises. From my reading here, I'll probably go with airbags to start. But even before that I need tires as the ones on the truck are very near the end of their useful life. Currently using 265/70/16. Been tire shopping but am getting lots of different answers. Not interested changing the rims unless it makes good sense. One tire salesman asked me how I wanted the tires to look on the truck, and yea I know that tires and rims can be pretty cool looking but...........
If you understand my quandry about this tire purchase and have an experience or reccomendation I would sure be happy to have you share it with me.
BTW,
I do own a 1980 Landcruiser BJ40. Hence my handle. It gets shifted into four wheel once per month unless I am pulling a trailer with block or sand or rock up a steep hill. It has been my construction vehicle for the past twelve years. I suppose that if a person can have love for a truck, then I'm guilty with this one. Runs like fine watch with only 150,000 kilometers. "Un regalo en mi vida."
Thanks
. The 4x4 tire part is not much different but the further "in" you go, the more important reliability and traction become - while you are there. Of course those are only two attributes that tires might have.
