One of the main reasons I made the Toyota Tacoma my truck of choice is its versatility. The Tacoma is the perfect truck to build into a highly capable off-road machine if done right. The term "prerunner" is derived from two-wheel drive trucks that would pre-run an off-road race course before the 4x4 vehicles. Having a 2-wheel drive truck test the course first ensures that the track is prepped and ready for racing. If a prerunner can get through it, then a 4x4 would have no problem. A prerunner is built to imitate the capabilities of a 4-wheel drive truck to its most extreme potential while keeping its two-wheel drivetrain. I will discuss the suspension components of my prerunner build and how they make my truck capable.
Many modifications can be done to make a 2-wheel drive truck worthy of trailing behind a 4x4 to an extent. Although there are many places a 4x4 can go, a well built prerunner can keep up for the most part. Both trucks have different purposes, but a prerunner is built for high speeds across mild to rough terrain. I chose to replace the stock suspension components with all aftermarket off-road racing parts.
FOX Racing ShoxThe most prevalent suspension component consisted of a "Fox Racing Shox" kit. This kit included coil over shocks for the front and dual adjustable compression shocks for the rear. All shocks on the truck are equipped with remote reservoirs that improve suspension performance in situations of endurance. When shocks undergo heavy cycling, it causes them to heat up due to the amount of friction present. The remote reservoirs attached to the shock are filled with extra oil that allows the shock to endure high-speed compression rates while keeping it running cool. The extra shock oil helps avoid overheating which would cause equipment failure. The adjustable compression allows me to tune the ride stiffness with the simple turn of a dial. When using my truck as a daily driver on the road, I set the compression to the lowest setting. This ensures a softer ride on the street. When going off-road, I am able to adjust the shocks to a higher compression setting to help absorb impacts on rough terrain. These features alone make the truck highly capable in demanding off-road situations.
When upgrading to aftermarket shocks, it is necessary to upgrade other surrounding components to accommodate them. One of the parts I had to replace was the stock upper control arm. There are fabrication companies that make these custom replacement parts. I decided to go with Total Chaos upper control arms to pair with my new coilover kit. These aftermarket upper control arms enable the truck suspension to work at its fullest potential. They correct vehicle alignment, allow for extra ride height, and allow the wheel to droop down further providing extra extension for the shock. This extra extension is known as "suspension travel" and it is necessary for a smooth ride off-road. These Total Chaos control arms are stronger and beefier than the stock parts and are a necessity for an off-road build.
Maxtrac Spindles
The next component that I chose to complete the front end are the aftermarket MaxTrac spindles. Spindles are exclusive to two-wheel drive trucks because there are no 4x4 moving parts that interfere with the front end suspension. Spindles are great because they allow the truck to be lifted without changing the suspension geometry. Lifting the truck allows for more underside clearance; this helps avoid rocks and other objects from damaging the truck. It can drive over just about anything.
Last, but not least, are the rear leaf springs. I replaced the stock springs with a Deaver Suspension off-road custom leaf pack. This spring pack is custom and contains more springs than the old one. More springs allows for more ride height and a better ride. All of these components are the heart of the prerunner build and without this suspension, my truck would not be as capable as it is today.
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