Okay, I'm new to this group and have found many of you love the supercharger. I understand the how and why they work, yet I cannot seem to justify it for my Taco.
I've pulled a 16' trailer with a tractor, loader and small backhoe over Wolf Creek pass and other places at altitude (Colorado) and never (really) wanted for power. My 3.4 will out-work and out-perform a Dodge Dakota V-8 I had, which was junk.
Anyway, I am interested in glimpsing your thought process regarding the S/C.
Serious offroading or racing... Ok, I get it. But for my everyday rig that occasionally gets called upon for tough duty... well, I think it's got enough punch as is. What am I missing here?

 

Lots (probably most) of people just like having more power for a D/D. The big pro to having an S/C is instant torque, to get yourself moving when towing something.

 

Right, but I've often found those who want more power for power's sake often miss the subtleties of other techniques.

I'm also afraid the S/C will require other tweaks. Headers, exhaust, premium fuel, etc. The unknown and unintended consequences of starting this string of upgrades could counteract the benefits for me. Yikes.

I think it's a great mod, no doubt, but it never is as simple as it seems. And that has me holding off.

 

yes if you do some reading there are numerous threads on everything to do with the supercharger. Yes i suppose you can bolt it on and go, as i assume that is what happens with the dealer installed ones however as stated by others and like your assumption there are many mods to follow to ensure the best performance and not killing your engine and tranny prematurely..fuel pump, tranny cooler, spark plugs, fuel injectors, pulleys and so on. But is it worth it? to those that have and want a s/c i would assume so. If I had the funds to do this properly it would have been on by now. there is that 300hp taco,,,who wouldnt want that? and for daily driving a s/c would be great for gettin around in my opinion....one day.and as for the question of why? POWER=FUN..

 

If you have a manual transmission it is a better upgrade in my opinion, you don't have to worry about frying your AT in that case. You should however get the larger injectors and fuel pump. So to answer your question frankly, I ask this, Is having an extra 30-40% more HP and torque worth 3500$? Only you can answer that question... As stated above, use the search button and you will find loads of info regarding the SC.

 

This question is easily answered with one simple sentence:

I like power, lots of it

I like to be able to drive up a 10% grade without downshifting. I like to be able to pass at will. I like to be able to turn people's heads with the supercharger's whine. Basically, it's like owning a 4WD hot-rod.

Sure, it may be expensive, and I might not NEED it, but I love being able to press the gas and GO. I don't NEED a gaming computer, or a 4WD, or R/C cars, or a stereo; they're just my hobbies, and they keep me busy. And hey, if I can have 330hp on tap and still get 22 mpg hwy, it's a win-win for me.

If it's hard for you to justify spending $5k on a supercharger, fuel mods, and a VB upgrade, then you probably shouldn't get one. But, don't ride in a supercharged truck, unless you plan on wanting one once you get out

 

^ hmm 22mpg??? I don't get that on a NA motor. And I did run a SC before and it didn't really change the MPG. Whats the magic secret that we are all missing Brian???

 

Great question, Brad. The answer for me is no, but as popular as it is for most people I was convinced I was missing something.

My background as a pilot has me running into this question all the time. Most pilots want more and more power in their aircraft. So big engines (and fuel bills) are very popular... it's the easy answer. The tough answer is, "Stop it and get more/better training. Your plane and budget will thank you for it!" However, the trade offs are more pronounced in aviation.

As long as it's just a matter of wanting more power... OK great. I can respect others for wanting it, but feel no compulsion to "keep up" as I love my Taco's performance now. Then again, I don't know what I'm missing.

 

The secret you probably missing is altitude. I went on a ski trip to Steamboat Springs, CO and the entire drive was over 6000 ft, and went up to 11,300 at one point. Got 22.7 mpg on one stretch going 65mph, on a long flat plain that was at about 7000 ft. Additionally, here in NM even driving from Los Alamos to ABQ I get about 20-21 mpg, but the entire drive stays relatively high in altitude (over 4500 ft). And that's with 285's and an automatic tranny. At sea level I suspect I would be getting 17-18 mpg at the same speed.

The less wind resistance you have, the better your mileage at a set speed on the hwy.

EDIT: I'd also like to point out that a supercharger, with the URD fuel kit and a 2.2" pulley will give you about 145 more hp (estimates are 330hp at the crank), a 78% increase over stock Add water/methanol injection and smaller pulleys, you can push far over a 100% increase (and far over $5000 total invested).

 

Im with the other guy! what am i missing? for 5k you could have another ride instead of just one.

 

lol well just don't buy one then. But you REALLY don't know what you're missing without riding in a Supercharged/URD'd truck. As I said in my previous thread, it's like having a 4WD hot-rod.

The main reason I wanted to make sure I had a supercharged 4Runner is because I plan to turn it into a desert/dunes long travel suspension bomber, and you need lots of horsepower to get up the REALLY big dunes

 

Now that makes sense. One needs the power for dunes!

I've talked with Chris (BajaTaco) and he reflects my position. He doesn't have the S/C on his highly modified and customized Tacoma. His mission profile is expedition oriented which calls for extreme reliability through reduced complexity. I like and can relate to this approach.

The lesson here might be to completely define your mission profile and let that determine your mods.

 

Those may be some of the smarter words spoken here in a long time.

Many of us have defined our mission as simply... More!

 

LOL, my mission profile has been there many-a-time