Hello All,
I'm new here and would like to say congrats on a neat and informative site. I have a question already. I own a 99 tacoma all stock and I'm needing new tires and want to know whats the biggest I can fit on the truck stock no lift. I have 31's on it now and they seem to have room left over. I know theres other things to consider but I'm just wondering whats the biggest I could go without a lift. 31x11.5x50, 32x11.5x50 are my choices. Thanks for any help.

patacoma

 

the 32"s might be too big. I had 31" by 11.50" tires on my truck before the lift, and they were great! They looked a lot better too.

 

32x11.50 will fit fine but you will rub at full lock...

this tire should fit the stock tire as well.... so if you don't rubbing only at full lock you should be fine.

if you're sagging then u will definitely have some problems but a mild 2" light will correct any problems.

 

If you go off-road at all...32s will rub for sure. If you are on-road only (and easy on the speed bumps), you could squeeze 32s in.

Why not spend $300 or so and get a 3" lift...then 32s will fit for sure (or 33s if you are on-road only).

Also, remember that M/Ts are slightly taller than A/Ts...

BTW, I have a 3" lift and I am still with 31s for now. I'll wait til this set of M/Ts wear out before I get a new set (32s).

Jim

 

I have a question. Since I haven't owned a Taco (I did own an '89 Xtra Cab), are the wheel openings / fenderwells smaller on the Taco than on the 3rd Gen 4Runner?

They kind of look like it whenever I'm sitting next to one on the road. Or is it an optical illusion due to the different shape?

Just wondering.

Mike

 

Unfortunately I can't help you with any concrete info...

My hunch is that the Taco has more room, just because it is a truck vs. an SUV.

When you compare the two side-by-side, be sure they are both running the same size tires. There are so many sizes these days it is easy to mistake one for another, and that will skew the perspective even more.

Jim

 

I just went from a 2000 4Runner to a 99 Tacoma. At first, I thought the wheel wells were smaller, but I think that was because I was running about 2.5" - 3" of lift on the 4Runner and hadn't mentally adjusted back to stock height. I put my 265/75/16 BFG Mud Terrains on the Tacoma and boy, did they look big! I didn't rub at all, but I didn't take it off road until I added some lift. Further, my Tacoma doesn't have fender flares (yet) while the 4Runner had the standard SR5 flares. This makes the tires all the more striking.

So to answer your question, no, I don't think the wheel wells are smaller. Do I have hard facts? No. I only have impressions and observations.

Hope this helps a bit!

 

olly,good times and jruz,
Thanks for the replies. I will take them into consideration. What kind of lift for $300? Suspension or body? I would consider this if were a suspension. Yes I do off-roading so I will surely stay with 31's 11.5x50. Please let me know a good place to buy lifts. Thanks again and I look forward to your responses.

P.S By the way what is full lock?

patacoma

 

if you're going to be off roadin then you def need to get some 32's on there.

also look into lifting it a few inches 2-3 inches min.

cornfed spacers (best spacers around)
OME (spring and shocks)
Bilsteins (shocks)
SAW (sway-a-way coil over systems)
etc etc

but if you want more detailed info on different types of suspensions available check out this website... they have a wealth of information available for toyotas.

http://ttora-ne.com/newsite/main.htm

some other links that might give u some ideas...
http://fastq.com/~sschaefer/parts.html

you can also visit http://www.tacomaterritory.com and get some quality info on your tacoma as well... they def will be able to give you more than enough information to get you started in the right direction.

 

Full-lock is when you have the steering wheel all the way left/right (can't turn any more).

$300 (approximately) for a suspension lift. Body lifts are cheaper, but I would steer clear of them.

Yeah, what the other guy said...
Cornfed Spacer lift up front (a poly-urethane piece that goes in your front shock/coil setup)
AALs out in the back (Add-A-Leaf...stiffens the leaf-spring pack, giving you lift)

If you want more of a performance setup, go with something like the OME lift I have (Old Man Emu, distributed by ARB). It costs around $900...so it is on the high-end for 3" lifts. Retains your suspension travel, along with giving you lift. The spacer/AAL lift will give you the lift, but limit the susp. travel a bit. It includes, new shocks (frt/rear), stiffer coils up front, and new leaves out back.

Don't get me wrong though...the spacer/AAL setup is an awesome improvement over stock, and probably the most popular in the TTORA club.

Jim

 

So where do the bigger tires rub at full lock? the frame? wheel wells? somewhere else? Can the rub eliminated with a large narrow tire? For example a 33" tall 9/10" wide?

 

At full lock it will rub on the frame.

One option nobody has mentioned yet I think... is going to the 16 rims from a newer Taco. This will allow you to run the 265/75R16's which are taller than 31's but about the same width. So it will rub less at full lock but you will get a bit more hieght.

I have these on my wife's 04 Taco ( bone stock) and they rub just a tinny bit at full lock but no big deal. You can find stock 16 Taco rims for sale almost anywhere. I think the 32x11.50's will rub a lot more.

I would just lift it though. You don't have to get too crazy with the lift. Just 2.5" in from and some 1.5" lift shackles in the rear and you will clear 265/75's with no trouble at all and maybe even the 32's if you don't want to change rims. And this should make it sit pretty level.

 

4Runners or at least the 01-02 runners have a surprisingly good fenderwell for bigger tires. I still rubbed after a 2.5" lift up front with larger backspacing tires and a 2" bodylift whereas ecchamberlin has a 1" BL with the exact same tires I have and hardly rubs at all.

Needless to say, I don't rub much now, but it kinda drove me nuts with all the fender trimming I had to do on my '02 Tacoma.

Oh, and if you want stock taco rims, see the link in my siggy

 

What about 255/85/16's? I heard somewhere that they would fit a 100% stock Taco

 

That is a new size for me. Never heard of it. Very skinny tire though.

Personnally like Tanto said I think 3rd gens have bigger wells. I had a 99 Taco and rubbed terribly with 285's and my Runner almost never rubs with the same tires.

 

I think 4Runners do have a bit bigger fenderwells since my 265/75s don't rub period on my stock coils/springs and no issues on the trails either. I'm sure it helps I have a '99 which is good for about another inch in height.

 

I was reading about an arb bull bar install today and saw that the guy ran that size tire.
I guess it is about a 33x10.

"I also needed to bend the wheel-well side of the bumper metal in slightly to accommodate the large diameter BFG's I run 255/85 R16.
"

 

Yes with minor trimming. I've got them on my truck.