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Or you can go to Kinko's and they will do individual pics but I get the disk to send candid shots to my brother.
I will work on my site tonight to add my Pikes Peak shot I took a few weekends ago. It was a nasty little road getting there, barely more than an ATV trail. I will try to get it and maybe a 1999 Aspen shot up.
I will offer again to put some up for you for a few days or so on my site, particularly if they show some kewl shots of a Ranger. All you have to do is email me them as an attachment. But the choice is yours vince as I do not want to be pushy or anything.
I put some of the pics in from this weekend today for developing. Back in 3 days, Includes ones from where I slid and an after pic of a muddied up Ranger.
The KKM TruRev induction kit is on and boy did I need an airfilter changer.
Acceleration crisper and much faster from say 2K to 4K range. Scared the c**p out of an Explorer on County Line rd testing it out.
Runs smoother. Not strangled by that kotex of a stock air filter.
Do not really notice the throaty sound I have heard about, sounds almost the same as before.
Slight hiss while at idle.
Air intake is now close to top of the headlight.
Bolts to existing hole on frame near radiator to secure system,
KKM could add torque values to the install paperwork. Will email them about that.
Used XLT airbox for sale, only 20,000 miles. . .
No Tacoma owner answering my question regarding the stated 6.4 inch clearance reported by Edmunds on the bottom line Tacoma?
I heard a lot of grief from many Tacoma owners about the 7.4 inch clearance on the Ranger, as I recall statements such as:
"LOWEST IN THE CLASS", "LOWER THAN AN OUTBACK"
As this is Ranger and Tacoma pages, not just off road prepard vehicles, I believe that 6.4 inches would put Tacoma a bit below Ranger in documented clearance.
2000 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 v6 190hp engine does 0-60 in 9.0 seconds.
This is documented in Edmunds.
Now I will see if I can find the specs on a Ford Probe as far as 0-60 and the 1/4 mile but since a Tacoma is already 1/2 second slower in the 0-60 range against a Contour, a 4 door sedan I might add, not a sport truck, and the Probe has a 2.5L 6 cyl engine, same as the Contour, and the Probe is a smaller 2 door sedan and is lighter than the Contour, well I think you can see where I am going with this. . .
I was not there my friend but the statistics would seem to show that a Tacoma stock will not beat a Probe in the 1/4 mile.
road prepard vehicles, I believe that 6.4 inches
would put Tacoma a bit below Ranger in documentedclearance."
Is that the 2 wheel drive Tacoma? Who cares.
Toyota also makes a 2wd Tacoma called the Prerunner that has an 1 1/2 inches more clearance than
a 4wd ranger.
YOu know what your problem is Cspounser? Your sinking to low now. YOur trying to spread misinformation by quoting 2wd base model clearance. YOur trying to muddy the issue. like a losing politician, your willing to try anyhing to save your argument. lol. Quoting a base 2wd ground clearance. How laughable. Too bad you didnt knopw Toyota makes a 2 wd tacoma with more clearance than a 4wd Ranger with 31's. Doh!!!!!!
Thanks for bringing that up.
Vinnie....the Tacoma scored just as well as the Ranger in front collisions. The tacoma has never been a great tester from the side. But who needs it when the Taco has the balls to get away from oncoming vehicles?
The only coffin here is the Ranger when your trying to merge on the on-ramp. lol.
Front end collisions
driver = 2 stars
passenger = 2 stars
side impact = not listed
Ranger
driver = 4 stars
passenger = 4 stars
side impact = 5 stars
* This data was taken for Consumers Digest New Car and Truck buyers guide (this year's edition.)
IMO, 4 stars is just acceptable. 2 stars is extremely scary. I prefer five stars all around when I can get (my van and SUV have 5 stars in all categories.) My family's well being and my well being are very important factors in a vehicle purchase.
Spoog, in all seriousness, I'm glad you like your truck. Really I am. But I think you should consider something to improve that rating. I'm not an expert, but you might want to look at a better bumper or something. As an off-roader, I'm sure you consider safety issues (like a winch or going with other 4x4s, and safety equipment.) So you should really look into improving that.
While I disagree with many of your posts, I would hate to see them stop. I'm not pointing fun here or anything, that rating is truly alarming.
PS. Can you provide the information (or web site) about the accessories of the Tacoma vs. Ranger? I thought it would be interesting to verify your comment (ie Tacoma has more aftermarket accessories) and see what is available there.
Happy Motoring.
An ATV, the one the hunters were on, tried to make it up and it slid. ATV's have lockers.
4.10s may have helped but I broke traction on the front. Famous last words, "Everything was going good up until the time I broke traction. I was cutting thru the mud, water, snow etc with no problems." Well I WAS!
I THINK what happened is the tires were mudded up, wet and I hit slush on top of a frozen snow on frozen ground and it was very steep, maybe 45+degrees.
The MAIN problem also is the ABS is good on the road but not good on trails. I THINK but am not sure that I was free wheeling backwards, could not lock the brakes. In that case the switch would not of helped as I could not lock myself on the hill. If I can get down there before another snow will disable ABS and try it, part way, again and see if I can hold myself on the hill.
There were plenty of hunters there and if I had gotten stuck planned on getting them to help. The two hunters on the ATV where I hit also had their Jeep Cherokee about 100 yds away and it also spun the tires trying to get up the hill. They were smart, parked the jeep and used the ATV from that point on.
I think the TRD home page lists some options, that is where the S/C is listed. By the way on that point, that S/C has to be ordered from Toyota and I do not think it is considered standard or normal option equipment for a Tacoma. It is nice that Toyota offers that stuff with a warrenty carried over to the vehicle.
I got the Pikes Peak pic up but no title. It was off a very narrow ATV road.
http://members.aol.com/Cpousnr/index2.html
Spoog, the lockers for a Ranger run about $250 each. 4.10 gearing on the offroad option is about 200-300 bucks, but they are lim. slip. I would go with RS5000 Ranchos for around $300. I am not convinced the stabalizer bars I have are much different from the ones on Tacoma. HP, well I have enough to get me their and other places in perhaps better conditions. 6 lug nuts are usually used on a heavy duty vehicle for load carring ability, they are a nice touch but in my opinion unnecessary. The snow was maybe 3 inches so I cleared it rather easy, I have around 9 1/4 inches clearance as it is going to about 12 inches.
Soooo according to that article, and I will list the URL tomorrow as I left it on my desk at work, the Probe is about 2 seconds faster in the 0-60 range as compared to the Tacoma.
I research and then I post.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncap/cars/1999Pkup.html
The Tacoma does just as well with the Ranger in front and rear crahses, so your bumper comment is entirely off base. I will agree that the side rating is very poor. Most sporty vehicles have crappy side crash ratings.
Cspounsner writes:
"Spoog, the lockers for a Ranger run about $250
each. 4.10 gearing on the offroad option is about
200-300 bucks, but they are lim. slip. I would go
with RS5000 Ranchos for around $300. "
Thats the price WITHOUT installation Cspounser.
See, you cant go back and get the offroad option from the dealer, can you? This is why sometimes it pays to get what you want when you purchase the vehicle from the dealer. If you took your truck back into Ford and said ' I want the 4x4 option package with 4:10 gearing ', they would laugh you out of the garage. To get your gearing changed to 4:10 now would be around 1000$.
NOW you are starting to see why my Tacoma cost in the low 20's, mid 20s with Charger.
Now we see.........
"The MAIN problem also is the ABS is good on the
road but not good on trails. I THINK but am not
sure that I was free wheeling backwards, could not
lock the brakes. In that case the switch would not
of helped as I could not lock myself on the hill"
You said that your engine stalled. YOu dont need to be still to fire up your engine to get SOME control back. The clutch start cancel switch would have enabled you to start your engine without touching any pedals, possibly allowing you some degree of control.
But Im sure you can see how this works. Lets say Cspousner is on a steep hill. Below him is a creek he knows will be trouble if he gets near it.
His truck starts slipping, and the engine stalls.
Then he is able to hold the truck in position
and keep it from slipping anymore towards the creek and the danger. BUT, he needs to start the engine to get out of there!!! But since he has a manual trans, if he depresses the clutch, THERE WILL BE SLIPPAGE, and he could end up flipped over in the creek. So, Cspounser keeps his foot on the brake, depresses his conveienently located clutch/start cancel switch, and fires up the engine without depressing the clutch pedal. Hes now free to haul tail out of there.
Clutch Start cancel switches are standard on all toyota 4x4 tacomas. They apply this technology to all their trucks in Africa, the Middle eAst, South Africa and India.
The Ranger sold almost 400,000 units in 98 alone. If the Ranger is such a bad truck why does it continue to outsell the Tacoma year after year, after year, after year, after year? The V6 engine torque curve on the Ranger is better than the 3.4.
My whole point is the Tacoma is expensive. Option for option every other compact truck is less, whether it be a Frontier, S-10, or Mazda, or Ranger. Heck, in the paper I am seeing Dakota V8 4x4's for about 20K pretty well loaded.
Yes, I do feel the Ranger is the better all around truck for the average truck user/offroader. The interior is more comfortable, ride is better, 4door option is nice, interior quality is excellent.
The locker is a sales gimmick for those who know how and when a locker is best used. And I notice TRD owners don't offer up the 5mph limit on the door jamb? Why? And the clutch start cancel is only good with 5spds. Spoog, the one who likes to go OVER objects rather than climb over them contiues to offer up offroad advise. This cracks me up!
Spoog, your prices are a high. And most of these I can put in myself because I work on my own vehicles. I know how, unlike you who has everything done for them. Play catch up, is your favorite phrase. You just fail to see the other side of the story. Aftermarket parts come with warranties of their own also.
I have a good point here too. With the locker NOT engaged I believe the axle on the TRD is open. On the Ranger the limited slip is ALWAYS available. Point, today in the rain slicked streets while pulling out in front of oncoming traffic my rear tires started to spin upon acceleration. Instantly my other tire grabbed and I was on my way.
Rangers rule!
Pics coming soon so you Tacoma owners can see what a real truck can do.
See you in the hills.
I had steering control as I was going down so it must have stalled when we ended up in the tree. At any rate, even if I had stalled, nothing was holding me on the trail to use the clutch cancel switch.
I know that when the truck comes equiped it is cheaper to get lockers etc vs adding on. Yes the cost i cited was not installed. $100 an axcle to install.
I was comparing the bottom end 4X2 Tacoma and 4X2 Ranger for the height and quite frankly was suprised at the height of the Tacoma.
Gotta watch Dateline. . .
My brother owned a 1964 little Mercury with a 260cid V8. We put a 4 bbl carb on it and raced it at Great Meadows NJ (you may know that place hindsite) and it was very fast. It would take on the early Mustangs with their 289cid V8s and beat or hold its own with them.
Some cars are faster than others and the Tacoma is no slouch.
I prefer to use my truck for working my property and 4 wheeling but, since I was still testing my new intake system, I took on some young kid in what looked like an early 90's Toyota SR5 tonight. Traffic was light, radar detector was on so decided to give it a try. Now I think he may have had the 4 banger but that is a dual overhead cam 4 valve per cyl engine and very peppy for a 4 banger. Mine being the basic 2 valve per cyl 4.0L.
Well, to make a long story short, he got waxed pretty badly by my heavier Ranger, say by 2-3 car lengths after somewhere between 1/8-1/4 mile. That is when he backed off and shut down. And he was not gaining on me at all and was only ahead from the very first start, I passed him in 2nd gear and never looked back.
I do not know, but it would seem to be logical that you would not have limited slip with a locker. This is because it is not a centrifical locker, it is a selected locker i.e either on or off. When you convert a limited slip on a Ranger to a locker, you pull out the guts, the limited slip clutches, and install different clutches that lock the wheels when heavy torque is applied.
I think your right vince the Tacoma is open until locked.
I MISSED THE DATELINE SHOW ON PICKUPS, SOMEONE COMMENT ON WHAT, IN DETAIL, WAS DISCUSSED.
ahahahahaha muhahahahahah!!! are you freakin crazy you fool? The Tacoma beats the Ranger in every single performance category!!!! EVery single one!!! lol!!!
Go ahead and rip on the Tacoma for side crash tests and perceived looks and comfort....but DONT dare waltz in here like the fool you are and declare the Ranger a superior technical performance machine!!! Oh how extremely laughable!!!!!!
Our Surfside Green test unit came with the 3.4-liter, dual-overhead cam, 24-valve engine and five-speed manual transmission. The Tacoma came factory-equipped with the lowest axle gears of the test: 4.10:1. It was this combination of excellent gearing (First gear for the factory five-speed is 3.83:1) that made testers comment about how readily the Tacoma jumped off the line. In fact, during track testing, the Tacoma was substantially faster than the others, both loaded and unloaded (see page 30). Tract ion came courtesy of a more aggressive tread in the 31x10.50 Goodyear Wrangler three-stage GSA. We found it supplied surprisingly good cornering power on pavement, with plenty of potential for aired-down trail running.
As well as the Tacoma performed on the track, it was on the trail where the premium import seemed most comfortable. Best-in-class ground clearance, the most aggressive tread of the bunch, and a crawl ratio of better than 40:1 made the Tacoma everyone' s choice for hill climbs and steep backside descents. Even our resident auto-tranny diehards had to admit that the lively throttle response, sure-grip clutch, and built-to-work gearing meshed together as well as any championship-caliber team. In each perf ormance-related category of our test, the Toyota won.
It's not often that our collection of testers agree on anything (in fact, never), but this year's Pickup Truck of the Year was a unanimous decision. Praises relating to the TRD suspension mentioned its ability to control rutted, seriously choppy terra in better than any other vehicle we'd driven. One tester went so far as to note that during a few moments of an effortless dry-wash run, it seemed the spirit of Ivan Stewart had taken over his body. This is a truck that can go slow or go fast, on pavement or off.
Ultimately, in addition to a strong engine, good tires, and supremely tuned suspension, the clutch defeat switch (the only one in a truck sold in the US.), lever-operated transfer case, and pushbutton locking rear differential were the icing on a toug h-truck cake. Although you have to pay a premium for a premium package, the TRD Tacoma, dollar for dollar, is the best on- and off-highway compact package (maybe of any truck) we've seen. This truck has features the others just don't offer, and they all w ork. And that's why it's our 1998 Pickup Truck of the Year.
"Is it safe?"
Hmm crash tests would appear to answer the question.
In regard to the zitass comments, hey dude, watch the language. They shut you down here for that.
In regard to quality issues, they are well known and I am sure vince would agree that the introduction of some foreign vehicles was a wakeup call to the big 3.
Edward Deming, the father of modern QA introduced his ideas to improve Quality in Japan in their auto industry. But. . .
independent tests by Consumer Reports and others generally rank the Ford Ranger and Tacoma EQUAL in quality with a slight edge to Tacoma in reliability. Whether you or spood wish to believe that is not really an issue as the facts are well documented and I have posted the web sites previously.
But it would seem, given again, documented posts, that Toyota is #2 or below when it comes to safety in a crash test, mostly in the side impact.
http://www.dateline.msnbc.com
Rant and rave all you want spoog and zitass, the documentation is there for all to view. And if you recall spoog I only questioned the printed data on the Tacoma 4X4 in regard to some incorrect information on the Ranger specs, not the preformance of the Tacoma.
look for the crash test info on this site:
http://www.dateline.msnbc.com
Compare to the number of old Ford and Chevy trucks you see out there.
The 70's and early 80's Japaneese pickup trucks were throw aways.
Because they were not "Built Ford Tough."
generally rank the Ford Ranger and Tacoma EQUAL in
quality with a slight edge to Tacoma in
reliability. Whether you or spood wish to believe
that is not really an issue as the facts are well
documented and I have posted the web sitespreviously."
Oh really? Not according to the NHSTA site, which is WHERE Consumer Reoprts and other get their info. YOur skirting the source here Cspounser.....
the NHSTA is THE site for auto safety and recalls.
Now, how can you say the Ranger is equal in quality when it has 270 technical recall bulletins in 10 years and the Tacoma has 70?
Or how about 90 safety recalls for the ranger in 10 years an 16 for the Tacoma?
It seems you are a bit insecure about your rig Cspounser.
Perhaps you are a bit miffed that youdidnt get any goodies on your rig.
Cspounser writes:
"Because they were not "Built Ford Tough."
lol. According to the NHSTA official government stats, the Rangers 370 overall recalls to the Tacomas 80 in ten years CLEARLY sh ows what is built "tough".
See, not only does the NHSTA give you the recall and defect info, but it DOCUMENTS every single case for you to see. There is no unexplained" rating system". ITs all there for you to see.
Built Ford tough? No 4:10, 1/2 ton truck with weak payload(1200 lbs), small brakes, small stabilizer bar, 5 lugn nuts on wheels instead of 6, fairly outdated weak engine.
Looks like you should have spent the extra bucks and gotten the 4:10 gearing Cspounser. Living in colorado and all, who knows why you didnt.
I saw the dateline piece and the Tacoma did not do well in the side impact crash. Toyota responed by saying they would look into it and see what they could do. I do find it awfully funny that you Ranger guys are dying by the NHSTA results for the Tacoma side impact problem, but run away from the NHSTA as fast as they can from there findings on recalls and TSB's for the Ranger. Get off the fence and pick a side!
As for those who install their own aftermarket parts and SAVE $$. Remember whether you enjoy this kind of thing or not, you must remeber that there is a an hourly wage assciated with your time. What does your employer pay you per hour? If you do the work on Sat multiply by 1.5, Sun by 2. I don't install myself often because it is more econmical for me to let someone else do it.
Like the factory at purchase time! (You can negotiate the price)
-wsn
No we do not avoid the issue of TSB's or recalls it is just that the recall for the fuel line was really no big deal and the cruise was also not that big a deal. also the MAJORITY of the TSB's for both Ranger and Tacoma are servicing tips etc that are put out to dealerships on how to SERVICE the vehicle.
Put them in perspective is all we ask.
http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/small_pickups/crash_pickups.htm
http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/small_pickups/tacoma.htm
http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/small_pickups/ranger.htm
Toyota build one engine for its 4x4 Tacoma that they can brag about. Their 2.7 is a joke, no torque to pull itself out of its own way.
Fact is Ranger owners keep posting sites to contradict whatever Tacoma owners say about the Ranger.
Sales numbers do count. The consumer makes the choice as to what truck suits their personal needs. The Ranger offers more interior room in its Supercab, 4doors, and more for a fair price. Option for option the Tacoma is more. It is no secret its platered all over every review of the Tacoma.
The fact is the Tacoma owners are angry because they paid too much!
And once again I notice no Tacoma owner answered my question about an open axle when the locker is NOT engaged. And the 5mph limit on the locker. What good is this locker if you can only use it in certain situations. We all know most 4x4 don't even see gravel!
Enjoy your sticker guys.
The director of their vehicle testing has many, many years experience, mostly in europe, of testing vehicles. I posted his resume on a previous post.
And consistaintly, year after year, the Ranger is rated equal or very close to Tacoma in the reviewed areas indicating that the vehicles are very close. And Ranger is selected "Best Buy", not Tacoma.
So no, my bumper comment is not off base. Your truck is dangerous in front impacts and especially in side impacts. Again, I'm not trying to be smug, I'm saying you should look for a solution to that SERIOUS problem. Ask Toyota if necessary.
BTW guys, I enjoyed zitass's comment about all of us working for the US automotive industry. It's not brainwashing or peer pressure, if you know it's being built right, wouldn't you buy it? I know if I worked there and it was built poorly, I sure would NOT buy it. So I guess they back up their good work with hard earned US dollars.
However, I've owned just about every make ever sold (let's see I've had Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Mitsubishi, and Mazda.) I found that each excelled and lacked in one area or another. And I've never had major problems with ANY car, truck, or van prior to 100K miles.
This time I thought the Ranger was definitely the best truck for my buck and suited my needs better (ie 4 doors and options I wanted.) I also think it looks the best (subjective, yes.) Since I had so much success with my previous Ranger (ie no problems to 155K miles at sale) I got another one. To be fair, I took a toyota in 1980's to similar mileage with no major issues either. So before I bought the new Ranger, I looked at every truck out there including the Tacoma.
I must say if I had the crash rating data ahead of time, I would NOT have even looked at the Tacoma. With all the high speed accidents these days, that is a major factor to consider prior to purchase.
Happy Motoring.
Is that a big water tank you are carrying? If so, I can think of reasons why, but why do YOU carry water? I am just curious.
Hey is that your Border Collie My dear departed dog Annie was a Border/Lab mix, brilliant dog.
I REALLY like the color of you truck, can you give us some info on how you like the Goodrich A/T ko tires? Both on road and off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now back to the debate, which, by the way, is entertaining, but hasn't made ANY ground for a couple hundred posts. You can litterally jump back 100 posts and start reading and you won't even notice. Not a flame, just something I noticed.
Enjoy.
I have owned both domestic and foreign and can say that Dodge was no fun. The Ford Mark III van was nice, but then it had some problems. Luckily I traded it in and never saw the bill. Put it this way I stuck it to the Toyota dealer. LOL Well, the F150 4x4 pickup I gave to my son. He loves the truck and loves Home Depot.
Cpousnr,
Nice looking truck from the photos. Trails look like fun especially if it was muddy.
It is a 200 gal water tank. I own 6.5 acres and have planted trees, 100+ or so, 30 Lodgepole pine, 30 Limbur pine, 31 Rky Mtn Juniper, 15 Pondorosa pine, 3 maples, 3 plum, 1 Douglas Fir(there is a story about that that involves a shovel in a National Forest) and 2 Colorado Blue Spruce. Since they range from 6" to maybe 26" for the older ones, I drive to water them twice a month.
Ah hummmm! They are BF Goodrich T/A ko's and they, in my humble opinion, are the best ALLROUND tire money can buy. They were cutting thru everything last week on the trip up Music pass, mud, water, patchy snow, rock climbs but then broke traction on an icy 45-50 degree straight climb on ice and slush with wet muddy tread. I was 20-25 ft from the last turn for that view shown on the web pabe.
I like them a great deal, much better than the Firestone Wilderness.
By the by, with the addition of the KKM Tru Rev system, I now can break the 31's loose on the road and it will burn rubber real easy now, not that I want to do that.
While it would not be the only source of a decision, the crash test results are a bit disturbing.
But, now you know why a Ford is 500 -600 or so lb. heavier than the Tacoma which has the basic same demensions.
The Ford, like it or not, is built heavier/stronger im my humble opinion. Bigger frame, bigger differentials. And seriously, take a look at some of the older trucks on the roads. The Fords may look like they have been thru a war, all beat up, but check the stance. Rear gate still in the air, generally and ready to take more. You want to see a 75-76 Toyota P/U you better be prepared to go to the junk yard.
"The fact is the Tacoma owners are angry because
they paid too much!"
vince8
Where are these angry Tacoma owners? The price of the Tacoma only seems to be an issue with those who did not choose to purchase one. Price is completely irrelevant in a performance comparison.
I am consdering a new truck and I want to know why I should consider a Ranger(without citing price or crash test ratings as I have already heard enough about that)
99 tacoma
PROS: The Tacoma is powerful, good-looking and competent off road.
CONS: The seats are the least comfortable we have ever sampled and the price is ridiculously high for a compact pickup truck.
The Tacoma's biggest demerit, however, is its price. Our test truck had a sticker that the $30,000 mark. We think that a $28,500 price tag is much too high for a compact pickup, even for one with a Toyota badge. Edmund's long-term Ford Ranger for $5,000 less than the Tacoma, and has more equipment, more attractive styling, and a usable rear seat. It has also proven to be very reliable for our first 10,000
miles of ownership. Is the promise of Toyota reliability worth five grand? We don't think so. Give us the Ranger and the extra $5,000. We'll put the money toward the purchase of a Wave Runner, thank you.
98 Ranger
PROS AND CONS
Pros:
Four-door entry, five-speed automatic and optional flexible fuel/electric powertrains, thoughtful interior.
Cons:
Room in extended-cab area isn t enough for adults, questionable front-end styling.
Ford has had the best-selling small trucks in the country for years. Fun to drive, sharp looking and well built, the Ranger delivers a solid compact-pickup experience. Its most serious competition comes from the Dodge Dakota, which is slightly larger and offers V8 power.
"I've noticed that its tall height and large mirrors allow me a commanding view of traffic, fore and aft, making it easy to anticipate changes in traffic well in advance of the other Angelenos cruising in their low-slung BMWs."
"Climbing into the BMW today, with its upmarket Harmon Kardon, proved disappointing; its much more expensive setup didn't match the Ford in sound quality." Climate-control knobs and dials are equally well-marked, and the cupholders are large and useful.
The mating of the five-speed automatic transmission and engine drew praise this month. We noticed that the extra gear helps to keep the Ranger's engine in its sweet spot longer and more readily.
"...well built..."
does it not?
No Tacoma owners taking the question of, when not locked, is the differential open?
CP: I didn't answer yout locker ? because i don't have a TRD Tacoma. I have also heard great things about the T/A Ko's.
-wsn
PS My STOCK Tacoma can chip them just fine!
If money and crash ratings don't matter much when buying a vehicle (which I can't imagine why those two huge factors wouldn't matter,) then the two trucks do become much closer. For me the actual deciding factor was the four door super-cab and styling (very subjective.) I also think the seats are much more comfy in the Ranger (or domestics in general.) The interior seems to be laid out better in the Ranger (again this is subjective.) And after I crawled under each truck, it appeared the Dakota and Ford looked like "serious" trucks. I know Toyota/Nissan/Chevy have good quality, but they sure look "small" underneath. Have you seen the size of the drive shaft in a Ranger?? It looks about the same size as an 18-wheeler's drive shaft. And they deleted the carrier bearing.
Anyway, I know a lot of that is subjective, but hey if you are buying a new one, at least half of your decision will be based on your own bias or wants vs. needs.
PS. no 4doors also eliminated the Dakota which was my second choice.
Happy Motoring.
locked, is the differential open?"
Im not sure. All I know is that it is a tRUE locker, not some limited slip job. I believe the diiferential is open UNTIl the dash button is pressed.
"The Ford, like it or not, is builtheavier/stronger im my humble opinion. Bigger
frame, bigger differentials. And seriously, take a
look at some of the older trucks on the roads"
I dont think so. The toyota frame is without question a higher density metal.Everything about the Tacoma is heavy duty compared to the ranger.
Everything from the skid plates to the horsepower to the transmission to the larger brakes, to the shocks, the stabilzer bar to the ground clearance to the approach and departure angles to the acceleration to the 6 lugnuts on the wheels instead of 5 to the 3/4 ton rating of the Tacoma verse the 1/2 ton of the ranger, t o the stouter springs to the higher tow rating and payload to the gold plated starter ect and on and on and on.
Please dont fool yourself into thinking that a pickup such as the ranger which was built for
gravel roads and highway and dairy queen is going to be more "heavy duty" than a pickup with its engineering desingns based in Africa, South America, UN hostile travel, Middle East expeditions, India and high country of the himalayas 20k feet.
Why is that clutch/start cancel standard ? Why the highest ground clearance in class? Why the locker, stabilzer bar ect why all these features?
Simple. Like the Landcruiser, the toyota pickup is a world beater, a legend across this world, a venerable machine known to take more abuse and keep on ticking than any other vehicle.
All those neat videos and magazine shots of Yota trucks rumbling through foreign villages, antartica, and lion filled african savannahs is legendary.
As for seeing older trucks on the road? I NEVER see pre-90 rangers on the road. NEVER. In fact, I see mostly older Chevies and toyotas rumbling around town. My cousin had a Ranger that just up and died at 90k. I remeber at that time I had a 22re toyota pickup with 160k miles, and I watched as oil spewed from the engine and hi hose melted from a small fire. It was a 92 Ranger. Man, that thing did NOT age well.
Dakota and Ford looked like "serious" trucks. I
know Toyota/Nissan/Chevy have good quality, but
they sure look "small" underneath. Have you seen
the size of the drive shaft in a Ranger?? It looks
about the same size as an 18-wheeler's drive
shaft. And they deleted the carrier bearing."
YOu must have poor vision. Did you see the skid plates and the size of the heavy duty brakes on the yota? Did you see the excellent stabilizer bar and how everything is tucked away nice and neat so it doesnt get ripped out on the trail?
Did you see the 6 lug nut wheels?
lol. Toyota has always made sure everything was right sized and neatly tucked away under their rigs. Its an engineering philosophy of theirs.
See, this is part of the myth. People dont see all sorts of crap hanging down from a truck and they think its "weak", when in actuallity, everything is tucked away and proportioned for 4x4 use. Take a look under a hummer or a Jeep.
Parkman, you rEALLY need to check out that 4wheeler of the year contest and see the pics of the yota pats and the pic of the ranger parts. 4wheelr just GUSHES over the heavy duty aspect and overall quality of the Tacoma components.
WOW check this link out!!!!
Parkman and all need to click this link to see UNDER these trucks. Great photos and descriptions
from the 4wheeler technical portion of their tests. Yes, they aCTUALLY tear the trucks apart peice by peice and put them back together. now THATS testing!!!!!
http://www.fourwheeler.com/newtrucks/ptoty/98/tech.html
Ranger only rated at 1,120 pounds????
See, Parkmann sees a large, bulbous rear diif and thinks somehow that equates to a "beefier more rugged" truck. This is a common mistake for people who would rather swallow myths and heresay than learn the truth for themselves.
http://www.fourwheeler.com/newtrucks/ptoty/98/tech.html
Ford's new compact frontend uses F-150-style short- and long-arm IFS, with torsion bars. The setup offers big gains on pavement--but not without trail sacrifices.
The new Pulse-Vacuum Hub (PVH) used exclusively on compact Fords and Mazdas allows for true in-cab-controlled shift-on-the-fly capability.
Toyota's double A-arm/coilover frontend handles pavement cornering and trail flex with equal skill. We like the six-lug axles and big-caliper front discs.
"Trail sacrifices"?????? Wow.
Now this is some nitty-gritty teeth and bones kind of reviewing, isnt it? Sure beats the "This extra cab rides smooth in the parking lots and fits groceries well" BS we see at places like consumer reports and Car prices. These are TRUCKS, and should be reviewed as such. Heck of a job 4wheeler.
http://www.fourwheeler.com/newtrucks/ptoty/98/tech.html
Ford's new compact frontend uses F-150-style short- and long-arm IFS, with torsion bars. The setup offers big gains on pavement--but not without trail sacrifices.
The new Pulse-Vacuum Hub (PVH) used exclusively on compact Fords and Mazdas allows for true in-cab-controlled shift-on-the-fly capability.
Toyota's double A-arm/coilover frontend handles pavement cornering and trail flex with equal skill. We like the six-lug axles and big-caliper front discs.
"Trail sacrifices"?????? Wow.
Now this is some nitty-gritty teeth and bones kind of reviewing, isnt it? Sure beats the "This extra cab rides smooth in the parking lots and fits groceries well" BS we see at places like consumer reports and Car prices. These are TRUCKS, and should be reviewed as such. Heck of a job 4wheeler.
As for rear ends, drive shafts, suspension parts, etc... I looked with my own two eyes at every compact truck out there. While your TRD may have skid plates etc... it's rear end looks "toy-ish" and so do many other parts. It is my opinion and when I buy a truck I wanted something a little sturdier. The Ford seemed better for my purposes which include towing and heavy payloads. Ie, I plan to use my truck for things other than just 4wheel'n or commuting.
Ziggy, don't know where you live, but in Dallas I see many, many, more old Rangers than Toyotas. I'm not sure what that means (if anything,) but I'm just being honest with that statement. And since the rangers outsell toys about 4 to 1, it is as expected.
ddronron, sorry you have to wade through so many "linked" posts and bad reviews. Yes, I think the Chevy is worth it. Because besides the $2K you'll save, there are also many other incentives on S-10s right now like 0.0% financing and rebates.
Plus, my brother has a full sized C-10 with nearly a quarter million miles on it. It has the same 4.3 motor/tranny that the Chevy S-10 has. His only repairs have been water pump, altenator, and a battery (and all of that was after 150K.) PS. He is a carpenter and works it like a mule.
good luck with your new truck.
Happy motoring.
BTW, where are you?
Hey spoog, does your TRD have the power steering cooler or tranny cooler?
Happy Motoring.
Perhaps your right regarding the pros/cons but they post what is applicable to the current situation.
Careful, burning rubber places noxious fumes in the atmosphere that compete with my cigar smoke.
spoog:
I believe you are correct on the locker as that is what John Elway Toyota told me. But the add-on lockers will be open until, with air, you lock them, which is just like the TRD. Also, the cheaper centrifical lockers will lock, just like the TRD, when it senses significant torque. Not as good but it is a locked rearend.
HE SPOOG, THIS IS A REAL IMPORTAINT ISSUE, CHECK YOUR MANUAL IF YOU WOULD.
What happens if your electrical locker stays locked? Is there a procedurer to free it up or are you stuck "locked"?
spoog says:
"I dont think so. The toyota frame is without
question a higher density metal."
Please cite your supporting information and/or your degree credentials in Metal Science. But before you do, if the Tacoma WAS made of denser metal, and is SO superior, it would not BE 500-600 lb lighter. And in support of parkman, the drive shaft is a bit bigger on the Ranger and the frame is a bit bigger, and the rear end carrier and gear is a bit bigger(Ford uses the 8.8 inch differential gearing vs the 8 inch Toyota gearing), not that it is all that significant, as Tacomas bounce around real fine EXCEPT.....
for the 95-96 TACOMAS which had a recall because they were breaking their frames.
Check out the recall site on that one, which spoog ALLWAYS seems to forget to mention when the draws Ranger problems from the same site.
You see, being a retired Navy senior enlisted, if I do not KNOW the answer, I will go out and FIND the answer, usually by verifying it myself. The caliper that went snuggly around the Ranger drive shaft did not touch the Tacoma drive shaft.
parkman:
I met a guy today at work that saw the Dateline article. Up until that, he was ALL for the 2000 Tacoma, but now he wanted to drive my Ranger for a test. (Ranger 5 big stars, side impact, Tacoma 2) You know, with AAA ratings, 5 stars is the best, superior, not equaled, the finest in quality. Two stars is average, meets minimums.
He, he, he! Converted another one! He liked it, asked the price of a 2X, I told him he could get a nice one for about $13-14K so he is going out looking this weekend.
Well my Ranger has a pwr. steering cooler but it is not the automatic so no tran cooler.
Well gotta disagree regarding old Rangers etc. I was refering to F150/250's. You still see a lot of them. This past weekend, coming back from so. Colo, saw a NICE mid 70's F150 with two kids from Florance H.S. and they or he had put a bunch of work into that truck, as it was nice.
I hit a tree going 5-10mph and drove away with no damage, other than to the tree branches (please do not tell San Isabel NF Rangers(hmmmm, they have Rangers too, nice word it is)).
COME ON GUYS. They are BOTH REAL GOOD TRUCKS!!
"but not without trail sacrifices."
True statement. Many of the hard core Ranger 4 wheeler sites like the twin I beam setup vs the IFS. However, there are things that can be done to improve Ranger offroad, you can find it on these sites, and then reestablish the full IFS when on road. But I drive my truck 90-95% of the time on pavement where the suspension is, if you reverse the logic, is an advantage. So I do not worry about it too much.
which include towing and heavy payloads. Ie, I
plan to use my truck for things other than just4wheel'n or commuting."
Wow! Talk about foot in mouth Parkman!!!! Did you bother to read the link and SEE the ACTUAL photos of the Ranger and Tacoma rear diffs? Why dont you check it out and tell me which rear end seems "wimpy" .lol. The Tacoma tows and hauls more than the Ranger.....so you obviously dont know what your talking about!
I will repeat...the TACOMA has HIGHER towing and payload capacity that RANGER!!! Foot in mouth~!
HERE is that link again PArkman. MAKE SURE YOU ACTUALLY check it out this time so you dont look like such a fool when you talk about payload and towing. Clicking on the pictures makes the larger. Also be sure to check out the towing and payload stats ...lol.
http://www.fourwheeler.com/newtrucks/ptoty/98/tech.html
"spoog:I believe you are correct on the locker as that is
what John Elway Toyota told me. But the add-on
lockers will be open until, with air, you lock
them, which is just like the TRD. IS A REAL IMPORTAINT ISSUE, CHECK
YOUR MANUAL IF YOU WOULD.What happens if your electrical locker stays
locked? Is there a procedurer to free it up or areyou stuck "locked"?"
why would it get "stuck"? When I am done using it, I just unlock it from the dash. ITs quite an elaborate setup, and one of the best lockers out there.
And have you been to the Rio Grande NAtion al forest east of the divide and north west of Del Norte?
I am familiar with the Pagosa area west of the divide, but may be interested in land on the aeast of the divide. Let me know if you have been over there.