I'm wanting a buggy to play in the desert. Kind of dual purpose mostly running desert trails and a little rock crawling. I was thinking about a 4 seat f toy with a total chaos long travel front suspension.
What do you guys think?
I want the 4 seat so what are my options for a donor would like to go tacoma so I could get a 3.4 for the extra HP. Also would the ftoy chassis work with some deaver long travel springs in the rear.
Could I get the same performance with a straight axle?
Would also be used in the dunes. Thanks

I like the idea! There is a thread on it in general. Search for ifs ftoy......

The tacomas had frame rust problems.
I'd recommend a 3rd gen xtracab for your front suspension/frame donor, and definitely find a 3.4L for a motor! :grinpimp:

Here's the thread jedrattle was talking about:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=887387&highlight=ifs+ftoy+koh

You can't get the same performance with a solid axle. We'll crawl rocks better, and have subpar performance in the desert/whoops/going fast. You build that IFS rig, and you'll kick our asses in the whoops....and still crawl acceptably well if you upgrade your ifs shafts and have a crawl box behind the tranny.

you need mini truck frames. its boxed. the tacoma frame is junk.

total chaos is cool, however you will still have the small IFS diff and its too weak.

with a properly built car, good springs and shocks, SFA will be a great hybrid rig.

and yes a formula 4 is the way to go for high speeds....

For a project like this, I think it would be less work to fix the Taco frame than retro all the rest to an older frame.

I would get a 3.4 taco, Formula 4 and box the shit out of the Taco frame. Much less work IMO

For a project like this, I think it would be less work to fix the Taco frame than retro all the rest to an older frame.

I would get a 3.4 taco, Formula 4 and box the shit out of the Taco frame. Much less work IMO

This is what I was thinking also. Much easier to plate and box the frame then swap motors. They plate the unibody on jeepspeed cherokees. Anybody else see the taco as a bad choice for another reason? Seems like the desert racing guys seem to go the tacoma route with good success I really want the 3.4 then again after reading the KOH thread maybe the 22re would provide some help keeping parts living longer. This month I want to have the donor truck picked out and hopefully have it completed by the first of the year.

This is what I was thinking also. Much easier to plate and box the frame then swap motors. They plate the unibody on jeepspeed cherokees. Anybody else see the taco as a bad choice for another reason? Seems like the desert racing guys seem to go the tacoma route with good success I really want the 3.4 then again after reading the KOH thread maybe the 22re would provide some help keeping parts living longer. This month I want to have the donor truck picked out and hopefully have it completed by the first of the year.

who cares what motor you put in it, 22r or 3.4. choose the better frame. and if you were planning on keeping the taco frame becuase you want to keep the 3.4 in the stock location....well then...you arent really building it for desert are you?

personally if i were going to build a desert ftoy, i would build my own frame to accomodate for use of longer desert springs and proper haning points and nice lines for fabbing.

If you're building a go-fast desert buggy, skip the 22re, the 3.4l is a good idea; also consider the 2.7l 3rz---especially to keep a toy-sized drivetrain alive with big tires but also able to rap out and GO!

If you're building a go-fast desert buggy, skip the 22re, the 3.4l is a good idea; also consider the 2.7l 3rz---especially to keep a toy-sized drivetrain alive with big tires but also able to rap out and GO!

What does the 3rz come in. Is that the 4 cyl that comes in the tacoma?

who cares what motor you put in it, 22r or 3.4. choose the better frame. and if you were planning on keeping the taco frame becuase you want to keep the 3.4 in the stock location....well then...you arent really building it for desert are you?

personally if i were going to build a desert ftoy, i would build my own frame to accomodate for use of longer desert springs and proper haning points and nice lines for fabbing.

Kind of defeats the purpose of building an f toy. I figured if it works on a tacoma in the desert it will work on a f toy chassis. If I was gonna build a frame also I might as well build a complete chassis from the ground up and skip the f toy part. I have not seen any pics yet of one with ifs. I plan on making it fairly simple with bought suspension. I really don't have a need for a trophy truck or the bank accnt. Thinking chaos or camburg lt front with deaver springs in rear. King coilovers in front with bypass in the back and bumps f&r. Probably 35 tires I don't see many tacos running any bigger in the dez unless they are really built. Maybe even 33 for the fast stuff. Like I said no hardcore rock comps for me other then to spectate.

What does the 3rz come in. Is that the 4 cyl that comes in the tacoma?

Yes, it is a great motor, but it can't touch the 3.4 for the $$

I would do 3.4.

tacoma frames are shaped funny, not sure how the chassis will sit on them. tacoma IFS has more aftermarket support than minitrucks.

buggy seems lame if you dont plan on spending a lot of time in the rocks. keep the doors and windshield, its more comfortable.

How hard would it be to put the Tacoma IFS on an older frame?

Or I guess just the tacoma IFS style mounts so a off the shelf kit can be bought.


then theres no way to change the dif to the other side huh?

How hard would it be to put the Tacoma IFS on an older frame?

Or I guess just the tacoma IFS style mounts so a off the shelf kit can be bought.


then theres no way to change the dif to the other side huh?

what it sounds like you guys need is a current shape hilux rolling chassis......

fully boxed chassis, same 1GR FE engine and drivetrain as current tacoma, same front end suspension and diffs.

and we have the normal style of rear leaf spring shackles not the funny upside down design the current taco's have.

surely you could get this over the border in mexico and bring it back to build an awesome rig with long travel front suspension.

tacoma frames are shaped funny, not sure how the chassis will sit on them. tacoma IFS has more aftermarket support than minitrucks.

buggy seems lame if you dont plan on spending a lot of time in the rocks. keep the doors and windshield, its more comfortable.

here's the best advice you have gotten yet.

if keeping IFS is a must and 33's....whats the point of the buggy. just build a tacoma 4wd pre runner.

just keep doing research and you'll get there