Side by side 2018 vs 2021 HE (1 Viewer)

[McDsToyo]

Alright, picking up new 2021 HE on 3/3. Going straight in for ICON 2.5 RR set to 25mm in front, SPC UCAs, OME2720s in the rear. Sticking with 285 65/R18 G2 all terrain tires. 1.25 spacers, replace spare wheel with HE BBS.

2018 will be around until summer. 30K miles, bone stock except for 65/R18 G2s.

I spent a bunch of time online deciding on the mods for the HE and was never totally happy with answers around actual lift height etc. SO the idea for this thread is to do the actual side-by-side comps to answer any questions.

My goal for the new HE after 3+ years with the 2018 (85% on road use, 15% dirt roads): better handling on mountain roads at high speeds, cure nose dive, particularly when descending on curves at speed, modestly more aggressive look than stock.

if there’s any interest, post your Qs and I will answer as time allows until the 2018 finds a new home. Pictures forthcoming...

 

[TeCKis300]

By G2s, do you mean Nitto Terra Grapplers G2s? I've ran these before, good tire in their day, but there's better out today. Any interest for bigger tires? Perhaps milder lift with bigger tires?

 

[prwillard2]

Alright, picking up new 2021 HE on 3/3. Going straight in for ICON 2.5 RR set to 25mm in front, SPC UCAs, OME2720s in the rear. Sticking with 285 65/R18 G2 all terrain tires. 1.25 spacers, replace spare wheel with HE BBS.

2018 will be around until summer. 30K miles, bone stock except for 65/R18 G2s.

I spent a bunch of time online deciding on the mods for the HE and was never totally happy with answers around actual lift height etc. SO the idea for this thread is to do the actual side-by-side comps to answer any questions.

My goal for the new HE after 3+ years with the 2018 (85% on road use, 15% dirt roads): better handling on mountain roads at high speeds, cure nose dive, particularly when descending on curves at speed, modestly more aggressive look than stock.

if there’s any interest, post your Qs and I will answer as time allows until the 2018 finds a new home. Pictures forthcoming...

Pics of the 2018? I'm looking to buy this summer

 

[McDsToyo]

Yes on the Terra Grappler G2s. Looked closely at the Toyo ATIII's, but had concerns about noise and snow performance. What do you suggest as a better A/T? I've run BFG and Goodyear on past vehicles, but not interested for the HE. Also considered 275/70's but want to keep it pretty close to stock look and no rubbing was a personal must. If I could do a more mild lift I would, but can't get much lower than the 25MM in the ICON, or BP51's for that matter.

I'll try and get some before, bone stock images of both this weekend.

Cheers!

 

[21200]

Have you considered the Bilstein 6112 kit? Lowest setting is 1" and may provide a better "on-road" or factory like ride performance which is why I chose that lift over the icon. Like you I wanted to get rid of the brake dive and improve the handling at speed, especially with a car full of people or gear. Having said that, it is being installed on my cruiser today so I cant say for sure, but I was concerned with the icons being too stiff for what I wanted in my daily driver. The icon kit on my tacoma is not what I would consider tuned for on road use anyway.

Ill be another user to back the toyo atIII. Not sure about their 18" offerings but there are several C rated options in a 17". Noise level is fine to my ear, better than k02.

Looking forward to seeing it!

 

[Tex68w]

No offense, but IMHO the G2 is a trash tire, it's absolutely horrendous in wet conditions and rendered nearly useless in wet dirt so forget about mud. I can't think of a tire I've hated more, the Goodyear DuraCrap is a close second. Congrats on the HE, should make for a nice forever vehicle.

 

[McDsToyo]

Thanks for the comments. On suspension I went with the variable setting ICONs to see how much "tune" I can get out of them. Ran Bilstein's on my old 4runner and taco and always liked them.

ATIII's getting a lot of love! But noise and tread pattern set me back to the G2's. G2's have been good to me, Mud isn't something I deal with much, and I've found the snow/winter performance to be solid on the 2018. You all got me thinking again tho...

Agreed on the Durtacs. Heavy, rough tire that seems impossible to balance in my experience on an old Taco. I dumped the only pair I had after a year.

I thought the 2018 was the forever LC, in addition to the '93, but she's dying a slow rusting death with CO mag chloride. With the discontinuation in the US market, the last year HE was worth it to me. So far, some subtle differences aside from the obvious. I have the metallic grey, and the mirrors are a contrasting black, which looks good and I had no idea about. Also, the "silver" plastics in the gauge cluster and console seem a shade or two darker, but haven't confirmed. More to come...

 

[TeCKis300]

NTG G2s are pretty mild in the spectrum of ATs. Interesting but it's because of the poor snow and cold performance that first caused me to switch away from them. Otherwise they are pretty quiet and a descent ride with a mild tread pattern, closer to a highway HT tire. If that's what you need, it'll fit the bill. They do get pretty noisy after half the tread is worn, as do most tires.

Toyo AT3s should prove to be better for cold, winter, and rain performance. Possibly mildly louder than NTGs, same ride comfort, but likely much better off-road performance as it's a more aggressive tire. Not KO2 or Falken AT3W aggressive, but still on the more aggressive end.

 

[McDsToyo]

Here’s the pics of initial stuff:
* roof rack gone. I asked dealer if he would remove it from the Purchase, no go
* Kuat ski rack added (hopefully a couple more days left)
* terra Grappler G2s mounted, didn’t get any “off the lot pics” for stock
* thought a fair amount about the posts above on tires. A discussion on what makes a good snow tire is probably another thread that’s out there, but 30mph in 7” of fluff is a lot different than 2 inches on freeway at 8 degrees.
* mirrors definitely black
* measurements for bone stock suspension on Terra Grappler G2s 285/65R18, flat ground, 70 degree temp, 82 miles on odometer: front height, ground to bottom of fender, eyeball proxy for center of hub measurement was 34.75”. rear height was 36.0” ground to bottom of fender as well.
* top of tire to bottom of fender eyeball proxy: front 4.0”, rear “4..25”

 

[Tex68w]

Did you keep your 80?

 

[McDsToyo]

Yep. The 80 is sticking around for sure

 

[Chewbacca]

Yes on the Terra Grappler G2s. Looked closely at the Toyo ATIII's, but had concerns about noise and snow performance. What do you suggest as a better A/T? I've run BFG and Goodyear on past vehicles, but not interested for the HE. Also considered 275/70's but want to keep it pretty close to stock look and no rubbing was a personal must. If I could do a more mild lift I would, but can't get much lower than the 25MM in the ICON, or BP51's for that matter.

I'll try and get some before, bone stock images of both this weekend.

Cheers!

AT3s are fantastic in snow.

 

[McDsToyo]

Some more images of the mirror color, stance on factory suspension, and the center console. Too soon to tell, but I liked the cooler box for travel. We'll see if the storage makes up for it.

Next up, post lift pics, and comps to the 2018 stock truck.