This 2020 Toyota Tacoma is based in Florida, where off-roading runs the gamut from sand roads that crisscross forest land to deep mud that can swallow a 44-inch tire. This truck is used primarily as a pack mule for backcountry adventures. Example: A standard weekend finds the pickup hauling a dirt bike and gear, plying loose sand roads and muddy trails to access riding spots.

While the truck has been mega reliable, it has been screaming for modifications to make it better off-road. So, we set out to improve its capabilities with a suspension upgrade and larger, more aggressive tires.

Florida Sugar Sand And Mud

This Tacoma is the owner’s dream truck. He says, “When I was 16, I saw a lifted third-gen Tacoma for the first time and knew I had to have one. Fast forward eight years and I ended up getting one of my very own following my college graduation. This truck has served me very well over the last four years and I drive the heck out of it.

“In Florida, if you want to go off-road, you pretty much have two options. Option A is to point your rig to our sandy, muddy trails. Option B is to buy a dirt bike, ATV or side-by-side to explore the trails. I chose a dirt bike for most of my off-roading. Thing is, when you go out to many of these riding places, your vehicle will often need to traverse lots of mud and sugar sand. This posed a problem for guys like me with a 2WD Tacoma on worn out tires. It’s easy to get stuck and there isn’t always someone to pull you out. More than once my Tacoma’s limited-slip differential has saved my butt.

“Since my Tacoma’s tires were worn (unevenly as heck, I might add) and it was still sitting at stock height, I took this as a great opportunity to improve the truck’s capabilities. I chose to upgrade the suspension so I could fit some bigger, more aggressive tires that would help me get where I need to go.”

The owner of this Tacoma chose the ToyTec Midnight Aluma Series 2.5 Performance Suspension System with an add-a-leaf kit for the rear suspension.

ToyTec Midnight Aluma Series 2.5 Performance Suspension System

The owner of this truck pondered several suspension options for his Tacoma. He installed a front strut spacer on a previous truck, and while it provided suspension height so a larger tire could be installed, it didn’t offer the performance or adjustability he wanted. This time around, he chose a ToyTec Midnight Aluma Series 2.5 Performance Suspension System for his Tacoma. This system fits 2005 through 2023 2WD and 4WD Tacoma trucks, as long as they don’t have five-lug wheels.

Here you can see a stock front coilover compared to the ToyTec Midnight Aluma Series 2.5 coilover. Note that the ToyTec unit has a larger shock body, and it offers ride height adjustment.

The Front Coilovers Offer Ride Height Adjustment

The system includes ToyTec’s new Midnight Aluma Series 2.5 front IFP (internal floating piston) coilovers that offer 2 to 3 inches of lift. Features include monotube shocks with a 2.5-inch-diameter, hard-anodized aluminum shock body. Why aluminum? Well, it helps provide superior cooling and resistance to corrosion. Additionally, the shock body has a wall thickness of 3/16-inch, there’s a heavy-duty 7/8-inch shaft, and the IFP. The IFP eliminates oil aeration from the nitrogen-charged gas chamber. This enables advanced performance from precision-tuned valving.

Furthermore, the springs are Midnight Black 650-pound units. The coilovers simply bolt on, and they’re fully rebuildable. It’s worth noting that ToyTec recommends a front differential drop kit for 4WD models.

Rear Add-A-Leaf With Midnight Aluma Series 2.5 IFP Shocks

ToyTec offers a trio of leaf-spring options for the rear suspension of our generation Tacoma. You can select from add-a-leafs that provide 1.5 to 2 inches of lift, a progressive leaf pack that provides 2 inches of lift (2.5 inches if you use the factory overload spring), and ToyTec’s Boss Leaf Springs that have a 10-leaf design and provide 2 inches of lift. We chose the add-a-leaf option. Each long-style leaf comes with anti-friction pads and everything else needed for installation.

Whichever leaf-spring option you choose, you’ll get a pair of ToyTec’s Midnight Aluma Series 2.5 Rear IFP Shocks. These shocks are specifically designed for Tacomas with 1 to 3 inches of lift. The features of the shocks are identical to those of the front shocks.

ToyTec Recommendations You Need To Know

ToyTec recommends its boxed upper control arms with the Aluma Series coilovers. They’re available with a sealed ball joint or uniball. The company says that they’re designed to maximize the performance of the lift as well as correct alignment angles at 2 to 3 inches of lift. We chose not to install the upper control arms for our 2WD truck, and our alignment technician reported no problems aligning the vehicle following installation. Additionally, we’ve noticed no degradation of front suspension performance. But that’s our experience with our specific setup. The company also notes that retaining the OEM Toyota wheels may require wheel spacers for proper fitment. For aftermarket wheels, the company recommends 8 to 8.5-inch-wide wheels with 4.5 to 4.75 inches of backspacing.

Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme Tires

We upped our Tacoma’s wheel diameter from 16 to 17 inches. One of the reasons we did this is so we can fit larger brakes in the future. When it came to selecting tires for our new wheels, we thought long and hard about what size and type we wanted. After all, tires are one of the most important parts of an off-road vehicle. They need to provide traction while resisting damage from trail hazards. In the end, we chose Hankook’s Dynapro AT2 Xtreme tires in size 285/70R17. They replaced a set of 265/75R16 all-terrain tires. These new tires are 32.7 inches in diameter and 11.2 inches wide compared to the previous 31.6-inch-diameter, 10.4-inch-wide tires. Thus, they give our Tacoma a bit more height and a wider contact patch.

The Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme all-terrain tire has recently undergone a significant redesign. It features a more aggressive shoulder design, improved noise reduction, and extended mileage. Its aggressive, high-depth sidewall blocks and cross-combined shoulder scoops work together to enhance off-road traction while minimizing the risk of cuts and abrasions. Additionally, the tire holds a three-peak mountain snowflake rating, ensuring reliable performance in snowy and icy conditions. Furthermore, the tire is designed to be quiet and comfortable on the road. Helping accomplish that task are staged block edges that create a sound barrier to reduce road noise. Finally, there are tie-bars that stabilize the tread blocks to prevent noise and optimize movement.

Driveway Installation With Common Tools

We installed the ToyTec suspension under our Tacoma in our driveway. No special tools were necessary, and we completed the install using common tools including a metric socket set, an impact wrench, hammer, torque wrench, and some C-clamps.

Up front, installation of the new coilovers was not complicated. Steps included disconnecting the sway bar from the frame and unbolting the brake line bracket from each spindle. The mounting bolts on each factory coilover were removed, and the upper ball joints were removed from the spindles. With those items out of the way we were able to remove each factory coilover. Installation was that process in reverse. It’s worth noting that the bottom mount on each new coilover took a bit of coercing to install on the lower control arms. We needed to enlarge the mounting point a bit and use a jack under the lower control arm to work the lower coilover mount into place so the mounting bolt would slide through. Also, the kit contains an easy to install sway bar spacer for non-reservoir front coilovers that moves the sway bar forward and down.

Out back, installation of the new ToyTec shocks and add-a-leaf was straightforward. We removed the factory shocks, installed each add-a-leaf to the spring packs, and bolted in the new shocks. Pro tip: Be very careful when moving the center pin through the hole of each individual leaf. It’s easy to hack up the center pin, which can make reassembly a headache. Also, ensure the anti-squeak pads are installed between the leaves prior to assembling each pack. We removed them in error and then had to disassemble the leaf packs to re-insert them. The included instructions walk you through the various steps.

The Bottom Line

We’re very pleased with the ToyTec Midnight Aluma Series 2.5 Performance Suspension System and the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme tires. We set the front suspension height at 2 inches and combined with the additional height from the rear suspension lift, our larger tires fit without rubbing. And the beauty is, we can raise the front suspension up to another inch if we wish. The truck does have slight rake to it, and we’re OK with that. We like the look of the truck when unloaded and when we’re towing and hauling it levels nicely with no squat.

On-road, the ride quality of the truck is outstanding and it exhibits fantastic stability. The Hankook tires are quiet at speed, and they provide excellent grip and stability in the rain. Off-road, the tires have exhibited outstanding performance. We had gotten stuck off-road several times recently with our old tires. Conversely, the AT2 Xtreme tires have had no problem hooking up in the sand when we’ve pointed the truck off-road.

It’s also worth mentioning that we think the Midnight Aluma Series coilovers and shocks look fantastic, and we dig the aggressive tread on the sidewall of the Hankook tires. This combination is a fine example of form and function.