Improve off road capability on toyota tundra

I have a 2002 Toyota Tundra, and I would like to improve its off road
ability.
We have been getting alot of snow here lately, and I got stuck twice
today driving on unplowed roads.
The main problem is that the tires are not made for snow, they are 265
70 r16's, but they are highway tires. The other problem is that I got
high centered on piles of snow.

I have been reading about 2.5 inch lift kits (Tuff Country) that are
basically spacers above the coil springs and leaf springs. People have
said that these kits do nothing for off road performance. Am I missing
something? I realize that these wouldn't raise the axles, but wouldn;t
they raise the rest of the frame to give more clearance and reduce high
centering?

Any thoughts on these kits? Any suggestions for better tires for snow,
and some mud and rocks?

Thanks,
Dan

dan_mouse wrote:
> I have a 2002 Toyota Tundra, and I would like to improve its off road
> ability.
> We have been getting alot of snow here lately, and I got stuck twice
> today driving on unplowed roads.
> The main problem is that the tires are not made for snow, they are 265
> 70 r16's, but they are highway tires. The other problem is that I got
> high centered on piles of snow.
>
> I have been reading about 2.5 inch lift kits (Tuff Country) that are
> basically spacers above the coil springs and leaf springs. People have
> said that these kits do nothing for off road performance. Am I missing
> something? I realize that these wouldn't raise the axles, but wouldn;t
> they raise the rest of the frame to give more clearance and reduce high
> centering?
>
> Any thoughts on these kits? Any suggestions for better tires for snow,
> and some mud and rocks?
>
> Thanks,
> Dan
>
First off, you really need better tires. In all
driving situations, proper tire selection is the key to
good traction. Everything else is secondary.
I have Michelin LTX M/S on my otherwise stock
Dakota. Even in heavy snow and ice, I don't have a
problem getting around. I've driven this truck through
some deep snow on unplowed roads. Deep drifts (like
>18") do require a little momentum to get through.
I use these tires year round, commuting, towing,
hauling, highway trips, muddy forest roads, etc. No
serious off roading or rock crawling, the tire isn't
made for that. Good solid tire, reasonably quiet.
They now have 43K miles, and still have plenty of tread
left.
A suspension lift will raise the rest of the
truck, but leave the axles right where they were
before. It will be an improvement in snow. With a
lifted suspension you could also use a taller tire,
which would raise the axles a little.
A 2.5" suspension lift makes a surprising amount
of improvement. It doesn't require a complete redesign
of the suspension, or new drive shafts. Brake lines
usually need to be moved, though. I think it's worth
it for a moderate off road and foul weather vehicle.

--
..boB
2006 FXDI hot rod
2001 Dodge Dakota QC 5.9/4x4/3.92
1966 Mustang Coupe - Daily Driver
1965 FFR Cobra - 427W EFI, Damn Fast.