Reality Check: SAS on a 4th Gen Toyota Tacoma Isn’t the Move

[Tacoma_bs24]

Been going down the rabbit hole on straight axle swapping the 4th gen Toyota Tacoma and the more I research it, the less it makes sense right now.


The fabrication side is doable. Mounting a solid axle, links, shocks, steering components, driveshafts etc has all been done before.


The real issue is the electronics.


The truck relies heavily on front wheel speed sensors for ABS, traction control, stability control, crawl control, multi terrain select, and likely transmission logic. Once you remove the factory front hubs/knuckles/CVs, you now need a way to retain or replicate those signals or deal with constant faults.


Steering seems like another huge hurdle. Since the truck uses an electric steering rack with its own set of sensors, I think you’d be stuck retaining the OEM rack and building some sort of swing set steering setup to make a solid axle work.


Transfer case compatibility is another potential issue. We still don’t really know the transmission family or what transfer case options will realistically bolt up cleanly without creating more drivetrain headaches. That side feels largely uncharted right now.


Then you still have, radar/ADAS calibration, dash errors, and whatever else Toyota tied into the factory system.


At some point you’re spending a ton of money just to become the test dummy.

That’s why I think portals make way more sense for the 4th gen platform. You keep factory IFS geometry, retain factory electronics, keep the steering system intact, gain serious clearance, and could realistically install them over a weekend.


Older Tacomas? SAS still makes sense.


4th gens? I don’t think it’s the move right now unless someone figures out the electronics side.

 

[rustytaco]

Been going down the rabbit hole on straight axle swapping the 4th gen Toyota Tacoma and the more I research it, the less it makes sense right now.


The fabrication side is doable. Mounting a solid axle, links, shocks, steering components, driveshafts etc has all been done before.


The real issue is the electronics.


The truck relies heavily on front wheel speed sensors for ABS, traction control, stability control, crawl control, multi terrain select, and likely transmission logic. Once you remove the factory front hubs/knuckles/CVs, you now need a way to retain or replicate those signals or deal with constant faults.


Steering seems like another huge hurdle. Since the truck uses an electric steering rack with its own set of sensors, I think you’d be stuck retaining the OEM rack and building some sort of swing set steering setup to make a solid axle work.


Transfer case compatibility is another potential issue. We still don’t really know the transmission family or what transfer case options will realistically bolt up cleanly without creating more drivetrain headaches. That side feels largely uncharted right now.


Then you still have, radar/ADAS calibration, dash errors, and whatever else Toyota tied into the factory system.


At some point you’re spending a ton of money just to become the test dummy.

View attachment 4850

That’s why I think portals make way more sense for the 4th gen platform. You keep factory IFS geometry, retain factory electronics, keep the steering system intact, gain serious clearance, and could realistically install them over a weekend.


Older Tacomas? SAS still makes sense.


4th gens? I don’t think it’s the move right now unless someone figures out the electronics side.

Good info. Basically learned the same thing when we tried to look into it. Probably not worth the time and money.

If you're going to do all that, might as well just rebuild and SAS a clapped 2nd Gen, etc.