Not only did these trucks make up the bulk of sportsman race trucks, but they were also inexpensive to both buy and modify. The next most popular model of truck is the Toyota Tacoma.
Even though the Tacoma was more expensive than a Ranger, they were also very popular to both race and pre-run with. Higher budget race teams would often opt for the Ford F , as they have larger cabs and engines than the Ranger; however, the cost to build climbs exponentially. Toyota offered a model of Tacoma which they dubbed the "PreRunner" from until The Tacoma PreRunner was a two-wheel drive truck that sported a slightly taller suspension and wider track width thanks to wheel offset.
The truck also came with a locking rear differential. Early years sported a "PreRunner" badge, while later models did not. The Ford F Raptor has wider suspension with more wheel travel than the normal F, larger and more robust tires, big shock absorbers, bulgy fenders, and lots of skid plates. This means the ideal vehicle is equipped with a robust suspension system, performance shock absorbers and beefy off-road tires. Speed is an important factor for the prerunner to replicate, which rules out most cars.
Articulation is also the name of the game, where only those vehicles with a superior approach, breakover and departure angles are advisable. Where water is a factor, a high ground clearance to navigate shallow streams is another requirement.
With this in mind, usually only a pickup truck or SUV will do. Arguably the best prerunner is a small pickup truck — one with a lift kit , fiberglass fenders and a light frame. Old pickups from the s, including the Ford Ranger, are ideal both for their low cost and durability. Adding intrigue to the mix is the Toyota Tacoma PreRunner, a two-wheel-drive rear pickup truck introduced in and produced through This one shares the taller suspension and lug pattern of the four-wheel-drive model, along with additional structural bracing underneath.
Do you want to take push it before the race and possibly break it? Figure you can be out of the race before the thing even starts. Is that ideal? So each team has come up with an alternative. Mechanics can spend their precious time fine-tuning the racing trucks to the specs that maximize performance based on the climate, race track, conditions, forecasts, and driver riding style.
But that is just a fraction compared to the race-ready beast pros use on TV. Teams can run the course with trucks, side by sides, ATVs, or motorcycles. Some have stated teams have used rental cars to prepare for the Baja No doubt they opted for the maximum insurance policy. Usually, they want to use something that gives them the same feel as what they are using in the race. Pro Tip : Is desert racing right for you? Are you unsure if you want to invest in a truck built for the off road?
Well, head to your nearest rental car agency and rent a 4 wheel drive capable truck and take it to the desert for a weekend. Flip it, crash it, set it on fire all without paying a nickel more than that daily rate and the full coverage insurance policy! Arguably the most popular truck for building into a Prerunner is the to Ford Ranger. Not only did these trucks make up the bulk of sportsman race trucks, but they were also inexpensive to both buy and modify. These trucks and their parts are abundant and it is relatively easy to modify them to go fast.
The next most popular model of truck is the Toyota Tacoma. Even though the Tacoma was more expensive than a Ranger, they were also very popular in both race and pre-run. Culturally, pre-runners also leaked into the truck scene over the years, with entire trends in modification—especially front-lifted, wide-fendered pickup builds similar in appearance to trophy trucks—sweeping through communities adjacent to the desert racing phenomena. Some of these trucks even went beyond cosmetics to install suspension and tire setups that could easily take a beating when bouncing across the sand at a high rate of speed.
Sensing that it could cash in on this built-in market for dune-bashing fun, Toyota introduced a special model of the Tacoma mid-size pickup aimed squarely at this same crowd. Given the most obvious name possible, the Toyota Tacoma PreRunner was a special trim available on the truck from all the way to , and took a very different approach to most other rugged trucks of its era. When the Toyota Tacoma PreRunner arrived in , it shared quite a few details with the four-wheel drive version of the truck.
Specifically, the PreRunner borrowed the four-wheeler's suspension, as well as much of its exterior design, and it came with knobby tires and the choice between either a hp, 2. Setting the PreRunner apart was its rear-wheel drive package. Combined with its available locking rear differential, this version of the Tacoma relied more on a driver's skill to keep it out of situations where it might be stuck, and in doing so built on the many two-wheel drive pre-runner trucks used by racing teams and amateur competitors alike.
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