Driving a Tacoma around the world

The tacoma has already been purchased and he is going with that.

Now with regards to spares/inventory i’d go with the following:

-oil filter x2
-engine air filter x 2
-cabin air filter x 2
-front brake pads x2. Your rotors will be fine for the trip or at least half of it and they can be sourced in most places or shipped needed.
-oil can be sourced anywhere.
-spare serpentine belt
-maybe a spare shock one for front and rear
-tire rods/etc rarely fail Unless your driving like an idiot in the desert. Take your time and don’t go nuts offroad.
-spare lower ctrl arm ball joints. The washboards will eat em up, moog has equivalents i believe.
-tools bare minimal to do basics repairs as noted in orevious post.
-scanner tool To diagnose problems.
-user manual/parts breakdown/repair manual of the truck so you can identify the correct parts if ha need them and have shipped.
- some fluids to do one oil change and to
Top off coolant levels.

Not much else I would carry. As it can all be sourced or shipped. You cannot
Plan for everything, just plan for the common problems.

 

Don’t bother hiding it. Put it in your camper. duct taped to an underside of a counter or something. Thats about all I would do.

Shame to have the immobilizer stop working and your stuck. Actually would be nice if you could rip this out.

 

The problem with that is the proximity bit. If you always have a key hidden outside the vehicle than someone may be able to unlock it just by touching the handle.

You should look into the key card mod. That way you can keep one in your wallet, or something

 

You can disable them if you read the manual it says how

 

Sorry Stove but my question wasnt directed towards you

 

he has stated it multiple times in the thread. I agree I’d go with a different vehicle, but the taco is what he has got to work with

 

I only asked because he hasn’t started the build and is at an easy point to go another direction. If part of his journey is about the build and travels in a Tacoma exclusively then I completely understand why he is going that way. If it’s strictly about traveling and giving yourself the best possible opportunity for success then the Tacoma probably isn’t the best platform

 

Fair question and it’s a question that I’ve asked myself many times. It’s a trade off between knowing and modifying the vehicle before you leave or heading overseas and trying to find the right new vehicle and modifying it overseas.

Also cost come into consideration, most countries overseas that drive on the right like the US side have extensive vehicle taxes, VAT, etc, with some ending up some doubling the original cost. Also, crossing over international borders in third world countries with a US passport and drivers license while driving a vehicle registered in another country I think is going is going to cause us endess hassles by customs people looking for a bribe. The cost of 2019 Tacoma ( I paid $32,500), when compared to a comparatively equipped Hilux overseas is actually pretty darn cheap

I’m certainly not adverse from buying a Hilux overseas, the challenge becomes how do I modify it to my specs while not blowing the budget. My wife is checking out Alu Cab campers in Capetown later this week. Even if we loves that camper then we end up having to figure out how to buy a Hilux with the driver seat on the right, I’m NOT going to drive a left-hand vehicle for 70,000 miles. Even though I am left-handed I hate shifting with my left hand, it’s just wrong (I’m stomping my feet in a tantrum right now)

Germany has some interesting camper options, but with the VAT there, the cost of a Hilux and the camper, ends up with a doubling of cost. And then for example, where would I find someone who I can trust who is an expert in electronics to put in relay switches while twiddling our thumbs while hanging around Germany?

I’m cool with people questioning my thinking, My boss does it to me all the time. haha

 

There is another option.

There are companies that import good condition older diesel 4x4's

@Friggin Fuego might know more.

In my area, this is one company

https://boekiusa.com/inventory/?loc=nj

The vehicles they import are usually top notch

Some examples:
https://boekiusa.com/inventory/toyota-hiace-turbo-diesel-3-0l-efi/

https://boekiusa.com/inventory/toyota-hiace-turbo-diesel-3-0l-efi-2/

https://boekiusa.com/inventory/toyota-hilux-surf-turbo-diesel/

https://boekiusa.com/inventory/isuzu-bighorn-intercooler-turbo-diesel/

https://boekiusa.com/inventory/daihatsu-hijet-deck-van/

https://boekiusa.com/inventory/nissan-caravan-diesel-wagon/

https://boekiusa.com/inventory/mitsubishi-delica-star-wagon-turbo-diesel/


And from local craigslist
https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/ctd/d/philadelphia-1993-mitsubishi-delica/6772561433.html

Fwiw

 

Valid points. To each their own and I think we can all agree we hope you keep this thread updated with your progress. It would certainly keep me interested seeing a 3rd gen Taco on a trip like you have planned

 

I like this. Anyone know if youncan get a simple old fashioned (without a Fob) key? That way if both my wife and I have simple keys in our wallet then at one of us could get in with having to resort to extreme measures

 

I drove to Honduras once. At the last minute I tossed in a propane torch and solder. South of Mexico City something made a small hole in the radiator (looked like a bird beak puncture). I soldered it up. Genius taking the torch. This was long ago when radiators weren't a throw away part. There were no Toyotas in Mexico at the time so no parts. There were Toyotas in Guatamala and Honduras. All I needed on the trip was a new battery.

 

I plan on keeping it updated. Just got the truck weighed 2,500 lbs front, 1900 lbs rear with no driver and a full tank of gas. Figured I should have baseline of the fully unmolested truck

 

Sounds like a fun trip. Crazy drivers down there. I watched a South African Hilux finally undig itself out of the deep sand and go by me yelling good luck as I am stuck and watch it explode it’s plastic radiator into pieces 100 yards ahead. I stopped but there was nothing I could do. There was a Range Rover with them who was going to have to head to town for parts. We were at least 100 miles from the nearest town, I made sure they had water (he had cracked a beer) and food and moved on and alerted the rangers.

 

You can't, not that I've heard of. You need the fob to start the truck. Period. So make sure you have extra batteries too as you will be living in close proximity to the truck and your Fobs will drain much faster. Probably about 3-4 months out of each fob with that kind of constant proximity.

I should add that, if you do hide a fob outside the vehicle, someone may be able to gain entry by simply touching the drivers side handle. But unless there is a fob inside the vehicle, They will not be able to drive away, just ransack it.

If there's a hat you always wear you could sew one to the inside of it.

 

You can disable the fobs by hitting certain keys on the fob. Its in the manual.

 

Naw, just turn the spares off- don’t you know that trick by now?

Hey guy’s, this one didn’t read the manual!!!


Ok- just hold down the lock button and push the unlock one quickly twice, it will blink 2 times and it’s off. Just push open again and it’s on again. Easy peasy!

I learned it here because I didnt read the manual either. But it does save the fob battery and it keeps people from driving away with your truck while you are sleeping in your RTT at night!

 

Just read that. But then again I just realized I don’t have a smart key, just two fob keys that need to be stuck in ignition and turned, yay for all technology. Maybe you can’t get the smart key with a manual transmission, don’t know for sure

 

Hey, are you going to have to use synthetic oil in all those counties? That would be a pain!

I just installed a dual battery setup and a heater for our RTT winter camping- google “diesel powered 12v heater” to see what they look like. My post here explains mine too- may be useful for your winter camping on the road, then sell or barter it somewhere after your winter is over wherever you are.

See post 2803:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/death-valley-off-road-adventures.60777/page-141#post-19558939