The Drifter - Specs and FAQ

I'd love to take a look, thanks for the offer! Haven't actually seen one in person yet. Sending a PM now

 

ATS leaf springs boys! I have their 4 leaf pack and barely have any sagging with the drifter and a HC rear. They make a 5 leaf pack and can even go heavier if you have heavy builds. I am throwing on an AAL to convert it to the 5 leaf pack as I am throwing a 35” tire on my swingout and don’t want any sag. They’re beefy and made in USA

 

I'm currently running the Icon RXT on stage 3, they are super flexy, ride nice, and DO NOT squeak. I have a high clearance duel swing out, full size spare, Jerry cans, and a hi-lift jack, bed cage and RTT (I know, my drifter is on order!!) Even with the bed loaded with gear I only have about 3/4 inch sag.

Bed cage and RTT is roughly 300 pounds, I believe a drifter is only low 400's so I'm hoping I don't have to go with an additional AAL.

 

I'm running the icon leaf pack as well. I don't have a bumper or swing out, but I regularly carry the rest of that gear plus 200lbs of bike and bike rack. I'm very happy with them so far.

 

I have what I think is an interesting idea for the Frontrunner awning with the rooms feature. VO says they sell FR awning sizes "2.5M, 2.0M, and 1.4M (for the rear)." The rooms feature is only available on the 2.0M and 2.5M sizes, so that leaves out the rear area. Or does it? Since the awnings mount on detachable brackets, I'm wondering if I could mount the 2.0M or 2.5M on the rear when I'm stopped and have a nice, wide mosquito-netted room extending from the rear of the Drifter. Could do the same with just the awning for a wider shade area. Anybody know if this would work?

 

Should be no problem, assuming the brackets are installed uniformly on all three sides to make it possible. I've just got a cheap ebay awning, but put my own brackets on all three sides for exactly that reason.

 

Welcome to the club haha

 

I'm having the quick release brackets installed on each side and the back and I ordered one 2M Frontrunner awning. When I talked to Phil and ordered it, he said the 2M will work on the back while you are in camp but the 2.5M was a little too long. I was thinking about doing the annex/netting off of the back when camping as well.

 

I could have used that kind of setup a few times while wandering around Idaho and Montana. And Colorado. And Utah. And the Sierras...

 

I might be heading up there soon, I might take you up on that offer.

Definitely interested in some trail camping out that way

 

Looks like basically netting and no zippered doors for the mosquito net version, but the rooms version comes with a weatherproof floor, which would be handy on a rainy day, and a zippered door that looks like it just might match the width of a Tacoma tailgate.

https://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/en/us/easy-out-awning-wall-2m.html

https://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/en/us/front-runner-easy-out-awning-2m-walls.html

 

I can attest to that set up! First tried out on my Drifter and it has eliminated any desire for an additional awning for us. The brackets make it super easy to move to the back which is where we use our awning the most. Plus with a 2m bs having a smaller 4’ guy back there it covers more of your tailgate in either side. You could make it work with a 2.5 on the back but it would be sticking wayyy out on each unsupported. You’ll love the set up you chose

 

That’s great to know, I definitely wanted to camp a few times with this setup to evaluate if I even needed more than one awning. I really like that with the brackets I can take the awning off and store it in the garage when I’m just driving to work/around town.

 

Hello Drifters, just want to thank everyone for the encyclopedic volumes of Drifter info and inspiration that has allowed me to learn and plan for my own setup. Order #102 placed 2-3-19 and I finally got it installed this past Friday (424 days but who's counting?). There were some delays beyond the delays with mine due to issues with powder coaters so it was a little agonizing to lose my place in line while others with black or no powder-coat made it out the gate ahead of me. And then... Covid-19 hit and delayed it a couple months more. Anyway... it's all behind me now. I absolutely enjoyed the trip out to Benicia and the guys at Vagabond are, as everyone says, super cool and it was a pleasure to meet them and see the installation. I bought my 1998 TRD xcab on Sept. 17, 1997 when Toyota first released the "Toyota Racing Development" edition of the Tacoma. I've had the truck ever since and it's been on what seems like a million adventures over almost a 23-year span. In that time I've had plenty of opportunity to realize that what Vagabond has developed and built is pretty much the ultimate for this particular vehicle. Any setup will have its trade-offs and compromises. But for me, after all I've seen and tried out over the years, I think this will shave those down to the minimum possible. Vagabond, thank you for actually doing this... for making it a reality, and doing it the right way. It's no small feat and I can't imagine the effort and time invested. Anyway... on to some details; I got the solid "regular" side doors, insulation, pre-wired for solar, some custom LED overhead lamps that are dim-able, L-tracks on roof, fan, full white powder coat and Alu-Cab 270 awning (driver side) with the Vagabond awning mounts. One thing of note here in the FAQ is that I do not plan to put my fridge in the Drifter. I've always had it behind the driver seat and will continue to do so. I considered doing a boot connection from the drifter window through to the cab using a "Breezer" removable window, in hopes the occasional reach-in to the xcab area would be do-able. However, the vertical placement of the drifter window has an offset with the 1st gen cab window. The drifter window sits lower and the shared vertical space between the two windows is about 7". I can still reach through, but it won't be for fridge access.

 

Now that’s how you do a 1st post on TW!!!

I’m super stoked to see you outfit this setup to your tastes.

 

I do, on my Z71 Colorado. I liked the idea of white on top to reflect the sun and it is sort of an hommage to the FJ Cruiser 'look'. Very happy with how it came out.

 

Welcome and congrats. Gotta ask: where did you get the front and rear bumpers, skid plates, snorkel, and any other cool 1st Gen stuff. I've got a 1st Gen and I'm having trouble locating aftermarket add-ons. Thanks.

 

1st gen doesn't have much support anymore...
Chris build this truck up a long time ago... You can read all about it here: http://www.bajataco.com/bajataco.html

 

Great to meet you Chris, welcome to the family!

 

For those of you who have recently picked up your Drifter, does Phil call you a few months ahead to confirm your order? Because after all this reading I have changed my mind about pretty much every add-on I ordered.