Building an Overlander.... don’t kill me

Ladies and gents. I’m sure this has been asked a million times so please don’t kill me for my questions. I just bought a 2021 DCSB OR and want to build an awesome machine for off roading and camping with the family. Living here in Arizona gives me lots of options for trails. So here is the million dollar question. Where do I start? Does someone have a Build sheet? My budget is around 13-15k over the next year. Here’s what I’m thinking and would like any advice for mods equipment
1. lift
2. Wheels and tires
3 armor including bumbers (rear has collision sensors)
4. Racks
5. Lights
6. Recovery
7. Interior
8. Camping
suspension (probably do this around the same time as lift and tires)



thanks all for the help and be gentle.

 

To my understanding, “over landing” basically means you’re going where supplies are not readily available. Based on that, I think a couple things on your list can be moved around.

first, suspension = lift. Especially if you’re considering adding all that weight.

Armor isn’t necessarily needed if you aren’t going places it’s not needed. You can overland without worrying about body damage.

camping category should be higher on the list considering that’s basically what you’re doing.

if you’re not going with other rigs, self recovery is kind of important. A winch would be a good start. Traction boards are useful as well, just don’t ask TW what color to get haha.

Maybe a bigger battery, or possibly a dual system to power lights, fridge?, or whatever else you need. Maybe a solar system since you’re in AZ.

That’s all I got for now. Congrats on the new rig and welcome to TW!

 

and I answered in the quote. Ugh I’m terrible at forums.

 

Tacomas are great overlanding limos, after you get tired of all the level 3 roads youll want to rockcrawl and do the Rubicon the Tacoma suck ther wheelbase is too huge imo,

 

He ded

 

Welcome to the forum. One other thing is upgrade and add additional lights, you can never have enough lights. I myself prefer Vision X but there's a ton of options out there. On top of what has been mentioned you will need to have a small compressor on board and a patch kit.

 

First thing you really need to do...
Take your current camping gear, load it and your family into your stock truck and head out on a camping trip. The Tacoma, stock, will take you further than your courage will.

Once you do that a few times, your list magically develops and becomes sorted!

Drive it stock. Learn what it can do so you don't have to depend on internet strangers.

 

The thing you don't want to hear in the excitement of getting an awesome new truck is to slow down a bit, but that's what I'd recommend. What I mean is, you're in great danger of buying the wrong things because you don't know what you want/need yet. For example, you may go sink some money into a suspension lift only to find that later you added front and rear bumpers and now your suspension isn't cut out for the additional weight, and you need stronger springs and a heavier leaf kit.

Recovery should be high on the list, at least some of the basic stuff. If your intention is to take the family out camping, then do that first and find out what you actually need...95% of camping areas don't need a high-clearance vehicle to reach them. Are you going to be rock crawling? Then your priorities are going to be very different.

The tires always need to be upgraded from the get go and if you want to change out the wheels, that's obviously a good time to do that. Get some basic camping gear and some basic recovery gear. By using the word 'overlander' you sound like you're in danger of buying a roof-top tent so keep that weight and plan in mind as you build your rig (I'm guilty as charged).

I guess what I'm trying to emphasize is what you want now from looking at all the great trucks on tacomaworld is not what you'll want later after you actually use your truck.

 

Listen to this man. Take your time with it.

I just got a buddy of mine interested in camping for the first time at the age of 40, and as predicted he went full ham. He spent one night in an old ground tent and sleeping bag I gave him, he immediately went home and bought a trekking backpack, two hammocks, a coleman dual burner stove, survival rations to last the next century, and just about every accessory that showed up in his targeted advertising feed. Then he complained about how expensive camping is. (He's gonna be pissed when he finds out that 75% of his stuff isn't compatible with the kind of camping he wants to do.)

Take your time, don't buy it until you need it. You gotta get out there first to get a handle on your personal style, then you can start modding to prioritize what's important to you.

 

Welcome aboard. There a lot of threads dedicated to each specific question so browse around in those. I’d start with tires and wheels.

If you want 33s you have two options 255 (skinnies) or 285. Both have their merits. 255 will fit stock. 285 will require a cab mount chop and pinch weld hammer. Those are pretty common mods. I’d recommend Nitto Ridge Grapplers or Falken Wildpeaks. Maybe look at Duratracs and BFG KO2s while you’re at it.

 

2. tires
4. Racks
8. Camping
6. Recovery

This is all you need to get started and that's more for if you just go as a single vehicle. The truck is pretty capable already. But if that is your wanted order. On the suspension/lift, get the heavy duty setup. Especially if you're going to add armor, a bed rack, and camping gear. With my bumper, winch, rack and tent, I'm already adding about 360 pounds and that's without loading up for camping.

 

Tires. Go.

 

You have received some good advice so far. There's a guy on YouTube who has driven a Jeep the length of North and South America and around Africa. He has a series of videos on what you should focus on. The channel name is "The Road Chose Me." Some of his videos put up in the last couple months will answer all your questions.

 

He’s a cool guy but I wish he came off less pretentious in some of his videos.

 

Ronny Dahl’s channel is really good too.

 

I will add to the "slow down" and get only what you need part of this. I purchased a 2019 Tacoma TRD Pro back at the end of April. I fortunately had most of the camping gear I thought I would need for me, my husband, and the dog to go camping since we already camp. I personally started with things from my old truck I wish I had like the traction boards (got in on the Maxxtrax group buy here so watch for those). Then I replaced my old cigarette plug air compressor with a Viair 400P (get the P version it is worth it) which I carry all the time behind the seat (it saved my can last weekend when I got a hole in a tire and it leaked slow enough I aired it up and made it home) plus I use it to air up and down on the rougher forest roads. I had a tire plug kit as well which is always a good idea. I purchased a Kinetic Recovery Rope yesterday after I pulled a guy out last weekend with his chain......never again. My next upgrade will be the tires as mine has the stock Goodyear Wrangler Adventure Kevlar originals still which I somehow got a hole in last weekend on just nice forest roads and county gravel. (Don't ask what tire here......lol) Read the threads there are tons on what tire you can run on your stock suspension.

All that being said, I am all stock as far as the truck goes for now. I have chickened out down forest roads before my truck ever lost it's capability (well except for the tires they lost theirs) and have been all over two national forest so far. I don't really intend to rock crawl for now as that truck is also my daily driver. Camping first to figure out what gear and then I would suggest the basic stuff I purchased above. My approach is to buy things that can also be used on a daily basis such as the tire plug kit (ARB's is awesome), air compressor, and the traction boards. The recovery rope didn't cross my mind until last weekend's incident.

Camping gear focus on a good ground tent (yes they are an investment and hard to find right now). A leaking tent will spoil a trip quicker than not having some mods. Good luck and welcome to TW!!

 

Man this is all really really good advice. I appreciate it. Here’s what I know what I’m doing to the truck for sure

1. tires and lift (for me here I’ll spare no expense and I’ll save if it gets to Costly

2. Bumper with winch

3. recovery

I’ll start looking at that and then keep it slow.

as far as a rooftop tent yes yes yes but that’s waaaay out as they’re damn expensive.
Again thanks for the help.

 

Biggest advice... Don't neglect the quality of life upgrades. good camping gear(get a battery operated fan!), quick/easy to set up kitchen, camp lighting, portable toilet..ect

Overlanding is no fun if you are suffering through the elements and spending 45 minutes setting up camp.

I prioritized the creature comforts stuff over the off-road capabilities upgrades and I'm very happy I did.

 

You already have an awesome machine for off roading and camping, buy some tires and sliders and then wait to see what you actually need.

 

What he said!! As far as battery operated fan (I live in the humid south) I have a DeWalt 20v job site fan (yes it is bigger) and we use it in the tent camping. Two weekends ago it was 86 and humid wouldn't have done it without the fan. I have two 4 amp batteries and a 5 amp battery and the fan will run on high for 8 hours on the 4 amp and around 10 on the 5 amp. We ran the fan two nights on about half and never changed batteries. If you already have dewalt 20v tools it is worth it (yes it is expensive for a fan) and I use it for my work sites as well to move air or dry paint.