TR00PR: Missed Every Target

Matieral? Modular? Long bed available? So many questions!

 

I am still working through the bid process. I have a few targets I need to hit before I can comment on pricing. I will say that this has been a long road. And many different design languages have been scrapped before I settled on this one.

My biggest hurdle in all of this is the manufacturing side of things. I was hoping to use a local shop to build these for me. Unfortunately for me(and fortunate for many on this forum) they are just too damn busy to take on this one. This has forced me out of my comfort zone and now I have to be willing to trust strangers with my baby, so to speak.

This does not require the modification of your trucks frame. I know of a few flatbed manufacturers that have had some issues with collapsed mounting points due to the excessive loads being placed on them. My target customer isn’t the tray style insert campers like Lance or the like. However, the distance in between the wheel wells is factory spec and you could put a FWC Fleet on this. My target is more of the cap or shell or “Overlander” with accessories attached to the rack system. This has the floor width of full-size with the potential of midsize caps/shells being mounted to the bedsides.

There is a lot to unpack with all of this. I have a headache rack/Tail rack designed w/ lateral bars that will accept mounted accessories like a bed rack system would. Or you could not opt for those but still have the bedsides and mount an aluminum cap on it. There is also a full canopy in design still. It’s hard to explain it all. I’d rather wait till I have something on my truck to show you all.

 

Modular, yes. So modular that it can be packaged and shipped around the world on a 4x8’ pallet...
Material is aluminum.
I wish I could get someone with a longbed to commit to this so I could use their truck to verify dimensions and comparability with the frame.

The basic flatbed would include the frame, deck plating, wheel wells and fuel boxes.

Accessories include rear bumper w/hitch, laser cut birch baseplate, belly boxes, center box, bedside panels, headache rack, tail rack, lateral rack bars, detachable table, etc...

 

That's always going to be the biggest hurdle. Find a company you trust that has a solid rep and trust them to do what you are paying them for. Also, as I'm sure you already have, make sure a good business lawyer draws up the contract. Once those things are out of the way just sit back and relax. Quality companies get that way by delivering what they promise close to when they promise it. Just find one and go for it.

 

And since this was all originally just supposed to be a pet project of mine, the flatbed frame is designed specifically to work with the extended travel shocks mounts made by BAMF.

 

Annnnnd it’s finally made it’s way out of the garage. Ironically, it’s currently stuck in 4HI for some reason. I’ll get to that this weekend.

 

I was able to get +6.1 caster, no more rub a dub dub.

 

Thats all from the TC expedition series LCAs?
You're running the standard TC UCAs right?

 

Yes sir!
TC UCA’s
TC Expo LCA’s
Bentrodder gusseted spindles
StopTech BBK
SCS Wheels
315 Duratracs
3/4” Bora Wheel Spacers(don’t need me up front, but I can’t have the front and rear not match. Changes on handeling characteristics way too much for my liking)
Kings ext travel coil overs
I believe that’s what’s going on under there right now. I should have a better grasp on all the mods, but they slip away as I focus on different areas of the truck. You know how it goes...

Oh, and brand new cam bolts/hardware. Factory only for those. Aftermarket cam bolts suck.

 

I know you got all the other goodies, just referring to the caster. Nice to know the expos really do get you the extra 2 or so of caster like we were talking about recently.

 

They do? I have them also.. basically the same setup (minus brakes). But I saw someone ask TC about added caster, and they mentioned that nothing else was added (like the UCAs)

 

I think I was listing more for the thread than for you. Hope that doesn’t come off as sounding crass. I just don’t think I’ve ever listed all the crap I’ve done to my truck in this thread because I’m terrible at that kind of stuff.

On another note, when are we gonna go wheelin/camping together? This winter is starting to look up for me. The flatbed should be soon.

 

No worries.

Yeah you need to add that list to Post 1 and keep adding as you go.

After I get my passenger diff seal replaced I'm in.

 

Not all of them. lol

 

I raise you 4

 

I guess I should have qualified my statement with “the aftermarket cam bolts that I’ve tried”.



Those both look “solid”. However, the Bison Bolts look to be the better alternative for a more streetable setup. I think these will be my last set of cam bolts on this truck though(hopefully).

 

They look as beefy as the 333 Fab plates I got. I have SPC arms so I was able to dial my alignment in using the uppers. I used to knock out my alignment every trip. Since putting the cam eliminator kit in it hasn't moved at all.

 

I bought a new work truckthing...

 

what the hell

 

I’m assuming you referring to the Gladiator pic posted. It’s a work truck. The Tacoma is the play truck. Nothing changes with the Tacoma plans.

But I will say the new work truck fits into some of my work venues pretty well....



However, the Tacoma would look better anywhere it’s photographed.