The Drifter - Specs and FAQ

My bare roof and sides get hot to the touch on the outside, but the inside is fine with the insulation.

I’ll have to park in the sun next to a powder coated one to compare.

 

I found a number of posts with folks saying their Tacoma/drifter setup “will” be their daily driver. Anyone actually doing it? Any spectacular wind noise or significant mpg loss? I assume not but I’m just curious. Still getting one regardless.

I used to have some the Yakima locknload on the cab of my truck and got rid of it due to the wind resistance and noise it caused over 60mph.

 

I daily drive my truck and just had a 390 mile tank @ 21 mpg!

I rarely notice it back there unless it’s windy or tight turns

 

I daily my truck, but my commute is only 3 miles and I definitely don't hit 60mph. The drifter is hardly noticeable around town; long wheelbase on the DCLB is much more annoying.

We've done plenty of highway driving as well and the wind noise isn't bad.

 

i daily mine as well, 23 mile one way to work (although i carpool with a mate) my mileage got better than a shell and regular rtt. as far as noise i recently did some sound deadening which has helped a lot road noise wise (can have a conversation again) and yesterday installed a martin offroad drifter roofrack that i hope will help with a bit of highway wind noise. some rando info here on my sound deadening (and some other random improvements i made, including seat position) https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/d-shaw-2012-dcsb-build.578471/page-5

 

before Covid, i was daily driving it 25 miles each way in sf bay area traffic. I went from my softtopper setup to the drifter (added almost 500 more lbs to the truck). Only noticed the mpg to go from about 12.9mpg average to 12.5mpg average (both incorrected, just divided miles on the dash by gallons put in at the pump).

No noticeable wind noise i can recall but i did also have a prinsu rack before so maybe i just got used to wind noise in general.

 

My Drifter is my daily driver. I have found the wind noise to be minimal and the mpg loss is less than 1 mpg. In a heavy headwind, I do notice lower fuel efficiency.

 

I wonder how headwind feels like with the new martin rack that @d.shaw just posted. Headwind or sidewind really sucks, especially through Utah.

 

with the little bit of highway driving i have done i have noticed a reduction in 'wind noise' - its not silent like id imagine a tesla to be by any stretch of the word, but it does seem a little bit quieter for sure. therefore i would hope it might help in a head wind situation, recently spent 6 hours driving in a head wind where i went from my usual 12-14mpg to a solid 9....(pre rack) kinda negated the cheap gas in AZ (or i was thankful for it)

for details on the martin offroad rack contact him directly gtmartin284@gmail.com - he is a one man band who uses local companies to have them made (well except the crossbars i'd guess) - DCSB drifter rack fits 2nd and 3rd gens and he has a DCLB rack too i believe

 

I remember him well - Bummed he got kicked off here (or at least his product did).

 

Finally found that link via Instagram using those rolling camper jacks. Didn't realize I saved it...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDA0LWbnnYT/

 

I tried digging but am unable to find the answer to this question:
Does the sliding cab window option still drop down for easy cleaning, or is it fixed?

 

Mine does (9 months old). As far as I know they still drop down.

 

yes, they do

 

Why is the insulation option so beneficial if the tent itself isnt insulated and located higher?

 

It's very helpful during the day when temps are hot and everything is closed up. Rather than turn into an oven, I think the inside of mine got to mid-90's this summer on a hot day with a lot of direct UV exposure.

 

Even in the winter, the more insulation the better. I didn’t get side windows so I could maximize the insulation. I bought the Strawfoot front and rear window covers, which adds insulation on those windows. I insulated the bed with a Bedrug.

For the upper half, the roof is insulated stock. The only area not insulated is the tent. VO pre-installs a Velcro strip at the top of the tent material for the tent insulation package (to be released in the future). You will be future-proofed for the tent insulation package if you get the lower insulation package.

 

May I add there are other places that are not insulated. Both front and rear walls around the windows and the perimeter around the whole unit at the lower top portion. I put some 3/4” foam in those spots, but have yet to take it out in the cold since doing it to see if it is effective.
Also wonder about the overhang lower section. I haven’t seen anyone report on it. I am assuming there is nothing there, which will make the bottom of the bed in that area chilly. Anyone know about that?

 

I understand from Phil that the base Drifter is insulated above the overhang just like the roof.

 

@JerryW may know as I believe they replaced the screws holding the panel down with some lower profile ones.