Ready Mix in AZ - KANSEI Wheel Installed/Fumoto Valve

Here is my new 2019 DCSB OR model, bought new in May of...you guessed it: 2019:



Build in April, 2022:



Build in June 2022



Mods existing:

• Leer LX 100 camper shell
• Center console divider
• Husky front foot well liners
• SDHQ ABS sensor billet guards
• $659 SP9100 Switch Pros SP-9100 8-Switch Panel Power System With Concealed Mounting Hardware
  SP9100
• Light Force Ditch Lights mtd. on CBI brackets
• Goose Gear bed base plate
• Falken Wildpeak AT3's 265/75/16's mounted on TW $300 specials
• Bilstein 6112 coilovers
• Bilstein 5160 rear resi shocks
• ICON RXT Leaf Pack w/option 2 spring rate
• Durobumps bump stops at all four corners
• Kansei ROKU HD 17 x 8.5 Wheels in Bronze
• BFG KO2 285/70/17 in Load Range C
• Cab Mount Chop and Pinch Weld mod
• PakRax bolt on sliders
• Patches...lots of patches

Mods future:

• RCI transmission and transfer case skids with cat protectors
• MESO customs Puddle Pods

 

Already added a few mods:

Leer color matched LX100 shell with win-door option and front kick out window:





Also ordered a set of Husky front foot well liners, and added a Curt Echo bluetooth brake controller...

 

Using the Tacoma to tow our 2007 AT Chaser:

 

Took the Tacoma on its first road trip to Overland Expo in Flagstaff this year.

Had a great drive, we were lucky as the camper shell was ordered with a 4-5 week lead time was delivered before the trip.

I had a plan of purchase for the Expo...new fridge, fridge slide, and some functioning mounting platform for the bed of the Tacoma. Spent some time grabbing morale patches, stopped by the SDHQ booth, OC Overland, Lightforce, KC Hilites, and EQIUPT.



Some incredible builds and equipment on display...





This rig was so cool...not really reasonable, but hell, I'd rip a SHERP through the desert...



Kristen at EQUIPT helped hook us up with our camping comfortably goals...

 

Need to organize your gear?





Adventure Tool Company out of Colorado had some beautiful gear organization kits for sure.

Oh, and if you wanna overland your Sienna mini-van or Mini Cooper...well, Overland Expo had that too...



The kits:





If you're into that kinda thing.

 

How do you like your NL Weekender? Did Equipt have any decent deals on them at Overland Expo?

 

Love the fridge...no deals at Expo.

EQUIPT1 and Goose Gear were both pretty thrifty with their displays & deals...I was made to feel lucky to have received free shipping for all my stuff...but you'd expect that dropping $3K for gear.

 

Hey, I found your build thread! Looks like you're in need of an update, my friend.

 

How are you liking the Bluetooth brake controller?

 

You aren't kidding...shortly after an October 2019 trip to Tucson, Daphne contracted Valley Fever and my build thread took a serious back seat to life in general...dad was in and out of the hospital a few times...and a few other things.

Let's see...updates:

August, 2019....attempted to install Goose Gear base plate, fridge slide, and fridge plug

September 2019...had SDHQ install a SwitchPro 9100 controller unit, as well as wire additonal 12V power to the Tacomas bed. Unfortunately, the plug for the NL Weekender is proprietary, so connecting the fridge became a frustrating project...more on that later in this update.

Late/Early Winter of 2020...self installed the Goose Gear base plate. No instructions, and EQUIPT1 the great outfitter we met at Expo ghosted me both by phone and email. I finally got in touch with a Goose Gear rep who walked me over the install by phone, but I was still left with a bitter after taste following my almost $3,000 spend on EQUIPT1's Eez Awn fridge slide/NL Weekender fridge/GooseGear base plate that took a looooong time to get installed, which was hardly what was presented during OVEXPO 2019 in their booth. And, the Eezi Awn fridge slide was delivered with a huge dent in it...live and learn.

June 2020...sourced an install of the NL Weekender plug for the bed of the Tacoma, at a local outfitter who I am choosing not to mention here, as the work was subpar and during our first trip out the plug pulled out of the truck bed, still connected, but a serious PITA. The same outiftter installed my LightForce Ditch lights (I self installed the SDHQ ditch mounts), and when I went to pick up the Tacoma noticed that they had scraped some of the wiring insualtion on the

$659 SP9100 Switch Pros SP-9100 8-Switch Panel Power System With Concealed Mounting Hardware

SP9100 unit under the hood, they quickly covered the stripped wires with electrical tape. I later discovered the reason the plug pulled out was because they simply drilled the hole too big for the plastic plug to fit in, and as the NL plug is a very tight fit, after the first three times plugging/unplugging the fridge in, the plastic threads on the body of the plug just gave way, the retention ring slipped off and down the wiring inside the fender. The fridge still worked, but the plug looked horrible just dangling out of the truck bed...it wouldn't be until I took the truck into @state48overland that the plug problem would actually get fixed...I paid a local outfitter $250 to run that 12V wiring, and another $100 to wire the ditch lights...money wasted. Lights work, but the fridge plug was a royal PITA during our first trip to Colorado.

November, 2020....sourced, purchased, and installed 5.29 gears. I have to say, after my Overland Expo purchases back in May of 2019, this was the single largest truck upgrade/purchase I had made, and I spent a LOT of time and research given my last couple of poor customer service/install experiences. Erick and Jay of @state48overland were very patient, and we emailed, texted, and spoke over the phone pretty much the whole month of August 2020. Gears were backordered, and I read the whole Mega 5.29 thread here on TW. The main reason for the gears was to assist in pulling our small travel trailer more effciently, with less stress on the drivetrain and transmission. Jay assured me this was the proper kit, and with confidence the Nitro Gears 5.29 gear set was ordered, with an expected lead time of about 4-6 weeks. Gears were ordered August 31st, and delivered the first week of October, pretty spot on given the world we live in. My gear install was scheduled with Ben at AZ Toy Pros in Mesa, and completed in a day and a half. The truck drove different, and it has taken me a little while to get acclimated to the new gearing, more on that in a specific post to the gears. Suffice to say, the communication, in person help, and overall install/customer serivce experience with @state48overland as well as AZ Toy Pros was exceptional, every step of the way. SIDEBAR: when I went to pick up my truck after the gear install, I mentioned to Erick @state48overland the 12V plug issue, and he and Dave came out to the Tacoma to take a look. In short, they spent the next 20 minutes pulling apart the rear access panel, fishing their arms up inside the truck bed, and red LocTiting (<<<is that a word?) the plastic plug to repair the other shops poor workmanship. Dave is an amazing installer who actually did the gear install,and I must say, great DUDE. He is a former employee from the now OOB Sierra Expeditions...RIP. They wouldn't take money for this fix, and just chalked it up to helping a fellow off roader out....aka "customer for life".


2020 and beyond...working with @state48overland now on a suspension upgrade, also a CMC with Ben at AZ Toy Pros, some sliders, skids plates, 285's...etc.

Thanks for kicking me in the a$$ @JFanaselle ...now it's your turn, lets see some photos and words on your new to you SuperWhite Tacoma!!!

 

I didn't work very well at all...inconsistent signal led to either full brakes, or less than optimal braking. I ditched it...$200 "mistake."

 

Found a great deal on wheels in the AZ Classified section of TW



Will post up some before and after shots once their mounted.

 

New wheels...

before:



after:



New wheels look great.

Trip to Discount Tire was a bit of a shitshow...stock lugs didn’t fit AND DT quoted one price over the phone and charged a higher price once I was there. Not insurmountable, but still lame.

Bottom line is...I’m happy with the wheels, which is frankly all that matters.

 

Been a minute... almost 18 months.

Finally had my suspension upgrades done @state48overland


Before:



After:



Very happy with how it turned out. Erick from @state48overland and Ben with Arizona Toy Pro’s really come through with the parts and install.

 

Front suspension pics:





Bilstein 6112’s and SPC UCA’s will work just great.

 

Rear suspension pics:




Duro bumps for that smooooth bottom out...





ICON RXT leaf packs, option 2 spring rate...




Went with a more stout spring rate for the trips with Daphne, the dogs, and the fridge on board.

 

The first real armor for the Tacoma...@PakRax slides. Bolt on against my better judgement, as I’ve always welded them on in the past. I’m assured this will be okay...




Tucked neatly and protecting the rockers nicely. They will also make for quick work when waxing the roof and LEER... nice step ups for sure.

 

Very nice! I need to get some of those Durobumps for my rear end. I do have Wheeler's super bumps on the front, but I'm still running the factory bump stops in the rear and I get the occasional teeth-jarring thud while off-road, especially when the RTT is mounted.

 

For-shore Joe...I had Timbrens on the 2003 Tacoma out back, and running full Ovie gear it really smoothed things out!

Thanks for checking things out over here @JFanaselle ...nice to be back in touch.

 

@JFanaselle sent you a PM.