The G3 Black Box - Recording the build and not the receipts

Figure it's time to start a build thread on my '12 TRDOR. After years of Jeeps, I decided it was time to get truck. I had always liked the Tacoma so here we are! Picked it up n April of 2019 with 62k miles.

Specs

2012 TRDOR DCSB
5100s - stock front coils set high
Icon full packs out back
US Offroad front winch mount
Warn M8 with synthetic line and F55
RCI Aluminum skids and steel rear diff skid
Power Tray with SwitchPros
OGE Aux battery tray
Leer 100XL - SOLD
G3 Cap Rack - SOLD
Uniden CB
Midland GMRS/FRS
Yeasu FT8900

G3 Aluminum Flatbed in process

Pics when I bought the truck.


Current Photo



I'll be adding the pics throughout the day.

 

Saving post for updates and pics from the last year.

5100's
Icon rear springs
Power Tray
Switch Pros
Other misc stuff

 

After getting into a traffic altercation with a garbage truck, that caused me to smash another car...


I decided it was time to work on the flatbed idea I had been kicking around for some time. Fast forward 18 months and I am now finally getting around to it. More to follow in the next post.

 

Got the bed pulled off and started laying out my aluminum on the table. Truck looks pretty silly without a bed on it. Since this was going to take a couple days I removed the rear brace from the spare bed I had purchased awhile back so I could keep the tail lights functional and easy to remove/install if I needed to go someplace.


Overall width is 72"
Overall length is


Tomorrow I should be finishing the rear for lights and such.

 

Looking good! All aluminum?

 

It is. If I had a serious press brake or access to one I have a design similar to what you have going. Nice work on your setup BTW!

 

That sounds like the perfect width for our trucks. My aluma bed is only 68” wide, the next size up was 78” IIRC.
What’s the overall length?

I’ll be following this thread, for sure. I love a good flatbed build, especially aluminum.

How do you have it attached to the frame? Got some close up pics?

 

Excellent! Thank you, once you go flatbed, you'll wish you've done it sooner (I did at least)

 

100% agree! I wish I would've started it way back after the accident.

 

The overall length is 69". Works out really well considering my truck is the short bed.
I'll add some pics of how I have it mounted. Using 4" aluminum angle with a 3/8" thick wall. Then the main rails of the bed are 2x4x.25 wall tube with sleeves in the 8 mounting locations. It is extremely sturdy.

 

Awesome, can’t wait. When I inevitably break my Aluma, I want you to build me one

 

I would be happy to build more of these once I am satisfied with how this one ends up.

Here are some other pics. You can see how I have it mounted. Still plan on adding some gussets into the angle and cleaning up the look a bit. You can also see the fuel fill neck that will stay in the stock location and incorporate into the headache rack when I get to that part. Some other angles to view and my very temporary wiring for lights. I have the rear just about ready to be added on. Just waiting for the final lights to arrive.

 

Wow, great work so far. Can’t wait to see more updates on this.

So are you going to be welding any of the aluminum, or is it all getting bolted and riveted together?

The fuel filler neck is one advantage you have with your short bed. With the long bed, it really has to be relocated somehow to work. (Though mine is still sitting below the bed, zip-tied to the rub rail. It makes filling up a real pain)

 

Just out of curiosity, are the two longitudinal support rails parallel to each other, or do they splay out a bit to follow the frame of the truck?

 

The rear "bumper" is a welded assembly. It is removable however. The main frame/body is assembled using BOM Fasteners from ALCOA/Arconic. This is the same method you see used by Schutt Industries on their Military and XVenture trailers. There will be more fasteners than what you currently see. I haven't locked everything down yet. Wanted to be happy with everything first.

I figured the fuel fill on a long bed would require some more work and creativity. LOL.

 

No. They are parallel to each other. I did this because I will also be mounting a rear drawer between them as well as air tank and perhaps water tank. I also just like how it makes it easy to keep everything square.

 

https://youtu.be/PvsjLkbIm_4

these look awesome. Mind me asking how much the tool was?

actually, would love to get a sense of how much all of your materials on this project are running

 

that makes a lot of sense. I wish I had an under-tray drawer.

 

IIRC the tool itself was around 2K. I bought it refurbished. The nose assemblies run around 3-400$ each for the different fasteners. I use the 1/4" BOM and the 3/16 MagnaLok. It was a hefty investment but it makes things super fast and smooth. Plus, I'm not putting any heat into the aluminum on the frames. If you want to go this route. DO NOT buy anything other than the correct HUCK tool. Model 246 or 256. I tried an off brand tool first because the company claimed it would pull the fasteners. It didn't... And they wouldn't take it back...

I'll have to look back at the material cost.

 

Some updates from the last couple days.

Made some work fitting the deck aluminum.

Hauled some junk off to the town dumpster!

Worked on the rear.

Clamped the L Track in and marked/drilled the holes to mount it. Still waiting on the taillights to arrive. Working on the wiring this week. I'll be setting it up to use the factory plugs into a junction box. Then out to the new lights.