Another Around the World Tacoma

Panels not oriented perpendicular to the sun, but today is clear and sunny in Phoenix, AZ.

Impressed with the 91w, but more importantly, the 4.76 amps. Even with the one zone of my IceCo fridge set to 5 degrees, it only draws ~2.8 amps after it has reached the set temperature and it is ~75 degrees outside.

Solar by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I'll orient the panels more perpendicular to the sun (the amount of energy you can pull from the sun is a direct function of the angle between the suns rays and the panel, 90 degrees is most effective) and see if I can snag the full 200w out of the sun!

 

Youknow myopinion of the IceCo

 

A 5 gallon Wavian can is $85. And solid.

 

TWO Tacos? You my friend I envy - living the high life!

 

Mmmmmm - LS in a E36

 

Awesome build! Have you weighed this behemoth yet? Looks like it’s gonna be well over GVWR when you load it with gear.

 

I have not weighed the truck at this time, as it isn't complete yet, but yes, it is heavy.

Another update coming now!

 

Ok, I took another trip this past weekend, testing out the setup in a couple of different ways.

Below are my observations:

But, first, some photos!

On Broken Arrow Trail in Sedona

Random Photos by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

At camp, near a mountain biking trailhead, looking purdy.

Random Photos by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Alright, observation time:

- The drive up the I-17 freeway, from ~1,000 ft elevation to 5,000 ft elevation over ~90 miles, was far more pleasant than I envisioned. ECT PWR was used the entire time and S4 was used for the majority of the time. There was no lack of 'get up and go' from the V6. Now, I wasn't blasting past people, but it handled hills and we could pass when necessary. Over 220 miles we averaged 17.6 mpg, which seems plenty fair to me.
- The fridge/freezer worked great. At night, the battery would be drawn down to ~87%. In the morning, the solar panels would have the battery topped back off in just a couple of hours. I've had the fridge on constantly for a while now, and this seems to be the discharge/charge range/time each day.
- I don't know if the next fridge will be a dual zone. I am thinking long and hard about whether or not I actually need a freezer. I say this because if you only draw the battery down to 80%, you can do this a large number of times, thousands of times, without damaging the battery. But once you go below that, the number of discharge/charge cycles decreases substantially. And we are dropping down to 87% when the weather isn't that hot at night. So I will see.
- Organization needs a lot of attention. The truck and camper is organized when it's all packed up and ready to go, and I organize it each morning before we start the day, but it can get cluttered rather quickly once you are actually living in it. Two peoples clothes, shoes, jackets, food stuffs, etc., quickly cover every flat surface. I have some ideas, as I need to get simple things like clothes, shoes, and jackets up and off of the floor, preferably onto the underside of the bed portion. I'll be researching and ordering things this week.
- We were able to carry out a 'typical' future day in the truck with ease. Girlfriend had to meet with two of her patients on Sunday, via Zoom, so we had the inverter powering her laptop, lights on, cell phone reception and Wifi connection, the whole nine. No issues presented themselves while she was working.

That's all I have for now. Time to add the things I need to add and then test it out again.

On a separate note, the beautiful Archive Garage Hammer Hanger setup arrived. I bought the whole package, the shackles, bushings, and high clearance cross brace. It was beautifully packaged, and it is a beautiful product. I'll find the time to get it installed in the next couple of weeks.

Random Photos by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

One final note: It is finally time to part ways with my 2016 TRDOR Tacoma, the machine that brought me into this realm. It's a sad time for me, but I can't justify two of basically the same vehicle, so this one has to go.

I did the final detail this past week, took the photos I need, and began typing up the for sale ad. It isn't up quite yet, but it is time.

Hopefully the next owner will enjoy it as much as I have.

Random Photos by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

 

Patiently awaiting more updates on this build

 

July 1st, 2022

Alright, it's probably time to update this thread. My initial departure date has come and gone, so I may as well explain why.

I have had a couple of major changes, so I figured I'd share them with you.

Let's start with what has been done since my last update:

We left off with the Archive Garage Hammer Hangers ready to be installed. I watched a YT video about the install, saw nothing frightening, and dove right in.

Total install time was ~4 hours from tires off of the ground to tires back on the ground. I have no fancy tools. A 4.5" grinder and a drill were all that was needed to remove the OEM mounts.

Very excited with the finished product, it is beautiful, and it fits perfectly.

AG HH by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Impressions: This modification was a MASSIVE improvement to the truck. It is incredible how much better the rear end feels. If you carry any sort of weight in your bed on a regular basis, get this upgrade. Phew, it is phenomenal.

I took the truck on a 4 day trip to the Mojave National Preserve with a few friends that I overland with every year. It was a great experience, a beautiful place, and we saw and drove some exciting things along the way.

It was the first serious, multi-day trip in the truck, and I was super impressed and confident in it.

Thousands and thousands of whoops. Dry, soft, deep sand. Rocky sections. Exposure. Climbs and drops. It ate all of it up. The suspension honestly made it so I would forget that I was literally carrying around my future house. It was that comfortable and capable.

Mojave - Day 1 - 2 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

This truck is phenomenal to me:

Mojave - Day 1 - 16 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

It was so planted and composed. Very confidence inspiring.

Mojave - Day 1 - 18 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Some of my favorites from that trip:

Mojave - Day 2 - 42 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Mojave - Day 3 - 60 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

What a sunset!

Tacomas in Mojave by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Improvements to the truck took a backseat for a while, as I just began using it to have fun.

Took a weekend trip up to St. George to canyoneer a canyon up there, among other things.

Tacoma in St. George by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Apart from the low gas mileage (no surprise) this truck is very, very easy to drive long distances.

I went on more and more outings, just enjoying what the truck had to offer. Still very impressed.

Towards Payson/Roosevelt by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I decided to add 1.25" Spidertrax spacers to the truck, to see how it would look. I ended up liking it, so they stayed.

1.25” Spacers by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I got around to installing the stove where I wanted it to go. I started by trying to figure out a mount to get the stove onto the rear door, but I eventually decided to simply mount the rather stout stove right to the door itself. Rivnuts got the job done and there it is!

Stove on Rear Door by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Stove on Rear Door by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

This is lightweight, as an entire mount was not added, and simple. I ran a hose into the back of the truck, where I will keep the LPG to run it. I will be adding a slide out wood cutting board/countertop to the underside of the stove to create more cooking/prep area for us. It is fully functional from both outside and inside of the truck, just like I wanted.

I finally decided on a fridge, and I went with an ARB Zero, single zone, after careful thought and consideration. This fridge is really nice, albeit expensive! It is easy to open the lid (as it opens lengthwise) from both outside of the truck and inside of the truck, another requirement of mine.

I used ARB's mounting flanges and bolted it directly to the floor of the truck. Very secure and minimally invasive into the interior space.

ARB in Tacoma by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

ARB in Tacoma by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The interior, as of today.

ACCC Interior by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I added rivnuts to the underside of the 'ceiling' and I am creating a custom grouping of pouches which will allow me to store light objects up and out of the way. Think hiking poles, puffy jackets, shoes, things like that. I am no seamstress, but the template and pouches are coming along slowly but surely.

I ordered a full set of RCI skids for their July 4th sale, so those arrive tomorrow and will go on next week.

I also ordered a Dickinson P9000 LPG fireplace, as well as the GP Factor mounting kit for the AluCab. The furnace is on backorder for three weeks, but I am excited to receive that and install it!

I also ordered a set of Archive Garage Relocated rear shock towers. I bought these for two reasons. One, I got a good deal on a set of rear shocks for that setup. Two, the towers allow you to tie the bed into the frame at the top of the wheel well. This will help with the longevity of the bed to frame connection, as the ACCC puts a bunch of stress on those bed bolts. The towers should be installed sometime in late August, depending on a friends availability to weld them in.

I also ordered a set of JD Fab spindle gussets and dual shear steering.

A friend welded them up, shipped them down to me, and I installed them just yesterday.

Reinforced Spindle with Dual Shear by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Gussets + Dual Shear by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Pardon the mud, I was up on the Mogollon Rim last weekend completing another canyon in that area.

Mogollon Rim - Sundance Canyon by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

That is the truck as of today. Big upgrades in the next couple of months, and a massive 10-day trip to The Maze is happening in September.

Alright, so that's all well and good. But why the delay? Why am I not of the road yet?

Well, as luck would have it, I ended up meeting someone whose goals for life match with mine so completely, I had no idea such a person even existed.

I was not planning on this, but sometimes life just happens.

We have a blast together. She is outdoorsy, has lived in a car before (nothing like the Tacoma), and has a desire to see and explore the world. Perfection, really.

So, we are growing our relationship. We are also going to focus on paying off a couple mortgages for some rental properties that I own. Owning them free and clear will provide us with far more money than we need to live on the road, as the truck is paid off and completely mine, and none of the modifications are financed, but the comfort and security of knowing that we will be earning money without having to work our butts off is worth waiting a bit before we set off around the world.

Plus, it gives me more time to spend more money on the Tacoma!

Some of our most enjoyable adventures:

165 ft final rappel at Half Dilly in Sedona, AZ

Half Dilly by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

130 ft free hang by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Shaketree Canyon near Payson, AZ

More Rappels by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

More Rappels by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Sundance Canyon near Happy Jack, AZ

Sundance Canyon by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Sundance Canyon by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

So, to summarize, a bit of a push back on the departure date, but I have no regrets whatsoever. I am still having a blast, we are really finetuning the setup little but little, and I am happy to wait a little while in order to bring someone else along on the journey. The thought of doing it alone now just doesn't seem to make nearly as much sense as it did when I first started assembling this machine.

Alright, that's enough for now, I need to get to packing! It's time to hop in the truck and spend another weekend outdoors!

I'll be better about sharing future updates as we move forward.

 

Adventuring solo is fun, but being able to share it with someone is even better!

 

I could not agree more. Doing it solo would seem like such a wasted opportunity now, as it costs basically nothing extra to bring along a companion.

 

The excursions look great and huge congrats on the travel partner!

 

Cool thread and great to follow. All the best on continued progress and the adventure to come!

 

Thank you all for the kind words.

More adventures this past weekend!

Traveled up to the Mogollon Rim area of Arizona again to complete two more canyons.

The roads were muddy from recent rainfall, but the Cooper's made the travel easy going in 2wd. I eventually switched to 4wd to gain more control as the road turned very rocky towards the end.

4 people camped out of the truck. It was cramped, and undesirable for long periods of time, but it did do it.

Mogollon Rim - Again by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Mogollon Rim - Again by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Bear Canyon was gorgeous. Wetsuits were definitely required to make the frequent cold pools easier to traverse.

Wilbur and Bear Canyons - July 4th by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

An 80 ft rappel was the longest of the weekend, so rather tame compared to our other adventures.

Wilbur and Bear Canyons - July 4th by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The GP Factor furnace mounting kit I ordered arrived. It was well packaged and it is well made. It still feels a bit over-priced even after seeing it, but I needed it, so that's the way that it is.

Furnace and Skids by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

My full set of RCI 3/16" steel skids also arrived. I purchased them for their 4th of July sale, and they promptly got them out the door to me. The shipping weight for all 4 boxes was 121.5 lb, so another ~100 lb was added to the Tacoma (I'm guessing on the weight of the OEM components you remove when installing the skids).

Furnace and Skids by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

An hour later they were in place and tightened up.

Steel Skids Installed by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I opted to go with the T-Case skid that accommodates the OEM exhaust routing. If the small hump turns out to be an issue I'll address having the exhaust re-routed at that time. The truck is not a rock crawler, but I do want the extra protection skids offer just in case. I have personally busted off a t-case actuator just last year. That was troublesome enough, even with being in Utah with 4 other Tacomas. The thought of that happening while being alone somewhere in the Canadian Rockies does not make me feel well.

My Warfab tie rod sleeves should ship this week, so after they arrive I'll quickly get them installed and I'll take the truck in for an alignment.

We leave again this Friday to do the final canyon in this particular area, so we will camp out for the weekend and enjoy ourselves.

I have some house projects to work on, so the truck work will relax a bit until the furnace arrives in ~4 weeks or so.

 

Another Update:

My Warfab Tie Rod Sleeves arrived over the weekend, so I installed them early Monday morning. With the dual shear setup I didn't even have to remove the front tires to install these.

Tie Rod Sleeve by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

In all honesty, I spent the $55 on these primarily for the bling factor. I have seen severe damage to steering components on a 3rd gen, and the tie rod was not something to worry about. I will say, these give me a lot of confidence if the tie rod were to come in contact with something solid. Though I hope to avoid that type of scenario at all costs.

Took the truck for an alignment, but the team there wasn't able to squeeze out enough caster to avoid all rubbing on my mud flap. I will be looking into another place that will try harder to push the caster up into the 3 degree range.

We camped out in Central Arizona, at the start of Horsetank Wash Canyon. The sunset was beautiful.

Horsetank Wash Canyon - 7/9/22 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Horsetank Wash Canyon by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

A small fire kept the flies and mosquitos at bay for a while.

Horsetank Wash Canyon by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We discussed some storage ideas for the bed of the truck, and we ended up coming up with a pretty good plan for enhancing the portion of the bed next to the fridge.

It's too hot here in Phoenix to do too much work outside, so I'll start on the frame for the storage and the drawer set after my September trip.

Horsetank Wash was a doozie. Not overly exciting rappel wise, but it was beautiful, lush, and green. The approach was reasonable, the canyon itself long but enjoyable, but the exit was treacherous. There is no convenient exit in this canyon, and the directions for escape were a bit ambiguous. Two sections of Free Solo climbing were required to make our exit. I braved the climbs with a rope on my back in a bag, and I set up anchors off of stout trees for the lady. Precarious doesn't quite cut it. And the tiredness I felt after climbing just twenty exposed feet was immense. This is a canyon we will not be returning to.

Just another day in another canyon though!

Horsetank Wash Canyon - 7/9/22 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I am continuing to work on the ceiling storage. I am no seamstress, but after two local tailors/alteration shops quoted me $500+ to attach my pouches, I decided to order up supplies online and learn myself some sewing techniques.

Ceiling Storage by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

It will not look professional, but I will sew every stitch, and I enjoy that and I am willing to accept how it looks when it is done. I have since drawn in 6 more pouches, for a total of 12.

1 pouch is already attached, and all of the others are prepped and ready to be affixed. I went with orange and black as those are Alucabs colors. Plus it looks good to me!

 

I took the truck to higher elevations to escape the oppressive heat of Phoenix this past weekend.

A nice night of camping off of South Senator Highway was a nice retreat from the work week.

7-16 Weekend by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The next morning we took the highway from our campsite near Crown King north towards Prescott, our mountain biking destination. 'Highway' is a bit of a stretch, the route is more SxS friendly, as it is tight and twisty and very rocky. I had to honk the horn around every corner to avoid getting into head on accidents with speeding side by sides. We had 4 close calls. This route is not really worth it, but I'm glad that I was able to take the truck on it at least once.

7-16 Weekend by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

After wayyyy too many hours hand sewing this ceiling storage, it is finally done. It isn't perfect, and not very straight in a few places, but it's mounted up, it functions as intended, and I made it myself.

My brothers cats were always willing to lend a hand.

Ceiling Storage by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I mounted it to the underside of the tilting portion of the bed using M5 bolts and fender washers. A little blue thread locker should keep these from working loose over the many bumpy miles the truck will face in the future.

Ceiling Storage by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Nothing heavy will be stored in these pouches. Nonetheless, they should come in handy as the truck gets more and more full of things.

I hope I don't have to, as making this took way too long, but I now feel more comfortable working with Cordura.

Until next time.

 

Very cool to see all your progress, following along your journey as well!!

 

Thank you!

 

Spent another weekend enjoying the Tacoma.

A 'boring' campsite, as we had to stay in cell phone reception.

7-23 weekend by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

It felt good to be amongst the trees.

7-23 weekend by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

A good friend of mine, who recently acquired a GFC for his DCSB, lived nearby and joined us for the evening after he finished work.

He has the type of Tacoma that does a mighty fine job of making mine look unmodified!

7-23 weekend by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

7-23 weekend by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

7-23 weekend by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We enjoyed our weekend mountain bike riding and playing frisbee golf.

Today, I did an oil change.

Oil change at 14,962 miles on 7-27-2022

Oil and COM10 Bearing by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I also tackled the replacement of the passenger side COM10 bearing in the lower shock mounting point. I noticed it was loose while doing my spindle replacement.

I used a bolt from a bushing puller set, that also has a nut with integrated washers, and two sockets. This was all that was needed to work the old, damaged, bearing free. The way the top of the shock pivots allowed me to do the swap without removing anything other than the tire and the lower shock bolt.

Oil and COM10 Bearing by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

It's hard to see, but the one in my hand was wobbled out. It was significantly loose, causing a groaning noise every now and then.

Oil and COM10 Bearing by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I wasn't sure if this was the exact bearing I needed, but it was, so I ordered another one to swap into the drivers side as preventative maintenance. Research leads me to believe that these may need to be swapped out every ~20,000 miles, so I will keep a close eye on them.

I am still waiting on the furnace to be delivered, should be any day now.

Another mini adventure planned for this weekend.