Boden Build 2015 DCLB 4x4

UPDATED: 7/05/18

My name is Mike, and I thought I'd finally start a build page after lurking for a long time. My last vehicle was a 2001 Ford F150 2wd that I pretty much beat the heck out of. However, this Tacoma is my third Toyota truck. My first was a 1980 4wd and my 2nd was a 1992 2wd that I built as a pre-runner.

I purchased this Tacoma new in December 2014, and I'm off and running. I researched for a long time before the purchase, and I have a lot of plans for the truck. The primary goal is to build an expedition vehicle that gets me into the backcountry for better photographic opportunities. I want to see things that most people don't have the opportunity to.

I chose a double cab for the extra storage capacity. In the fifteen years of owning the F150, I only had one person in the back seat. So for this truck, I've removed the rear seats entirely and built a platform to is used mostly to tie down camera equipment. I also wanted a full door, because I hated the suicide-doors of the access cab. I always feel trapped between the front and rear doors.

Another decision I made was to choose the long bed versus the short bed. This again was primarily for storage reasons and because I'm 6'1" and plan on sleeping in the back. I now have a Filppac, so the long will be mostly for camping/tool storage.

That last major purchasing decision was to choose the SR5 package instead of the TRD Off-Road package. This was deliberate, because I thought it was a waste of money buying the TRD Off-Road package when I was immediately going to replace the tires and suspension. If there's anything I may miss, it's the e-locker and ATRAC. But I'm thinking about air-lockers when I do a gear upgrade.

This is how the truck looks now:






This is how the truck looked when I first got it:


Specs:
Make: Toyota
Model: Tacoma, Double Cab, Long Bed, 4wd, SR5 Extra Value Package
Year: 2015
Color: Silver Sky Metallic

Stock features:
Entune Audio Plus
Tow Package
Floor Mats
Exhaust Tip
Tube Steps - black (replaced with Demello Offroad Rock Crusher bolt-on sliders)
Remote key-less entry
Cruise Control
Power Windows
Power Locks
Fog Lights (stock fog lights removed - IPF ARB bumper fog lights installed)

Current Mods:
Suspension:
Icon 2.5" Remote Reservoir Extended Travel CDCV Coilover Shocks w/ 700lb springs
Icon 2.5 Series Rear Remote Reservoir CDCV Shock
Icon Uni Ball Billet UCA
Icon Progressive Add-A-Leaf pack (1st version installed)
Dakar EL096R Heavy Duty leaf springs (currently installed)

Tires:
BF Goodrich KM2 255/85R16

Wheels:
Stock

Armor:
ARB Deluxe Bull Bar Front Bumper
Demello Offroad Rock Crusher bolt-on sliders
Pelfreybilt High Clearance Rear Bumper

Communications:

$90 Midland 75-822 40 Channel CB-Way Radio

Midland 75-822 CB
Wilson Little Wil antenna

Electrical:
Sears Platinum Group 35 battery
CAE 250A alternator
Big-3 upgrade
Bussmann RTMR Fuse/Relay Block
Permanent 5v supply to DeLorme InReach Explorer RAM Mount
IBS-DBS Dual Battery System monitor
Oddysey 34-PC1500T auxiliary battery
Auxiliary Bussmann RTMR Fuse/Relay Block for bed of truck

Lighting:
Depo black tail lights
Osram Rallye 70/65W +50 H4 64205 headlight bulbs
Hella 4000I Driving Lights
IPF ARB bumper fog lights
Under hood LED strip lighting
Rigid Industries SR-Q2 rear lights
Interior dome light for Flippac - temporary install
Interior dome light for Flippac with 3-way switches - final install
Zombie Lights on rear window

Misc:
Warn 9.5XP-S Sypdura Winch
K&N Air Filter
Redline Tuning Quicklift Elite
Console Vault
Bird Dawg Industries Teck Deck
Bird Dawg Industries Mirror Riser
Gentex Rear View Mirror w/ autodim, compass, temp gauge, Homelink
De-Badged tailgate and doors
Removed front mud flaps
Removed rear mud flaps
Rear differential breather mod
Removed rear seats
Neneago all-in-one key
Flippac
RAAMmat and Ensolite sound dampening
Mobtown Offroad Tailgate Reinforcement Plate and Cap
ARB 50QT fridge and dual slide-out
Bed storage

Equipment:
Sentry Halon 1211 9lb fire extinguisher
DeLorme InReach Explorer
Powertank PT10-5240
Trailhead Tire Deflator Kit (5-20psi)
ARB Tire Inflator
ARB Bushranger X-Jack
ARB Tire Repair Kit
winch kit
Hi-Lift Extreme 48" jack
MAXTRAX
20" Four-Way Lug Wrench
ScanGauge II

 

Nothing special here, but one of the first things I did besides installing a K&N air filter was to install a ScanGauge. I choose to put this on the steering column.

 

Nice truck man. Glad you're having fun already. So many awesome things to be done to these trucks. I'm in Torrance, pretty close to you over there in Culver City.

 

I love the long bed!

 

Next was installing Redline Tuning Quicklift Elite hood struts.

Before:


After:

 

I then added a Console Vault.

 

Thanks. Yes...Torrance is very close. Maybe we'll meet one day out on a trail.

 

Thanks. Me too. I'm 6'1" so I wanted the long bed for sleeping and storage.

 

The next item on the list was a mirror riser.

Before:


After:

 

Next was a Bird Dawg Industries Teck Deck Xtreme Heavy Duty version. This was a bit more involved with installation than everything else so far. But I was successful.

Before:


Install:


Attaching support bracket:


After:

 

One of the things that bugs me about this truck was the ambient outside temperate gauge being tied to a HD radio station through the Entune Audio system. Really frickin' stupid in my opinion. I'd literally be up in Valencia, and it wouldd tell me the temperature in Santa Monica, which is 30 miles away!!!

Anyway, I came real close to installing a very simple temp gauge for only a few bucks. However, I came across a post on Tacoma World that Bob's Automotive Mirrors had a rear view mirror with autodim, compass, temp gauge, and Homelink. And...it came with a connector to tie into the existing wiring harness. Brilliant!!! I was sold.

 

I decided to keep the look of this truck clean, so I de-badged it.

Before:






After:

 

Yeah bro for sure. I'm always down to go out and play trucks haha.

 

My new tires arrived today, but can't install yet. Gotta wait for suspension first, which goes on tomorrow!!! I'll post pics this weekend.

 

Bumper and winch installed last Wednesday, suspension Thursday, and tires Friday.

Bumper and winch:
ARB Deluxe Bull Bar Front Bumper
IPF ARB bumper fog lights
Warn 9.5XP-S Sypdura Winch

Suspension:
Icon 2.5" Remote Reservoir Extended Travel CDCV Coilover Shocks
Icon 2.5 Series Rear Remote Reservoir CDCV Shock
Icon Uni Ball Billet UCA
Icon Progressive Add-A-Leaf pack

Tires:
BF Goodrich KM2 255/85R16

 

Today I did the rear differential breather mod. I used 3/8" fuel line, and ran it up to the gas filler. However, I didn't cut through the plastic to have it exit at the filler cap. Instead, the line is zip-tied to the filler hose and left up in the cavity between the fender and bed liner.

Before:


Parts:


After:

 

How many feet of fuel line did you end up using? I like the way you routed that, looks real clean. I have been putting this off on mine since I bought the truck.

 

Nice build man!

 

I bought 6 feet, but I only used about 4.

 

Thanks! I've got a lot more planned.