Newby with big aspirations

Hi Guys;

After reading this blog for 3 months and with just a week with my used 2017 Taco TRD Off-Road I’m very excited to tell you my story and my aspiration with my truck.

I’m a 59 years old Marine and a retired Microbiologist. In the last 2 year I been contemplating traveling the lower 48 states, Canada and Alaska living in my Taco with an Alu-Cab Canopy Camper on it.

It took me two long years to balance my finance, plan a strategy for traveling and a sensitive budget for an upgrading for my Taco. But, I’m facing not knowing what should upgrade and the cost.

I’m planning to ‘boomdocking’ mostly looking for free land to camp. I calculate to load my taco with close to 800 lbs of cargo including the camper and I do want to upgrade the tires to 34 inches that is the only upgrade that I know I must have. Having all this info, let me ask for you help and knowledgeable opinion. In order to travel without a salary and depending in my freelance Illustrator gigs my cash flow for the upgrading is limited. Researching everywhere for the average upgrading run for over 18K. My budget is 12K. What should I must get for that budget? How about dual battery, genarator or a battery power genarator?

I will seriously consider any advice or opinion and I will deeply apreciate it.

Yours truly;
Padrazo

 

Welcome to TW Padrazo. Although im not qualified to give you info youre searching for...there will be plenty to give great info to you. Sit tight, it will come.

 

Welcome to The Forum!

Good luck with your build!

 

Welcome to TW...Thank you for your service!! As far as tires go, Falken Wildpeaks at3w are a great tire and cheaper than most.

 

Why must have that size?

 

I know you got your heart set on the 34 inch tires and a lot of folks will tell you ya ya! do it .... I was considering doing that also but ended up not going that route after looking at a few items that should be considered if going for the long haul drive not like the mall crawlers that look cool but... First consider the MPG hit for the tires it is not a big number but when adding up hundreds of miles it does factor in. Second the cost to make the changes to fit the 34 inch like some lift required and possible cutting in front wheel well areas so they do not rub. third (this is what changed my mindset on that) Tire Cost and availability on the road if you were way up in East bumf@#* it certainly will be a lot easier to get standard size tires anywhere new or used if in a unexpected break down and you already got the spare on the truck.... I know that is kinda extreme however it has happened to a coworker while they were up on a trail run and both tires were not repairable and someone else had same standard size that he was able to use to get home on a Sunday.

I ended up with a set of aggressive long wearing tires at near 20k miles latter they only show little wear (BF GoodRich KM3). If your planing to do the long haul traveling look at added dependability and comfort like perhaps a good refrigerator / freezer unit and ways to power it solar, dual battery system because dealing with ice melting is a pain in the butt and does have its daily cost with no payback.

 

Welcome to the world of endless mods.....

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld!

 

Welcome!

 

welcome to tacoma world!

 

welcome

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome to the family that keeps getting bigger all the time

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome to TW

 

Welcome,
Not familiar with Alu-cab I looked them up. Wow! Very nice decision. I wonder how keeping warm in winter will work? Looks great. I want one.

 

Welcome sir! Thanks for your service. You might consider moving this over to it's own thread in the main 3rd gen forum. You will get more action than you can imagine!

 

welcome!

 

Welcome to TW and thank you for your service!

 

Welcome!