Tacos in St. Louis area

I ended up ordering mine via Amazon, couldn't get it even at Jefferson County Auto Parts, and they brag about being able to get anything... nice fellas though. Granted, that was... 6 years ago? Yeesh...

 

Yeah I called just about everywhere and no one could get the specific stuff I wanted. Found a guy on Craigslist selling 2 jugs of it brand new!

 

Got lucky on Amazon. One of those Warehouse deals.

 

Hey Everyone!

I've been a long time lurker on TW but recently decided to become more engaged, and soak up all of the info on the boards. I live in the city of Saint Louis, i'm an IT engineer, and I have a corgi and a couple other doggies. My wife and I spend all our vacation time every year in National Parks, and typically exploring the off road trails on BLM/NPS land. My favorite National Park is Bryce Canyon. Seriously, if you've never been, go as soon as you can.

I bought my 2018 off road in August. Previously, I had a Ram Rebel which I loved, but my wife really didn't like it due to its size. I bought it before we were married. She thought Tacoma's were "cute" and I like their off-road capabilities. I took the Rebel to Canyonlands and there were a few times on the White Rim road that would make anyones butthole pucker with a truck that wide...if you take a Raptor on that trail, expect it to leave with damage. Hot tip: marriage is about collaboration, not compromise lol. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Rebel and miss it every day. But the Tacoma's and the Rebels are for different uses.

A little about the Tacoma:

When features when I bought the Tacoma: 20k miles, technology package + premium package + bed cover + Borla exhaust

What I've added: Softopper + Dissent Offroad Bed Rack + Smittybilt RTT + BAMF Bed Rails + hi-lift jack (not usually in the truck though) + front and rear dash cams

What I will be ordering very shortly: Dissent Offroad Cab Rack + Dissent Offroad RTT bars + Bed Stiffeners (I havent decided on brand)

My wife and I are taking our honeymoon later this year in September. We will primarily be in the rural southwest, but eventually make it to Joshua Tree and do a few major off road trails in Death Valley. Our trip will be upwards of three weeks. That being said, I am trying to get a list of things that I need/want to safely off road so remotely for a long period of time.
I am seeking a new set of rims/tires for this purpose. The stock tires that came with the truck were nearly bald despite Goodyears 50/60k warranty on these tires. So I had them warrantied out immediately and replaced with new one for about $100. However, I dont trust these tires to handle well off road considering they dont appear to handle the streets that well. I havent decided on which rim/wheels yet.

What I would like to add/buy before the trip:
Taco Garage Pro Grill
Fuel/Rotopax - Know of any reputable off brands? Otherwise I may buy their "blemished" ones they offer.
42in Cab Rack Light Bar - I cant decide between amber or white, but im leaning towards amber due to dust, etc. Im not 100% certain on brand yet either.
Traction Jacks - I was considering a pair of MaxTrax but I think the Traction Jacks will suit me better, and their warranty coverage is awesome.
Skid plate(s) - I haven't decided which brand, or if I need to invest in the transfer/diff/gas skid considering the off roading I do isnt typically extreme.
Pod Hood Lights - I havent decided if I want to go this route yet.
Light Bar (behind the grill) - I havent decided, but its not a high priority
New Wheels and Tires - probably going to look at used/blemished wheels. I havent decided on tires yet. I am watching the SCS thread for blemished wheels.
HAM Radio Install - I plan to take my test in 2 weeks so I would like to have a set up in my truck before leaving in September just in case I get into some trouble with my truck and cant fix it alone.
Carhartt Front and Rear Seat Covers
I would really like to add a slim style bumper (think southern style offroad/body armor hiline, etc), but I doubt I will be able to get to it this year.
I am doing all of this on a budget, but I firmly believe in "cry once, buy once" so I wont cut corners and buy the cheapest shit unless its reliable.

If you have any other suggestions, definitely let me know!

I also love to ride motorcycles, check out local food joints & bars, and hit the range. Looking forward to getting to know all of you!

Here's a picture of the truck somewhere in Appalachia on public land:

 

Welcome! If you're looking for wheels I believe @Tacomania has a set of bronze scs wheels still I think

 

Thanks! I appreciate it!
I definitely saw those on here and on FB marketplace. I haven't decided if I wanna drop the $$ on it right at this moment.

 

For armor you could always check out SOS Concepts I've got their rock sliders and skid plates and haven't been disappointed. Alot of the vendors will have a tax season sale

 

And you can always count on TW to help you spend excessive fun coupons.....

 

Oh yes lol. I'll probably be getting recovery gear this time around and spare parts

 

Welcome! Nice to meet some more people from St Louis area.

 

@corgidaddy if you like SOS stuff we can make that happen.

Your lighting needs @memario1214 can help you out. (Plus other stuff probably)

 

Thank you, this is good to know! SOS is actually my first choice for skid plates, second choice was BAMF. I really like their Streamline front bumper a lot, and will seriously consider it.

Also, thanks recommending @memario1214 I will definitely reach out!

 

Hola compañero

 

sounds like your travel is relatively similar to the travel I’ve done

Heres my recommendations:

Taco Garage Pro Grill - I’ve got the OEM. lots of others have the knock offs. Not sure it matters one way or the other.
Fuel/Rotopax - Wavian Jerry cans. Skip the rotopax. They look cool BUT they lack capacity and they will expand at elevation and potentially burst
42in Cab Rack Light Bar - I’d personally skip the roof bar. They put out a lot of light but they also wash out the terrain features as you get minimal shadows. Most people with them don’t actually use them aside from clearing trail or something along those lines. You also have issues with hood glare.
Traction Jacks - spend the money for maxtrax. I’ve used mine to bridge obstacles multiple times, which cheaper ones will break. You can also double stack them to use as a jack support. They are far more versatile than just mud or sand.
Skid plate(s) - I’ve got the pro skid up front and that’s it. It’s taken a beating and is solid.
Pod Hood Lights - this is lighting priority #1. I use this more than any other lights I have. Rigid dually SS flood on rago fabrication brackets. Excellent beam pattern for the location and very bright. I have these tied to my high beams so they get a lot of usage. I’ve compared them side by side with others and mine still look like new after 2+ years. You can get 15% off rago usually so that makes this a steal. Definitely the best lighting upgrade.
Light Bar (behind the grill) - I have one below the grill (white) and behind the grill (amber). Being below eye level, you’ll still see shadows from bumps and holes. I pretty much only use these at speed. The amber one is real nice in rain or snow.
New Wheels and Tires - love my falkens. Highly recommend.
HAM Radio Install - Still need to finish putting mine in the truck. I’d recommend 2 antennas, one mounted and one hangs out in the truck. That way you can switch based on whether you need distance or Omni directional. Also if you smash one, you aren’t SOL. A cheap handheld comes in handy too.


Other things:
12v Compressor
Shellshocks DIY inflate / deflate kit
Tire repair kit (ARB or similar. One with metal T handles)
Switch pro 9100 - makes wiring simple and gives you ignition control and triggers for outputs among other things
12v fridge - expensive but I don’t miss dealing with ice. You also get more storage in the same amount of space
Shovel
Garmin inreach - 2 way satellite communication, SOS, tracking. 100% global coverage.

you also might want to check out these books. This guy does training for government agencies and businesses that work in remote areas. I’ve been to a few of his sessions at the overland rally’s and there’s a lot of good info.

$50 The Total Approach of Getting Unstuck Off Road: 4WD Self-Recovery & Vehicle-Assisted Recovery (Off-Road & Overland Adventure InfoBooks)

Total approach to getting unstuck

$45 Raising Your 4WD Vehicle Off-Road & In-Field Tire Repair: Effective Use of Hi-Lift, Inflatable, Hydraulic, Screw, and Scissor Jacks (Off-Road & Overland Adventure InfoBooks)

In field tire repair

I think that pretty much covers it.

 

You have a 2018, therefore you have TSS. Avoid the grilles from Taco Garage. They do NOT fit the forward sensor window accurately at all, despite claims from Taco Garage that say otherwise. Ask me how I know....

Otherwise, welcome! Highly recommend the SOS skids, good price, good construction. And as mentioned, Tacomaworld will gladly help seperate you from your wallet on any given occasion

 

Thanks so much for the in depth reply, and suggestions! Thanks for the jerry can suggestion, I may go that route instead, and have a carrier in the bed so they don't move around. Do the jerry cans emit a lot of gasoline odor when they are filled? I ask because if I keep them inside, I don't want them to stink up the rest of my gear in there such as clothing. I mean, its gasoline so I expect a faint odor, but I don't want it to smell like Tommy Boy lol. Also, I don't really want to be lifting 30+/- pounds off and on of my rack above my head...i'm short at 5'6 lol. That was the upside to the roto/fuel pax.

Good to know about the cab rack bar. Im going to think on this because I can order the rack with or without the light cutout. If I do decide to go with the rack frame with a cut out, do you think it would be more beneficial to have an amber light bar?

Im glad you pointed out the importance of the hood lights! I wasn't entirely sure how great their function was.

I totally feel you on the MaxTrax, I was totally sold on them until I came across Traction Jacks. Im going to think it over a little more, but I think Traction Jacks will be better utilized for me. They aren't a MaxTrax knock off, just a different type of board. Their only downfall is you cant bridge them one on top of the other so that leaves me to find whatever is around to make up the negative space. Check them out if you havent before, I've yet to find a legit bad user review on different forums. One dude broke his by bridging (which they specifically say not to do) and the owner of traction jacks still replaced it even though it was user error. I do like that I can use them to level the RTT also.

Which radio are you installing? I am still learning a lot about HAM.

I have a 12v compressor, deflate kit, tire repair kit, a couple shovels (hey, I cant be the only one digging lol), and some other basic recovery gear. Im going to look into the Switch Pro 9100 also. Im terrible at electrical work, but a good friend of mine is an electrical guru. I let him wire everything in my vehicles.

Thanks again for all of the good info!!

This is great to know! I was planning on ordering from Taco Garage so that may change...Thank you!

 

zero smell from the Jerry cans. There is a rubber gasket and they seal very well. I’ve beat the crap out of mine and have never lost fuel. 2 rode in my truck for nearly 2 years straight all around the country. I’d also look at a safety siphon, they are like $10 and then you don’t have to hold the can while you refill.

I wasn’t sure how much I’d like the amber bar but the more I use it, the more I like it. It gives you a lot of visibility in pretty much all conditions without the intensity of white light. They also make combo bars that have amber on the outside and white in the middle which is kinda nice. If I was putting one on the roof, that’s probably what I would do. If you’ve got it hooked to a switch pro, you could also set a secondary switch function to flash so you could use the amber as hazard lights.

Most people can probably just add a good set of ditch lights and skip the rest. People go cheap and then need 20 different things and they all have crap output. My tundra just has ditch lights and a SR40 (About 25,000 lumens) behind the grill.

I’ve personally used my maxtrax for bridging more than anything and a couple times to get out when I got buried in snow. It saved the rear end of my tundra out in Moab, I stacked 4 of them to get across a hole and keep my bumper and exhaust attached.

Icom 2730. I wanted dual channel so I can have the channel I’m using and a repeater but don’t need all the other junk as I’ve got my inreach for SHTF coms and tracking. Comet SBB-1 (quarter 2m & half 70cm wave). It’s good for multiple miles without even really trying. It’s going on a bracket that attaches to my ditch light mount. I haven’t tested the limits of it yet. I’ll skip the antenna theory but it’s more of a globe shape vs pancake so you get more vertical vs range. I’ll get a bigger directional antenna at some point just to keep in the truck for emergencies. I’m a big fan of HAM, the quality and range is well worth it. I’ve also never had issues with channel overlap which is very nice in groups.

 

^ what @Shellshock said about Maxtrax

 

I’ll likely not put the amber/clear bar on the roof after warranty. And the clear lens on the bar for behind the grille will get changed to amber. I don’t move fast offroad anymore so the roof lighting is a bit redundant. Maybe I’ll put it on a different car.

Jerrys with good seals work great. They will swell and off gas eventually, it’s a fail safe built into them. Scepter MFCs will swell as well but won’t off gas if the seals on the caps are food and the caps are threaded on correctly. I’ve seen them become nearly round and not gas or leak.

I have a - yet to be installed - Yeasu FT-857D and a few handie talkies. I also use a Cobra WX75 CB radio.

If you click the Tacoma picture in my signature file you’ll be directed to my thread. I’ve answered allot of questions there about the stuff I’ve done and why.