GarlicFart's "Let's make this truck useless for everything but camping or road trips" build

Yeah, I spray on bed linered mine before having them welded on. In all honesty, it has held up really well considering I didn't know to primer it first. It's probably been 9 years or so. That said, I definitely need to strip, prime and repaint them. I've also thought about going with something other than the spray on bed liner this time too. It'd be cool if I could get them to match the faded powder coat on my ARB bumper....

 

Just put a small piece of black electrical tape over the airbag light on the dash and forget about it.

 

Mine are bolt on

I did a rattlecan bed liner so not quite as good, I DID prime it, but I didn't do a good job of the whole thing. Plus I have beat on them pretty bad....

'

Good for me - bad for inspection. I have a solid-on airbag light, would fail an RI inspection.

 

Didn't realize they checked that sort of thing in inspections. Don't have to deal with that stuff in MN.

 

#22.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/383890657779

From the ebay listing:



I have one for the passenger side, but my platform is in the way and probably won't end up being installed, might see if it will fit around the platform though! Looks like the ebay listing I bought from is out of stock but this thing is awesome. I do want to get some sticky-back felt in there, the phone case against the plastic rattles a bit, but otherwise thing's great.

 

13 - AVS Shades

Removed. One of those things - I always wanted it when I never had it, once I had it.... meh. Used them for the first month or so a lot that I had them, after that, hardly used. They slightly block some view too, and for how much visibility the Tacoma already doesn't have, might as well just not have them on there.

Don't regret it, good stuff, just not for me.

 

This was pretty much my impression with the Weathertech visors. Put them on, had them for a while and sold them. Got near what I paid for them on CL.

 

Nice. paid 40, selling for 20. Someone already claimed them, I figure they're going to have to strip the adhesive off and put new on anyway, can't justify 1:1 selling but yeah after a year, they held up great no complaints. Just not for me.

 

Bed lights. I was pre wired for them and didn’t even know it. Now my driver side light is all chock full. This, meso stage 1, the license plate delete in reverse - yeesh. And next week I’m putting bed stiffeners in so I might have to take it out again for those. Oh well. Worth it. These were like 35 bucks on Amazon. Not oem quality I’m sure but does the job. Will be nice for when I have my soft topper on.

Some more stuff incoming this week. Ditch lights and stiffeners.




edit to tag @Unchained 5150 who helped me see the light that my truck was pre wired and these were ridiculously east to install.

 

Added these 3$ harbor freight d rings to the bed. Fit perfectly. Added a few pictures of a propane tank and Jerry can to show the sizing is perfect.

All you need is a T something size sorry I didn't catch what size I used I think T30

 

Nice build. Very unique with the custom sleeping platform.

 

Finally dawned on me - good way to get a good picture of this was probably panorama mode.

• I usually have a head rest, don't worry! I only took it off for the picture.
• Usually have a sheet/pillowcase on there for camping trips, just off right now
• Seat behind the driver is where the dog usually hangs out, but if she's not in the truck, the seat can go back down into a normal seat.

 

@Unchained 5150 @rmepilot

This is the sleeping platform I put together in the cab of my truck.

 

Nice my man.

 

I'm looking at something like this: https://www.victory4x4.com/product/VTCC.html

 

Saw those too. Honestly I found the ebay thing on a whim just perusing or looking for something else. I liked it, so I went for it. It was like 20 bucks, worth a shot. I got both sides, but the downside is my passenger side is NOW occupied.

 

What in the fuckery! You riding solo all the time? I gotta get me one of these!

 

Well....I am now!

Wife has a Camry hybrid - for long trips, we use that. If we're taking the bikes out somewhere it's pretty close anyway, so she'll just ride Uber style for 4 minutes each way I don't have kids, dog rides behind me.

This dude inspired my build but I took it up a bit - I added the PVC platform which raised it up and added a ton of storage underneath.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...d-and-exploring.407850/page-112#post-24219132

The benefits of it are awesome. I roll into camp, and I'm done. No tent to unfold, no tent to dry out later on, it was only like 150$ for the platform, 40$ for the cushion, vs minimum a grand for a rooftop tent. I can roll into a rest stop and get a couple hours sleep if I need to, it's water tight so I don't have to worry about that at all. I can (and have) scooted directly from the bed into the driver seat and driven off - and visa versa, if it's raining. I have my entire bed, now, for firewood, coolers, bikes, kayaks, whatever.

It's not for everyone. I have an airbag light on because it sees a missing airbag (ooooops). So when I need to do my every-other-year inspection, seat has to go back in. It removes the passenger seat, that's an obvious downfall. But - in theory, when I pull the platform out and put the seat back in, and calibrate the airbags, that will be equal to or less work than putting on/taking off a rooftop tent, which takes up the whole bed. That's the thought, at least.

Also a plan is - with this, I can put the softtopper on, mountain bike in the bed (working on that specific mounting now) under the soft topper, I can pull into a camp site and sleep somewhere overnight with a MUCH lower risk of anyone trying to steal the bike, etc since it's contained in the topper - at least it's not visible, safer from elements (rain, etc).

My wife doesn't like car camping. I, on the other hand, parked on the shores of lake mead at Kingman wash and it was great, as an example, when I went out on a cannonball run inspired road trip.

So, long of the short - works for me, not saying it works for everyone, certainly has its ups and downs.

 

I absolutely love it! I'd never get away with it, she'd kill me! But damn its awesome! Guess there is only one thing left to do!

 

Tell her to sit behind you?