Another Around the World Tacoma

We now live in our Tacoma
Departed: September 1st, 2023 @ 4:15 PM at 22,734 miles
ig: stacyandmike_plus2​

The Tacoma, as of September 2024:

HSWOR - Day 7 - 141 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

HSWOR - Day 4 - 62 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

In January of 2024 we added to the family:

BMW R1250GSA 2 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

2023 BMW R1250 GS Adventure in Triple Black

Tacoma and GS by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

__________________________________________________________

It’s probably time to get something like this started. It is my absolute intent to both physically place, and capture through photos and video, this Tacoma in surreal and astonishing places all around the globe.

Not only will this vehicle be my means of travel to faraway places, but it will also be my home. My full-time house on wheels. As in, spend everyday living my entire existence out of this machine.

Every build thread should have a purpose, so here is mine:

I’m here to chronologically document the modifications to my Tacoma as I outfit it for worldly travel. This thread will also be used as a soundboard to ask questions about things I am not well versed in.

After the build has been completed, I’ll then keep this thread updated with where I go and what I come across.

To help better understand the direction I want this Tacoma to take, let’s answer the 5 W’s and the H:

Who:

There are two of us, Mike and Stacy. Soon-to-be husband and wife. We both have jobs where we work remotely, and a strong passion for more serious adventure, so a nomadic lifestyle, out of a capable 4wd truck, is right up our alley. Every modification/addition to the truck was made with this in mind.

There is also our partner in crime. The workhorse of the team. The one doing the heavy lifting while we sit comfortably in the front seats:

2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Offroad 4x4 Double Cab Long Bed with Tech Package in SSM.

I purchased it brand new on March 19th, 2021. 3:22 pm was when I was officially handed the keys.

Brand New by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Brand New by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

It was a great day. The first brand new vehicle I had ever purchased. At the time, I had no idea that I would be using it to do what I now plan to do. Funny how life shifts on you like that.

There is one other primary player in this story that needs an introduction. It’s hard, rather impossible I say, to have a house on wheels without the ‘house’ part.

Knowing this, I contacted a company based out of Cape Town South Africa, who then directed me to another company in New Jersey, who sold me my new home.

It arrived at a friend’s shop here in Phoenix, after quite the journey from South Africa, looking like this:

Alucab Canopy Camper Delivery by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

An hour or so later, we have this, the Alucab Canopy Camper, in black, for the DCLB Tacoma. Accessories included their 270-degree Shadow Awning, Molle Panels, and Spare Wheel Bracket, among a few other, less significant add-ons. It is not fully installed in this photo, due to the way it is shipped, but I will get into the installation details later.

Alucab Canopy Camper Installed by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

There are myriad reasons why I chose this particular camper after hours and hours of research on everything that is out there. I’ll devote a separate post detailing all of those reasons, as they apply to my specific situation, in the near future.

What:

What is this all about? That’s a good question. I don’t think I really have a good answer to this question. The desire to lay my eyes on previously unseen landscapes, cultures, towns, people, mountains, lakes, and the like is most certainly up there. But I think this question will have to be answered as time goes on.

When:

Our scheduled departure date is September 1st, 2023. This date is not carved in stone, but it will definitely be around that time.

Where:

Another good question. I will start, for simplicity’s sake, right here in Arizona. There is lots and lots to see and explore right here. We can thoroughly vet our setup while still being near friends who can help me rectify any potential issues that arise. I have little desire to push through large numbers of miles day after day. We move at a much slower speed, opting to set up camp and enjoy a particular area for two to three days before packing up and moving somewhere not too far away.

We will likely explore and complete many of the Backcountry Discovery Routes here in the Western US.

We will exclusively, unless forced to otherwise, camp, and live ‘off-grid/wild’ away from cities and public campgrounds and the like. No hotels for me. The deeper I can immerse myself in nature, the better. I am an avid canyoneer, hiker, mountain biker, and rock climber. All of these hobbies will add additional places to visit, so that we can partake in the things that we enjoy.

The first major expedition will be the Pan-American Highway. I look forward to this immensely. We can travel at whatever pace I feel like, so we won’t pass by opportunities to visit places near where we are. For example, I will definitely be physically placing this truck in the Arctic Ocean. The Salt Flats in Bolivia, the Salar de Uyuni, over 10,000 sq km of perfectly flat ground? Yep, going there too. Along with thousands of other places.

Deeper into the future I will ship the truck to Africa, to circumnavigate the continent, much like Dan Grec from The Road Chose Me did. That is years and years away at this point. But it’s on the list and demonstrates the scope of our travel desires.

Why:

THE question. The most basic, yet most accurate, response has to be because we can. We are both in the uncommon position in life where doing something like this is even a possibility. Failing to take advantage of this opportunity would be doing a disservice to those who would enjoy living in such a way, but don’t have that ability. I think there is more to this question as well, but I am failing to put it into words at the moment.

How:

One day at a time. By learning a little bit more about where we want to go, matching it with lessons and tools I have gathered from experiences I have already undertaken. I have plenty of nights already under the stars, sleeping comfortably in a roof top tent out in the middle of nowhere. I write Trip Reports of my adventures for fun. Check out my most recent post about an 8-day trip to Southern Utah to see what I mean: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-longest-mile.738348/

My guiding principles:

1. Travel is an eye-opening experience. It helps shift you towards being open-minded. It highlights the fact that everyone is basically the same; we are all human. However, for me, there is no journey without the machine. None of this is worthwhile to me if I can’t do it from the drivers’ seat of my Tacoma. The thrill of the adventure is only outmatched by the friendship I will create with this inanimate object. If you know what I mean, no explanation is necessary. And if you don’t know what I mean, no explanation will suffice.

2. Jim Rohn said it best with these 4 simple words: “Welcome Every Human Experience”. So, that’s the plan. I don’t really care what we are doing, as long as we are doing it.

3. Greg Plitt also said something that I think about all the time when I’m trying something new. “Behind every fear is the person you want to be”. Sure, heading south of the border is often associated with a lot of negative, dangerous, things. It’s wise to be fearful of such things. But you can’t lose your footing because of it. Plan accordingly, be cognizant of your environment, and go for it.

My must-haves (for the build):

1. The things I need to use every day need to be as convenient as possible:

a. My sleeping area needs to basically take care of itself. It needs to be deployable and usable as fast and as easy as possible. This is already taken care of with the ACCC, which I will highlight later.

b. Cooking needs to be ultra-convenient. I have no desire to pull a stove out of a bin to then screw things on to it every time I want to warm up a burger. The entire setup needs to always be ready to go. One or two simple steps away from being used, without any need to hunt things down or pull them out of bins.

c. Water. I really enjoy water. So on-board, on-demand, filtered water is a must. This will be one of the first things I design and install.

2. Reliability. I want to do my best to set all of this up once and use it for the foreseeable future without massive issues. I’m glad that I have a Tacoma, as I personally feel that it is as reliable as a vehicle can be, a machine that it is ready for all that I will throw at it over the coming miles.

3. The setup will have to be constructed/laid out in a way that I can do all basic daily tasks from both outside and inside the vehicle. I will predominantly do things from the outside, but I need to have the ability to cook food, access the fridge, get water, etc. from inside of the truck as well.

4. I need to be able to sleep in the bed of the truck if I ever need to ‘stealth’ camp for whatever reason. This means that I will have a section of the truck bed without gear/storage affixed to the truck bed permanently.

5. On-board power setup. I need to have the ability to charge my laptop, iPad, batteries, etc. reliably and conveniently from the truck itself. The ACCC is already wired for solar, so I will install panels on the top of the camper. I’ll install an inverter as well to give me the convenience of simply plugging normal things directly into a power source.

As of today, that’s it. I think it’s time to start telling this story.

In the next post I’ll provide an overview of the components that I have already purchased, some of which are installed, and some of which are not.

 

This post has been hijacked of its original contents and will now be used to track maintenance items and mileage, as well as explaining the significant changes in the sub systems within the truck over time.

Last updated: 2/18/2025

Maintenance Log:

This section is to keep track of all maintenance related items on the Tacoma.

Oil Changes:
14,962 miles on 7/27/2022 in Phoenix, AZ
19,683 miles on 1/29/2023 in Phoenix, AZ
23,979 miles on 10/15/2023 in Phoenix, AZ
28,578 miles on 3/23/2024 in Phoenix, AZ
33,000 miles on 2/1/2025 in Phoenix, AZ

Engine Air Filter Replacements:
14,962 miles on 7/27/2022 in Phoenix, AZ
23,979 miles on 10/15/2023 in Phoenix, AZ

Differential Fluid Changes:
18,669 miles on 11/28/22 in Phoenix, AZ (ZUK regear to 5.29's)
19,683 miles on 1/29/23 in Phoenix, AZ (Regear 1,000 mile 'break in')
33,104 miles on 10/16/2025 in Phoenix, AZ (ECGS Bushing install and full swap to Amsoil Severe Duty SAE 75W-85)

Transfer Case Fluid Changes:
33,104 miles on 10/16/2025 in Phoenix, AZ (ECGS Bushing install and full swap to Amsoil Severe Duty SAE 75W-85)

Tires:
(5) New at 9,950 miles on 2/2/2022 in Phoenix, AZ (OEM to 255/85/R16)
(1) New at ~25,000 miles on 1/22/2024 in Phoenix, AZ (Warranty replacement of dual punctured tread while driving through Ensenada, Baja California)

Various/Random:
AC Condenser Replacement on 5/22/2023 (Pinhole leak due to front bumper install)

Significant Sub-System Change Log:

This section is to highlight all of the various changes I have made to the sub-systems in the truck over the years. I did not edit individual future posts with the changes; I have instead left them as they were when I originally typed them.

Water System:

I originally went with a setup that would allow me to filter water, via the pump, both into and out of the tank by using (2) 3-Way valves. This setup ended up being less than ideal, despite a few YT folks praising this type of setup. The pump was far too slow. The valves were hard to reach. Carrying a bucket to house the water to be filtered into the tank was difficult. A simple 1 micron charcoal filter was all of the filtering we had going on. Screw clamps held the tubing together, and would leak randomly depending on the ambient air temperature. We would frequently turn the water pump on and then off right when we needed it, which was not what I envisioned when building this out.

Instead, I swapped to adding a fill hole to the top of the tank, so the tank can be filled directly from a hose/spigot. This removed both of the 3-Way valves, and a lot of tubing/connections. I upgraded the pump mounting plate to .1" 5052 Aluminum from sendcutsend. I also added an accumulator. Filtration is now a 10 stage, .5 micron, charcoal filter and UV purification. All tubing upgraded to Expedition Outfitters 3/8" flexible Pex tubing and Pex clamps. Even more connectors were taken out of the system due to the flexible tubing, and leaking no longer occurs. The pump can be provided power all day without any issues.

Roof Box:

I originally was going to leave the top of the cab blank, but the need for more storage space was too dire to avoid using that space. I originally went with a long, thin, Pelican case, which was handy, but only 80 liters of internal volume. The (6) clamps, on (3) sides of the box, made opening and closing it cumbersome.

Alu-Cab released their Large Wood Box 2.0 and I purchased one immediately. 250 liters of internal volume, and a single handle, and (2) struts, make opening and closing it a breeze. It also really ties the entire look of the camper and truck together very well. I look back on old photos with the naked roof and definitely notice that it did not look as good back then.

Camper Heater:

I originally went with the Dickinson LP9000 LPG Fireplace, mainly because the chimney looked really cool, and everyone online was saying it was great. I have talked about it a lot in the future posts of this thread, but it just didn't cut the mustard. It did a very poor job of warming the interior of the camper, and it couldn't do it at all if the temperature was low enough. The chimney also got very hot, and could easily burn your skin if you touched it, even momentarily.

I swapped to a hard mounted diesel heater. This has been a lifesaver, especially when we were high in elevation during the winter months while thru hiking the Arizona Trail. The differences between the Dickinson and the diesel heater are numerous and impactful. Very happy to have made the switch.

Mattress:

We started with my trusty Exped Megamat Duo LW+, as I had been using this mattress for years prior to building this truck. Pumping it up was not too much of a pain but the change in firmness overnight due to changing temps could get annoying every once in a while. In the end, we had (2) of these mattresses where the outer skin came unglued from the inner foam core, resulting in a large bubble forming and a lack of air pressure within the mattress. This occurred twice after ~500 nights of sleep on each mattress. These mattresses were also (2) inches wider than the platform in the Canopy Camper, and it cause some of the tent fabric to be pushed into the struts when you were closing it, wearing that part of the fabric out prematurely.

We changed to a Hest Dually Long foam mattress. No more blowing it up, and it is now 2" narrower than the sleeping platform in the camper. It also works better with our adjustable backrest, as it has no valves to worry about crushing or breaking.

Starlink/Internet:

I originally had SL set up as a 'deploy it when I need it' type deal, but this very quickly got annoying.

We then added a high quality 5G+SL router that can aggregate signals, among other things, and even added an ATT 5G SIM card to get cellular data. This cell signal data was only useful in a few locations, and we found it to be pretty useless for Stacy's video calls for work.

We ended up cutting up our Gen 2 dish and switching to a flat mounted, always on, DC powered SL setup, and this has been great. SL is now on 24/7, works while we are driving, and routinely gives us 200+mbps, no matter where we are.

House Batteries:

Started with 100ah and 200w solar and 1000w AC inverter. Not enough for (2) working adults or (4) days a week. Always checking battery level, and positioning the truck perfectly was a high priority. Everything would have to be shut off at night, and careful use of electricity was always a concern.

Moved up to 200ah and 400w solar and 2000w AC inverter. This was much better, but I would still have to idle the truck once or twice a month for an hour or two, if the weather was bad enough. Things mostly stayed on overnight, unless cloudy/bad weather was going to be around for a couple of days.

Then moved up to 300ah and 400w solar and 3000w AC inverter. This is now bulletproof and I do not stress about 'range anxiety' anymore. Rarely do I check battery levels. Nothing is turned off at night, even with bad weather in the forecast. This capacity now feels very 'house' like, i.e., just use electricity when you need it and don't worry about it. Can power up all devices, including drills, saws, heat guns, induction cooktops, sop vacs, etc.

Cooktop:

I started with an Everest 2X propane stove that I added a slide out cutting board to. This was too cumbersome and the ignitor burned out quickly. It also couldn't simmer food well at all.

I then went to a Eureka Ignite propane stove. This was smaller, had no custom cutting board underneath, had a much better built-in ignitor, and could simmer food really well. Opening and closing it got annoying because it's body wasn't as stout as the Everest, so it would slowly warp and bend over time and use.

Ended up leaving propane behind entirely when I was tired of dealing with leaking propane hoses. The temperature swings and the need for the stove to swing open and closed meant that one joint in my hose layout would always leak. This was both dangerous and annoying.

So, when we moved up to 300ah of house battery we also went to an induction cooktop, a

$232 Duxtop 9620LS /BT-350DZ

Duxtop 9620LS (2-burner, 1800W max). I designed a custom pivoting table/holder for it, and this thing has been a game changer. Very fast, no excess heat, easy to keep clean, etc.

That's all for now, let's see what the future had in store!

 

Before deciding to use this truck to drive everywhere, I did a few small modifications.

I did the BHLM to my front headlights, and it really made them look much nicer, especially against the SSM. The truck had black emblems from the factory, which I like, as chrome isn't my style. All that's left is the taillights, which I'll replace sometime soon.

The Beginning by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I also have RekGen mud flaps, the XL version.

I had a local friend in Flagstaff design and then fabricate and then install weld-on sliders. The choices in the DCLB length aren't nearly as popular as the DCSB variant, so these custom sliders were an awesome addition that were relatively easy to get done.

I installed a DMM from TacoGarage at one point as well. Piece of cake, and very useful.

I found a NIB Meso Overhead Hex Rack locally, so I installed that as well.

Other than that, it was bone stock at that point.

I threw a Relentless Bed Rack and CVT Mt. Rainier on the back and took it on a few trips.

The Beginning by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Alright, enough intro. Alucab Canopy Camper install time!

 

Sweet, take lots if pics. Me not so good at reading

 

The Alucab Canopy Camper (ACCC)

I'll do my best to be as descriptive as possible, just in case anyone is thinking of getting one themselves.

Why I chose the ACCC over all the others:

This was a decision based around a lot of research, along with some first hand experience with the other manufacturers and their products in this space.

The biggest, and by far the most important for me personally, was the lead time. When I first inquired with Alucab, and then OK4WD, about how long it would take to have one ready for me, their response was simply "We have one here in our warehouse and can have it on a truck by the end of the week". This was incredible news, as most every other manufacturer has lead time of 12 months plus.

The second deciding factor was the fact that the tent portion of the camper is thick enough to allow you to keep all of your bedding up in the sleeping area with the roof closed. In the picture below you can see just how thick it actually is, the supplied foam mattress (which I replaced with my Exped Megamat) barely goes over the orange stripe at the back wall. There is ample space for pillows, comforters, sleeping bags, etc. I need my sleeping quarters to be easy to use, so this pro was a big one for me. The bed platform also easily raises out of the way on two struts, so gaining standing access to the truck bed is incredibly easy. No small panels to slide around or bedding to reorganize to stand up inside. Just push it up and out of the way. The bed platform is also 52" wide, so even a large Megamat fits in there.

Bed height by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The third deciding factor was the reputation of Alucab. It's been around a while, and is South African born. They have created a well made product that appears and feels very rugged and tough. The shadow awning is a masterpiece that I will most certainly put to good use.

Not a deciding factor, but a cool addition, is the back door. It is a storage container door, basically, and it is marvelously convenient for accessing the inside of the bed. You remove your tailgate for this, another plus, really giving the back end of the truck a makeover.

The above italicized statement was accurate when I first typed it up. However, after camping out of the truck just a few times, and talking with friends who have camper style tents on the back of their trucks, getting rid of the tailgate is paramount for long term satisfaction. Your tailgate has to be both vertical and horizontal, so using that space isn't really easy. Also, when the tailgate is down, you have to reach over it to get to the 'stationary' part of the bed, a stretch in most cases, especially when your truck is lifted. Simply put, you physically place yourself ~20 inches away from the truck bed when you have a tailgate. Ditch the tailgate, as is the case with the ACCC, and you no longer have this problem. You can also use the rear bumper as a step to get into the back, another small, yet helpful, benefit to ditching the tailgate.

The Purchase:

All of the ACCC come from OK4WD in New Jersey. There are authorized dealers around the country (none in AZ unfortunately) who you can order the camper through for the same price. I ordered mine directly from OK4WD, working via email with Jon. They send an order form, and you research and pick the options you want (some are required, such as the install kits).

You have three options for getting the ACCC on your particular vehicle. The first is to simply go to OK4WD where they install it for you. No delivery fee. Not sure of any install fee, though I wouldn't be surprised if there was one. This was not an option for me as I live in AZ, the drive simply isn't worth it.

The second is to have an authorized dealer get the camper and then install it for you. There is nothing of the sort in AZ, the closest being near the beach in CA. After determining dealer delivery charges, drive times, fuel costs, and install costs, I decided on the third choice.

The third choice is to accept delivery yourself, where you need a commercial address with a forklift (this is verified by OK4WD before they sell it to you) and you pay a slightly higher delivery fee to have it shipped anywhere in the US. You have to install it yourself, but after looking over the installation instructions they gave me, I determined it was well within my skill set to perform.

I went with the third choice. I reached out to the AZTW guys and one of them, Andrew @prise , told me he could help me out with a forklift at his work. I wasn't able to accept delivery of the camper immediately, so I paid OK4WD a 50% deposit to hold one for me, which they did happily.

The Install:

Fast forward 6 weeks and this arrives at a business near downtown Phoenix.

Alucab Canopy Camper Delivery by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

It is well packaged, they even ship it with a metal exoskeleton surrounding the camper itself, so it arrived undamaged.

45 minutes later, with the help of Andrew and his forklift, the main chunk of the camper was bolted to the bed rails. It uses (8) plates to connect the bottom edge of the camper to the T slots on the Tacoma. It was not fully installed at this point, the rear door was not connected, nor was the bottom filler panel where the tailgate was supposed to be.

You can see the awning hanging out of the back

Alucab Canopy Camper Installed by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I got home around 11 am, so I went about finishing the install.

You start by assembling the rear filler plate to cover up the hole left by the tailgate. The entire camper is covered in these slots/tracks that house the heads of M8 bolts.

Alucab CC Install Photos by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The empty camper, without any accessories, is 440 lb. So heavy relative to the others. That is one downside.

I was able to lift the rear of the camper up and space it off of the rails so I could get the filler plate installed. You use several pre-existing holes in the Tacoma to mount this piece, but you do drill one hole through the truck bed. It is conveniently placed in a spot where if you drill upwards from the underside of the bed you have a precise location to drill.

Alucab CC Install Photos by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

You could theoretically use these two cubbies to store things, but it seems impractical. Simply too many bolts holding the cover plates on. But I may use them in the future.

Set the camper back down and rivet and bolt a few brackets together to connect the camper to the rear filler plate.

Alucab CC Install Photos by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The door gets a sealed frame installed, and then you install the door itself. It isn't very heavy, so I got it installed by myself relatively easily.

Alucab CC Install Photos by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

With the door shut. The handle is awesome, and the vertical bar has two possible positions, as the door can be shut and locked from the inside.

Alucab CC Install Photos by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I deployed the tent, and opening it literally takes 6.5 seconds. The (4) struts are super powerful, and the slightest push sends it sky-high. Closing it was difficult the first 15 or so times, but now it seems easier. Maybe I am just used to it. Closing it literally takes 25 seconds. You can see that the side material actually connects to the roof/lid away from the outer edge. There is a significant gap there, which keeps me from having to karate chop the fabric under the cover when I close it. This is a slight problem I have noticed with my friend Will's @Sixthelement and his CVT Mt. Hood. I also imagine it will help with rain, keeping a lot of the water off of the fabric itself, another nice touch.

The Beginning by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I bought their rear molle panels and the spare tire carrier for the rear door, so I installed those as well. The panels attach via those tracks I mentioned earlier. The tire carrier is a more involved process where you drill (4) holes through the rear door and its frame, but even that was not difficult.

The Beginning by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The threaded rod will get cut down after I install my spare and position the mounting plate the appropriate distance away from the rear door. They send it long to give you options.

The final task for install was to seal the camper off from the outdoors. I used Sikaflex black outdoor caulk to get the job done. It took two full tubes to do. The entire bed is sealed off, including the drain holes in the bed itself, the cubby is sealed shut, the camper is sealed to the bed rails, the bed rails are sealed to the bed itself, and the rear section is sealed to the bed as required. It is a 'snug' fit from the get-go, so any small holes too large for caulk alone received small chunks of rubber wedged into the gaps and then I sealed around those.

Any questions please let me know. I'll do an overview of the camper itself, and all of its small nuances, in the near future.

The first big project is the water system, which is 80% done as of today, so I'll explain that next.

 

Subscribed. I’m about 12 months from hitting the road full time and I’m leaning toward the same setup as you. I’m interested to see where your travels take you!

 

That's awesome!

 

Arizona is close to El Paso! If you want let me know if ever make it out this way, I can show you a lot of trails out in this region.
Or at least mark some good spots on your map you can camp at for free.

 

I'm fairly certain the first winter (end of 2022 into 2023) will be spent here in the Southern US, and El Paso and other places along the border have already been recommended by a friend, so it is on my list!

If it's alright with you I'll add you to this private Excel file I am keeping of people who want to lend a hand or share trails or camping spots with me.

 

Have fun out there!

 

Sounds like a plan, have fun out there!

 

A “very” nice camper top with built in roof tent! Thank you for sharing this!
You did your homework for sure?..Good luck on your travels
Aloha,

 

For my on-board, on-demand, water system I had the following requirements:

- Decent capacity. Decent capacity to me meant somewhere around 20 gallons.

- Very convenient. I’d like it to be as close to using a typical faucet as possible. Working out of jugs/containers may work for my weekend trips, but it won’t cut it for a full-time living situation.

- Water needs to be filtered, both as it is pumped into the tank from an outside source and then drawn back out of the tank to the faucet.

- Weight and component placement. I wanted the weight of the water to be located intelligently. I also wanted the spigots/faucets to be placed where I would use them most often while keeping tubing lengths short.

With that in mind, I searched out the typical options for our trucks. None of what I found had the capacity I desired. Also, most of them were designed to be installed inside of the cab of the truck. This is not where I want the water tank, even though its placement is more ideal. I want penetrations into the camper/bed to be as minimal as possible.

Decided to go with a simple RV water tank from an online distributor. This is what you can search to find a plethora of off the shelf tanks. Custom tanks can be made too, but those get very pricey and weren’t worth it to me.

I selected one with dimensions that would allow me to affix it towards the cab side of the bed, underneath the portion of the ACCC that extends into the bed. I got lucky, as the tank is a literal press fit into the space I selected.

It holds 20 gallons. It is food/potable water safe, obviously. It fits like a glove, with space on either side to allow for component installation.

Water Tank - Initial Placement by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I opted to get the tank with no manufacturer installed connectors, as I wanted to place them myself after designing the system.

The tank touches the rear of the bed in two places, so I placed some self-adhesive foam from my M3 project to those areas.

Initial Build by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I needed to secure the tank somehow and I opted to use the track directly above the tank and the bed of the truck to get this done.

Picked up two aluminum strips from Home Depot and got to bending them.

I do not have any metal working tools outside of a grinder, so these aren’t the most precise, but they work.

I clamped them to an RCI skid plate I have laying around and bent them around a square edge to create their shape.

Initial Build by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Painted them black and affixed more of that foam to their backsides to help with abrasion against the tank. It also makes the strap a bit tighter too, and ‘grips’ the tank more effectively, which helps. After installing them, the tank does not move at all, no matter how hard I push. The bottom portion had its width decreased to fit on the bottom of the ‘corrugated’ bed bottom. Opted to mount them down in the valley so that the bolt head doesn’t stick up above the floor.

Initial Build by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I was originally going to simply mount the pump, a Shurflo 3 gpm 55 psi RV unit, to the back of the bed. However, I determined the diverter valves which allow me to alter how the system functions, would need to be hard mounted to something to avoid straining the tubing while I was rotating the lever.

So, I grabbed a sheet of 22-gauge steel from Home Depot and got the fitting it to the truck.

Initial Build by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

My 270-degree Shadow Awning from Alucab will be installed on the drivers’ side of the Tacoma, so the water system and spigots go on the drivers’ side as well, so I can use them in the shade, or under cover in inclement weather. This area, at the back of the camper, drivers’ side, is where my ‘bathroom’ will be located. Makes sense to have the water there.

I began an initial design, which I ended up changing as I went about fitting things together.

The pump has 1/2” NPT fittings, and they recommend 1/2” ID tubing, so the entire system is built around that tubing size.

Water System Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The biggest change was swapping from straight outlets from the pump mated with a 90-degree elbow, to simply installing 90-degree fittings right to the pump, allowing me to save some space and keep the tank more centered in the bed. This also removed a couple connections, reducing the chance of leaks.

I purchased a Rivet Nut tool and used it to install the pump to the panel.

It was painted black, and some edge dressing was added for protection, after the location of all of the components were determined. The panel is secured to a rear bed bar I pulled from my other Tacoma. It is identical to the ones on the sides, just at the rear of the bed. Two holes were added to the plate for this connection. The bottom of the panel is wedged between the bed rug and the back of the bed. The panel is secure when installed.

Water System Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

More foam was added where the panel will contact the bed. Hoping it keeps any vibrations from the pump running from making excess noise.

Water System Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

To secure the two diverter valves I simply Dremel’ed slits in the panel and bent up the edges a bit. I placed a hose clamp through the slits and around the body of the valves. Super secure, rotating the lever doesn’t affect the tubing at all. The lower (below the pump) valve chooses water from the tank (what I will call ‘Normal Use’) and from an outside water source (Filling). The upper valve (near the top of the panel) selects between dumping water into the tank (Filling) or sending water out of either the water spigot or hose (Normal Use).

Here is the majority of the main system. The two clips to secure the filter have not arrived yet, so I can’t place it permanently, but it will be installed directly underneath the track on the bedside.

Water System Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The upper valve has a Tee installed. I need to either get water from the spigot (filling water bottles, cleaning toothbrush, etc.) or from a hose (spraying off dusty legs, doing dishes, etc.). One side of the Tee has a 1/2” to 3/8” reducer so I can connect the system to the water spigot effectively. A bit of a connection cluster, but these are the components I could find to build it with.

With the system built, it was time to mark, drill out, and then install the connectors to the tank itself.

I put everything in place and marked the locations.

I drilled the holes with the appropriately sized bit. Then I screwed the connectors in. This photo shows the small vent that is installed at the top of the tank, a must have with a setup like this.

Water System Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The connectors threaded into the thick body of the tank so effectively they very well may be watertight on their own, as it was impossible to twist or pull on them by hand. I opted to also add some epoxy designed for this type of plastic and metal, as all of the vibrations from many miles would work the connectors loose.

Water System Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

While that was curing in the sun, I went about mounting the water spigot. Picked up something you would see in a regular kitchen for getting water from a filtered system and started on the mounting plate.

A piece of 1-1/2” angle aluminum would do the trick.

Water System Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

This small piece would also be mounted to the track on the ACCC. It is very secure and can be operated by either hand with just one hand. It’s hard to see in the following picture, but the sun wasn’t cooperating at this point in the day.

The tank was secured with the straps. The upper connection was to the track in the ACCC with 3/8” long M8 bolts. The bottom of the tank was secured to the bed by drilling two holes and installing M8 nutserts/rivnuts with my Rivet Nut tool. I slit the bed rug in those locations, and you really can’t tell there is a connection down there. You also can’t feel the bolt head as the foam on the underside of the bed rug is plenty thick there.

Water System Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The tank is basically centered in the rear of the bed. This gives me space on the passenger side for the house battery and its system. At least that’s the plan at this moment.

I am waiting on 3/8” hose for the spigot, which arrives today, and I also need to determine what hose/setup I will use for the hose and fill part. I am thinking a single 10’ piece of flexible 1/2” tubing with a very simple sprayer on the end. I can swap this single hose between the outlet and inlet diverter valves when needed, simply so I don’t have to carry around two coiled tubes all the time. This detail isn’t fully hashed out yet and may change in the future.

Next big project is to research and purchase the components for the house battery setup, all of which will be located inside of the ACCC. I don’t want my second battery located in the engine bay for a couple reasons. Keeping it away from engine heat and dust/grime should help improve its lifespan.

I have received input from a couple friends on this aspect of the build, but I am undecided at the moment. It's time to start learning as much as I can.

If anyone has any setup recommendations please let me know.

 

Sounds like an awesome adventure on the way! Build looks great, looking forward to the progress!

 

Subbed for the aventure down the pan American hwy!

good luck!

 

Can I get a ride to Barranquilla?

 

Thank you!

 

Excellent, I can't wait to begin!

 

My passenger seat will be usable...............

 

Another task to be completed was the wiring of the third brake light on the ACCC, just above the rear cargo door, to the brake lights in the taillights of the Tacoma.

I found a fellow TW member who makes a brake light extension with two extra wires for wiring up camper brake lights, exactly as I needed to do.

So, I messaged him, and he promptly made one and mailed it to me.

Another thing I wanted to do was to replace the chrome filled taillights that came on my silver Tacoma with the OEM black filled version that came on 2018 dark colored Tacomas (maybe more, but a friend had this setup, so I searched for his year and bodycolor to find the set online).

With those two things in hand, it was time to go.

But first, I had to separate the power and ground wire for the brake light from the other wires that the ACCC comes pre-wired with.

Alucab dumps the solar wires, and the wires to power the power ports on either side of the bed, and various lights, on the rear driver’s side of the camper. However, my BlueSea fuse block, and all other electrical components, will be located at the front of the camper on the passenger side.

So, I removed the sheathing and separated the wiring, the fold down table being a great place to work.

Initial Build by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Grabbing the two wires I needed, Alucab labels them with small tags, I wrapped them in Tesa fabric tape, another item leftover from my M3 restoration.

Initial Build by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I then left the wiring I was not ready to deal with yet in the channel that runs around the outside of the camper. This space is going to be handy for a lot of things, such as the Exped repair kit I already have tucked away inside, behind the Velcro cover. You obviously can’t store certain things up here, but light, non-damaging things will find a home in this channel for sure.

More Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I ran the wrapped wiring down the inside of the camper, secured in place by clear 3M stick-on wire clips, before running it through the sealant at the base of the bed near the taillight.

Here I have the modified wiring connector in place, ready to connect and then test the lights.

More Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Once I knew it worked, I crimped and then heat shrunk and then wrapped all of the connections, taking extra care to do it right, as this area is constantly filled with dust and grit from dirt roads.

More Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I didn’t get any pictures of the taillights once it was all put back together, but I’ll snag some in due time.