Ridgewalker’s 2015 Tacoma DC Off Road Build

A brief history: I have a 2003 Tacoma DC Off Road that I set up years ago for hunting and fishing. It has a small lift of about 1 5/8” using Toytec Boss’s front and a Wheeler HD leaf rear spring with Bilstein 5100 shocks. An ARB bull bar front bumper with Warn M8000 winch and Trail Gear welded on sliders rattle canned. Snugtop cap with a Yakima cross bars and Yakima Warrior basket.
My granddaughter has been driving it since she was 12 and now at 15 she decided it is the vehicle she wants as her first. I can’t blame her because it is in great shape, has gone every place I’ve had the courage to take it and gotten me back out.
So I had to find another for me. After searching for nearly a year, I found a pristine 2015 Tacoma DC Off Road over priced (but OK for the current pricing on all used vehicles) but only 65,000 original miles and no wrecks. Maintained well. I bought it and started my build plan.

To date I added:
Rago bed stiffeners
Husky floor mats
Additional bed tie downs
Toyota bed mat
A Super Pacific X1 is on order and due for install in May or June.

As of last week it now has:
Hefty Fabworks aluminum full loop front bumper
Warn Zeon 10k lb winch
Baja Designs yellow fog lights
Hefty Fabworks bolt on sliders

 

Chris (owner of Hefty Fabworks in Colorado Springs) aand a couple of his welder/installers.
Thanks guys for the excellent job!

 

Next addition Faulken Wildpeak A/T 3 “skinnys” 235-85r16s.


Looking at RCI all aluminum full skid plates next. Just waiting on a reply from them.

 

Current weight with me on board…4,840 lbs…ugh! Weight adds up quickly! This leaves 660 lbs until I reach GVW.

 

Full set of RCI aluminum skid plates and cat guard installed.

 

May 27, 2022 myself and the granddaughter are on our way to Portland to pick up our Super Pacific…WOOHOO! Seeing the Snake River Gorge, Hell’s Canyon, Columbia River, and Mt Hood on the way.
Plan to return to Colorado by way of the Oregon coast, Crater Lake, then to Utah and the Great Salt Lake. I’ll add pics as the opportunity arises.

 

Nearly 3,400 miles of which I may have driven 400. My granddaughter drove the rest. A grand adventure indeed. Jet boating Hell’s Canyon of the Snake. Seeing the mighty Columbia River. A snowstorm driving around Mt Hood, OR. Mt St. Helens, WA. Picking up our Super Pacific. Touring the Tillamook Cheese factory. The beautiful Oregon coast! Riding ATVs on the coastal sand dunes. Crater Lake was gorgeous even if it was mostly closed due to snow. What had to be one of the loneliest roads in the US between Lakeview, OR and Winnemucca, NV.

Yep a grand trip indeed!

 

Current weight with Super Pacific, recovery gear, tools, Yeti cooler, tire pump & repair, full gas tank, me on board, etc. is YIKES! 5,480 lbs!
Not installed yet:
Bedding
Cook gear
Power box with 100 Amphr SOK battery
Power wall with Renogy DC to DC/MPPT, 1200 w inverter, 100 watt solar panel
Front Sherpa 21” rack with either 2 Rotopax or Maxtrax
Awning? 270* at 61 or so lbs.

This is going to be a pig! The rear has dropped 2 1/2 “ and front 2”. Got to work on a new suspension system!

 

6/21/22 the longest daylight day of the year! The team (Cortez and Brooke) at Sherpa Equipment Co installed their Animas 21” roof rack.

 

Well, the wifey has decided she isn’t ready to stop traveling. Sold our pickup and camper because she decided a motorhome is what old folks need. Then sold the motorhome because she decided she was tired of traveling. Can’t win! She wanted another 1 ton truck and cabover camper like we had a few years back. None available at any reasonable price…ugh! What a pain! So I convinced her to look at small travel trailers we could tow behind the Tacoma and wedge camper. They too are almost impossible to find at any reasonable price. She seems to like the tiny Casita trailers, so I’ll be searching for one of those.

 

Found one. Went and picked it up. As usual it needs a bit of additions and TLC, but it has good “bones” to work with.

 

Well my current truck weight is 5,480 lbs. By the time it is loaded and ready to tow the trailer with 3 people and gear it will break 6,000 lbs! YIKES! Weight adds up quickly! So…

Next step is to lift the Tacoma to get it back to near factory height with all the additions. Settled on ShockSurplus.com for lift. Includes:
Bilstein 6112 set at #3 up front with 700 lb springs.
Bilstein 5160 rear shocks with remote reservoirs.
Deaver 700-1,000 lb rear springs.
SPC adjustable UCAs.

My local mechanic is going to do the install for me when the parts arrive. 5 years ago I would have done it. Easy enough, but my old skin damages too easily when struck by steel!

Edit: booked for install week of 9/12!

 

Before-

After-

A bit more than I was hoping for, but I need to load it up full before I judge too harshly. Actually looks good, just makes it tough for my lady to climb in now she is in her late 70s.

 

Looks amazing. I don’t think it’s too much at all, should settle a little bit.

 

Thank you sir!

 

Wow, very nice rig. I wanna be like you when I grow up.
Ahh the PNW.... Bellingham WA here.

 

Got an Overland Pro 270 awning, but discovered I could not install it by myself. Luckily a young bud took time to come help me install it.