'12 Spruce Mica DCLB Weekend Warrior/Camping Rig

Updates:



Original Post:

Mallcrawer, is that a thing in the Toyota world? I'm new here.

Greetings from the darkside! Long time offroad ( Jeep ) enthusiast here. Been DD'ing my old Cherokee for too long, with no heat and a welded rear differential.




Just when I was finally starting to feel like I was outgrowing the poor thing as it clings to life at 280,000 miles, I noticed a certain Toyota in the used car lot at the Dealership I work at.



I was immediately intrigued by the double cab long bed combo (so much room for activities!) and I liked the cool green color. Fast forward a month or so and I stumble across a place called TacomaWorld, and then a certain thread about Spruce Mica's. It didn't take much more convincing after that before I called the salesman and told him to whip up the paperwork.

Took it for a quick trip up the mountain, I was shocked at what it's like to drive a stock vehicle over what would normally be a very, very easy trail. Quickly discovered the front mud flaps hit pretty much everything I drove over.



I was putting in an order for some wheels for a friend and I impulse ordered Walker Evans wheels while I was at it, I decided to try and stick to an understated, dark theme with the truck. (also this was the only color/size left not on backorder...)





Also snuck some strut spacers in the front to try and deter me from spending money on coilovers justttt yet.


A buddy of mine tipped me off that there was a TRD Pro grill on our local craigslist for cheap (relatively speaking) and so I took a ride and snagged that, the colors perfectly the compliment the wheels so I couldn't resist.



At this point I was starting to get tire anxiety (that is a thing, apparently) and so as soon as I saw snow in the forecast I decided that the wholesale black&round specials had to go. After lots and lots of searching on here I decided 255/85r16 Toyo MT's were the tire for me. Buttttt my tire supplier only had them on the other side of the country and the shipping was outrageous so I went with the 265/75r16's that were available same day instead, which I am VERY happy with.


before/after


Fancy instagram pic ( @adam_larson if you like truck/jeeps/dogs/cats pics lol)



And finally now that we are all caught up (I bought the truck three weeks ago ) this past weekend I had it stacked full of hay at one point and then I had it up to the doors in water shortly thereafter, and I had to stop and wonder how I had let this happen so quickly... Apparently the Toyota thing and the Jeep thing are similar, only I wont take a sawzall to the Tacoma and hopefully in return it won't break disastrously every time I put it in 4wd... I'm sure there's plenty more progress to come, and photos in between!

 

Welcome and awesome post!

 

Thanks!

 

Welcome!! My second fave taco color.

 

Nice truck! Also looks like you're a fellow m@sshole..

 

First update since my initial post, how has it already been over 6 months with this thing!? I left the truck pretty much alone over the winter, but I've been searching all spring for the right topper for it for weekend camping and dog hauling. I decided on a new soft top, but as I was about to commit to the purchase, I felt compelled to skim craigslist one last time. Found an ugly, cheap, utility cap. Bought it. girlfriend hated it instantly, there goes the whole "cool truck" look (I beg to differ!) Wrapped it with Matte black vinyl, that helped a little. Besides that it's just been little stuff, but I acquired a cheap set up Icon coilovers, that I am going to rebuild over the next week or so. I'll try to remember to post pics of that process! They are in my garage all torn apart in a box currently. Cheers!

 

I think back in 2016 I said I wouldn’t take a sawsall to it... that was optimistic. Haven’t been here in a while but she’s changed quite a bit! Man this truck has been good to me over the last 4 1/2 years. Drove it to the white mountains and up Mt Washington, down to the Outer Banks for some beach cruising (twice!) spent countless weekends camping and mountain biking in Vermont, and maybe got hopelessly stuck once or twice along the way including ripping the cap off against a tree during a snow flurry turned storm, had to recruit friends to carry the cap a mile through the woods on foot after the storm passed, not my finest moment. Oh and towed a Wagoneer home from NJ for some reason, I do not recommend this for several reasons...

Left it pretty much alone for a while but in the last two years I’ve built a DIY bumper kit from True North Fabrication, a Ripcord Camper, a home made cowl snorkel, rebuilt and installed those ratty old Icons I mentioned years ago, upgraded the springs to longer heavier king coils in the front and the OME Dakar packs in the rear, and finally just mounted some new tires. Pretty keen on doing the JD Fabrications lower arm pivots next (if you’ve read through @81Trekker’s build thread, you likely also want one of everything like I do) and then eventually gears/lockers.

Drives surprisingly good with the 315’s so far! Wanted to love the 255’s but they just weren’t right for New England I guess, got stuck countless times in situations where I just normally wouldn’t. Anyways here’s a photo dump of what I could find, gotta dig through my old phone when I can for more details of the progress along the way. Cheers!

 

Any pics of the inside of the camper? I’m doing the same thing and curious how to connected the tent portion and how much you cut off the shell.