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Thads Cement Grey Long Bed Build

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Builds (2016-2023)' started by 4xThad, Mar 2, 2022.

  1. Mar 2, 2022 at 11:53 AM
    #1
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

    Joined:
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    639
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    Male
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    Thad
    Bend, OR
    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    Thad's Cement Grey 2021 Long Bed Build

    Well, Ive owned the truck about 15 months now and its finally starting to get some mods, and that means it's time to start a build thread.

    As it sits:
    IMG_4847.jpg

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    5/24/2023

    12.jpg
    1/24/2023

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    3/20/2022
    Build Details: 2021 Tacoma Double Cab Long Bed TRD Off-Road Base in Cement Grey (no tech, no leather/heated seats, slick top, none of that BS)
    It has 3 factory options: Premium Lighting (headlights, tails, 3rd break, and bed lights), all weather floor liners/sill protectors, and blacked out badges (all of which I took off)

    Suspension mods:

    SPC UCAs (set on E)-installed 3/5/22-Removed 2/19/24
    Dirt King Ball Joint UCAs-installed 2/19/24
    Bilstein 6112's (set on 6 D &P)-installed 3/5/22
    10mm Spacer (drivers side)-installed 3/5/22-Removed 1/15/23
    20mm spacer (drivers side)-installed 1/15/23
    ECGS Bushing to replace the POS needle bearing-installed 3/19/22

    Icon progressive AAL-installed 3/5/22-removed 5/25/22
    Bilstein 5160's-installed 3/5/22
    Brake line extension spacer-installed 3/5/22
    Carrier bearing drop kit-installed 3/14/22
    Icon RXT leaf springs set on option 2-installed 5/25/22-Removed 12/10/22
    Option 3 installed 12/10/22
    Durobumps with U-Bolt Flip Kit-Installed 5/22/22

    Wheels and Tires:
    SCS Stealth 6's 17x8.5 -10 in dark matte bronze-installed 3/5/22
    Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs 285/70/17 (10ply)-installed 3/5/22

    Lighting:
    Diode Dynamics SS30 (combo)-installed 1/28/22
    Diode Dynamics SS3 pro fog lights-installed 12/08/23
    SDHQ behind the grill dual bar mount-installed 1/28/22
    CH4x4 switch for that SS30-installed 12/30/23


    Performance:
    OV2.0 Tuned by Brandon Chandler at Taco Vinyl-3/19/22
    Factory Exhaust cut and dumped at the rear axel-12/01/23

    Exterior/aesthetics:
    Martin Off-Road Foundation Cab Rack-installed 3/5/21
    20% tint all the way around-12/8/2020
    color matched bumper caps-installed 1/09/21
    "TRD OR" stickers removed-3/12/22
    Completely De-badged (finally)-11/20/2022

    Tent/camping setups:
    Ikamper mini-purchased 09/20 but installed on the Tacoma 12/23/20
    All-Pro Pack Rack (short bed)-installed 12/23/20-removed 10/03/21
    Front Runner load bars-installed 10/03/21-removed 9/24/22
    RSI Smartcap EVOa for a 6' bed Tacoma-installed 9/24/22
    Front Runner load bars with the Smartcap install kit-installed 9/24/22


    The Story:
    I will start the story with a few details on my last truck, a 2006 Tundra Limited, and a few details on how I ended up with a new truck. I bought the tundra in 2017 as a junior in college and immediately started building it, although I may not have been able to afford to build it, I did it anyway. I did things cheaply, on my own with little know how and thought behind the parts that were going on. Doing things the cheap way is usually the wrong way, after some time with cheap parts and labor found myself re-doing all sorts of things that could have been avoided if i had spent more money (that I also didn't have) to do it right. Basically, the truck became a headache because I cheaped out and in turn spent even more money to correct my 20 year old mistakes. Eventually, the repair bills got too steep and I sold the Tundra on 12/03/2020 and that same afternoon walked into Michaels Toyota in Belleview Washington and thats where the story of the taco begins

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    Last photo of the Tundra as the new owner drove her off


    The Taco:​

    Now, I clearly had built a solid relationship with the dealership's service department and tried to continue that relationship with their sales team. They let me walk the lot and take a few test drives on my own and figure out what configuration/color/trim level etc I was after. I settled on a base TRD OR DCLB. With inventory shortages finding a truck that fit the bill was also a task. I was after a base army green or cement grey ORLB, kind of needle in a haystack truck.. especially since I was now out of a vehicle. They found an army truck that was scheduled for delivery in 3 weeks-that was not going to work-and a cement truck that was scheduled for delivery in 4 days. I was thrilled, excited, and nervous. It was the first new vehicle I had purchased at 25 years old. Nonetheless, I ran through paperwork and that service relationship paid off. Id say I got a damn good deal paying almost $3k under MSRP during a vehicle shortage. They even sent me home in a loaner 4runner while I waited for delivery. 10/10 would recommend Michaels Toyota in Belleview WA!

    On 12/07/20 at about 11am I got the phone call that my truck finished its PDI and was ready for pickup. I was ecstatic! We went to pick it up that afternoon. As I was wating to finish up paperwork, I told my girlfriend that I was "going to be an adult and keep it stock"-she was thrilled :laugh::laugh::laugh:

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    The salesman shows us out to the delivery bay and the first thing my girlfriend says is "oh shit, its tiny, you've gotta lift it" :yes: We took some photos, and hit the road home with 3 mils on the ODO. I took it to work the next day and got in to tint that afternoon. First mod done :sadviolin:

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    Classic Washington rain lol

    I ran the truck "bone stock" for a week or two and finally got tired of the chrome bumper caps. Ordered some plastic replacements, had them color matched, and installed em.

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    I also kept my Ikamper Mini from the tundra build and ordered up an All-Pro bed rack so we could still camp and take truck out. For the first 6 months, I didnt drive it a ton. Work was 2 miles from my house, I took my GF's VW since she worked from home, and we took it out on the weekends.

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    Oh, i also bought a Martin OR cab rack for my ski rack and shtuff like that
     
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2024
  2. Mar 2, 2022 at 12:25 PM
    #2
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

    Joined:
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    Thad
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    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    Moving to Idaho!

    Seattle was too crazy and the grey-ness for 8 months of the year was too much. We had been talking about moving for years. We both have jobs that don't require a city so when we had an opportunity to hit the road we did. Ketchum seemed like the most reasonable choice-ski town, good paying jobs, lots of sun, great trails, and places to hike/camp etc, also, very central. We can get almost anywhere in an 8 hour drive.

    IMG_3226.jpg
    We sold almost everything we had and loaded up the taco and moved all of our stuff to my parent garage before we found a place on our own a few months later

    We got settled into our rental, had some good camping/biking/hiking/lake trips over the summer, bought a lot, got a puppy, and both started new jobs. I was feeling the mod itch.. it was time

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  3. Mar 2, 2022 at 1:50 PM
    #3
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

    Joined:
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    639
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    Male
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    Thad
    Bend, OR
    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    Modssssss:

    It was time. After a year of adulthood, I need to start messing with the truck. I hit up Memario1214 and he hooked up with all the parts I needed. 6112's up front, 5160's rear, SPC uppers, an Icon AAL, and a diode dynamics amber SS30. I bought the behind the grill mount right from SDHQ.

    IMG_1599.jpg

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    I did throw the SDHQ mount and bar in as soon as it arrived. I didnt take any photos during the install unfortunately.

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    I had been waiting patiently (sorta) for SCS Stealth 6's in bronze. Ive always had a hard on for that wheel and I had black wheels on my last truck so I wanted to mix it up a bit. They dropped on valentines day. My supportive GF let me order wheels while at dinner. They arrived 3 days later!

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    Last edited: Mar 3, 2022
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  4. Mar 7, 2022 at 7:42 AM
    #4
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

    Joined:
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    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    Install Day:

    03/05/2022: My GF was going to be out of town for the weekend, which gave me the perfect opportunity to hit the road to boise and tear my shit apart. I called up the guys at tacovinyl the Monday previous to see if theyd be willing to help me out and get it done on a Saturday, super friendly guys. 10/10 recommend they if you live near boise. Anyway, I got up at 4:45 loaded the truck bed full of parts, and hit the road by 5:30 to get to boise by 8. Of course it was snowing so that made the cold drive across the camas prairie interesting when i was on a schedule. I pulled in right at 8, it was on the lift at 8:15, and parts were coming off at 8:30. Just like clockwork.

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    The install went fairly smooth. Nothing came up that would cause potential problems. I had every part necessary to keep it easy and quick. I had a tire appointment at 3pm and an alignment at 4pm so I could head home right after.

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    It turned out AMAZING. I'll post specs at the top of the next post. I was pretty hesitant about the bronze wheels.. I thought it would clash with the cement a bit, but super glad I didn't go black. I think the bronze/cement combo is perfect.

    Anyway, Discount tire was a bit slow.. they took about 1.5 hours to get mounted/balanced/installed so I was a few minutes late to alignment. But they stayed open a bit late for me and it look them a while to really dial it in too. It was wayyyy out and took movement at basically every adjustment point to get it right. But i got to 3 degrees of caster up front with factory toe and camber numbers. Truck drives great. Best part is that there is 0 rubbing driving around town. At full lock, full compression, I do rub a bit on the inner fender well. Basic plastic trimming is no big deal. My cab mount is completely untouched. I was hesitant to CMC a brand new truck, with 15,000 miles and a factory warranty. Very happy the frame is untouched.

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    Attached Files:

    taco abbo, 71tattooguy and 2Nice like this.
  5. Mar 7, 2022 at 8:25 AM
    #5
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2020
    Member:
    #325806
    Messages:
    639
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Thad
    Bend, OR
    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    Build Specs as of 3/7/2022:

    IMG_1865.jpg

    Front:
    Bilstein 6112's set at 6/6 with 10mm shim on the drivers side
    SPC UCA's set at E

    Rear:
    Bilstein 5160's
    Icon progressive AAL, no factory overload

    wwheels:
    SCS Stealth 6's in Dark Matte bronze, 17x8.5, -10

    Tires:
    Goodyear Duratracs, 285/70/17

    Other tidbits:
    The truck is aligned for 35's. With an aggressive CMC, pinch weld flattening and some massaging of the inner fenders, it should be able to clear 35's no problem. hence why it doesn't rub with 33's and no CMC.

    I also chose this wheel and tire combo for a very specific reason: weight. I have run heavy setups before and its stupid imo. my last set of falken MTs were 68lbs a tire (same size) and method wheels were 31lbs a wheel. 99lbs a corner. lighter stronger faster does not always hold true.

    285/70 duratracs, 10ply, weigh 54lbs a tire. Most any comparable mud tire in this size is in the mid 60's. S6's are a classic, clean, and light (most important) wheel at 22lbs per. 76lbs a corner.

    Sprung v. Unsprung Weight: basically anything connected to the ground
    In simple terms, unsprung weight is bad. On a vehicle, you want to minimize unsprung weight the best you can because unsprung weight drastically reduces performance. Accelerating, braking, steering, and wear on consumable parts like ball joints. Lifting a truck a throwing bigger wheels and tires on it will inherently reduce performance, but the goal was to minimize that.

    When you add rotating mass, the effective weight increases by a factor of 4. This has to do with the drive train moving the tire and the brakes stopping it. The difference on my 99lb set up, v my 76lb setup is not just 23lbs per corner, its actually 92lbs per corner or 368lbs across the entire truck! Thats HUGE!

    The factory wheel/tire weighs 28lbs (wheel) 35lbs (tire) or 63lbs. I increased the weight of the wheels/tire package 13lbs or effectively 52lbs per tire or 208lbs overall. Basically, moral of the story is that we have to add unsprung weight to our trucks.. just do it mindfully.

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    Duratrac spec

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    Factory, crummy, Goodyear spec
     
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2022
  6. Mar 12, 2022 at 7:19 AM
    #6
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

    Joined:
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    Messages:
    639
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Thad
    Bend, OR
    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    Tent update:

    I have had two different tents: a Thule (Tepui) RTT and now an Ikamper mini. The Tepui was not a great tent. It got the job done for $1000 and really introduced us to vehicle travel and vehicle camping. We bought in in Portland, duty free, at the end of June 2020. We enjoyed that tent a lot and spent 25-30 nights in in the summer of 2020. We camped basically every weekend. Towed the boat to a new lake and camped, found some new hiking or bike trails and camped. It was great. There were however a few draw backs, mostly the construction quality and the setup/takedown time. that could be upwards of 10min each. Combined with the poor aerodynamics, and ugly looks it was time to go for a higher-quality product since we spend so many nights in the tent.

    I had just gotten back from a trip to Colorado with my buddy Ian and some guy on facebook wanted the tepui. he drove up form Vancouver Washington to grab it. 5 min after he paid me for it, I bought the Ikamper Mini from a dealer in Portland. we jumped in the truck and headed south. Following the guy that just bought the tepui! :yay:

    IMG_8617.jpg

    We have now had the Ikamper mini for a year and a half. It's been a solid tent. Good quality, fairly weather proof, warm as hell in the winter, and there is enough room for us and the puppy with our clothes and sleeping bags. The only negative we have found is that sleeping bags, pillows, and bedding does not fit great when the tent is folded up.

    That being said, the dog is now 55lbs and the 3 of us with bedding/clothes etc makes the tent a bit on the tight side. Wed like to get a new full size Ikamper 3.0. We all still fit together in the mini, but space is definitely tight.

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    71tattooguy and betterbuckleup like this.
  7. Mar 15, 2022 at 11:48 AM
    #7
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

    Joined:
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    Thad
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    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    3/14/2022:

    The trucks been lifted about a week now. I have put 300 miles on it and the front end has settled about 3/8". I hope it will settle more in the coming days/months. Since the lift install i noticed a slight vibration around 35mph. All signs pointed to the needle bearing on the drivers side of the front diff. I was really crossing my fingers, hoping that it was not the case and ordered up a carrier bearing drop as recommended by a buddy in Montana. It was $18, and just like Amazon, it arrived at my door in 2 days.

    IMG_1964.jpg
    Might as well rule it out with the cheap parts/labor first

    Anyway, I popped out the old bolts, then added the spacer and reinstalled the new, longer bolts. Simple enough, took about 8 min.

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    Then I grabbed the dog and went for a test drive. The vibration was definitely less noticeable, but was still there on occasion.:annoyed: Biiiiiig Bummer, its the diff bearing, even with only 2 1/2" of front lift the bearing is making noise. Poor part choice/front diff design by Toyota imo.
     
  8. Mar 20, 2022 at 8:02 AM
    #8
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2020
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    #325806
    Messages:
    639
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Thad
    Bend, OR
    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    3/19/22:

    In the post above, I mentioned that as soon as I lifted the truck I got some weird vibs out of the front end. Tried a carrier drop because it was $18-that didn't do it. So after some TW/YouTube/friend research I concluded that it had to be the needle bearing in the front diff. The vib wasn't bad. It was rotational, like an intermittent rumble strip and happened at about 35MPH when the diff was cold. After 10min of driving the vib would completely go away. Swapping to an ECGS bushing wasnt an urgent thing that needed to be done now. But at some point within the year for sure

    My girlfriend was headed to LA/Disneyland for the weekend with some friends so I had a free weekend to get it done. I told her and she was beyond pissed lol. "You tore a perfectly good truck apart with a complete warranty and now its got problems that you caused. If this doesn't fix it, I'll never let you fuck with a financed truck or toy again! This is gonna ruin our summer, your truck is always gonna be a project"

    The pressure was on. This had to be the solution. I had a free weekend where my truck wouldn't impact her. So Saturday morning, the dog and I hit the road to boise again. Taco Vinyl has been great to work with and we can wrench on my truck on Saturdays cause I live 2.5 hours away. We put it on the lift at 8am and it was back on the ground at 10. I took it for a quick test drive down the street and the vibration was gone!! Thank god. I was going to live to see another day.

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    POS needle bearing: all needles intact and undamaged
    While I was there, we also OV2.0 tuned the truck. My adjusted gas mileage actually wasn't bad.. I was getting 17.5MPG adjusted on the factory tune and gears with 33's. I was getting about 15MPG on the dash. But I knew it could be better. I also wanted to get rid of the gear hunting and some more power and a real 'sport mode' would be nice.

    On my way back from boise with a STRONG headwind the dash was reading out at 14.5MPG and the truck definitely gear hunts less which is great. When I step on the gas the truck actually goes. Also, sport shifting is now actually shifting, not just a gear limit. The truck and transmission actually do what I tell them to do. It drives like it should. Overall Im pretty happy with the tune.
     
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  9. Mar 20, 2022 at 2:09 PM
    #9
    G0AT

    G0AT Tell me how you really feel

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    Nice build thread! Enjoy Idaho -- I'm from Boise but I live in the SLC area now. Got a shot of the side of your rig with the rack and RTT? I've always been annoyed that most bed racks are the same length for both long and short bed trucks.
     
    4xThad[OP] likes this.
  10. Mar 20, 2022 at 2:18 PM
    #10
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2020
    Member:
    #325806
    Messages:
    639
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Thad
    Bend, OR
    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    Thanks. Idaho has been great so far!

    Actually, the all-pro bed rack I bought was for a short bed. I don't have many photos of it. Honestly, it didn't look very good and the Ikamper mini didn't fit well on it. I didn't know how I would like that particular rack set-up, it was in stock, on the cheaper side of bed racks at $900 shipped, and I just needed something to throw the tent on and get me by for a little bit. I didn't really like that rack set-up and sold it in Oct 22'. I went and bought the front runner bars as another cheaper, solution until i could wrap my head around the net thing... I actually have an RSI SmartCap EvoA on order to replace those bars. It should be here in July or August :turtleride:
     
  11. Mar 21, 2022 at 11:25 AM
    #11
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2020
    Member:
    #325806
    Messages:
    639
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Thad
    Bend, OR
    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    3/20/22:

    The dog and I ran over to my moms house for dinner and she's got better scenery, more trees and more mountains by her house which makes for better photos lol.. I also snagged a few photos after a hike in boise with the dog on Saturday. At some point in the future I will be adding sliders, probably add another bar to the mount behind the grill as well as some fogs and potentially a winch behind the factory front bumper.

    For now, my only mods are gasoline (Thank Joe). Got a bunch of trips planned this spring/summer/fall (I'll post trip reports) and its time to throw some miles on the truck, have fun, and go places


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    Boise

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    Last edited: Mar 21, 2022
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  12. Mar 30, 2022 at 8:34 AM
    #12
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2020
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    #325806
    Messages:
    639
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Thad
    Bend, OR
    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    3/23/22-3/27/22:

    Finished building the truck on 3/19 and four days later we hit the road south. Its spring break week and my GF teaches 1st grade so I still have an excuse for spring break forever! She got back from disneyland on 3/21, we did some laundry, bought some food, gave the dog a haircut, packed the truck and got outta town early on 3/23. We cruised down to Twin Falls, bought fuel, and kept going. after the tune I thought my ODO/Speedo/MPG was still off. Later this trip I found out it was not... we headed south on I15 at about 70MPH on the dash (thinking we were going 77MPH) and getting horrendous fuel economy because of a headwind. Regardless, we got to REI in Sandy, UT at about 11:30am for a few things. We grabbed gas and In n Out in Spanish Fork, then headed over RT 6 and were in Moab at about 3:45 and campsite hunting.

    Jeep week always ends on easter Sunday. This week, easter is later, so is JW. We figured Moab would be less packed and finding a campsite on a Wednesday night would be easier than normal--not true. We looked around for a while, drove out onion creek for 10 miles (to explore, and look for a site) and ended up camping 24 miles out RT 127. We had a solid spot.

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    The next morning we woke up with a plan to eat and pack up early/quickly. We were looking for a spot that wasn't so far out. We left our campsite around 9am and headed closer into town. We were able to sang a site only 4 miles out RT-127. We posted up there until we left Sunday morning.

    From out campsite, we headed out to DHP since its dog friendlyish and we could take the mutt for a hike. We went up long canyon road to grab some dirt miles, and at lunch in the parking lot before a 5 miles hike. Poodle loved it, but soon realized that he's not built for the heat. lol

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    We headed back to camp and got ourselves dialed in for the night. We seem to always sleep great in the Ikamper. And the dog loves it too. Hes got his own sleeping bag but doesn't use it at all.

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    The next day we went for a short bike ride and grabbed lunch in town. We couldn't do too many long distances on this trip with only a 10 month old puppy. Sadie and I actually decided to hike Negro Bills Canyon at sunset so we could leave the dog in the truck.

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    The following day was Saturday and we went for another, even shorter, bike ride. Then did a 1.9 mile hike to corona arch. This is when the dog really died. He was tired and soar and you could tell. Time to get him a personal trainer!

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    Sunday was the day we planned to head out. We set our alarms early so we could take advantage of the good weather and have a good day before we needed to head out around 12-1pm. Well, that alarm went off at 6am and we shut that shit off quick as it was pitch black outside. we got out of the tent around 7:15, made breakfast, cleaned, and packed up and were on the road about 8:30. We headed out to shafer road to climb the switchbacks into canyon lands. The actual road itself took about an hour and a half.

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    We went for another 2 mile hike in Canyonlands before hitting the road north

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    The Dog slept the entire trip home.. he was dead. he woke up in SLC and we snapped a photo. He looked higher than a kite haha

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  13. Mar 30, 2022 at 9:21 AM
    #13
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

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    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    Trip notes 3/30/22:

    1. The rear end squats bad. the Icon AAL rides fantastic. But when Im loaded up it leans. It leans bad enough that I need to address it.. is the answer 1/2"-1" block? Is it a full leaf pack with 400lbs of static weight? not quite sure yet. I do plan to order a smartcap soon (200lbs) so I kinda want to see what that looks like before I make any changes. Unloaded, the truck sits pretty close to level (front being 3/8" higher) and I like how its settled out. I guess my options are to lower the front end 1 notch, buy a full leaf pack, or buy a block for the rear. Any tips/suggestions would be great! RC block? Icon RXTs or Deavers?

    2. The roam boxes rattle with stuff inside. I have definitely gotten used to it over the last year. But i would really like to quiet them down. They are secured with T-shaped mounts from sherpa. I didn't want to drill into $300 plastic boxes for a more secure mounting solution. But now the rattling is getting to me. I was thinking I could buy some Low Density foam and glue it into the top and bottom panels of the box to prevent items inside from rattling around. If that isnt enough then Id just drill them for the roof rack.

    3. I would really like to build a platform in the back for the dog and gear. Something that is semi removable and still gives me access to the storage underneath the seats. I think the dog would love it and it would create a more stable base for us to put things we cannot in the bed.

    4. I really can't wait to order the Smartcap.. with all the dust and crap that got in the bed I really think it will be a good addition to the truck for security, weather, and dust. I am just still saving up for that.

    5. Sliders. The truck needs sliders. I don't want to beat it up off road and sliders would be a great place to start for some armor. Plus, they could act as a step to get access to the roam boxes.
     
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2022
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  14. Mar 30, 2022 at 8:44 PM
    #14
    drktacoma

    drktacoma Well-Known Member

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    I've got a similar situation to 1 & 4. I have an AAL in the rear and will be adding a rear bumper and a Leer 100XR in the next month and am wondering how much it'd squat. It sits level and would like to keep it that way but don't really want to shell out the cash for a full leaf pack maybe just buy once cry once, not really too sure. I guess I just plan on waiting to see how bad it is when it all comes together! lol
     
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  15. Mar 31, 2022 at 7:25 AM
    #15
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

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    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    yeah its a tough spot to be in. With an AAL, tent and bars (150lbs) the truck is pretty level, with bikes on the rack, full cooler, clothes, and all our gear Id guess we've got an extra 500lbs over the rear axel and thats where the AAL suffers. not sure what im gonna do. But I'm definitely not doing anything until i get a topper
     
  16. Apr 1, 2022 at 4:11 PM
    #16
    G0AT

    G0AT Tell me how you really feel

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    When you upgraded your suspension did you use that opportunity to level the truck or did you keep the factory rake?

    From what I've been researching for rear suspension options, seems like a custom leaf pack set for the weight you plan to carry is the way to go. I'm leaning towards aiming for a leaf pack that rides at factory rake (or slightly higher) with all the permanent gear bolted to the truck, and sits level when loaded down.

    You can also change out how you load your truck for missions. You have 2 pax up front, 1 dog in rear. You can bring more weight forward into the rear seats by storing your day packs there (better for grab n go imo) plus the dogs stuff, and water (which is heavy). All of this makes a good case for a rear seat delete.
     
  17. Apr 1, 2022 at 4:27 PM
    #17
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

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    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    Yeah, I’m thinking a full leaf pack that’s rated for 2” of lift with 300ish pounds of static weight. Probably icon RXT’s

    As for a seat delete, I’m already 1/2 way there. I took the back seats out a year ago. But I don’t have any sort of platform or flat space back there. I was actually planning on building something back there soon.. bought some lumber and hinges this weekend. So we’ll see how the snow is and if I ski or build some shit in the garage.
     
  18. Apr 1, 2022 at 4:31 PM
    #18
    G0AT

    G0AT Tell me how you really feel

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    4xThad[OP] likes this.
  19. Apr 1, 2022 at 4:47 PM
    #19
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

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    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
  20. Apr 13, 2022 at 10:59 AM
    #20
    4xThad

    4xThad [OP] Thad

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2020
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    #325806
    Messages:
    639
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Thad
    Bend, OR
    Vehicle:
    2021 Cement Tacoma TRD OR DCLB; 2021 Blizzard Pearl 4Runner Limited; 2006 Tundra-SOLD
    Tint, DK ucas, Big Billies with Icon springs, SCS S6 wheels wrapped in Duratracs, an iKamper, a Smartcap, martin OR RR, roam boxes sometimes and a ski rack other times
    4/07/22:

    I have officially ordered up a smart cap. I bought a long bed EVOa from mikes custom toys in Oregon. It should arrive in July and the best part is that they only wanted 1/2 down on the topper. I also ordered up front runner cross bars specific for the smart cap so I can mount the Ikamper to it and probably an awning.

    I have a trip planned to Oregon at the end of June for a wedding so I am hoping that it shows up a touch earlier and I don't have to pay to ship the cap to Idaho.

    Regardless, I am excited to get the topper on and keep things dry and secure in the bed. I also have a lead on Icon RXT leafs for the rear. I am definitely going to need the extra weight capacity once I get the topper. I am thinking that I will need to send it to option 3 on the leafs for the weight that I put back there.
     
    Last edited: Apr 13, 2022
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