Box Rocket - 2003 TRD Doublecab

No numbers but I'm pretty sure its lighter than most plate bumpers.

 

Very nice. I like that it's plated, but not necessarily all the way around so it keeps it fairly light. Great choice, and still an amazing truck!

 

that is a nice build. I really like the tent set up you have. does anyone know where i can pick one up? or is that pretty much a custom build?

 

The tent in those photos is an old Mombasa tent. The newer version of those are the Camping Lab tents. The rack it's mounted to is custom.

 

My favorite Tacoma on this site! Everything looks so well thought out.

 

Today was my last day off work for the holidays and I had a little time today so I finally got around to finishing up my rear bumper by adding in the brackets to tie the sliders back into the frame.

I used a pair of Trail-Gear 4Runner rear bumper brackets, and they worked out perfectly with my home built bumper. I'll get pics soon when its not so crappy outside. BTW, I HATE welding upside down.

K bai.

 

Awesome build. I'd love to build up my rig for expeditions. Now if can get out of Nebraska to a state that I can actually do that kind of stuff. Subd!

 

Box Rocket, I don't mean to thread jack, but I'm looking for an 80 series cruiser, and hoped you might give me some pointers on what to look for. Can't wait to see that tg bumper on your truck btw.

 

There are pictures of the TG bumper a few posts back.

as for 80 series Cruisers....I would look for a '93 or later model with the 1FZ motor. The earlier 3FE powered ones are lacking in power (not that the 1FZ is a powerhouse, they're still slow).

If you can find one with the factory locking diffs, you'll be ahead of the game. My truck didn't have lockers but I bought it anyway because it was well maintained and in great shape for a good price. So for me it was worth it to have a really good vehicle even though it didn't have the lockers. I have since added an Aussie locker and it's been great. A lot of them are getting high miles now so it's a good idea to see if the headgasket has ever been replaced. They have a tendency to blow on higher mileage trucks. However, it's not a guarantee. My '93 has 250K miles on it right now and is still on the original headgasket. Other than that, it's really just the regular stuff you would look for on any used vehicle. I love my 80 series. Good luck on your search. You should check out ih8mud.com and search their forums if you haven't already. TONS of 80 owners there with lots of good information.

 

I somehow missed those pics, very nice and thanks for the info.

 

i had never accutally seen your build till now, but i saw your signature some time ago and it is what inspired me to start my build. amazing truck! keep it up!

 

couple updates.
I have needed to finish up my rear bumper by adding some bracket to the rear corner protection and tie it back into the frame. I found some nifty little brackets from Trail-Gear that are meant to work with their 1st Gen 4Runner bumpers. I hoped that the tube work I did was close enough to the same location that I could use these same brackets. Turned out that they worked perfectly. Nice to add a little bit of extra strength the rear bumper.

Forgive all the winter salt and crud all over the truck. Weather has been crappy here.


Also....the 32x11.50 BFG ATs that were on the truck when I bought it still have some tread left, but weren't wearing well after the previous owner overlooked an alignment. Also the rubber had started to get hard and they were pretty slick in the snow. So this morning I got a new set of tires. Trying out some skinnies for the first time. We'll see how it goes. Went with some 33x10.50 BFG KM2's. Got them at Discount tire for a pretty good price...~$150/tire after I found them at onlinetires.com for $131 before shippping. Discount price matched the price after shipping. Also had them siped, so we'll see how they do for the rest of the winter.
I like how they look. They are just a bit more noisy than the ATs but that is to be expected. They should fit ok in the front but I'll probably need to trim a little of the rear flares to get rid of all the rubbing.

Pics.
Before: 32x11.50


After: 33x10.50


Before: 32x11.50


After: 33x10.50






From the front.

 

again, thanks for the inspiration to build my own bed rack but i know mine doesnt look nearly as nice as yours!

the truck is awesome. very inspirational

 

Did you take your tint off? How much rubbing did you end up with? and what kind of backspacing are those rims?

 

Yeah, removed the tint from the front windows. It was too dark.

Not much rubbing yet. A little bit at the front of the rear wheel well, but it shouldn't take much trimming. I'll also need to flatten the pinch weld in the front a little more than it currently is.

No idea on backspacing. The wheels were on the truck when I got it. If I had to guess, they are either 3.75" or 4" BS.

 

Amazing! That one size make a huge difference! Looks awesome!

 

Made a correction to a post on page 1 that I thought was worth pointing out. In my post showing the installation of the OME suspension I had incorrectly stated that I used a 20mm trim packer from a Jeep JK on the front coil. It is actually a 10mm trim packer NOT a 20mm. Also, I did not reuse the OEM rubber isolator on the top of the coil.

I apologize for the misinformation.

 

How did you like the 882's before you got the bumper?

 

I've liked them from day1. Good control on the road, and even better in the dirt. They're a good match for a DoubleCab. I don't have personal experience but I've head they might be a little much for an Extracab or Reg Cab unless you've added a decent amount of weight up front, like a bumper, winch etc. 881's might be a better option for your truck. Probably a good idea to talk to others too especially if you can find someone who's used both the 881s and 882s.

 

Did they start to sag any once you got the bumper on?