Dirtbag Build

Dirtbag Build​

Documenting the adventure-mobile of 2 people and our dog Eska

Shameless plug for Eska’s Instagram​

Currently (201k miles):



As of May 2019



Calling it the Dirtbag build because we have lived out of it before and we probably will again.

Specs
-2000 SR5 TRD Ext Cab
-Rear Diff Lock
-Manual Transmission
-4x4
-5VZ-FE 3.4L V6

Exterior Mods
-Craigslist special high-rise camping shell
-Custom-built Sleeping Platform
-Custom Roof-Rack from Rack Attack
-Thule Roof Box
-Stickers!
-Plasti derped some chrome

Armor
-Skid Row Skids
-Line-X Bedliner
-4xinnovations front & rear plate bumpers
-4xinnovations sliders

Front
-Sway-Away 2.0 adjustable coilovers P.O
-ADS 2.5 coilovers with 650lb coils and remote reservoirs
-Camburg Uniball UCA’s P.O
-Swaybar delete
-Engine splash guards from Gear Tech Customs
-Durobump bumpstops

Rear
-Custom 9.5in travel ADS piggyback reservoir shocks
-Custom Alcan Leaf Pack 2.5in lift and 300lbs over stock capacity
-Bilstein 5100's
-Deaver 3 Leaf aal P.O
-Bamf BPV Relocation Bracket

Wheels & Tires
-33/10.5/15 BFG KO2’s
-American Racing Mojave wheels P.O

Interior
-Custom-built dog platform
-Kicker Speakers
-Grey wire mod

Accessories
-Rigid Ditch Lights w/ Rago brackets
-Hella Sharptones Horns
-60in Hi-lift Jack
-Cali Raised light bar
-Rigid SRM reverse lights
-Rigid fog lights
-Xbull recovery tracks

Maintenance I’ve Done
-Spark plugs and wires
-New radiator and silicone coolant hoses
-Sealed cracked airbox
-Replaced driver door handle & tailgate handle
-LBJ’s
-Outer Tie Rod Ends
-CV from CVJ Axles
-Synthetic Fluids
-Replaced front Timbren bumpstops w/ oem bumps and shimmed to stop rubbing
-Replaced window trim
-PCV valve
-Extended rear diff breather
-LED dome light
-Marlin Crawler shifter bushings
-Front diff bushing from Durobumps
-Cleared up hazy headlights
-Extended rear brake line from Wheelers
-Valve Cover Gaskets
-Roll pin mod
-Painted hood
-NorthStar battery
-Rebuilt UCA's
-Brembo rotors & Akebono pads

Upcoming
-Rebuild Topper (paint, insulate)
-Paint roof

Future
-Stronger rear leaf springs
-Softopper
-New gears (probably 4.56)
-Roof rack for topper


The Toyota love all started with a 2000 4runner I inherited in high school.




After college (University of Wisconsin, go Badgers!) my now fiancé April and I lived out of it for a summer while traveling around and exploring Alaska, where we got an Alaskan Malamute named Eska from the “Malamute Man” Joe Henderson.





The 4runner is still kickin with over 354k miles.


While working as snowboard bums in Taos, New Mexico the idea was hatched to sell my fiancé’s Subaru and replace it with a Tacoma. She would get to drive our beloved 4runner and I would finally get the manual transmission I always wanted. After scouring craigslist for a long time and even going to look at a couple in Colorado we settled on this beauty in Arizona with 166,622 miles.
When we bought it on March 10, 2018 in Phoenix Arizona:





Arizona was not Eska's favorite place. And theres some pretty bad sun scars on the roof and hood. But the best part of the truck?
No rust!!!


Before driving it back to Taos we took it in to have the clutch replaced along with steering rack, cv axle, carrier bearing and timing belt. It was a big bill but we got the truck for pretty cheap and we were expecting it.


We had decided that after our season was over we were going to live out of the bed of the Tacoma while we used up our ski resort comp passes and took the long way back to Wisconsin.


That required 3 things, catch up on maintenance, build a sleeping platform and get a topper. All before moving out of our house on April 1st.


I replaced the spark plugs and wires, sealed the cracked airbox to clear a too lean code and installed a new air filter, replaced the radiator and coolant hoses to stop a leak and swapped all the fluids over to synthetic. Then we got new tires and built a platform for Eska so she’d be comfy riding in the back seat.





Getting a topper proved a lot more difficult. We looked for a long time and didn’t find one until a couple days after we had already moved out of our house.








After the trip started we very quickly got tired of 2 things, the blown speakers and moving our snowboard gear to the cab when we slept. To remedy problem one we stopped at the local best buy and picked up some kicker speakers. Nothing like the looks you get ripping apart your door panel in the parking lot. Then for problem 2 we got a custom roof rack with Thule box installed by Rack-Attack.




Then while offroading to find a camp spot we started hearing clunking in the rear. Turned out our shock had snapped and was clanging around. We were able to find a store to order up a pair of Bilstein 5100’s.


The only thing funnier than parking lot maintenance is doing repairs in the Toyota parking lot right in front of the service department with an old wrench and a block of wood. I needed a new radiator cap (ours wasn’t sealing) so we went to the nearest Toyota dealership to snag a replacement. While there I swapped out the shocks in the parking lot in front of the service entrance while getting strange looks from people bringing in their sparkly brand new Toyotas for oil changes. After installing the shocks our setup was pretty dialed in. We traveled around Colorado snowboarding and sleeping in the mountains.










Then right when we were getting really cold living out of the truck in the snowy mountains with only our spring snow gear my friend from San Diego said we should visit him sometime. "Alright see you in a couple of hours."

On our way!!!

Utah



San Diego!!!




After warming up in San Diego we traveled up to Oregon and over to Idaho where we spent a good amount of time.









My fiancé April who is awesome enough to live out of a truck with me and our dog for months on end.



While in Idaho we even took a quick jaunt on up to Banff.





We fell in love with Idaho and decided we are going to move there after Wisconsin.


When we got back to Wisconsin I extended the rear diff breather, replaced the lower ball joints, outer tie rod ends, cv axle (with axle from CVJ Axles, they’re awesome), removed the sway-bar and added the BAMF bpv bracket.


When we got the truck the tires rubbed the front fenders while turning and going over bumps, even with a smashed pinch weld and a good amount of trimming. It also constantly bottomed out in the front from the extra-large, uptravel-limiting bumpstops the PO had installed. To remedy this I swapped the giant front Timbren bumpstops with some oem bumpstops. Then when I had the alignment done I had the awesome mechanic Norm of Andrew Toyota add in some more positive caster. Lastly I shimmed the bumpstops with two grade 8 washers and now I have loads of travel and the tires just clear while turning at max stuff. Success!!!

April made this funny then and now picture of me with my dads old 2nd gen baby blue 4runner in the back.



Then we spent all of our money on super awesome mountain bikes.



During the fall I got the bed Line-X'd and installed some ditch lights. Also replaced the factory "skid plate" with a Skid-Row skid plate.

Before winter I fluid filmed the crap out of the truck and got it ready for a winter slumber since I was getting shoulder surgery and wouldn’t be able to drive stick for a while.

Lately adventures and truck mods have been slow because of the shoulder surgery. There are some big plans in the works though.

 

Just stumbled here, pretty sure my girlfriend would leave me for Eska if she could

 

Subd! Awesome truck, dog, and Santacruz Bikes! I have a Bronson and V10 myself.

Look forward to seeing more from this build page

 

Wish I could talk my wife into living out of my truck. Look forward to seeing more of the journey.

 

Looks like you're living the dream! Awesome write-up!

 

Thanks for the kind words! The Tacoma makes a pretty comfy home.

 

Picked up some goodies from a certain TW Vendor located in Platteville WI

 

Test fit and ready for paint.

 

Eska climbed in while i was working on the truck. She can't wait for the next road trip.



In the meantime I upgraded from my old Kawasaki to this much nicer old Kawasaki!

 

Well I finally installed the 4xinnovations bumpers. They are awesome, I would highly recommend.

 

Nice build! My gf and I moved to Idaho after a year on the road in my rig. It has been some good exploring. Mountain biking has been rad too!

 

@Clamber247 thats awesome! I cant wait to move there. I have a countdown at work counting the days till our lease is up and we can leave our jobs and move out there. 56 more days....

 

In the meantime though i wired up some switches.

 

Awesome build! I'll keep an eye out for your truck if you're ever in southern WI.

Hope to journey out west myself towards the end of the summer. Best of luck to you and your lady!

 

So when we bought the truck the AC worked but was not very cold at all.

I just replaced the fan clutch since it didnt seem to be working as well as the one in our 4runner.

It's colder now but still lacking.

 

If there's one thing Eska loves its cold A/C

 

Throwback to colder times in cooler places

 

Lucky enough to have Sylvan a legit little downhill park in our backyard even though we're in central Wisconsin. Enough to tire out Eska and tide us over till we move out west.

 

Just put in our 2 weeks. That much closer to moving out west!

 

Sandpoint Idaho, to say we're excited is a bit of an understatement.