1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Driving a Tacoma around the world

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by Round the world, Jan 4, 2019.

  1. Jan 4, 2019 at 10:02 PM
    #1
    Round the world

    Round the world [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2019
    Member:
    #278143
    Messages:
    1,718
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Andy
    Home's our Tacoma
    Vehicle:
    2019 Tacoma AC LB TRD Sport MT
    flatbed with 4WC Fleet with extensive mods
    Hi people, this is my first thread so please bear with me. My wife and I are retiring next year (haven’t told our bosses yet!) and will be driving our newly purchased 2019 bright white Tacoma 4*4 AC LB MT sport around the world and need your thoughts/advice about how to modify it for us to make it! I’m thinking it will take us 3 to 5 years or so. I’m thinking our route will be about 120,000 miles made up of 25% decent pavement, 10% pavement with huge potholes, 40% washboardy graveled roads, 25% deep sandy/very muddy tracks. I am resigned to realizing that the truck will be over it’s GVWR, possibly with the payload of 1,800 pounds, fully loaded. But since we will be retired, driving will be done at moderate speed. I’d like to be able to drive over washboardy/corrugated roads with comfort. We chose a Tacoma due to it having a very similar width to the Hilux and will fit down the same tracks. We purchased a new one because of the lack of parts outside North America.

    Here’s our thoughts thanks to reading tons of TW and Expedition Portal threads:

    Update: This is what we have decided on thanks to everyone’s input!!

    If you’d like to read more about us, our truck or our trip, our website is: www.roguewanderers.com
    We’re also on Instagram at 2roguewanderers


    Truck Mods:

    Pop-up flatbed Fleet camper from Four Wheel Camper
    Norweld Basic Lite aluminum flatbed with 4 underbody boxes
    Front and rear ARB air lockers & regeared with Nitro 5.29s
    OME BP-51 shocks with custom Deaver rear springs
    Total Chaos upper control arms with zerk fittings
    ARB Safari Snorkel
    ARB twin air compressor with a Slee mounting bracket
    ARB remote air chuck accessible through the front grill
    ARB diffs & tranny breathers
    Front skid plate - CBI aluminum
    Winch – Warn Zeon 10s
    Tires – 275-70-17 load range E, BFG KO2
    CBI aluminum T3 front bumper, powder-coated white
    Baja Designs S8 20” light bar behind the bumper
    33 gallon LRA replacement fuel tank, plus adding 8 more gallons in the rear of the camper in 2 Rotopax - for a hoped-for 600 mile range
    Garmin Overlander RAM mounted on the dash with a Garmin Inreach Explorer handheld satellite communication
    Scheel-Mann Vario F seats
    Using a Switch Pro 9100 with a SDHQ Dash Mount running the compressor, lockers, 20" light bar, and Baja Designs S2 flood lights


    Camper & Flatbed Mods:
    Removed headache rack from the front of flatbed to save weight
    Added four BD S2 sports for side lighting around the outside the camper - think wildlife roaming around outside at night (see photo in post #933)
    Replaced OEM lead-acid camper battery with Battleborn 100 amp-hour lithium battery
    Added two Overland Solar 160 watt semi-flexible (only 5 lbs each!) solar panels on the camper (see photo in post #779)
    Added plexiglass wind deflector under the front overhang of the camper to improve airflow (see photo in post #876)
    Added folding aluminum camp table in custom bracket under the camper front next to the wind deflector (see photo in post #876)

    I welcome all ideas. Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2022
  2. Jan 4, 2019 at 10:05 PM
    #2
    El Duderino

    El Duderino Obviously, you're not a golfer.

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2015
    Member:
    #173469
    Messages:
    12,943
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jeremy
    HI->PNW
    Vehicle:
    19 nautical blue SR5 premium 4x4
    Stuff, things, this, an ADS
    Shit sounds awesome please stick around and post pics
     
    Thomasf94, Anton338, KOTOC79 and 47 others like this.
  3. Jan 4, 2019 at 10:14 PM
    #3
    Shellshock

    Shellshock King Shit of Turd Island

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2015
    Member:
    #170338
    Messages:
    22,069
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2019 Tundra TRD PRO / 2024 GRC Circuit
    I've been going back and forth on the build out of my truck and I'm going as light as possible while still having what I need. Its real easy to load these trucks up with weight and then pretty soon your fuel economy is gone and you start having issues due to weight.

    You can plan on not driving at night, but odds are there's going to be some unexpected night driving. I'm running a 30" rigid SR in the bumper and 2 rigid dually SS ditch lights. It makes a huge difference and puts out an incredible amount of light. You'll be thankful you have them when the time comes, trust me.

    With the build you are looking at, I'd pull the stock tank and replace it with a 34 gallon long range automotive tank and keep two jerry cans. That'll give you 44 gallons of fuel.

    12v fridge / freezer is a necessity
     
  4. Jan 4, 2019 at 10:14 PM
    #4
    BlakeM

    BlakeM Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2017
    Member:
    #207016
    Messages:
    1,414
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Blake
    Gonzales, LA
    Vehicle:
    2023 T4R.SR5.4WD.OMG.LOL.WTF
    Have you considered a dual battery system?


    Also, I’m jealous. Please start a trip report thread!
     
    Leedehua, Anton338, robssol and 6 others like this.
  5. Jan 4, 2019 at 10:15 PM
    #5
    hiPSI

    hiPSI Laminar Flow

    Joined:
    May 21, 2017
    Member:
    #219544
    Messages:
    12,161
    Gender:
    Male
    South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2024 Long Tundra
    Welcome to TW.
    No matter what you do, do not mod any electrical. That is the biggest mod problem. Leave it OEM. Your vehicle in it's stock configuration is at it's most reliable and durable. Put some E tires on it and drive around the world.
    Good luck and have fun

    BTW, how many miles do you have on it off road?
    You would be surprised how good it is in stock form.
    Lastly, get off this forum and go to expedition portal. Those guys are much more knowledgable about your needs than we are. Those guys do this stuff.
     
  6. Jan 4, 2019 at 10:47 PM
    #6
    Round the world

    Round the world [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2019
    Member:
    #278143
    Messages:
    1,718
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Andy
    Home's our Tacoma
    Vehicle:
    2019 Tacoma AC LB TRD Sport MT
    flatbed with 4WC Fleet with extensive mods
    Good thoughts about more lights. Driving at night sucks in the 3rd world, damn near hit a cow on my one night of night driving in Botswana this fall.

    Batteries - the camper will have 2 deep cycle batteries, not counting the trucks OEM.

    Does your warning about not modifying the electrical include not installing two batteries?

    I have not taken my new truck out off road. I did have a slightly modified Hilux in Botswana that got stuck three times in deep sand. Ive been a professional forester for 35 years I’ve driven in lots of condtions. Being in a national park there, I realized I was not top of the food chain anymore, getting out of your rig can be scary. I realize that having two locker differentials is important.

    Yes, I have checked out expedition portal. Was hoping though TW is the place to get advice for modifying the truck itself.

    If I can figure out how I will set up a build site. We will also have a blog site at some point
     
  7. Jan 4, 2019 at 10:49 PM
    #7
    Bertw192

    Bertw192 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2017
    Member:
    #225852
    Messages:
    14,050
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Bert
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2017 TRD OR DCSB
    All the things!
    Check out @Hodakaguy and his father's build page. His rig sounds about right for the conditions you have planned.
     
    Mike O, Boricua, Hodakaguy and 3 others like this.
  8. Jan 4, 2019 at 10:53 PM
    #8
    Bertw192

    Bertw192 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2017
    Member:
    #225852
    Messages:
    14,050
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Bert
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2017 TRD OR DCSB
    All the things!
    Also, based on the added weight, an 8000 lb winch may be too small.
     
  9. Jan 4, 2019 at 10:55 PM
    #9
    Shellshock

    Shellshock King Shit of Turd Island

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2015
    Member:
    #170338
    Messages:
    22,069
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2019 Tundra TRD PRO / 2024 GRC Circuit
    Adding electrical is fine but you want to make sure you can easily isolate it. For example I have everything into a switch pro and I can disconnect that and all my accessories are disconnected in the event gremlins pop up. When you goto multi batteries you want to have some way to easily isolate the systems.
     
    Amchuge, Intrepid, Gunshot-6A and 2 others like this.
  10. Jan 4, 2019 at 10:55 PM
    #10
    Shellshock

    Shellshock King Shit of Turd Island

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2015
    Member:
    #170338
    Messages:
    22,069
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2019 Tundra TRD PRO / 2024 GRC Circuit
    Agreed. You probably want at least a 10s
     
    Intrepid and YF_Ryan like this.
  11. Jan 4, 2019 at 11:01 PM
    #11
    Itchyfeet

    Itchyfeet Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2016
    Member:
    #183054
    Messages:
    9,138
    I'd sell it and find a Nissan Frontier. I'd be worried about parts support if you're going to travel the world
     
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2019
  12. Jan 4, 2019 at 11:20 PM
    #12
    Stocklocker

    Stocklocker Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2017
    Member:
    #219125
    Messages:
    12,710
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    17TRDORDCSBAT
    Two tanks is a good idea in a remote area in case you puncture one tank, or get a slug of water or contaminated fuel in one tank.
     
    SandyTaco4x4, shakerhood and boynoyce like this.
  13. Jan 4, 2019 at 11:22 PM
    #13
    Hijynx

    Hijynx Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2017
    Member:
    #237640
    Messages:
    233
    Gender:
    Male
    Pacific Northwet
    Vehicle:
    2019 Offroad DCLB
    that sounds like a lifetime adventure! I wouldn't do it in a tacoma. I would do it in a diesel fueled rig. diesel is easier to find than gasoline in remote areas.
     
    JoeyWales, Ferball, Steadfast and 6 others like this.
  14. Jan 4, 2019 at 11:28 PM
    #14
    KillerSeabass

    KillerSeabass Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2018
    Member:
    #248037
    Messages:
    51
    First Name:
    Seb
    San Fransisco, CA
    Vehicle:
    Stock taco getting a incentive over
    None yet
    In theory I’m a huge fan of the dual battery set up (with an isolator) ... @hiPSI why do you suggest not messing with the electrically on a 3rd gen?

     
    hiPSI[QUOTED] likes this.
  15. Jan 4, 2019 at 11:29 PM
    #15
    Stocklocker

    Stocklocker Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2017
    Member:
    #219125
    Messages:
    12,710
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    17TRDORDCSBAT
    I think the idea is a good one. I would keep the truck as simple and lightweight as possible, and keep it somewhat low key with some generic parts that could be substituted for locally available equivalents if they break. For example, don’t change your rear shock mounts so they only work with a proprietary shock.

    Myself, for this kind of trip, I would not go with 33”s (285s). I think the smoother ride, greater torque, and higher efficiency of a 31” Tire would pay dividends beyond the additional 1” ground clearance offered by a 33”.

    I would see if a local Toyota Dealer would sponsor your travels and offer parts support.
     
  16. Jan 4, 2019 at 11:35 PM
    #16
    Stocklocker

    Stocklocker Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2017
    Member:
    #219125
    Messages:
    12,710
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    17TRDORDCSBAT
    Basically 90% of all untrained people and 75% of “trained” people do crappy electrical mods and have no idea what they are doing. They construct systems that work in the short-term, but are not properly installed to prevent chafing, overloads, ensure waterproofness, and achieve other reliability factors like the OEM Toyota electrical systems are.

    As an electrician, I can tell you that your neighbor talks a good talk, but has no idea what he’s doing.

    Funny story:
    I took my Work truck in to have an aluminum canopy fitted that had interior lighting. I took it to a national chain, that guaranteed a top-quality install. Two days later the lights went out because their “professional automotive technician” had strapped the canopy lighting circuit wiring to the exhaust manifold heat shield and it finally burned through. I digress......
     
    Travlr, Amchuge, davidstacoma and 9 others like this.
  17. Jan 4, 2019 at 11:42 PM
    #17
    hiPSI

    hiPSI Laminar Flow

    Joined:
    May 21, 2017
    Member:
    #219544
    Messages:
    12,161
    Gender:
    Male
    South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2024 Long Tundra
    Simply, people suck at them. Dual battery mod is a great mod... if done correctly. Correctly does not mean a Saturday and a six pack in the driveway. It means an EE and tech drawing up a competent design and bill of material, with a tech (EE tech, not automotive) supervising the install.
    Now, can the accountant in the driveway drinking beer on a Saturday install a dual battery setup? Sure. Would I trust my life with it? Nope.
    Electrical mods are the mods that statistically fail the most and most likely to leave you stranded.
     
    TexasG, Travlr, BlackGT99 and 5 others like this.
  18. Jan 5, 2019 at 5:30 AM
    #18
    Burro09

    Burro09 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2017
    Member:
    #235217
    Messages:
    325
    Gender:
    Male
    Miami, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Tacoma TRD Pro Cement MT
    I hope I can do this type of trip one day.
    But I wouldnt do it in my tacoma. Parts being the main reason, Then hi high techness of the truck being a second. Bad gas with a DI system, Electronic 4x4 actuators etc etc.... Also it might stick out like sore thumb someplace else.

    I would probably do this in something like a weathered looking but mechanicallyq sound landcruiser 80. Pretty sure those can be fixed with a hammer and a screedriver and parts for those sold all over the world. Just me opinion.

    Good luck regardless! Really eager to see how a taco would fare this type of expedition! They are probabaly tougher than many people think.
     
    Amchuge, AxisCab, Gunshot-6A and 2 others like this.
  19. Jan 5, 2019 at 5:39 AM
    #19
    boynoyce

    boynoyce .

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2016
    Member:
    #179183
    Messages:
    6,267
    Vehicle:
    16SR5AC4X4V6QS
    Interesting thread.

    I won't comment about modding a Tacoma, but some off the cuff comments.

    Sounds like you have international experience, so wondering why not get a vehicle with a more "international pedigree"?

    An all enclosed vehicle will be more secure- a pickup truck leaves your possessions more exposed.

    Diesel fuel is probably easier to get everywhere except North America.

    Having to drive from point A to point B might take you through places you would rather not be- there are places in the world where it is better to blend in, driving a vehicle only sold in North America will make that difficult.

    Good luck though, sounds like a real adventure!

    Edit: looks like @Burro09 beat me to it
     
  20. Jan 5, 2019 at 6:12 AM
    #20
    2016Tacoman

    2016Tacoman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2016
    Member:
    #190389
    Messages:
    3,471
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    J
    Vehicle:
    2016 Tacoma 4x4 V6 Metallic
    During and when the journey is finished play Space Oddity.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top