GrandiOdyssey: Circumnavigating the Globe in a '19 Tacoma Build Thread

Our route doesn't really go through any hot spots but of course we will take all necessary precautions. That being said in all of my international travels the only place where I have felt legitimately unsafe was in the United States.

Got it, I I will look into Lithium Ion setup deeper however at a high level it seems fairly pricey for primarily weight savings. I don't plan on adding an front locker but will add diff breathers next month. I will looking into adding breathers on the transfer case and transmission as well.

As far as labor goes I will do everything myself except for the camper install as I am fairly mechanically inclined and need to know how to fix anything on the road side if necessary.

The orange virus tune looks very impressive however it likely has less of a margin of safety for handling poor quality gas and will likely not pass smog when I bring the truck back to the US.

The goose gear platforms are nice but very expensive for what they are. I will likely just make my own out of plywood, 2x4s, and speaker carpet.

 

IMO if you're not using the back seat, it's just unnecessary weight and you're already going to be plenty fat on an expedition vehicle. If I had a place to store mine for resale, I'd have already pulled it and built a platform.

 

I like the idea of removing the plastic storage hatches under the seats and replace them with a hatch in the plywood deck. You could also put the plywood deck on a hinge if you don't want have access to a router to get the holes in the plywood deck.

 

Consider chopping the exhaust closer to the rear axle so you don't smash it on anything when in techy stuff or in the sand.

 

How far over the payload limit are you going to be? If it is over at all I would look into how strict those 65+ countries will be when it comes to GVWR. I know Australia is quite strict when it comes to this.

 

This is awesome, I'm going to fallow you on IG.
Good luck! Can't wait for pictures once the journey gets under way.

 

I may have to modify the exhaust to fit the transfer case skid plate so in that case I will just have the exhaust chopped as well.

I am trying to get a close a possible to the GVWR and am stripping out weight wherever I can.

Thanks, Instagram is the best way to follow us until we get Youtube and our personal website going.

 

I didn't see it in your parts list, but did you consider adding a stronger power inverter either inside the truck or replacing the one in the bed? 400W is not very much, and it might be beneficial to have more. just a thought.

 

We don't plan on running any appliances that use more than 400w and most of our gadgets will run on DC (USB).

 

How many people in your crew?

Thanks for the Taipei poston your instagram. Makes me miss it. I plan on heading there in October.

 

Thanks Sean! Its only my second time in Taiwan but it really is a lovely and culturally dense place. I would love to come back here when I have more time and road trip around.

As far as my crew for both of the journey it will likely just be my wife and I for most of the way.

 

Update 5/13/19

I have finally had some time to resume work on Sasha, our 'Round the World Tacoma.

First up was + 2" stainless steel brake lines from Wheelers Offroad. Installation was straightforward however I ran into some challenges when attempting to bleed the brakes. Despite trying the standard brake bleeding procedure and a bleeder pump, I was unable to get a steady of brake fluid to come out of the bleeder valves. Afters hours of frustration I used my AAA tow for the year to bring the truck to my local Toyota dealer (who was surprise to see a car in service with 400 miles on it ). Apparently on my '19 TRD 4x4 Off Road MT an OBD2 scanner with interface is needed to disengage the rear brake solenoid and ABS to follow the brakes to be bled. Obviously this is a huge issue me if I ever need to bleed the brakes on the side of the trail so I am actively looking for a manually override...let me know if anyone knows of one.

Next up was the Tuffy Security Cubby Cover. The cover mounts easily over the rear storage cover located behind the drive side rear seat and acts as a lockable safe to store important items. I am very impressed with the stealth design as well as the fit and finish.

The final big job was installing the Icon Stage 6 suspension. Unfortunately I didn't have the bushings needed to mount the OME Dakar heavy rear leaf springs (with +1 add-a-leaf) so I had to settle for bolting up the Icon 2.5in rear shocks with external reservoirs as well as the Icon 2.5 front shocks, tubular UCAs, and external reservoirs. The process was time consuming but relatively straightforward and I only ran into some snags removing and inserting the UCA mounting bolt. I am extremely impressed with the quality of the Icon components and they look like they should hold up well to the punishment of our around the world adventure. The truck rides relatively stiff now but I think that should go back normal once the camper is attached. I also purchased some shock rebuild kits and nitrogen refill needle as I am considering having the shocks refreshed in Europe (our half way point).

Once our Swift Four Wheel Camper arrives in June I will purchase the BFGs (still trying to decide between KO2 and KM3s) and set the final ride height once I get a better idea of how the truck will sit under load.

Next upon the install:
-OME Heavy rear leaf springs with + 1 add-a-leaf
-BAMF skid plates and rock sliders
-ARB diff breathers
-Hondogarage air vent iPad mount
-Custom storage solution in place of rear seats
-Swift Four Wheel Camper

 

-Update 6/9/2019

Finally had some free time to get down to business and get some more installations done! First up was the Toyota OEM garnish for TRD Pro Grille. I would highly recommend for anyone with a 18+ Tacoma with a replica TRD Pro Grille as without this you will likely get a warning message from the collision detection system every time you drive they truck. If your grille already has the proper cutout the installation is as easy as snapping out the out piece and pressing in the new garnish.

For navigation and central control unit purposes I then mounted the Hondo Garage Tacoma Tablet Mounting Bundle. I initially had some doubts about how sturdy the mount would be but after getting it clipped on the air vent ring and bolted up it was much stronger than I expected. The dexterity of the mount is a huge plus as it can transition between navigation mode for the driver to entertainment mode for the wife in a few second by loosening the knob on the RAM mount elbow.

Next up was the IFS skid plate from BAMF. I decided to only run the front IFS skid instead of the trilogy due to weight concerns but I love the peace of mind having burly 0.250in thick steel protecting the lowest hanging and most sensitive parts of the underbelly. Installation is also fairly straightforward but I would suggest using a jack to support the plate while you get it into position and bolt it up.

Lastly was the wheels and tires. After much contemplation and deal shopping I decided to go with 265/75/16 (31.6in diameter) BF Goodrich K02s on TRD Pro Wheels. I heavily considered going with KM3s but given the fact that that the majority (75%+) of the miles we will do on our 'Round the World Trip will be on tarmac I decided the improved drivability and fuel economy of an all terrain is worth the trade off for slightly worse mud performance. As far as the TRD Pro wheels they may be slightly lighter and stronger than the stock alloys but honestly we mainly bought them for looks .

On deck for installation is:
-BAMF rock sliders
-OME Dakar Heavy rear leaf springs w/ +1 add-a-leaf
-Wheeler Off Road bump stops
-Completing ARB differential breather installation (need some additional fittings to make this work on a Tacoma)

Til next time
-GrandiOdyssey

 

sweet trip you have planned! looking forward to following the build and trip!

 

Update 7/21/19

We are continuing to make progress on our build as time allows and finished some critical items before our camper gets installed this coming week.

In order to handle the extra weight of the camper we installed the OME Dakar heavy leaf springs with +1 add-a-leaf along with polyurethane bushings and bump stops. The OME leafs springs are significantly heavier and thicker than the OEM springs so the installation was a bit challenging and required some strategic use of ratchet straps in order to get them oriented correctly. As the truck sits without any weight in the bed there is about a 4 inch lift in the rear compared to about a 1.25inch lift on front, resulting in a laughable rake . However, with the truck loaded up the ride height should be much more balanced front to rear.

Next up was the kick out rock sliders from BAMF. Just like their IFS skid, the sliders are high quality product and look like they can take an absolute beating. Installation is a direct bolt on with only minor rearrangement of brackets required and overall we are extremely satisfied with these.
We took full advantage of Amazon Prime Day to load up on expedition gear at a huge savings . Maxtrax, Mophorn air jack, Gerber hatchet, Gerber combat knife, ARB tire repair kit, Advanced Elements sun shower, Peztio dual dash cam, and Warn medium accessory kit, and Warn 9.5XP winch are among the goodies that are piled up in our living room.

For our main cab storage system we decided to go with a Pelican Storm case that will eventually be bolted to the chassis with a custom mount with the 60 portion of the rear seats removed. We began to organize our items in the case in layer based on how frequently we would need each item. Towards the bottom are recovery gear/ spare parts, then shovel/ hatchet/ saw/ tire repair kit, hand tools, and finally our Coleman Triton stove with propane canisters. We will keep the 40 split rear seat in the truck for passengers (including our mandatory "guide" in China) but will likely keep it folded down the majority of the time and use it for storage.

For additional storage we made a "overland shelf" from Bungee cords (and in the future maybe some some elastic mesh) that fits above the Pelican case that will hold our sleep bags and dry bags with our winter clothes.

Our Swift Four Wheel Camper is getting installed this week and afterwards we are taking our on its first shakedown voyage through Eastern Oregon and the Northern Sierras. We are elated to finally see everything coming together after so much planning and preparation.

 

I would do everything in your power to keep absolutely everything as light as possible. In my opinion, it takes a few thousand miles to understand just how little power a 3G Tacoma has, and how much the slightest bit of extra weight robs the little power your have and dramatically decreases your efficiency.

I would do some extensive shake down trips, at which point you can ditch the heavy, and mostly unnecessary items, like steel skids plates and sliders. I’ve got a 3000 mile trip planned for next month and I’m delaying installing my sliders until after the trip is complete, as it is mostly gravel roads and tarmac, and I don’t want to lug around those sliders.

The Tacoma is a great driving truck when it’s kept light and nimble. Do your very best to keep all unnecessary weight off the vehicle and you’ll have a less frustrating time, with less break downs, and less chance of getting stuck.

 

Hey,

Will be following your trip on Instagram, and here as you go.

Having been to a large majority of the countries you are about to visit, here are my thoughts; (take it or leave it).

1) ditch you Trd pro wheels. Looking cool is one thing being able to deal with larger situations is another. Change out for steel wheels. They can be hammered true enough to make it to the next town if need be. Every country sells them.

2) running icons / fox / kings is cool for the gram. You’ve chosen icon. Don’t forget you pack overhaul kits for front and rear. You will not be happy when either leak and you have no way of getting parts in.

3) pack wisely. Using foam to separate an axe and toe straps looks nice... however the Tacoma doesn’t have a lot of room to live in once you get going.

4) de badge as much as you can. Sorry sponsors, but wearing too nice of shoes in the wrong country means you’ll be bare foot and maybe even in your undies by the time you make it back to the truck or hotel.

5) use security bolts / nuts / tack Weld in place. If a bolt cutter can cut the lock, it will be gone.

6) pick up a spare CV or at least the boots. Pick up a few wheel studs as well. Valve stems.

7) propane bottles, ditch the 1Lb and get a 5Lb and a adapter. You might have issues even shipping your truck with 1Lbs cause they may need to be empty.

8) have fun.

Sorry if my post sounds kinda like a downer. But my mostly up to date map below gives you an idea of where I’m coming from. (I’m non military but get around)

 

That's part of the plan however we also want to prevent any severe damage that could sideline us, hence the sliders and IFS skid. We are considering doing the Orange Virus tune in order to help get back some fuel economy and drivability but we will evaluate further once are running our full load weight.

1) Steelies are easy to repair but also much heavier than alloys (and unsprung mass), however if we damage more than one wheel we will likely just swap all 5 for steel.

2) Yes we are sacrificing some ease of replacement for performance. We already have a set of 4 rebuild kits with nitrogen needle and we plan on refreshing them around our half way point in Europe.

3) We are going to pack as light as possible and have gear bolted/ tied down in order to prevent excessive rattling or damage.

4) Agreed, no plans for anything fancy here

5) Agreed

6) Yes we will evaluate and start building a spare list. In addition to CV boots, we plan on packing some spare hoses, serpentine belt, nuts/ bolts, etc

7) The 1lb bottles are only to be used as a backup. Our camper will have 2 10lb bottles and we will get adaptors to fill these and used with our stove

8) We can't wait for our trip of a lifetime! Thanks for the kind words.

 

That case looks cool but you’re wasting a ton of space and adding additional unnecessary weight to an already overloaded and underpowered truck.