Pongo, my 2016 TRDOR, it's life stages, and travels

I've been a Toyota guy as far back as I can remember. From driving an 84' Xtra cab 4x4, lifted on 35s in high school to my current life working in service at a Toyota dealer (13 years now), and driving my 16' Taco.



Ver 3.0

***Updated front Ver 2.0****

CBI T3 Front bumper
CBI Rock Sliders w/kick out and top plate
CBI bed rack
CBI rear bumper w/swingout
CBI skid plates
CBI ditch light brackets
KC HiLites Flex cubes
ARB Safari Snorkel
TRD PRO grill

Ver 2.0:



-Old Man Emu Suspension OMETAC05LKHB
-OME Extra Leaf #D29XL
-ARB Summit Bar
-RCI Sliders w/top plates
-RCI Skids
-AllPro Off-Road Pack Rack
-Softtopper
-Prinsu Design Studio roof rack
-TRD Pro Wheels
-Cooper STT Pro 285/70r17 tires
-ARB Intensity LED lights (1 AR32f, 1 AR32s)
-ARB Simpson III Tent
-Icom TM-710GA 2m/70CM radio, and Comet SSB-5 antenna
-Southeast Overland hawse fairlead
-Warn Zeon 10K w/Southeast overland synthetic line, Factor 55 thimble
-Homebrew cargo setup
-ARB 63qt Fridge w/ARB fridge slide


A little background, I've been wheeling since the late 90s, and in the past few years joined the "overlanding" crowd. Basically, we drive long distances, and camp out of our vehicle in remote destinations. For the last few years, this was done in my 86' 4Runner known as Smurf.


It has done well, and taken us to NM,CO,UT,WY,ID,MT, and SD on wheeling trips. At 30+ years
old, and 350k miles it deserves a little rest.

I had always been a fan of the FJ Cruiser, and decided one would help fill this role. It was fun to drive, performed off road well, but didn't do well when it came to cargo for a family of 3 + our dog Otis.


With my ARB 63qt fridge in the rear, it basically wiped out our entire available space.
A trip to Idaho from NC looming in the not so distant future I had to decide how we would get all of of our gear for 2 weeks of wheeling, and camping packed up and on the road with us.

I studied my options carefully. I bounced between an off-road trailer and keep the FJ, or change platforms and try to acquire a Tacoma and prep it for our trip. For us, the Tacoma just made more sense.

I ordered my Inferno TRD Off Road in early April 16' and it arrived on Thursday May 5th.

(Ver 1.0 -2016 TRD Off Road w/Auto Trans)

I drove it home that night, and the next day, Old Man Emu Heavy suspension, along with
TRD Pro 4runner wheels, and Cooper STT Pro tires in 285/70r17s were installed.

Ver 1.1


We have a tradition of naming our vehicles, and Pongo would be no different. I had been going over names of objects associated with the color orange, but didn't want to name it "pumpkin, or carrot, or anything less than cool. For some odd reason, I always thought of Orangutan when I think of the color orange. I couldn't come up for a more fitting name for a big orange monkey playing in the woods than the genus name that covers the orangutan family.



The within days, I had a Softtopper, RCI Rock Sliders, ARB Summit Bar, All-Pro Off Road
Pack Rack, and other goodies coming.

The first to arrive was the softtopper. The installation was super easy, and went on in minutes.
While we waited for the next shipments of parts to arrive, we continued enjoying the mountains of NC with preservation of the rockers, and undercarriage in the back of our mind.



We were now, less than 2 months away from our July 16' trip west from North Carolina, and the clock was ticking.

 

You're having too much fun OP.

 

Nice setup.

Would like to know exact specs of OME lift - part numbers, etc ...

 

It is the OMETAC05HKSB kit:

• 2886 x 1
• 90000 x 2
• CS047R x 2
• 60091 x 2
• OMEU53A x 4
• FK29 x 1
• OMESB108 x2

It was purchased before the 16'+ kit was released. I added 2 OME95PF5 trim packers to driver,
and 1 to passenger side. The configuration was in preparation for the added weight that would be coming with the bumper, winch, armor, sliders,
bed rack and roof tent.

 

Nice. Is there a specific 16+kit by OME?

I will be overlandong too but decided against a RTT (cost). Still go for heavy rears?

 

There sure is:

http://www.headstrongoffroad.com/st...mu_Kit_w/_Dakar_Leaf_Pack_-_2016__Tacoma.html

 

You the man DBAG!

 

Toytec sells them too, and they have coupon codes on their vendor page.

 

@dorton, you didn't add any UCA's?

 

Still running stock uppers with no issues(20k miles since May).

 

Looks like fun. Can't wait to get my 17 delivered.

 

Thanks sir. You'll enjoy it.

73s. K4DOR

 

your not having any issues with your truck ?

 

Very nice looking rig! That ARB bumper looks like it belongs there.

I'm quite sure your tenure with Toyota will solicit maaaaany questions around here, lol.

 

Nice looking tacoma!
I also thought of an orangutan when I looked at my truck/inferno tacoma lol

 

There are things I would like to improve, but no problems.

 

Great back ground... Looking forward to some updates from your trip.

What kind of soft topper? more pics?

 

I'm not positive but I think it might be a Softopper.

 

It's all relative. And it's all perspective. OP is a tech. I'm sure he checks his own fluid levels and reglues or plugs anything he needs to and doesn't consider it a "problem". Those of us that live far from a dealer, like to cry, and don't know the trucks well enough to do these things take to the forums to whine.

OP, cool post.