Rein's Build

Built a bed platform to slide my surfboards under to keep them out of view and the sun.

Used 3/4 ply Red Oak sheets to try and keep it from sagging as much as possible. Used 2 1x6 boards with some shims to run across for support. The sheet toward the front is one solid piece that takes some effort to slide in. The rear sheet is actually 1 large piece with a small cutout on the right side to allow everything to fit. Then wrapped it all in speaker box carpeting.

If I had to do it over I may have used a lighter color for the carpeting to hide all the dirt and dog hair that will be covering it eventually. Now looking for some foam to fit nicely over the top for sleeping, and stored away in truck while not being used.

 

Did a little pre-trip flexing to check clearance on shocks and bump stops. Been hearing a clunk when going in or out of the driveway at an angle.



During flexing I noticed I was not able to open my tailgate due to the shell overlapping the tailgate.




Will be looking into some bed stiffeners to see if that helps keep things square.



Also added a shift sense pro to hold me over till I can afford 4.88 gears. Local shop quoted me at $3,000 for a master kit and install, w/mph calibration.

 

was reading the thread below about bed flexing this morning....
may want to check it out.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/everyone-please-do-this-mod-becuz-donutz.497737/

 

Installed the TSB for the diff howl.



Also threw in some Total Chaos bed stiffeners to allow me to open my tailgate while flexed. Having another tie down point above my bed platform is cool too.



Bit the bullet on some Pelfreybilt sliders, and cab/shell mounted Prinsu racks. 8-11 weeks for everything to show up.

 

Sub'd

 

Nice looking build. I'm about to bite the bullet on some heavy duty dakars for my shell, RTT, and future dirt bike. Debating between rear fox 2.0 RR and the Bilstein 5160. How do you like your foxes? Any issues while flexing the rear suspension bump stop wise?

 

I flexed them out on a frame rack at work and it looks to be really close with normal weight. My dakars are sagging a bit with my shell, platform and daily gear I carry. I am a little concerned if I fully load for a Baja trip and flex it out. I am currently looking to replace the bumps with something alittle larger for peace if mind.

 

are you happy with the 4.5bs on the f5? I'm going to be running 255 tires on 2" 6112 bilsteins and am curious how close to the fender the 4.5s are.

Did you have to trim much for the 285s?

 

Looks good especially with the shell
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...want-a-yakima-basket-fs.502195/#post-15655848
This basket would go pretty nicely on it..

 

Had to do some minor trimming front and rear of the plastic liners in the wheel well. With 10 turns on the preload ring on my Kings I have no rubbing unless I am at full lock and compress hard. I do not have my cab mounts chopped. I also have around 4 degrees of castor last time I checked my alignment.

 

Bunch of updates coming soon.

First off new electrical / fuse setup.




Installed Powertrays mount for the switch pro, bluesea fuse panel, and another blue sea panel for all my grounds. Powertrays made it super easy to install by offering correct wiring lengths as an addition. So far I have the shell lights, under-hood lights, and soon to be CB radio attached to the constant power Bluesea panel. (not shown) The Switchpro is currently only running my new light bar that has dual spot and corning amber lights.

If you decide to go this route make sure you still have easy access to your vehicles original fuse box before you tighten everything down. It takes me a few minutes to take off and put on my OE fuse panel lid because of how tight the space is.

 

Decided to rebuild my bed platform to be higher for additional storage. Also wanted it to be sturdier, to accommodate 2 people sleeping on top of it. Went with 2 2x4's sitting on the lip that runs forward and back along the sides of the bed, then put 4 2x3's running across to support the 3/4'' birch plywood platform. Added L brackets to the 2x3's to keep the 2x4's from being pushed off the lips. I also applied 3M 77 adhesive to the plywood and indoor/outdoor homedepot carpet, to cover the platform.









One of the main objectives was being able to take the platform out without having to remove the shell or bed stiffeners. While briefly laying on the platform I became a bit worried about how close I was to the ceiling. It does have a slight claustrophobic feel to it, especially if I add a few inches of foam to the base.

 

Added a bunch of items over the last few months that I did not post here. So here is a quick catch up post to get this build up to speed.

Added Pelfreybilt bolt on sliders. My frame required drilling of one extra hole on either side. Other than that they went on super easy.



Added Prinsu rack for the cab to carry extra fuel, max-track knockoffs, and future solar setup.



Threw on a Magnaflow catback exhaust. I have had this setup on my previous 2004 Tacoma and 2015 4runner. I like it but I will say this is a bit louder than both those previous exhausts.



Lastly and today I added Timbren offroad bumps stops and u-bolt flip kit. Heading to Baja in a few weeks and was looking to smooth out the ride especially since I carry so much weight in the back. Did a quick test out on some rough terrain and it felt noticeably smoother over stock.



Purpose of this quick run down is I will probably have a trip post coming up in a few weeks and wanted to get all the previous mods out of the way. Beyond that dual batteries and solar setup are the next mods on the list.

 

Which Dakar's do you have? HD or standard?

 

This is a nice build.

 

Standard Dakars, feel good with the weight of the shell, rack, and platform in the back.

 

With the new platform in the bed area my Yeti 105 will not fit in the back without cutting up a section of the platform. Instead I took out the smaller portion of the split bench in the rear seating and made a platform for it. Had to take the plastic panel off behind the seat to allow the cooler to move further back allowing the driver to sit comfortably. Added a hinged back panel to try and muffle the sound of my exhaust. Included hinges to allow easy removal of the platform, and added some Velcro to the back of the vertical panel so it stays up while driving.



Went ahead and added a blue seas power usb and 12 volt outlet to the rear of the bed for lighting and charging services while camping. Wired this all up to my blue sea fuse box under the hood.

 

Finally was able to get back to Baja for a week long surf/camp trip. With all the weight and new bump stops the truck felt awesome offroad at speed. 950 miles round trip.

 

Good looking build! Could you possibly get some more side profile pics? Been debating going hardshell with the prinsu rack combo and just wanted to get a better view with the long bed.

 

Don't have any at the moment with nothing on the racks. But here is a few more from the last trip.