*RIP* Bijan's #EXPOASF Long Travel Build

Bored studying, so here are all the various shells/setups I’ve taken pictures of. There are plenty more I’m missing too lol

Also have my eyes on some kinda unique camper rn. Would totally destroy the purpose of LT but...Who knows, looks like it could be of use for this summer then sold off like usual

 

I have Bilstein B110s now, so the rear doesn't match the front. But not for long..

 

I dont want to make this exhausting...but a really basic breakdown of what the needs in the bed are from a min and max required items could help in identifying some options as all of these have their benefits. I have tools and stuff for my truck but thats all fastened down and only in there when on trail. During normal everyday commutes my bed is sanitized of equipment besides my spare tire and jack (I need to mount it back in).

Knowing your critical items needed can help dictate the best path forward...also if you are a guy like me where I have rotopax mounts, but keep the cans stored unless on trips, then that helps to know too since you could argue you dont need it everyday.

 

I'm going to be completely honest in saying don't put so much energy into this setup.

Bijan will listen to what 5 people say, create his plan of attack, and then go way left field and buy a camper shell...

So when is this Big Bear trip going down?

 

What Shane said - The bed setup always changes which makes it hard. I'm always flipping shells so I'll have something new at least once a month, but never for long haha.

I'm about to order the kit though...drum roll for what I pick

 

That center of gravity though..

 

Glad to hear man, all I’m saying is if you sat down and just thought for a second of what you really can’t live without on the rig for daily use then start to identify solutions to house that stuff. If you find almost nothing then do a soft topper or an rtt. I was going to go the rtt route after I had a custom bed cage made so it didn’t rest on my bedsides. I started trying out ground texting while my rtt sat and just recently sold it. So to me my lifestyle adjusted and it’s not worth it for me in the long run. Might not be a bad idea to see what you might want in your rig for LT stuff and see whatvtransfers over from your expo style. I hate having shit just baking in the sun and not really serving a purpose besides that one doomsday event going home from work.

 

saw that truck on the freeway a few weeks back and thought i wonder if anyone knew who it was.

 

Wayyyy too high hahaha!

 

Yup exactly. I change setups a lot due to the fact I usually go even on them, so I try out different things. I’m waiting to get the front setup so I can work on the rear and get it all weighed in to call Deaver. There aren’t too many things I want back there but I usually have ~200lbs constant load + the swingout and tire.

And the expo style haha - The truck really isn’t an expo truck. I just run whatever I find and what works, and when I get bored I change it. If the GFC came, however, it would’ve definitely been an expo truck.

On another note, I got some pricing for LT kits. Goes as follows (all OTD pricing):
+2 from TC: $3,000
+3.5 from TC: $3300
+3.5 from DK: $2800

Sleeping on it one more night. I know for certain the 2.5x8’s I have work with the DK kit, however TC is telling me it won’t work with theirs which is sorta BS as I know people who run 2.5x8’s on a TC kit just fine. Their reasoning was the shock bottoms out before hitting bump.

Edit: Should add that I had a chance to check out someone running 2.5x8’s with the TC +3.5 kit and we cycled it a few times to make sure. I know TC is very very picky with info and they did not give me and compressed lengths so I can compare to the standard 2.5x8’s. However DK was so helpful and confirmed they just have a different hose assembly.

 

Isn’t that why they have a bump stop spacer for the TC kit?

 

Exactly what I asked after lmao and he ignored the question a little and then said "yes but it's for our travel numbers on the King Shocks that we have spec'd to use with the kit."

So all in all, yes they fit haha

 

You might be able to call up King and give them the part number and ask what the collapsed and extended lengths are, that would give you confirmation if TC won't. You also might be able to contact who you bought the shocks through and they might be able to get the measurements to confirm if they would work.

Are those prices with heimed UCAs? Heimed UCAs will help if/after you bend your shock towers.

I've heard of folks having issues with LT kits for....basically every company but TC. I don't particularly like either of their LCA designs but I would buy from them again, just based on the crappy experiences I've seen others have with DK, Bajakits, etc.

 

I did call King, waiting for their email.

Without heimed - I figure I’m not going to take advantage of it unless I pull off the UCA to set camber and caster and in all seriousness, I don’t think I’ll ever beat on the truck hard enough for that to happen. Figure it’s a good option but useless if I don’t use it.

 

Well, finally made the choice.

Total Chaos Race Kit, non-heimed, in a +2.

Boo, no +3.5 but I'm very happy with the choice. If I find the need to go bigger one day, it'll be on an older Tacoma which is 2wd.

 

Given this info...I vote dk man. They confirmed it, cheaper, kits are proven as well.

For the boys!

 

Haha false information! Check your PM's though (;

 

This is a build..... with an identity crisis either that or a mid-life crisis

 

Haha you got no idea what I have planned...Next picture will be in a week or two once everything is setup

 

That means you @taco_tallua and @BVita .... shhhh