Rolling down the trail on whiskey ...

Is illegal. But it's time for a nice 3rd gen build / advice / BS thread.

Long story short. I like going into NF roads, remote campsites, and snowy areas here in the Pacific Northwest. I also love my kiddos (who are less than pre-school age). Wifey loves going out, too. But I drove a little diesel wagon before this Taco rig... (DCSB4WTRDORMTblahblah) ... so I'm kinda new at this, feel free to learn me on things.

So we got a nice blaze orange... (er, inferno) Taco.

It's time to get 'er equipped up.

I'll consider any and all suggestions.

...


First agenda - Getting a stock truck ready to be out wheeling in the woods. That means emergency supplies, and how to stow said supplies. Right?

This is what I need. (Feel free to pitch in on where to get those, pleease)

Camper shell. **** DONE **** opted for a 4ARE V series
(build) stowage for gear. And groceries. Interim plan is for a platform with some foldouts that I can pop up.
Chains **** DONE **** autotraks were tested and found.. okay.
Tires ... tbd until the stock wranglers wear out.
Snow traction devices.
HID lamps for the stock housings.
Sliders/steps.
Racks **** DONE **** shell has yak racks, cab has stock racks.

And then recommended offroad gear. Here's what I have / think I need to stock.

Farmer jack.- DONE
Chains - DONE
Traction pads.
Air compressor

That might take care of the essentials. Here's the extras ...

Winch. Ideally one that doesn't look like ass.
Tube front bumpers.
Tube rear bumpers.
Little switches that turn on the lights and stuff.
Lightbars
Rock rails/sidesteps

 

Congrats on having the most unsearchable username on TW
I'm curious, how does one pronounce it?

 

I think its about time you posted pictures of the truck!!
And if you're planning on doing tube bumpers, and want a winch "that doesn't look like ass" you should consider a hybrid set up (tube and plate bumper), it'll hide your winch so it doesn't matter what kind of ugly ass donkey you have mounted on the front of your truck.

 

@Maximus : Real name, so it's 'low wy' phonetically.

I usually roll with Wyatt.

And here's the ride. Day 3, already pushing 500 miles.

 

Digging the pic! The inferno almost matches the freight ship and that's what i like about my inferno: the color can shift.

Speaking about shifting, how do you feel about your manual transmission truck? I personally am glad I chose it as I would not have been too happy with the automatic.

 

Sweet, USCG Base Seattle. Got a friend (E-7 I think) that went there from Port Angeles a year and a half ago. You on the Healy?

 

@forty2 Nah, over at Sector. Just drove over to have something else in the pic.

..

@highwhey I like the MT. Short throws, a little less torquey off the line than my TDI, but once I'm in the powerband I'm golden. It'll stall out without gas on the hills, though, you get spoiled in that regards on the turbodiesels. 1st is a bit low but that's great for slow speed crawls (my crawl control is my right foot, ha!) and retards the truck pretty good going downhills. And there's no hunting for gears (besides me being indecisive, that is).

...

Chains are on order. Auto-tracs. .. I didn't see anything negative about them on TW, right? (too many places are 'chains required' regardless of tires or vehicle up here)

 

When WSDOT says 'chains required' it doesn't actually apply to AWD and 4WD vehicles. You are still required by law to have chains in the vehicle when required signage is up though. In ~14 years years of Washington winters, (half in Spokane, half west of the Cascades) I've only ever chained up a 4WD/AWD vehicle once, and that was freezing rain over hard pack snow. Nothing against Auto-Tracs (never used them) but I just go cheap and don't sweat it.

 

Yeah, the other way to go will have been cheap cable chains that don't do much, just to have them... But I hate getting things that don't work. Like hood scoops.

 

Those Auto Trac chains look ok for driving on a icy road, and they would be better than no chains in most situations, but off road, in deeper powder, nothing beats these chains. http://www.pewagchain.com/Products/Snow-chains/4x4-und-SUV/pewag-mud-service.aspx

I have thousands of miles on these type of chain, and there is really nothing better. Got me home every time whether deep snow, ice, mud, or any combination. Yes you can use chains in mud, but they have to be strong chains and have to be installed very tight. That's why these are great, they have four or five cams that help you get them extra tight.

 

Cheap chains can still be extremely effective, it's more about the ease of getting them on. Off is always easy...

 

Exactly. OP, I think you would be shocked at how much cheap cable chains can do. Those AutoTracs look really nice, but I would be afraid to use them for offroad use; I have no experience with them personally, those plastic tensioners just don't look to me like they would be too durable.

 

Thanks.

Camper shell ordered. ARE V series with the Yakima racks.

 

Did you opt for a flip down rear (front, cab side) window?

 

Just the slider. Primary use is to keep shopping runs dry, after all. And emergency equipment from walking off too easily. Then truck camping with the kids, etc. But that's 1% of the time.

 

Congrats.

 

Any consensus on sliders or drop in HIDs yet?

 

I was thinking more of this.

http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/road-status.htm

 

And I took 'er up to the mountain this week. Oh man it's nice having a decent 4wd in the 3" or so that was on the road when I went up.

 

Hey mate,

Where you taking her? I'm in the PNW as well and always looking for snow

B.