The Drifter - Specs and FAQ

wait you can get falkens in 255/80/17 What model? I am not seeing it on their site, that is probably my dream tyre size.

 

hmm, their website doesn't show me that. Perhaps not available in Canada.

Nevermind I was looking for the wrong ratio

 

I had tall and skinny on my previous 4runner one time. I went through 3 different tire sizes and I think I found the best size (for me that is).

285/75/17 love this size its a bit skinny as well. Love the look as well. They measure 34".

 

Does anyone have a link to the zip ties that go in the wire track? Just finished wiring power to the back and want to rearrange some things.

 

They’re called button head zip ties

 

Thats almost too wide for a taco. Are you rubbing the Ucas or have tyres sticking out? Tickets here in Canada, although i’ve yet to see it happen but the moment you get pulled over for an infraction they tend to find all this.

 

You need to run aftermarket wheels with a different offset if you want to run a 285 tire. I also did a cab mount chop. No rubbing at all with these tires.

I find this tire perfect for the Tacoma. Not to big and not to small. Just right!

 

I'm running the same size tires (285/75/17 BFG KO2s) on some fuel wheels. I've only had the truck through the winter so far, but I've been quite happy with them. I was worried they'd be a bit too wide in the snow but they've done great!

 

285/75 is one of the best tire sizes. Not heavy enough for a regear (in my opinion), not too much work to make fit, not much rubbing, not too expensive. If I had to go back I'd get 34's again, but once you go 35's you get bored haha

 

Only issue with that tire size is the lack of options and availability in an emergency.

 

Yup

 

This is so true. My 35’s in snow feel completely different than my 285/75s did, and it’s a night and day difference between 255/80’s lol.

 

Hey all, got the chance to check out both the drifter and the GFC in person, and I've got to say I was really impressed with the drifter, much more than I expected. The one thing I am struggling with however, is the deposit. I just can't seem to justify sending a company 4k just to hold my place in line, for what is essentially an interest free loan for at least 6 months before the money is actually spent on my unit.

Can anyone explain how you justified this? Is it standard in the industry, or were you all just super eager to get a great piece of equipment? I've made the same complaint to the Vagabond guys and they said they won't consider changing it until they wait time goes down. I understand not wanting your order list to go out over what is is now (7-9 months?) but I'm just fundamentally against not having access to my cash for that long. Can anyone change my mind?

 

Curious as to what separated the Drifter vs the GFC for you.

I don't know what to say about putting a deposit down. I paid for everything in full. IMO, if you're serious about buying something $7000+, then it better be damn worth it. And the Drifter? If you camp a good amount, then it's definitely worth it.

But this is a personal decision. Do what you're most comfortable with. Or were you asking us to help persuade you?

 

Its a valid concern and Im not going to play them down, rather I’ll gove a little insight as to why we are doing it.

At first we really struggled with this becuase we are in the same boat! We wanted to offer the same thing we would expect from an offroad company. What we saw was the standard was 100% down for custom work. We didnt think that was right at the beginning since we were a new company and we wanted to build trust, so 1/2 seemed fair until we got started on the customers camper.

As lead times grew, the deposit was to help show a level of commitment from the customer and we would honor their place in line. We dont bump or push back customers based on any company monetary or marketing commitments.

The deposit also helps order components that require long leadtimes for the customers camper. If we had to wait to contact the customer, confirm and wait for payment, the wait times could potentially increase as well.

Theres a lot that goes into dialing in production smoothly and a customer deposit is a key component of a that. We totally understand about having your money tied up on a product, but once we have a committed order we starting tying our money in it as well. That being said, if the lead times continue to grow we may require less of a deposit, but that is still TBD.

We like to be open about what we do, and the rules we place apply to everyone, so everyone is equal in our book.

 

I justified the deposit by paying in full for a superior product. I knew i wanted it and weather i paid now or later, I still have to pay for it. They have costs to carry for parts for your camper as well.

To think of it as a interest free loan sounds pretty naive. Everything that I’ve bought that’s made to order has required a substantial deposit. Bumpers, custom order parts and custom campers are no different.

 

I appreciate the thoughtful response, and it makes sense. I guess some of my hesitancy comes from having multiple thousands tied up with small offroad companies before who haven't delivered. On your end, having a reliable cash ahead of time makes sense, though tough to part with the money so far ahead of time.

 

The persuasion doesn't hurt haha! There were a lot of small things that made a difference to me but I'll pick a few that stood out the most. When I originally saw the drifter, I was a bit turned off by the bare aluminum look, the GFC seemed much prettier, and I liked their marketing. The drifter I saw in person was powder coated and looked great. I also really liked the quality and feel of the tent material in the drifter, the GFC seems thinner, and the vagabond seems much better sealed up between the tent material and the aluminum. The GFC has an overhang in to the bed which I didn't like. As a DIY person, I really liked the options for routing wires and for switch panels which isn't possible in the GFC.

Yes, perhaps naive... I understand buying custom parts made to order requires that I pay up front for material and manufacturing costs... But since there is a long wait time for production, the money isn't going towards making my camper, instead it's being spent on other things. Anyway, just was curious about people's thoughts. I dont think it's entirely wrong to see it as a loan, I would still do it if I had the money to right now.