TrekTaco Build Thread - "Tuesday"

Thanks! The hidden switches has been nice, but it's really hard to see them from my seat. I'm still tinkering with that.

I've also got dual 100w solar panels for the camper as well! Camper is still in-progress. I assume the setup is working well for you?

 

I gotta ask...how much do you have tied up in this project? Part of what helps me enjoy watching these builds is knowing wheather or not it's a realistic goal. Throwing brand names around is helpful, but without an overall cost attached, I might as well watch Richard Rawlings.
That being said, it's a beautiful truck and I admire your lifestyle.

 

Thanks, I’ll try to keep it on the Barack corner for now as it has tuned well

 

Yes Sir, works like a champ. Powers our fridge and I have to sleep on a CPAP. We limit light usage although all are led. Most of our campsite lighting is solar led lights

 

Hi! Yeah, off-road vehicles can get expensive, especially when you want to buy quality items and you tend to actually use them off-road. I prefer to shop made-in-America too which also increases cost. I'm not rich and made a lot of sacrifices in life to build this truck and take the trips we do. Sold the house, got rid of a lot of personal possessions, put the family on a budget and saved my money for a year to do this. I bought a used truck, rather than a new one, in order to have money to put towards the gear and parts we needed.

Truck was around $24k, build so far is around $30-$35k and I have another $35-40k in the works for the camper. It's a huge investment for us, but makes my heart smile every single time I look at the truck, drive it, or even wash it! It takes us to some really amazing places and that's the whole point IMHO. That being said, a simple (cheaper) truck can take you to many of the same places so it's all relative

Oh, and I don't know who Richard Rawlings is....

 

He's a pseudo- gearhead with a couple of cable shows and seemingly bottomless pockets. That response is inspiring and realistic. Exactly what I was hoping for. I look forward to seeing the process. Good luck to you and your family!

 

Ahh, if only I could have bottomless pockets

Thanks!

 

Good God man, that thing is next level! I am living vicariously through your build.
Thanks for posting!

 

Great build. What's your rebound and comp on the BPs ?

 

I hope you're a successful in marketing your efforts. It's a tough business, especially if you are looking to make a decent living, living your dreams.
(If that's not your plan, you need to re-read your comment below)

I hope everyone following your post takes special heed to this comment. I've been places in stone stock 4x4's (including my Tacoma) where I met up with purpose built trail rigs and even a few Subaru Outbacks. We may not have taken some of the same roads to get there, but the view was exactly the same, when we got there, for us all. Good luck with your endeavors.

 

Well said! I started out in old Subarus and those cars got me more places than one would imagine. I've taken my Tacoma down a lot of the same trails I ride now, back when it was stock...did just fine for the most part. Over time, you learn what you need and what you simply want for convenience or just because something is awesome

 

I'd have to check. I'm probably going to change all the settings here soon anyway to see how it handles. I'm still set how the shop (or ARB) had them and they seem a little stiff.

 

Installed a set of Rigid Industries SAE SR-M fog light in the front bumper (look by the winch). The Baja Designs (amber) were too bright for me to use on the road. So the ambers are for certain conditions and the new Rigids stay in all the time and act as a DRL. Overall, they do exactly what I needed!

 

@RoninWanderer
Hey bud, your Taco is immaculate! Love the direction your heading and hope to follow your lead with a lot of similar mods.

Quick question if you don't mind. I am currently at the stage of making room for my 285/75/17s and have aspirations of also cutting the fenders and cutting some bushwackers exactly the same way as yours. I went through your build page but didn't see any real details on that particular part of your build. I unfortunately do not have the means or a trusted shop to do the work and would like to/would enjoy figuring it out my self.
-what tool did they use for the cuts on the fender?
-How many inches did they cut out?
-Did they remove the stock molded fender well liners completely?

Thanks for sharing!

 

Hi @Gnarbuckle85 ,
Sorry for the delay, I’ve been traveling non stop and still am! My shop did that work but here’s what I remember. The rear was not touched, but there was a lot of rubbing on the lower, rear part. I just had a hi-clearance bumper installed back there and that should fix that problem. The front was a lot of work. Obviously, the body mount was modified a lot. The inner liners were removed completely and pinch welds folded and hammered. We had several issues of leakage here and took a lot of goop to seal it up fully. The sheet metal was cut about 2” all the way around and we referenced another post here on TW on how to do it evenly. The Bushwhacker was only cut about an inch though and so far has been ok. The front BW fender has to be drilled and bolted to the sheet metal now since we cut out the bottom portion! Overall, it took a few trimming visits and some off-road flexing to get it right....there is still some rubbing when the tire is fully stuffed and turning hard. We also added Wheelers bump stops to help. When I get back in town I hope to update my Build Thread as a lot has been done lately! Also, I am really missing my truck

 

Thanks for the info. Just added new Coil Springs and a Snorkel this weekend. That gave me a better look at the fender with the liner removed. 2"s seems to be the sweet spot.
Hope you get re-united soon!

 

@RoninWanderer I reverse cyber stalked your profile after seeing your Prisnu post in the Nw Craigslist forum hopping to see a little more info on your truck. All I can say is WOW! Nice write up too.

 

Thanks! I've been traveling for a long time now and the truck has been slowly getting work done in the background. I'll need to update once I'm back to the US and finished with the build! Well, mostly finished of course.

Wait until I post the finished design, it's going to be a fun and capable rig!

 

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve updated and a lot has happened! I’ve been on the road for several months working out the bugs with the rig. I’ll add more info later, but here’s some pics of where she’s at!

 

CBI high clearance rear bumper installed. Extra tabs added for the camper, but not in use just yet. Most of my parts from Alu-Cab finally arrived to NorCal and were installed. Khaya camper, Wood Box and all the goodies!

Spent the past month or so camping and hitting trails across Nevada and Utah.