What Items Does Everyone Want?

I have a regular cab, 4 cyl, 5 spd, 4x4 and my friend has a double cab, 4cyl, auto, Prerunner. We're actually working on converting his to 4x4 now and we started thinking about it. If we can do this, we can definitely make other products.

I know a lot of these items are already offered from other vendors but and friend of mine and I have the knowledge and help to make them ourselves, quicker and for a much lower price too. We are putting together a business to start offering products that are for 2nd Gen Tacomas similar to the Official Vendors on this forum. We've already started on a few things and will have prices, pictures and lead times up soon. All parts below will be offered for all cab types as well as bed types for any 2nd generation Tacoma. All parts would be shipped to your choosing in heavy duty boxes. I am still working on that front to get shipping cost down, believe it or not this is our biggest hurdle.

Here goes:

1) Soft Cap: Combination of Soft-Topper and Can-back. My cap with collapse easily and quickly but also be strong enough to have a roof rack option to handle some weight. Going to offer black or tan in color, metal will be powder coated textured black steel. This is still in design stage. The frame is done, working on the patterning for the soft goods now. Material will be similar to what Jeep uses.

2) Bed rail caps/Tailgate Cap/Tailgate Skin: As we all know, the plastic stuff Toyota uses sucks. So I have designed this a few different ways. You can buy them all individually, buy it is a kit and get all the parts all at once, or buy the tailgate skin with the tailgate cap as a kit or separate. I am working on cost now, parts are designed. I will get first run ordered and installed to get on my truck and pictures uploaded. Unfortunately, the bed rail caps won't work underneath a tonneau cover or fiberglass cap (Leer, etc.). I am still working on this to try and make them work no matter what, this is taking some time. Material will be powder coated textured black steel.

3) The plastic storage compartment doors in the bed, going to remake the actual door out of steel, with locking cam latches, and powder coated in textured black steel and a thin gasket to provide better weather proofing. I've seen the write up on the cam lock replacements which is great, but it is still a plastic door and can still be broken easily. To replace the whole box with the Tuffy style is nice, especially since you get more cargo space but for almost $200. A steel door with locking latches would be more than adequate for almost any application. Again, price is still being worked out.

4) A bed dome light. I am working on having a lens remade to have white ends and red in the center similar to full size trucks. This is still in R&D right now as I am working with an ejection mold company as well as learning DOT laws on what is legal. It would require running a switch to the dash among other things. I've seen other people do it by cutting their sheet metal up on their cab, no thanks! Once this is done, it should be an easy swap.

5) Bolt on rock sliders that are just as strong as welded sliders. We've come up with a way to make bolt on sliders, that use existing oem frame holes that are just as strong as welded sliders. They will be 3/16" thick steel, with 1-3/4 OD hrew heavy wall tubing, powder coated in textured black.

This is all for now but I am still working on improvements. Any suggestions are welcome.

Company Name and Website soon to come!

 

Sub'd to see what you come up with.

 

Im interested in number 4. It boggles my mind why these trucks dont come with bed lights

 

Would be interested in 2,3,4, and 5. Hope your company will allow pickups to save shipping costs.

 

For sure, I encourage anyone that can to come get their parts because I work with sheet metal and logistics as part as my everyday job and let me tell you it is a nightmare. No matter how well parts are packaged, they still get damaged.

 

Looks to be very promising......subbed

 

#6 a heavy duty box full of 100 dolla bills.

 

sub'd

 

#3 - Bed Storage hole covers. Something I think many would like -but I'd not pay an arm and a leg for the Mod. I suggest you offer a kit w. new locks and a backup plate. Cost less = Sell more!

 

Numbers 1 and 5 sound like winners to me, Joe! This should be good.

 

They'll definitely be affordable.

 

1 & 5

Lets see what you can do

 

hood hinge light brackets.....down the road at some point

 

3 & 5. Sub'd

 

3, 4 and 5

 

Could you go into more detail as to what you mean? If you want, pm me.

 

Can you do a rear kick out on the sliders?

 

I planned on offering two styles, standard where it is the same distance from the rocker panel down the side of the truck as well as a kick out at the end.

 

How about taking those storage compartment and making them deeper and/or wider

 

http://www.tuffyproducts.com/p-235-toyota-tacoma-bed-security-lockbox.aspx

Already been done. For $191, I would be hard pressed to make them and sell them for that price.