2016 Tacoma Build, Light Overlander Everyday Driver in Oregon

nocean

Adventurer
I’ve wanted a Tacoma since I was 16 years old. Back then my $3500 car budget in high school was never gonna allow me to get a Toyota. So my car journey started, so so many. I think my wife and I have had 17-18 cars just as a couple, granted we got together at 17 so that gives us some extra time. But in that time I’v had, used and built out a bunch of rigs. K5 Blazer, Honda Element, VW Weekendder Van, Range Rover Classic, an amazing 100 Series Cruiser, 1st gen Tundra w/ a Four Wheel Camper that we lived in and traveled the west for a year.


When we decided that it was time to get a Tacoma, the 3rd gen’s had been out for almost a year and I’d seen them all over the place. Its what I wanted. So we pulled the trigger a few days before Christmas of 2016, a white 16’ TRD Off Road short bed. I knew it would be a slow burn for us, but I knew what I wanted. My main goal was to make it as functional as possible both as a daily driver around town going to work, getting groceries, trips to the airport, etc. But I also wanted to make a very capable overland rig that would allow us to get out every weekend like we try to do and the occasional 2-6 week road trip.


We surf, fly fish, climb, backpack, camp, adventure, etc. I made a lot of choices based on owning things like a RTT, a FWC, ground tents small and big, slept in the bed, etc. Big drawer systems, fridges, stoves, solar, etc. Its so easy to overbuild a rig. I remember my 100 was so good, locked front to back, steel front to back, drawers with sleeping platform, fridge, etc, etc., but going to the grocery store was a pain, I picked up some friends with their bags at the airport and I remember strapping half of their luggage to the roof rack with tie downs and ratchet straps. The same bags would have fit in a Honda Accord without question but I struggled with my big off roader. So, I wanted to keep it simple. I know I’ll teeter on the line of gadgets to functionality to simple. Its a game. But here’s my journey as it started, as it is now, and what’s to come. I also installed as much of it as I could myself. Waited for sales, gathered gear for months before installation, waited on group buys, craigslist, forums. I feel that will all the things I probably only spent 60% of total cost if I was just to go out and order everything, I didn’t pay full price for a single item.




2016 Toyota Tacoma, TRD OR, Short Bed


Exterior:
-4Runner Pro wheels & tires
-Mobtown sliders w/ 10 degree angle (new)
-Southern Style Offroad Slimline Bumper w/ basic light
-Smittybuilt X20 winch
-Factor 55 Splice Flatlink (new)
-Cascadia Flipster
-RCI aluminum front skid plate
-ARB awning w/ front wall
-Canopy w/ Rhino Rack bars & tracks
-HD splash guards from @cnote4l


Suspension:
-ARB Old Man Emu Heavy Kit w/ Dakar leafs


Electrical:
-Odyssey battery
-Off Grid Engineering battery tie down
-Switch Pro system
-ARB Dual Air Compressor w/ tire kit
-Slee Offroad compressor mount
-Blue Sea power block for rear bed
-Snomaster 56L Dual Zone Fridge (in mail)
-LED bed kit from @mattgecko


Interior:
-Bed mounts from @Zac of all trades
-Krazy Beaver shovel
-BedRug kit for floor & tailgate
-custom canopy ceiling bungees
-custom window covers
-Hondo Garage phone mount


Things To Come:
-BFG KO2’s
-Go Fast Campers pop up camper (so excited for this)
-bed storage (waiting for camper, want something that can be removed easily)

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vicali

Adventurer
Awesome, looking forward to your build.
We just replaced our ailing 2005 with a 2017 Trd Sport. I like the direction you are going.
 

nocean

Adventurer
Awesome, looking forward to your build.
We just replaced our ailing 2005 with a 2017 Trd Sport. I like the direction you are going.

Thanks, hoping to inspire others and give people ideas of what can be done without braking the bank.
 

nocean

Adventurer
I'm in Portland, I spend as much time as I can between the mountains, coast and eastern Oregon though, as do so many out here.

For the bumper, I really like it. I hear some dealerships are even starting to offer them as factory installed aftermarket parts which is interesting. Even Warn is coming out with one very similar. They are just as beefy as any steel bumper but take up less visual. I really wanted to make this look less like a overland mobile and more subtle. I love any over stuffed Defender like anyone else but I figure that is a modern truck and it needed modern details.

Cheers!
 

mosovich

Observer
Looks great. I'd been wanting a 4 Runner since I was 16 and finally got one and then did something REALLY stupid. I sold it.. Should've thought twice or maybe three times before doing that.. Enjoy your truck!!
 

dman93

Adventurer
Nice build. My '16 TRD OR is still mostly stock but I'm looking to start some subtle armor and function upgrades. I've also been looking at lo-pro bumpers like SSO, C4 and the new Warn. Liking the Warn because they say there's no trimming at all. I'm also looking at various bolt-on sliders and was leaning to West Coast manufacturers to reduce shipping cost; what made you pick Mobtown? Finally, how do you like the 17" wheel/tire setup? There seem to be more choices in LT load range C or D tires in 17" than 16" but I'm hesitant to go much taller/heavier than a 265/70 or 75 16" on the stock rims. Did you notice any performance or mpg hit? Thanks.
 

nocean

Adventurer
I don't know for sure about the no trimming from Warn, for the low pro options, you had to cut off a big chunk of the middle of the bumper, not sure how they'll get around removing at least some of the bumper to make way for steel and a winch unless it just sticks out further and forms around it, I really wanted a low profile and slim look, I'm happy with what I got. For sliders, just installed them actually, look and function great, little bit of a pain in the but to install but I got them cause they are strong and I was able to go in with someone local on a group buy and save some extra money on the shipping. Really like my 17" wheels, like them even more that I paid $450 for wheels & tires from a 4runner pro guy that just wanted 18"s. I'll get new tires but my concern is also weight so hoping to find something I like in a tire that's not E rated and keeps the weight down. I'm noticing a lot of brands are skipping 275 as a size which is frustrating. For MPG, I did it all at the same time with roof rack, lift, etc. so I'm not sure. I think I lost a MPG or 2 overall but not sure what damage the tires and wheels did.



Nice build. My '16 TRD OR is still mostly stock but I'm looking to start some subtle armor and function upgrades. I've also been looking at lo-pro bumpers like SSO, C4 and the new Warn. Liking the Warn because they say there's no trimming at all. I'm also looking at various bolt-on sliders and was leaning to West Coast manufacturers to reduce shipping cost; what made you pick Mobtown? Finally, how do you like the 17" wheel/tire setup? There seem to be more choices in LT load range C or D tires in 17" than 16" but I'm hesitant to go much taller/heavier than a 265/70 or 75 16" on the stock rims. Did you notice any performance or mpg hit? Thanks.
 

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