New Frontier/New Member

[longbed]

Hello All,

I have been lurking for about a month and figured since I actually got some photos of the new truck I should finally posteepwall: . I bought my 07 Frontier SE 4x4 Longbed on Dec. 27th. I sold my 99 Toyota Tacoma KC when I found out my wife and I were having our first child. The King Cab just wouldn't work for a car seat so it had to go. I had added a fiberglass topper to it and had crafted a simple bed and drawer system for camping trips and was really bummed when I had to give up the Tacoma. That was ten months ago and my little girl was born six months ago. I had not bought a vehicle because I could not come to terms with not having a truck (I am just not a car or suv guy! I like trucks). I had to get a longbed because I like the option of stealth camping that a truck with a topper affords.

My wife and I like to camp, backpack, climb, backcountry ski/board and mountain bike; really my truck is used to get us to the trailhead to do one of those activities. That being said I don't like to park an extra mile from the trailhead because the guidebook says you need a high cleareance vehicle!! That is where the Frontier comes into play. I plan on adding some different tires and maybe the mild lift Articulate added and when funds allow some rock sliders and of course a topper and a bed in the back! Although this site has given me a lot of different ideas for how I will build it.

So thanks for all of the great ideas you have all given me for my TAV (Trailhead Access Vehicle)!

Here are two pictures of the Frontier posing in the Colorado snow and one of the bed and drawere I had in the back of the Tacoma.

View attachment 5536

View attachment 5537

View attachment 5538

 

[articulate]

:beer:
Nice! The long beds are cool. I like your TAV concept, too --- what it's all about If I may ask, where are you? And when's your Little Unit due? Congrats. We have one coming in July . . . :yikes:

I'm glad to see more Frontier owners and to get beyond the "how big of a tire can I go?" discussions found elsewhere. We'd love to see more about your adventures that you've done as well.

Here's to life.

Mark

 

[longbed]

Thanks for the welcome. We live in Lafayette, Co. My little girl is now 6 months old. Here is a picture of one of our first trips with her to Crested Butte in the fall
View attachment 5545

It is quite the adventure having a baby. We can't wait for spring to get out and go camping with her!!

My TAV concept is to have a truck that I can drive down most unimproved roads in the backcountry to get to the climbing, biking or boarding destination I want to go. I also have to have the stealth bed in the back, most times I will sleep in a tent but sometimes you have to park in a nieghborhood and sleep in the back. Or the more common scenario of showing up at midnight and not having to set up a tent! Just jump in the back and it is snooze time.

I have only been "real" four wheeling once. By "real" I mean getting in the truck and intentionally driving down a four wheel road to get from point A to point B. I am looking to get more experience as I would like to go explore the San Rafael Swell in Utah and obviousley don't want to get stuck or lost with the new precious cargo!
I will post some pics of past fun later( all the pictures on the laptop seem to be of our baby!).

Thanks again for the welcome!

 

[The BN Guy]

Welcome to the gang!

 

[Scott Brady]

Awesome Welcome to ExPo!

The crew-cab, long-bed gives a great compromise IMO. A little more clearance and larger tires, along with sliders will help address the downsides of the long wheelbase.

I am looking forward to watching your buildup.

 

[Allahades]

Howdy! Good to see more Nissan-owners here.

The San Rafael Swell is an amazing place to explore. I've been going over to Utah for the last five years and have been gradually learning more about expedition travel in the back country. Your Frontier is going to be a great TAV!

 

[datrupr]

Welcome to ExPo!!!:beer:

 

[BajaTaco]

Very cool TAV. I like what you have done with the bed, a great concept that works well. :ylsmoke:

 

[DaktariEd]

Welcome to ExPo! :wavey:
We'll look forward to hearing more adventures from you.
Especially with the Little One.
Don't blink! They grow up fast! :victory:

:sombrero:
Ed

 

[longbed]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!:wavey:

This forum has given me tons of ideas for the new truck. Now I just have to have the discipline to spend my money on a few truck mods and not on mountain bike frames, etc...

First on my list is going to be the topper. In the past I have always had the fiberglass variety and it worked well but was a major pain to take off when I needed the truck to carry something realy big (and they really aren't convenient to throw the bike in the back!) So after seeing some on this and other sites I think I am going with the softopper that is made in Boulder, CO. I went down a couple of weeks ago and met one of the owners and had a good look at the product and I really liked what I saw.

My idea for the bed in this truck is going to be a little different than in the Tacoma. I want it to be easily removed and stored when I am not going on a trip. Right now I am thinking of getting the fiberglass bridging ladders cut to the width of my bed and then rigging up a mount on the utilitrack system. I would use that as the base and put a piece of plywood that has severl hinge points for access to everything underneath. And of course this time I will need to add foam and carpeting to the top of the plywood (the dog will love that!)

The crew-cab, long-bed gives a great compromise IMO. A little more clearance and larger tires, along with sliders will help address the downsides of the long wheelbase.

I really wanted the longbed but had finally talked myself into getting the smaller bed (this years winter in CO. helped me come to that decision, riding the road bike everywhere was getting really old!). I had every intention of buying one of the remaining 06 Nissan SB they had on the lot but the deal just wasn't there. They were only offering to save me 1200 bucks over the 07 longbed and Nissan had added a couple of options to the power package for 07. So the wife agreed that 1200 bucks more for a truck that I REALLY wanted made more sense! Gotta love the ladies!

Thanks again for the welcome and all the great ideas on this site! Mark's Frontier is quite the inspiration!

David

 

[articulate]

First on my list is going to be the topper. . . My idea for the bed in this truck is going to be a little different than in the Tacoma. I want it to be easily removed and stored when I am not going on a trip. Right now I am thinking of getting the fiberglass bridging ladders cut to the width of my bed and then rigging up a mount on the utilitrack system.

Here's a benefit to having a truck with a bed that has your "expedition" stuff in it full-time: no one can ask you to move their couch. We take the tent off the bed during longer periods between trips, mainly because I don't want the cover to get thrashed by the sun. As time goes on, I find it more of a pain to load it on and bolt it down. And the process is only 3 or 4 minutes. I'm conniving a way to keep it on there all the time now - just for simplicty - and kiss goodbye the idea that I actually need a truck with a bed for something other than adventures.

Al has a cool signature, "Always ready to go." Now that is noteworthy.

So, why not the softopper with Thule or Yakima load bars across the top? They'll hold bikes and the occasional 4x8 sheet of plywood.

 

[longbed]

Mark,
I know what you mean about moving couches! The one downside to owning a truck! Although my friends usaully supply the beer afterwards so I guess it is not all that bad!:beer:

So, why not the softopper with Thule or Yakima load bars across the top?

I thought about this option, I had a bike rack on the Tacoma and getting the bikes on and off the top of the truck is more of a hassle than it is worth. Hoisting a bike over your head and standing on the wheel of the truck sounds easy, but after a 30 mile mtn. bike ride it is the last thing I want to do! I think I am going to get a tow hitch bike rack for ease of use and with the bed design I should be able to slide a sheet of plywood on top or even underneath. So I could leave it in all the time but I would also have the option of taking it out without to much trouble. Being able to sit upright in the back of the truck is always a plus.(nice option for the beach at A-basin- the Denver people will get it and everyone else will just have to trust me)

Keep the ideas rolling :truck: though I have not committed to any design yet and all the experience on this forum could deffinatley sway me to a different idea!

 

[DaveInDenver]

I thought about this option, I had a bike rack on the Tacoma and getting the bikes on and off the top of the truck is more of a hassle than it is worth. Hoisting a bike over your head and standing on the wheel of the truck sounds easy, but after a 30 mile mtn. bike ride it is the last thing I want to do! I think I am going to get a tow hitch bike rack for ease of use and with the bed design I should be able to slide a sheet of plywood on top or even underneath. So I could leave it in all the time but I would also have the option of taking it out without to much trouble. Being able to sit upright in the back of the truck is always a plus.(nice option for the beach at A-basin- the Denver people will get it and everyone else will just have to trust me)

I have a Thule Hitching Post for my receiver. The hitch thing works pretty well, but I still prefer the roof rack.

My point is these work pretty well:

Gotcha on A-Basin, but we're Loveland people and so we just tough it out.

 

[longbed]

have a Thule Hitching Post for my receiver. The hitch thing works pretty well, but I still prefer the roof rack.

My point is these work pretty well:


Gotcha on A-Basin, but we're Loveland people and so we just tough it out.

I have not seen these before, not a bad idea! I have the yakima roof rack that fits the whole bike (no front tire removal) so hoisting the 27 pound mountain bike over your head is a pain. With some different bike trays and that step it might not be too bad.

Loveland people, don't you have to telemark to ski there??:xxrotflma

 

[longbed]

Free the heel and the mind will follow

If I freed my heel all I would do is a nasty face plant on the old snowboard! I ride with a lot of tele guys and I have to say if I ever decided to forsake snowboarding I would tele long before I would alpine!

Great pics! Do you backcountry ski?