Escape Pod

[66 North]

Greetings! Like many others, I have visiting this site practically everyday. It is hard not to with all of the great trucks and helpful advice.

I just picked-up a 2003 Tacoma TRD access cab with only 38K miles. I will be building it with The Great Escape in mind...a 3-4 month mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, and photography trip from Detroit through Canada, Alaska, and any Western state with a mountain. Here are some thoughts on the big stuff:

- Canopy: Replace with Leer 122. I want to be able to sit upright to ride out storms
- Sleeping platform / storage in back
- Suspension: 2-2.5" lift (coil over / leafs for extra weight & clearance)
- Tires: Replace stock with 31" for now as there will be lots of road driving getting to the next adventure
- Rack: Probably go with a Yakima over the cab as I have a basement full of accessories already.
- Front bumper: ARB with M8000 and some lights
- Rear bumper: ??? Would like a swing away tire carrier

I am looking forward to getting started...

Thanks!

View attachment 14734

View attachment 14735

 

[Overland Hadley]

Welcome to Expedition Portal!

I have the Leer 122 on my Tacoma and am very happy with it. Be sure to get the windoors, plus with the windoors they get rid of that ugly vertical window on the 122 model.

 

[Streakerfreak]

Welcome to Expedition Portal!

I have the Leer 122 on my Tacoma and am very happy with it. Be sure to get the windoors, plus with the windoors they get rid of that ugly vertical window on the 122 model.

I would agree with him on that. Not getting a canopy with windoors is my only regret I have with my rig. With my swing out bumper getting into my bed has become a choir.

Welcome to Expo! I like the title of your thread by the way!

 

[66 North]

Thanks for the input! I took the advice and ordered a 122 with full length windoors. Should have it in a couple of weeks. I am trying to unload the current canopy on Craigs List...might be hard in "Big 3 Country". Suspension is next...

 

[Dave Bennett]

Welcome to Expo!!!

 

[DaveInDenver]

Welcome! A several month trip sounds fun. Are you taking time off from a job?

 

[66 North]

Ahh yes, the job. That is a problem as automotive employers typically frown upon anything more than a week at a time. I am ready to move on to the next best thing anyway. Ideally, I would like to relocate to the west and get back into the hills again. Life is too short to spend your weekends at sea level! :REAdvRockClimber:

 

[DaveInDenver]

employers typically frown upon anything more than a week at a time

Yeah, that's not just the auto sector. Good luck with whatever comes down the pike. Enjoy the trip!

 

[Ursidae69]

- Front bumper: ARB with M8000 and some lights
- Rear bumper: ??? Would like a swing away tire carrier

Welcome to Portal 66 North. I was wondering why you felt that replacing the bumpers wasa priority for your trip? Are you planning on doing a lot of technical trails where approach and departure angles are important?

 

[66 North]

Maybe not a priority for the trip. I wouldn't anticipate doing anything too technical while traveling solo. I was going to try to get all the mods in while I still had a good income and could afford it. I will probalby pass on the tire carrier and toss the second spare on the roof. Everything I have read indicates a second spare is recommended for the Dalton Hwy and parts of NWT. I was thinking that a winch may be a useful "just in case" if I am solo...maybe not?

 

[Overland Hadley]

I was thinking that a winch may be a useful "just in case" if I am solo...maybe not?

A hand winch might be a good option.

The Black Rat Hand Winch

 

[DaveInDenver]

A hand winch might be a good option.

You beat me to it. A couple of things to keep in mind, mainly that you need to be able to extract yourself both going forward and backward. So you really should have a plan to pull backwards even if you have a bumper mounted winch. This is for most people a chain and shackles to make your Hi-Lift into a hasty come-along. Others are more prepared and have a real hand winch or some very lucky people have a rear mounted winch. In any case, I wouldn't put a winch too high on the list. If you have the money, it's of course not going to hurt you (other than the weight, need to beef up the front suspension a bit more, good battery, etc.). I personally haven't had the budget to put one in my ARB bumper going on now almost 4 years. I've used the Hi-Lift a couple of times, had to get a strap a bunch and was on the other end of a couple of other people's winches. I just deal with the situation as it is, not much you can do otherwise.

 

[Overland Hadley]

A couple of things to keep in mind, mainly that you need to be able to extract yourself both going forward and backward.

Especially on roads with deep snow and ditches on the side.

 

[66 North]

Sounds like a good opportunity to save some cash on a bumper and winch...or at least divert it to a more versitle tool like a hand winch/recovery kit. Thanks for the input!

 

[DaveInDenver]

Sounds like a good opportunity to save some cash on a bumper and winch...or at least divert it to a more versitle tool like a hand winch/recovery kit. Thanks for the input!

The 'right' answer is really dependent on the situation. For what it sounds like your trip is going to be I think a bumper mounted winch might be lower priority over some other things. With a Hi-Lift and rigging you can do quite a bit. Although I would not skip over the bumper, you are doing lots of roads with potential animal strikes, falling debris, trees, whatever. It gives your truck protection and various mounting points for rigging recoveries. But more importantly a good bumper works fantastic for a lunch table, beer coaster, dog lashing point, antenna mount, step stool to work on the engine. A very versatile piece of hardware.