Lost Canadian
Expedition Leader
Sent you an email Scott.expeditionswest said:
Thanks
Expeditions West 2004 Tacoma
- Thread starter Scott Brady
- Start date
Thanks
Scott Brady
Founder
These are not in any particular order, unless mentioned.
10 Greats
1. Suspension. This was without a doubt the single greatest improvement to the truck. It improved the ride, handling, trail performance and load capacity.
2. Gearing. I have no regrets going with 5.29's. Brought the truck back to life and gained 2mpg back.
3. Keeping the CG low. This was a goal from the beginning, and I stuck with it. Those who have driven my truck know how well it handles on the road and trail. Very stable.
4. Keeping the house systems and truck systems (mostly) separate. Nearly all of the accessories and all of the camp systems run off of the aux. battery.
5. Eezi-Awn Tent. It is my second home and still looks near new with almost 200 nights in it. Quiet, dark and a good mattress. I now have a system using the right bags to keep the bedding in it too.
6. HID. IPF HID driving lamps. Just trust me. Some people buy several pairs of lights and still end-up with less performance than HID and lots of watt draw.
7. Brake upgrade. Get the cross-drilled and slotted rotors and Porterfield S pads. I bought mine from Wheelers (good guys). I now have better than stock braking with a 6,000 lb. truck.
8. Rear swing-out. Heavy, but has saved me from big damage and freed up for the aux. tank and extra security.
9. Fridge. Gotta have one. Makes life so much better
10. Aux. tank No mess, no fuss and a 600+ mile range...
10 Not So Greats
1. Those big damn tires. A blessing ONCE (Rubicon), and a curse every other day. Can't wait to get back to a smaller size.
2. Installing the lights on the roof. Never needed them in the Arctic and it was a very big job. I might be able to use the mounts for a very light gear rack.
3. Trash... I forgot to design in a place to store trash. Ooops. So it now hangs on the back bumper or in little grocery bags.
4. Storage for gear. When I first designed the truck, I figured storage for the stuff I would need. NOW, I have computer bags, camera cases, more recovery gear, more spares and a few more systems.
5. Seating for three. I should have designed in seating for three from the start. I had a plan early on for three buckets and should have done it.
6. Navigation integration. I never really dialed that in. Need to.
7. Camera holders. I need to design in a way to easily store the cameras while in motion.
8. Electric water heater It works, but kills cheap inverters and still requires the truck to run after the first nights shower. I have a plan here.
9. Tool box layout. Didn't need the toolbox. Should have got a bigger Eezi-awn and mounted the battery and compressor at the frame level.
10. No camping protection from the elements! This has been the biggest revelation. If the weather is crappy, I have no retreat other than the Eezi-Awn. I should have installed an Eezi-Awn awning with the canvas sides. A place to cook and sit out of the rain, wind, sand or snow it much needed.
Also, my truck ended up too heavy (they all do). So, I am going to focus on the Chaser and remove some (actually a lot) of weight and complexity out of the truck and into the trailer. My Chaser is currently being completely reconfigured with some VERY cool additions.
Without a doubt, I am more impressed with this truck than any other vehicle I have ever built. It could be driven around the world, well off the beaten path, comfortably, reliably and economically, while return great handling performance (for a 4wd.) and braking. Then, it can go the complete other direction and drive the Rubicon with little drama and not a scratch.
I am not sure what my next rig will be, but the process of specification and selection will start very soon.
What I will do with the Tacoma is very much up in the air. Most likely I will remove lots of the weight and use it as a great business tool for trails, training, hauling stuff, etc. Or you might see it in the for-sale section...
10 Greats
1. Suspension. This was without a doubt the single greatest improvement to the truck. It improved the ride, handling, trail performance and load capacity.
2. Gearing. I have no regrets going with 5.29's. Brought the truck back to life and gained 2mpg back.
3. Keeping the CG low. This was a goal from the beginning, and I stuck with it. Those who have driven my truck know how well it handles on the road and trail. Very stable.
4. Keeping the house systems and truck systems (mostly) separate. Nearly all of the accessories and all of the camp systems run off of the aux. battery.
5. Eezi-Awn Tent. It is my second home and still looks near new with almost 200 nights in it. Quiet, dark and a good mattress. I now have a system using the right bags to keep the bedding in it too.
6. HID. IPF HID driving lamps. Just trust me. Some people buy several pairs of lights and still end-up with less performance than HID and lots of watt draw.
7. Brake upgrade. Get the cross-drilled and slotted rotors and Porterfield S pads. I bought mine from Wheelers (good guys). I now have better than stock braking with a 6,000 lb. truck.
8. Rear swing-out. Heavy, but has saved me from big damage and freed up for the aux. tank and extra security.
9. Fridge. Gotta have one. Makes life so much better
10. Aux. tank No mess, no fuss and a 600+ mile range...
10 Not So Greats
1. Those big damn tires. A blessing ONCE (Rubicon), and a curse every other day. Can't wait to get back to a smaller size.
2. Installing the lights on the roof. Never needed them in the Arctic and it was a very big job. I might be able to use the mounts for a very light gear rack.
3. Trash... I forgot to design in a place to store trash. Ooops. So it now hangs on the back bumper or in little grocery bags.
4. Storage for gear. When I first designed the truck, I figured storage for the stuff I would need. NOW, I have computer bags, camera cases, more recovery gear, more spares and a few more systems.
5. Seating for three. I should have designed in seating for three from the start. I had a plan early on for three buckets and should have done it.
6. Navigation integration. I never really dialed that in. Need to.
7. Camera holders. I need to design in a way to easily store the cameras while in motion.
8. Electric water heater It works, but kills cheap inverters and still requires the truck to run after the first nights shower. I have a plan here.
9. Tool box layout. Didn't need the toolbox. Should have got a bigger Eezi-awn and mounted the battery and compressor at the frame level.
10. No camping protection from the elements! This has been the biggest revelation. If the weather is crappy, I have no retreat other than the Eezi-Awn. I should have installed an Eezi-Awn awning with the canvas sides. A place to cook and sit out of the rain, wind, sand or snow it much needed.
Also, my truck ended up too heavy (they all do). So, I am going to focus on the Chaser and remove some (actually a lot) of weight and complexity out of the truck and into the trailer. My Chaser is currently being completely reconfigured with some VERY cool additions.
Without a doubt, I am more impressed with this truck than any other vehicle I have ever built. It could be driven around the world, well off the beaten path, comfortably, reliably and economically, while return great handling performance (for a 4wd.) and braking. Then, it can go the complete other direction and drive the Rubicon with little drama and not a scratch.
I am not sure what my next rig will be, but the process of specification and selection will start very soon.
What I will do with the Tacoma is very much up in the air. Most likely I will remove lots of the weight and use it as a great business tool for trails, training, hauling stuff, etc. Or you might see it in the for-sale section...
erod
Adventurer
expeditionswest said:These are not in any particular order, unless mentioned.
10 Greats
1. Suspension. This was without a doubt the single greatest improvement to the truck. It improved the ride, handling, trail performance and load capacity.
2. Gearing. I have no regrets going with 5.29's. Brought the truck back to life and gained 2mpg back.
3. Keeping the CG low. This was a goal from the beginning, and I stuck with it. Those who have driven my truck know how well it handles on the road and trail. Very stable.
4. Keeping the house systems and truck systems (mostly) separate. Nearly all of the accessories and all of the camp systems run off of the aux. battery.
5. Eezi-Awn Tent. It is my second home and still looks near new with almost 200 nights in it. Quiet, dark and a good mattress. I now have a system using the right bags to keep the bedding in it too.
6. HID. IPF HID driving lamps. Just trust me. Some people buy several pairs of lights and still end-up with less performance than HID and lots of watt draw.
7. Brake upgrade. Get the cross-drilled and slotted rotors and Porterfield S pads. I bought mine from Wheelers (good guys). I now have better than stock braking with a 6,000 lb. truck.
8. Rear swing-out. Heavy, but has saved me from big damage and freed up for the aux. tank and extra security.
9. Fridge. Gotta have one. Makes life so much better
10. Aux. tank No mess, no fuss and a 600+ mile range...
10 Not So Greats
1. Those big damn tires. A blessing ONCE (Rubicon), and a curse every other day. Can't wait to get back to a smaller size.
2. Installing the lights on the roof. Never needed them in the Arctic and it was a very big job. I might be able to use the mounts for a very light gear rack.
3. Trash... I forgot to design in a place to store trash. Ooops. So it now hangs on the back bumper or in little grocery bags.
4. Storage for gear. When I first designed the truck, I figured storage for the stuff I would need. NOW, I have computer bags, camera cases, more recovery gear, more spares and a few more systems.
5. Seating for three. I should have designed in seating for three from the start. I had a plan early on for three buckets and should have done it.
6. Navigation integration. I never really dialed that in. Need to.
7. Camera holders. I need to design in a way to easily store the cameras while in motion.
8. Electric water heater It works, but kills cheap inverters and still requires the truck to run after the first nights shower. I have a plan here.
9. Tool box layout. Didn't need the toolbox. Should have got a bigger Eezi-awn and mounted the battery and compressor at the frame level.
10. No camping protection from the elements! This has been the biggest revelation. If the weather is crappy, I have no retreat other than the Eezi-Awn. I should have installed an Eezi-Awn awning with the canvas sides. A place to cook and sit out of the rain, wind, sand or snow it much needed.
Also, my truck ended up too heavy (they all do). So, I am going to focus on the Chaser and remove some (actually a lot) of weight and complexity out of the truck and into the trailer. My Chaser is currently being completely reconfigured with some VERY cool additions.
Without a doubt, I am more impressed with this truck than any other vehicle I have ever built. It could be driven around the world, well off the beaten path, comfortably, reliably and economically, while return great handling performance (for a 4wd.) and braking. Then, it can go the complete other direction and drive the Rubicon with little drama and not a scratch.
I am not sure what my next rig will be, but the process of specification and selection will start very soon.
What I will do with the Tacoma is very much up in the air. Most likely I will remove lots of the weight and use it as a great business tool for trails, training, hauling stuff, etc. Or you might see it in the for-sale section...
great info scott, can't wait to see the trailer!
crawler#976
Expedition Leader
Scott, thanks for the overveiw! That pretty much sums up years of trial and error into a single post...
7wt
Expedition Leader
Yup, thanks Scott. I have time to plan my build up and I am trying to aviod putting cool blingy stuff on it that I don't actually need or use. The more I look at what I want out of a daily driver and a tripper, the more I like the idea of the Chaser and a lightly build truck. I think I am going to stick with the 265/75's for the gearing simplicity, add some light protection (skid) and some way to organize my bed and do a nav set up. I might put on a camper but I like the looks of the CanBack. I am on the right track with my suspension already so that's one less thing I have to worry about.
Redline
Likes to Drive and Ride
"1. Those big damn tires. A blessing ONCE (Rubicon), and a curse every other day. Can't wait to get back to a smaller size."
Scott:
Are you referring to your current BFG 295 ATs being too big?
Smaller for you means going back to 255/85R16, or are you going to limbo a little lower to 265/75 or 235/85?
James
Scott:
Are you referring to your current BFG 295 ATs being too big?
Smaller for you means going back to 255/85R16, or are you going to limbo a little lower to 265/75 or 235/85?
James
Scott Brady
Founder
Yeah, 255/85 R16 is perfect for what I use my truck for. I am also mounting up some new wheels from Australia.
