First Gen Tacoma Build Advice

[roving1]

I for one think winches are highly overrated and some winch bumpers limit approach angle and are just stupid heavy. It's also amazing how often I have been with people who have winches that don't work exactly when you need them most.

I use these three things and have never managed to get stuck to the point I could not easily self extract. The mechanical come along takes a little more effort but the flexibility and weight savings make up for it. I also almost never use any of these things. The first two would probably get you out of 90% of jams. If you are not stunt 4 wheeling you really don't need these things much. I would spend winch money on front diff locker or LSD.

Plus these things are super easy to transfer to other vehicles or put them away when not out on the trail. Unlike a winch and bumper which you have to drag around all the time.


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[austintaco]

I tend to agree with what Roving said. I have had my 03 since it was new, and here's my advice: Go out and have fun and while you are out, see what's limiting you. Don't get yourself stuck, but if you are turning around because a trail you want to do is stopping you, then look into a device that will allow you to do the trail. Frame plates are a good investment. Buy rear leafsprings that can handle the weight you plan to carry...and then add a few pounds because you will buy more. Look for deals on Craigslist and on here. You will save at least 60% when you are done. With a 6 ft bed, you have plenty of room to make a great sleeping platform.

 

[HAB]

That's exactly my plan. I'll just be careful, and if I find that I'm needing to turn around sooner than I'd like to, I'll add gear until that isn't the case anymore.

 

[Ghost65]

All good suggestions in this thread, and kudos on your first gen build. Sounds like a solid plan so far.

A couple of more ideas...

-source a good set of tire deflators, we use our Stauns every damn time we go on dirt. Install and forget until the hissing stops...

-you mentioned OBA, but in the mean time invest in a decent compressor with alligator clips, we have used VIAIR prodcuts for almost ten years, starting with a 90P and ending up with a 400P set up that is now a redundant back up for our C02 tank.

-a decent soft sided tool bag...started with a Home Depot/Husky soft sided contractor bag, and recently upgraded to a Blue Ridge Overland bag...so sweet to be organized.

-lots of mentions of winches here, which is good advice, but I have also survived many a backcountry strand-O-crap sitch with a good roll of Gorilla Tape and some zip tyes, throw in a couple of sizes of hose clamps and go to town Mr. McGuyver

-a really good headlamp...which makes hands free recovery/wrenching/cooking/"where the hell are my socks, I gotta pee?" sitches much more...visual. (don't forget a nice little sleeve of backup AAA's)

-a good set of comfortable leather gloves, to protect your hands in those gotta dig/shackle/slap your way outta trouble situations, easy to store in that soft sided tool bag right on top.

-keeping a "good" roll of trail gold safely stored in a large gallon sized ziploc bag, because your tushy deserves better than that park service single ply 100 grit...also, a small container of hand sanitzier to kill any post evacuation burrito bacteria is a good add on.

-FAK...first aid kit. Pick your poison here, soooo many options, but adding a few touches (like your fave pain reliever, eye drops, "good" tweezers for that pesky cactus spline, and Pepto tabs for the aforementioned camp burrito) really helps when things go bloody.

-Finally, along the lines of personal overlanding hygeine...baby wipes. These make pit and fomunda stank disappear at the comforting swipe of a moist towelette...and who doesn't like smelling like a trail infant? Good times...

Good luck man...you might have a few of these bases covered already, but thought I'd throw a few more tried & true things that have helped us "expand" our overland experiences over the years...and to think, we used to just call it "camping." :sombrero:

EDIT: oh, and a good set of skids...BudBuilt comes to mind, sturdy AF, and because #madeinnorthcarolina. The $575 you spend to protect your soft underbits pales in comparison to the time spent stranded/replacment costs of an engine or transmisson part.

 

[Ngneer]

HAB, I have an 02 x cab that I put a hidd n winch on. It sounds like we are somewhat on the same ideas as far as our rig desires. I did not want the weight up front with the possibility of a huge bumper to mount a winch. I solo a good bit and am concerned with self recovery. It’s a smittybilt 9500 that took a few days to get it set up. I am Annal! Had to use a Jeep winch plate, I could dig up the year or part number if needed. It turned out very clean in my opinion with the OEM front cover intact. I like the way these trucks look with the bumper cover versuses a metal bumper. PM for more info if you like. Excellent post above by Ghost, the nail was hammered on the head right thar.

 

[bkg]

We might not survive! Of course it's overkill, people cheat death all time without them.

Being prepared is not overkill. Cheating death is now how I want to plan for a trip.

Sure - you may survive a winter camping trip w/o a tent and appropriate sleeping bag... but why?

 

[DaveInDenver]

Being prepared is not overkill. Cheating death is now how I want to plan for a trip.

Sure - you may survive a winter camping trip w/o a tent and appropriate sleeping bag... but why?

We aren't going to agree on what constitutes appropriate preparation. I don't think a winch is strictly a necessity for everyone, even solo vehicles. No doubt a case can be rationalized for having one. Heck, if you have the money you could come up with a justification for being able to extract yourself going off a soft shoulder on pavement. To me being prepared off highway is maintaining your vehicle, using it within its capability and having emergency food, shelter and hiking boots in case it breaks down.

My point is lots of people have traveled lots of places without a dedicated, mounted winch and some have even gotten stuck and yet figured out how to extract themselves or get help. The lack of one shouldn't prevent someone from exploring, although your outfit (as the OP has acknowledged) does dictate what you can do.

I don't equate traveling without a winch as the same as winter travel without shelter and a bag. In that analogy I'd say going without a winch would be like not bringing crampons on a ski tour. There are times when you're traversing a glazed slope where they sure would be handy but there's almost always a way to route around or come up with an alternate solution. To me not having a sleeping bag would be like going off highway in a Honda Civic. That's a conscious decision to make things unnecessarily challenging.

 

[HAB]

HAB, I have an 02 x cab that I put a hidd n winch on. It sounds like we are somewhat on the same ideas as far as our rig desires. I did not want the weight up front with the possibility of a huge bumper to mount a winch. I solo a good bit and am concerned with self recovery. It's a smittybilt 9500 that took a few days to get it set up. I am Annal! Had to use a Jeep winch plate, I could dig up the year or part number if needed. It turned out very clean in my opinion with the OEM front cover intact. I like the way these trucks look with the bumper cover versuses a metal bumper. PM for more info if you like. Excellent post above by Ghost, the nail was hammered on the head right thar.

I'd definitely be interested in seeing your setup! From research I've done though, it sounds like there's more room to work with on the facelifted '01-'04 trucks than there is on my '00, making mounting a hidden winch a bit harder on mine. I haven't yet taken the bumper off to measure anything, but will do that to check things out once I'm moving around a little better (I'm currently recovering from a broken ankle and torn syndesmosis suffered skiing).

 

[bkg]

We aren't going to agree on what constitutes appropriate preparation. I don't think a winch is strictly a necessity for everyone, even solo vehicles. No doubt a case can be rationalized for having one. Heck, if you have the money you could come up with a justification for being able to extract yourself going off a soft shoulder on pavement. To me being prepared off highway is maintaining your vehicle, using it within its capability and having emergency food, shelter and hiking boots in case it breaks down.

My point is lots of people have traveled lots of places without a dedicated, mounted winch and some have even gotten stuck and yet figured out how to extract themselves or get help. The lack of one shouldn't prevent someone from exploring, although your outfit (as the OP has acknowledged) does dictate what you can do.

I don't equate traveling without a winch as the same as winter travel without shelter and a bag. In that analogy I'd say going without a winch would be like not bringing crampons on a ski tour. There are times when you're traversing a glazed slope where they sure would be handy but there's almost always a way to route around or come up with an alternate solution. To me not having a sleeping bag would be like going off highway in a Honda Civic. That's a conscious decision to make things unnecessarily challenging.

Absolutely fair. I consider it insurance - even if it's just for moving a tree that downed on the trail in front of an exit, that tool has many uses.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Absolutely fair. I consider it insurance - even if it's just for moving a tree that downed on the trail in front of an exit, that tool has many uses.

Completely agree winches are useful. Moving a tree is doable with a drag chain and a tow hook, too, though.

 

[HAB]

Onboard air setup came today. I got the Viair 10007 kit, with the 450c compressor and 2.5 gallon tank. Found it for just under $300 online. It'll be nice having it not only for airing back up the truck, but it should be able to seat mountain bike tires tubeless too. I'll post some pictures of what I rig up for mounting, might be a bit until I can walk on my ankle a little better.

 

[Clutch]

Being prepared is not overkill. Cheating death is now how I want to plan for a trip.

Pffft...and you call yourself an adventurer...


Winches...hmmm...back in PA I had one, but mainly used it for yanking trees out of the woods for firewood. Where you didn't have enough room or enough chain to use the truck to yank them out.

Then living in AZ for 20 years...never felt the need for one there, heck rarely even used 4WD there.

Now in Idaho...yan know, feels like a need one here, especially in the winter. Is it absolutely needed? That would be a no, but better to have it and not use it, than to need it and not have it. And I'll be honest...the back country here intimidates me. Never felt that way in AZ, maybe because the mountains seemingly go on forever here. Can see it getting real bad, real quick. Probably the best piece of equipment to have a personal locator beacon.

As for dragging downed trees, rather use a chainsaw. Last spring was awful for blow downs, there were times the trees were so wedged in there you couldn't drag them, you had to cut them.


To the OP: With anything, it is endless what you can do for prepping. Start simple, and just go out and lay down some miles...then you'll see what you need and what you don't. My favorite thing in my kit is a shower I made out of an ammo can, heat it with either solar or toss it on the camp stove. ...nothing like a hot shower after a long day on the trail.

 

[perterra]

Being prepared is not overkill. Cheating death is now how I want to plan for a trip.

Sure - you may survive a winter camping trip w/o a tent and appropriate sleeping bag... but why?

Hell yeah, a winch is a must have. I dont have it so thats why I just sit at home and read the internet explorer forums. (this wasnt meant as smart *** as it sounds LOL)

Seriously, if ya got a winch, thats great, but dont sit at home until you have one. Common sense will get you a lot farther than winches and 4WD

 

[Ghost65]

Onboard air setup came today. I got the Viair 10007 kit, with the 450c compressor and 2.5 gallon tank. Found it for just under $300 online. It'll be nice having it not only for airing back up the truck, but it should be able to seat mountain bike tires tubeless too. I'll post some pictures of what I rig up for mounting, might be a bit until I can walk on my ankle a little better.

Very cool...that's a good unit. Where are you thinking about mounting the tank?

 

[HAB]

Well, I was planning to mount it above the rear diff, as I've seen others do, but it's not fitting as well as I'd hoped. I just did a little mockup test fit, and the linkage that connects the little armature that mounts to the rear passenger side of the rear axle and the tank interfere. This one's not my photo, but I've circled the part I'm talking about. What is that anyway? Its function isn't immediately clear to me, and from some image searching, it looks like not all first gen trucks even have it? EDIT: it's the rear brake proportioning valve. I wonder if I could fab up a different linkage that gives me more clearance. Also wonder if it even works right at this point, given that the truck has an add a leaf lift...



If I move the tank as far rearward as possible, until it hits the spare tire carrier, then it does clear that linkage by about 1/4". The downsides to this are twofold though. First, the spare tire then hits the tank a little, and can't sit as high as it would ideally. Worse, it would presumably prevent me from going to a properly sized spare for the truck (when I bought it it had 4 32x11.5r15s mounted, but still had a stock 31x10.5 spare) as the clearance would only get worse. This picture shows the interference with the (undersized) spare tire seated fully in the carrier.

Any advice?