AdventureTaco - turbodb's build and adventures

[turbodb]

First Aid

I've been super lucky and never had to use my first aid kits for anything except minor cuts and scrapes, but I always take two kits with me - one for minor stuff, and one that can help in a more serious event. Of course, they both contain some of the basic items, since one kit or the other may be quicker to grab at any given time. The kit's contain the following:

Minor stuff; kit kept in kitchen container:

• assortment of band-aids (sizes and shapes)
• burn cream
• sterile eye pads
• sterile gauze (different sizes and shapes)
• medical tape
• scissors
• CPR mouth shield
• two ice packs
• IB Profin (Advil)
• UTI pills (cranberry concentrate)

Trauma kit, kept in cab of truck:

• flexible splint
• clothing scissors
• large sterile pads (various large sizes and shapes)
• non-latex rubber gloves
• idoine cleaning pads
• medical tape
• band-aids (various sizes and shapes)
• tourniquet

​

Basic Tools

These are tools that I think should go on every trip, no matter how short. Of course, a break down may mean the adventure is "over", but with them, you can get yourself out of a lot of situations, and back to civilization.

• Tire related
  • 20-foot compressed air hose with ARB tire inflator - I've added a longer hose to the ARB inflator for convenience.
  • Full size spare tire (255/85 R16 Cooper ST Maxx) on matching wheel (16" SCS Stealth6) - Having a total replacement for a wheel/tire is good practice when in remote areas. Of course, along with tires, I also use the following on every trip:
  • Tire pressure gauge - get the cheapest you can IMO. It's just checking pressure and you mostly want to make sure all tires are the same and around a certain PSI.
  • Tire deflators - these things are cheap and work way better than the tools that unscrew the valve stem. You can even install them and then air down while driving.
  • Tire plug kit, to fit many small punctures. I didn't use the plug kit this year, but I've used it several times over the years. All the kits are basically the same as long as you get the tools. So get the cheapest one you can.
• 48" Hi-Lift Jack - with a lifted truck, the stock bottle jack is no longer tall enough, so I now carry a Hi-Lift. No point in bringing a spare tire, if you don't have a jack that allows you to change it!
• Fuel
  • 10 gallons extra fuel - in 5-gallon Scepter (military issue, plastic) jerry cans. I've only ever needed 5 gallons for myself, but it's nice to have extra and I've definitely shared with others who had thirstier trucks.
  • Cap opening wrench - necessary to open the Scepter jerry cans at a different altitude than they were previously closed.
  • To transfer fuel from the jerry cans to the tank, I bring and use a fuel siphon. Make sure to get a 10' siphon, so you can leave the fuel cans in the bed or on your rear bumper when you transfer fuel.
• Small Fiskars hatchet - useful for splitting smaller firewood, clearing small down-fall, and as a hammer.
• 20' of 3/8" rope - something I carry in the truck at all times, and always have.
• A folding 10" Japanese pull saw - this is way more convenient for cutting small trees out of the way than the hatchet or chainsaw. I've used it well over 100 times and it's still as sharp as ever.
• Two small (500lb) ratchet straps - these straps can be used for securing loads and for temporary repairs, holding pieces of your vehicle in place so you can limp to repair.
• A pair of rubberized gloves - I get mine at Harbor Freight, but any gloves will do and they look cheaper on amazon if you buy several pair. These are a necessity when changing tires, working on the truck, chopping wood, or using the chainsaw - allowing for better grip than bare hands.

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• This tool roll, which conveniently holds 95% of the tools I need to fix anything that breaks on the trail in an organized fashion. I've tried other rolls, and they just don't have the right set of pockets, where this one does. Into the tool roll, put:
  • Several 3/8" sockets in the following sizes (set): 10mm, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, 21mm, 22mm, 24mm
  • 3/8" Spark plug socket (5/8" or 16mm)
  • 3/8” socket extensions - 3-, 6-, 10-inch lengths
  • 3/8" ratchet (socket set) - do yourself a favor that I didn't , and get a flex head for access to more bolts.
  • Several crescent + box end wrenches in the following sizes: 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, 21mm, 22mm
  • Set of metric Allen/hex key's ranging up to 10mm
  • 10mm flare nut wrench for working with brake lines
  • Wire cutters
  • Needle nose pliers
  • Channellock pliers
  • Adjustable wrenches - 4.5-inch, 8-inch, 10-inch. I've found these to be quite valuable for holding a nut when tightening a bolt, or for hex head sizes I don't have a dedicated wrench/socket for (usually aftermarket parts).
  • Several screw drivers: Flat screw driver, Philips screw driver, Long flat screw driver.
  • A retractable razor utility knife
  • Reusable zip ties
  • Some wire
  • Some electrical tape

​

Basic Recovery Gear

Much of the equipment in the basic tool set and OSK can be used as part of a recovery - but in addition to those items, I always have the following with me in the truck. Every one of these items has been used on one trip or another, though none of them are used very often. I'd bring all of these things, even if I wasn't bringing the full OSK.

• Full-size, long fiberglass handle digging shovel - I feel like this is something often overlooked, or where people decide that a little folding shovel will be good enough. I however prefer a tool that is comfortable to use and moves a good amount of material. This year alone, I used it in mud, snow, and sand.
• 30-foot tow strap, rated at 30,000 lbs.
• 8-foot tree saver, rated at 30,000 lbs.
• Smittybuilt snatch block
• 4, 7/8-inch pin shackles - 2 rated at 4.75 ton, and 2 rated at 6.5 ton

I of course also have a Warn M8000-S winch hidden in the front bumper of the truck, but it's usually the last tool I turn to - I've found that most situations don't require a winch to escape.

​

 

[turbodb]

OSK (Oh ******** Kit) - More Tools and Spare Parts

​

My OSK is still a work in progress. I essentially started only basic tools at the beginning of the year, but longer and more remote trips - as well as prodding from others with more experience - have gotten me to start building out this kit. It's definitely still evolving and I don't suggest that it's the complete set of stuff you should have on the trail. Even for me, it'll be interesting to see how it morphs over time.

The OSK containers I use are a 5 gallon bucket (for fluids) and an aluminum, medium-size, military medical case.

Fluids

• 5 qt Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic engine oil - this isn't enough for a full oil change, but it is enough to refill a lot of lost oil, and is likely enough to limp back to town for more oil.
• 1 qt Lucas 80W-90 gear oil - similar to the motor oil, this is enough to refill a leak, but not fully fill a diff. Use it to limp back.
• WD-40 PTFE Dry Lube - This is the WD-40 that I now use as my go-to variant since it's a dry lube and so doesn't attract the dust and dirt so common on the trail.
• MAF cleaner - I've had problems with my MAF a couple of times, so this is now a staple in my kit.
• Throttle Body cleaner - I've never (that I know) had a specific problem with the TB, but this is a good all-purpose cleaner as well, so it is part of the kit.
• Brake fluid - brakes are a key component of a working rig. If a leak happens somewhere, I want to be able to refill any lost fluid - at least enough to limp back to civilization.

​

Parts

• 1 Spare CV axle - I personally carry an aftermarket CV that I was loaned by a buddy, but you can also carry an OEM one as well, if you don't want to perform a second replacement upon your return from a trip.
• Spare Lower Ball Joints - one Left w/bolts (43340-39585), one Right w/bolts (43330-39815) - I carry and use only OEM lower ball joints, as they are known to be of higher quality than any available aftermarket joints.
• Spare AC idler pulley (88440-04040) - these seem to go out all the time, and having a trail spare will relieve you of the dreadful squealing.
• Spare rear u-joint (04371-60070)
• Spare center bearing (37230-35130), often incorrectly called carrier bearing.
• Assortment of spare fuses.

Tools

• ½" drive, 10-150 ft-lb torque wrench
• SAE & metric, 6-point, deep & shallow, 3/8" and 1/2" drive impact socket set - most of these sockets duplicate what's in my basic tool kit size-wise, but having deep sockets in a more complete kit is a lifesaver for certain applications. I find myself using this kit more than I imagined.
• 24" long, ½" drive, breaker bar
• 35mm socket - for removal of the CV axle nut.
• Socket adapter and reducer set (1/2->3/8; 3/8->1/4; 3/8->1/2; 1/4->3/8)
• Pry bars - useful when changing a CV axle.
• 3lb deadblow mallet
• Multimeter - electrical gremlins can be hard to diagnose even with a meter, but they are impossible to figure out without one.
• Assortment of bolts, washers, and nuts ranging from M6 to M14, varying lengths
• Blue (242) Loctite
• Bailing wire

​

Water

I bring 5 gallons in a Scepter (military issue, plastic) jerry can. I generally expect to use ½-1 gallon/day per person. Fill up in town (fuel stations) when running low.

Though water is stored in the jerry can, that's not a convenient way to drink it, or use it for washing. For those activities, we use

• Two Camelback water bottles - these are useful for drinking out of, and stay sealed up when driving.
• Camelback Rogue Hydration Pack - this can store enough water for a longer hike and is also useful for washing dishes - water flow can be started by suction and then continues via siphon at a high enough rate to wash, but low enough rate to not waste too much water.

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Miscellaneous

There are a few things that don't fit well in other categories, so I'll list them here:

• A Trasharoofor all our garbage. We don't generally make much trash on a trip, but any we do (and any we find in camp from previous adventurers) goes into the bag and is forgotten until we get home.
• Low camp chair - I like this model of chair because it's a more reclined position which is comfortable for me when lounging around the fire or reading. I should note that it's not better when eating.
• Several 18-inch long 2x6 boards - for leveling the truck in camp.
• A 2' x 3' astroturf rug/door mat - for the bottom of the RTT ladder, to keep from getting muddy on those rainy nights. And, for laying on if I have to work on the truck while on the dusty trail. Get whatever old mat you can find for free - that's how I got mine!

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Only on Some Trips

There isn't much that I only bring on certain trips, since a bed that isn't full means that things have a tendency to slide around. But, there are a few things that only come along when I think I'll need them.

Chainsaw

• Chainsaw - I decided that if I need a chainsaw, I want it to work, so I purchased a Stihl MS-261 professional saw with a 20" bar. This wasn't a cheap purchase, but it's never let me down...and I know other saws that can't say the same.
• Chainsaw fuel - 1 gallon of pre-mixed fuel/oil mix in a fuel rotopax. This seems to be more than I ever need on a single trip.
• Chainsaw bar oil - 1 qt of Stihl bar oil. Like the fuel, if I need more than this, I should likely find another route around the dead-fall.

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And that's what I've got. I think I've managed to list pretty much everything, but I'm sure there are things that you may feel that I'm missing. I'd love to hear any feedback or suggestions!

 

[jgaz]

very well written “What I pack” article.
Thanks.

I may have missed it, but what dimension are your military boxes?
They look like a very practical depth.

 

[turbodb]

very well written “What I pack” article.
Thanks.

I may have missed it, but what dimension are your military boxes?
They look like a very practice depth.

Thanks!

The military cases are ~31x18" and have depths of 7" (small) and 11" (medium). There's also a large size (that I don't have any of) and I think they are ~20" deep.

 

[ITTOG]

Have you ever been on trails with a lot of brush. Curious how the rtt did with tree limbs and other brush hitting it.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

 

[turbodb]

Have you ever been on trails with a lot of brush. Curious how the rtt did with tree limbs and other brush hitting it.

Well, living in WA, our trails are what I'd like to refer to as "tree tunnels," so yeah, I have plenty of pinstriping from my adventures. Tent does just fine in those situations. Being behind the cab helps to protect it quite a bit, and it's significantly narrower than the truck - like 5" inset on each side. So yeah, not really a problem at all.

 

[luthj]

I didn't see it in your kit (may have missed it), but a clotting sponge may be a worthwhile addition. For severe trauma (gunshot, arterial bleed, etc) it can stop the bleeding providing time to get to a hospital.

 

[turbodb]

I didn't see it in your kit (may have missed it), but a clotting sponge may be a worthwhile addition. For severe trauma (gunshot, arterial bleed, etc) it can stop the bleeding providing time to get to a hospital.

Thanks, it's something I've known about but never put into the kit.

 

[turbodb]

Bye Bye Toytec, New UCA's and ADS Shocks in the Front

What can I say? It's the end of an era, sort of. Really, it's the end of a transition period for the Tacoma - a time when it was transitioning from daily driver and home renovation hauler to a more dedicated exploration vehicle. It was nearly three years ago that this transition started, one of my first modifications being a new Toytec BOSS lift in order to support the Relentless armor I was soon to install.

​

Over the last three years, that @Toytec Lifts setup has done everything I could have asked of it. No, that's not right - it's done more than I could have asked. When I installed the setup, I didn't know all that much about off-roading with Tacoma's and I thought that the BOSS coilovers would be my last and only upgrade of the suspension - after all, the OEM stuff had lasted me 16 years...this aftermarket stuff was bound to last longer than that.

I knew at the time that I wasn't getting the best - I wasn't ready to shell out for King, Icon, or Fox. But I also felt like I was getting something pretty good for a reasonable price. And I still feel that way - BOSSes are a great set of coilovers for someone who's getting into off-road adventures but isn't sure exactly how much they'll do. A tester / introductory set of suspension as it were!

Of course in my case, the last three years has been dramatically different for the truck. Gone are the days of simple trips around town and the occasional forest service road or weekend out exploring. Now, a "normal" trip involves 1000 miles of pavement just to reach dirt, and then a week or two of bouncing around, before driving another 1000 miles of pavement home.

And there are a lot of those trips.

So it's time to upgrade the suspension. The Toytec stuff is worn out (understandably) and it's not rebuildable (by design) and frankly it's no longer a good fit for my use of the truck. It's time to step up to the best - or at least, the best class (since everyone will argue that their favorite brand is the real best ).

I started with the rear - choosing 10" stroke ADS 2.5" shocks - just because of how my calendar worked out. With those installed and the bugs worked out, it was time to get going on the front. As with the rear, I'd considered all the major players - King, Icon, Fox, etc. before settling on 2.5" ADS coilovers with remote resi's. I'd heard good things about them and I liked the idea of having a consistent setup on all four corners.

But that wasn't all. I figured that while I was mucking around, I should also finally take the plunge on new upper control arms (UCA's). This would hopefully give me more downtravel (droop), and - since I decided to go with SPC 25460 arms - the ability to adjust tire position in the wheel well, hopefully moving it forward just a bit so it didn't rub so much when turning.

And with that, I had all my parts and it was time to get started.

​

Almost. I also had to gather up a few of the special tools I'd need to make the job easier - specifically to make separation of the upper ball joint from the UCA and upper ball joint from the spindle easier.

• OTC 6295 Front End Service Kit - contains tie rod puller 7503, used to separate the UCA from the ball joint.
• OTC 7249 Ball Joint (and U-Joint) Service Kit - essentially a huge c-clamp used to press the ball joint out of the spindle.
• OTC 38354 Receiving cup for Toyota - needed to capture the ball joint as it's pressed out of the spindle.

My plan of attack was relatively simple - replace the Upper Control Arm first, then swap out the Toytec suspension for the new ADS variant. I had only one real question: should I remove the spindle (extra work) to press out the upper ball joint, or leave it installed (more precarious).

In the end, I decided that with two sides of the truck to do, I'd try it both ways. Experiment for science! :biggrin:

So, with that, I jacked up the front of the truck and got it on jack stands before removing the wheels.

​

Having decided to remove the entire spindle on the driver side - since it seemed more straight forward, even if it was a bit more work - my next order of business was to remove the various brake and ABS speed sensors from the UCA and spindle.

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And then the brake caliper and rotor, which I hung from the spring of the Toytec coilover so as to avoid any unnecessary tension on the brake line.

​

Then, it was off with the center hub and axle nut, and then finally the four lower ball joint bolts so that I could separate the spindle from the lower control arm. I always hate taking off the center hub - mine is still pretty tight and it always feels like it's extra difficult to get a screwdriver between it and the knuckle to pry them apart.

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At this point, things were going swimmingly well I thought - the only thing left to do was to remove the long bolt that secures the upper control arm. Of course, it's just when things are going swimmingly that you run into something unexpected, and this time was no exception. I knew these bolts were difficult to access, but as I looked down into the engine bay I realized that I needed to remove the battery, yellow airbag sensor, and battery wiring harness in order to make room to extract the bolt.

More work, but it could definitely have been worse!

​

And with that, I was ready to remove the bolt and take everything out as a unit.

​

Then, I was faced with the impetuous behind this entire ordeal - the upper ball joint connection between the UCA and spindle.

​

 

[turbodb]

I pulled out the OTC 7503 tie rod puller from the OTC 6295 Front End Service Kit and lined everything up. Everything I'd heard suggested that I could be in for an explosive separation when the upper ball joint stud pushed out of the UCA - so I gingerly tightened the screw while squinting behind my safety glasses and ear plugs.

I eventually got that big explosion - parts and tools seemingly flying everywhere when the tension was released. So, after checking my pants, I reset for the next operation - pushing the upper ball joint out of the spindle using the OTC 7249 Ball Joint Service Kit and OTC 38354 Receiving cup for Toyota. Oh, and a big old impact wrench.

I wasn't totally sure this was going to work - I was pushing on the stud of the ball joint rather than on the rim of the cup - but after a few big impacts with the Milwaukee Mid-Torque, the joint pushed right out. Whew.

A bit of emery cloth cleaned up the inner surface nicely to accept the new SPC insert, which pushed in easily and was secured with a c-clip.

I knew I was on the home stretch now - the only thing left was to lubricate the SpecRide bushings with the supplied "super special™" grease, insert the metal sleeves, and install the arm onto the truck. Of course, there was also the re-installation of the entire spindle assembly - time consuming, but a straight forward process essentially the reverse of removal.

New SPC UCA installed, it was time to tackle the coilover replacement. This would be a similarly straight forward - though a bit shorter - process. I got started by removing the lower shock mount bolt, and the three nuts on the shock tower that secured the old coilover.

With the spring and shock removed, this was the time to check for any clearance issues I'd have with the new UCA setup. If there were any, I could use the SPC patented caster adjuster in the UCA to move the wheel forward up to ¾" - hopefully alleviating any rubbing.

I moved the floor jack under the lower control arm and pushed it up until the bump stop engaged.

Then, I took a look at the situation. It wasn't good - the SPC UCA had moved the wheel toward the rear of the wheel well, and the rubbing was quite bad when the wheel was turned.

So, I adjusted the caster forward as much as possible (setting G) and then lowered and removed the wheel - it was time to install the new ADS coilover! This went much more smoothly than my install of the Toytec BOSS coils - likely because I'm just more familiar with how the truck works - and within a few minutes I had both the upper and lower nuts and bolts in and torqued to spec.

Last but not least, I had a "new part" to secure - the remote reservoir. With only one real place that it fit due to the length of the hose and space in the wheel well, all that stood between me and the finish line was drilling three holes in the frame for the bracket and then attaching the reservoir itself with some band clamps.

And with that, I was ready to hit some bumps. Except that I wasn't - 'cause well, I still had to do the passenger side and get an alignment.

Of course, I won't bore you will all that - frankly, I'm impressed if you've made it this far in the first place ? - but I will highlight just a couple interesting points with the passenger side install. Because, you may recall that I was going to do it differently - for science - by leaving the spindle installed (to save time).

First of all - I found that getting the long UCA bolt out of the passenger side is most easily done by removing the air intake box as well as the yellow airbag sensor and a couple bolts that secure a brake line that's in the way of the bolt. With those things out of the way, the bolt slides right out.

As far as the experiment goes, there were really only two interesting pieces:

First - separating the UCA from the upper ball joint while the spindle is still attached. This process went easily enough, and I was less prone to needing a change of underwear, knowing what to expect the second time through.

Second - pressing the ball joint out of the spindle. I was able to get the spindle angled out of the wheel well just enough to fit the C-clamp, receiving cup, and impact wrench. However, upon pressing out the ball joint, I actually ended up pressing the stud and ball through the bottom of the ball joint itself!

Yep. ?

Luckily, I had the right sized cylinders and whatnot in the OTC 7249 Ball Joint Service Kit to press out the bottom of the ball joint out of the spindle, and hey - on the positive side I got to see the internal construction of the joint! Win.

One thing I noticed was that the cup of the ball joint was deformed in one spot, and this spot corresponded to where the stud of the ball joint had contacted it at full droop. I must have really bashed the passenger side at some point to accomplish this feat - a bit surprising given my standard operating speed of "slow."

At any rate, the rest of the passenger side install went smoothly, and I'd say that the experiment resulted in a truly spectacular result of "meh" - both methods work and neither is significantly better than the other. I guess if I had to recommend one or the other, I'd suggest that if you're working alone, take the spindle out entirely and if you have a partner in crime who can hold it while you position the various press components, you might as well leave it in.

Either way - in the end, you get the same thing: awesomeness.

Oh, and with the new components, I was interested to see how my height and droop were affected. Not much it turns out.

• Lift height measured from ground-to-frame at cab mount: before - 19"; after - 19 3/8", which I'm sure will settle a bit.
• Droop distance measured from ground-to-frame at cab mount: before - 21 3/4"; after - 22 1/2".

 

[ITTOG]

How do the tires sit in the wheel well after adjusting the UCA's? Any rubbing at all, full lock?

 

[turbodb]

How do the tires sit in the wheel well after adjusting the UCA's? Any rubbing at all, full lock?

Still some rubbing in the back corner of the wheel well/fender flare due to the 3.5" backspacing on the SCS wheels. I didn't actually expect much change in the rubbing with the UCAs, since my adjustment really just got me back to 0 degrees caster (i.e. back to stock position).

The real reason I installed the UCAs was to get the most out of the shocks. Really though, I think I'd have been fine sticking with the stock UCAs; I don't have a lot more travel with the ADS shocks than I did with the Toytec shocks I had installed previously. (Obviously, there are other benefits to the ADS as well, like rebuildability, performance, etc. - and I'm quite happy with them.)

 

[ITTOG]

Still some rubbing in the back corner of the wheel well/fender flare due to the 3.5" backspacing on the SCS wheels. I didn't actually expect much change in the rubbing with the UCAs, since my adjustment really just got me back to 0 degrees caster (i.e. back to stock position).

The real reason I installed the UCAs was to get the most out of the shocks. Really though, I think I'd have been fine sticking with the stock UCAs; I don't have a lot more travel with the ADS shocks than I did with the Toytec shocks I had installed previously. (Obviously, there are other benefits to the ADS as well, like rebuildability, performance, etc. - and I'm quite happy with them.)

Just curious because I just put Fox 2.5's and bigger tires on my F150 but didn't change the UCA's. I don't have rubbing issues but wanted to know the impact you had in case I ever have rubbing with even larger tires.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

 

[turbodb]

Before it even began, the trip was off to a rough start. See, we'd planned - if you can call deciding to go on a trip just a few days prior to departure, "planning" - to leave two weeks earlier, but inclement weather caused us to push the trip back. Even so, the weather report was iffy just a few days before the new date - something we decided we'd ignore so we could get out and explore.

Check out the first two days:

The Day the Tent Closed...with Us Inside
and
We Luck Out and It's Beautiful
for the full story and all the pics

 

[1leglance]

Your blog is one of the few I go to directly when at work, I never have to worry about anything other than amazing pics and a great story,
Most of the time I just read forum trip reports but I have your blog locked in my memory.
Great stories as always,