Boden Build - 2015 Tacoma DCLB 4wd
- Thread starter tacozord
- Start date
tacozord
Adventurer
That Unimog is @perkymog on Instagram, and it's a great feed
That's awesome! Thank you. I figured someone around here would recognize it.
Captain Obvious
New member
The quality of your work is really inspiring. I'm going to attempt making a rear seat platform similar to yours. Thanks for documenting and sharing your rig!
tacozord
Adventurer
Thank you. Best of luck with your platform.
As an aside, I now have a squeak that I think is associated with the platform. Perhaps one of the bolts has vibrated loose or something. I need to investigate further, because so far I can't pin-point its location while driving. All I know is that it's behind me somewhere.
Your ICON Add a Leaf
Thank you for sharing the build of your Tacoma. I have the same year and currently starting to get more serious about my build. I am using Bilstein 6112's in the front and 5160's with remotes reservoirs on the rear. Trying to get just a bit more lift for the rear to bring it up another 1.5 inches. I am going to go with the Icon AAL's like you have done and wanted to get your experience regarding extended capacity (Gear). I have added up all my gear including a Snugtop Shell, racks, etc... and have around 750 lbs total which would include storage drawer setup and ARB frig on sliding rails system. Appreciate any feedback on your setup's total weight when you are in the field.
Thank you for sharing the build of your Tacoma. I have the same year and currently starting to get more serious about my build. I am using Bilstein 6112's in the front and 5160's with remotes reservoirs on the rear. Trying to get just a bit more lift for the rear to bring it up another 1.5 inches. I am going to go with the Icon AAL's like you have done and wanted to get your experience regarding extended capacity (Gear). I have added up all my gear including a Snugtop Shell, racks, etc... and have around 750 lbs total which would include storage drawer setup and ARB frig on sliding rails system. Appreciate any feedback on your setup's total weight when you are in the field.
tacozord
Adventurer
Hey, sorry for the late response. I've been in Alaska and just returned.
So...I don't think the Icon AAL is going to be sufficient for your needs. I'm already seeing the limitations once I put my shell on, which weighs about 300lbs. I haven't built out my bed for storage and such yet, but once I do, I'll be upgrading my leafs to handle the load with either an Expo pack or custom springs. I hope that helps.
The work you have done to make this picture what it is, is inspiring. Thank you for these posts during your build.
soonenough
Explorer
tacozord
Adventurer
Hey Ryan. Thanks for asking. It's been a while since I've updated my build page, which was initially because I took some time off modifying the truck and to save some money. But after a while, life took over with various things. Anyway, I've done a few mods that I'm happy to share. So stay tuned...
tacozord
Adventurer
About a year ago, I installed a Tailgate Reinforcement Plate and Tailgate Reinforcement Cap from Mobtown Offroad. These were modestly priced and a very easy mod. But I gotta tell you, this is one of my favorite modifications to the truck. I always hated the ribbed tailgate plate, because the uneven surface made it a pain to set down beers and other things. (Emphasis on the beers!) Also, I tend to kneel on the tailgate while getting in and out of the truck, and the ribbed plate was so uncomfortable on the knees. Therefore, I bought the smooth version of the reinforcement plate from Mobtown.
Go out and buy this now!!! You won't regret it.
Go out and buy this now!!! You won't regret it.
tacozord
Adventurer
Last October, I finally got around to installing an ARB 50QT fridge. I wanted a dual slide-out that would accommodate a stove as well. But what I found available for sale, was bulky and didn't fit in with my overall plan for bed storage. So when I built this, I had a loose strategy for my storage system, yet everything needed to fit perfectly without much tolerance.
I didn't take super detailed pics of the entire build process, but this should give you an idea of how I started. Notice that I used 13AWG steel for the side walls. This was necessary to save over an inch of width in the bed. And believe it or not, this made a big difference, which you'll see in future posts.
The box that holds the slides is made of 3/4" and 1/2" Baltic Birch. The compartment on the right will have two drawers. The placement of the unit is as far to the right as possible due to the wheel-well. Also, the Action Packer is there for a reason, because it'll be retained in the long run for storage. To the left of the Action Packer will be my gas cans, which you'll see in the future. Anyway, imagine the entire fridge slide-out wider if I used plywood instead of steel plates for the slide walls. The action packer would have been slid to the left that much further and prevented me from having a place for my gas cans or ample storage on the left-hand side of the bed.
With both platforms slid out, I have great access to the stove and fridge. FYI, I used full extension drawer slides that I was able to purchase from Anderson Plywood, located in Culver City, CA. Also, the gas can in this pic is my old one. I ultimately upgraded to two 3-gallon RotoPax gas cans. This was a planned purchase for my overall storage build out and affected the build of the fridge slide.
Here's a shot of the two drawers.
They're held in with rare-earth magnets.
Next up was disassembly and paint. These are the steel panels. Lot's of planning and holes.
After re-assembly...
Here's the main carcass. Notice the cut-out on the bottom-right side. This allows me to remove the drawers and still have access to the OEM storage compartment in the truck. It's like a secret stash.
This is the back side. The cut-outs are for venting of the fridge. The small hole is for the power cord, but I don't think I ended up using it.
I didn't take super detailed pics of the entire build process, but this should give you an idea of how I started. Notice that I used 13AWG steel for the side walls. This was necessary to save over an inch of width in the bed. And believe it or not, this made a big difference, which you'll see in future posts.
The box that holds the slides is made of 3/4" and 1/2" Baltic Birch. The compartment on the right will have two drawers. The placement of the unit is as far to the right as possible due to the wheel-well. Also, the Action Packer is there for a reason, because it'll be retained in the long run for storage. To the left of the Action Packer will be my gas cans, which you'll see in the future. Anyway, imagine the entire fridge slide-out wider if I used plywood instead of steel plates for the slide walls. The action packer would have been slid to the left that much further and prevented me from having a place for my gas cans or ample storage on the left-hand side of the bed.
With both platforms slid out, I have great access to the stove and fridge. FYI, I used full extension drawer slides that I was able to purchase from Anderson Plywood, located in Culver City, CA. Also, the gas can in this pic is my old one. I ultimately upgraded to two 3-gallon RotoPax gas cans. This was a planned purchase for my overall storage build out and affected the build of the fridge slide.
Here's a shot of the two drawers.
They're held in with rare-earth magnets.
Next up was disassembly and paint. These are the steel panels. Lot's of planning and holes.
After re-assembly...
Here's the main carcass. Notice the cut-out on the bottom-right side. This allows me to remove the drawers and still have access to the OEM storage compartment in the truck. It's like a secret stash.
This is the back side. The cut-outs are for venting of the fridge. The small hole is for the power cord, but I don't think I ended up using it.
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tacozord
Adventurer
Although the drawers are not installed in this pic, it's complete and ready for me to move on to electrical and then overall bed storage.
One last detail...I didn't buy locking slide-outs. That would have been nice, but they weren't available at the time. Furthermore, they're also thicker than the non-locking ones, which would have added more overall width. I didn't have any width to spare as you'll see in future posts. Anyway, I used a simple slide-bolt to lock the slide in place, one for the stove and another for the fridge. There's also another one on the rear that I can use when parked on an incline to prevent it from sliding back in.
Finally, the entire unit is bolted into the bed using 1/4-20 bolts and rivet nuts. I used part number: 97217A393 from McMaster Carr.
https://www.mcmaster.com/#97217a393/=1cr7el1
One last detail...I didn't buy locking slide-outs. That would have been nice, but they weren't available at the time. Furthermore, they're also thicker than the non-locking ones, which would have added more overall width. I didn't have any width to spare as you'll see in future posts. Anyway, I used a simple slide-bolt to lock the slide in place, one for the stove and another for the fridge. There's also another one on the rear that I can use when parked on an incline to prevent it from sliding back in.
Finally, the entire unit is bolted into the bed using 1/4-20 bolts and rivet nuts. I used part number: 97217A393 from McMaster Carr.
https://www.mcmaster.com/#97217a393/=1cr7el1
tacozord
Adventurer
After I completed the fridge install, I needed to get power to it. This was the perfect opportunity to install a 2nd battery in the bed. I ended up using an IBS Dual Battery System monitor, which has worked out great so far. Sure it's pricier than other setups, but I like the design and functionality of it.
IBS-DBS Dual Battery System with Microprocessor
Relay Booster Module
Both of these were purchased from Sierra Expeditions
I also purchased the Goose-Neck Mount, but ended up not using it. The truth is, I didn't know exactly how I was going to mount it, so I thought I'd need it. In the end, I like where I ended up mounting the control monitor directly to my center console.
In order to mount the monitor at this location, I had to cut and pass the wires through a hole and grommet.
I then shortened and spliced back together.
The main wiring harness plugged into this, and I snaked it under the carpet and through the firewall, where it connected with the solenoid and RBM that I mounted at the back of the engine compartment driver-side. This is right next to my Bussmann RTMR, which can be seen in the pic.
I used 1/0 AWG welding cable to connect the two batteries together. I had a bit of a challenge figuring out the best way to route the cables from the engine compartment to the rear of the vehicle. In the end, I chose to go down the driver side, but this brought it very close to an exhaust manifold. Therefore, I bought some heat shielding to protect it.
From the front driver-side fender, you can see how the cabling travels down and towards the rear.
For my 2nd battery, I chose an Odyssey 34-PC1500T, which I purchased from Amazon.
I used a Noco HM318BKS Group 24-31 battery box that I bought from Amazon. This was installed in the front passenger-side corner of the bed. Also note that I cut a piece of plywood, which was bolted to the bed using rivet nuts. Then the battery box was strapped to it using an Atwood 9013A3 battery strap.
To protect the positive 1/0AWG cable from this battery to the solenoid between the two batteries, I used an ANL fuse installed at the 2nd battery. Since the battery box was bigger than my battery, I had room to install the fuse inside the box. I made a platform out of plywood to mount it to something, and I think it works out perfectly.
IBS-DBS Dual Battery System with Microprocessor
Relay Booster Module
Both of these were purchased from Sierra Expeditions
I also purchased the Goose-Neck Mount, but ended up not using it. The truth is, I didn't know exactly how I was going to mount it, so I thought I'd need it. In the end, I like where I ended up mounting the control monitor directly to my center console.
In order to mount the monitor at this location, I had to cut and pass the wires through a hole and grommet.
I then shortened and spliced back together.
The main wiring harness plugged into this, and I snaked it under the carpet and through the firewall, where it connected with the solenoid and RBM that I mounted at the back of the engine compartment driver-side. This is right next to my Bussmann RTMR, which can be seen in the pic.
I used 1/0 AWG welding cable to connect the two batteries together. I had a bit of a challenge figuring out the best way to route the cables from the engine compartment to the rear of the vehicle. In the end, I chose to go down the driver side, but this brought it very close to an exhaust manifold. Therefore, I bought some heat shielding to protect it.
From the front driver-side fender, you can see how the cabling travels down and towards the rear.
For my 2nd battery, I chose an Odyssey 34-PC1500T, which I purchased from Amazon.
I used a Noco HM318BKS Group 24-31 battery box that I bought from Amazon. This was installed in the front passenger-side corner of the bed. Also note that I cut a piece of plywood, which was bolted to the bed using rivet nuts. Then the battery box was strapped to it using an Atwood 9013A3 battery strap.
To protect the positive 1/0AWG cable from this battery to the solenoid between the two batteries, I used an ANL fuse installed at the 2nd battery. Since the battery box was bigger than my battery, I had room to install the fuse inside the box. I made a platform out of plywood to mount it to something, and I think it works out perfectly.
tacozord
Adventurer
Once the 2nd battery was installed, I built another Bussmann RTMR to accommodate the accessories in the bed. The fridge would obviously be connected, but I also wanted various other accessories that I'll show in future posts. Several parts were required.
I used a small bracket that I purchased from a Tacoma World member by the name of Yotamac.
I used a Blue Sea 12 circuit terminal block, part #2512, to connect the Bussmann to the accessories instead of individual connectors.
https://www.bluesea.com/products/2512/Terminal_Block_30A_-_12_Circuit
I used a Blue Sea MaxiBus Insulating Cover, part #2718. This is used to protect the terminal block above, but isn't designed to accommodate this specific terminal block. Therefore, I had to modify it a bit, but it worked out great.
https://www.bluesea.com/products/2718/MaxiBus_Insulating_Cover_for_PN_2105_and_2126
I used a Blue Sea 150A 10 gang Bus Bar, part #2301. This is used to connect all the accessory grounds.
https://www.bluesea.com/products/2301/Common_150A_BusBar_-_10_Gang
And then I got to wiring. I used a small piece of plywood to mount everything, which was then attached to the bed of the truck with bolts and rivet nuts.
Although the design of this build is different than what my tutorial outlines, the principles are the same. The terminal block allows me to connect the individual circuits to the Bussmann without having to access the bottom of it and instead of individual connectors.
In the following picture, the bus bar on the bottom is for accessory grounds. The plug on the right is to connect the switch harness, which extends to the rear of the truck where the switches will be mounted. The white plug at the top left is to a secondary dome light switch, which I'll outline in the future. The black plug at top left is to the dome light itself. The ANL fuse protects the Bussmann RTMR.
This panel was mounted to the bed wall near my auxiliary battery. Notice the cover is in place over the terminal block, which helps protect it.
I used a small bracket that I purchased from a Tacoma World member by the name of Yotamac.
I used a Blue Sea 12 circuit terminal block, part #2512, to connect the Bussmann to the accessories instead of individual connectors.
https://www.bluesea.com/products/2512/Terminal_Block_30A_-_12_Circuit
I used a Blue Sea MaxiBus Insulating Cover, part #2718. This is used to protect the terminal block above, but isn't designed to accommodate this specific terminal block. Therefore, I had to modify it a bit, but it worked out great.
https://www.bluesea.com/products/2718/MaxiBus_Insulating_Cover_for_PN_2105_and_2126
I used a Blue Sea 150A 10 gang Bus Bar, part #2301. This is used to connect all the accessory grounds.
https://www.bluesea.com/products/2301/Common_150A_BusBar_-_10_Gang
And then I got to wiring. I used a small piece of plywood to mount everything, which was then attached to the bed of the truck with bolts and rivet nuts.
Although the design of this build is different than what my tutorial outlines, the principles are the same. The terminal block allows me to connect the individual circuits to the Bussmann without having to access the bottom of it and instead of individual connectors.
In the following picture, the bus bar on the bottom is for accessory grounds. The plug on the right is to connect the switch harness, which extends to the rear of the truck where the switches will be mounted. The white plug at the top left is to a secondary dome light switch, which I'll outline in the future. The black plug at top left is to the dome light itself. The ANL fuse protects the Bussmann RTMR.
This panel was mounted to the bed wall near my auxiliary battery. Notice the cover is in place over the terminal block, which helps protect it.