Help/Advice in tundra for mild expeditioning

[JonS]

I'm new here. This past fall I picked up a used 2002 Tundra ac 4wd TRD. I chose the Tundra because I pull a travel trailer a lot and I didn't want to go with a full size truck. I really like the truck. I recently sold a business and I've got a lot of time to do some trips. I'll be spending several months as a kayak fishing guide in the Everglades next fall/winter/spring but after that I want to take an extended (few months) trip to baja. My truck is basically stock. I've added a front hitch, a cap, and a Thule rack that I reinforced to the shell. I will need to transport a few kayaks. One has a pair of 9' outriggers so it really is two. So I'll have 4 kayaks on the roof.
I've been looking around and the obvioius is there's a lot less info on setting up a Tundra for this type of stuff. I'm not interested in hardcore off roading other then to get to fishing spots in remote areas. I own a '91 Pathfinder that I've off roaded forever and it's still stock other then good rubber. So I don't need the Tundra to be an animal. Since I'll be alone alot I don't want to get stuck.
In the mid 80s I spent a few years working in a business running trips to baja. I'm familiar with a lot of what to expect. Back then I had a F250 supercab with 12.50s. One of our trucks had a 12K winch. We only used the winch for retrieving boats from remote beaches. It was interesting pulling a 5K boat up a beach. Anyway I know I want to go considerably wider then stock for floatation in sandy beach areas. If I do have to lift the truck I'd like to lift as little as possible as the majority of the use will be for pavement. After the baja trip I might travel north america kayak fishing and I'd be back to towing the travel trailer. I'd love to add an auxillary gas tank below but have yet to find one for a Tundra. I'm going to go with dual batteries and set up the rear as a bed camper. I'll add a fridge/freezer too. So I'm basically asking for info and ideas. Thanks and I love the site.

 

[jim65wagon]

With no lift and no effort you can get a 265/75/16 on the Tundra. We ran this size for a few years and it did great on the beach in NC. Its a good size for the Tundra and you can get any kind of tire you desire in that size. If you want wider, you'll have to do some lifting and "massaging" with a BFH. Going to a rim with a bit less backspacing helps keep the sidewall off the upper control arm.

I went the taller, narrower route which required a very small lift and a very minor massage. A bit more work with a BFH and I could probably get by without the lift altogether, but I think it sits right the way it is.

The Tundra is a great truck and will serve you well. Winch, front hitch, dual batts, and a fridge. Good set of tires and you can be gone for days. If you get real needy a locker in the rear and a set of real skidplates and rock sliders would be on the list.

Oh yeah, welcome to the club...

 

[JonS]

Jim thanks.

 

[Blacknmuddy]

As far as the gas tank, have not seen one done, but is completely possible if you talk to the right people. This website has alot of conversion info for tundras, these guys are very informative, drop them an email and see what can be done. http://www.teddnet.com/ or even www.tundrasolutions.com

 

[devinsixtyseven]

Check out the auxiliary fuel threads here. In general, I've found the DIY approach is the best option with the Tundra, since there just isn't much aftermarket support outside prerunner equipment. Most of the real "expedition" mods are DIY anyway, and the people and information here are top shelf.

If you only have two people in the truck, pull the back seat entirely...remove the plastic-covered foam sheets and put some foam in the cab vents behind the seat to cut the noise and the dust. You'll be amazed at how much room is back there, without the bench seat. I have a pic on my build thread here of the entire cab, stripped...it's cavernous.

I've only done a few real "expedition" type mods to the truck, and they were mostly based on things guys here had done, just applied to the Tundra. It's pretty easy to add recessed D-ring tiedowns to the large channels in the bed, and you can fit a large quantity of water in the darndest places...there is a lot of empty space on the truck, everywhere from inside the bedsides to inside the seat backs, if you have captain's chairs. Even the back of the bench seat is voluminous, if you want to keep the seat and attach things to the inside rear of the cab. There are rubber grommets everywhere on the floor, too, if you want/need to run cables, air or water lines in the cab.

There's also a ton of space inside the passenger side frame rail, and between the crossmembers and the bed--ie over the spare tire.

I've found a little quality time under the truck with a measuring tape goes a long ways ...the "toaster oven" approach works well too--take it all apart and see if you can get it back together again .

Tundrasolutions is a great place to start if you want to add things to help your offroad capability, but right here is by far the best place to learn about adding things to extend your range and improve your comfort offroad! IMHO the only "offroad" upgrades a Tundra really needs for this sort of thing are springs and shocks to handle the extra weight...it's easy to hit 6000# with everything.

-Sean

*edit* BTW Tedd, Jon, Mike, Joe and the rest of the guys with trucks at Teddnet are all on Tundrasolutions...post up in the Offroad forum, we'll see it