New Guy planning....help please!

[XPEDITIONREADY]

Allow me to introduce myself, as I am new to this site. Spent most of my time over on ttora back a couple years ago but have been out of the game for a bit. My name is Ben. I am in charlotte, nc and my wife and I have bought a new tacoma with the intent to build up for expo travel. I started in the rock crawling world and have since migrated to this mentality.....

Heres how it began more or less....

built to this.....

and now to the latest.....sorry for the cell phone pic

Now, my wife and i are planning a trip across America. We are really excited about it and have begun planning and are starting to build the truck up for the trip one part and mod at a time. We will be starting here in charlotte and going south to visit family in baton rouge for a day and then heading west eventually ending up in Washington and then coming back. the trip will be approximately 20days and the planning of destinations will be a part of another post. Mild 4wheeling will be a part of the trip as visiting places out west have been a rock crawlers dream growing up on the east coast. this is the major trip we are planning but we will be getting into expo travel for weekend getaways on the east coast on a more regular basis.

The truck is a 2010 access cab, 4cyl 5speed 4wd.
the plans for the truck:
bud built skids
sliders
tires
can-back top
home made sleep platform with storage beneath
ARB front bumper with m8000 winch
Mild lift, thinking OME front and rear.

Now for questions to the pros as we are new to expo travel.....
1.)OME front coils, thinking 886s but am wondering about 4cyl weight. Planning on bumper and winch and skids so will these be the weight we want?

2.)Tires, not planning on regearing before trip so want the best performance and fuel mileage again with the 4cyl. Planning on KM2 so 255/85/16 or 265/75/16? I know the 255s are taller and narrower while the 265s are wider so which will be the better choice?

3.) Gas tank skid necessary? How tough is that plastic unprotected? Also not set on bud built skids so opinions on ATO or all pro vs BB would be helpful.

4.) Which top would you go for? I want a canvas top because it will not stay on the truck all the time since I haul dirtbikes often so it will be easier to remove and store. I have always liked can-back due to quality but they are pricey and the last time i tried to order one it was like a 6 month back order. since then they have changed owner i think so who knows how they are now. Any suggestions?

5.) Any good resources on links to bed platforms would be helpful as well.

thats all I can think of for now but i am sure i will think of more. i appreciate any advice you can give to a new guy to expo travel. Thanks!

Ben

 

[WASURF63]

Allow me to introduce myself, as I am new to this site. Spent most of my time over on ttora back a couple years ago but have been out of the game for a bit. My name is Ben. I am in charlotte, nc and my wife and I have bought a new tacoma with the intent to build up for expo travel. I started in the rock crawling world and have since migrated to this mentality.....

Heres how it began more or less....

built to this.....

and now to the latest.....sorry for the cell phone pic

Now, my wife and i are planning a trip across America. We are really excited about it and have begun planning and are starting to build the truck up for the trip one part and mod at a time. We will be starting here in charlotte and going south to visit family in baton rouge for a day and then heading west eventually ending up in Washington and then coming back. the trip will be approximately 20days and the planning of destinations will be a part of another post. Mild 4wheeling will be a part of the trip as visiting places out west have been a rock crawlers dream growing up on the east coast. this is the major trip we are planning but we will be getting into expo travel for weekend getaways on the east coast on a more regular basis.

The truck is a 2010 access cab, 4cyl 5speed 4wd.
the plans for the truck:
bud built skids
sliders
tires
can-back top
home made sleep platform with storage beneath
ARB front bumper with m8000 winch
Mild lift, thinking OME front and rear.

Now for questions to the pros as we are new to expo travel.....
1.)OME front coils, thinking 886s but am wondering about 4cyl weight. Planning on bumper and winch and skids so will these be the weight we want?

2.)Tires, not planning on regearing before trip so want the best performance and fuel mileage again with the 4cyl. Planning on KM2 so 255/85/16 or 265/75/16? I know the 255s are taller and narrower while the 265s are wider so which will be the better choice?

3.) Gas tank skid necessary? How tough is that plastic unprotected? Also not set on bud built skids so opinions on ATO or all pro vs BB would be helpful.

4.) Which top would you go for? I want a canvas top because it will not stay on the truck all the time since I haul dirtbikes often so it will be easier to remove and store. I have always liked can-back due to quality but they are pricey and the last time i tried to order one it was like a 6 month back order. since then they have changed owner i think so who knows how they are now. Any suggestions?

5.) Any good resources on links to bed platforms would be helpful as well.

thats all I can think of for now but i am sure i will think of more. i appreciate any advice you can give to a new guy to expo travel. Thanks!

Ben

Welcome to ExPo Ben!

1.) ARB bumper and winch; you'll be glad you chose the 886's capability to handle the extra weight up front. OME all around is an xlnt combo for the Tacoma as well.

2.) 255/85/16, regear. 265/75/16 no regear necessary.

3.) The plastic gas tank skid will take hard rock scuffs but would rec something more stout when you can afford it. Your crawler background will probably lead you down more than fire roads or mild trails. On the other hand if the most your new rig will see is fire roads,etc probably not necessary at this point.

4.) For your trip across America you might consider a lockable tonneau or canopy. A little more peace of mind with any valuable gear you're unable to put in the cab. Check your local Craigslist for deals.
If you go with a Can-Back, a lockable bed storage/sleeping platform would probably be a good idea too.
Question is, how much time do you have before you leave on your trip?

5.) Check out the "Storage Solutions" section or just do a search on sleeping platforms/bed storage etc. There are some great builds here on ExPo. Check out "bajataco.com" too.

Good luck and have fun with your build.

 

[AlwaysExplr87]

Welcome man, good to have more NC folks around. That taco is going to be a great platform to build on. I cant comment on the OME springs but I can say that I've been running 265/75/16s for a while without any real decrease in MPG with highway driving (23-24 mixed, 25-26 hiqhway). I'm considering 255s as my next tire but all in all have been perfectly happy with the 265s.

I love the look of the bestop softopper campers and Can-backs and see where it would be practical but if your planning to run cross-country I second the opinion you might want something lockable. The security is a huge peace of mind and will let you sleep anywhere without bringing much attention to yourself and keeping you safe. Another advantage is a hard shell is much easier to add a roof rack to. I found mine on craiglist for under $400 and its not too much of a pain to take it off with another person around.

I have pics of my platform I can send you but there is a ton of info here. Bajataco's is great and there are some excelent ones around but many of these are heavy and more permanent than you might like.

One last thing to keep in mind is try to keep the weight down, the 2.7 is great little motor but can get a little slug-like in the hills full of camping gear.

Heres a picture of my truck from a few months back, I'm running 265/75s with no lift just to give you an idea.

 

[Ford Prefect]

I would personally avoid going really into a winch bumper. As you know the ARB is a MASSIVE bumper, and seeing as you are not planning on killing any kangaroos, I would go MUCH smaller, if at all. You know how to wheel, and you know what you can do, so just stay away from anything that needs a winch. Use your Hi-lift for the rest.

You are going to hate your 4cyl in Colorado, Utah, Montana, Wyo, CA, and parts of Idaho, so be aware of that.

I would REALLY recomend going with a solid topper. You can pick one up in the paper, junk yards, or craigslist, and when you get home just sell it for what you paid for it. The Lock is a big deal there. People will swipe your gear in a heartbeat.

As for your sleeping platform, I would really go with a wood platform with doors you can open in various places, allowing ease of access, without being required to spend cash on something you can build yourself.

Hey that is MY two cents, and I wish you BEST OF LUCK! I hope you are able to work out something that works for you! You might even consider looking into a flip-pac. Those things are awesome for what you are thinking about doing.

Personally I find this form of travel to be far more fulfilling than crawling, coming from a crawling background myself.

Cheers!!

 

[1leglance]

Save the money on gear and just go
If it was ME and so please understand we are talking ME...
the order of importance for a 20 day camping trip using your rig...
Air Compressor - get a good one as you will air down & up almost daily (I love my Extreme Outback setup)
Tire Plug Kit - get the good one from Extreme Outback also, lots of sharp rocks, nails and other nasty stuff out here in the west
Good All Terrain Tires - if the 275/65 mean no regear then perfect, I am very happy with my Nitto Trail Grapplers
Hard Shell with sleeping platform - like others have said, security, weather protection (what if it rains/storms) and cheap, sell it when you come back if you really need a soft top
Fridge - buying ice every couple of days gets old, use this trip as an excuse to get a fridge and start loving it! Mount it the rear of the cab if you think you will be taking the topper off when you get back home.
Booster/Jumper pack, if you don't want to swing a full on dual battery setup then at least get a good booster/jumper pack. If you are driving every day a dual battery can wait.

No Matter WHAT be careful of gear creep and the budget sucking gear hunger, when it comes down to it you can just jump in that great rig and go do lots of great camping.

 

[keezer37]

I'd give consideration to the ratio of on vs off road time in this vehicle with regards to the type of tire you buy. I also had the Nittos and they were a good all around tire. Over the years, I've seen more and more people come around to Nitto tires. I currently run the Revo IIs and the jury is still out on them.

Last time I zig-zagged across the country (10 days) the only thing I wished I had was the ARB front bumper that I have now. Driving thru eastern WA, I viewed the aftermath of I think five deer strikes. Now I don't know what the front of my truck would look like ARB vs plastic all other things being equal and I hope I never do so maybe it's just peace of mind. We have had a major deer population explosion in this part of the country.
I haven't bothered with a winch yet.

Things I've actually used in the 5+ years I've owned the truck:
ARE top with windoor curbside/drop down front window, back-up battery, small air compressor, tire plug kit with a good reamer, hi-lift, tool roll with a 10-12mm theme and a GPS that has long since paid for itself in gas.

Definitely watch for gear creep.

 

[WASURF63]

wasurf- not trying to be a jerk or anything but I don't think its necessary to quote everything in the OP for the first response.

You're right it wasn't necessary. I was giving a quick welcome and response to "expotaco", and clicking the "quote" button was merely a lazy habit on my part. Sorry it bothered you so much.

 

[Martinjmpr]

the trip will be approximately 20days and the planning of destinations will be a part of another post. Mild 4wheeling will be a part of the trip as visiting places out west have been a rock crawlers dream growing up on the east coast. this is the major trip we are planning but we will be getting into expo travel for weekend getaways on the east coast on a more regular basis.

First off, welcome to the boards! I lived in Charlotte myself for a couple of years after getting out of the Army, and still have a close friend who lives there (Northeast, off of Harris Blvd.)

I gotta ask, what is your intended use of the vehicle? With the 2.7l 4 cyl engine, you're going to be rather marginal on power, especially when you get up to the higher altitudes (passes over 10,000' are very common in CO.) Start adding the likes of skids, sliders, and an ARB bumper and winch and you're piling a lot more weight - which you are going to have to haul all across the country and back - even though you will only be using it for a small portion of your trip.

Obviously, only you know what you need to do to your vehicle but if it was me I'd skip all the heavy stuff. You can 'wheel most of the less extreme trails in CO without a lift, sliders, or an ARB. Skid plates might be a good choice although, just FYI, I've been running a bone-stock rig for years and never felt the need for more.

Maybe you need the lift, the sliders, and the ARB/Winch for what you plan on doing back east (Uwharrie? From what I recall most of the trails there are pretty mild, just need good mud tires) but for the cross-country trip that's just going to be weight you don't need. Too much weight = less power, more fuel consumption, poor handling.

I'll also second the recommendation of a hard shell. I've bought 3 of them off CL and the most I ever paid was $300. Two adults can remove a cab-high shell without too much difficulty, and being able to lock your gear and know it's secure is great for peace-of-mind, especially when you have to park overnight in a city.

For your cross-country trip, if I were you I'd focus on a decent set of tires and then whatever you need to make the truck livable: Shell, sleep platform, fridge/cooler, camping gear, etc.

The truth about trails in CO is that the most scenic trails are, with very few exceptions, pretty easy, and the most "extreme" trails (the kind that require big tires, a big lift, and lockers) are pretty boring (unless you like the idea of spending 8 hours to go 1/4 of a mile, that is.) From your pictures you're an experienced rock crawler, so I think you know what I mean.

Check out http://www.traildamage.com for some of the trail descriptions and note that the really spectacular ones are generally rated 3 - 4 or maybe 5 at the most (on a 1 - 10 scale.) Trails rated 3 or 4 are perfectly passable by stock vehicles with decent tires (especially the Tacoma.) From what I've seen, Utah (Moab area) is pretty much the same except that there are some very technical trails around Moab that also offer amazing views. However, it's often possible to get the same (or better) views and campsites on less "extreme" trails, too.

Anyway, that's my advice, for what it's worth.

 

[XPEDITIONREADY]

Hey everyone,

This is really great advice you are giving me. The shell recomendation is huge as I would have never really thought of security so much while traveling. I was planning on building a lock into the compartments below the sleeping platform but double security is always better.

As for building the truck the way I mentioned, I do plan on doing more 4wheeling and and expo travel when we get back from our trip, so I am not planning this for a one time trip. Also, I should have mentioned that the trip is being planned for next summer. Specifically end of june is when we would leave. My wifes a teacher and school will end about that time.

I plan on building the truck starting with necessesities so that we can go on the trip. I plan on buying all of these parts listed eventually but obviously if it comes down to it i can do without certain pieces of the puzzle.

Priority List in order more or less:
Camper top
Sleeping Platform/Storage
Tires, thanks for the input on the size. Also may consider more of an A/T
Sliders
IFS skid, can hold off on the other parts of the skids until later but the junk toyota put on the front of my truck is kinda pathetic.
I have things like straps, chain, hi-lift already, just one of those things when you have had a winch and used it, u never want to hi-lift recover anythign again.

 

[XPEDITIONREADY]

Also the ARB bumper is not a definate either. Just a plate bumper like it similar to it or All pro. With a new truck its hard for me to want to put a tube style bumper on the front of the truck and mess up the lines. I have grown up so much from my last truck.


Also tools, air compressor, battery backup, camping gear, fluids, tire plug kit, spares, all go without saying.

Thanks for your help again and keep the advice coming!

 

[meafordmike]

Nice truck!
I would go with 265/75/16 tires.
And for a cheap sleeping platform, you can check out my cheap build, works great for the wife and I. We slept on it many times including a week during the UP overland trip; it’s nice to still have storage space underneath.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/57002-i-built-new-seeping-platform.html#post1036223

 

[AlexJet]

The truck is a 2010 access cab, 4cyl 5speed 4wd.
the plans for the truck:
bud built skids
sliders
tires
can-back top
home made sleep platform with storage beneath
ARB front bumper with m8000 winch
Mild lift, thinking OME front and rear.

Now for questions to the pros as we are new to expo travel.....
1.)OME front coils, thinking 886s but am wondering about 4cyl weight. Planning on bumper and winch and skids so will these be the weight we want?

2.)Tires, not planning on regearing before trip so want the best performance and fuel mileage again with the 4cyl. Planning on KM2 so 255/85/16 or 265/75/16? I know the 255s are taller and narrower while the 265s are wider so which will be the better choice?

3.) Gas tank skid necessary? How tough is that plastic unprotected? Also not set on bud built skids so opinions on ATO or all pro vs BB would be helpful.

4.) Which top would you go for? I want a canvas top because it will not stay on the truck all the time since I haul dirtbikes often so it will be easier to remove and store. I have always liked can-back due to quality but they are pricey and the last time i tried to order one it was like a 6 month back order. since then they have changed owner i think so who knows how they are now. Any suggestions?

5.) Any good resources on links to bed platforms would be helpful as well.

thats all I can think of for now but i am sure i will think of more. i appreciate any advice you can give to a new guy to expo travel. Thanks!

Ben

Ben,

1. I had 886 on my V6 4Runner with ARB bumper and Warn 9.5xp. It gave me 3.5" lift and were a bit heavy. Consider 885 for your 4-cyl and M8000 winch.

2. I'd go with 265/75-R16 or even 285/75-R16. Drop in gas mileage will be not noticible, especially with all other accessories, but gain in traction on loose terrain would be much apprecciated. I personally run 315/70-R17 on my expedition 4Runner.

3. Gas tank skid is the mast. I'd build one instead of byuing one as you can make it better and cheaper.

4. BestTop has nice soft top. My friend has it on his Tacoma and I just love it. Easy to pull down and gerat looking UP.

P.S. Check my truck for references...

 

[XPEDITIONREADY]

Since I was really set on the tall skinny 255s let me ask you guys about gear choices. The big brand i see being use is nitro gear? who is that ? I never heard of them back a couple years ago when i built my last truck. Also when i did my SAS i had 4.88s for a while and 33x12.5 TSLs and that thing might has well been a tractor. i felt right with 36s later on but if i never plan on going more than a light 255/85/16 are 4.88s necessary?

 

[AlexJet]

Since I was really set on the tall skinny 255s let me ask you guys about gear choices. The big brand i see being use is nitro gear? who is that ? I never heard of them back a couple years ago when i built my last truck. Also when i did my SAS i had 4.88s for a while and 33x12.5 TSLs and that thing might has well been a tractor. i felt right with 36s later on but if i never plan on going more than a light 255/85/16 are 4.88s necessary?

I run stock 3.73 with 32s and 33s. I did changed to 4.56 with 35s, as after 6 month on 3.73 I said enough and gone to 4.56.
Nitro gears are seems to be military company which came to civil market as of what I found in Internet. I had Nitro and they suck. I worn the gear set in 6 month and less then 10'000mi to the point I was having big bangs in rear end. I tried to get the warranty out of them and was giving a "good luck with that". Basically Nitro never accepted the warranty and after 2 month of fighting I just went with Yukon. Nitro customer service sucks. JTDifferentials blaim everything to mechanics and didn't get to the issue either.
The front option for 120 platform is still only Nitro, but you not using it often, but for rear go with Yukon.
On the second hand you only going to 33s, so better stay with stock gearing. I think you have 4-cyl, so your gears are even better, they are 4.11.

 

[PHXtaco]

Very pricy, but if it was me and I had an 05+ Taco I would go with these:
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37552

I had a TJM Aluminum bumper on my `89 and a steel Arb on my `04 and really liked the aluminum for the weight savings.