Saguache's High Country Taco Build
- Thread starter Saguache
- Start date
colodak
Adventurer
Wish I would have seen this sooner, REI just had a huge 20% sale on Yakima/Thule items. Picked up a matched set of Q towers and 56" bars for my Dakota, about $240. The Q clips I found on ebay for cheap. Ran into a fit issue trying to install it this weekend, had Rack Attack do the install, $50, took about 40 minutes. They also showed me what I did wrong.
Saguache
Adventurer
Thanks everyone for the rack suggestions I'm still working on figuring out how I'm going to do this. This week I spent up in the San Juan high country above Silverton, CO with my youngest son. We drove from our house in Boulder and met up with my folks who drive a Tundra pulling a Casita trailer. Spent our free time hiking and bouncing around on jeep trails in the area. Some images from our trip below.
You should be able to permanently install any of the Yakima track roof mount systems directly to the roof of your Tacoma using the Yakima Plus Nut system:
http://www.yakima.com/shop/racksystems/permanent-installation/tracks54-w-plusnuts
http://assets.yakima.com/resource/product/tracks54-w-plusnuts/type/instructions
Basically, it is a system that installs a wall anchor type nut into the roof that you can bolt the tracks to. I have not used that system personally so I cannot vouch for it, but I read of a few folks installing them on quad cab Nissan Frontiers when I owed my Frontier. I don't know what type of weight it will support, but I have to imagine that it will be no different than on top of a pickup truck shell. Also, if you are really intrepid, you can pull your interior ceiling liner and install the Yakima tracks just like in a pickup truck shell.
Good luck.
http://www.yakima.com/shop/racksystems/permanent-installation/tracks54-w-plusnuts
http://assets.yakima.com/resource/product/tracks54-w-plusnuts/type/instructions
Basically, it is a system that installs a wall anchor type nut into the roof that you can bolt the tracks to. I have not used that system personally so I cannot vouch for it, but I read of a few folks installing them on quad cab Nissan Frontiers when I owed my Frontier. I don't know what type of weight it will support, but I have to imagine that it will be no different than on top of a pickup truck shell. Also, if you are really intrepid, you can pull your interior ceiling liner and install the Yakima tracks just like in a pickup truck shell.
Good luck.
Saguache
Adventurer
UPDATE: Extended Road Trip Fast Approaching
My wife just accepted a short term gig working in central America. Our lease here in Boulder is about up. And I have successfully re-careered as a full time stay-at-home Dad and author. In other words, there are some major life changes in the Saguache household.
Everything sans Ootek is going to get packed up by the end of February. We'll be putting the bulk of our belongings in storage until we know more about where we'll land when she returns to the states. Near the end of next month my son, dog and I will load up in Ootek for a long road trip. My intent is to spend the first month or two on the road visiting friends and relatives across the country, maybe a Disney park, write some, while maintaing the option of heading south to, say, Costa Rica if her contract goes long. So there is a lot of fuzz in that plan still. During February I will be spending spare time flexing my modification muscle in an effort to completely tweak and buff my truck for long term comfort.
Here are my notes of things to address before the end of February. If you have suggestions, words of wisdom, or even words of encouragement feel free to post.
Additional modifications/maintenance
Incidentally, in case you were curious, I've also recently completed my first book. It's is the first on a sci-fi theme I'm calling "sports in space". The story is about an endurance race held between shield volcanoes on Mars. Participants run and soar nearly 1,500 kilometers with bog overland chase vehicles helping them make the journey along the way.
Take a look, you might enjoy the fiction.
My wife just accepted a short term gig working in central America. Our lease here in Boulder is about up. And I have successfully re-careered as a full time stay-at-home Dad and author. In other words, there are some major life changes in the Saguache household.
Everything sans Ootek is going to get packed up by the end of February. We'll be putting the bulk of our belongings in storage until we know more about where we'll land when she returns to the states. Near the end of next month my son, dog and I will load up in Ootek for a long road trip. My intent is to spend the first month or two on the road visiting friends and relatives across the country, maybe a Disney park, write some, while maintaing the option of heading south to, say, Costa Rica if her contract goes long. So there is a lot of fuzz in that plan still. During February I will be spending spare time flexing my modification muscle in an effort to completely tweak and buff my truck for long term comfort.
Here are my notes of things to address before the end of February. If you have suggestions, words of wisdom, or even words of encouragement feel free to post.
Additional modifications/maintenance
- iPad 2 mount for rear facing three year old entertainment.
- Mi-Fi device, interior dash mounted
- Step bumper hitch mount for bike carrier
- Maggiolina Changing room, New Style—4X4
- Fuel Canister mounts for bed near cab, lockers
- Important papers safe
- Referb Key Fobs (blerp-blerp)
- Finish false floor/well storage system for bed.
Incidentally, in case you were curious, I've also recently completed my first book. It's is the first on a sci-fi theme I'm calling "sports in space". The story is about an endurance race held between shield volcanoes on Mars. Participants run and soar nearly 1,500 kilometers with bog overland chase vehicles helping them make the journey along the way.
Take a look, you might enjoy the fiction.
deadbeat son
Explorer
Congrats on many fronts!
I can't offer any advice, but I wish you the best of luck finishing out this round of mods in prep for your long distance/duration road tripping. I'm envious of your plans.
And congrats on finishing the first book! I hope the series takes off for you.
I can't offer any advice, but I wish you the best of luck finishing out this round of mods in prep for your long distance/duration road tripping. I'm envious of your plans.
And congrats on finishing the first book! I hope the series takes off for you.