ExPo has been a tremendous resource. I've been reading for a year now, but I am so out of my depth here this will be my first post. Looking forward to sharing the progress, hopefully you guys enjoy the story as much as I've enjoyed everyone else's.
Late last year, I got the bug again. My 2008 Tundra Crewmax Limited 4x4 was about to crest 100K, and was still worth a very decent amount of money. It was a wonderful truck, but the size and fuel consumption limited where I could go without serious (read: expensive) mods that I couldn't justify. Also, being my DD, I wanted a vehicle that would still be well mannered around town and easier to park than my Tundra. The one thing I hated about my Tundra was it's Nimitz-class aircraft carrier turning radius. I started the search in earnest in January. I was pretty set on another pickup, but I considered a new 4Runner and a gently used FJC in addition to the Tacoma. We are swapping our 2008 Sequoia out for a 2016 Trail Edition 4Runner, so I figured one was enough. The FJC had frankly gotten more expensive than I was willing to pay and I wanted 4 doors. I lug a lot of range equipment and climbing/ski gear and a truck bed just works better for that, for me.
Before I took off for SHOT Show in Vegas, I went to the half-dozen local Toyota places and picked a dealer I liked. 2016 Tacomas were sitting on the lot in CO for about 12 minutes on average, so it took about two weeks to find something I'd want. They'd call, I'd say yes to a truck, when they called back to transfer the truck it would have already been sold. They found a 2016 SR5 DCSB 4x4 in Super White at a dealer in Sydney, NE and it was on it's way. I knew I was going to change the suspension, wheels, and tires, and after a bad E-Locker experience in my Sequoia I had settled on ARB Air Lockers for this truck, so the SR5 made sense. I went from the airport to the dealer and about an hour later was on my way home. Road manners were good, fuel economy has been excellent (for now), and the first time I went to park in downtown Boulder...so much easier. It was a big step down in size from my Tundra so that took some getting used to, as did the low-slung seating position which feels more like a car than a truck to me. My big dislikes (way too soft suspension, tires fit for a Prius) were going to go first anyways so I don't count them. Either way, I was happy. 2016 parts were still pretty limited in January so I have had plenty of time to research and plan the build. My schedule has been hectic and travel-heavy until now, so I am finally ready to start turning wrenches in earnest so I can use this thing over the summer.
My goals for this truck are pretty straight-forward. Reliable daily driver capable of performing well on moderate trails. I am more concerned with reliable access to the places I want to go than the actual off-road driving itself, if that makes sense. This is my mobile base camp for other activities, and most of those will involve unimproved dirt roads that nobody maintains more so than crawling over boulders. As soon as I got the truck I ordered a topper, and started diverting the funds and planning out the priority of future purchases.
Day 1:
Mods so far:
- ARE CX Topper
- Front Runner topper rack
- Tepui Ayer RTT (I mostly roll solo, it's lightweight, and with REI's 20% off sale it was only $700 shipped)
- TRD Pro 4Runner wheels (sitting in my garage waiting on suspension)
- Cooper ST Maxx 255/80R17. I dig pizza cutters for the terrain I drive on. (sitting in my garage waiting on suspension)
- Removing all the crappy chrome badges
On Order:
- OME suspension (886s, Dakars with AAL). This will be my 4th OME suspension. I had considered the new BP51s, but the lack of maintenance and simplicity on the Nitrocharger kits appeals to me.
- SPC/LR UCAs. As much as I wanted fancy billet uniball UCAs, the mag chloride out here seems to make them all noisy.
- ARB Air Locker, medium compressor, and switches
- ARB 2016 Tacoma front bumper. I am an ARB/OME fan boy, what can I say?
- Warn Zeon 10K winch
- MaxxTraxx
- RCI metalworks full aluminum skids, sliders
- Diff breather kit
Up next:
- CBI rear bumper with spare tire/jerry cans on swingout
- Front Runner rack over the cab
- Baja 40" light bar
- ARB lights on the bumper
- Off-Grid Engineering dual battery setup
- Cover King seat covers. My dogs stink. And so do I.
- Bed slide. I need my bed easily configurable and easy to empty, so a dedicated drawer set doesn't work. I will build a modular setup using hard cases and bags on a bed slide.
- Safari Snorkel, whenever they're available
- ARB awning
Hopefully, the lift and lockers will be in over the next two weeks. Until then gratuitous shot of the XO 4runner in Vegas, in a banana suit with a giant trophy.
Late last year, I got the bug again. My 2008 Tundra Crewmax Limited 4x4 was about to crest 100K, and was still worth a very decent amount of money. It was a wonderful truck, but the size and fuel consumption limited where I could go without serious (read: expensive) mods that I couldn't justify. Also, being my DD, I wanted a vehicle that would still be well mannered around town and easier to park than my Tundra. The one thing I hated about my Tundra was it's Nimitz-class aircraft carrier turning radius. I started the search in earnest in January. I was pretty set on another pickup, but I considered a new 4Runner and a gently used FJC in addition to the Tacoma. We are swapping our 2008 Sequoia out for a 2016 Trail Edition 4Runner, so I figured one was enough. The FJC had frankly gotten more expensive than I was willing to pay and I wanted 4 doors. I lug a lot of range equipment and climbing/ski gear and a truck bed just works better for that, for me.
Before I took off for SHOT Show in Vegas, I went to the half-dozen local Toyota places and picked a dealer I liked. 2016 Tacomas were sitting on the lot in CO for about 12 minutes on average, so it took about two weeks to find something I'd want. They'd call, I'd say yes to a truck, when they called back to transfer the truck it would have already been sold. They found a 2016 SR5 DCSB 4x4 in Super White at a dealer in Sydney, NE and it was on it's way. I knew I was going to change the suspension, wheels, and tires, and after a bad E-Locker experience in my Sequoia I had settled on ARB Air Lockers for this truck, so the SR5 made sense. I went from the airport to the dealer and about an hour later was on my way home. Road manners were good, fuel economy has been excellent (for now), and the first time I went to park in downtown Boulder...so much easier. It was a big step down in size from my Tundra so that took some getting used to, as did the low-slung seating position which feels more like a car than a truck to me. My big dislikes (way too soft suspension, tires fit for a Prius) were going to go first anyways so I don't count them. Either way, I was happy. 2016 parts were still pretty limited in January so I have had plenty of time to research and plan the build. My schedule has been hectic and travel-heavy until now, so I am finally ready to start turning wrenches in earnest so I can use this thing over the summer.
My goals for this truck are pretty straight-forward. Reliable daily driver capable of performing well on moderate trails. I am more concerned with reliable access to the places I want to go than the actual off-road driving itself, if that makes sense. This is my mobile base camp for other activities, and most of those will involve unimproved dirt roads that nobody maintains more so than crawling over boulders. As soon as I got the truck I ordered a topper, and started diverting the funds and planning out the priority of future purchases.
Day 1:
Mods so far:
- ARE CX Topper
- Front Runner topper rack
- Tepui Ayer RTT (I mostly roll solo, it's lightweight, and with REI's 20% off sale it was only $700 shipped)
- TRD Pro 4Runner wheels (sitting in my garage waiting on suspension)
- Cooper ST Maxx 255/80R17. I dig pizza cutters for the terrain I drive on. (sitting in my garage waiting on suspension)
- Removing all the crappy chrome badges
On Order:
- OME suspension (886s, Dakars with AAL). This will be my 4th OME suspension. I had considered the new BP51s, but the lack of maintenance and simplicity on the Nitrocharger kits appeals to me.
- SPC/LR UCAs. As much as I wanted fancy billet uniball UCAs, the mag chloride out here seems to make them all noisy.
- ARB Air Locker, medium compressor, and switches
- ARB 2016 Tacoma front bumper. I am an ARB/OME fan boy, what can I say?
- Warn Zeon 10K winch
- MaxxTraxx
- RCI metalworks full aluminum skids, sliders
- Diff breather kit
Up next:
- CBI rear bumper with spare tire/jerry cans on swingout
- Front Runner rack over the cab
- Baja 40" light bar
- ARB lights on the bumper
- Off-Grid Engineering dual battery setup
- Cover King seat covers. My dogs stink. And so do I.
- Bed slide. I need my bed easily configurable and easy to empty, so a dedicated drawer set doesn't work. I will build a modular setup using hard cases and bags on a bed slide.
- Safari Snorkel, whenever they're available
- ARB awning
Hopefully, the lift and lockers will be in over the next two weeks. Until then gratuitous shot of the XO 4runner in Vegas, in a banana suit with a giant trophy.
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