Show us your ride

[Ben Egbert]

Inspired by Jim’s recent thread about his new horse, I wanted to show my ride and how and why it’s modified.

I bought this Tundra brand new in July 2000. It currently has 140,000 miles on it and since its been on thousands of miles of off roading, several dents.

This is a veteran of 3 trips into the Maze and the infamous Teapot Canyon. It has some off road mods:

2 inch lift

BF Goodrich KO2 tires on stock rims.

ARB air lockers on the rear axel with a compressor under the hood.

Rock slider (which I wish I had added earlier to avoid some of the dents)

Many emergency recover items.

2 (5) gallon jerry cans for gas.

My hiking is limited and getting more limited each year. As a consequence, I drive to a place and park and spend the daytime in camp. This makes it nice to have creature comforts. I just added the awning and chair so I could spend time in comfort.

I added a refrigerator to avoid the need to go back into town for ice. I use a battery and solar panel to supply power. Works like a charm. Steaks and pork chops in camp are a great dinner.

My bed has to be top notch. As you can see it has a foam mattress and an air mattress. Not seen is a wedge pillow. The sleeping comfort almost matches the Purple mattress and adjustable bed I have at home.

I have a Little Buddy heater I can use, but I avoid camping when daytime temps are above 80 and overnight lows are below freezing.

1.The truck with awning stowed

2. The awning partly up and the solar panel (not part of awning) in place

3. The awning deployed and my latest camp chair with me in it.

4. The refrigerator

5. The bed

 

[AlanLichty]

I sold off my motorhome this last spring so am working on sprucing up my somewhat neglected Tacoma. It's a 2016 that only made it up to 19K miles after 6 years of owning it and has spent most of its life in my garage. Modifications have been primarily to the interior so far with extensive sound deadening to make open road driving more pleasant and a moderately serious aftermarket sound system. Tires shown here are the stock ones that came with the truck and I also have a full set of more aggressive winter tires/wheels that I swap in during the colder months. The rear "seats" have been removed for more storage space.

At the moment I have no intention of turning this into an off-road specialty vehicle and have no immediate plans to take it to the deserts of the Colorado Plateau. It will quite likely spend most of its time along the Pacific coastline and other areas within the Pacific NW and almost entirely during the off seasons between Labor Day Weekend and Memorial Day which is the same as my old motorhome. I may yet add a canopy to it for greater storage area and keeping things dry during the rainy months. Summertime is mostly day trips into the Gorge and the Cascades and I avoid the coast like the plague when the tourists are out in force.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Thats a pretty capable off roader as is. What are your sleeping arrangements? Motel? Tent camp? Other?

My sound system is a pair of Bose earphones which deaden the noise and provide high quality music while driving and also when setting in camp

 

[AlanLichty]

Thats a pretty capable off roader as is. What are your sleeping arrangements? Motel? Tent camp? Other?

My sound system is a pair of Bose earphones which deaden the noise and provide high quality music while driving and also when setting in camp

Yup - Toyota shipped these with quite a bit of clearance with their third generation Tacomas. My wife has trouble getting up into the cab (she is just under 5' tall) at this height. I can do quite a bit with this on the backroads in the Cascades and the coastal ranges. I strongly prefer to not travel deep into the woods when the roads get muddy since the end results are deep ruts that can render the road unusable for everyone else until someone brings a grader in to level it back out.

For now my sleeping arrangements will be motel. Tent camping is not really a worthwhile option for when and where I typically shoot which can include rain and lots of it. I found that my old motorhome (25') could be a bit claustrophobic when you get a couple of consecutive rainy days in a row and can't imagine trying to spend a couple of days in heavy coastal rains inside of a tent.

Audio is handled by an Alpine head unit feeding a 600W amp with aftermarket speakers in all doors and a custom subwoofer cabinet in the back.

I am just finishing a bracket that attaches to the rails in the bed to accommodate a drone landing pad that will sit at the height of the bed sides. That means I don't need space on the ground to launch and land and keeps my drone propellers from kicking up dirt from the prop wash during launch and landing.

 

[Ben Egbert]

I bet that audio sounds great

 

[AlanLichty]

I bet that audio sounds great

My old motorhome had a very nice aftermarket audio system that took the edge off of long road trips and I decided I wanted to see if I could make this one even better and I was successful.

 

[JimFox]

Inspired by Jim’s recent thread about his new horse, I wanted to show my ride and how and why it’s modified.

I bought this Tundra brand new in July 2000. It currently has 140,000 miles on it and since its been on thousands of miles of off roading, several dents.

This is a veteran of 3 trips into the Maze and the infamous Teapot Canyon. It has some off road mods:

2 inch lift

BF Goodrich KO2 tires on stock rims.

ARB air lockers on the rear axel with a compressor under the hood.

Rock slider (which I wish I had added earlier to avoid some of the dents)

Many emergency recover items.

2 (5) gallon jerry cans for gas.

My hiking is limited and getting more limited each year. As a consequence, I drive to a place and park and spend the daytime in camp. This makes it nice to have creature comforts. I just added the awning and chair so I could spend time in comfort.

I added a refrigerator to avoid the need to go back into town for ice. I use a battery and solar panel to supply power. Works like a charm. Steaks and pork chops in camp are a great dinner.

My bed has to be top notch. As you can see it has a foam mattress and an air mattress. Not seen is a wedge pillow. The sleeping comfort almost matches the Purple mattress and adjustable bed I have at home.

I have a Little Buddy heater I can use, but I avoid camping when daytime temps are above 80 and overnight lows are below freezing.

1.The truck with awning stowed

View attachment 51221

2. The awning partly up and the solar panel (not part of awning) in place

View attachment 51222

3. The awning deployed and my latest camp chair with me in it.

View attachment 51223

4. The refrigerator
View attachment 51224

5. The bed

View attachment 51225

Ben you sure have a great setup. I don't recall your awning.

 

[JimFox]

And Ben, a great idea for a thread!

 

[Ben Egbert]

Ben you sure have a great setup. I don't recall your awning.

The awning was installed yesterday I got tired of setting under pinion pines or rock alcoves.
This setup is not for everyone but it works for me and will allow me to pursue this hobby a bit longer.

that’s why I started the thread we each have our own needs as Alan has mentioned. We might get ideas from each other

 

[ckcarr]

Everyone here wants a Tacoma it seems. If you want to sell it let me know!
Looks like there was plenty of room in that garage!

I sold off my motorhome this last spring so am working on sprucing up my somewhat neglected Tacoma. It's a 2016 that only made it up to 19K miles after 6 years of owning it and has spent most of its life in my garage.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Everyone here wants a Tacoma it seems. If you want to sell it let me know!
Looks like there was plenty of room in that garage!

Jeeps are great off roaders and there is a lot of aftermarket stuff for them. Toyotas are also pretty capable off road and have a great rep for reliability. I am not an aggressive off roader and my Tundra goes wherever I point it.

 

[AlanLichty]

Everyone here wants a Tacoma it seems. If you want to sell it let me know!
Looks like there was plenty of room in that garage!

LOL - my local Toyota dealer wants to buy it too as they have been watching the (lack of) mileage on it for the past 6 years that I have owned it. New 4x4 Tacomas with manual transmissions are now restricted to $$$ off-road package variants.

 

[AlanLichty]

Jeeps are great off roaders and there is a lot of aftermarket stuff for them. Toyotas are also pretty capable off road and have a great rep for reliability. I am not an aggressive off roader and my Tundra goes wherever I point it.

Best part is that your Tundra is at this point well appointed for how you like to use it. Your current setup would be hard to replicate on a Jeep platform.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Yes I would probably start with a Tacoma now, they are as big as my Tundra

@Marcy
@Alisa
@Jeffrey
@Bob

 

[AlanLichty]

My previous Toyota pickups (2 Hilux and 2 Tacomas) were all much smaller than the third generation Tacomas. New Tundras are full sized trucks comparable to F-150's and Ram trucks.

 

[Ben Egbert]

I wanted a Tacoma when I got my Tundra but the leg room and head room were too tight

 

[rfkiii]

Ben, that awning is a nice touch. I look forward to sitting under it in Oct.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Let’s hope it can take the wind

 

[dan swiger]

After a couple of Ford Expoders' & the gas mileage, went for a Subaru.
First one was a 2009 that took me many places, including the rim of the Grand Canyon. Lasted for about 150K
A few years back, traded it up to a 2017 Outback 6/cyl w/low miles. I should have opted for a 4cyl, but I like having smooth, easy long drives.
Still solid after 3 years use. Currently just cargo box shown. I am thinking about a car top "pop up".

On my way to Yosemite in June. I like the Yakima box as it frees up the interior space for long trips w/camping gear.
I've thought about a roof-top pop-up but haven't able to justify it....yet
The bike is my "Yosemite" bike I picked up on Craigslist for $5. Probably put $50 in it so now ready to circle the park or do trail excursions.
The rear rack on the bike is fitted for carrying a tripod. The bike is a tank compared to my titanium road bike, so have stripped it down as much as reasonable.
Yea, those are ham antennas! (been a ham since I was 12). I use it for comms to my friends around the country. After the sunspot cycle improves, maybe more long haul.
The ham gear is a "no holes" install. Even the antenna mounts are secured to existing bolt threads & can be rotated for car wash. Can be removed in about a half hour.
The blue cord between antennas is to keep them from bending/moving too much.
Not shown is my Smitty 12V air compressor that needs to be clipped to the car battery for juice. Good for "airing up" after lower tire pressure for off road.
I carry a full sized spare in addtion to the "donut spare" I have an extra fullsized spare (for two) if the trip calls for it.
For sounds, just my iTtunes through the car system. Works OK for my "bad hearing'

 

[JimFox]

I sold off my motorhome this last spring so am working on sprucing up my somewhat neglected Tacoma. It's a 2016 that only made it up to 19K miles after 6 years of owning it and has spent most of its life in my garage. Modifications have been primarily to the interior so far with extensive sound deadening to make open road driving more pleasant and a moderately serious aftermarket sound system. Tires shown here are the stock ones that came with the truck and I also have a full set of more aggressive winter tires/wheels that I swap in during the colder months. The rear "seats" have been removed for more storage space.

At the moment I have no intention of turning this into an off-road specialty vehicle and have no immediate plans to take it to the deserts of the Colorado Plateau. It will quite likely spend most of its time along the Pacific coastline and other areas within the Pacific NW and almost entirely during the off seasons between Labor Day Weekend and Memorial Day which is the same as my old motorhome. I may yet add a canopy to it for greater storage area and keeping things dry during the rainy months. Summertime is mostly day trips into the Gorge and the Cascades and I avoid the coast like the plague when the tourists are out in force.

View attachment 51226
View attachment 51227

I will be the odd one here... no aftermarket sound system or speakers. My new 4Runner came with 12 speakers in it, which is about 10 too many.

I often will spend 4 or 5 hours of my drive with no radio or music, just the gentle hum of the road as I drive. I know a bit weird, but a bit weird is what I am.