2019 Toyota Tacoma Build - Overlanding, Daily Driving and Emergency Preparedness

[MT_AYON]

Hi Everyone

I am new to the overlanding world and looking for your expert advice on all things related to building my 2019 Toyota Tacoma into an overlanding build. I use my Tacoma as a daily driver as well so I have to try and strike a balance between making a capable off-roading rig and not adding too much weight to ruin handling and mileage. I also want to setup it up as an emergency preparedness vehicle so that I can travel/live out of it for at least 72hrs if required.

As mentioned above, I am going to be using this truck for daily driving overlanding, camping and as an emergency preparedness rig. I have worked out a set of requirements that I am going to discuss here:

Requirements as a Daily Driver:

• Must be able to perform like a stock truck for 5 – 7 days a week - grocery getter and commuter
• Must get stock/acceptable gas mileage – City >14MPG, Highway >17MPG
• Must not carry unnecessary cargo and weight in Daily Driver mode
• Must have enough bed capacity to haul bigger items when required
• Street and Highway driving should be comfortable, safe and effortless
• Must be able to go through drive throughs, automatic car washes and underground parking lots

Requirements for Emergency Preparedness:

• Must always have enough essential kit to survive 2-3 days in off-grid conditions for 2 persons
• Essentials must include food, potable water, medical/first aid kit, sanitary items, clothing, sleeping gear and communication equipment
• Must be capable of driving off-road in all kinds of terrain – traction aids over sand and snow required as well as single vehicle recovery equipment
• Since most of this equipment will remain on the vehicle at all times, it must also satisfy all Daily Driver Requirements

Requirements for Truck Camping:

• Camping gear must include food, potable water and sleeping arrangements for up to 3 persons
• Must be capable of driving off-road in fairly easy terrain
• Must have elaborate cooking arrangements for up to 3 persons
• Must have enough battery capacity to power camping lights, recharging electronic equipment and fridge/freezer for 6-8hrs (overnight)
• Must be able to generate enough power to fully charge batteries within 6-8hrs whether driving or stationary
• Must load out fairly quickly – within a 2hr notice

Requirements for Overlanding:

• Long Range capacity – Must be able to travel 500 miles in highway driving or 300 miles on properly graded dirt roads
• Must get acceptable gas mileage – 10mpg in Off-road and 15mpg on Highway
• Must be capable of driving off-road in all kinds of terrain – traction aids over sand and snow required as well as single vehicle recovery equipment
• Street and Highway driving should be comfortable, safe and effortless
• Must be able to generate enough power to fully charge batteries within 6-8hrs whether driving or stationary
• Must have enough provisions for living off-grid for an extended period (2 weeks) for 2 persons
• Must have elaborate cooking arrangements for up to 2 persons
• Must have comfortable sleeping and sanitary accommodations for 2 persons – this includes sleeping in all 4 seasons, privacy during toilet and hot shower capability
• Must have extended food storage arrangement to supply 2 persons for up to 2 weeks

Let me know what you think of these requirements. Do they seem unrealistic or overkill? Are there obvious requirements that I have missed?

One of the key aspect of my vehicle build will be to have systems and configurations that can be easily added and removed from the rig so that I can outfit it from one mode to the other on short notice. Saving weight on items that cannot be removed easily would be the other key aspect. I am hoping that I can get a lot of support from you guys who have been doing this for a lot longer than I have - giving me good advice and leading me away from costly mistakes!

Thank you and see you on the trails!

 

[RoarinRow]

That’s a lot of requirements. By the looks of it you would need a lot of gear that you could easily take on and off and pick and choose the type of driving you will be doing.

For the bed of your truck maybe a Soft topper will be best as a base. You could easily take it on and off and weight should be almost nothing.

Then when camping you could load up and configure it anyway you want. You could use it in an emergency to sleep in and store stuff somewhat safely, e.g. Soft topper.

Suspension is a topic on its own. If you want it to be more capable I’m guessing you’ll have to make sacrifices in weight, ride, etc.

You could also add a roof rack and add gear you think you might need.

My main purpose of my rig is a bug out vehicle. So I got a hard shell camper, with sleeping accommodations inside, can fit a toilet, fridge, and basic necessities. I have a full size so I have room.

When not overlanding/camping I can take everything out, except shell stays on 24/7.

I don’t use mine as a daily driver because of my base size and weight of a 2500. But I didn’t buy it to save on gas.

For power there are many solutions. I have solar on top of my cab, I have a Jackery 500, and my rig has dual batteries, not including the solar battery.

For long range travel you can either carry extra fuel and/or swap out your tank for a larger capacity. My truck and previous owner upgraded my tank to 45 gallons.

Just my .02.

 

[MT_AYON]

I already have a hard shell on the bed. I put it on as I frequently do interstate travel for friends and family and dragging all the luggage out at the overnight halt is a pain and soft toppers can be defeated easily with a knife. Its heavy but I felt the weight to benefit ratio for my usage justified it. I am going to have to do suspension but I want to wait until I install more stuff in the truck so that I can get the right springs. I also plan to re-gear to get some of the performance and mileage back. I am planning a dual battery setup with solar. Currently working on water and fuel storage. I have a couple of Rotopax’s for fuel and I recently purchased a Lifesaver jerrycan for water filtration and storage. Extended fuel tank would be nice to have but I am worried about the factory warranty. I also tried finding a toolbox fuel tank combo but couldn’t find one for the tacoma.

 

[Wandering_Wolverine]

I like the way you are starting out by systematically listing your requirements as opposed to just bolting on stuff. Mission drives the gear.

I have a similar set of requirements at this point so I’ll be curious to see how this plays out for you.

One thing you might consider that wasn’t mentioned is tires. You didn’t list hardcore off-road as a requirement so you may be able to meet your needs with the stock suspension and tire size. I’d definitely look at good all terrain tires to replace the factory rubber though unless Toyota was generous and put some real tires on there. The factory tires are usually highway biased lightweight all seasons made to make fuel economy numbers. A durable all terrain will help you meet your objectives for daily driving, over landing, and preparedness. Don’t forget the spare.

Gary

 

[kwill]

It is a long list but everything can be done with a stock Tacoma 4X4 and AT tires. Don't rush to get a lift. Unless you want to do serious rock crawling you don't need one. You've already got the shell and some of the gear. I'd add a popup toilet/shower tent with a toilet and shower solution of your choosing.

 

[Mateoblagana]

I’ve had my Tacoma TRD Off-Road for 3 years now and am just getting a lift, 33 inch tires, and roof rack. My wife, daughter, 2 dogs, and I have done a decent amount of camping and over landing the last three years while stock. We have done Mojave Road, Colorado, Anza Borrego, and several other spots around SoCal. We keep our gear ready to go in the garage in some cheap tubs we got at Walmart. So, basically, what I’m saying is that if you have the gear you want and can quickly throw it in the back of your truck you’re set. You already have a very capable, comfortable, and fun truck. Have fun exploring!

 

[MT_AYON]

I like the way you are starting out by systematically listing your requirements as opposed to just bolting on stuff. Mission drives the gear.

I have a similar set of requirements at this point so I’ll be curious to see how this plays out for you.

One thing you might consider that wasn’t mentioned is tires. You didn’t list hardcore off-road as a requirement so you may be able to meet your needs with the stock suspension and tire size. I’d definitely look at good all terrain tires to replace the factory rubber though unless Toyota was generous and put some real tires on there. The factory tires are usually highway biased lightweight all seasons made to make fuel economy numbers. A durable all terrain will help you meet your objectives for daily driving, over landing, and preparedness. Don’t forget the spare.

Gary

Hi Gary

Yes Tires are a must upgrade on these Rigs as the factory tires are really weak. I have slightly upgraded ones that I put on recently. Its not C rated or even an LT tire but I got them for a good price with my wheels so I went for them (265/70/17 Falken Wildpeaks). My rig is still light so I thought I’d try them out for the time being. I am holding off on suspension until I figure out the weight I will be carrying. With this size I am running the factory spare for now and will add a full spare if I go bigger in the future.

 

[MT_AYON]

It is a long list but everything can be done with a stock Tacoma 4X4 and AT tires. Don't rush to get a lift. Unless you want to do serious rock crawling you don't need one. You've already got the shell and some of the gear. I'd add a popup toilet/shower tent with a toilet and shower solution of your choosing.

Thankyou! My plan is to wait on suspension until I can figure out how heavy I will be running. I want to get the right springs. A lift would be a secondary or by-product of the suspension setup as my main focus is ride, dampening and droop travel in that order. As you mentioned, these rigs are fairly capable from factory.

 

[MT_AYON]

I’ve had my Tacoma TRD Off-Road for 3 years now and am just getting a lift, 33 inch tires, and roof rack. My wife, daughter, 2 dogs, and I have done a decent amount of camping and over landing the last three years while stock. We have done Mojave Road, Colorado, Anza Borrego, and several other spots around SoCal. We keep our gear ready to go in the garage in some cheap tubs we got at Walmart. So, basically, what I’m saying is that if you have the gear you want and can quickly throw it in the back of your truck you’re set. You already have a very capable, comfortable, and fun truck. Have fun exploring!

Thanks for the input! Knowing that people do so many trails on these trucks with no lift gives my confidence. What did you do about the rear springs when you went on trails with all your equipment? I find myself bottoming out fairly easily. Also I still haven’t figured out a sleeping solution yet. I am weighing against the pros and cons of having an RTT or Ground tent or sleeping in the truck bed.

 

[Kilo Sierra]

Thanks for the input! Knowing that people do so many trails on these trucks with no lift gives my confidence. What did you do about the rear springs when you went on trails with all your equipment? I find myself bottoming out fairly easily. Also I still haven’t figured out a sleeping solution yet. I am weighing against the pros and cons of having an RTT or Ground tent or sleeping in the truck bed.

Love the idea! I built my Xterra with the same plan in mind. My next build will probably be a Bronco or Tacoma, so I've already got a pretty extensive plan.

The sleeping situation will pretty much be determined by your comfort level/budget. 5 or 6 foot bed? And I saw you go between 2 and 3 people. Is the third a child or another adult? At this point I went with ground camping for myself and GF. We went with a good 3 inch self-inflating camping mattress. Adding a third person, would mean a bigger tent (or a separate one) and all that gear. My next build will probably be having a hybrid hard cap and clamshell RTT, and bringing a separate tent and equipment if a third person came along (even if I was the one sleeping in it). EDIT: Alu-Cab has a good system, but I've also seen some youtube videos on building your own.

For your electrical need...I'd probably attached a cable from your battery to a modular LiFePO4 battery with a DC/DC charger (with an Anderson Cable connector). Depending on climate, I'd want it in the 2nd row inside. You could always add solar capability later.

 

[MT_AYON]

Thanks for the input! Knowing that people do so many trails on these trucks with no lift gives my confidence. What did you do about the rear springs when you went on trails with all your equipment? I find myself bottoming out fairly easily. Also I still haven’t figured out a sleeping solution yet. I am weighing against the pros and cons of having an RTT or Ground tent or sleeping in the truck bed.

Love the idea! I built my Xterra with the same plan in mind. My next build will probably be a Bronco or Tacoma, so I've already got a pretty extensive plan.

The sleeping situation will pretty much be determined by your comfort level/budget. 5 or 6 foot bed? And I saw you go between 2 and 3 people. Is the third a child or another adult? At this point I went with ground camping for myself and GF. We went with a good 3 inch self-inflating camping mattress. Adding a third person, would mean a bigger tent (or a separate one) and all that gear. My next build will probably be having a hybrid hard cap and clamshell RTT, and bringing a separate tent and equipment if a third person came along (even if I was the one sleeping in it).

For your electrical need...I'd probably attached a cable from your battery to a modular LiFePO4 battery with a DC/DC charger (with an Anderson Cable connector). Depending on climate, I'd want it in the 2nd row inside. You could always add solar capability later.

The 3rd person was really a guest if they were traveling with us so an adult most likely but for the most part its 2 persons.

Regarding the electrical, I do plan to get a dual battery setup with a Redarc BCDC1225 that way I am covered for solar as well when I add that. I’d love to use a LiFePO4 battery but I cant find the space for it in the cab! These trucks are so small on the inside. So I am thinking a regular deep cycle AGM battery on the passenger side under the hood. But I am still open to better ideas!

 

[Kilo Sierra]

The 3rd person was really a guest if they were traveling with us so an adult most likely but for the most part its 2 persons.

Regarding the electrical, I do plan to get a dual battery setup with a Redarc BCDC1225 that way I am covered for solar as well when I add that. I’d love to use a LiFePO4 battery but I cant find the space for it in the cab! These trucks are so small on the inside. So I am thinking a regular deep cycle AGM battery on the passenger side under the hood. But I am still open to better ideas!

I couldn't put a dual battery set up in the X without doing some engine bay mods that I didn't feel like I wanted to tackle. I do know that many people are migrating from a second battery in the engine bay due to heat and finding locations elsewhere. That redarc charger is pretty big and I don't think you want that in your engine bay. Also, AGM batteries won't deliver the full battery capacity, so keep that in mind when you're figuring out your system. The only downside is Lithium can be pesky at temp extremes (doesn't work if its in freezing temps (which is why my system would be in the cab so I could heat it up). I imagine with a little ingenuity you could fit a system back there. I wonder if you could put the Redarc under the passenger seat, plug into the battery that you can pull out if needed, and plug into a distribution box and plugs, etc that are mounted inside the cab.

With the second AGM battery, you could always just put the whole system in a tote and plug it in from the bed. That way it would be closer to your eventual fridge. Depending on your Alternator output and what electricals you may be running of the main battery (winch especially), you may need to upgrade it (although with a little discipline you probably don't have to). I know in my case the X was pumping out 130 Amps at most, and if for some reason I was idling with everything on (lights, comms, etc.) and the 20A DC/DC charger, I could run the risk of not completely charging the Main Battery. I upgraded to 270 Amp, which is more than enough and was completely waterproof. The location of the alternator is low and I was worried about water crossings. But that was an expensive upgrade.

EDIT: If you really want to find space options for the Lithium, you could go the route I did and build individual cells for a more flat profile. I was able to fit it in a flat cargo space in the back.

 

[Kilo Sierra]

Here is a picture of what I did.

 

[MT_AYON]

The 3rd person was really a guest if they were traveling with us so an adult most likely but for the most part its 2 persons.

Regarding the electrical, I do plan to get a dual battery setup with a Redarc BCDC1225 that way I am covered for solar as well when I add that. I’d love to use a LiFePO4 battery but I cant find the space for it in the cab! These trucks are so small on the inside. So I am thinking a regular deep cycle AGM battery on the passenger side under the hood. But I am still open to better ideas!

I couldn't put a dual battery set up in the X without doing some engine bay mods that I didn't feel like I wanted to tackle. I do know that many people are migrating from a second battery in the engine bay due to heat and finding locations elsewhere. That redarc charger is pretty big and I don't think you want that in your engine bay. Also, AGM batteries won't deliver the full battery capacity, so keep that in mind when you're figuring out your system. The only downside is Lithium can be pesky at temp extremes (doesn't work if its in freezing temps (which is why my system would be in the cab so I could heat it up). I imagine with a little ingenuity you could fit a system back there. I wonder if you could put the Redarc under the passenger seat, plug into the battery that you can pull out if needed, and plug into a distribution box and plugs, etc that are mounted inside the cab.

With the second AGM battery, you could always just put the whole system in a tote and plug it in from the bed. That way it would be closer to your eventual fridge. Depending on your Alternator output and what electricals you may be running of the main battery (winch especially), you may need to upgrade it (although with a little discipline you probably don't have to). I know in my case the X was pumping out 130 Amps at most, and if for some reason I was idling with everything on (lights, comms, etc.) and the 20A DC/DC charger, I could run the risk of not completely charging the Main Battery. I upgraded to 270 Amp, which is more than enough and was completely waterproof. The location of the alternator is low and I was worried about water crossings. But that was an expensive upgrade.

I have already thought about a lot of the systems that you mentioned. For e.g. I already have a fuse box inside the cab for all the interior accessories and have outlets lined up for a fridge from that. I have some marine grade circuit breakers that I can use to turn off all my electrical mods when I need to work on it or go through a water crossing for example. But I could definitely use some more ideas from a fellow enthusiast. I’d love to check out your rig too and pick your brain. Any chance you are in the SoCal area?

 

[Kilo Sierra]

I have already thought about a lot of the systems that you mentioned. For e.g. I already have a fuse box inside the cab for all the interior accessories and have outlets lined up for a fridge from that. I have some marine grade circuit breakers that I can use to turn off all my electrical mods when I need to work on it or go through a water crossing for example. But I could definitely use some more ideas from a fellow enthusiast. I’d love to check out your rig too and pick your brain. Any chance you are in the SoCal area?

Naw, I'm in New Hampshire. Other end of the country. :)

Like the setup. Nice and clean. If you're doing everything in cab, I think you could plan either way. I'd definitely make sure to see if the Redarc can be put in the engine bay. If it can't I'd explore an in-cab modular option. Are you planning to put the fridge in cab?

 

[MT_AYON]

I have already thought about a lot of the systems that you mentioned. For e.g. I already have a fuse box inside the cab for all the interior accessories and have outlets lined up for a fridge from that. I have some marine grade circuit breakers that I can use to turn off all my electrical mods when I need to work on it or go through a water crossing for example. But I could definitely use some more ideas from a fellow enthusiast. I’d love to check out your rig too and pick your brain. Any chance you are in the SoCal area?

Naw, I'm in New Hampshire. Other end of the country. :)

Like the setup. Nice and clean. If you're doing everything in cab, I think you could plan either way. I'd definitely make sure to see if the Redarc can be put in the engine bay. If it can't I'd explore an in-cab modular option. Are you planning to put the fridge in cab?

The Redarc can be mounted in the engine bay with this battery tray for the 3rd gen Tacomas. The fridge would go in the bed, that outlet is in the bed but is wired to the fuse box in the cab. My plan was to use the Switch pros for all the external accessories like lightbars, compressor, etc that I can run from the IGN battery (as I’d rarely want them running at camp) and the other stuff like Fridge, camp lights, radio, outlets etc from the aux fuse box in the cab that would be powered through the second battery.

 

[Kilo Sierra]

The Redarc can be mounted in the engine bay with this battery tray for the 3rd gen Tacomas. The fridge would go in the bed, that outlet is in the bed but is wired to the fuse box in the cab. My plan was to use the Switch pros for all the external accessories like lightbars, compressor, etc that I can run from the IGN battery (as I’d rarely want them running at camp) and the other stuff like Fridge, camp lights, radio, outlets etc from the aux fuse box in the cab that would be powered through the second battery.

You Tacomas get such wonderful toys... :)

That works. I pretty much did the same with the Auxbeam version. I think the only difference is I'm running my compressor through my aux battery, and my comms through the main battery (in case the aux batt was pulled). I hardlined the compressor in the rear, close to the aux batt. I did make sure I had the DC/DC charger on a switch in case I was using the winch, and if I was warming up the cab for the aux batt, although the BMS has a low temp cutoff.

Oh, while I'm thinking of it. Not sure the progression of your emergency gear, but I run 2 single walled canteens so I can boil water in them. I'd also recommend USGI rations as a base. They are good in wide temps and non-thirst provoking. I have most of my survival gear in MOLLE pouches on the passenger seatback.

 

[MT_AYON]

The Redarc can be mounted in the engine bay with this battery tray for the 3rd gen Tacomas. The fridge would go in the bed, that outlet is in the bed but is wired to the fuse box in the cab. My plan was to use the Switch pros for all the external accessories like lightbars, compressor, etc that I can run from the IGN battery (as I’d rarely want them running at camp) and the other stuff like Fridge, camp lights, radio, outlets etc from the aux fuse box in the cab that would be powered through the second battery.

You Tacomas get such wonderful toys... :)

That works. I pretty much did the same with the Auxbeam version. I think the only difference is I'm running my compressor through my aux battery, and my comms through the main battery (in case the aux batt was pulled). I hardlined the compressor in the rear, close to the aux batt. I did make sure I had the DC/DC charger on a switch in case I was using the winch, and if I was warming up the cab for the aux batt, although the BMS has a low temp cutoff.

Oh, while I'm thinking of it. Not sure the progression of your emergency gear, but I run 2 single walled canteens so I can boil water in them. I'd also recommend USGI rations as a base. They are good in wide temps and non-thirst provoking. I have most of my survival gear in MOLLE pouches on the passenger seatback.

Nice! I did a 72hr backpack that I leave in the bed with some basic sleeping and cooking gear and rations. I haven’t tried the USGIS stuff, I’ll try them out. I also have some Lifestraws and a Lifesaver Jerrycan for water. I keep my survival system flexible so I can carry the basic on person if I need to ditch the truck but I also keep bigger versions of them in the truck that are more convenient to use.

 

[Kilo Sierra]

Nice! I did a 72hr backpack that I leave in the bed with some basic sleeping and cooking gear and rations. I haven’t tried the USGIS stuff, I’ll try them out. I also have some Lifestraws and a Lifesaver Jerrycan for water. I keep my survival system flexible so I can carry the basic on person if I need to ditch the truck but I also keep bigger versions of them in the truck that are more convenient to use.

The rations are US Coast Guard rated survival rations by different manufacturers (Datrex, Mayday, etc.). There are some good comparison videos online.

Sounds good. I like the Lifestraws and will probably pick up the Lifesaver can eventually. I also have a Get Home Bag I keep in the rig that I pass between vehicles. But since I'm pretty much working remote now its been picked apart while I'm working on rebuilding the whole system. My winter chore is to completely go through my survival, first aid, and overlanding gear and tossing or upgrading the system as needed. I know most of the stuff I keep in my Boo-Boo & Firing Range Trauma kit are probably expired.