AK TCO TuRD

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aksavanaman

Rank I
Launch Member

Traveler I

233
Sault Ste. Marie, MI, USA
Member #

8142

IMG_20170422_200156137_HDR.jpg Hey folks! I'm fresh into the Overland community but have been interested in vehicle adventuring for quite some time.

I bought this 01' Tacoma back in Feb of 2015 and right off the bat (lot?) I was into the adventure! To make a long story short (kinda) it involved me driving the 730 miles from Anchorage, AK where I bought the truck to Haines AK where I was catching a ferry... in a little over 24 hours because I was... well...not smart. Mind you I did this alone, in the dead of winter with a few extra jerry cans, a wool blanket and lots of Monsters.

What I though would be simple drive a bit... take a nap... make it there, turned out to be MUCH more than I bargained for. To sum it up... I took a 4 hour, 200 mile detour to Valdez because I wasn't paying attention.... I was blown off the road due to very worn "winter" tires and forcasted 90mph winds and was luckly pulled out by a helpful passer by... I nearly froze my hands off in -52 F weather spilling fuel all over myself because all the gas stations were closed... then I fell asleep at the wheel and ran off the road a 2nd time (again, being rescued by a passer by)... in the process learning that NO AMOUNT of 4x4 will help you get out of snow thats past your frame without the proper tools.... then having to deal with a flat tire because I popped the bead running off the road... and because karma hadn't had enough with me that day... spending 3 hours trying to change a flat tire with a stock bottle jack and larger tires in the middle of no where... and finally making it to the ferry in Haines with 30min to spare.

Let me just say to those of you actually reading, this was a STUPID idea in the first place and I realize now that things could have gone a lot worse.. as in die on the side of the road in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness. I can't even use the "oh you were young and dumb" excuse... I knew better, I was just excited to get the truck and go on my little "excursion". It was a definite eye opener and a story I can tell my kids as a warning to never leave the house... or drive for that matter ;)

That said, it was a pretty stock 01 Tacoma TRD, with worn springs, a non functioning rear E-locker, worn tires, broken window motor and other neglected maintenance items that I at least got with an ARE camper shell and for a good deal. Since then I have done the following upgrades with Pics to follow:

Suspension:
Eibach Coils from Toytec
Bilstein 5100's all around
OME Dakar Rear Leaf springs
1" front Diff drop

Wheels/Tires:
Stock painted 16" rims (no need to beat up new ones!)
255/85 Toyo MT's (pizza cutter all the way)

Engine:
Standard tune up items
AirRaid air intake tube
Deck Plate Mod (for those versed in yota speak)

Electrical/Coms:
New AGM Battery
Hella 55w Bumper lights
36" LED light bar for roof rack (one the way)
LED roof rack lights
LED Interior lights for camper shell
Complete wired switch panel for accessories
Additional fuse box for accessories
Cobra CB mounted in ashtray location

Armor/Recovery:
ARB Front Bumper
Smittybilt XRC 9500 winch (hard wired switch in cab)
Full recovery gear bag
Maxsa recovery boards
High Lift-Jack
Axe/Shovel

I'm really enjoying this rig so far, and while there aren't many places to explore here in Juneau, I'm looking forward to future adventures. I'll make sure to update as I do mods from here on out!
 
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aksavanaman

Rank I
Launch Member

Traveler I

233
Sault Ste. Marie, MI, USA
Member #

8142

Here is what she looked like Friday morning....
IMG_20171019_165525464-844x633.jpg

I'm heading on a hunting trip in a couple of weeks and we were going to use the Taco as our base camp and running up and down logging roads.... That is until I got underneath to replace an O2 sensor and found this....
3556-844x475.jpeg

So I have to preface... I was well aware of the Tacoma frame rust issues, and when I bought her everything looked alright when I checked. About 3 months ago I found a small dime sized hole just forward of what you see in the picture. So I had picked up a set of caps made by auto rust technicians out of Rhode Island thinking I'd take care of it as a winter project.... Guess winter came early!

IMG_20171021_163108196-844x633.jpg

IMG_20171021_162929131-844x633.jpg

This is after a few hours if work, grinding and sanding...
IMG_20171022_152159807-844x633.jpg
 
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Scout

Rank V
Launch Member

Pathfinder I

1,798
Jamestown,NY
Member #

3609

Wow.. Sorry to hear about the rough start. Glad ya made the ferry ok and in time..Its a good thing you found the rust issues before heading out.. I see future breakage if you didn't address the issues.. Better to see it at home in the driveway instead of a crinkled/cracked frame and jacked leaf spring 100 miles from home {or more} in the backwoods of AK..I like your add ons..should be a nice base camp..