Starting a build report for my Tacoma as I get a few upgrades ready before I pick up my GFC next month. I’m coming from Alaska so it’ll be a bit of a long haul. I’ve wanted a camping rig with a GFC for a couple years now and I’m finally making it happen this summer. It’ll be a work in progress through the summer so I want a place to document all I do to it. I’m graduating college the week before I drive down, so I’ll call it a graduation gift to myself.
I’m a climber and a skier, so the truck will mostly be a way to get to and from those activities. I expect some light offroading but not for it’s own sake. It’ll also be something of a budget build (at least by GFC standards) since I’m 22…
The truck:
2008 Tacoma
Access cab, 6’ bed
Manual transmission
4wd
First quick “mod” is the AL trailgate. Super quick and easy to install, and a relief to have a flat surface to set things down or climb onto. I was originally going to get the mountain hatch, but the trailgate was cheaper so I went that route. $70 shipping was hard to swallow but there’s not much we can do about that.
Great start to what I’m sure will be a killer build! And don’t let the mall crawlers on social media fool you, we love a ‘budget build’ at GFC and dig a minimalist approach. Stoked to follow along and see where the GFC takes you.
Hell yeah! We’ll have to get together at some point when I get back up to AK this fall. I lived in Eagle River until last November and will be back up in September around the Anchorage . I picked mine up in February and am working on my build out as well. I might start a thread for mine but we’ll see. Cheers!
Next up was some cosmetic front end stuff and lighting upgrades. Here’s a before and after. I added a 32” light bar to the bumper using the Cali raised brackets. It’s a perfect setup, hidden away so it doesn’t make noise or anything. I also got the fog lights from caliraised, which are a great match with the amber raptor lights in the new grill.
Well, I’m a little while late posting this, but the install trip is complete! 6200 miles, 12 days when everything was said and done, including a couple days spent hanging out in Montana. Other than adding the GFC of course, the truck got some new tires. I tried to make the trip before upgrading tires, hoping I could put the mileage on the old passenger tires instead of new A/Ts. Didn’t quite go to plan, as a flat on the first day was enough to convince me to buy a new set of tires after making it to Bozeman on the repaired flat. Figure they were cheaper there than Alaska anyway. Originally had 245/75/16s, and I was looking to go to some 265/70/16s. However, they told me after the truck was on the lift at the shop that they only had the new ones in 245/75/16. Oh well. The new tires are the Falken Wildpeak AT3W, and they’re great so far. I can’t tell if they’re louder or less efficient because I got them put on at the same time as the camper, but they seem fine in both respects. Definitely look cool at lease. Here are a couple photos of the truck with the camper and the new tires. I think the black fender flares look pretty sweet with the camper, next big thing will be wheels.
Added the Matt Gecko LED kit last weekend. For anyone interested, I wrote up some details in a Mods, Tips, & Tricks thread called “Matt Gecko Led for V2”. For here, Ill just post a couple quick photos.
