I have camper #406 on a 2015 Tacoma Double Cab Short Bed. It was originally installed on a 2011 Tacoma but that truck lived a hard life and needed replacement. To read more about the mods to the truck check out the build thread on TacomaWorld, this will focus more on the GFC and related stuff.
Camper #406
Orange Space Frame, Black Panels, no added windows, Tent Side door.
Reservation bought from someone already in line - May 2, 2019
Color Samples Sent - May 8, 2019
Invoice Paid, Ready for Production - May 9, 2019
In Production - July 18, 2019
Complete - October 28, 2019
Installed in Bozeman - November 18, 2019
Embassy Hinges Installed - SoCal PIT October 19, 2020
Moved to Brown Truck - December 9, 2020
GFC Accessories:
GFC Wind Skid - Black
GFC Antenna Mount with Laird Connect Phantom Omni for Midland MXT275
GFC Awning Brackets with ARB 2000
Duluth Trading Company Seat Back Bunker P/N 83907 TruckParts.parts Lock On TruckParts.parts GFC Lighting Kit Shittco Hack Blocks
McMaster Carr Spirit Levels P/N 2148A69 and 2148A77
The trip to pick up the camper from California to Montana last year was documented here but some highlights are here. Checked out Yellowstone which is mostly closed in the winter, then headed south to Wyoming and around to Utah where bad weather chased me home down I-15.
After picking up near Yellowstone
Installed an ARB Awning 2000 using the GFC Awning Brackets first documented here
The 2000 is definitely the best size for looks but the amount of protection it provides means it is of limited use, better for rain than sun. If I hadn’t already owned it I wouldn’t have bought one. A 270 awning is a lot more useful from setting up around others with one.
A trip through Anza Borrego Desert State Park with a destination of Joshua Tree. Drove over a land slide in Canyon Sin Nombre and then couldn’t back up when I realized it was a bad idea. Ended up buried to the axle and had to walk 11 miles to cell service to rally help.
This was the last adventure of the black truck, it went into the shop shortly after and then I decided to start with a clean slate instead of the patched up black truck.
Bought the brown truck in February after looking for several months and one of the first mods was The Bullet Cover, a low profile shark fin replacement for 2012-2015 Tacomas from Totally Rad Products Offroad.
The camper was moved to a friends truck to fully strip the black truck for sale and the brown truck wasn’t fully built. While on his truck the hinges got replaced with the new embassy hinges by @Mike_GFCUSA on the PIT SoCal edition
Replaced the bulb seal with a new one during the install. Trim Lok Inc. Lid Seal, Double Bulb, 0.50in H, .150in Dia P/N X1145HT-25 was a good match to what originally came from GFC.
Headed out to Sedona two days later to meet some friends. Spent Friday night at the top of Schnebly Hill Rd, a beautiful view but an awful drive, it’s an easy road with just enough rocks in it to slow you to a crawl and too much traffic to really enjoy yourself. Cut a tire on the way down, annoying at the best of times, even more so when you are already down to a mismatched spare due to another flat 2 weeks earlier.
Saw @mechemike while headed west through town towards Loy Butte Rd where we intended to camp. It was way to windy in the open spot we found so just a picture before we headed a little south to a more protected spot.
Got home from a long work trip and had to knock some cobwebs off the tent. The new embassy hinge awning mounts came in while I was gone so just finished up installing those.
First I pulled the old set off that had been installed on the top of the tent which made opening in cold weather a bit hard.
Next I had to move the TruckParts.parts Pop-Top Lock over to the driver’s side as it won’t fit behind the awning.
Side note, spirit levels will turn clear when left in direct sunlight for long periods of time.
Next installed the mounts on the lower section of the extrusion, I chose to use one of the new mounts and one of the old for the ARB 2000 Awning as the new mounts are only needed above the hinges. Mounted the awning to the upper section of the mount to stay out of the way of the door. Very glad I have ratchet wrenches as the lower awning bolts are a pain to reach.
It’s nice having the 3 inches of clearance back, so now the only thing above the roof is the radio antenna. Still can drive into parking garages but much less would get destroyed.
