Collection of Build Threads

Saint Nick

Active member
Nice truck (y) I appreciate how hard it is to work on these things after battling the big 'C'. For me it was the months of chemo after the surgery that knocked me for six. Good luck with the build and I'm sure it won't be the last ;)

Nick
 

Bluegrass Taco

Adventurer
Nice truck (y) I appreciate how hard it is to work on these things after battling the big 'C'. For me it was the months of chemo after the surgery that knocked me for six. Good luck with the build and I'm sure it won't be the last ;)

Nick


Since the previous post, I found out that the Parkinson's diagnosis was not correct. Found out last Friday that I have MS.
 

Bluegrass Taco

Adventurer
Sorry to hear about that. I hope that the type of MS you have isn't too serious and I wish you well.

Nick.

Thanks!


Still in the shock mode, trying to wrap my mind around the news. I was given a couple pieces of reading material, as well as several websites to educate myself on what to expect going forward. I'm sure this won't be easy, but there is a lot of recent progress in treating MS. We're still determining what the particular "type" I have, but there are days when I feel pretty good. I'm taking that as a sign things can be good most of the time. My neurologist tells me he's seeing fewer and fewer severe "untreatable" cases. That's all about the improved prognosis after treatment starts... Think positive, prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and keep my chin up.
 

Saint Nick

Active member
Thanks!


Still in the shock mode, trying to wrap my mind around the news. I was given a couple pieces of reading material, as well as several websites to educate myself on what to expect going forward. I'm sure this won't be easy, but there is a lot of recent progress in treating MS. We're still determining what the particular "type" I have, but there are days when I feel pretty good. I'm taking that as a sign things can be good most of the time. My neurologist tells me he's seeing fewer and fewer severe "untreatable" cases. That's all about the improved prognosis after treatment starts... Think positive, prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and keep my chin up.

I'm sure you are in shock, however try to keep away from the internet and just go by what your specialist says. IMHO there is too much 'misinformation' on the net, especially with regards to medical things. I found that staying positive is the best thing along with support from family and friends made a massive difference when I was diagnosed.

As you say, "keep your chin up" and I wish you well (y)

Nick
 

Daniel Hitsman

New member
Here is our Sunrader Build. First picture is what we started with, second is close to complete!

Build:
  • Custom Dana 60 W/5:38s and ARB AIRLOCKER
  • 1984 Toyota Solid Front Axle W/5:29
  • 22RE with 5 speed manual
  • ARB front bumper
  • 9000LBS Warn Winch
  • 2x Hella 50w Driving Lights
  • Bushwacker Fender flares
  • Toyo MT 285/75R16 on 8 Lug Eagle Alloys (8x6.5)
  • Firestone Airbags (rear).
  • Onboard Air System (Viair)
  • Custom Toolbox mount on rear
  • Upgraded Mirrors + mounting two (2) to the hood for better Visibility

Comments, suggestions, feedback appreciated :)
524625524627
 

flecker

Member
BENJI
uZRPMzd.jpg
 

NYCOH

Observer
Updates coming this winter/spring with the recent purchase of a GFC...

2006 Toyota Tacoma TRD OR


42607290775_a5be0c36ff_h.jpg
 

dstefan

Well-known member
I have a handful of build posts in the Ovrlnd Only thread in the Pop-up camper sub forum. This is the overview. You can look further for more details, but it’s mostly the camper build since there’s not many Toyotas there.
I ordered my Ovrlnd in March 2020 and got it installed end of Jan ’21. I dithered about putting it on my built 2009 Tacoma or buy a fullsize (Tundra, F250/F150). I did and still want to do more technical trails at times. I went with the Tundra for the reliability, Toyota familiarity as well as the fit for me. I’m 6’2” and I have some back issues and I really need more comfort in both seating as well as to stretch out in the back. I’m extremely happy with the Tundra and the camper.

I''m gonna make this an abbreviated build post(s) and try to focus on things I did a little different than I've seen elsewhere. Happy to elaborate if there's questions.

The truck: SR5 21' Tundra. I looked and looked for a late model used double cab so I could have a 6 1/2 foot bed, but to no avail. That was partly because I insisted on having a 38 gallon fuel tank and the upgraded SR5 seats. In the end I bought a new 21 a year ago with all of that using Costco‘s buying program. I got a good enough deal then to afford to do all the suspension upgrades and add lockers and 4.88s (next week, FINALLY, yaaay!). Glad not to be buying now!

The main mods that relate to the camper to call out are: HD Deaver spring set with 3/4 in shackles (spec'd for a 1000lbs in the bed), compression adjustable shocks, ARB twin compressor under the hood with a chuck at the rear bumper, and a back seat platform minimalist drawer. The stock springs were just OK, but the Deavers and shocks make it handle great with a loaded camper and give me a much better departure angle due to the lift. The compressor is super helpful, yes for air ups/downs, but even more so for blowing the fine dust off the barn doors and keeping a *******ton of dust out. Here's how it sits now:

View attachment 698365

The camper: So far, it's been through one minimalist set up which we rushed to get done in Feb and March, before the heat was too bad in Phoenix and a more finished build this fall. That allowed us to get a few shakedown trips under our belts and figure out what else we wanted. We've spent 20-ish nights in it so far with about 300 miles or so of offroad travel, which has helped give us a good idea. It's pretty hard to figure the full layout before you use it some, even though we used our Tacoma similarly and swapped in some components (eg, the fridge and our slide out minimal cooking counter (AKA a board:)). Here's the evolution.
View attachment 698366
View attachment 698367
View attachment 698368
Sort of a mess, right? At this point we'd dustproofed things and insulated with 1/4' closed cell foam faced on both sides with radiant barrier. This stuff is as easy to work with as Relectix and as light, but seems more durable and certainly is more insulating. I put it up with VHB, and it’s held up really well so far. The nice thing is you can VHB it to the frame members and leave an air gap to the skin, which is important for the radiant barrier effect and avoid some thermal bridging problems. I covered it up with white chloroplast, except for the ceiling and we really like it. You can find this on Amazon, which is where I first ran into it, but it’s mostly 3 mm foam core, which to my mind is not thick enough. I just ordered 5mm core straight from US Energy Products, and they have a lot more options in sizes and lengths.

We put in a Wave 3 heater (configuration borrowed from Wrathchild's build). We love and use the windoors a lot, but they do limit wall space a bit for permanent installs. A DFG fridge slide (15 lbs and very well built) was mounted as close to the P-side wall as as it would fit on top of the Bedrug and two 1/2" one-slot 8020 rails on top of some spacers drilled into the bed. The point of this was to allow us to slide in and out our pullout "counter" of 12mm Baltic birch for storage.
Did I mention my wife was short? :ROFLMAO: Actually, she's only had to do this once where there was a bit of a drop off. I'm a photographer, so always have my tripod and we used this system for years with our Tacoma.
View attachment 698369
The other major things we did at this point (spring '21) were to put in our electrics (Nat'l Luna Power Pack with a 100 AH Battleborn LiFePo, a Bluesea switch panel, some lights) and build this platform for gravity feed water. It was stout enough to leave the Scepter can strapped in there on rough off roads. We use a Scepter flexible spigot, but extended it about 5' to give us on demand water at the tailgate. Not shown here, but you can see it hanging off the tailgate in the very first picture of this post. You can also see our through the wall external power plug to the right above the mini Maxtraxx and to the left high up on the cab side wall is our positive pressure vent ( more on both and the electrics in a future post, especially the vent)
View attachment 698370
Finally, here's how it sits now. I'll address that part of the build in a later post …

View attachment 698372
View attachment 698373

The Tundra itself:

- ‘21 SR5 w/ the upgrade package that added better seats and especially the 38 gal fuel tank
- 34” Cooper AT3 XLTs on Icon Vector 5 17” wheels. Didnt want to replace wheels but had to for UCA clearance
- Icon 2.5” Compression adjustable resi shocks. 2.5” lift in front
- Deaver custom spring pack spec’d for 1000 lbs in the bed with shackles. 3.5 “ lift in rear.
- SDHQ sliders
- TRD pro skidplate and RCI alu tranny/Tcase skid. Would have gone all RCI, but had to take the TRD skid with the truck.
- SDHQ ABS protection brackets
- ARB twin compressor mounted in the engine bay plumbed to a quick connect in the rear bumper
- Switch Pro electrical distribution module
- Nitro 4.88 gears -what a difference those made!
- Front and rear Eaton e-lockers
- Baja Pro Squadron fog/cornering lights in the OEM front bumper position
1652216360124.jpeg

This was my previous build. Hated to give it up but the seats were killing my back and not enough room or payload for the camper.

1652216564979.jpeg
Never used the winch or needed the front bumper so promised myself I wouldn’t weigh down my next build that way.
Been super happy with how the Tundra build has performed. We’ve done more difficult trails in the Tundra + camper thn we ever did in the Tacoma, inluding the most difficult climb we’ve ever done in 30 years of offroading last week

1652216973977.jpeg

The hill was about 4 truck lengths with multiple 2 foot ledges at top requiring a line way to the left over the rounded rock that was also 2 feet to avoid the even taller ledges at top to the right all off camber and with loose rock and dirt. Scared the dickens outta me, but the Tundra just walked up with the rear locker on and great spotting from my wife! No scrapes or slips. The torque of the v8 and regearing was a great help.
 

Switch

Observer
Here's my 2022 Tacoma Access Cab build thread:

1681096806067-png.772929

1681094209427-png.772922
1681096852198-png.772932
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
185,530
Messages
2,875,574
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top