Green Marine New 2019 Tacoma Build

[greenMarine]

Hey Gang – Not new to building Rigs but definitely new to Toyota’s in general – most of my off-roading over the last 30 years has been done in Jeeps with a few other brands mixed in but in 2019 I got bit with the Toyota bug and bought an 07 FJ Cruiser – I loved the FJ but getting into a Tacoma for my use purpose made more sense.

I just completed a 6-day overland trip to the Big Bend region of Texas in my Stock 2019 TSS Tacoma SR or SR5 I don’t know which. I was impressed repeatedly how well the STOCK Tacoma handled off road and never once despite open differentials and 30” tires struggled to wheel the challenging trails of the Big Bend area. That said – I have never kept a 4x4 stock for long and as soon as I bought it I ordered some wheel from Relation Race Wheels and was doing the mental math comparing Bilstein and Old Man Emu for my new rig.

On the Way home from Big Bend I hit a deer and had some aesthetic damage to my new truck – I bought it on November 19, 2019 so to have significant damage so soon was frustrating but the extent of the damage wasn’t significant in the relative way of structures on the truck.

Obstacles create opportunity – I’ve been building vehicles for longer than I’ve been able to drive them. So repairing the damage on my Truck will not be difficult for someone with my experience level.

This week I ordered up a ARB front bumper and made the decision to go with the Old Man Emu suspension. I went with the heavy set up on the springs, 886 in the front and the EL096R in the rear.

The reason for the H.D. Old Man Emu I have a decked in the rear and with the ARB Summit Front Bumper, I wanted the help from a heavier spring. My FJ Cruiser had Bilstein 5100 and the ARB Summit Front on it and there was a noticeable difference in height – having built rigs in the past with OME Suspension and others with Bilstein, my deciding factor was simply availability and the OME was in stock and available through my TransAmerica Wholesale account and was easier than the Bilstein so that is how that decision was made.

I plan to install the suspension tonight and the bumper on Saturday, it is slated for an alignment at a local Toyota dealership on Monday. My Relation Race Wheels should be here soon.



My style of overlanding is minimalist – before the term overlanding became en-vogue we called it ‘car-camping’.

CHEERS!

 

[Bird dog]

Welcome aboard.

 

[Tacomadad18]

Hello and welcome to Tacoma3g!

 

[Tyler]

Welcome to the forum and thank you for your donation. Deer suck and scare the crap out of me ever since I hit one with my Blazer a few years ago. Good choice on the ARB bumper though; it's one of my favorites and it should definitely help with future deer, lol.

 

[greenMarine]

I love the heavy springs cannot imagine it another way -
I love the way the bumper looks
NEED TO ADD Adjustable Upper Control Arms (UCA's)
Impressed with the Nitto Terra Grappler G2's on and off road they are the ones that came with the truck they are 265/65/17's - no plans to up grade at the moment.

Relation Race Wheels told me my wheels will be shipping this week.
My Cali Raised Sliders are on order and should be 6 weeks from now.

Sorry / Not Sorry for the poser pics - I left the office to take them and share with the community.

 

[Tyler]

The bumper looks great and so does its stance. Now you just need some matching ARB LED fog lights mounted to it.

 

[kwill]

Welcome! Where in TX are you?

 

[greenMarine]

The bumper looks great and so does its stance. Now you just need some matching ARB LED fog lights mounted to it.

I agree - I am partial however to KC's - have been since the early 80's. Some Pro6's or some ARB's would both look great - that said the $$ for lights is tough to swallow.

 

[greenMarine]

Welcome! Where in TX are you?

I currently split my time between Van Alstyne, Texas ( North of McKinney, TX) and South West Fort Worth, Texas.

Although previously, I have lived in: Waco, College Station, Odessa, Abilene, and Austin - in addition to California, Georgia, New Mexico, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Indiana.

I've been around as they say!

 

[Tyler]

I agree - I am partial however to KC's - have been since the early 80's. Some Pro6's or some ARB's would both look great - that said the $$ for lights is tough to swallow.

Funny you say that. I’m also partial to KCs and have been since the 90s. As a kid, I always got excited when I saw the (now old school) row of smiley face lights across the top of a truck, or on the bumper.

I plan to put two big circular LED lights on my bumper and want to stick to KC. However, I really dig the red bezel that the ARB version has. So I’m kind of torn on the ARB or the Pro6. But like you said, either option is a bit much for lights.

 

[Tyler]

I’m sure this is just being nit picky, but the red does look sweet.

 

[greenMarine]

Funny you say that. I’m also partial to KCs and have been since the 90s. As a kid, I always got excited when I saw the (now old school) row of smiley face lights across the top of a truck, or on the bumper.

I plan to put two big circular LED lights on my bumper and want to stick to KC. However, I really dig the red bezel that the ARB version has. So I’m kind of torn on the ARB or the Pro6. But like you said, either option is a bit much for lights.

I’m sure this is just being nit picky, but the red does look sweet.

View attachment 17911

Agreed


CaliRaised is local - 10 minutes down the road from me - I stopped by their joint the other day, got my sliders ordered and looked at their facility. I like what they're doing, it's an option to run their pods, but something about light bars and pods just seems strange to me - I am old school I guess -

 

[Tyler]

Agreed


CaliRaised is local - 10 minutes down the road from me - I stopped by their joint the other day, got my sliders ordered and looked at their facility. I like what they're doing, it's an option to run their pods, but something about light bars and pods just seems strange to me - I am old school I guess -

Same! Team circle all the way. Check out my ditch lights. (They’re halogen so they actually suck. LED would be nice but... $$$.)

 

[greenMarine]

I got those new wheels from Relation Race Wheels mounted up a few weeks back?

 

[Tyler]

I got those new wheels from Relation Race Wheels mounted up a few weeks back?

They look great. Really dig your color choice for the wheels with the red paint.

 

[greenMarine]

Have some Cali Raised LED rocker ski's coming this week also - besides my overland set up the truck is practically built.

 

[greenMarine]

Got them CaliRaised 'non' kick out 25-degree sliders added on -

I've not yet installed the CaliRaised Ditch Lights and D.L. Brackets just yet - although