Boden Build - 2015 Tacoma DCLB 4wd

tacozord

Adventurer
UPDATED: 5/30/18

My name is Mike, and I thought I'd finally start a build page after lurking for a long time. My last vehicle was a 2001 Ford F150 2wd that I pretty much beat the heck out of. However, this Tacoma is my third Toyota truck. My first was a 1980 4wd and my 2nd was a 1992 2wd that I built as a pre-runner.

I purchased this Tacoma new in December 2014, and I'm off and running. I researched for a long time before the purchase, and I have a lot of plans for the truck. The primary goal is to build an expedition vehicle that gets me into the backcountry for better photographic opportunities. I want to see things that most people don't have the opportunity to.

I chose a double cab for the extra storage capacity. In the fifteen years of owning the F150, I only had one person in the back seat. So for this truck, it'll most likely be similar, and I may remove the rear seats entirely. It's on the list. I also wanted a full door, because I hated the suicide-doors of the access cab. I always feel trapped between the front and rear doors.

Another decision I made was to choose the long bed versus the short bed. This again was primarily for storage reasons and because I'm 6'1" and plan on sleeping in the back. I'm contemplating a filp-pac, but the long bed will still be very beneficial even if I go down that road.

That last major purchasing decision was to choose the SR5 package instead of the TRD Off-Road package. This was deliberate, because I thought it was a waste of money buying the TRD Off-Road package when I was immediately going to replace the tires and suspension. If there's anything I may miss, it's the e-locker and ATRAC. But I'm thinking about air-lockers when I do a gear upgrade.

This is how the truck looks now:

2015-09-27_Flippac_Z2A5709_web800.jpg


2015-09-27_Flippac_Z2A5746_web800.jpg


2015-11-22_MojaveRoad_Z2A8651_web600.jpg


This is how the truck looked when I first got it:

TacomaWhenPurchased.jpg


Specs:
Make: Toyota
Model: Tacoma, Double Cab, Long Bed, 4wd, SR5 Extra Value Package
Year: 2015
Color: Silver Sky Metallic

Stock features:
Entune Audio Plus
Tow Package
Floor Mats
Exhaust Tip
Tube Steps - black (replaced with Demello Offroad Rock Crusher bolt-on sliders)
Remote key-less entry
Cruise Control
Power Windows
Power Locks
Fog Lights (stock fog lights removed - IPF ARB bumper fog lights installed)

Current Mods:
Suspension:

Icon 2.5" Remote Reservoir Extended Travel CDCV Coilover Shocks w/ 700lb springs
Icon 2.5 Series Rear Remote Reservoir CDCV Shock
Icon Uni Ball Billet UCA
Icon Progressive Add-A-Leaf pack

Tires:
BF Goodrich KM2 255/85R16

Wheels:
Stock

Armor:
ARB Deluxe Bull Bar Front Bumper
Demello Offroad Rock Crusher bolt-on sliders
Pelfreybilt High Clearance Rear Bumper

Communications:
Midland 75-822 CB
Wilson Little Wil antenna

Electrical:
Sears Platinum Group 35 battery
CAE 250A alternator
Big-3 upgrade

Bussmann RTMR Fuse/Relay Block
Permanent power supply for DeLorme InReach Explorer
IBS-DBS Dual Battery System monitor
Oddysey 34-PC1500T auxiliary battery

Auxiliary Bussmann RTMR Fuse/Relay Block for bed of truck

Lighting:
Depo black tail lights
Osram Rallye 70/65W +50 H4 64205 headlight bulbs
Hella 4000I Driving Lights
IPF ARB bumper fog lights
Under hood LED strip lighting
Rigid Industries SR-Q2 rear lights
Interior dome light for Flippac with 3-way switches

Misc:
Warn 9.5XP-S Sypdura Winch
K&N Air Filter
Redline Tuning Quicklift Elite
Console Vault
Bird Dawg Industries Teck Deck
Bird Dawg Industries Mirror Riser
Gentex Rear View Mirror w/ autodim, compass, temp gauge, Homelink
De-Badged tailgate and doors
Removed front mud flaps
Rear differential breather mod
Removed rear seats
Negeago All-in-one key
Flippac
RAAMmat and Ensolite sound dampening
Mobtown Tailgate Reinforcement plate and cap
ARB 50QT fridge and dual slide-out
Bed storage

Equipment:
Sentry halon 1211 9lb fire extinguisher
DeLorme InReach Explorer
Powertank PT10-5240
Tailhead Tire Deflator Kit (5-20psi)
ARB Tire Inflator
ARB Bushranger X-Jack
ARB Tire Repair Kit
winch kit
Hi-Lift Extreme 48" jack
MAXTRAX
20" Four-Way Lug Wrench
ScanGauge II
 
Last edited:

tacozord

Adventurer
ScanGauge

One of the first things I did besides installing a K&N air filter was to install a ScanGauge. I choose to put this on the steering column.
ScanGauge.jpg
 
Last edited:

tacozord

Adventurer
Redline Tuning Quicklift Elite hood struts

Next, I installed Redline Tuning Quicklift Elite hood struts.

Before:
2015-01-28_Tacoma_Z2A0695_web800.jpg


After:
2015-01-28_Tacoma_Z2A0698_web800.jpg
 

tacozord

Adventurer
Mirror Riser

The next item on the list was a mirror riser from Bird Dawg Industries.

Before:
2015-01-29_Tacoma_Z2A0705_web800.jpg


After:
2015-01-29_Tacoma_Z2A0709_web800.jpg


2015-01-29_Tacoma_Z2A0716_web800.jpg
 

tacozord

Adventurer
Teck Deck Extreme

Next was a Bird Dawg Industries Teck Deck Xtreme Heavy Duty version. This was a bit more involved with installation than everything else so far. But I was successful.

Before:
2015-02-02_Tacoma_Z2A0721_web800.jpg


Install:
2015-02-02_Tacoma_Z2A0722_web800.jpg


Attaching support bracket:
2015-02-02_Tacoma_Z2A0729_web800.jpg


After:
2015-02-02_Tacoma_Z2A0736_web800.jpg
 

tacozord

Adventurer
Rear view mirror

One of the things that bugs me about this truck was the ambient outside temperate gauge being tied to a HD radio station through the Entune Audio system. Really frickin' stupid in my opinion. I'd literally be up in Valencia, and it would tell me the temperature in Santa Monica, which is 30 miles away!!!

Anyway, I came real close to installing a very simple temp gauge for only a few bucks. However, I came across a post on Tacoma World that Bob's Automotive Mirrors had a rear view mirror with autodim, compass, temp gauge, and Homelink. And...it came with a connector to tie into the existing wiring harness. Brilliant!!! I was sold.

2015-02-03_Tacoma_Z2A0755_web800.jpg
 

tacozord

Adventurer
Bumber, winch, suspension, tires

Bumper and winch installed 2/18/15, suspension 2/19/15, and tires 2/20/15.

Bumper and winch:
ARB Deluxe Bull Bar Front Bumper
IPF ARB bumper fog lights
Warn 9.5XP-S Sypdura Winch

Suspension:
Icon 2.5" Remote Reservoir Extended Travel CDCV Coilover Shocks
Icon 2.5 Series Rear Remote Reservoir CDCV Shock
Icon Uni Ball Billet UCA
Icon Progressive Add-A-Leaf pack

Tires:
BF Goodrich KM2 255/85R16

2015-02-22_Tacoma_Z2A1051_web800.jpg


2015-02-22_Tacoma_Z2A1047_web800.jpg


2015-02-22_Tacoma_Z2A1049_web800.jpg


2015-02-22_Tacoma_Z2A1054_web800.jpg


2015-02-22_Tacoma_Z2A1060_web800.jpg
 

tacozord

Adventurer
Differential breather mod

On 2/24/15 I did the rear differential breather mod. I used 3/8" fuel line, and ran it up to the gas filler. However, I didn't cut through the plastic to have it exit at the filler cap. Instead, the line is zip-tied to the filler hose and left up in the cavity between the fender and bed liner.

Before:
2015-02-24_Tacoma_Z2A1068_web800.jpg


2015-02-24_Tacoma_Z2A1063_web800.jpg


2015-02-24_Tacoma_Z2A1078_web800.jpg


2015-02-24_Tacoma_Z2A1074_web800.jpg
 

tacozord

Adventurer
700lb Springs

When I ordered my Icon suspension, I requested 700lb springs. However, they were delivered with 650lb springs. Well, I finally got them and installed on 3/4/15.

Icon_700lb_coil_1.JPG


Icon_700lb_coil_2.JPG


Icon_700lb_coil_3.JPG
 

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