Suggestions from those folks who already have done it

[Cedar]

We just bought a used/2013 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport with tow package. We hope to find a used 4WC Fleet for the long bed. What do we need to do to get it ready to put the camper on it? (Besides buying a camper of course.)
We plan to go on extended camping trips - there are 2 of us and a black lab. We used to go in the topper on our old Taco but it got to be just too uncomfortable. We travel around the west from our base in Western Colorado and do go on some unpaved roads but mostly are graded and ungraded gravel when we camp. We travel FS roads which can be ugly at times but usually we don't if we don't get caught in rain or snow.
Any tips, suggestions or words of wisdom are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[hoyden]

Hi!
I've got a 2014 Taco DCLB + 2015 Fleet and it's a great combo!
It's me + old pug + young heeler.

I changed out my stock tires for E-rated BF Goodrich AT T/A KO2 tire 235/85-16 and quite like them. The E-rating is much better for the extra weight, and for the rigors of off-road, rocky places, etc.

Also got the Heavy Duty OME suspension kit, even thought FWC only recommends airbags - I do a fair amount of "what's down that road?" exploring and wanted to make sure I was good out there. (search my name and see my trip reports!)

I have airbags, but have yet to install them. Most everyone I've talked with says it makes the ride way better, but there's some concern if you do a lot of articulated off-roading. Someone else will have to speak more to that tho. I'm a novice there.

Bring extra turn-buckles! Put nuts on top of your current turn-buckles.
Check them every 200 miles (or so), and after extra bouncy areas.

As for traveling with dogs... I recommend keeping a towel near the camper door and have a mat at the bottom of your steps. My heeler, Argos, is fine with me touching his feet, so it's not too difficult to wipe off his feet before he jumps into the camper. That said, he often jumps before I get a chance to wipe his feet. Be prepared for dirt in camper!
I had carpeting on the floor for a while, and that's easy to shake out. But sweeping is also super easy.

I took the rear seats out of my Taco and built a platform in back there. Argos gets half the back platform, and a footlocker gets the other half (I'd prefer slide-out drawers tho). My chairs, roll-up table, shovel, etc stow under the platform.

Every time I go out, I find something new that is handy. This time I hung my TP with paracord and two little 3M hooks out of the way, but for easy use from the porta-potti. Check out the "low cost mods" thread here for some great ideas!

Have fun! Post trip reports! :-D

 

[ETAV8R]

I'll give my suggestions from what I've done so far.

Tiresreviously used General Grabber AT/2's and they worked fine. Two flats however and the infamous white paper regarding tall/skinny tires changed my mind. I now run Goodyear Wrangler All Terrain Adventures in 235/85/16. You have a Sport and most likely have the 17 inch rims so your sizing will be different. These tires are Load Range E and have kevlar reinforcement. My friend and I both run the same tires and have made numerous trips off-road, mainly Death Valley, and have had no issues.
https://www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/wrangler-all-terrain-adventure


Switched suspension from TRD OR Bilsteins to OME full front and rear. That was with my flippac. After I got the Finch I noticed my truck, when departing for trips, was already sagging from the load. After many communications with my friend Crom on Tacoma World and his help we did an installation of different Bilstein shocks/struts still using the OME coils and leafs. We also installed Wheelers bumpstops and extended brake lines. I still think I should have gone with the Timbren bumps in the rear but I won't be doing that anytime soon. My ride improved greatly both front and back but fully loaded I think the Timbren would help more than the wheelers.

Here is Croms thread for his front suspension and his main page which is full of useful information:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-getaway-croms-build-and-adventures.362772/page-35#post-11153211
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-getaway-croms-build-and-adventures.362772/

Indeed you should get a bedmat of some sort. With the plastic bed in the Tacomas this is imperative to help prevent sliding/shifting of the camper. I've got the Toyota bedmat and it works great. I cut out sections for the metal mount brackets from FWC.

 

[Yukon]

I have a 2008, Nissan Frontier and travel pretty much as you described. Here's what I did to the truck:

• Added Firestone airbags.
• Replaced stock tires with BF Goodrich, AT KO2's (E rated). Great tires!
• Replaced stock shocks with Belstein shocks
• Replaced Nissan rear bumper with a custom one that I bought and then modified (I do welding)
• Added 4 wood blocks to the two sides of the camper so that the camper cannot shift towards one side or the other
• Added lock nuts to the turn buckles
• Removed the two jump seats in the cabin of the truck.
• Replaced the jump seats with a shelve system so I can stack clothing and other gear and make those items easy to access.
• As part of the above shelving system (made of welded steel frame), built a steel safe to lock up my cameras/computer.

It all works great and I would not change anything else at this point.
Chris

 

[ntsqd]

You will want to research where to put the camper hold-down mounts, what to use for these, and get those in place before you go to pick up the camper.

 

[tree]

install zinc plated eyelets with backing plates in the corners. front pull to center, rear pull to center. fwc has the recommendations. never mount to trucks stock tie down hooks. I installed firestone airbags. even though I have hd suspension. e rated tires, and the best shocks I could find at local auto parts for now. im due for better shocks. I only camp the so cal deserts. I tow a 12 foot trailer with a utv on it. graded roads. with ruts, whoops closer to camp. but usually camp on dry lakebeds.

 

[Alley-Kat]

And, you'll want to get a rubber mat for the camper to sit on.

I just went to the hardware store and bought some rubber floor mat material off a roll.
It doesn't have to go all the way, side to side.
The idea is to provide some small amount "sticky-ness" to keep the camper in place.
I believe that there are few threads on the forum about what various other guys like and have used.
Using a removable plastic bed liner is not recommended.

And, don't forget to also look for used ATC Campers, as well.
Or, maybe even a new one.
Marty & Jeff at ATC are great to work with and will make a new camper "just right" for you.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

+ 1 for ATC!!!

We use stall mats under our camper. You can get it in various thicknesses and widths, about $4-5 per foot. I use the 3/8".

 

[Living The Dream]

As NTSQD mentioned, tie down locations are super important. FWC makes and sell ones spesfically for 2nd gen tacomas. You can also have a machine shop make them for you probably at a fraction of the cost from FWC.

On my third post I have a picture of them and a link to the hardware you might want to get the project done yourself.
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/11945-84-fleet-09-tacoma-project/

There are other options, but I feel the FWC bracket it a popular choice.

 

[Beach]

If you spend a lot of time on dirt roads, sooner or later you'll be driving in the rain(read mud), install bigger mud flaps and cover anything on the rear of the vehicle.

 

[BFH4N]

I assume the 2013 Tacomas still have the plastic bed. For those, FWC supplies two mounting brackets which have attachment points for the turnbuckles. The brackets are held down by the bolts which hold the bed in place. Also supplied is a set of rubber mats of the same thickness as the brackets (3/8"), so that the camper is supported. So, there are two issues for you:

1: If you get a used Fleet, you will have to get the brackets and mats somehow. If the previous owner had a Taco, they should be part of the deal. If not, you'll have to get them from FWC and factor in the cost.

2: The bed bolts may be rusted and difficult to remove. Before you go to pick up your new camper, be sure you can get those bolts out! I had one which was so tight it required an inpact driver. The head got so torn up that I had to get a new bolt from Toyota. If you are going to be taking the camper off periodically, put anti-seize on the threads.

- Bernard

 

[Cedar]

Thank you to everyone for replying so quickly. Our 2013 Taco came with a Toyota rubber floor mat, so that was great! It has 16" tires on it and they are new. I have to go check what kind they are but seems like nothing very aggressive so we may need to get some all season mud/snow tires anyway for out here.
I'm going to do my homework and read the links everyone posted.
Awesome!

 

[Bseek]

E rated tires refers to the strength of the sidewalls, not the mud or snow capabilities. With more weight on the truck you will want stronger sidewalls. They are pricy but worth it.

I have a 2013 Tacoma and a Bobcat (like a Fleet) shell. I get by with just airbags. I haven't needed stronger suspension yet, but I don't do much off roading. Make sure you get a good name airbags. My first ones were something no one has heard of and they crapped out. Fortunately the dealer who put them on swapped them out for Firestones. He called it a learning experience for him. I called it lucky to be dealing with an honorable dealer.

Just a hint. The search capabilities of this site are less than desirable. I use any search engine, and put in zzz site:www.wanderthewest.com replacing the zzz with my content (air bags, kitchen, awning, etc.) You get much better results. And by switching to the images feature, you can get some great ideas really fast.

Feel free to ask questions. This is a great group of folks. Hope to see you on the road someday.

 

[Living The Dream]

These are the brackets you need. Just happened to see them on my standard CL viewing and remebered this post.

http://denver.craigslist.org/rvs/5854818141.html

 

[alienaaf]

Great discussion! Thanks

 

[Cedar]

Thanks Living the Dream for the CL heads up. We got the brackets from that fellow. We're still looking......

 

[JHanson]

I'm going to add a few more (highly opinionated) basic suggestions, since it's actually difficult to search for clear installation tips, as Bseek mentioned.

If you plan to leave the camper installed all the time, I believe the ideal suspension setup would be custom rear leaf springs, specced to level the truck with the empty camper installed, along with air bags (Firestone or Boss, not Air Lift) to fine-tune the height after adding water, gear, etc. You'll definitely want heavy duty shocks—OME, Boss, etc.—on all four corners. The stock front springs will work fine.

If you plan to remove the camper between trips, air bags and stock springs are the only way to maintain a decent ride with both no load and then a near-gvwr load. No springs will make that transition. You would also want adjustable shocks in that situation.

Stay away from Timbrens. They are really just glorified bump stops and do nothing to support a load until the rear end sags. You want to keep the truck level to maintain safe handling and proper headlamp alignment.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Hi Cedar = Adding my 2 cents.

Tires:
Whichever manufacture you choose make sure there is letters " LT' before the number. LT (light truck) is a 10 ply rated tire that will support the weight. Your tire that may say P and the number. When we bought it it came with "P"265/70R16.(Load range C) Now it has "LT"265/75R16. Load range E and half inch higher.

\We use our rig mixture of offroad (fire road type to semi-washed out trails) and asphalt. If you mount it full time (bolt it down) you will need to weld plates on the frame to bolt the camper to because the bed is plastic composition. Four wheel sells elevator bolts (flat on top) the correct length which is longer than what is commercially available. Because the frame is not boxed we drilled the composite bed 2 sizes larger diameter to allow for frame flex, After over 36,000 miles we have NO squeaks and the locking nuts are still tight.(checked once per month).

Springs or air bags
If you take it off buy air bags. We leave ours mounted full time so we have a custom spring set. I went to my local spring shop that services commercial trucks and Motorhomes and had a custom 4 leaf set configured to support 1500 pounds cost $625.00 in 2013. Rig rides a few inches above horizontal empty of camping gear and a little higher than level with 350 pounds of camping gear.

Camping weight
I assume you will be purchasing the Fleet with the standard camper set up. Without water, food, and clothes it will weigh around 1,350-pounds, Our 4WD Taco without the tailgate weighs 4200 pounds with half tank of fuel - no driver. Our "improved" shell weighs 1,100 empty. Add water, food, clothes and camping gear for a week in the desert (520 pounds) = 5,820 pounds, Add a full tank of gas (130 pounds. 6.183 x 21) and we are up to a total 5,950 pounds without passengers. Adding two people and the retriever (add another 400 pounds = 6,350 pounds,.....Oh by the way Gross is 5,500 pounds.

That is the reason you need 10 ply tires and air bags or custom spring set.

Driving impression
The 4.0 V-6 and trailer towing package - 3.73 gear will give you plenty of power despite the weight. Before towing the Suzuki Samurai and being restricted to 60mph towing we could easily pass semi's on 2 lane roads without worry. Fuel milege highway: 15.5-18.5 mpg on premium fuel. 14.5 towing the Samurai on flat ground.

The primary issue is the brakes. Driving conservatively (we putt along at 65-70) and downshifting the auto transmission we have not experienced dangerous brake fade and have yet to replace the front brakes, Our tow vehicle does not have brakes. In 5,000 towing miles we have only had to make one panic stop and the brakes easily were up to the task,

Your really going to like the performance of the Fleet. Click on the link below my signature. That post has a lot of good research ideas from myself and others that work well on the full camper as well as a shell.

 

[Cedar]

Thanks everyone for the good information. I rechecked my tire size and they are 17". We are going to be in the Denver area the first full week of December and plan to stop by the FWC showroom to see what they really look like. I want to make sure my partner can fit in them and that he really will be comfortable in the Fleet.
Until then I am still looking all over the place for information and possible Fleet for sale.
-Cedar

 

[ETAV8R]

If you want to go to 16s look on Craigslist. There are many ads for Tacoma wheels, usually at a very good price.