At 9000lbs, you’re not only 2k over your gross weight rating, you’re also well over your axle ratings. Front axle is rated for 4K lbs; rear is rated for 4150. Seems lots of people overload their Tundras without issue, but being over GAWR full time would lead me to suspect bearing failures at some point in the future. Toyota seems to rate these very conservatively, but you still have a semi-floating (read: not heavy duty) rear axle with waaay more weight than it’s rated for. Curious how this works out over time. Beautiful rig regardless.
Another variation of my solution:. They make a brass 90 degree hose fitting. Screw it into your outlet and leave a short piece of hose running down the side of the camper. This could be secured with clamps and high bond tape from 3M
You know if you had a pull-out hose that screwed into the side of the camper, you wouldn't need the extra piece. Just unlatch / unscrew it and hang it down or put into the grey water tank. Shove it back in and relatch / screw in when done.
Wow. You guys are total professional reviewers. Well composed, well lighted, quality vid, in focus, well spoken. Perfect. As a professional photographer myself, and contemplating a pop-up set up similar for my wife and I, I really appreciate your efforts here. Good beta and perfectly filmed.
Just got done watching your review! Sounds like things are going well overall. Suggestion on the gray water that may make your lives a little easier. Stop by a local hardware store, Lowe’s or Home Depot, pick up two 90 degree hose fittings with barbed ends, one garden hose style and the other pipe thread (I assume that’s what they use for the gray tank on the tray), a length of hose and a few hose clamps. Add a mounting clamp in the middle to help it keep close to the camper (you could use a screw from the back side of the furnace, away from the exhaust, so you don’t have to drill any holes) You can have a semi permanent fix that will hug close to the body of the camper yet allow you to not have to go through that step every single time. 😊
I too have a truck camper however I couldn't see spending the money on both a new truck and camper. So what I did was search for a used truck and camper and I completely rebuilt both. I purchased a 98 GMC 2500 for 2 grand and a 94 truck camper for 1500.00. I put another 3 grand into them and now I have a pretty sweet truck with many bells and whistlers and a camper that has many comforts. I also have that stupid drain for the sink. I set mine up to charge the batteries three ways. I can plug it in, use my solar or charge from my alternator. I have never run out of power. I love my truck camper and wouldn't change a thing. I think if it weren't for the need of some wanting more space and comfort this is the way to go. I think if more people would try truck campers they would be pleasantly surprise at how comfortable they are. Love the channel, Happy Trails.
I agree! I think there are some super cost effective options out there to test the waters. They also allow you to be more capable and get to further off places!
Last winter in Mexico I ran into a woman in her 80's who was living in a very similar setup, the same poptop camper unit, and I was really impressed with how easily she was able to get it up and down and how nice it was inside. Been traveling in my 82 Westy but planning my long term next rig, and headed towards the same solution. Thanks for the info.
I’ve never been a fan of buying somebody’s cast off vehicles and I usually keep mine until they really start costing me $$$. Now that you’ve bitten the bullet and bought your new truck, hang onto it. You shouldn’t ever regret it. After a couple of years it will feel like an old friend
Awesome!! 4WC is building my Flatbed Camper up now and is installing their very first Redarc Manager 30 system for power management!! I asked them and they said yes!! Cant wait to get it on the road! Hope to see you out there!
You defiantly went in the right direction buying the Tundra. I have a 2017 Tacoma , it is so underpowered and the fuel economy with a camper on the back would be much worse than your Tundra .
This may be already suggested for your sink drain issue. But if you were to get clear 3M protective film (same stuff they put on the front of new cars to protect against rock chips and salt) on the area that gets wet with the sink it would protect the finish. It's a cheap alternative and won't effect the look of your rig. Hope it helps!
Thank you for this review. I'm considering the Four Wheel Camper after my retirement. One of the major considerations is the truck. Your review of the Tundra was very illuminating. Again Thank you, I've 'Liked' and "subscribed" and I look forward your future posts.
While I have a 1st gen Tundra, with over 210,000 trouble free miles, of which I’ve towed a 4,500 lbs. trailer over 43,000 miles, I think the 2nd gen Tundra is better suited for your rig. They have a much stronger drive train, better payload and 4 wheel disc brakes. People complain about the 2nd Gen fuel mileage, but in real world comparisons when loaded, they are about the same as the Big 3. Granted a diesel would get better mileage, but you would need to account for maintenance cost and the difference of gas vs fuel. Keep up the good videos, love the honesty of your reviews.
Good videos, thanks. re: the shower curtain set up. You can heat weld plastic sheeting. I've seen videos were people have made inflatable flotation bags for kayaks with this method. That means anything you want to do won't be a problem. My idea of an indoor camper shower is basically a full length tube with an overlapping door and about 12" to 18" of sealed bottom with a hose attached to drain the water. Once you figure out how to weld the plastic (it's basically ironing it together. I haven't done it... yet) you can try different combinations until you figure out something that sets up easily, drains well, and can be easily turned inside out and hung outside to dry. (Remember sunlight is a mildew and stink killer. My swimsuit I wear under my wet suit started stink, I washed it a couple of times - no luck. Then I hung it outside in the sun for a couple of days, turning it around and inside out. It smells like new. Same thing with nylon military surplus ski skins I bought on eBay. They arrived still a bit damp and smelling of mildew. I just hung them outside, same thing a few days, turning them around so all surfaces got sun.) For a hurricane, in an urban area, say you're in Florida. Instead of trying to get on the jammed interstate, what if you just parked in a parking garage. You could move around as the wind changed direction. I haven't done this, so if I were near an approaching hurricane I'd want to get good local information. The thing about a parking garage is it presents a very narrow opening, even along the entire open side of the structure, to flying debris. A tree coming at you would be far more likely to hit concrete, or another level than to come through the opening and hit you. The tray shelf. Yes. I once cut a 'kitchen counter' out of a snow bank and set up on it. It's amazing how having the space you need at a comfortable height is so helpful. Using it for chores is not a chore, it's a happy moment. re: weight and build. I've made a couple of kayaks. A camper is a six sided box makes sense. Big flat sides. A kayak is always two types of curves everywhere. Lightweight cedar strips and a couple layers of fiberglass and epoxy. Strong and stiff. A plywood kayak is about 1/8" thick plywood, each panel is curved, where they meet is two curves. These are tied together every couple of feet with wire and then the seams are taped and epoxied, then the wire removed. Incredibly strong and stiff. Now that I'm determined to do basically what you're doing, off road, camper of some sort, and I'm watching videos, I see too much weight. (If I could get a rig like yours that got 20 mpg, I'd buy it today). For one build it took three guys to lift the roof rack onto the truck. I know enough engineering to know that thing is too heavy. I guess I'm going to have to shut-up and make something.... What thing I'm interested in about your rig is how easy is it to build from the frame up? I looked at your list of videos and thought, why not start at the back - so the 6 month video. Then go back. If I was to match what you did with DIY plywood kayak construction Each side would look like you'd cut a wedge out of a square, and pulled those two edges together. At the corners would be, at the back curves meeting. At the front corners, for less wind drag, a long panel in between the front panel and the sides, fat in the middle and to a point at the top and bottom... Roof same thing. Doors and windows would have to be inset so they can be flat. The whole thing fiberglassed and epoxied, but I'd leave the glass woven texture, not add more epoxy to smooth it out. The golf ball divots lowering its wind resistance. Could always fill them in later. And of course a pop top. The basic box wouldn't weigh more than 100 - 150 lbs. It would be 1/8" thick, plus the glass. (You don't have to read this or respond. We're all cooped up. I'm thinking out loud.... I did just come up with a design.... For the pop-up I'd have the bottom 'open box' with a 2x3 frame around the top. Same on the top - top. With the opening hardware, fabric sides, and of course the 'weather seal' (not just rubber but the top going over the bottom board.) I guess thanks. Replace the fridge. In the meantime, keep the once a day stuff in any kind of box on the bottom. Imagine you open it up and it's all boxes open at the tops: No coldness pouring out the bottom. After about 300 of videos like this, and especially the ones from the off-road trade shows. Almost all of the companies are doing the exact same thing but with some variation. Your needs apparently aren't in that list. (I started to look for a pop-up with out the queen sized bed over the cab. Haven't found one that isn't just an expensive box. Why haven't they done anything about air resistance? It's like they don't want to think about it. Also they like to talk about weight as affecting gas mileage. Not as important as air flow, especially at road and interstate speeds. To double your speed you need 8x more energy to push against the air, this might be off. A good used vehicle pays for a lot of gas. The ladder and stuff could be put in a pod on the surface of that back. And hey, Florida plates. How crazy is my hurricane parking garage idea? What I think should have been happening by now is manufacturers should've been paying attention to what everyone is doing and figure out how to do it better, lighter, maybe cheaper. (Roof top tents. Why are they so expensive, so heavy and so big? They don't have to be. ) Safe travels.
This is a dream for so many people. But yet, on a few have the balls to take action in this direction. Most of us are trapped in the Hamster wheel of the concrete jungles and screens.
@videobenji I would be really interested in hearing more about this side of the story. I've always suspected a lot of people who choose this alternate lifestyle with a plan to do it long term, indefinitely or even for 5 years end up changing their mind on how fun or fulfilling or interesting or economical it really is after a year or two. Although I too am seduced by channels like this one (and I think these guys are 100% authentic about their preference to be doing exactly what they are doing now) I wonder if the formula for the majority drawn to these vids is something closer to a 1 or 2 year adventure and then sell the expensive full timing rig, go back to a home/apt. base and simultaneously build out an old used mini-van for shorter road/camping trips with the economy of a used purchase price, good mpg and simplified rig build out. Do you have any more in-depth thoughts or a blog about your comment above?..same question to BoundForNoWhere if you are reading this or anyone else? I think I would like to do this and I will do this in some form be it a Van or 4x4Camper. I'd probably do a year of travel in North America to get experience and the rig dialed in and confidence built in both my abilities and the rig's, and then a year traveling through Central and South America. I could not afford the platform these guys are using so I appreciated their comments on maybe doing this on a 1st Gen Tundra to save costs. I'd also want to buy the camper and fitting out with the strategy of least depreciation so after a two year adventure, I would minimize the difference between what I spent to acquire everything and what I was able to sell it all for 2 years later. With good planning, some of the expensive stuff (equipment) bought for the rig could be re-used in the mini-van build later. Any comments or strategies or blogs/vids that relate to this idea would also be appreciated. Thanks to "Bound For NoWhere" for continuing to inspire us who are in the dreaming and planning stages.
I recommend a back seat delete. Its just 2 of you and a cat. Do not need those seats back there and you can organize a lot more things back there than what you current have. Just a thought.
That's an awesome rig! Pro: Your new Tundra has warranty has many more off road upgrades available than the first gen. I thought about getting a new truck, then reconsidered when I checked the GVWR. I'd be swapping a lighter truck for a heavier truck with no added net carrying capacity. My '06 Tundra DC 4x4 gets 14-15mpg with the 4.7L but she's maxed with a FWC Hawk slide in. For now I'm happy with no truck payment.
Just have a plumber braze a nice brass or copper line on the outside with a few clamps and you will have a permanent drain. You can clamp and unscrew it if you decide to change it when removing the camper from tray.
Wonderful moderation. You're a natural, and very nice photography with blurred background. 4 wheel is close to us and we looked it over and it didn't meet our needs, but everyone is different. Good luck to the two of you!
Got so pumped when you mentioned first gen tundras!!!! Yas!!! That’s what I went with. Definitely not the same caliper build as this but has been such a fun project. See ya on the ol dusty trail!
Great video as usual. There are trade offs to every adventure vehicle, not the least of which is price. While your current setup is near the top, #1 in my opinion is a 170 4x4 Sprinter from Sportsmobile or Outside Van or a 144 from Storyteller Overland. Having said that, for the money I think a full size 4x4 truck with a Lance 650 truck camper is the best compromise (price, capability, amenities, etc). Also, Owen hit the lotto with you...
I completely agree with you, however my only concern with the Lance and other hard sided truck campers is that they can make your vehicle really top heavy. But that's just our opinion. And thank you, that is very generous of you to say!
Great video and very good overview at the end especially the negatives. As for the electrical setup and FWC reaching out to you after you had to do all the mods to get 110V off shore power ... You seem to think that was generous of them... on the contrary...that information saves them engineering costs... I hope they paid for the information you provided. Great video...
Hi Mak just a idea for your sink drain. Use a 90° hose fitting, and run it down the side of the camper. To Secure it to the camper use a double sided tape fastener to the side of the camper it would not hurt to finish and easy to remove if you had to. .
The snorkel, is definitely a must-have for low-land off-road travel. And flooding in cities. We had a snork installed on our Rubicon, we haul behind the RV. Two years...never had to use it/test it. But it gives us a comfy feeling. It's also a good idea, in California, to have flame resistant tires. The cost & comfort level are the big drawbacks.
I totally understand your idea of wanting a 1st Gen Tundra. The only issue with any Toyota truck in that year range is OEM parts, many are now discontinued. I've owned a lot of Toyota trucks and the older ones are getting harder and harder to get replacement OEM parts, not junky aftermarket ones. Yes, your new Tundra is quite large, but it's all brand new and when the time comes to fix/replace things, you will still be able to get quality OEM parts. :)
Very nice rig! I'm looking at the Woolrich Hawk version! Everyone should know that as soon as you modify any vehicle you will potentially loose warranty options and your insurance will not insure certain upgrades/changes or charge radical upcharges to your policy.
Mak just keep being you and your rocking it like a movie star! You can always fill bottled water containers and when you drive heat them up and shower with that. Just a thought in case you guys are in between places and showers.
@@BoundForNowhere like under the hood in the engine compartment. I used a tent shower in Helmand and warmed bottled water up my in the generators. Some mornings it could be below the teens so you were doing calisthenics while showering lol! Usually one to prep, bath, and one to rinse.
Late to the party but wanted to comment on your choice of rig. I don't think there is a more reliable truck out there than the Tundra. You will only have to spend money on oil changes and brake jobs and those might be covered under your warranty. My husband just sold his 2012 which he drove on construction sites every day. Everyone else at work had Fords and Chevys and were constantly having issues with this and that, mostly little stupid things that you wouldn't expect to have troubles with on a brand new truck. While it might not have the best fuel efficiency it is the most reliable and comfortable ride out there and I think you will be very happy together on the road!
I really enjoy listening to your presentation Mak, you come across very genuine, and engaging with your facial expressions, and just the way you address things, very cute. Owen does good, he just doesn't have freckles. I totally agree with the Tundra purchase even though the gas mileage sucks. I think the 1st Gen Tundra would have limited some of the space you now enjoy, but it would have been more 4WD worthy. I would have never considered the Flat Bed before, but after your reviews the actual floor space is much better.
I am Jeff, Melinda's husband. She brought my attention to this video. I own a 2016 Tundra SR5 4 door, same configuration as yours. We chose this over the TACOMA because of headroom, side to side room, and drivability (sp). I gave the final word to my wife who drove both and said TUNDRA ( she has a 2018 Highlander) . I look for three things in a truck: 1. Utility 2. Durability 3. Reliability The TUNDRA paint is very thin ( by actual electronic measurement) and very brittle The seats stain with pure water The plastic interior bits are "delicate" The rear bumper is extremely fragile, 2 mile per hour collision.. $3800. Hit and run driver in a parking lot. Serious violent shuddering throughout the vehicle immediately following a 30K mile service. resolved only by my insistence of intervention by Toyota USA. Useless heater. Cannot shut off heat to the dash and the upper cabin will burn you out before the floor heat warms you up which is anemic at best. Contacted the factory about this, met with a field rep (useless parrot) "they all do that",.Correct and it is a design flaw, that is my point. The vehicle is unnecessarily large, but the TACOMA is way too small and no headroom . After 40K miles I have averaged 17.1 miles per gallon with minimal off-road. Would I buy one again.? Maybe, but, it would be a solid, non metallic, color as the paint is 40% thicker by actual measurement. It would be a LIMITED where the heater functions correctly and has dual controls, and the interior has better quality materials. This vehicle is typical of American auto construction. Substandard when compared with EURO or Japanese construction. I might opt for another 4 RUNNER as they are made in JAPAN. We have owned 12 Toyotas since the 70s, the Tundra is our least favorite. My favorite was my 1982 long bed, base, 5 speed, 4X4 truck and currently it is my 2000 Gen 3 ( the best of the bunch) 4 Runner SR5 5 Speed which I still own. It has 225K miles and looks and drives like new. I "like" the TUNDRA, I "love" the 4 Runner as does my wife. She was the original owner, I bought it from her when she bought the HIGHLANDER. High Blue Book no less ! I have hesitated modding or putting any money into the TUNDRA in hopes that Toyota would wake up and make a truck the size of the GEN 1 Tundra with the newer engine and real, genuine bumpers and real paint and stout interiors and fabrics. Are they serious a 5 lug hub, 5 lugs? That is a passenger car. I did not notice this until abut 10K miles and that alone would have been a deal breaker. The 4 Runner is a 6 lug as is the TACOMA. Just a small indicator. If I do not buy a new 4Runner I may treat the TUNDRA to a proper set of bumpers, winch, seat covers, and possibly a camper... we'll see... but I doubt it.. just don't see throwing money at this rig. Best of luck, enjoyable videos. Get a hose quick disconnect coupler, makes life easy. Full disclosure, Over 25 years in the auto biz. 11 years retail: 4 Years with a Rolls Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin, Jaguar dealership. 4 years a s service manager of a Mazda/Honda dealership. 1 year SAAB/VOLVO dealership and 2 years independent British auto service shop. . 1 year as parts and service director for a 7 dealership conglomerate to include a TOYOTA dealership. (not in that order) 14 years manufacturers: 7 years working for Euro high line makers ( M-B, Volvo, BMW) as a District Manager ( field rep and also national training manager) 7 years with Mazda Motors of America as District Manager, Nor Cal, Nevada, Utah. (not in that order) Edit: Did I mention I have owned 129 cars and trucks? Not to include dealer and factory demos totaling another 60 units ?
@@w0nt0nj0n I have heard great things about them. Before I do that, I am going to spend some time and money on my 2000 4 Runner. I really want to like the TUNDRA..but to date it is disappointing. Others find them acceptable. I'm just not there. For a full time overlander/car camper/truck camper. Could be the right unit. But I am not a full timer and I go to some tight places with my 4 Runner where the TUNDRA would get bush pin striped if not simply too tight for anything else larger than the 4Rnnr . The Tundra can carry the weight.. which is perfect for "Bound For Nowhere's" usage. Seems Ideal. My background is Land Rovers, real ones, not the yuppie crowd Range Rovers etc.. rolling cupholders. 58, 61, 64, 67, 109 NADA (very rare 6 cyl), and a 74. There is nothing better than a genuine pre 75 Land Rover;pPossibly excepting the Land Rovers that don't come to the US. If I offed my POS 96 Dodge and my 4Rnnr, and my Tundra I could easily import and outfit an HDJ81.
You guys made the right decision on the current model yr Tundra. The first gen Tundras have much smaller engine and the biggest issue is its brakes. We had a well optioned hawk on 2006 Double Cab Tundra. Even with full brake upgrades, I didn’t feel completely safe about its braking abilities. Check out tele step ladders. They are extremely compact when folded. Can you add flip out steps on your camper which is an option from FWC ? You guys did a great job with the build!
@@BoundForNowhere I'm referring to the wall mounted folding grab steps like these: www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200330981_200330981. They use to be an option and are mounted on the rear wall of the slide in campers.
Have loved Roxanne since you got her. Awesome rig. You mentioned c of g as a reason not to get the drawer. If you build another some day, you could offset the wheels with back spacing a half inch outward to counter the higher bed. After getting big red, I'm liking the storage. I did widen the track. Please keep making the awesome videos. Love to watch your travels.
Thank you for the great review! Now that it’s been a couple of years, could you do a specific review of the indoor shower (Pro & cons and any modifications you’ve made to it)? Has it caused any moisture damage to your finishes? I’m considering a FWC Fleet slide-in with the the expensive indoor shower option and want to make sure it’s right for us. Love your high quality videos!
Suggestion, just get some small puming from home depot with a 90. Screw it on and go straight down to bottom of norweld tray. Attach with small strap to tray to secure bottom .color match pipe to camper..
Appreciate the insight. Am on our 2nd build. First one is one 2000 taco xtracab 4 cylinder and second one is 2003 taco doublecab.v6. Only real negatives are less space and payload capacity which mention. The smaller footprint won out. Maybe a fullsize truck in the future... ot maybe not. Time will tell
I also like the small footprint of my 06 Tacoma and our home made sit down only truck camper. Payload at 1200 lbs is enough but found out that the 4 cyl. model 2017 has a payload of 1500 # in 2 wheel version. So toying with the idea of going rear wheel drive with a rear diff lock to save on gas when not carrying the camper. Or maybe not as we use it to camp in the winter on remote snowy roads. 4wheel on your truck?
@@marcpikas2859 - both are 4x2. The 2003 taco v6 has electronic rear locker. I am considering a limit slip diff to replace the oem open diff on the 2000 taco 4 cylinder. That being said. We dont rock climb etc. Also, with winch and other self-recover equip are pretty comfortable off pavement
I’m not sure if someone else suggested it but your could make a hard line from copper that can go from your drain to your grey tank and mount it so it could be left permanently but still be removed.
Just found your channel, love it. You're doing what I should have been doing for the last 5 years. Mack isn't hard on the eyes either. Keep up the good work 💪
One day you should set up a separate gray water system for the shower with a ultraviolet and filter system because you can have almost unlimited time in the shower off of 3 gallons of water. You can get the filter and ultraviolet stuff on amazon for under $200 and you can just use your existing gray water tank because it’ll filter and sanitize everything in it for shower water etc.
I have a cheap solution for your grey water plumbing issue. Leave your house attached and cut it 2 inches long or so. Go Tina hardware store and get brass male and female hose ends OR you can get brass quick connects. When you are not using the tank it will act like a gutter and direct the falling water away from the camper side. When you use your tank. Screw the rest of the house on or quick connect down to your tank. The only issue would be if the wind is blowing it may blow It on your camper. What do you think???
I'll look forward to a video update. Any other problems for.me to solve? I love this stuff. BTW I have a 1 ton GMC with a large Northstar igloo camper and I was shocked to see that I get 1-2 mpg less than you do. Now I don't feel so bad about my mileage.
I think I would have opted for a propane fridge, and heater inside the camper. That is what we have in our 06 Casita SD travel trailer, it is a large fridge too, good for 10 days at a time on the road, sips propane very slowly. I did enjoy watching your pro's and con's video of the Tundra/camper. I don't think you would have liked the 1st gen tundra once outfitted, it gets horrible mpg with that 4.7L. A buddy had one. 11-12 mpg seems good to me for your outfit. I desert camp a lot for a week at a time, detecting gold nuggets, mainly around the Majuba mountain area of Nevada, I rough it with a Leer 180 shell on my Tacoma and tow a 08 Rhino SXS to get around with in the desert. Looking forward to more of your adventures.
I "had" the perfect camp set up- 2001 Ram 2500 DIESEL 4x4 Quad Cab short bed with a 4Wheel Camper. Only issue was not being able to store my kayaks and toys on the roof without taking them down when setting up the 4Wheel Camper... oh yeah, and that my wife wasn't into wilderness camping...
Try adding a union and a 3" or 4" pcv nipple ( or whatever doesn't stick out to far) to the gray water drain and then you won't need to worry about hooking the hose up every time. Other than when dumping the gray water to the ground is a issue. Then you can use the hose. peace
You are actually doing very well on gas millage all things considered. The Tundra is really only out performed by certain Special edition trucks built with the express purpose of Off-roading. Given your set up, I would not doubt that trucks ability to pull another 8k LBS more on a trailer, that is me assuming the camper is about 2k. The newer Tundras also corrected issues that the old tundras had, such as the Drive train being able pull a LOT more than the frame was capable of pulling. There stands a decent possibility a first gen Tundra would have had worse mileage with a smaller camper than your current gen. Good job!.
Lots of choices. Like the four wheel camper tops. Only thing is winter camping. Not sure it's best option. They've got the new light and weight top which works with my ZR2. Tundra a little big for hard core off road.
Thinking of your sink drain, how about a rigid pipe externally mounted directly to the holding tank? It would look a bit steam punk, which is cool. Maybe camouflage it by painting it like the exterior?
Looking at something very similar four wheel camper on a four F250 flatbed,Curious I’d like to spend most my time in the desert in hot weather you guys stay stay cool in there
Have you thought about re gearing the differentials the re gear could gain you 2 to 3 mpgs. Also the grey water hose problem could be solved with a 90° quick connection. It will save the threads on the camper connection and make the process easier (no drilling). Just a suggestion to your problem. Love the vids and your channel
thanks for sharing! We are looking at a FourWheelCamper flat bed as well and are curious if you looked into alternatives to Norwell. They are quite a bit more expensive than other flat beds out there such as Alum-Line but we're not sure if that brand is as solid. Really appreciated your input on the height changes involved in upgrading to the bed with drawers..... hope to see you on the road someday!
Absolutely killer! As someone who is about embark on a similar vanlife journey who also specializes in freelance.. It seems you all enjoy having the Tundra for it's 4x4 off road capabilities to get you to some remote places. I want to be able edit comfortably on the road and off the grid. 2 questions: how do you manage power supply (in this video you mentioned the fridge taking most of the power) and do you have a comfortable work station or do you just design/work in coffee shops? Thanks so much and keep adventuring, cheers!
We nearly work from the rig 100% of the time. It is amazing comfortable for that. We use those 2 100ah lithium batteries as well as our 3 solar panels (2 on the roof, 1 that is portable) to power them. We went with this rig because it's comfortable for our work life
I believe both Tundras with 1 million miles you're referring to were with the older 4.7 V8, which was a much more straightforward design and damn near bullet proof. The 5.7 is a heck of a motor, time will tell if it is as reliable as the older V8s Toyota produced. Also, it's worth noting that both of those Tundras came from the southern states so they weren't exposed to harsh elements seen in the winter or salt on the roads.
@@ChilaquilesDF The Powerwagon is a 3/4 ton pickup with a reduced payload capacity of about 1800 lbs, like a 1/2 ton would have. A Hemi Ram Crewcab 4wd 2500 4wd has about a 3300 lb payload capacity. A diesel Ram 2500 Tradesman Crewcab 4wd can have a 2500 lb payload. Which is what my wife has, with her beast of a Cummins powered truck. An F350, Ram 3500, or a GM 3500 has even greater payload capacity. Typically 4300 lbs or more. So is your comment based on the extra weight capacity or extra stability of the stiffer suspension?
lol it's a 5.7 V8 that was released in 2007 and the front of the truck is a brick wall, what do you expect? I have a 2020 and that disadvantage is so worth it. Love these trucks
Great video! That is a pretty big drawback on the gray water and seems 4 Wheel could easily remedy. The Tundra is an awesome truck but, and it’s huge, the gas mileage is terrible. Otherwise I love the rig. It’s really great. Definitely one I am considering. Best!
Tundra’s are great trucks but the MPG is awful. I get 10 towing, about 14.5 just the truck. You’ll be glad you got the extended warranty, if it is through Toyota they will stand by it. I got the 6 year 100,000 mile warranty. I would like to see a video on what the truck, the mods and the camper cost if your willing.
Hey there! Yes we're thinking that we will do a video like that in the new year covering all the edits to the truck as well as all the edits that we've done to it since being on the road with it!
I have a friend who has a Tundra with a Palmino pop top camper and he complains about 2 things - poor fuel mileage and piss poor refrigerator. I would take the factory one out and purchase a slide rack system and install an Overland type refrigerator in the space left by the factory one. They are top open units in various sizes, run off of 120v or 12v and very efficient and they even off dual zone units if you need a freezer and refrigerator.
Have you considered a semi-permanent gray water line on the outside of the camper using pvc? Seems like it would be pretty easy, but you might want to take it off for right off road trails...still might be kinda nice to just always be able to use the sink without hooking up the hose.
First off, got my patch I ordered so THANKS!! Next, I have a Tacoma and the descion to go with the Tundra is/was a good one. With all the additions you did the Taco would be in the 12-14MPG range if you are lucky and you would have sacrificed A LOT of storage and room. I am looking to jump to an SR5 Tundra soon. Love the Taco but want more room and power with a full size bed....oh and my kids are 6ft tall! Be safe!
Naw, they would be in the 5-8mpg range. With skidplates, 33" tires, and a roof top tent, I'm at 16mpg freeway if I stay under 65MPH, 13MPG at 70-75MPH; and 11MPG city. Part of this might be winter blend gas, so maybe 1-2MPG better in the summer. Tacomas are not gas efficient at all, especially considering how weak the engine is. That said, when everything was stock and less than 300lbs of gear+me, I did get 24MPG while doing 60MPH for a 40 mile stretch.
Unless your truck is having to constantly downshift, I don't think tow haul mode is really necessary full time. I only use tow/haul going up and down steep hills or when I hear the transmission shifting more than once every few minutes or so and get a couple of miles better gas mileage by not using it when I don't think it's needed. Just food for thought.
