NC-Trooper's Stitch the Tacoma

[NC-Trooper]

If you want some backstory check out my Trooper Build. It was surprisingly popular and I learned a lot from that old truck. There was a large learning curve and having a cheap truck to experiment on was a priceless experience. Sadly there was issues with the 20 year old truck I just got tired of battling (leaky doors, lack of parts, etc.) If you have the time to check it out I think you'll enjoy it.

This is Stitch (like the Disney character), it's a 2007 Tacoma TRD Offroad. I bought it used about year ago used. I took it a different approach to this build. Rather than going budget friendly at a relatively fast pace, I am spending more money and going at a much slower pace. My goal is a long haul adventure rig for upper moderate level of offroading and dispersed camping

Current Modifications:
ARB front bumper
Warn 8000 lb. winch (steel cable)
CVT Mt. Bachelor RTT
PIAA Fog lights
LED Rock Lights
LED camp lights
12V fridge
Falken Wildpeak A/T's 265/75/R16
Secondary fuse box
Kenwood Excelon 1,200 watt Amp
Kenwood Excelon 12" Sub
SOS Offroad Concepts Sliders
SOS Offroad Concpets Bed Rack


Future Modifications:
Bestop canvas bed cover
high clearance rear bumper w/ spare tire carrier
ARB skid plates
Upper control arms
ARB front Air locker
bigger tires
dual battery setup

I do all my own maintenance and most off my own upgrades.

 

[NC-Trooper]

So here are some more photos of the current setup:

 

[NC-Trooper]

Here's an update:

My order was finally ready from SOS Offroad Concepts so I drove 2 hours to pick it off. It didn't make sense to pay $150 for shipping for such a short distance. While I was there getting my sliders the owner Eddy said he had a short bed bed rack that is compatible with SoftToppers or Bestop bed covers sitting in the back. Apparently, it was an incorrect order and was in pretty good shape with just a little surface rust. He sold it to me for a song because it was sitting there in his way for a couple weeks.



Spent some time sanding, priming, and painting.




The hounds seem to love it!



Next up was the sliders. Really simple install but I had some experience with my previous truck. The driver side is a bit tricky because of all the brake lines. I used a jack and stands as an extra set of hands.



And finished in about 3 hours with everything!

 

[Gothere]

Love the truck! But those pups are gorgeous, the one on the left looks to be a full Rhodesian Ridgeback! I cannot say enough about that breed, we have a light wheaten ridgeback mix, she's got the face, the paws, the personality, and the barrel chest of a rdigeback, just no ridge.

 

[NC-Trooper]

Love the truck! But those pups are gorgeous, the one on the left looks to be a full Rhodesian Ridgeback! I cannot say enough about that breed, we have a light wheaten ridgeback mix, she's got the face, the paws, the personality, and the barrel chest of a rdigeback, just no ridge.

Thanks!

Both are full Ridgebacks actually. The one of the left is the male and the middle dog is my female shes only about 11 months and is a rescue so she always looks like a deer in the headlights, everything is new to her at the moment. They are great dogs and I plan on breeding them next year.

 

[Gothere]

Thanks!

Both are full Ridgebacks actually. The one of the left is the male and the middle dog is my female shes only about 11 months and is a rescue so she always looks like a deer in the headlights, everything is new to her at the moment. They are great dogs and I plan on breeding them next year.

All of ours are rescues, we have three, all different breeds, I don't think that it would take much to convince the fiance to adopt another ridgeback, if one popped up in our rescue, or in a rescue close to us. The ridgeback is definitely her baby, while the other two are mine.

Back to the truck though, does is come with a factory rear locker? I'm not well versed in the Tacomas.

 

[NC-Trooper]

All of ours are rescues, we have three, all different breeds, I don't think that it would take much to convince the fiance to adopt another ridgeback, if one popped up in our rescue, or in a rescue close to us. The ridgeback is definitely her baby, while the other two are mine.

Back to the truck though, does is come with a factory rear locker? I'm not well versed in the Tacomas.

We actually rescued our Ridgeback from an irresponsible breeder not a rescue, she was not in great shape when we got her.

So the TRD Offroad Tacomas have a rear E-locker from factory and are 4x4. The PreRunners have a rear E-locker but are not 4x4 (doesn't make any sense to me but to each his own, I guess.) I'm sure the TRD Pro has a rear locker.

Everything else, I do not think does.

 

[Gothere]

We actually rescued our Ridgeback from an irresponsible breeder not a rescue, she was not in great shape when we got her.

So the TRD Offroad Tacomas have a rear E-locker from factory and are 4x4. The PreRunners have a rear E-locker but are not 4x4 (doesn't make any sense to me but to each his own, I guess.) I'm sure the TRD Pro has a rear locker.

Everything else, I do not think does.

My Xterra is an Off-Road, which is why I asked, since I have a rear electronic locker as well. And I noticed you had plans for a front locker, but no rear.

 

[NC-Trooper]

My Xterra is an Off-Road, which is why I asked, since I have a rear electronic locker as well. And I noticed you had plans for a front locker, but no rear.

and now you know why

It is pretty far down the road. I do not wheel this vehicle that hard yet. I am waiting to get some more armor underneath and other odds and ends. Not to mention, getting a front locker opens a whole can of expensive worms I am not ready to take on!

 

[NC-Trooper]

Did a quick run for the hills for the night with the wife and the pups. Our days off lined up and we were out the door in under half an hour. We hit one of my go to spots at Uwharrie National Forest. It is a nice spot except for weekends, because the herds of people come and make a mess of the place.

We had the dogs sleep in the CVT annex for the first time. We had never used the thing, but lifting our 100 lb Ridgeback Echo in and out was a hassle. Getting him up into the tent is easy, it's getting him out that sucks. The dog drops his weight and refuses to move. We recently got a third dog so the days of the dogs in the tent were officially over. We have the Mt. Bachelor so it is CVT's smaller tent and there is no way the wife and I were going to share it with a 55 lb dog, a 80 lb dog, and a 100 lb dog,
I tell you what, I will never go back to that. Leaving the dogs in the annex over night is a game changer, and they seemed to like it.



It is hard to wake up to anything prettier than this...



I have some more modifications and projects I have actually already installed on the truck recently. I will get around to posting pics (because I know that's what we really click on build threads for) soon.

thanks

 

[NC-Trooper]

I recently installed some camp/reverse lights that attach to the top of my bed rack. The wires hung aimlessly for about a week and I couldn't stand it so as soon as I got the chance I cleaned it up.
Here's the wires hanging:


Here's the after:


The wires go down through the Tacoma's storage box, up under the truck, and into my secondary fuse box.


I am no wiring expert so sorry to disappoint you wiring gurus. I will be adding a switch so I can cut the power to the secondary fuse box to keep the battery from being drained while the truck isn't running. It is not my daily driver so during the week it just sits.

The fuse box is mounted on a tray I made it myself. Its a piece of aluminum that I bent into shape and bolt in next to the primary OEM fuse box.


I went ahead and wired in a 12v plug in and a double USB port adapter into the door of the storage box in the truck bed.


I will be able to run my fridge out of there and not worry about the elements once I get my Bestop canvas bed cover and the wife can also charge her cell phone from inside the tent.

Here are the switches for my camp lights and rock lights (bigfoot.)



Thanks for reading! I am trying to get the thread up to date with the current state of the truck and I am almost there.

 

[NC-Trooper]

It has definitely been a while since I have updated this build but the old girl has evolved some.

Latest Mods:
Converted to "Pizza Cutter" sized tires. 255/85/R16 Cooper S/T MAXX - Fantatic tire way better than my old Falken Wildpeak's
Painted my wheels gold because eveyone has black wheels and I was bored
IPAD mount for navigation
Dash Mount RAM for the Iphone
Bestop Bed cover

 

[NC-Trooper]

Chronologically it went something like this:

1) Tires: I wanted more clearance because duh...



Then I took a trip to Ocean Isle, NC for a family get away:



3) I was having issues with my bed rack rusting so I took it off and hit it with the wire wheel and some fresh paint. I also went ahead a painted my wheels gold. I have always liked the blue/ gold combo. I used gold paint specifically for wheels (non- of that plasti-dip junk here.)

 

[NC-Trooper]

Here are some photos from a trip I took with the rest of the Overland Bound NC/SC gang.


For me offroading is the most fun part of this hobby so I wheel my truck pretty hard.

My next modifications for Stitch are replacement coil-overs, heavier duty rear leaf springs, upper and lower control arms.

My goal is to take this truck to the next level in offroad capability.

 

[Casper66]

Good looking build! Truck looks familiar are you on TW also?

 

[NC-Trooper]

Good looking build! Truck looks familiar are you on TW also?

I am on there but rarely post.

 

[Casper66]

I am on there but rarely post.

I'm usually in there multiple times a day. Same screen name. It moves way faster than here

 

[JCWages]

The truck looks great. :)

 

[Silver15tacoma]

awesome build, love the bed rack

 

[Cpol]

Here's an update:

My order was finally ready from SOS Offroad Concepts so I drove 2 hours to pick it off. It didn't make sense to pay $150 for shipping for such a short distance. While I was there getting my sliders the owner Eddy said he had a short bed bed rack that is compatible with SoftToppers or Bestop bed covers sitting in the back. Apparently, it was an incorrect order and was in pretty good shape with just a little surface rust. He sold it to me for a song because it was sitting there in his way for a couple weeks.

View attachment 66549View attachment 66550

Spent some time sanding, priming, and painting.

View attachment 66552
View attachment 66553

The hounds seem to love it!

View attachment 66554

Next up was the sliders. Really simple install but I had some experience with my previous truck. The driver side is a bit tricky because of all the brake lines. I used a jack and stands as an extra set of hands.

View attachment 66555

And finished in about 3 hours with everything!
View attachment 66556

Nice hounds.. do you breed..