Dan's 2024 TRD OR Celestial Silver Long Bed Build

[dhzion]

Good looking rig! I’ve been hunting for a good shot of Methods titanium! I think it’ll look great on my underground.

Sponsored

 

[CuriousTaco]

What paint issues?

It's really hard to describe and notice, but it seems like the factory silver is blotchy or has inconsistent flake in certain lighting conditions. Especially on the passenger side of the hood. I noticed it when taking delivery and showed the dealer. Wasn't a big enough deal to seek any action though.

 

[CuriousTaco]

Twins! That's too funny. We even have similar stamped concrete. No 4Runner in the family though. I may have seen you on I-5 or 405 last week. I can't remember where but I saw silver Taco headed northbound. '24 Tacomas are still pretty rare.

That photo is actually at my sister's house and it's their 4runner. They were pretty impressed by the Tacoma and may get a new 4runner or Land Cruiser. I don't think I've seen another silver Tacoma driving around yet, but it very well could have been me on 405. It's been pretty surprising how few I've seen driving around the area. I've seen as many Cybertrucks as 4G Tacomas on the road, just a handful

 

[gofastdan]

It's really hard to describe and notice, but it seems like the factory silver is blotchy or has inconsistent flake in certain lighting conditions. Especially on the passenger side of the hood. I noticed it when taking delivery and showed the dealer. Wasn't a big enough deal to seek any action though.

Yup. Exactly the same on mine.

 

[Dansflhti]

It's really hard to describe and notice, but it seems like the factory silver is blotchy or has inconsistent flake in certain lighting conditions. Especially on the passenger side of the hood. I noticed it when taking delivery and showed the dealer. Wasn't a big enough deal to seek any action though.

Mine looks great...but now I'll be looking at it under a microscope..thanks..lol

 

[sierraenvy]

The lift doesn't affect any of the tech features. The truck sits higher and rides a bit more firm and that's really it.

Nice! What about the spare tire situation... are you driving around without a functional spare?

 

[gofastdan]

Nice! What about the spare tire situation... are you driving around without a functional spare?

Welp, the spare is now a different diameter than the tires on the rest of the truck but for the most part you're still going to be able to limp to somewhere to have the flat repaired. The truck will sense a disparity in size and interpret that as slippage, which is a problem, but turning off traction control can help with that. Worst case, I could move the spare to the front and then at least the drive wheels won't be trying to control the delta in rotation.

Years ago I got a flat on a rear wheel while driving our Infiniti on I-5. The spare was a much smaller size than the normal tire and the Infiniti has REALLY severe traction control that can't be fully overridden. I made it to a repair shop but the car wouldn't go more than about 35 mph, even with the accelerator to the floor. The Tacoma might do something similar but at that point you don't care, you just want to make it home.

Now I carry a tire plug repair kit and a pump so hopefully I can repair most flats w/o having to use the spare. The spare is just a backup to the backup plan. If I were truly spending a lot of time offroad I'd buy another full size wheel and tire and buy a tailgate swing-out or something, but at this point I'm not there yet.

 

[sierraenvy]

Welp, the spare is now a different diameter than the tires on the rest of the truck but for the most part you're still going to be able to limp to somewhere to have the flat repaired. The truck will sense a disparity in size and interpret that as slippage, which is a problem, but turning off traction control can help with that. Worst case, I could move the spare to the front and then at least the drive wheels won't be trying to control the delta in rotation.

Years ago I got a flat on a rear wheel while driving our Infiniti on I-5. The spare was a much smaller size than the normal tire and the Infiniti has REALLY severe traction control that can't be fully overridden. I made it to a repair shop but the car wouldn't go more than about 35 mph, even with the accelerator to the floor. The Tacoma might do something similar but at that point you don't care, you just want to make it home.

Now I carry a tire plug repair kit and a pump so hopefully I can repair most flats w/o having to use the spare. The spare is just a backup to the backup plan. If I were truly spending a lot of time offroad I'd buy another full size wheel and tire and buy a tailgate swing-out or something, but at this point I'm not there yet.

Thanks for the reply. Are you sure with the 6 ft bed a 33 inch tire wouldn't fit underneath? I saw that other thread and the OP there looks to have a 5 ft bed. And then on Toyota's website it says that both TRD Pro (which confusingly enough is obv DCSB) and Trailhunter have full size spares

 

[dkichenside]

Some background information:
I'm coming from a 2016 Canyon 4x4 SLT LB, which was a great truck. I would have kept that truck for another 10 years but I've got plans which seemed to make a new truck now a good idea (at least to my somewhat twisted logic). When purchasing a new vehicle a six foot bed was a non-negotiable for me, which really left the Tacoma as the only current option (sorry Nissan, but you're just not in the game).

My "build" is designed for everyday utility with light off-roading, think logging and forest service roads. I'm primarily a hiker and backpacker but trailheads can be pretty remote. I have a wedge camper being built that I should be able to pick up in the next couple of weeks and the point of the camper is to be able to take my time getting to trailheads and enjoy the trip. An example would be taking two or three days to go from Seattle to the Wallowa mountains in NE Oregon, backpack in the mountains for three or four days and then a couple of days back home.

I put a deposit down on a dealer allocation in Feb of '24. The truck had a couple of production delays but was finally delivered to the dealer on April 17th and I picked it up on the 18th.

I purchased from Lake City Toyota in Seattle through the Costco Auto Buying Program and paid ~$2,800 off of MSRP. This is the third or fourth time I've used the Costco program and highly recommend it. I'll also say that the salesman I worked with, George, was fantastic. He consistently communicated with me every time he had a status update.

This particular truck has the upgrade package with the only other options being the sunroof and mud guards (and I guess the 6' bed if you count that as an option). I really wanted the premium package but that was really only for the MTM camera system. During the couple of months we waited for the truck to be built we constantly scoured the PNW for a TRD OR premium and never could find one. Just as I got my truck the dealer got an allocation for one but the build date wasn't until July and I didn't care to wait that long....

Mods to date:
-Cali Raised LED Ditch Lights (wired into the Aux 3 switch)
-GoRhino Dominator D6 Running Boards
-Lasfit Switchback Bulbs (Front Turn Signals)
-Method 705 Wheels, Titanium 17x8.5 +35
-BFGoodrich KO3, 285/70 R17
-Opt7 Rear End Light Strip
-Front Window Tint - 30% (24% is the legal limit in WA)
-Wescott Designs Level Kit - 2.5" front, .75" rear
-Black out front Toyota emblem - Plastidip
-Radar Detector Wiring
-A few software changes using an OBDLink LX and the Carista App (Android). Turn off seatbelt warning, fake engine noise, change bump to turn from three flashes to four, etc...

Issues to date:
-Some scratches and scuffs from transit. I did my own paint correction rather than try to get the dealer to fix it.
-One side of the passenger's grab handle pulled out from it's insert the first time I used it. Luckily I was just showing my mother-in-law the feature so she could get in the truck. Evidently it just wasn't snapped in correctly at the factory b/c I pressed it in firmly and once I heard and felt it snap in place, it's solid now...
-It doesn't show in the pictures but the Celestial Silver has a lot of metallic flake in it and is lighter in person than it seems in the photos. I've noticed that metallic paints have a tendency to look a bit blotchy if the paint wasn't perfectly blended. Again, it doesn't show in the photos but both front fenders look blotchy in person with almost like vertical stripes. It's not bad and I don't think I'll push it with the dealer but it's not a perfect paint job.

Other thoughts:
-Granted, the GMC SLT was the "luxury" model when I bought it (no Denali at that time), but I have to say that the interior of the 2016 GMC was nicer than the Toyo, especially the seats. The GMC had leather, which I can live w/o, but more importantly the GMC seats were much more comfortable than the Toyota's. My first trip with the Toyota was from Seattle to Portland and back and even with the upgraded 8 way adjustable seats in the Toyota I never have really gotten comfortable. In the GMC I could sit comfortably all day but two hours in the Toyota is about all I can stand (sit?). I can't quite pinpoint what I don't like about them but I'm always squirming. If these are a huge improvement over previous generations then I hate to think what they were like before...
-The ride itself is better than the GMC. The GMC had 80k so it's probably not a fair comparison but the Toyota is firm w/o being bouncy or stiff in a way the GMC never was. haven't taken the truck offroad yet but my guess is that it will do far better than the GMC did. The Wescott kit definitely made it a bit firmer but I've only driven it a few miles since installing the kit and obviously didn't have that many miles on it prior to installation so this set up will really be my only reference point going forward.
-Discount Tire in Wilsonville, OR, did a great job with the tires and wheels. My timing was a bit off and the tires and wheels ended up sitting at the store for a couple of weeks but they held my order and made sure they had the correct lugnuts and whatnot ready to go.
-I installed the Wescott Designs lift kit myself. It wasn't hard but there were no instructions and the only videos they have are of an install done on a Tundra. That left me with a couple of questions but Jeff Wescott called me and walked me through the things I couldn't figure out.
-I really like Method's wheels. They look good w/o being overly flashy or garish like a lot of aftermarket wheels are. I thought about a bronze wheel but was too timid to pull the trigger. The 703 is nice but they're everywhere and I wanted something a bit different so went with the 705. I like how it's vaguely reminiscent of the TRD wheels w/o being a direct copy. A +25 option would have been preferable because that would have put the wheels and the running boards at exactly the same width out from the truck but the +35 is fine.
-So far I like the D6 running boards. They're plenty sturdy and I love how I can stand on them and reach the top of the truck. The biggest knock in reviews seems to be around the installation but it really wasn't difficult so I'm not sure what people are complaining about. They aren't frame mounted but they're not meant to be sliders so that doesn't concern me. GoRhino has a frame mount option but it requires drilling, which makes no sense since the truck has pre-threaded holes in the frame. That option is also more expensive though and, again, unnecessary since they would never hold the truck anyway.
-Lots of comments in the forums about the spare tire size and the wallet key.
-Yes, I got the wallet key but I don't know where it was stored. My salesman found it prior to me picking the truck up and held it for me.
-My spare is a 245/75 17 tire, so technically "full size" but is clearly marked as a limited use tire. There have been lots of comments about different spare tires showing up but if you look at the owners manual that is clearly by design. There are at least five or six different tire/spare configurations based on the model truck (pgs 602-621 of the owners manual) and some of those options are not "full size".
-Stock TRD wheels and tires are for sale. They have less than 300 miles on them. If you're interested let me know. I live outside of Seattle but the tires and wheels are currently at my mother-in-law's house in Portland. Basically, if you're in the I-5 corridor between Bellingham and Albany I'm sure we can work out a pickup spot. We're cleaning out my father-in-law's shop in Portland so right now I'm driving back and forth every couple of weeks. The tires are off the wheels currently and if there's no interest I'll probably end up selling the tires right now and then hold the wheels until there are more base model trucks on the road.

Pictures:

Do you have a link to Lasfit Switchback Bulbs (Front Turn Signals) you installed and did they meet your expectations?

 

[gofastdan]

Do you have a link to Lasfit Switchback Bulbs (Front Turn Signals) you installed and did they meet your expectations?

I bought this product specifically. They work great with no fast flashing and the switchback gives them a little character. That said, after I had purchased the ones I did, I saw these. They appear to effectively have the same features and performance and are $15 cheaper. If I did it again I'd try the cheaper set first. Why these manufacturers carry so many similar products is beyond me...

 

[gofastdan]

Thanks for the reply. Are you sure with the 6 ft bed a 33 inch tire wouldn't fit underneath? I saw that other thread and the OP there looks to have a 5 ft bed. And then on Toyota's website it says that both TRD Pro (which confusingly enough is obv DCSB) and Trailhunter have full size spares

That's a good question. I'm pretty sure the area for the spare tire is the same regardless the bed length. I got under and measured today and a 33" tire MIGHT fit but it would be tight. Towards the back it's going to hit the towing receiver and in the front it's going to hit the rear stabilizer bar.

Another concern might be the width of the tire. The spare I have is a 245/75 R17, which puts it ~9.65 inches wide. The new tires are 285/70 R17, which is ~11.2 inches. That's ~1 1/2" wider and is going to hang down quite a bit. The new Method wheels are also 8 1/2" wide and the spare is maybe 7 1/2", although I didn't drop it to check. Regardless if I were to buy a 33" spare tire I'd probably try to find one a bit narrower, maybe a 255/80 R17.

For now I'm leaving it as is but your comments did get me thinking. The lug nuts are different as well and I'd never considered that. The spare is worthless w/o lug nuts that fit. Luckily I hadn't thrown away the stock lug nuts so I just put six in a baggie and put them with the jack.

On the left is the stock lug nut. The right is the one that fits the Method wheels. It's a thin wall and would never work with the spare. So....thanks for making me think.... ;o)

 

[gofastdan]

I'm waiting on my wedge camper shell to be built so in the meantime thought I would try to seal under the bed caps. It was pretty easy to do, they pull right off, although there's ~20 tabs holding them on. I just laid some weatherstripping on top of the rail and then cut out the holes for the cap tabs. It took me all of 30 minutes. Will it help keep water out? I don't know but at least I can say I tried...

 

[JustAnotherDingus]

I'm waiting on my wedge camper shell to be built so in the meantime thought I would try to seal under the bed caps. It was pretty easy to do, they pull right off, although there's ~20 tabs holding them on. I just laid some weatherstripping on top of the rail and then cut out the holes for the cap tabs. It took me all of 30 minutes. Will it help keep water out? I don't know but at least I can say I tried...

That will definitely minimize dust too! I plan on doing the same. the guys at super pacific made a useful video about this a while back about where dust and water tend to intrude on the third gen beds and how they were trying to seal it on their own trucks. Might be a helpful watch.

 

[JustAnotherDingus]

That's a good question. I'm pretty sure the area for the spare tire is the same regardless the bed length. I got under and measured today and a 33" tire MIGHT fit but it would be tight. Towards the back it's going to hit the towing receiver and in the front it's going to hit the rear stabilizer bar.

Another concern might be the width of the tire. The spare I have is a 245/75 R17, which puts it ~9.65 inches wide. The new tires are 285/70 R17, which is ~11.2 inches. That's ~1 1/2" wider and is going to hang down quite a bit. The new Method wheels are also 8 1/2" wide and the spare is maybe 7 1/2", although I didn't drop it to check. Regardless if I were to buy a 33" spare tire I'd probably try to find one a bit narrower, maybe a 255/80 R17.

For now I'm leaving it as is but your comments did get me thinking. The lug nuts are different as well and I'd never considered that. The spare is worthless w/o lug nuts that fit. Luckily I hadn't thrown away the stock lug nuts so I just put six in a baggie and put them with the jack.

On the left is the stock lug nut. The right is the one that fits the Method wheels. It's a thin wall and would never work with the spare. So....thanks for making me think.... ;o)

This whole spare tire thing feels like such a miss on Toyotas part. The packaging for everything else seems so well thought out in comparison — including the wheel wells which easily accommodate a true 33/34 in tire.

Ah well. Thank you for measuring and doing some digging about what fits and the lug nuts. More for me to consider when it’s time to swap wheels/tires.

 

[Garrett]

Build is looking great and love seeing the other silver 4g's as well. Any plans for a roof rack or will the camper interfere?

Sponsored