Family Adventure/Camping setup questions

Hey everyone! I’m new here but have had my tundra for a few years. I am seeking some guidance here. I did some brief searches and an pouring over some build threads but am still not confident yet on what I need. If I missed a valuable thread please link me and I’ll do the digging myself!

I have an 05 double cab 4x4. It has factory 17s with 265x70xr17 BFGK02s. When I bought it the prior owner had a spacer lift and I had a leaking shock. I put 5100s all around and removed the front spacer. There is still a block in the rear.

I also have a little Jeep TJ but I now have 3 kids and it is not getting much use. I’m considering selling the Jeep and devoting some of those funds towards making my tundra our primary camping/adventure rig. I want to make it a bit more capable off road while still maintaining towing ability as we do have a small trailer that’s about 4000lbs. I want to be able to get toy family down some backroads to explore and camp and want to be able to handle some uneven terrain a bit better. I’m considering a shell/bed rack and roof tent in the future.

Can anyone guide me on some suggested suspension improvements to balance the goals I have in mind?

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/show-me-your-truck-camping-setup.81354/
https://www.tundras.com/threads/does-anyone-here-tow-post-up-your-pics.16399/
https://www.tundras.com/threads/what-kind-of-camper-do-you-have.10606/
https://www.tundras.com/threads/what-do-you-tow-with-your-tundra.238/

 

OP, we’re happy to help, but we’d need to know a lot more about how you’ll use your truck. 3 kids is so many, it’s hard for me to imagine how you’ll find an RTT or camper to fit everyone. Do you plan to stick to developed campgrounds, or fire roads, or do you like 4x4 off-road exploration and want to take them along. If so, you’re taking about a LOT of weight, so we can suggest heavy duty leaf springs, coilover shocks, maybe airbags— we’ll be guessing until we know your plans, and you figure out how much weight you’ll need to carry/tow. FWIW, I have a 1st Gen access cab modded up for long-travel with heavy duty leaf springs. Once I added a ‘fridge, it’s almost impossible for 3 of us (one my teenaged son) to go together in the truck. If we’re headed somewhere within 100 miles, on accessible terrain or with a base-camp, we take two trucks. And we use a Gazelle hub tent because an RTT comfortable for all of us weighs too much for high-speed off-road. If its gonna be farther than ~ 100 miles, only one passenger comes with. Period.

So… read through the thread posted above, to get an idea about what’s being done, what is realistic, then tell us what you’re thinking you want to do— be as specific as you can— and we’ll try to point you to someone whose done with a 1st Gen what you hope to do.

and, Welcome from SoCal!

 

Thanks for the replies! I appreciate the links and I’ll try and be as specific as I can. Some of it I’m still unsure of which leads me here but with help I’m sure I’ll find my way!

right now it’ll be primarily me and 2 of my kids - 8 and 6. We are a short family as well so the 3 of us could fit in a topper (for now) or a roof tent and then re-evaluate for the future.

I also have a 1 year old but it’ll be a while until he comes along and when he does it’ll be simpler developed campground stuff and I may bring a tent or whatever. I’ll have to figure that out more as time goes on.

I’d like to do some forest/fire roads and explore BLM roads/lands and camp and fish primarily.

 

You have 4x4, 5100s, and solid tires... I don't think you need more than that to start exploring fire roads and BLM land, as long as you're sticking to some sort of a path. I do all of that and then some with a 4x2.

You could always just get some beefier tires for a simple easy upgrade. With 5100s on the max height setting, you can run 285/70/17s (my current setup). You'll get about .5" more ground clearance and a wider patch of tread for slightly better grip, for just a small amount of rub at full lock.

 

Thanks for the feedback

Thanks for the reply! It’s easy to overthink it sometimes. on yours does that size tire rub when the suspension flexes a bit too?

 

Your truck as is will be a capable rig for camping, some offroad, fire roads and beaches. 4wd and smart driving can you get places you will be amazed at. I have been places in a stock older jeep with 31 inch tires that most folks would never venture. Decent shocks and a good set of AT tires will do wonders for a stock truck. Honestly, I would use your truck as is and see how it does, then you can make additions or changes based on how it performs and how you actually use the truck.

As far as camping, you may want to look into a pop up. They can easily be towed by your truck, offer much more space and comfort than a tent and you can find some deals if you keep your eyes open. I purchased our older used pop up for just $1300. I would look into them before spending $ on a RTT and the rack and such needed to make it work, it could easily be more $ than a pop up if you search around and find good deals.

Bottom line is you are good to start having fun now, get outdoors and enjoy. You can get a good ground tent for cheap. Also look at used camping equipment as many buy all sorts of things, use them once or twice and never camp again. Facebook, CL, you can find items where folks are almost giving things away. As you gain some experience camping you will quickly learn what works for you and what doesn't. You don't need big $ or a bunch of new items and equipment to have a great experience.

 

appreciate the feedback! I’ll keep an eye out on pop ups. Hadn’t really considered one but it may not be a bad idea!

I do have a ground tent so we have and can continue that route. I’m just looking to reduce the setup time at camp. With the craziness of youngsters at home I want it to be simple setup and tear down when I leave to go explore. The pop up idea fits into that.

 

Yes, keep an eye out because deals do come up, they just are usually grabbed very quickly so you have to check often.

Here is ours- 2 king beds, AC/heat, keeps us off the ground and dry so it does what I need it to.

 

I run 5100s in all 4 corners and a heavy duty spring pack in the back, it’s a 4 leaf system. Tows our 17 foot Escape @2400lbs ish just fine.

 

Yes, I have bottomed out the suspension at least half a dozen times and the tires rub the fender liners when you get close to that point, but so far nothing has broken. I'm not worried about replacing the liners if I had to anyway, they are cheap.

 

Pretty sweet setup!

 

truck looks good! What size tires?

 

fair enough

 

Are you looking to go far enough offroad to need a regear and front locker?

 

honestly probably not with this rig. If I were at that point to need a front locker I’d probably be looking into a different platform I’m thinking.

 

Aired down and or traction devices such as strap on blocks will take you a long way if you really want to get off the path. Just be sure you can air back up and don't spin wheels with traction devices or else you could tear up gears, u joints, etc. Enjoy your travels. Depends on where you go, keep the kids close and aware of snakes and bears.

 

265/70/17

 

This is the best way to travel with kids.

Once they are mostly your same height or so make them sleep in a tent and you can get a forever camper. Hard sided campers are the fastest to setup and tear down.

 

stick one of these on a 4x4 chassis, keep it quiet. Has toilet and shower and kitchen. Put them kids in a tent and tell em about bears, or gators, or mtn lions, they wont use as much battery.

my other grandmas roadtrek is metal bodied, so theres 2 twins in the back, and the table makes another twin. It has a bathroom and kitchen, but no shower. You put the kids in the camper and you set the tent up double fancy as far away as possible.

 

Where does everyone sleep?

 

Grandma and grandpa have a queen in the back, the couch ‘chair’ and table make another queen. Everyone else has tents.

Grandpa and i took this to casper wyoming in ‘17 for the eclipse, on more than one occasion lunch (all backroads) wouldnt sit right, and id sleep in the tent. Told him to honk the horn if there was an emergency. And we were literally miles and miles from anywhere, off a gravel road somewhere we’re not supposed to be. But we had a great trip otherwise, i averaged 14mpg counting my drives over the divide and grampa averaged 12. It has od, but there were climbs that dropped me to 2nd and 35-40mph. But those were backroads and i expected it.

 

You don't say, but if there's a Mrs. Chris32win, that pop-up will be worth its weight in gold when she and the 1 year old are ready to join you. If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!
From your description, it seems like you do mostly off-grid/boondocking (no power or water hook-ups). If that's the case, one of the selling points for a pop-up is that the whole thing can be opened up so it's like a screen house during warm weather. That's a lifesaver if you don't have AC, or if you don't have an electrical connection to run your AC.
We had a large pop-up for years similar to the one posted above. It was fantastic for off-grid camping, which is what we did exclusively.

 

I’ve got 2 10 year old girls and a 5 year old in a car seat and we can do road trips no problem. Plenty of room for years. I do the pop up camper and base camp out of it on 3-4 day trips, works perfect and you have a nice comfortable camp. I just did 4 days in Death Valley and did about 250 Offroad miles. When you get really adventurous you can tent camp on one of the nights and still come back to the pop up.

I’ve done the roof top thing and they are horrible. Live and learn and will never go back to one.

Also, I won’t tow anything bigger than a pop up with the Tundra, camp trailers are too big and heavy for a truck that weights as much as a new Tacoma.

Next weekend we’re hitting up Lake Isabella and are going to run a bunch of the trails up there and base camp at the KOA.

I have a Rock Buggy and camp on the trail year round, and honestly with the family being in a camp ground, KOA or Thousand Trails, is nice having amenities.

 

Another option if your looking to save space for gear is the hammock route. A double nest eno, rain fly, and the under quilt makes a pretty quick, easy and comfortable set up

 

If the stars line up, would love to travel the country in a Unity Class C RV - LTV

 

I have to climb up on my soap box. ENO is a generic over priced parachute hammock. You can pick up a proper camping hammock that will be lighter, stronger and way more comfortable than an ENO. ENOs are to short to be comfortable for overnight sleeping. 12ft hammocks are way better for man size people.
There are a lot of cottage vendors building these. https://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/
Or you can DIY one for about $20-$30.

 

Thanks ya’ll. Yes there is a mrs and We have a hybrid trailer we take out from time to time and it has 3 queen beds. Wife and kids enjoy it and the truck pulls it pretty well but I don’t want to pull it around off road really. That’s where looking at some of these options come into play to keep at it between trips out with the hybrid.

I think a pop up trailer is the answer for the future but it may be a “next year” thing snd maybe swap out the hybrid for it. Right now the hybrid works better for the 1 year old the way this one is configured but when he’s sleeping in his own bed I think it’ll be perfect to have a small pop up. Can throw yaks on top etc.

in the meantime If I come across a shell for my tundra I’m prolly gonna snag it and put in a simple bed platform and take that out with the older ones. Been tough to find a good one so far.

 

My wife and I transitioned last year from the pop-up to a hybrid for two simple reasons: bathroom and shower. I know they make pop-ups with toilet/shower combos, but we just wanted a real bathroom with a stand up shower and a door you can close.