The EXPO TRON Build

Thanks buddy! Hope to get some forum members up to speed on Durobumps!

 

I'm excited for the first gen bumps so I can tell all the first gen guys how great they are!

 

WOW!!! To cool!! Way nice pictures and like ALL!!!! The mods you have done to that truck!! I have done a little here and there and will continue on a couple few things but will never reach your level!!! Looked like fun and thanks for posting with those pictures!!!!!!

 

Unfortunately not a thread update... My Flickr is where I upload all my pictures before posting on the forums, and their site has been messed up for quite some time now. It would take 3 times longer to sort through the mess to post the right pictures

In other news...I have a Prinsu Rack now! haha but the real news...

**SOLD** Tepui Ruggedized Autana w/ Annex in Expedition Orange $1500

 

And sold!!

 

What yah going with ?

 

family getting bigger ?

 

For now I'm gunna be a ground dweller again. Bought a Gazelle Tent

 

welcome to the club. Love mine.

 

ColoRADo Round 3 - Day 2 Continued!

Hopefully I have built up some anticipation for those following along with my ColoRADo Trip Report! This trail began quickly after leaving the Million Dollar Highway. We passed 2 jeeps on their way out as we headed up, and they were the last people we'd see on the trail. Black Bear welcomed us with some ominous black clouds looming in the distance. We did have a slight chance of rain going in, but we were willing to take the risk. The scenery was magnificent! At one point it looked like we were on a different continent, then a few moments later it looked like we were traveling on Mars! We made our way to the top without issue and were surprised to see the sign so quickly, Black Bear Pass - 12,840ft

















As quickly as we reached the top, we continued on down toward Telluride! The views were incredible














And so it begins!! Time to nut up or shut up...













As the sign used to say, "You don't have to be crazy to drive this road - but it helps. Jeeps only." ...….Challenge Accepted






Our Tundras handled the trails with ease up to this point as I lead the full size club down the tight switchbacks of Black Bear, but this is where it counted! I remember looking up at the switchbacks from Telluride earlier last year and thinking, there's no way in Hell I can do that trail in the Tundra! After all the videos and research, I am so glad we took on the challenge. From this point the road became extremely narrow as we approached the hardest switchback!















Pucker Factor Alert
When the trail gets so narrow you decide to hug the mountain as close as possible, then a massive rock tears through your sidewall... And then to make matters worse, you're forced to change a tire on that same narrow off camber trail with a Hi-Lift Jack! Yep we did it, and I might add with quick precision. Although I don't recommend destroying your tires on Black Bear Pass, it was a good feeling knowing this was an easy fix with all the right tools and help









As if blowing out a tire and changing it on this trail was enough, we made it to the tightest switchback of Black Bear Pass! I did it safely in 7, but Joe showed me up with a 5 point turn on his 37" tires! Don't forget to check out his last picture too... He may have bunny hopped off that rock ledge at the end...




















Bridal Veil Falls

After an entire day of gorgeous trails and epic scenery, our reward would be the largest free falling falls in Colorado! At 365 feet, Bridal Veil Falls were stunning to finally see in person. Even though there wasn't much water, it still looked beautiful as the breeze blew the falls around. I don't know how we could ever top a day like this. It was quite the experience do to so much in one day, and all in a full size Tundra! We all returned to our Mountain Village Mansion safely and prepped for Day 3!

 

Im glad you talked me into going on this trail, I did have a bit of a panic attack, Im terrified of heights.

 

Great pics. I would like to do that trail someday when I have finished my build.

 

Amazing pics. Thanks for sharing!

 

Hell yea so worth it buddy! Now we should go back with your tundra

It truly is an amazing trail, and not so much technical. Just requires nerves of steal and a good spotter if you aren't familiar with the size of your truck

 

Down haha just need a spotter and the FRAC

 

Thank You for sharing Stefen and Congratulations to the group for doing it in full sized trucks. I did it many years ago when I was 19 in my 68 short bed Ford f-100 with manual transmission and I remember being really nervous the entire time. Plus my girlfriend at the time was crying the entire time which didn't help my nerves lol...

 

That's awesome man! I can't imagine doing any of those trails in a manual haha. Funny when my wife got nervous she just got out and offered to record us instead

 

We gotta go back!

 

I'm actually with you, but realize were the odd ones out

 

ColoRADo Round 3 - Day 3 & 4

An early morning shortcut from Mountain Village through the mountains to the Million Dollar Highway. Ophir Pass I'd say was my favorite scenic trail of the trip. Driving through the Aspens right after the small town of Ophir was so awesome as the sun shined through! It was a relatively moderate trail until it was time to climb through the pass. Driving over the loose rock on that shelf road made an eerie echo as we approached the pass, and could only be described in person



@Help








While planning this trip, I never considered how hard it would be to top our first day of wheeling! Imogene and Black Bear were so grand it didn't seem like anything could ever compare. That was the case until we started the climb on Clear Lake Road






What can I say, the pictures speak for themselves or at least they try haha! Clear Lake was incredible and well worth the climb. We took a long break there for the rest of the morning and I figured it's always a good time for a Barrio Brewing Blonde




























After our trip to clear lake we drove back through Ophir Pass and met back at our Mountain Village Mansion. How could you say no to this view?! We decided to relax for the rest of the day and take in the sights with a trip on the Gondola down to Telluride for our final dinner of the trip.




The next morning and final day of our trip, we had breakfast in Telluride and said our goodbyes to part of the group. Ryan @Help Pat @PLC721 my Wife and I decided to take the scenic detour back home. Shortly after Ouray we ran the beginning of Alpine Loop and Engineer Pass. This was the first trail we did on the East side of the Million Dollar Highway, and it was just as beautiful! Our goal originally was to run this trail the day before, but we weren't able to make it happen. Somewhere off this section was a waterfall I had read about while planning so we were determined to see it before saying goodbye. Of course this 2.3 mile detour turned out to be a 3 hour adventure






























Took me way too long to get this posted! Thanks for sticking around and tuning in to our adventures!

 

Since Colorado is about a 9 hour drive for us, and we detoured abit on the way home, of course we had to stop in Sedona for the night! Our happy place looked as good as ever with the storm clouds rolling in






Broken arrow wasn't busy either so we drove out to enjoy the sunset and play around








@Baja Designs Lighting the way!










The next morning we took the Schnebly Hill scenic detour out to the highway. Lets just say TRON got more dirty on this single trail than the entire trip to Colorado....or should I say muddy..






Our Happy Place - Sedona, AZ by Stefen Schmidt, on Flickr





and so it begins...






A familiar lookout Schnebly Hill Vista Overlook...pictures do not do this view any justice! So here's a ton of them anyway

 

Bulldog Canyon - October 20, 2018

@white_sherpa Invited us out for an early morning shakedown run through Bulldog Canyon. Of course we had to tag along with his badass supercharged Tundra The road had seen better days but my ADS Racing Shocks made easy work of the trail.


























Videos
Bulldog Canyon by Stefen Schmidt, on Flickr

Bulldog Canyon by Stefen Schmidt, on Flickr

 

PRINSU Design Studios #ThatPrinsuLife

Justin McBride of CBI Offroad Fabrication contacted me not long after our Colorado trip about running one of their Prinsu Design Studio roof racks! After following Prinsu when they first started on TacomaWorld, I knew then I wanted one of their racks. Of course when it was offered, I definitely wanted to be among the first to run one on a Tundra Huge thanks to @white_sherpa and @PLC721 for help installing this beast! It was alittle nerve racking to drill 10 holes into the roof but all so worth it. Here's some install pictures and I'll also be posting these in That PRINSU Life thread to answer any questions about the install


Before




First things first, assemble the rack on the ground


















Christian's wife Ania was behind the camera and she took some cool shots of my patch collection (at that time)


Once the rack is assembled, put it on the roof for mock up. Once the rack is in place mark the holes for drilling then start putting holes in the roof


The vacuum really helped limit the amount of metal shavings and cleanup was a breeze




I ultimately cut the weather strip into pieces for the rack feet and then pushed them all together around the feet


Pro leverage drilling skills


We may have a thing for superwhite tundras


I remember putting it back on the roof after drilling and got so damn excited




After! @PLC721

 

I totally forgot the prinsu went on after we got back from Colorado, I still cant believe that was almost a year ago.

 

@TRON Glad it came out so clean! Happy we had enough drill bits too. One thing I would recommend anyone drilling into harder and thicker metal, is have good quality bits that can be used for a period of time. I think we went through like 4-6 Overall it was a good experience with installing this rack, thanks for the invite for helping out!!! @PLC721 @TRON

 

It has been one of the fastest years yet! But I have also slacked getting this updated haha

Definitely need good bits!! Thank you for letting us raid your garage haha

 

OMG my mustache was glorious

 

Immediately after installing the rack @PLC721 and I did a quick night run to Cave Creek and Seven Springs. We take advantage of every opportunity to use our @Baja Designs Lighting! I must also add that sometime before this run I had just upgraded to an iPhone XS Max so my photos are finally on par with my old Samsung from 2 years prior

For reference here's what @Baja Designs lights we have:
TRON:
OnX6 Arc 50" Driving Combo Amber/White Dual Function Light Bar
x2 XL80's on the A-Pillars
RTL - Rear Tail Light
x4 S2 Work Scene Lights
PLC721:
40" S8 Amber Light Bar
x2 XL80's on the A-Pillars
x2 Squadron Sport Fog Lights








Let there be LIGHT!

 

Showing off the new rack around town