Box Rocket '03 DC Tacoma Build

Gary T · Nov 26, 2013

Adam, looks good on any forum!

sixstringsteve · Nov 26, 2013

Box Rocket said:
Hope this gives some ideas for others. Enjoy.

your truck always inspires me for new ideas. Thanks for sharing.

slcpunk74 · Nov 26, 2013

I'm not sure about the slower stuff but negative arch at speed is known to flatten springs. I guess this might be a non issue with crawling.

sixstringsteve · Nov 26, 2013

From my experience, it depends on the spring (for crawling at least). I've definitely flattened springs going into negative arch at slow speed. But I'm also running these OMEs with the overload, and no bumps, and I haven't lost any lift at all despite a lot of negative arching. THe overload leaf will keep it from getting too crazy negative, but it is still more negative than I'd feel taking other springs.

sLcREX · Nov 26, 2013

This has been one of my favorite Tacos since I first saw it a while back. It looks amazing and seema like it really performs. Thanks for posting it, great to see all the work you've put into it.

Box Rocket · Nov 26, 2013

Here's a few "in use" pics that Kurt asked for.

Little Sahara

Mineral Basin

Cliffhanger

Black Dragon Canyon

Steelbender

Moab Rim

Poison Spider

Golden Spike

SE Utah somewhere

Lund, Utah

Signal Peak

Rock Corral, Milford, Utah

Boulder Mountain

Powell Point

Near Hanksville, Utah

Inspiration Point

Custer State Park, South Dakota

Box Rocket · Nov 26, 2013

Kevin B. said:
I love the heck out of this truck.

More details on the trailer please! It looks like the track width is wider than your truck? And how do you like the tongue length for dragging it through tight trails, any trouble there?

The track width on the trailer is just barely wider than the Tacoma. I built it before I had the Tacoma and matched it to my Land Cruiser. The track width is the same as the Cruiser.

The tongue length is as short as I was comfortable making it. If it was any shorter the trailer would contact the tow rig in a Jackknife situation. The trailer does really quite well. Way better than I hoped since I had no idea what I was doing when I built it. It follows almost exactly in the tracks of the tow rig so tight trailer aren't typically a problem.

Box Rocket · Nov 26, 2013

oddly enough some things are happening that could make this truck for sale very soon.

Tonkaman · Nov 26, 2013

Box Rocket said:
oddly enough some things are happening that could make this truck for sale very soon.

Ok just wait for my kidney to sell, I'm posting it up on Ksl right now!

Herzog · Nov 26, 2013

Box Rocket said:
oddly enough some things are happening that could make this truck for sale very soon.

Trade ya for my 4 seater buggy.

Love this rig.

193kyle · Nov 26, 2013

Very nice rig! Love to see it getting used!

Tonkaman · Jan 1, 2014

Box Rocket said:
oddly enough some things are happening that could make this truck for sale very soon.

Pm sent...

Box Rocket · Jan 3, 2014

Tonkaman said:
Pm sent...

Got it. I'll let you know when the time comes.

STAG · Jan 3, 2014

I vote this truck for RME-rig-of-the-year

Box Rocket · Jan 17, 2014

finally replaced a worn out CV

Also trying to make my tires last through one more wheeling season. I pulled the whees/tires off the Cruiser (since it's parked for a while) and put them on the Tacoma for road driving. Painted the 80 wheels. Really like how they came out. Graphite VHT paint, 4 coats paint, 3 coats clear. Tires are 315 75R16. 35's are a tight fit but they work great on the road. I couldn't wheel with them like this unless I tubbed the firewall, but they'll work great on the road.

jesse72 · Feb 6, 2014

Your Tacoma is one bad ride man, great work and innovation building all the bumpers and carriers yourself. Also, maybe I missed it but is there a thread on the build of your trailer? Awesome work!

Box Rocket · Feb 6, 2014

jesse72 said:
Your Tacoma is one bad ride man, great work and innovation building all the bumpers and carriers yourself. Also, maybe I missed it but is there a thread on the build of your trailer? Awesome work!

Thanks. There is a build thread on the trailer here:
http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?98525-Box-Rocket-Trailer

SLC97SR5 · Feb 6, 2014

Beautiful Tacoma!

I'm curious about your thoughts on the KM2's vs the MTR's. Tire life, road noise, overall handling on/off road.

Would the spacers have solved stability issues with the 10.50's?

Not to turn this into a tire thread but I'm faced with a pending rubber purchase for my 3rd gen.

Box Rocket · Feb 6, 2014

SLC97SR5 said:
Beautiful Tacoma!

I'm curious about your thoughts on the KM2's vs the MTR's. Tire life, road noise, overall handling on/off road.

Would the spacers have solved stability issues with the 10.50's?

Not to turn this into a tire thread but I'm faced with a pending rubber purchase for my 3rd gen.

I was asked the same question on another forum. Here is my response.....

Having had both tires now there a some clear differences. Here's my take on the two tires in different areas.

On the road: KM2 is a better dry pavement tire. It's relatively quite for a MT type tire and has decent road manners. Seems to balance well and has even treadwear as long as they are rotated and balanced regularly.

The MTR is a louder tire on the road than the KM2. The tread pattern is slightly more aggressive with slightly larger voids. You can hear more tire noise and feel the tread blocks hitting the pavement more with than you can on the KM2. The MTR still has good dry pavement behavior and the stiffer sidewall feels more stable in the corners.

On the Trail: I prefer the MTR on trails with a mixture of dirt/rock. They go where you point them better than the KM2, particularly at faster speeds. I have noticed less slipping and loss of traction on trails with the MTR.

The KM2 is a great trail tire, and in most cases has good traction. In loose dirt/rocks they will break loose earlier than the MTR. I was never stopped or stuck with the KM2s but just noticed they would start to spin earlier than the MTR.

In the rocks: MTR is superior in the rocks. On technical rocky trails with both tires in the 10-15psi range, the MTR has better traction and control than the KM2. When I had the KM2s, I never had a complaint about them in the rocks. They are very good, but once I replaced them with the MTR, I have found that the MTR just outperforms the KM2 in the rocks. It's not a HUGE difference but noticeable.

In the Rain (pavement): Both tires seem about equal in the rain. I haven't noticed any tendency to hydroplane from either tire and both had good wet traction.

On Icy hardpack roads: Both tires are dismal in these conditions unless they have been siped. The large treadblocks on both tires are just not the right design for a tire used on icy roads. Siping makes a big difference and both tires can be an acceptable winter tire if siped. Even with siping neither tire is the best choice if you are looking for a tire specifically for winter driving. There are better tires out there for icy hardpack driving. The GY Duratrac and the Interco Trxus are superior MT style tires for winter driving.

In Deep Snow: The design of the treadblocks seems to make a difference here. The tread of the MTR has more sharp corners than the KM2 and the voids are generally larger on the MTR. These features seem to provide better deep snow traction and keep you moving forward better and longer with the MTR. Air pressure is a big factor here too. I like to run in the 8-10psi range for deep snow. This gives better floatation and I'm able to keep moving better than with higher air pressure that tends to make the tires dig and spin. There is a constant debate about whether floatation in snow is better or worse than a tire that will dig down to solid ground. The way I look at it, if the tire is digging down to solid ground that is putting axles, skidplates, wheel hubs and even bumpers closer to the snow that can drag and hinder forward progress. The more parts of the truck you have to drag through the snow the more you're going to get stuck. I am a believer in floatation in deep snow.

In the Mud: The MTR is a better Mud tire without question. I don't like to play in the mud and I typically avoid it at all costs but every once in a while it's unavoidable. In deep mud I would get stuck sooner with the KM2. I was shocked on a recent trip where we encountered LOTS of deep mud. I'm certain that the KM2s would have lost traction and left me stuck and needing a strap or winch in a couple spots. I never needed either one with the MTRs. I was able to drive through all the muddiest spots we encountered where other trucks needs help.

Bottom line for me on these tires is I have found that I like the MTR better is almost all areas except for icy roads and for the amount of road noise and road comfort. If you want a smoother riding, quieter tire, then the KM2 is a better choice that will still perform well offroad. But for me the extra benefits offroad with the MTR will probably make me buy another set of them instead of KM2s when the time comes to replace them.

The KM2 is better in the icy conditions when siped. So if you're looking at the biggest weakness of both tires its in icy hardpack snow. If you have both tires siped, the KM2 will still be slightly better in these conditions than the MTR. If you don't have them siped, they are miserable.

STAG · Feb 7, 2014

Thanks for the tire comparison, I was actually just asking Steve about that.

Box Rocket '03 DC Tacoma Build

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