LR4 multi purpose duty

ar4me

Adventurer
At some point last winter I also picked up a Frontrunner drawer system at one of their sales and installed - love it.
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Have a hi-lift jack and a frontrunner table on the roof too - modified and mounted the frontrunner "table sliding kit" upside down as it can not fit under the LR roof rack. A real pain having to modify everything to work with the LR rack - maybe I should just have replaced it. I also have a little shovel up top, and plan to make a mount to hold my maxtrax on the side of the rack.
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Never mind the yellow diesel jerry cans... :) They will soon be obsolete - with the aux fuel tank from Ray ;)
 
Wow, what an awesome looking trip and example of what I believe the LR3/4 are built for.

Just me, but I would keep the jerries on top, empty but having the option just in case you want lllllllooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrr range with Ray's aux tank. :wings:
 
So, Ray's project has now become my project
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Still waiting to receive the fuel level sender, gauge, and switch kit I bought from Australia: http://www.dnaoffroad.com.au/auxiliary-fuel-tank-sender-and-gauge.html

In my recent chats with FR, they told me they had an impossible uphill journey to get DOT approval on the tanks so that's the reason they don't offer them in the US. I can understand their concern for liability, but I still want one. Lol
 

Ray_G

Explorer
Cracks me up to see that box; to think that it went from South Africa to Dubai then up to Abu Dhabi before coming back to the East Coast and now is on the West Coast. May as well have a bunch of flags or little oval two letter country stickers on it.

r-
R
 

ar4me

Adventurer
Received the gauge+switch and fuel sender kit from Australia yesterday - sender is adjustable, mechanically, and gauge with switch is nicely compact.
 

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Received the gauge+switch and fuel sender kit from Australia yesterday - sender is adjustable, mechanically, and gauge with switch is nicely compact.

That has got to be one of the smallest senders I've seen! Nice. I look forward to the review, I have contacts in Oz that can send them my way.
 

Ray_G

Explorer
Ok, so now I'm jealous...that gauge/switch setup is awesome and kudos to you for sourcing it. While I still don't think I'd execute the aux tank in anywhere near the timeline you will, so I'm glad I passed it off, I'm envious nonetheless!
r-
Ray
 

ar4me

Adventurer
We'll see... Originally, I was hoping to have it installed in time for a planned trip to Death Valley Oct 13-15, but it looks like stuff is occupying weekends between now and then, and I can't risk not have a running car for that trip :) So, it may have to wait until after that trip :(
 

ar4me

Adventurer
We just got back from our annual guy's trip - this year to Death Valley, like last year, but different trails. Target for day 1 was to cross from Trona Road over the mountains via Mengel Pass and check out Manson's hideout at Barker Ranch (in a side canyon to the trail) on the way, and eventually come out to Badwater Road (at the south end of Death Valley). For second day I had planned and mapped out off-road from Ubehebe Crater Road (at the north end of Death Valley) to Eureka Dunes, over Steel Pass, to the Saline Valley Warm Springs, and take Saline Valley Road out to pavement. Day 1 would be just over 65 miles of dirt trails, and day 2 would be around 100 miles of dirt trails.

Thursday night we drove up to Trona Pinnacles and camped out for the night (I slept in car, my friend had a new roof top tent - so envious...)
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Friday we headed up Trona Road and took Balarat Rd, and then up a narrow canyon road towards Barker Ranch.
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Of course, the obligatory picture of the wild donkeys that thrive in the area, originally left by miners.
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The view from Mengel Pass.
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The most technically challenging part on day 1 came on the descent shortly after Mengel Pass. Not long after the next picture we did spot each other in order to get down safely, without bumps and bruises :)
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Picture was taken by buddy who rode shot-gun in the second car, Fran.

We had planned to camp at Mesquite Campground at the north end of the park, just before the (closed) turn-off for Scotty's Castle, but the campground was closed :( and we backtracked 40 miles (on boring pavement) to Stovepipe Wells where we camped for the night - I set up my little cozy backpacking tent.
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The second day we set out heading north in the direction of Ubehebe Crater - was very windy with sand/dirt drifting on the road
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We exited pavement from Ubehebe Crater Rd, and headed off for Eureka Dunes
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and made our way up and over Steel Pass and down to Saline Valley Warm Springs - got a picture near the turn-off down by Saline Valley Road.
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The ascent from Eureka Dunes up towards Steel Pass on Steel Pass Rd has some technical spots early on, but is otherwise straightforward. We did spot at one location where it was really tight. Don't have any pictures myself of that, unfortunately.

After we hit Saline Valley Road we headed north towards pavement. We had originally planned one more night of camping, but Fran's flight was just after mid-day Sunday, and we decided to put the pedal to the metal and head for home. The drive north on Saline Valley Road was fun - great gravel road where you can make quick ground, and it had pretty sections as well, climbing to about 7400', I think it was. We reached pavement on Death Valley Rd some 30-40 miles later, headed west towards 395, and south towards home. Grabbed dinner in Lone Pine with Mountain Whitney towering in the background.
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We are already contemplating our next destination...
 

ar4me

Adventurer
Finally got time to start customizing the Frontrunner aux tank and fitting it.
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First was to "configure" the adjustable fuel level sender I got from DNA Off Road with the gauge/switch kit.
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Drill and tap the tank to accept the fuel level sender.
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and mount the sender, using sealant to hopefully avoid fuel vapor leaks...
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The Frontrunner bracket to fit inside the crossmember behind the diff was not possible to insert as it came - simply not possible. Instructions say to "drop" in it... With some modification (single stud instead of triple stud) it could slide in from through the top...
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Subsequently, mock-up the tank, mounting on the front cross-member and marking locations on side frame rails to drill and tap.
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ar4me

Adventurer
I wanted the switch/gauge somewhere where Ican see and operate it conveniently from the driver's seat
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A.J.M

Explorer
Watching as I also have a front runner tank to fit to mine.
I like your fuel level sender idea. Going to copy that. I owe you a beer or two.

I'm going to have to get creative for that mount you have had issues with as it's also used as the back mount for my Prospeed diff guard.
I also have a brand new FR tank guard to cover the tank and hopefully keep it safe.
 

ar4me

Adventurer
Watching as I also have a front runner tank to fit to mine.
I like your fuel level sender idea. Going to copy that. I owe you a beer or two.

I'm going to have to get creative for that mount you have had issues with as it's also used as the back mount for my Prospeed diff guard.
I also have a brand new FR tank guard to cover the tank and hopefully keep it safe.
Nice, I have contacted FR ZA to see if they would be willing to get a quote to ship the tank guard to the US. Otherwise, I will probably make one myself.

Over the weekend I also had a look at the FR "splitter" section to be inserted into the stock filler pipe (by cutting out a section). Looking from underneath it does not appear to be the same diameter as the filler pipe on the US LR4, and secondly, the welds on the FR piece are very poor and do not complete the circumference of the side pipe... a certain evap leak. Given the two issues, I am currently planning to make my own "splitter" with better fitment and quality. Perhaps this is only a US LR3/4 issue.
 

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