1st Gen Tundra Flippac - Novice Build Advice

[abiker]

A friend of mine races all over and she set up her van

That's pretty sweet. And a dream to get back to racing a couple times a month. However, I checked (laid out bikes and measured), the height without a front wheel is still pretty tall - 31-36" vs ~40" without, because the seats become the tallest point.

We just did a quick trip up the hill (where there's real snow), and I'm back in the keep-the-bikes-inside bandwagon... this was about 30 minutes worth of driving:

 

[abiker]

On the lift/suspension note - I'm planning on getting the Icon Stage 2 kit and installing it in the next week or two. Mostly for better all around handling. Actual lift, TBD, probably 1.5" to run a 275/70/17 (only come in Es, but probably appropriate). I can spend the money I would have spent on UCAs to get more lift on more practical things, like an interior build out. My other options were Fox (no complete kit, but more linear?), King/ADS (don't need that level of performance), or Toytecs (heard durability issues, Toytec hotline guy recommended Icons for heavier loaded truck).

Anyone have any last minute advice? Sounds like Toytec sells a 650lb/in or 700 for their kit, but Icon is just one spring rate.

After that, wheels and tires so I can safely get up to the snow! Open to recommendations on that as well - currently looking at 17x8.5s with 4.3" BS and -10mm offset+ BFG AT KO2s.

 

[jscusmcvet]

Can you pull the rear seat out and rig up a way to put your bikes in the cab?

 

[Kpack]

Anyone have any last minute advice? Sounds like Toytec sells a 650lb/in or 700 for their kit, but Icon is just one spring rate.

Icon has 700 lbs springs as well. It's an option to add on whenever you buy the coilovers.

 

[abiker]

Icon has 700 lbs springs as well. It's an option to add on whenever you buy the coilovers.

I haven't seen it - tried on both individual coils and Stage 2 kit. I'll call Monday and see what they can do.

 

[abiker]

Can you pull the rear seat out and rig up a way to put your bikes in the cab?

I know my main mountain bike would need both tires off to fit in the cab. Plus the dog would be pissed that her seat was stolen. I did consider it, but the back of the cab seems ideal for a fridge, drawers, and of course the dog.

I did try and look at front wheel off in the bed. I imagined a low drawer (kitchen?) on one side where the bikes would sit on top, front wheel off, and the top of the drawer (bike platform) would slide in and out as well. It's always the case that to ride bikes, we need to pull out half the stuff to be able to roll bikes out, so a slide would be amazing. However, the bike's seat is so tall you'd have to pull seats off to have a drawer underneath and it would still be a tiny drawer, and the bars are so wide that you'd need to have the bikes far from the side in order to clear the door opening. Right now, they can tuck right up against the camper shell for maximum interior space.

Bikes would fit well sideways in the truck with a single wheel off, but access to climb into the flippac would suck (ladder?) and getting bikes in and out would empty the truck. I can only imagine some of the other new pickup campers on the market at going to have the same problems, maybe worse given the wedge bed design.

 

[Rsharries]

New User here - I am not sure if i should start a new thread for this, so please let me know if posting here is inappropriate.
I have the same desires for better organized bed due to the need for interior bike storage as you with my 2015 Tundra double cab and Flippac. To date, the bed of my truck looks identical to your photo on page one, although I have added a Bed Rug. This setup works OK, however it takes a bit of time to set up the exterior camp and requires moving and stowing gear when out riding or during adverse weather conditions. I am looking for drawer and cabinet solutions for the passenger side of the bed, while keeping the driver side clear for bike storage (4 will fit with front wheels off). I have looked at Goose Gear systems, however i don't see that they have plate systems for Tundra (?). What other drawer/cabinet systems do others use or recommend? I would like to include a fridge/freezer and cabin power system with external solar panel array that will charge both the cabin and vehicle batteries.

I don't need much internal living area, as we typically setup an outdoor kitchen under the awning. I am curious what others have done or recommend for laying out the bed of a Tundra/Flippac.

 

[Arclight]

Here is my build thread from a couple of years ago. I have a T100 (same bed as your Tundra) and a Flippac. I designed a lightweight interior from thin-wall 1/2" square steel tubing and 1/2" plywood. There is a full-length bench seat/storage chest and drawers+crates on the right. I left a 30" aisle open so that I can sleep there when by myself or haul stuff. I would think a 30" x 6.5' space could accommodate two bikes.

I did not install a kitchen or any plumbing. We do 95% of our cooking outside or on the tailgate with either a 1-burner stove or the Skottle. If weather is bad, we set the Chinese restaurant-style butane stove on the stowable inside table and make soup or something that isn't smoky. A 3.5 gallon bucket (standard size, but shorter) with toilet seat+liner kit can stow in the front of the bed for when we want a toilet. All of the truck/offroad gear fits under the bench. Cooking gear and food are stored in the milk crates, and personal items are in the drawers.

Check out:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/128820-Flippac-build-out

John

 

[austintaco]

A friend of mine shared this on Facebook, and I thought of your thread. It was designed initially to carry the bikes, covered and secured and then they expanded it. Food for thought. https://www.hitchhotel.com/

 

[abiker]

I am not sure if i should start a new thread for this, so please let me know if posting here is inappropriate....
I have the same desires for better organized bed due to the need for interior bike storage as you with my 2015 Tundra double cab and Flippac.

I haven't seen a single photo on the internet of a flippac with bikes inside with any sort of organization drawers or benches built in... and definitely not a thread hijack.

Also, I've drawn up the Goose Gear and Scout Equipment type setups, I don't that working with a pickup bed. If you haven't seen it, I think bikes inside plus a DRIFTA kitchen DPOR would be ideal... in a pickup with a flippac you could also throw a shower on the side, lots of water inside, along with a loo for midnight nature calls.

I have a T100 (same bed as your Tundra) and a Flippac...I left a 30" aisle open so that I can sleep there when by myself or haul stuff. I would think a 30" x 6.5' space could accommodate two bikes.

Hey Arclight, I followed your posts for years when I had a T100! We did think of a center aisle... but our default is to leave wheels on. So, as we're used to it, bikes go flush against the passenger wall and still have handlebars wide enough to stick out to the center and snag you as you climb up and down from the loft. I'm definitely going to include a center aisle option when I do some quick mock-ups with 2x4s. The idea I am most curious about today is bikes on a slide, front wheel off, handlebars turned 90deg. It's wierd, but I saw a sprinter pull it off perfectly - besides pedals, each bike was super narrow and stabilized with a rear wheel hook. That's the other quickie 2x4 project to fit check on my list.

A friend of mine shared this on Facebook, and I thought of your thread. It was designed initially to carry the bikes, covered and secured and then they expanded it. Food for thought. https://www.hitchhotel.com/

Haha, yep - seen those along with bags for bikes on hitches. I think that or a small trailer (scamp/casita) would be rad if we camp 4 people (munchkins), but for today we can actually fit everything and still have some room, but I just can't figure out the organization that makes it fast and easy.

Also, it's snowy here and I just got a set of Icons to put on... definitely not zero progress, but not much in the storage direction!

 

[Arclight]

I've seen Honda trail bikes parked in the center aisle of a camper. And turning handlebars 90 degrees is how most folding bikes are stowed on trains in Asia.

 

[abiker]

Side note, planning other work, has anyone resealed the windows on a Flippac? It leaks in some rains since it moved to the new truck. Is the resealing process complete removal with new gaskets or typically just some RTV around the outside of the frame?

 

[austintaco]

Yes, just remove the screws from the inside, pop the window out, put in a new gasket, and it should be good to go. Check the “weep” holes on the bottom to make sure they are not clogged. Water also can get in around the back hatch and tailgate. I had mine water tight, and things have shifted so I need to reseal.

 

[abiker]

Finally made a slide for the bikes. I probably wouldn't do it the same way again, but this works pretty well. Before, we would have the back full of gear and bikes, which invariably led to unloading most of the truck to get at bike clothes, shoes, helmets, and bikes. Now we get to a trailhead and we're able to pull out the bikes and wheels without pulling out any other gear.

For reference, the "drawer" is 12" wide, so the assembly is 14" wide, not including nuts. I made it 78" deep (same as the truck bed) on 60" slides and it has turned out to be a decent place to stash other stuff.

The forks mounts are turned sideways on angle blocks and I just use a simple viole ski strap to hold the bikes to a foam covered vertical support.





We delayed a trip start a little bit to get the project done, enough to use it. Second night out found a pretty cool 4wd campsite: