2012 Taco slow build - The Escape Pod.

[Finlay]

I'm sort of torn on what to do next. I want a rack to go out over the cab to house the fairing and HAM antenna, and lights.

I have two thoughts :

1. Build a hoop off the bed rack over the cab. It shouldn't be too hard to add a forward basket to the existing rack, although some of the bends and welds will be tricky.

2. Get some Yakima/Thule tracks installed. This seems more flexible, and with some roof reinforcement would carry much more weight. I prefer this approach, but it's more costly, and ... well, drilling the roof.

In either event, I think I'm going to need to relocate the sharkfin forwards, or do without XM radio.


I'm sitting for the HAM test this weekend - and it's the same fee if I take one test or three, so I'm going for all of them. Technician and general are pretty easy, based on the practice exams I've done. The extra seems a bit more challenging. I've got some studying to do.

 

[Dirtytires]

Did you take your HAM test yet? Taco looks good. I like the way that when your looking back at the truck the rack flows with the roof line.. Good job.

 

[Finlay]

I did the HAM test - got all the way to Amateur extra. A degree in electrical engineering helps.

Yesterday, I popped up to Minneapolis to meet with the guys from the Midwest Overland Society. Great bunch, and I'm looking forward to doing some trips with them. I also picked up a refurbished Yaesu FT-857D and a bunch of other crap.

To get the carpet up, you need to pull the back panel, and the door sill rails. It's easy enough - remove the little plastic panels and they yank off. No tools required.


There are a bunch of grommets in the floor of the Taco. This is the most rearward one I will use to run power from the battery into the cab.


I had to basically gut the interior to get this done


Got the new CB mounted on the side of the center console.


Got the Yeasu mounted on the driveshaft hump.


And here is the new fusebox mount point.


Putting the truck back together. The platform I made for the dogs fits nicely, and provides a tidy hiding spot for the Yaesu and reasonably easy access to the fusebox.

 

[Finlay]

And this is how it sits now. Tomorrow, I need to build the antenna mounts and figure out how to mount the removable faceplate for the Yaesu.

Just amazing weather today - 65-70 degrees and sunny as hell. Perfect day to work on the truck.

 

[Owyhee H]

Nice instal on the radio.

I really like your rear platform as well, as it retains the ability to use the rear storage compartments. Did you just remove the rear center box? IM sure the dogs appreciate being up in the cab with you.

 

[upcountry]

I'm loving that rack. Any plans for an RTT up there?

 

[Finlay]

Two things today : build a fairing and get the faceplate for the Yaesu mounted.

First, the fairing. We spent the morning trying out a few ideas. This one seemed to work best.



Next was to make a mount plate for the Yaesu. The Yaesu has a kit - the YSK-857 that includes a mounting bracket. However, I didn't want to drill a hole into the dashboard. So, I figured to take some 18 gauge steel, mount that inside the dash, and mount the radio to that. That way, if I change my mind about the mounting location later, I don't have holes all over the place.

The climate controls in the center console just pop out. You can use a butter knife or slim piece of plastic to force the white tabs down and then it comes out with some effort.



Since the place I want to mount the head unit is right below that, between the controls and the power plugs, I need to do some trimming to make it all fit.



Blurry, but you get the idea.



Some searching throughout the garage to find some short *** screws.



Fits nice. It's really tight, so I hope I don't need to be changing it later. It will be a total PITA to undo. It is solid - and shouldn't interfere with any airbags.

 

[Finlay]

Thanks for the compliments. I'm hoping the use the RTT this weekend when we go to the cabin - it will really depend on how quickly the welding and repainting of the rack goes.

Here's a pic of the Yaesu head unit in action. I don't have the antennae hooked up yet - tomorrow I'll get the brackets welded on.

 

[Dave Bennett]

Great spot for that

 

[Finlay]

Great spot for that

I know, right. There aren't any great spots -Just varying degrees of not ideal.

I got the antennae hooked up, and they work OK. I think I'm going to need a roof mount for the 2m/70cm. I was hoping to avoid drilling the roof, but it works best and I'm just gonna have to suck it up.

The HF multiband antenna (opek hvt-600) is mounted over the bed, next to the RTT. It works pretty well, although tuning it for the various bands requires a fair bit of futzing. For an inexpensive mobile antenna, it seem to work OK. Can't beat the price. I'll get an screwdriver or some such at a later point; I'm just not prepared to drop 500+ bucks on it just yet.


The fairing didn't turn out so well. It works and is sturdy as heck, but is ugly as sin. It's also about 2 inches too close to the RTT and so gets in the way when deploying it. Without the RTT on there it really howls in the wind, too. I need to figure out a different solution for that - but I definitely want a fairing; I was pulling ~16 mpg at 75mph in a 20 knot headwind with the A/C on and the tent loaded up top. Also, it kept the bugs off.

Back to the drawing board....

 

[womacje]

Great work! I have had the pleasure of meeting DJ and seeing his sweet Tacoma. DJ, Great work on the truck. Love the clean mount of the radio face. As far as the fairing goes, not too much money spent in a "prototype." Have you thought about a thule/yakima crossbar and a fairing? Way more expensive and not as much fun, but adjustable and easily removable. Keep up the great work. Subscribed.

Jeremy

 

[Finlay]

Thanks Jeremy,

It was really cool to meet you all. I think that june trip is gonna be sweet.

I've thought pretty hard about it a Thule/Yakima solution in fact. I'd need to get the tracks installed - which will involve drilling into the roof. That will be cheaper than getting the towers, and less trouble, and greater capacity, and more more flexible too. But it's still a few hundred bucks, either way.

I know I said I had more money than sense, but that doesn't mean I have a great deal of money; rather that I don't have that much sense. :drool:

I'll come up with something. I always do.

Later, I am gonna pick your brain about your shower system. That is a pretty sweet setup you've got in the "lavender" truck of yours.

 

[womacje]

Thousand ways to skin a cat. I made an aluminum gram for
My storage system, never again, but I had to do it once to see how well it would work.

Feel free to hit me up on the water system. It's Pretty cool, I love it.

Jeremy

 

[Finlay]

Thousand ways to skin a cat. I made an aluminum gram for
My storage system, never again, but I had to do it once to see how well it would work.

Feel free to hit me up on the water system. It's Pretty cool, I love it.

Jeremy

I didn't quite get to this when we met - I thought about doing the same thing : aluminum frame, plywood skin. Very similar to yours. Your setup seems to have turned out pretty well. What don't you like about it ?

 

[womacje]

The only part I don't like about the aluminum frame is the additional cost and time required to build the system the way I did (tube and panel). I wound up using almost primarily 1/2" ply almost everywhere anyway... It was a great exercise, that I've been dying to try. Next time I will find the lightest sheet material, i.e. Fiberthane etc, and use the Kreg jig system again. best way to go, in my personal opinion for speed of build, weight and strength.

Don't get me wrong, I love my system! Its awesome. There are just better ways to build them then how I did, but had to test my theory, Disproved.

Jeremy