tacozord
Adventurer
Thank you. I appreciate the compliment, and I hope that some of this information is of help to you.
Boden Build - 2015 Tacoma DCLB 4wd
- Thread starter tacozord
- Start date
Thank you. I appreciate the compliment, and I hope that some of this information is of help to you.
tacozord
Adventurer
Pelfreybilt High Clearance Rear Bumper
I recently installed my new Pelfreybilt High Clearance Rear Bumper for my 2015 Toyota Tacoma. This was a rather straight forward installation, but you definitely need a helping hand to lift it into place.
I planned on taking a lot more detailed pictures along the way, but due to time constraints, I overlooked many steps. Overall, I think you'll get an idea of what was involved.
-----------
The first step was to disengage the electrical. There were two plugs for the license plate lights. I simply turned them ninety degrees and pulled them out of their light housing. Next, I unbolted the trailer socket and removed. I then cut off all of the wiring harness zip-ties that attached it to the bumper and trailer hitch.
Next, I removed the old bumper. On each side, there were five bolts attaching the bumper and tow hitch assembly. I only removed four and left the top-most bolt loose. I did this to aid in removal of the old bumper as well as installation of the new one.
It looked like this before removing the bumper.
There is a pin on the bumper that engages in a notch on the frame. So in order to remove the bumper, I needed to lift it up and pull towards me on each side.
Once removed, you can see the pin on the bumper.
And this was the notch on the frame that the pin sat in.
With the bumper removed, it was time to move on.
The next step was to remove the fender flares. I began by removing the bolts on the underside of the flare that attaches it to the bedsides.
Then, the tricky part. Don't just pull on the fender flare to remove it. You'll easily damage the plastic retaining clips. Instead, I reached up behind the fender flares and removed the plastic retaining clips with needle-nose pliers. I just squeezed the little tabs and pushed them through. The difficult part is reaching them all. All I can say is, "Contorted body positions and strained neck."
By the way, there are two types of clips, orange and blue. The only difference is in their sizing with the orange ones being slightly larger.
With the fender flares removed, it was time to mark and cut the bedsides. I used blue painters tape and marked a line on it. I measured down from the bottom edge of the bed cap with a flexible tape ruler so that my line was 1/2" below the tail light. This ended up being 16-3/4".
I used the following angle grinder with a 4-1/2" x 1/16" cut-off wheel. If you notice, I used the handle on the back side of the grinder. This was intentional. I held on to this handle and used my knuckles up against the beside as a support guide. I worked slow and steady by first scoring a line and then taking a second pass to cut all the way through.
When done, I had a ton more clearance. Aside from the straight cut, I needed to eye-ball the cut below the tail light. At the back of the straight cut, just below the tail light, the line turns in towards the center of the vehicle for about an inch and then sweeps down in an arc.
Next, I needed to attach the fender support brackets. I marked and drilled a 5/16" hole.
I used the supplied hardware to attach the bracket. This can be adjusted later to position the bedsides to your liking.
At this point, I installed the bumper temporarily. Lifting the bumper in place is really a two person job. I placed the center-point on a hydraulic jack, lifted it up, and maneuvered it into place with the help of a friend. By leaving the top-most bolt threaded, we used that as a support point while we inserted the additional bolts.
As excited as I was to see the bumper installed, I couldn't torque them all the way. I first needed to evaluate my cut line, which needed a slight trimming. Once satisfied, I removed the bumper, trimmed, and used an 80-grit flap disc to smooth and de-burr the edge.
Before re-installing the bumper, I installed the fender flares, marked, and cut them to be in line with the bedsides. Then I painted the exposed edges of metal with primer. At this point, I should have installed the rubber molding, but I made the mistake of installing after the bumper was in place. Although I was successful, it would have been much easier had I done it beforehand.
To hold the rubber molding in place, I used Stick Fast CA Glue. I first attempted to use a two-part epoxy, but it would have taken me too long. I had some CA glue available, so I thought I'd try. Luckily, I had the option of thickness to choose from, thin, medium or thick. I figured the thick consistency would be the best. It worked like a charm.
Installing the molding after the bumper was a bit challenging, both to my patience and the final fit. In the end, I made it work and was satisfied with the look.
The instructions stated that the next step was to remove the black plastic trim pieces that wrap around the body below the tail light. I did so, but wonder in hind sight if this was really necessary. It appears that there's enough room to keep them in place.
Anyway, it was time to permanently install the bumper. The final installation is relatively easy, but aligning the bumper was a bit frustrating. I really wanted the front point of the bumper to perfectly line up with the fender flare. Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful. This was the best I could to do without cutting the bolt holes on the bumper.
The bumper is designed to stick out from the bed sides to accommodate the fender flares. I adjusted the fender support brackets to align the fender with the outside edge of the front point of the bumper. It just needed to be pleasing.
There were several remaining items to complete the job: trim the fender liner, install the license plate lighting, re-connect the electrical connections, and install the flip up license plate holder.
The installation was complete and looks great! If you notice, my bumper has cut-outs to accept rear-facing lights. I'll be tackling this project soon.
Even with the spare tire mounted underneath, there is a lot more clearance than before.
Overall, I'm very pleased with the bumper. Now, it's time to go beat it up.
I recently installed my new Pelfreybilt High Clearance Rear Bumper for my 2015 Toyota Tacoma. This was a rather straight forward installation, but you definitely need a helping hand to lift it into place.
I planned on taking a lot more detailed pictures along the way, but due to time constraints, I overlooked many steps. Overall, I think you'll get an idea of what was involved.
-----------
The first step was to disengage the electrical. There were two plugs for the license plate lights. I simply turned them ninety degrees and pulled them out of their light housing. Next, I unbolted the trailer socket and removed. I then cut off all of the wiring harness zip-ties that attached it to the bumper and trailer hitch.
Next, I removed the old bumper. On each side, there were five bolts attaching the bumper and tow hitch assembly. I only removed four and left the top-most bolt loose. I did this to aid in removal of the old bumper as well as installation of the new one.
It looked like this before removing the bumper.
There is a pin on the bumper that engages in a notch on the frame. So in order to remove the bumper, I needed to lift it up and pull towards me on each side.
Once removed, you can see the pin on the bumper.
And this was the notch on the frame that the pin sat in.
With the bumper removed, it was time to move on.
The next step was to remove the fender flares. I began by removing the bolts on the underside of the flare that attaches it to the bedsides.
Then, the tricky part. Don't just pull on the fender flare to remove it. You'll easily damage the plastic retaining clips. Instead, I reached up behind the fender flares and removed the plastic retaining clips with needle-nose pliers. I just squeezed the little tabs and pushed them through. The difficult part is reaching them all. All I can say is, "Contorted body positions and strained neck."
By the way, there are two types of clips, orange and blue. The only difference is in their sizing with the orange ones being slightly larger.
With the fender flares removed, it was time to mark and cut the bedsides. I used blue painters tape and marked a line on it. I measured down from the bottom edge of the bed cap with a flexible tape ruler so that my line was 1/2" below the tail light. This ended up being 16-3/4".
I used the following angle grinder with a 4-1/2" x 1/16" cut-off wheel. If you notice, I used the handle on the back side of the grinder. This was intentional. I held on to this handle and used my knuckles up against the beside as a support guide. I worked slow and steady by first scoring a line and then taking a second pass to cut all the way through.
When done, I had a ton more clearance. Aside from the straight cut, I needed to eye-ball the cut below the tail light. At the back of the straight cut, just below the tail light, the line turns in towards the center of the vehicle for about an inch and then sweeps down in an arc.
Next, I needed to attach the fender support brackets. I marked and drilled a 5/16" hole.
I used the supplied hardware to attach the bracket. This can be adjusted later to position the bedsides to your liking.
At this point, I installed the bumper temporarily. Lifting the bumper in place is really a two person job. I placed the center-point on a hydraulic jack, lifted it up, and maneuvered it into place with the help of a friend. By leaving the top-most bolt threaded, we used that as a support point while we inserted the additional bolts.
As excited as I was to see the bumper installed, I couldn't torque them all the way. I first needed to evaluate my cut line, which needed a slight trimming. Once satisfied, I removed the bumper, trimmed, and used an 80-grit flap disc to smooth and de-burr the edge.
Before re-installing the bumper, I installed the fender flares, marked, and cut them to be in line with the bedsides. Then I painted the exposed edges of metal with primer. At this point, I should have installed the rubber molding, but I made the mistake of installing after the bumper was in place. Although I was successful, it would have been much easier had I done it beforehand.
To hold the rubber molding in place, I used Stick Fast CA Glue. I first attempted to use a two-part epoxy, but it would have taken me too long. I had some CA glue available, so I thought I'd try. Luckily, I had the option of thickness to choose from, thin, medium or thick. I figured the thick consistency would be the best. It worked like a charm.
Installing the molding after the bumper was a bit challenging, both to my patience and the final fit. In the end, I made it work and was satisfied with the look.
The instructions stated that the next step was to remove the black plastic trim pieces that wrap around the body below the tail light. I did so, but wonder in hind sight if this was really necessary. It appears that there's enough room to keep them in place.
Anyway, it was time to permanently install the bumper. The final installation is relatively easy, but aligning the bumper was a bit frustrating. I really wanted the front point of the bumper to perfectly line up with the fender flare. Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful. This was the best I could to do without cutting the bolt holes on the bumper.
The bumper is designed to stick out from the bed sides to accommodate the fender flares. I adjusted the fender support brackets to align the fender with the outside edge of the front point of the bumper. It just needed to be pleasing.
There were several remaining items to complete the job: trim the fender liner, install the license plate lighting, re-connect the electrical connections, and install the flip up license plate holder.
The installation was complete and looks great! If you notice, my bumper has cut-outs to accept rear-facing lights. I'll be tackling this project soon.
Even with the spare tire mounted underneath, there is a lot more clearance than before.
Overall, I'm very pleased with the bumper. Now, it's time to go beat it up.
Last edited:
Adventurous
Explorer
Nice work! I love how well documented and photographed all of your mods are, not to mention how clean they all are. Any reason you didn't choose to get a swing out tire gate?
tacozord
Adventurer
I debated this decision for months before making the purchase. On the one hand, I really wanted a swing out to accommodate a tire, gas can and hi-lift. But in the end, I concluded that my wheel base was so long that i didn't want the extra length and mass hanging off the back. I hope I don't regret it.
Adventurous
Explorer
Just inquiring as I'll be facing a similar decision in the not too distant future. At the moment I'm leaning towards the swing-out for the pure utility. But then again I'm torn between doing a traditional bumper or a high-clearance so clearly offroad prowess isn't #1 at the moment.
mouse007
Explorer
I recently installed my new Pelfreybilt High Clearance Rear Bumper for my 2015 Toyota Tacoma. This was a rather straight forward installation, but you definitely need a helping hand to lift it into place.
I planned on taking a lot more detailed pictures along the way, but due to time constraints, I overlooked many steps. Overall, I think you'll get an idea of what was involved.
-----------
The first step was to disengage the electrical. There were two plugs for the license plate lights. I simply turned them ninety degrees and pulled them out of their light housing. Next, I unbolted the trailer socket and removed. I then cut off all of the wiring harness zip-ties that attached it to the bumper and trailer hitch.
Next, I removed the old bumper. On each side, there were five bolts attaching the bumper and tow hitch assembly. I only removed four and left the top-most bolt loose. I did this to aid in removal of the old bumper as well as installation of the new one.
It looked like this before removing the bumper.
There is a pin on the bumper that engages in a notch on the frame. So in order to remove the bumper, I needed to lift it up and pull towards me on each side.
Once removed, you can see the pin on the bumper.
And this was the notch on the frame that the pin sat in.
With the bumper removed, it was time to move on.
The next step was to remove the fender flares. I began by removing the bolts on the underside of the flare that attaches it to the bedsides.
Then, the tricky part. Don't just pull on the fender flare to remove it. You'll easily damage the plastic retaining clips. Instead, I reached up behind the fender flares and removed the plastic retaining clips with needle-nose pliers. I just squeezed the little tabs and pushed them through. The difficult part is reaching them all. All I can say is, "Contorted body positions and strained neck."
By the way, there are two types of clips, orange and blue. The only difference is in their sizing with the orange ones being slightly larger.
With the fender flares removed, it was time to mark and cut the bedsides. I used blue painters tape and marked a line on it. I measured down from the bottom edge of the bed cap with a flexible tape ruler so that my line was 1/2" below the tail light. This ended up being 16-3/4".
I used the following angle grinder with a 4-1/2" x 1/16" cut-off wheel. If you notice, I used the handle on the back side of the grinder. This was intentional. I held on to this handle and used my knuckles up against the beside as a support guide. I worked slow and steady by first scoring a line and then taking a second pass to cut all the way through.
When done, I had a ton more clearance. Aside from the straight cut, I needed to eye-ball the cut below the tail light. At the back of the straight cut, just below the tail light, the line turns in towards the center of the vehicle for about an inch and then sweeps down in an arc.
Next, I needed to attach the fender support brackets. I marked and drilled a 5/16" hole.
I used the supplied hardware to attach the bracket. This can be adjusted later to position the bedsides to your liking.
At this point, I installed the bumper temporarily. Lifting the bumper in place is really a two person job. I placed the center-point on a hydraulic jack, lifted it up, and maneuvered it into place with the help of a friend. By leaving the top-most bolt threaded, we used that as a support point while we inserted the additional bolts.
As excited as I was to see the bumper installed, I couldn't torque them all the way. I first needed to evaluate my cut line, which needed a slight trimming. Once satisfied, I removed the bumper, trimmed, and used an 80-grit flap disc to smooth and de-burr the edge.
Before re-installing the bumper, I installed the fender flares, marked, and cut them to be in line with the bedsides. Then I painted the exposed edges of metal with primer. At this point, I should have installed the rubber molding, but I made the mistake of installing after the bumper was in place. Although I was successful, it would have been much easier had I done it beforehand.
To hold the rubber molding in place, I used Stick Fast CA Glue. I first attempted to use a two-part epoxy, but it would have taken me too long. I had some CA glue available, so I thought I'd try. Luckily, I had the option of thickness to choose from, thin, medium or thick. I figured the thick consistency would be the best. It worked like a charm.
Installing the molding after the bumper was a bit challenging, both to my patience and the final fit. In the end, I made it work and was satisfied with the look.
The instructions stated that the next step was to remove the black plastic trim pieces that wrap around the body below the tail light. I did so, but wonder in hind sight if this was really necessary. It appears that there's enough room to keep them in place.
Anyway, it was time to permanently install the bumper. The final installation is relatively easy, but aligning the bumper was a bit frustrating. I really wanted the front point of the bumper to perfectly line up with the fender flare. Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful. This was the best I could to do without cutting the bolt holes on the bumper.
The bumper is designed to stick out from the bed sides to accommodate the fender flares. I adjusted the fender support brackets to align the fender with the outside edge of the front point of the bumper. It just needed to be pleasing.
There were several remaining items to complete the job: trim the fender liner, install the license plate lighting, re-connect the electrical connections, and install the flip up license plate holder.
The installation was complete and looks great! If you notice, my bumper has cut-outs to accept rear-facing lights. I'll be tackling this project soon.
Even with the spare tire mounted underneath, there is a lot more clearance than before.
Overall, I'm very pleased with the bumper. Now, it's time to go beat it up.
Looks awesome man, I also didn't install the trim molding when the bumper was off.
My problem was in packaging for some reason it got overlooked and I didn't get it with the bumper.
Satin sent it over night but by that time the bumper was already on.
Can you give me any pointers..? I'll be trying to install my trim molding tonight or tomorrow. Did you use any special tool to slid it in..? Thanks..!!
tacozord
Adventurer
I used a combination of a flat head screw driver, a 1" putty knife, and CA glue. The screwdriver was used as a lever to push the molding up and hold it in place. The putty knife was used to open the molding. I would slide this down the slot in the molding as I pushed up with the screwdriver, which is levered off the bumper. Periodically, I'd squeeze in some glue and wait for it to set before moving on. I found the glue was necessary on either side of a corner, because the bend would make it want to pull off. If you go slow, you'll be fine. Just know that it will test your patience.
tacozord
Adventurer
For me, the high clearance was a must! I had already smashed my trailer harness, bumper, bed side, and tail pipe. I only wish I had it sooner.
tacozord
Adventurer
Rear Bumper Lighting
I completed installation of lighting in my new rear bumper today. The lights are Rigid Industries SR-Q2 flush mount diffused white.
This was a rather easy install. The kit came with its own wiring harness, but I didn't really use it. The harness included a relay, inline fuse, and switch. But these weren't necessary because of my Bussmann RTMR, which provides the relays and fuses. However, I did use the provided connectors at the lights to simplify things. The wiring harness came with 18AWG wire, but I upgraded to 12AWG for the power and ground wires from the RTMR to the rear of the vehicle. I then dropped back down to the provided 18AWG for the pigtails to each light. All wiring was protected with split wire loom.
Before pics:
Wiring harness:
Installed:
Complete:
I completed installation of lighting in my new rear bumper today. The lights are Rigid Industries SR-Q2 flush mount diffused white.
This was a rather easy install. The kit came with its own wiring harness, but I didn't really use it. The harness included a relay, inline fuse, and switch. But these weren't necessary because of my Bussmann RTMR, which provides the relays and fuses. However, I did use the provided connectors at the lights to simplify things. The wiring harness came with 18AWG wire, but I upgraded to 12AWG for the power and ground wires from the RTMR to the rear of the vehicle. I then dropped back down to the provided 18AWG for the pigtails to each light. All wiring was protected with split wire loom.
Before pics:
Wiring harness:
Installed:
Complete:
mouse007
Explorer
mouse007
Explorer
When I ordered my Icon suspension, I requested 700lb springs. However, they were delivered with 650lb springs. Well, I finally got them and installed on 3/4/15.
I'm also thinking of going with this same set up.
I know it was asked but, how do you like the #700 springs now that you've had them for a bit..?
Icon tells me that the truck needs to have more than 200Lbs for the #700 springs.
tacozord
Adventurer
All I can say is that I don't have a problem with the heavier springs. In fact, there's been several times where I've hit the bump stops when driving fast and hard on a bumpy road.
So...it's given me the correct ride height without preloading the springs and it seems to handle bumpy terrain acceptably despite the few hard hits. I'm happy with them and wouldn't change anything at the moment.
mouse007
Explorer
tacozord
Adventurer
DeLorme InReach Explorer mount and power supply
I've been using a DeLorme InReach Explorer for a couple years. It's a basic GPS unit but offers text messaging via an Iridium Satelite account as well as a SOS feature. This gives me great peace of mind when I'm out in the wild.
Up until recently, I've mounted the device in my vehichle using a Powered inVehicle RAM Mount. This is a great product and convenient way to mount the GPS unit in my vehicle. However, I've always had two problems with it, which I recently solved.
The first problem I had is that the suction cup tended to lose it's grip on the windshield after long periods of time. This was most annoying when racing down a dirt road and it popped off and fell to the floor. Additionally, if the windshield was dirty at all, then all hope was lost. So despite its claims of a non-slip suction cup mount, I've always wanted a more secure mount.
The second problem was that the 12v power cord was really annoying. Although the cord was long enough to reach the 12v power adapter in the center console of my truck, it stretched across my dash and simply got in the way. Therefore, I needed a solution to provide power in closer proximity to the mount.
I solved the first problem by permanently mounting my DeLorme InReach Explorer into my 2015 Toyota Tacoma by way of a RAM mount bolted to the A-Pillar. The power problem was solved by installing a 12v-to-5v converter and hard-wiring power directly to the inVehicle RAM Mount.
I'm going to show you how I installed and wired my device, but let me first discuss the parts and specialty tools I used for this project.
PARTS
DeLorme InReach Powered inVehicle RAM Mount
This is the mount that I started with. Even though this product provided everything necessary to mount the GPS unit in a vehicle, all I needed was the cradle to hold the InReach Explorer, the 1" RAM ball, and the power cord. The suction cup and power plug were no longer needed. This can be purchased at Amazon.
RAM Mount Motorcycle Handlebar Clamp Base
This mounting kit can be found in the motorcycle section at RAM Mount. The model number is RAM-B-367U, and can be purchased at Amazon. It included three M8 screws, but these were too large for my application and not used.
Socket Screw
The RAM Mount Handlebar Base included M8 hardware, but I needed a M6 x 1.0 x 55mm screw to mount it to the A-pillar in my Tacoma. I purchased one at a local hardware store, but it can also be purchased at Amazon or McMaster Carr.
RAM Short Double Socket Arm
Although a double socket arm was included with the inVehicle RAM Mount, I wanted to use a shorter arm. Therefore, the shortest one available was RAP-B-201U-A, which can be purchased at Amazon.
Multipurpose aluminum tubing
Because I used M6 screws instead of M8 screws, there was extra space around the screw as it traveled through the shaft of the RAM Mount Handlebar Base. Although not required, I used aluminum tubing to take up the spacing inside the shaft. The tubing was 5/16" O.D. and .035 wall thickness. I purchased at a local hardware store, but it can be purchased at McMaster Carr.
Zinc Spacer
I used a spacer to make the RAM ball stick out further from the A-pillar. Although unnecessary, using a spacer gave me more flexibility when positioning the cradle. I used a 1/2" zinc spacer with 1/4" I.D. and 5/8" O.D., which was purchased at a local hardware store. It can be found at McMaster Carr.
Because I was using aluminum tubing, I wanted it to travel through the spacer as well. Therefore, I ultimately bored the inside diameter of the spacer to 5/16" to accommodate the tubing. If you can find one with a 5/16" I.D. then buy that instead and save a step. If you're not using tubing, then choose a spacer with an appropriate I.D. to coincide with the M6 screw.
Rubber push-in grommet
I'll be running power directly to the RAM Mount cradle, which will navigate up the A-piller. I hid the wiring behind the trim piece and routed it through a hole that I drilled very close to the RAM ball. Although not required, I felt that a rubber grommet would look better than a roughly drilled hole. Therefore, I purchased a rubber push-in grommet at a local hardware store with the following dimensions. This worked, but a slightly larger thickness dimension "B" would have been a better fit.
A: 3/8"
B: 1/16"
C: 1/4"
D: 9/16"
E: 1/4"
Wire
The power requirements for the InReach Explorer was about 2 amps. Therefore, I could have used a smaller gauge wire, but I typically don't use anything smaller than 18 AWG for vehicle wiring. It's just easier to work with.
Voltage converter
The 12v power plug that came attached to the inVehicle RAM Mount would normally convert 12v to 5v, which was the required voltage for charging the InReach Explorer. Therefore, when cutting the plug off, I wasn't able to connect it directly to my vehicles battery. To solve this problem, I used a 12v to 5v converter by DROK, that can be purchased at Amazon.
Molex Mini-Fit Jr. connectors
I wanted as much flexibility during installation and for any future vehicle repairs. Therefore, I used Molex connectors that can be easily unplugged if needed. A great, inexpensive connector is the Mini-Fit Jr. by Molex. This line of connectors can host up to 24 connections at 9 amps. For this application, I used 2-position connectors.
Male plug connectors (Molex part #39-01-3023) can be purchased at Mouser.
Female receptacle connectors (Molex part #39-01-2020) can be purchased at Mouser.
Molex Mini-Fit Jr. Terminals
Male pin terminals (Molex part # 39-00-0040) can be purchased at Mouser.
Female socket terminals (Molex part # 39-00-0038) can be purchased at Mouser.
Butt Splice
These are general purpose butt splice connectors used to extend the wiring from the mount. These are 18AWG.
Ring Terminal
I connected ground to the body at a bolt under the dash. I used an 18AWG ring terminal with a 1/4" hole. (I'm showing a heat-shrink ring terminal here, but this isn't necessary.)
Braided Wire Sleeving
I used 1/4″ braided sleeving to group the wiring together and protect it. Braided sleeving can be purchased at Amazon.
Adhesive-lined heat Shrink Tubing
I used adhesive-lined heat shrink tubing to hold braided sleeving in place and to cover the butt splices. Using adhesive-lined tubing is not required, but it's what I had on hand and it held the braided sleeving in place a little better. 3/8″ diameter tubing is available at Waytek Wire and 1/2" tubing is here.
Cable Tie Mounts
To attach the wiring to the A-piller, I used a self adhesive cable tie mount along with a zip tie. These are made by Startech and available at Amazon, but other brands are available at your local home center.
Zip Ties
I used small 4″ zip ties to secure the wiring to the cable tie mounts and in various places under the dash. These are available at Amazon and your local home center.
Double Sided Mounting Tape
I used 3M Super Strength Molding Tape to mount the voltage converter and cable tie mount, which can be purchased at just about any auto parts store. But it’s also available at Amazon.
Fuse Tap
I used a fuse tap to provide 12v power to the input of the voltage converter. These can be purchased at Amazon.
To be continued...
I've been using a DeLorme InReach Explorer for a couple years. It's a basic GPS unit but offers text messaging via an Iridium Satelite account as well as a SOS feature. This gives me great peace of mind when I'm out in the wild.
Up until recently, I've mounted the device in my vehichle using a Powered inVehicle RAM Mount. This is a great product and convenient way to mount the GPS unit in my vehicle. However, I've always had two problems with it, which I recently solved.
The first problem I had is that the suction cup tended to lose it's grip on the windshield after long periods of time. This was most annoying when racing down a dirt road and it popped off and fell to the floor. Additionally, if the windshield was dirty at all, then all hope was lost. So despite its claims of a non-slip suction cup mount, I've always wanted a more secure mount.
The second problem was that the 12v power cord was really annoying. Although the cord was long enough to reach the 12v power adapter in the center console of my truck, it stretched across my dash and simply got in the way. Therefore, I needed a solution to provide power in closer proximity to the mount.
I solved the first problem by permanently mounting my DeLorme InReach Explorer into my 2015 Toyota Tacoma by way of a RAM mount bolted to the A-Pillar. The power problem was solved by installing a 12v-to-5v converter and hard-wiring power directly to the inVehicle RAM Mount.
I'm going to show you how I installed and wired my device, but let me first discuss the parts and specialty tools I used for this project.
PARTS
DeLorme InReach Powered inVehicle RAM Mount
This is the mount that I started with. Even though this product provided everything necessary to mount the GPS unit in a vehicle, all I needed was the cradle to hold the InReach Explorer, the 1" RAM ball, and the power cord. The suction cup and power plug were no longer needed. This can be purchased at Amazon.
RAM Mount Motorcycle Handlebar Clamp Base
This mounting kit can be found in the motorcycle section at RAM Mount. The model number is RAM-B-367U, and can be purchased at Amazon. It included three M8 screws, but these were too large for my application and not used.
Socket Screw
The RAM Mount Handlebar Base included M8 hardware, but I needed a M6 x 1.0 x 55mm screw to mount it to the A-pillar in my Tacoma. I purchased one at a local hardware store, but it can also be purchased at Amazon or McMaster Carr.
RAM Short Double Socket Arm
Although a double socket arm was included with the inVehicle RAM Mount, I wanted to use a shorter arm. Therefore, the shortest one available was RAP-B-201U-A, which can be purchased at Amazon.
Multipurpose aluminum tubing
Because I used M6 screws instead of M8 screws, there was extra space around the screw as it traveled through the shaft of the RAM Mount Handlebar Base. Although not required, I used aluminum tubing to take up the spacing inside the shaft. The tubing was 5/16" O.D. and .035 wall thickness. I purchased at a local hardware store, but it can be purchased at McMaster Carr.
Zinc Spacer
I used a spacer to make the RAM ball stick out further from the A-pillar. Although unnecessary, using a spacer gave me more flexibility when positioning the cradle. I used a 1/2" zinc spacer with 1/4" I.D. and 5/8" O.D., which was purchased at a local hardware store. It can be found at McMaster Carr.
Because I was using aluminum tubing, I wanted it to travel through the spacer as well. Therefore, I ultimately bored the inside diameter of the spacer to 5/16" to accommodate the tubing. If you can find one with a 5/16" I.D. then buy that instead and save a step. If you're not using tubing, then choose a spacer with an appropriate I.D. to coincide with the M6 screw.
Rubber push-in grommet
I'll be running power directly to the RAM Mount cradle, which will navigate up the A-piller. I hid the wiring behind the trim piece and routed it through a hole that I drilled very close to the RAM ball. Although not required, I felt that a rubber grommet would look better than a roughly drilled hole. Therefore, I purchased a rubber push-in grommet at a local hardware store with the following dimensions. This worked, but a slightly larger thickness dimension "B" would have been a better fit.
A: 3/8"
B: 1/16"
C: 1/4"
D: 9/16"
E: 1/4"
Wire
The power requirements for the InReach Explorer was about 2 amps. Therefore, I could have used a smaller gauge wire, but I typically don't use anything smaller than 18 AWG for vehicle wiring. It's just easier to work with.
Voltage converter
The 12v power plug that came attached to the inVehicle RAM Mount would normally convert 12v to 5v, which was the required voltage for charging the InReach Explorer. Therefore, when cutting the plug off, I wasn't able to connect it directly to my vehicles battery. To solve this problem, I used a 12v to 5v converter by DROK, that can be purchased at Amazon.
Molex Mini-Fit Jr. connectors
I wanted as much flexibility during installation and for any future vehicle repairs. Therefore, I used Molex connectors that can be easily unplugged if needed. A great, inexpensive connector is the Mini-Fit Jr. by Molex. This line of connectors can host up to 24 connections at 9 amps. For this application, I used 2-position connectors.
Male plug connectors (Molex part #39-01-3023) can be purchased at Mouser.
Female receptacle connectors (Molex part #39-01-2020) can be purchased at Mouser.
Molex Mini-Fit Jr. Terminals
Male pin terminals (Molex part # 39-00-0040) can be purchased at Mouser.
Female socket terminals (Molex part # 39-00-0038) can be purchased at Mouser.
Butt Splice
These are general purpose butt splice connectors used to extend the wiring from the mount. These are 18AWG.
Ring Terminal
I connected ground to the body at a bolt under the dash. I used an 18AWG ring terminal with a 1/4" hole. (I'm showing a heat-shrink ring terminal here, but this isn't necessary.)
Braided Wire Sleeving
I used 1/4″ braided sleeving to group the wiring together and protect it. Braided sleeving can be purchased at Amazon.
Adhesive-lined heat Shrink Tubing
I used adhesive-lined heat shrink tubing to hold braided sleeving in place and to cover the butt splices. Using adhesive-lined tubing is not required, but it's what I had on hand and it held the braided sleeving in place a little better. 3/8″ diameter tubing is available at Waytek Wire and 1/2" tubing is here.
Cable Tie Mounts
To attach the wiring to the A-piller, I used a self adhesive cable tie mount along with a zip tie. These are made by Startech and available at Amazon, but other brands are available at your local home center.
Zip Ties
I used small 4″ zip ties to secure the wiring to the cable tie mounts and in various places under the dash. These are available at Amazon and your local home center.
Double Sided Mounting Tape
I used 3M Super Strength Molding Tape to mount the voltage converter and cable tie mount, which can be purchased at just about any auto parts store. But it’s also available at Amazon.
Fuse Tap
I used a fuse tap to provide 12v power to the input of the voltage converter. These can be purchased at Amazon.
To be continued...
Last edited: