DRE's New FWC Project

[elmo_4_vt]

I envy you your full-length underbed storage, Don! Also how is the gas tank filling? We had our filler hose in the same location and it was a nightmare getting fuel in. (I even built a plywood ramp to use at gas stations.) Evidently this is a common issue with flatbeds. So I finally took it back last week to the fabricators and they rerouted the hose and filler cap to the space between the camper and the cab and hung it off the jack bracket. In the process it raised the fuel inlet about 15".

Steve
View attachment 337389

Steve, I remember you saying that in your thread, and was dreading it, but so far, I haven't had any issues. I've even been able to use the big rig pumps with the larger nozzle and full force with no ill effects. Not sure what the difference is, but my installation was very straight foward. Just some 1.5" boat fuel line, and 1.5" stainless exhuast tubing, with stainless hose/band clamps holding everything together. The stock filler neck was just cut down and bolted right up to the opening that Alum-Line supplied. I've heard that Dodges have a different setup with the lid and line, so that may be a contributing factor as well. Either way, sounds like you have the issue fixed. Now you can use the stock gas inlet as a fill for a new grey water tank? :wings:

Are you going to be coming East for our FWC rally this summer? Should be a few different flatbeds there this year.

Don

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[Durango]

Just some 1.5" boat fuel line, and 1.5" stainless exhuast tubing, with stainless hose/band clamps holding everything together. The stock filler neck was just cut down and bolted right up to the opening that Alum-Line supplied. I've heard that Dodges have a different setup with the lid and line, so that may be a contributing factor as well. Either way, sounds like you have the issue fixed. Now you can use the stock gas inlet as a fill for a new grey water tank? :wings:

Are you going to be coming East for our FWC rally this summer? Should be a few different flatbeds there this year.

1.5"? That is probably the difference. The Ram has (maybe) 1" I.D. hose. (If that.)

BTW, Don, do you have any info on your front "tunnel box". Inside photos, how it was made, cost added to the bed? In my next build (always thinking ahead even though I have a grand total of two nights in my new hawk) I'm thinking about something like this.

And not sure on the rally. Do you have a link? Our summer is pretty well booked.

Steve

 

[elmo_4_vt]

Just got done the inaugural 1,800 mile, 4 day trip with the camper. Camper performed awesomely, and the only surprise was the condensation with the temps at night in the low 30s. We literally had to use a shammy to wipe down every inch of the canvas and the ceiling along the metal braces. The heater easily kept the interior at 60 during the night running once or twice an hour, and 70 while we were getting up and changed. The three of us had plenty of room. Made breakfast every morning. Watched movies at night. No real "camping" to speak of since it was a bit of a driving trip, and we had a hard time finding campsites that were actually open due to the time. Spent two nights in rest areas, one in a Cabella's parking lot, and one dispersed camping in Bald Eagle State Forest.

Just a couple pictures of my camper and new trailer from the trip:

 

[2012Taco]

I approve of this build

 

[toyotech]

Love the fit and finish. Is the FWC silver or is it silver and white ?


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[elmo_4_vt]

Love the fit and finish. Is the FWC silver or is it silver and white ?


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The exterior has the "Silver Spur" option, which uses a silver enamel paint on the exterior alum siding. I liked it better and figured it would look better with the alum bed and blue paint on the truck.

Don

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[toyotech]

The exterior has the "Silver Spur" option, which uses a silver enamel paint on the exterior alum siding. I liked it better and figured it would look better with the alum bed and blue pain on the truck.

Don

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It does look better in silver. All the ones I seen are white. Glad you color matched it!! Looks great.


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[elmo_4_vt]

Finally had some time to put on the ARB bumper today after a couple days camping and riding cycles. The ARB bumpers have great instructions, and very good fit and finish, but damn are some of those bolts hard to get to. The winch needs to have both the motor and the gear box modified to fit in the bumper. I still need to wire up the winch, but need to figure out how to complete the terminals, since the factory terminals won't be able to accommodate the larger wire lugs of the this cable. Also need to find a couple LED driving lights I can install in place of the factory fog lights and how to mount a receiver of some sort to allow a front basket for some trips (Beach fishing equipment, etc.).

Don

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[jerstw]

Love the rig and trailer, thanks for the write up.

 

[IdaSHO]

Lookin' good! :ylsmoke:


Did you ever get it weighed?

 

[SamM]

Nice rig, Don! Congrats on the new setup. I really liked your Bronco/trailer combo but this thing is off the hook. Can't wait to see it at this year's MAOF.

SamM

 

[calicamper]

Wow look at that thing! Nice rig..

 

[robert]

Finally had some time to put on the ARB bumper today after a couple days camping and riding cycles. The ARB bumpers have great instructions, and very good fit and finish, but damn are some of those bolts hard to get to. The winch needs to have both the motor and the gear box modified to fit in the bumper. I still need to wire up the winch, but need to figure out how to complete the terminals, since the factory terminals won't be able to accommodate the larger wire lugs of the this cable. Also need to find a couple LED driving lights I can install in place of the factory fog lights and how to mount a receiver of some sort to allow a front basket for some trips (Beach fishing equipment, etc.).

<snip>

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The lights on the ARB are your turn and parking lights- they suck. ARB pretty much cheaped out on them and if they're mounted anything like the ones on the Tacoma they are maddening to try to get to when they burn out a bulb, and they will because they don't seal that well. You can replace the bulbs with some LED bulbs or replace the whole assembly with some from a VW (which they're a copy of) or ARB now has out a new LED light kit for expensive price of $95. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BNGI6UK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=16CWUH4EQF3J7&coliid=I2A2YIZJ41C6TL

You can retrofit the ARB driving light kit to your bumper if you want, I did it on mine. It's not hard but it requires cutting obviously. While I like having the driving lights, they aren't that great a quality either and the glass in mine cracked (in a circular pattern, not a rock chip). Apparently it's not uncommon according to several websites. Kurt graciously replaced them but they should have lasted longer. Labrak makes a mounting plate to fit that opening that holds an LED and upgraded LED signal light. http://www.shop.labrak.com/ARB-Bumper-Fog-Light-Assembly-Upgrade-LR-02-0024.htm I'll probably add them when I get around to it.

As for the wiring, I initially mounted my winch control box on the bumper but later moved it under the hood; out of the elements and away from any temptations. It's easy enough to run the controller through the grill and I also have a Warn wireless remote than I can attach. I needed to extend my wiring to do this so I used some welding cable; nice and flexible and it carries the current well. I made my own connections (plenty of videos on youtube, some right, some wrong). For connecting the winch to the battery, it's easy to add a positive terminal with extra wire connections and even a volt meter if you want. They're commonly used by the car audio crowd but work great for adding accessories to any vehicle. I didn't use the volt meter style, just one that has four holes. I run the winch off of one of the big ones and my amp off one and a Blue Sea breaker and fuse box off of the other. Here's an example I found on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Positive-Battery-Terminal-Gauge/dp/B00LGKIBF4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1460982492&sr=8-2&keywords=battery+terminal+voltage

ETA- I usually keep my winch disconnected unless I'm going offroad or traveling. I put solder on the end of the winch cable to keep it neat and then I just pull it out of the battery terminal.

 

[elmo_4_vt]

Lookin' good! :ylsmoke:


Did you ever get it weighed?

I did get the chance to weigh it at work the other day. Over GVWR already... Whomp, whomp, whomp. But we knew it would since it was 7800 stock. This was weighed with about probably about half the water tank filled (~10-15 gallons) and a good bid of camping gear in it, but not everything. Still plenty of room on the GAWRs though, and it drives as good or maybe a little better than it did before the camper due to the additional weight on the back end. I can honestly say that there is almost zero sway going down the road. The only time I'll feel the weight is up and down hills, or if I'm hitting a large off camber bump (going off a curb at a 45 deg angle). I've done about 2600 miles of mixed highway, back roads, and graded dirt so far, and the only issue was on a couple sections of concrete road where it started to buck front to back a bit. Not sure what I can do the help with that, but I think I'd like to redo the rear spring pack with a slightly stiffer setup by adding a leaf or two. I think playing with the air pressure in the bags may help a bit though, but so far it hasn't been bad enough to get out and adjust while on the road.

Total (compared to 8900 GVWR)

Rear axle (compared to 6084 GAWR):

Front axle is 5200 GAWR with a weight of about 4800 measured (I know a calc gives 4860, not sure if the scale has that much error or if it's how the truck was on it)

It really is a fun/easy truck to drive and doesn't fatigue at all, which was a bigger issue on my old truck.

Don

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[MTCK]

Perfect balance! Just like a sports car...