Haggis' Multi-Use Tundra Build

[Haggis]

New Rack and Cover...

While the cap on the truck is great for camping and ExPo style trips, it can be a pain when you need to haul tall things or want to have full access to throw in firewood, dump in a load of gravel or the like. The Tundra did come with a cheesy snap-on cover but it is an annoyance to use. I also needed a set of racks to throw my ladders, scaffolding boards and canoes on. I have a universal truck rack, one of the contractor styles with the 2" tubes and cab overhang, but it's ungodly heavy and rusts to no end. Plus when I first had it on the Dodge I almost tore it off on a low slung Hemlock branch while on one trail ride. I didn't want to mount it on the Toy.

So the search began for a cover and rack system that met a few criteria...

*It had to be flexible with removable racks and the ability to have a roll up cover that was always accessible.
*It had to be lightweight and easy to handle.
*It shouldn't rust.
*And it shouldn't cost an extra arm or leg to buy.

So after alot of searching and digging around I settled on a Agri-Cover Access Cover and Rack System. This sytem has a bed-top mounted extruded rail which supports the two uprights and has provisions for the cover. The upright stanchions come in two heights, the shorter one for mounting a basket rack or ski and bike racks at bed rail height or the taller more tradition over cab height. I chose the taller ones. The stanchions are powdercoated aluminum, like the rails, and mount on sliding hardware that travel in a channel. The stanchions bottoms rest on the rail and spread the load along the rails.

Though I wasn't sure of the racks rigidity because of their thinness I have found them to be surprising stiff with little to no flex. Once you strap some ladders or whatever up there everything is really rock solid. The crossrails are rated at 200 lbs each which is more than enough for my needs. And, No, I have absolutely no desire for a RTT so that wasn't a concern. I've been using them pretty heavily the last month and am really happy with this set-up. The stanchions can be set anywhere along the support rails and really easy to move, adjust or take off entirely. Plans for the future call for me to make a couple of brackets for an additionial low mount rack utilizing the yakima bars on my cap and then building a wood and aluminum lower carrying rack for gear. Sort of a marine/boat style rack.

Here's a shot of the system from the rear...

And an open shot...

The cover is totaly watertight, even in driving rains the bed stays dry. Something I could not say about the Truxedo roll-up cover on my Ram. So far it's been a good investment and does it's job well. Me likey.

 

[jim65wagon]

That's pretty slick! Looks like you can make your dual tiered set up pretty easily! Great find!

 

[mtnbike28]

Great rack...

great rack but what oil do you use ; )

I really need two trucks, one with the cap and one with the bed more open, seems like I always want the option that is not on the truck at the time ; )

 

[Haggis]

I really need two trucks, one with the cap and one with the bed more open, seems like I always want the option that is not on the truck at the time ; )

I know what you mean. The cover/rack is probably more versatile than the cap at least when Fafhrd is in work mode, but I just pulled the cover off and installed the cap for the Cape Lookout trip next week. The cap is just more "ExPo" trip freindly for these longer trips where we're needing more gear. It's not to much of an ordeal anymore to swap from one to the other now that both kids are big and strong and can give their old man a hand. Plus I built a rack the same heigth as the truck rails so it's easy to slide the cap right onto the truck's bedrails with minimial lifting. We've got the switch over down to about 10 minutes from the time we start taking the cover off till the time I wrench down the last cap clamp.

 

[Haggis]

Here's a few consolidated shots of Fafhrd out and about on our summer travels as was requested by PM. He's been doing more work duties than play lately but has put some miles on in the pursuit of fun...

Here's a couplre form our U.P. trip 6/09...

Fafhrd and our EV-1

A little puddle time

Drummond Island meadow

And one from our recent run to the Core Banks NC

Most weekends we run the backwoods with the Jeep, but with the fall colors coming we'll see if we can get him out for some more colorful PA folaige pictures.

 

[Haggis]

It's been a long winter...grey skies, snow and cold temps have kept us pretty well cabin bound for way to long. Isn't it funny how snow is awesome for hunting season but after three months of constant snow it gets real old. The local news reported that for the last three months we had 81 days of overcast skies and only 9 days of sun. Ughhh! And to make things worse, for some reason we had just the right combination of temps and snowfall to make the backroads extremely slick. The couple of times we were out wandering turned into white knuckle rides as the truck fought for traction traversing the foothills around here.

I'd like to say there's been more progress on the Tundra but in reality it's been mostly living life as a work truck. Though it did get to serve it's meat wagon role a couple of times as the family harvested some fuzzyheads for the freezer. I've had a few problems with the truck also, nothing extreme, just annoying. About ten minutes after I took this picture...

I jammed a fallen oak branch under the truck. It wasn't 'til a day later that I realized that it speared a hole in the inner CV joint boot on the drivers side. So out came the tools and a new boot was put on. What a PITA. Then a couple of weeks later the tailgate refused to open. The culptit...a little plastic sleeve and clip in the tailgate handle. I ran down to the local Toyota dealer and while they didn't have one for a Tundra they did have one for a Tacoma. They just gave me the part and after honing it out abit with a drill it worked fine.

The rest of the winter it has been hauling gear and the 4wheeler around. I've been doing some plowing for the nieghbors with all this snow this year.

Plus the ATV was used to get up on the farm to feed our critters. No way we could get the trucks up the steep woods road to the hunting cabin and since I don't have Haggis (my old Ram) with his front and rear lockers, none of our trucks could make it any farther than the first turn.

Plans are in the mix for some new gear and storage over the next couple of months. We're planning a trip out West next year but will be setting up the truck this year to see how a new sleeping/gear storage setup will work out for us. Plus sliders and a front winch are priorities as far as the gear for the truck goes. So some projects are on the way...

 

[Petrolburner]

Did you sell your factory rims? Those are my favorite style.

 

[Haggis]

Did you sell your factory rims? Those are my favorite style.

Are you a psychic? I just told my wife this weekend that I was going to post 'em up for sale here on the Portal as I've decided I've got no reason to hold on to them. Four rims; 17x7, only 21,000 miles on them; perfect condition. If your interested shoot me a PM.

Now I'm goin' to find my tin foil hat and sweep the house for listening devices.....:yikes:

 

[Petrolburner]

I've been called psychotic, but never psychic...

Not sure I'm interested in 17s and also I'm pretty much a cheapskate so with shipping it's likely I wouldn't be willing to pay you enough to persuade you from selling them locally on craigslist.

 

[duxndogs]

Re:

Very cool truck! :smiley_drive:

 

[EXP-T100]

lookin good, but whats up with the jeep plate on the front??

 

[Haggis]

Very cool truck! :smiley_drive:

Well thank you sir!

lookin good, but whats up with the jeep plate on the front??

Conversation starter? Anti-Toyota Recall shielding? Jeep branded after market Anti-Uncontrolled Acceleration Tachyon plate? Silly ribbing of Toyota diehards? Had it layin' around the garage and had to ditch the front dealer plate?

It has started some fun conversations over the last year...:sombrero:

 

[EXP-T100]

Well thank you sir!



Conversation starter? Anti-Toyota Recall shielding? Jeep branded after market Anti-Uncontrolled Acceleration Tachyon plate? Silly ribbing of Toyota diehards? Had it layin' around the garage and had to ditch the front dealer plate?

It has started some fun conversations over the last year...:sombrero:

lol sounds good and it has done just that, party on :sombrero:

 

[john101477]

Fafhrd and our EV-1

hello, just wanted to ask who makes this trailer? kind of a cool little setup. also any input on it would be awesome thanks.

 

[Haggis]

hello, just wanted to ask who makes this trailer? kind of a cool little setup. also any input on it would be awesome thanks.

Trailer is a Fleetwood Evolution EV-1. This is the smallest of the Evolution Series and has an 11' box with a 3.5' storage tray. It has an stove top and a 12V/120v/propane fridge. On board 25 gal water tank with 12V/120V water pump. Kitchen sink also. The rear pull out is a queen size bed while the front is a double. Both are extremely comfortable. Kitchen table converts to a twin sleeping area. Plenty of storage within for two weeks worth of gear and food. Usually the only thing in the truck bed when we have the trailer tagging along is recovery gear, tools and the mucking around cooler. Weight unloaded is 1600 lbs and even fully loaded it tows like a dream. It has shocks so it rides on and off road smoothly. It's easy to forget it's back there other than the obnoxious yellow in your rearview mirror.

The good:
*Set/up teardown/ is just a matter of minutes.
*Plenty of room for gear.
*Nice place to retreat if the weather is nasty or the bugs are bad as the family has room to hang out, play games or cook together.
*Get to meet alot of people as it draws lookyloos like moths to a flame.
*Tows very well and tracks nicely.
*Comfortable sleeping areas.
*Great basecamp to explore out from. This is the main use for us. Set-up for a couple of days, explore the area while radiating out from it then move on the the next area. The extra clearance makes it easy to haul down two tracks and dirt forest roads.

The bad:
*Typical RV quality. Not bad but not stellar building techniques or materials. We haven't had any failures with all we have put it through the last 3 years but we are mindful of it's limits.
*Not entirely bug proof as determined blood ninjas can work their way up through the pullout sections along the rail. While in the UP we solved this by duct taping the rails slots when set-up. Then again the UP is the only place we have encountured this problem.
*While it is well suited to gravel roads and two tracks it is definetly not a trailer you want to drag down a rock strewn or potmocked trail. It's wide and has a big turning radius.
*You'll get to met people asking about it while your trying to do something else.

We bought this one (it's an 05) used for an extremely good deal from a motivate seller. I personally think they are over priced new and from what I've seen and been told finding a used one is difficult. This is my wife's trailer and her and the kids love it. And while I like it I always feel confined towing it as one has to consider what kind of situation one might find themselves in if they pick the wrong road. You aren't going to uncouple this thing and move it by hand if you find yourself in a tight spot.