Haggis' Multi-Use Tundra Build

gcwaterski

New member
Looks awesome bud! I like that model a lot. Sad to hear about the bugs getting in though! For as expensive as they are new I would not be happy about that! But I read you bought it used. Nice truck! I love that gen. tundra.
 

Haggis

Appalachian Ridgerunner
Looks awesome bud! I like that model a lot. Sad to hear about the bugs getting in though! For as expensive as they are new I would not be happy about that! But I read you bought it used. Nice truck! I love that gen. tundra.

Thanks! I prefer the smaller size of the 1st gen Tundras. the new ones just seem so bloated to me. As far as the EV-1 the only time we got bug inflitration was up in the UP and those are some nasty, viscious, and determined crack head insects with an overwhelming desire to satisfy their blood lust. We've never had a problem anywhere else.

Nice set-up!!! Truck is looking awesome!

Well shucks, that means alot coming from a guy with the ubercool Tundra! :elkgrin:

I'm in the process of getting some custom Deavers ordered for the rear. Though the local spring shop that we deal with here is getting me a quote on a custom set also.
 

worldbread

New member
I also have an 06 Tundra like yours and I am loking to get the E3 used this week. I am hoping to do some low key exploring with my family around the PNW and maybe further. I would like to take it to Alaska this September for a moose hunt.
About the pup, how cold of weather have you dealt with? Am I carzy to take it to AK and use it as a base camp?
Since you set-up is just like mine (but yours is a little nicer) any feed back about towing, weather, and anything else would be great.

Thanks a bunch for the pics and the thread. I am inspired.

Michael
 

Haggis

Appalachian Ridgerunner
I also have an 06 Tundra like yours and I am loking to get the E3 used this week. I am hoping to do some low key exploring with my family around the PNW and maybe further. I would like to take it to Alaska this September for a moose hunt.
About the pup, how cold of weather have you dealt with? Am I carzy to take it to AK and use it as a base camp?
Since you set-up is just like mine (but yours is a little nicer) any feed back about towing, weather, and anything else would be great.

Our E1 tows like a dream. It tracks straight, gives no drama under braking and it's easy to forget its back there when your bumbling along. It tracks well behind the truck in turns and tight manuevers. The toungue on it is on the tall size for a trailer. Even with the lift on my Tundra I've found that a one inch lift (A 2" drop hitch used upside down) for the hitch ball works best for a proper set-up. While we don't winter camp as a family and thus don't use the E1 when it's brrrr cold, we have used it in late fall when the night time temps have dropped into the mid 20s. The furnace works very well at heating the interior even to the point where you can heat yourself out of it if you let your wife in control of the thermosat. Now the wife and the kids sleep right through it's operation, but to my light sleeping mind the furnace is abit loud when it fires up. We've done two week trips in the E1, running the fridge on propane and occasionally running the furnace and have had the two propane bottles last with gas to spare. I don't see why it wouldn't work just fine as a hunting basecamp, just be aware that these aren't made for rough trails and it should do fine. As I'm currently out of moose meat and a trip to Newfoundland to recharge the freezer is a couple of years out, I am jealous.

worldbread said:
Thanks a bunch for the pics and the thread. I am inspired.

Michael

Well thanks! If there are any specific questions you'd like answered, ask away.
 

motochain

Wanderer
So there are some Tundras on EXPO!! (even though we don't get specified in the Yota section)...

Good to see there are a few of us black sheep!:rockon:

Like your build!:ylsmoke:
 

Haggis

Appalachian Ridgerunner
New Battery

Factory battery dying...need more power...life support on yellow alert...Tundrabird 2 wounded...

And so the Jeep, in a heroic quest to save it's partner, was sent to Sears to fetch a new power source and if your goin to get one buy the biggest that fits...

4549903066_281f04ce67_o.jpg


Sears Diehard Platinum Marine series 31

It was tight and the factory cables just stretch enough to fit, but it fit in there. It even fits in the factory plastic tray, though I did have to modify the bend on the factory hold down to make it work. With the auxillary terminals I can make connections much easier for future mods...

4549903072_8e0582b37b_o.jpg
 

Haggis

Appalachian Ridgerunner
The just because I could project.

So I have this rack and tonneau cover that lives on the truck the vast majority of the time. For work it's way more convenient than the cap and I don't have to deal with mucked up windows come winter. But sometimes we can't fit all of our gear under the tonneau and the cap has to go on for a short time. Switching between the two is a pain. What we need is a second level like jim65wagon has on his truck. I could buy the lower height rack system off Agricover but I'm frugal and don't like to spend money if I don't have to. So the pondering began...

Well, I had an extra set of Thule artificial rain gutters laying in the garage and the Yakima load bars off from the cap....all I need is to fab some brackets to get the load bars high enough for the tonneau to roll up under. A quick run down to Warren Steel (our local metal depot) and I picked up some aluminum plate drops for cheap. They were a little thicker than the factory uprights...

4572633901_9e757e526e.jpg


but with some creative redneck milling techniques...

4572633909_d6d6be92df.jpg


...I got them to fit in the rail's slot. I had to notch the brackets to allow the Yakima clamping system to work as the angle of the plates cause the clamps to hit the brackets when tighten. I mounted the Thule load plates on to the backside to hide the notches and so I had spare metal stock on hand if I need some for trail repairs. Here's some bracket shots...

4572633917_7e07e9810c.jpg
4572633925_3f114d09d7.jpg


And the finished racks mounted. You'll notice that I didn't bolt the brackets to the rail as I was just going to set them in the garage anyway when I was done today.

4572633927_ea435607c6_o.jpg


The tonneau rolls up right under the rails real sweet like. I was going to paint the brackets black but I kind of like the aluminum accents; it matches the yakima hardware.

Now I just need to decide on what kind of rack to mount to the rails. I'm leaning towards fabbing up a flat rack as it's abit of a lift to set gear to that height. Since I don't know how much I'll actually use this second rack I don't want to shell out bucks for a manufactured basket, though Michelle says she might like an enclosed travel pod mounted up there. If I can find a used one at a garge sale this year I might give it a try. The two biggest uses for this set up I think will be when we're doing a canoe float. Camping gear and stuff can go under the tonneau. Paddles, vests and float gear goes on the platform and canoes go on the top rack. I also might make a version of Streakerfreaks steel bed cover (though built from wood or aluminum in my case) to mount my Hi-Lift, trail tools and spare gas cans to. Maybe my water tank will end up there as it eats alot of room in the bed. Time will tell...
Now for the new sleeping platform project to get underway.
 
Last edited:

Haggis

Appalachian Ridgerunner
Pssst...hey you. Yeah you. Want to see some teaser shots?????

Yeah, there's some major changes in Fafhrd’s near future. Let’s just call it a steroid injection to the glutus maxumus direct from the land of California.

4686633070_57936b32d8_b.jpg
4686633074_d73ba1e0bc_b.jpg



:REExeSquatsHL1: The Tundra is getting pumped up.
 

RoundOut

Explorer
Pssst...hey you. Yeah you. Want to see some teaser shots?????

Yeah, there's some major changes in Fafhrd’s near future. Let’s just call it a steroid injection to the glutus maxumus direct from the land of California.

4686633070_57936b32d8_b.jpg
4686633074_d73ba1e0bc_b.jpg



:REExeSquatsHL1: The Tundra is getting pumped up.


Are those Deavers & Timbrens?
 

01tundra

Explorer
I'm gonna guess 11-pack Deavers....because they look a lot like my old set......and because Alcan is located in CO and Deaver is in CA :p
 

Haggis

Appalachian Ridgerunner
Oops, sort of forgot about the tease. :drool:

I'm gonna guess 11-pack Deavers....because they look a lot like my old set......and because Alcan is located in CO and Deaver is in CA :p

Yep! That be them.

I was hoping to have the new springs on the Tun by now but I'm running behind work wise and can't seem to get the time to throw them on. Maybe this weekend, though I'll probably work Saturday.

Springs are 11 pack Deavers; 600 lbs +; 2.5 " lift (suppose to settle to 2"); Baja bushings and all the hardware. The Timbrens are barely used units I bought of Tundradrenaline over on Tundra Solutions for a good price. He's a heck of a nice guy, even sent me a bunch of TS stickers when he shipped them out.

When I first lifted the truck I knew the AALs were going to be a temporary solution until I decide I really liked the truck and was goin' keep it awhile. But with all the hauling I do and the weight it carries, the rear springs are just not up to task. They settle a little bit each time I put some significant weight on them. So much so that I'm probably only got a 1/2" of lift left in that set-up. I pestered Roundout about his rear spring specs and then using the info he gave me talked to Scott over at Deaver and got these sent out.

Should be a big improvement in the work/hauling department which is my only complaint with this truck.
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
188,026
Messages
2,901,339
Members
229,411
Latest member
IvaBru
Top