Igor: Double Cab 4x4. Frankensteins Helper

[Blackdawg]

Very happy with the results though. And they worked great, trust me, the paint isn't on there in all the spots anymore..

IgorsSliders-24.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsSliders-25.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsSliders-26.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsSliders-27.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Worth mentioning now that i added 255/80r17 Cooper St Maxx's too. Really enjoyed them offroad and good on road too. Tall tire, really tall, but very nice.

I also bought some sweet SCS Ray10s in the limited copper finish. But they won't be here till christmas. So i have to run my dads stock 2nd gen wheels for now. To do that i needed to run my 1.5'' wheel spacers up front. Still running the extended thread lugs too. Just need cleaned off.

IgorsSliders.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsSliders-2.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsSliders-3.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsSliders-4.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Next mod is my tundra brake overhaul. Gotta change something first though. Learned a LOT of stuff doing that mod. Have lots of useful info to share.

 

[Blackdawg]

Took Igor to the Big Horns to meet up with Josh @shipps for the day. Was super fun!

I was even on time and first to the meeting spot! Truely a rare moment for me.
BounderBasin.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-2.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

But Josh and Ty showed up about an hour later.

BounderBasin-3.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Aired down and hit the road.

BounderBasin-4.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

about 3 miles in, we ran into a herd of elk at least 100 strong.

BounderBasin-5.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-6.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

That was cool.

It was a pristine day out. Wasn't even that cold and hardly any snow. Odd for November at 8000' around here.

BounderBasin-7.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
DSC03100 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr
BounderBasin-8.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Ty(I don't think is a member here...yet) just bought this truck stock about a month and a half ago. Welded up a bumper and sliders. He just put the sliders on the night before, thank god, and 35s. Off to a good start id say!

BounderBasin-9.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-10.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

As i said, very little snow, but was enough in certain spots that would make some hills tricky. And the ground was muddy for most of the day too.

DSC03114 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr
BounderBasin-11.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-11.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-12.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-13.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
DSC03121 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr

But we had no issues even on the hills that where literally sheets of ice.

BounderBasin-14.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-15.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
DSC03131 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr

Was so nice out. We where all in shock really.

BounderBasin-16.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
DSC03133 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr
DSC03141 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

Then started down one of the tricky sections. I high centered my diff here taking a Frankenstein line, not an Igor line :anonymous: Josh had to tug me backwards to get off the rock. But at least then Josh and Ty knew the right line to take. Was fun though!

DSC03146 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr
BounderBasin-17.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-18.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-19.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-20.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-21.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-22.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
DSC03156 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr
DSC03162 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr
BounderBasin-23.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-24.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

This trail reminds me of Goose Lake, Josh agreed, was very fun, nothing terribly hard but enjoyable and challenging.

DSC03172 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr
BounderBasin-25.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-26.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

The next fun spot is a large slab of granite. Makes for a bit of an off camber section which I was relieved to see no snow on it.

BounderBasin-27.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-28.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
DSC03182 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr
BounderBasin-29.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-30.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-31.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

Than another fun down hill with a largeish ledge.

DSC03213 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr
BounderBasin-32.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-33.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-34.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
DSC03216 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr
DSC03218 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr
BounderBasin-35.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
DSC03224 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr
BounderBasin-36.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-37.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Ice + mud packed tires + open diffs = easily stuck. Nothing a bump can't fix though

BounderBasin-38.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-39.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-40.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-41.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-42.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-44.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

God it was nice out..

BounderBasin-45.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-46.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-47.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-48.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-49.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-50.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-51.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

Fugly doesn't look so bad from this angle

BounderBasin-52.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-53.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-54.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-55.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Miles of roads up here.

BounderBasin-56.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-57.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

And the end of Woodchuck pass ends with a splash!

BounderBasin-58.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-59.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-60.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
BounderBasin-61.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
DSC03297 by Joshua Shipps, on Flickr

From here, we split up at the Red Grade Road. Josh and Ty went East back towards Sheridan and I headed West to Powell. When i go back to the highway i spotted a Cow Moose and calf, which is pretty rare and awesome in this mountain range. I reached for the camera and couldn't find it.

Then i remember I had put it on top of the RTT to help my dog into the back of the truck. Which meant it must have fallen off at the trail head.

I flipped a U turn and hauled *** back to the trail head, about 10 miles away pushing Igor to his limits. When i got there it was dusk and getting dark. I looked all over and found nothing. I had only seen one vehicle going towards here on my way out. Hoping they had grabbed it and where driving slow i tore off in the direction of Sheridan, nearly killing myself on some of the icey corners. After about 20 mins of hard fast driving. I gave up and turned around.

Where i meet Josh and Ty again who where headed home. I told them i had lost the camera and about the van. They said they would look for it on the way home. I again stopped at the trail head and searched for it but saw nothing. I aired up the tires and drove home defeated. Josh posted and add to Sheridan and i posted a few on other towns.

Then today, Josh decided to run up there during the day just to check as it was close to him. He found nothing at first, but as he was leaving he saw a note on the road number post. It said Lost your camera? call xxx-xxx-xxxx. He texted me a photo and i immediately called the number. Which went to voice mail instantly.

About and hour later i got a call back. They had just come down from the mountain and where head home....to none other then Powell, my home town. The guy told me his 9 year old son found it on a rock on the side of the road. Which means someone had found it before him and set it there. Not only that, he found it TODAY. So i missed it, TWICE in the dark. I gave him my address and he was at my front door in about 30 mins. I was so happy to get the camera back!

There are good people out there!

I gave the lil 9 year old guy $20 bucks and thanked his father. The lens doesn't zoom well any more and there are a few nicks on the lens and body. But ****. For rolling off a truck at 20mph, pretty damn good!

HUGE shout out to my buddy Josh @shipps for going back to look for me. Not only that, on his way down, some kids stopped him and had stuck a ford, bad. He called his buddies and stayed up there and helped the truck get unstuck. Right on man :thumbsup:

Was a good day! Couldn't ask for a better Bday present then to get my camera back

 

[Blackdawg]

And thats all for this build for now. I still have to do my write up on my take of the Tundra Brake mod. But thats all for now. Other then getting new LBJ and tie rods installed soon.

 

[04dblcab]

Monte, do you still have frank!?!? That truck is the legendary!!! It's alllllll over the inter web. Nice double cab tho!!!! Awesome platform. I have the same truck, but silver! I'm excited to see what you bring to the table with this truck!

 

[Blackdawg]

Monte, do you still have frank!?!? That truck is the legendary!!! It's alllllll over the inter web. Nice double cab tho!!!! Awesome platform. I have the same truck, but silver! I'm excited to see what you bring to the table with this truck!

Oh yea! Frank is parked in the back right now He isn't going anywhere. Trust me.

This is just my DD truck. I put some mods into him this fall because Franks front Diff exploded in August. I had a 2 week trip planned in Oct that i had to go on, of course Igor was due for maintenance stuff and tires but i just could not afford a whole new front diff(I mean entire front diff as my explosion cracked the entire diff housing in Frank) plus all the parts for Igor to keep him road reliable.

So Igor won, and i poured a tad bit more money into him to make him road worthy of the longest and most remote trip ive ever done. Miss Frank a lot on it though, but did enjoy the double cab a lot.

Now i'll probably keep tweaking him a bit so he can be used as a backup wheeler, like he did, and weekend warrior. But Frank is still the hardcore wheeling truck. Too much love put into him to sell him haha And he is just...AWESOME off road. Especially compared to Igor.

I have plans for Igor though...just need the funds now mainly.

 

[04dblcab]

Oh yea! Frank is parked in the back right now He isn't going anywhere. Trust me.

This is just my DD truck. I put some mods into him this fall because Franks front Diff exploded in August. I had a 2 week trip planned in Oct that i had to go on, of course Igor was due for maintenance stuff and tires but i just could not afford a whole new front diff(I mean entire front diff as my explosion cracked the entire diff housing in Frank) plus all the parts for Igor to keep him road reliable.

So Igor won, and i poured a tad bit more money into him to make him road worthy of the longest and most remote trip ive ever done. Miss Frank a lot on it though, but did enjoy the double cab a lot.

Now i'll probably keep tweaking him a bit so he can be used as a backup wheeler, like he did, and weekend warrior. But Frank is still the hardcore wheeling truck. Too much love put into him to sell him haha And he is just...AWESOME off road. Especially compared to Igor.

I have plans for Igor though...just need the funds now mainly.

Awesome!!! Well I look forward to copying some of your ideas! Keep it up!

 

[Simo_4x4]

Another great build !!! My compliments Monte !!!

 

[AggieOE]

Liking this build! Well and Frank too... okay so both.

 

[Blackdawg]

Another great build !!! My compliments Monte !!!

Thank you! Its a great truck!

Liking this build! Well and Frank too... okay so both.

Both are quite enjoyable Thanks!

 

[java]

Any more info on the GM300 as an APRS rig? I finally broke down and ordered a TNC. Its on the slow boat from china apparently though. Those GM300's seem cheap and plentiful. Assuming you wired the TNC to the 16pin connector correct?

 

[Blackdawg]

Any more info on the GM300 as an APRS rig? I finally broke down and ordered a TNC. Its on the slow boat from china apparently though. Those GM300's seem cheap and plentiful. Assuming you wired the TNC to the 16pin connector correct?

Yes. And you have to "hack" them. They technically won't operate at the aprs freq. you have to have a programming cable, which you need anyways otherwise you can only use the preprogrammed channels on it since they don't have just a dial, and when you boot it up you hold down certain keys. Then you'll be able to program in the 144.390 for aprs.

I can't quite remember the key commands. Lemme get back to you.

 

[Zam15]

Nice to see the DC getting some love! I like Igor. Slick phone mount.