MisterTinkle
Adventurer
I really like your bumper design. Mind if I poach ideas from it?
Squall Line's Frontier build
- Thread starter Squall Line
- Start date
Squall Line
Observer
Mister: go for it. The only idea that is really of my own is the hinge, but everything else I took from watching other builds. Feel free to use anything... I have been a bit slow to get pictures, but I will see what I can do after work before dark.
Squall Line
Observer
Here are some pictures of everything buttoned up. I had to order a steel end for the gas strut as the nylon one stripped out. I need to run the wires for the backup light, tag light, and trailer harness. Those parts should be in today.
MisterTinkle
Adventurer
Eric, look nice. Great work. I like the integrated receiver and the side rails/sliders. Thanks for your permission to use some of your design ideas!
Sam
Sam
RakkasanFA
Observer
Looks really awesome. I am about to order a rear KMA bumper myself but without the tire carrier. Your truck looks great!
Squall Line
Observer
I finally got the rack built and tent on! The project is finally winding down for now. I need to run some battery cables, install the switch and VSR, then do some accessory wiring tomorrow. Next week I will be going on a week long trip to Nashville for new years, then east to the Smokies, Carolinas and anywhere else we end up.
Here are the pictures:
Bracket drilled, the high lift will mount on the stud below
upright
mocked up
capped the ends
Here are the pictures:
Bracket drilled, the high lift will mount on the stud below
upright
mocked up
capped the ends
RakkasanFA
Observer
So... when are you mass producing these? LOL
articulate
Expedition Leader
Great idea with the tent mounts, the height, etc. Are those brackets aluminum?
Are you okay with the water cans (seemingly) blocking the access to the toolbox?
Are you okay with the water cans (seemingly) blocking the access to the toolbox?
Squall Line
Observer
bigdog: it is 4 nuts to take the tent off of the rack... Should only take a few minutes, but a second person is a necessity for lifting it off.
RakkasanFA: I probably wont be making any more... I am into it less than $100, but that three days of labor is the expensive part.
articulate: They are aluminum. I wanted to keep the weight down, and not have to worry about corrosion as much. Toolbox access is not as easy as before, but I can get my recovery bag (biggest resident) out with little fuss. I may drop the fuel cans horizontal, and lower with a fabricated bracket. I mounted them as is because it was the easiest at the time.
mcm4090: it keeps a lot of the bed space usable while keeping a majority of the tent out of the wind stream. It is a compromise, but one I wanted overall. If you put it on a convential rack, you get a high CG and a good 1-2mpg hit, but retain bedspace. Down low is good, but I didnt want to loose a big chunk of cargo space. I may close off the racks with sheet aluminium to make some secure/ weather resistant storage.
Thanks for the comments,
Eric
RakkasanFA: I probably wont be making any more... I am into it less than $100, but that three days of labor is the expensive part.
articulate: They are aluminum. I wanted to keep the weight down, and not have to worry about corrosion as much. Toolbox access is not as easy as before, but I can get my recovery bag (biggest resident) out with little fuss. I may drop the fuel cans horizontal, and lower with a fabricated bracket. I mounted them as is because it was the easiest at the time.
mcm4090: it keeps a lot of the bed space usable while keeping a majority of the tent out of the wind stream. It is a compromise, but one I wanted overall. If you put it on a convential rack, you get a high CG and a good 1-2mpg hit, but retain bedspace. Down low is good, but I didnt want to loose a big chunk of cargo space. I may close off the racks with sheet aluminium to make some secure/ weather resistant storage.
Thanks for the comments,
Eric
jim65wagon
Well-known member
I really like the attention to detail; specifically the body contoured sliders, the out of the way air chuck, and super sturdy tire carrier.
articulate
Expedition Leader
Eric,
Something I'll totally recommend is adding some LED strips to the inside of your roof tent. Check out this thread. It's cheap, effective, really cool, really useful, and LEDs are efficient.
Sweet build you've got going on. Really sweet build. Keep on going.
Something I'll totally recommend is adding some LED strips to the inside of your roof tent. Check out this thread. It's cheap, effective, really cool, really useful, and LEDs are efficient.
Sweet build you've got going on. Really sweet build. Keep on going.
Squall Line
Observer
Thanks for the idea Mark. I have some old stock of bridgestone light guide laying around... I am thinking of putting some on the internal frame. Think low draw LED coupled with acrylic tube with a fiberoptic strip inside...
Here are some pictures of the new-years trip. My girlfriend and took a rough route through Alabama to Nashville for new years, on to Knoxville, then camped in Tellico, then up the Smokies, on to Ashville, then camped in Pisgah NF. It was a blast, and the rig did very well. I did not notice a specific drop in mileage from the tent, but could feel the weight of the bumper, tent, extra battery, and fuel cans. My next big thing will be stronger rear leafs.
we had a battery powered lantern from hurricane stores; it worked good for the time being.
really comfy inside. I picked up a teaton sports mammoth 0* bag; the good is being warm in 20 degree temps; the bad is that it is too big to be folded up within the tent. We resorted to folding half of it in in tent, and packing the other part in the stuff sack.
I will post some pictures of the dual battery setup as soon as I can.
-Eric
Here are some pictures of the new-years trip. My girlfriend and took a rough route through Alabama to Nashville for new years, on to Knoxville, then camped in Tellico, then up the Smokies, on to Ashville, then camped in Pisgah NF. It was a blast, and the rig did very well. I did not notice a specific drop in mileage from the tent, but could feel the weight of the bumper, tent, extra battery, and fuel cans. My next big thing will be stronger rear leafs.
we had a battery powered lantern from hurricane stores; it worked good for the time being.
really comfy inside. I picked up a teaton sports mammoth 0* bag; the good is being warm in 20 degree temps; the bad is that it is too big to be folded up within the tent. We resorted to folding half of it in in tent, and packing the other part in the stuff sack.
I will post some pictures of the dual battery setup as soon as I can.
-Eric