[tlcruiserman]

Originally Posted by lowenbrau

It looks a bit ghey on such a tiny truck but that's one project that I can check off my do list. I do love that Toyota molded the Land Cruiser emblem into the snorkel.

Excellent! Looks good

Cheers,

Michael

[lowenbrau]

The drawers are finally in the truck! I still need to make the filler wings for the sides and move the speakers to the front. The are actually a tiny bit wide. I jumped on them and got them to within 1/2" of the floor but no closer. I'll have to pull the carpet off the wheelwels I guess.

[lowenbrau]

I took Greg's advice and made a cubby at the front to hold road trip stuff. There is plenty of room for the seats as well. I'll likley be moving them back a couple of inches. I'm glad that they still recline some.

[lowenbrau]

Oh and, yes Deny, Kodi pretty much lives in the truck

[Ratpuke]

What do you plan to do with the space above the other wheel well?

[lowenbrau]

The side panel constuction starts tonight. They will flip open for access to the wheelwell space. Hopefully there will be room for a yellow top optima and an air top webasto down there.

Here is the elevation from the rear.

[Ratpuke]

Ah, that's cool. Looks great. I'll start making a list of gear and try to figure out where to put what. Did you say the fluids will go into the LHSide drawer?

[Greg_B]

Originally Posted by lowenbrau

The side panel constuction starts tonight. They will flip open for access to the wheelwell space. Hopefully there will be room for a yellow top optima and an air top webasto down there.

Here is the elevation from the rear.

Awesome. Looks nice Bruce. I really like the single pull-out drawer. How do the drawers latch closed?

gb

[lowenbrau]

I have some locking paddle latches that I'll add eventually. I'm considering this project done for now. The truck doors keep the drawers closed.

I added the wings today. It went pretty well. Its the first time Ive used European hinges. They are quite simple. I also added a piece of angle iron across the back. I'll connect it to the body and add one to the front when the roof is off for the rollcage. I'll build a headache rack into it then as well. The speakers just happened to fill the holes at the front so I screwed them in place. Works Ok I think.

[lowenbrau]

Last two.

[Greg_B]

Originally Posted by lowenbrau

I have some locking paddle latches that I'll add eventually. I'm considering this project done for now. The truck doors keep the drawers closed.

I found the pins I use to keep the drawer open when accessing stuff invaluable. When you need parts/tools supplies, more times then not the truck is tilted to the front or back. The drawer can double as a work/cook area so pinning mades life simpler at camp too.

I need to add the same latch to mine.

L brackets are likely a good idea. Some of my tie downs are in that area, so solid top was the order of the day. That space ended up being stuffing storage for me.

How are you going to tie down? The tie downs I routered into the top held up very well, and the load was very secure when loaded/strapped.

Where did you get the indoor/outdoor carpet? I've a few final details to finish on mine, and that is one of them. The marine enamel paint is wearing off on the top where the boxes rest.

gb

[bj70_guy]

Looks great, I really like the small drawer accessible through the small door!
I'm with Greg, some little pin that keeps them shut, even as a temporary measure, is a good thing. My drawer is always coming open when I don't want it to. I should really do something about that...someday.
Ditto on the tie downs too, really handy.

[crushers]

that is REALLY NICE Bruce...funtional attractive and a nie clean install
congrates

[lowenbrau]

I think I am in agreement on the pins. Where do you suggest I put them? It seems like a long reach to the box when the drawers are out. Hold downs are coming, probably some kind of a rail but I'm waiting to see how the cage looks to see if they can be integrated to it.

The marine carpet is Home Depot. $.99/ft and it is similar in colour to the factory carpet. It has a smoothish back that reacts well to 3M spray glue.

[Greg_B]

Originally Posted by lowenbrau

I think I am in agreement on the pins. Where do you suggest I put them? It seems like a long reach to the box when the drawers are out.

I used patio door security pins. Not the greatest solution, but it worked. The pins are on each side, just below the top shelf level. I needed two pins as mine is a single drawer. Holes are in three spots on the drawer: closed, middle, fully open. It can be a stretch to put the pins in. Because I have not finished it with a proper latch to hold the drawer closed, the pins were filling that function. Not a good solution, as a little movement between the drawer and the frame = a lot of wear. It does work well at camp or when accessing parts on the trail. Because you have two drawers you may have to look at pins from the top, and a safe place to keep the pins when not in use. Make sure you use a small metal plate on all side of the wood that the pin will drop through. Keeps the hole in the wood from getting larger.

Or, come up with another way to hold the drawer in postion when open. I needed a quick fix to get ready for a trip, and have never revisted the issue since this "temp" solution.

hth's

gb

[Behemoth60]

Originally Posted by lowenbrau

On the contary, Alan, Peter's rig works really well and is inspiration for this project. It just gets to the trail on a trailer and I'm hoping mine won't have to.

But you will want it to!

Greetings All. I am here for my bi-annual inspection of Mud. Figured I would confuse and abuse y'all with an unhelpful contribution.

The reason my 74 goes places on a trailer is because it can. I have a trailer and tow rig. In the olden days, I took some odd pride in the streetable nature of my rigs. But other than the pride in driving my ride, that's wear the pleasure ends. The $38,000 'Towing Accessory' is by far and away the best upgrade I've ever made.

For starters, I use the pick-up and trailer all the time. Only occasionally for towing vehicles, but for hauling wood, garbage, stuff, things, more stuff, and other things. Rarely a weekend goes by that I don't have something in the box of the pick-up that would otherwise be making a mess of the interior of a Cruiser, or moving the trailer for some purpose or another. When Loewenbrau needed 6 sheets of 3/4" plywood for his drawers, any one wanna guess how they got from the hardware store to the shop? How did Lumpy Bastards new ride get home from Vancouver? When Agent Orange's pinion nut fell off, how did Ratpuke get home with her truck? I tell you, the tow rig and trailer is the best thing.

But there's a downside. But not many. Here they are...
When towing to the trail, there's the persistent problem of 'where to park?'. When stopping for lunch, you have to park at the far side of the lot, across the street, or a block over. Not a huge inconvenience, but notable. The other issue is where to park when you're wheeling? There's always an answer, but it comes with some risk of theft/vandalism.

The other downside is the limits to the expeditionary nature of Cruising. For example, how do you 'do' Alaska. Franky with a streetable rig, which mine is, it's not a huge problem. When we did Rubicon last year, we dropped the trailers at the end of the trail, and drove the wheelers around to the front of the trail. I reckon that Alaska, Baja, or pretty much anything else you're gonna do in North America is very feasible. Sure, there's those 'here to there never on pavement' trips, but I've never been on one, and don't really plan on it. So, in the real world, there's really not much downside.

Yeah, but what about the time it takes to load/unload. Honestly, I can unload faster than you can air down, and maybe just a little longer than it takes you to air up, I can load. The frustration is that I cannot always load/unload where you have to air down/up (and sometimes I have to air up/down to get to where I need to load/unload)

Yeah, but what about the fuel economy? It's worse. About 1/2 that of driving. But I can go the speed limit, even up hill, and the A/C is so good, I was shivering in my seat with the heated seat turned on whilst speeding through the Nevada Desert with the overhead computer reporting a 42C day. Very nice.

There are other upsides. On-trail behavior is substantially liberated. I remember Moab 2002 when I was a 'drive it to the trail guy', I really didn't want to break a window, as I would have to drive home with a broken window. Many of the lines/obstacles/choices I made were driven by 'I have to drive this machine home, and use it to get to work on Monday'. When you tow, all you have to do is drive the rig back to the trailer. I was surprised by how liberating that perspective is. Although, it is replaced by 'I wonder if someone is enjoying the wheels they've just liberated from tow rig'.

Then there's the safety and reliability of towing. Wheeling rigs don't really perform all that well at 75mph. They're a bit unstable, the wide tires see-saw in the ruts and all sorts of parts tend to seize-up, fall off, come detached, or otherwise fail in manners that may leave you on the side of the road fixing something. Shaker drove the the Rubicon in 2005 indeed. But there was a cabin fire in Lethbridge. A cracked fuel hard line failed and was swapped from TippyR on my trailer to Shaker in Twin Falls, and then we had to properly fix it in Tahoma because Tippy needed it back, we tightened a wheel bearing in Nevada, we bolted a rear calipre back on in Reno, and replaced a heim joint on the rear four link that broke on the trail (and was welded on the trail). My tow rig carried parts and tools to support this little adventure. And it was damned nerve wracking standing on the side of I85 in Reno with Shaker's tire siezed by a loose calipre jammed in the wheel, and Marc lying on the ground on the traffic side trying to make a repair. Next year, Shaker bought a tow rig.

If you're at a point in your life when you can afford and justify the 'Towing Option', do it. You won't look back. You'll not regret it. There are no expeditions left in North America. At best, some long camping trips. All require freeways to get to. Tow.

[lowenbrau]

meh

I'm not convinced. (though I have definitely taken advantage of the Super Dodge)

I figure once a Cruiser becomes a trailer queen its no so much different than an oversized quad. I could see a pickup, quad and snowmobile in my future but I still like to drive my rig to the trail.

BTW can I borrow Swerve to pick up some steel for my cage tomorrow?

[Behemoth60]

Originally Posted by lowenbrau

I'm not convinced. (though I have definitely taken advantage of the Super Dodge)

My Super Dodge is your Super Denial.

Originally Posted by lowenbrau

BTW can I borrow Swerve to pick up some steel for my cage tomorrow?

I'm using it for a dump run. If you help with that, you can use it afterwards.

Peter Straub

[Ratpuke]

Bruce, when I called you from Backcountry yesterday afternoon these are some of the Pokiak plastic containers that I was looking at.

Quad Box = 35x15x13
Grub Box = 36x18x18
SCBA/SABA Boxes = 14x14x7.5 & 27x16x10

The containers are light weight, durable and water proof. There is an inner lip that comes up that holds the lid on. An additional strip of weatherproofing along the lip wouldn't hurt for extra weather resistance.

Pokiak Plastics is local. They come in a variety of colours. They might even custom build some containers to specific dimensions...

Here are some pictures.

[wesintl]

I really Like the rear cargo trays Bruce! I've been planning something similar. My issue is what to do with the fridge. Once it's on top of the deck it more difficult to get into the fridge. I'm undecided as to forgo the larger dwawer and sink in the fridge and make another lift cubbie.

Are you planning a fridge?

[lowenbrau]

Originally Posted by wesintl

I really Like the rear cargo trays Bruce! I've been planning something similar. My issue is what to do with the fridge. Once it's on top of the deck it more difficult to get into the fridge. I'm undecided as to forgo the larger dwawer and sink in the fridge and make another lift cubbie.

Are you planning a fridge?

Yeah, my freezer/fridge is a 40 qt one that isn't terribly tall. I'm going to mount it on a slide that I found at Lee valley. It needs a bit of modification but I think it'll work. I should be able to pull it all the way out and then lift it off onto a picnic table for example.

[prado t]

good work BRUCE, i really like seeing the thead get updated thanks
aaron

[wesintl]

I'll be curious to hear how you like it. I've thought about putting mine on a slide like that too but for the most part I NEVER take my fridge out of the cruiser and put it on a park bench etc. It's pretty heavy esp when full. So I'm not sure how much i'd like getting into it with it that high on the slides and on the deck.

Definatly let us know how it works out!

[brownbear]

Hey Bruce, nice drawer system!

Perfect size and shape IMOP One thing I noticed is the grab handles you used to open I think will rattle quite a bit. Not a biggie..... But they might dance a little when your on gravel...

Yes I'm a noise freak

I like that carpet you used too. Matches the truck nicely.

[lowenbrau]

Originally Posted by brownbear

Hey Bruce, nice drawer system!

Perfect size and shape IMOP One thing I noticed is the grab handles you used to open I think will rattle quite a bit. Not a biggie..... But they might dance a little when your on gravel...

Yes I'm a noise freak

I like that carpet you used too. Matches the truck nicely.

Thanks BB

The handles are a temporary thing since I have some locking paddle latches to install (for when there's guns in there) and I'm going to replace the rattles with those fold down steps they use on school bus cowls. They will make good handles but also steps for when I'm packing up the roof tent.

I agree that the carpet is very similar to stock and works just perfect IMO

[brownbear]

Oh ya, good for guns for sure. That Skinny side would be great for that. Nice and hidden. Out of sight out of mind.

In fact looking in the windows it will just look like the floor. No one will suspect the box has contents.

[lowenbrau]

I guess its tnme for an update. I've been working on a lot of stuff but haven't really finished anything in the last few weeks. Today, however, I did manage to drag the bumper off the parts rig (that's now sold) and move it to my truck. I also swapped the chrome mirrors for some nice new black ones. I painted the grill black as well. I think the truck looks much better now.

I have been working on the axles. I stripped the front and painted some of the parts. I hope to have the perches gussets and shock mounts on tomorrow. and then I'll reassemble them. I have all new bearings, seals rotors calipers etc.

Anyway heres' a few pictures.

[lshobie]

Bruce, where did you get the histeer arms?

[lowenbrau]

I picked those arms up from Luke Porter of 4x4labs few years ago when I was in Cali.

[lowenbrau]

I did a bit of measuring and realized that I can do this springover on 60 series axles without outboarding the springs. Since time is tight, just fabbing mounts on the housings and dropping them on the bottom of the leafs is preferable in spite of my previous pontification about four links and airbags. That'll have to be a project for another year.

I was able to hack a chunk out of the housing and insert a piece of angle which will form the spring perch.