neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #21
Small upgrades to the LX. Joined TLCA. Changed out interior lights and reverse lights to PFRAN. Swapped in black CA vanity plate. I do very much prefer the black.
Green LX470 building for adventure (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter neilsen100
- Start date
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neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #22
In March we made a least minute decision to head to SLC for a bicycle show. During that trip we picked up an FJ62 for her. Drive back was a blast and truck made it the whole way just fine. I love seeing the different generations of Cruiser parked next to each other. So many differences but the heart and soul are the same.
neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #23
We continue to pursue our goal of 20 camping nights in 2017. My wife knows that if you don't keep score you can't win so she made this beautiful tracker that hangs next to the dinning room table. We take a picture of each camping night which covers one of the squares as we countdown our goal. It's fun to have this motivation to get out, I see it every day. It's also great to remember each night, each place, each experience.
Camping setup is getting more sophisticated. We now use the Tembo Tusk for almost every camping meal (and some at home too). The weight of the LX continues to grow. I need to figure out the Techstream stuff so I can check my pressures.
Camping setup is getting more sophisticated. We now use the Tembo Tusk for almost every camping meal (and some at home too). The weight of the LX continues to grow. I need to figure out the Techstream stuff so I can check my pressures.
neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #24
Upgrading the Sheets! Used the REI dividend to purchase a pair of Tepui sheets. For me these are really a mixed value. The quality of the material is fine. I'm not a super picky person when it comes to sheets but I don't want to sleep on starched cardboard either. The feel out off the box is soft enough and they seem plenty durable.
The fitted sheet is fantastic and worth buying the set just for this. It is sized perfectly for the mattress which is about the width of a queen but significantly longer than any normal bedding. First night this made an immediate difference since as things stayed put. Tepui has also done a clever job of sculpting the sheet where the mattress has an indentation for folding.
The top sheet is not so great. It is exactly the width of the mattress which is fine until you actually get under it. There is not enough material to wrap around. Not a problem in the summer warmth but we'll see how it does in winter.
The fitted sheet is fantastic and worth buying the set just for this. It is sized perfectly for the mattress which is about the width of a queen but significantly longer than any normal bedding. First night this made an immediate difference since as things stayed put. Tepui has also done a clever job of sculpting the sheet where the mattress has an indentation for folding.
The top sheet is not so great. It is exactly the width of the mattress which is fine until you actually get under it. There is not enough material to wrap around. Not a problem in the summer warmth but we'll see how it does in winter.
neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #25
Before heading out on the next camping weekend I finally reoriented the RTT to open towards the passenger side. To accomplish this I removed the rails from under the tent, rotated 90 degrees, and drilled new mounting holes. Old holes are covered with duct tape.
I spaced the rails apart the exact distance the Rhino Rack platform planks are spaced so the tent now sits between planks and directly on the cross bars. Whole tent dropped about 2 inches doing this. With the tent open we can now use the tail gate easily. It is still a struggle when the bike rack and bikes are on but we just didn't bring them this trip.
I spaced the rails apart the exact distance the Rhino Rack platform planks are spaced so the tent now sits between planks and directly on the cross bars. Whole tent dropped about 2 inches doing this. With the tent open we can now use the tail gate easily. It is still a struggle when the bike rack and bikes are on but we just didn't bring them this trip.
neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #26
Since the first day I had the LX I wanted to change the front bumper. I looked through the options for the 100 series and fell in love with the work Ben was doing with the Dissent modular design. It looks great and to me makes sense. I was also excited to support a local fabricator who was just starting his business. Wanting a front bumper is mostly due to looks.
Perhaps the best advise I've received about upgrades to the 100 series is almost none of them are needed. In its stock form Toyota has built a vehicle with amazing capabilities. But quite a few can make your experience easier and more fun. I took this advice let our actual use determine what upgrades made the most sense. The RTT came after a very cold night sleeping on snow. PFRAN lights followed difficulty finding items when getting into the campsite late. The snorkel honestly does nothing but it was fun to put on.
A continued issue for us was the bikes. The OneUp USA hitch rack is the best I've worked with but when loaded with bikes my wife simply couldn't lower it to get into the back. It was also a pain in the ass using the tailgate when we had to reach around the lowered bikes. We needed a way to have the bikes swing out of the way.
I reached out to Ben who had begun working on his rear bumper to discuss the options. After a few months he designed a swing arm that included an additional hitch receiver for the rack. It is perfect. I knew better than to tackle this install so we headed up to Ben's workshop on the way to a camping weekend. What a blast to see the transition develop before our eyes.
I think it looks a bit naked without the plastic.
I'm glad it's not me doing this.
The modular design has so many advantages.
My old bumper is not added to the pile
Perhaps the best advise I've received about upgrades to the 100 series is almost none of them are needed. In its stock form Toyota has built a vehicle with amazing capabilities. But quite a few can make your experience easier and more fun. I took this advice let our actual use determine what upgrades made the most sense. The RTT came after a very cold night sleeping on snow. PFRAN lights followed difficulty finding items when getting into the campsite late. The snorkel honestly does nothing but it was fun to put on.
A continued issue for us was the bikes. The OneUp USA hitch rack is the best I've worked with but when loaded with bikes my wife simply couldn't lower it to get into the back. It was also a pain in the ass using the tailgate when we had to reach around the lowered bikes. We needed a way to have the bikes swing out of the way.
I reached out to Ben who had begun working on his rear bumper to discuss the options. After a few months he designed a swing arm that included an additional hitch receiver for the rack. It is perfect. I knew better than to tackle this install so we headed up to Ben's workshop on the way to a camping weekend. What a blast to see the transition develop before our eyes.
My old bumper is not added to the pile
neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #27
My wife testing out the new bike rack setup. It is a little high but she can load and unload her bike fine, we get crazy amounts of clearance, and now have easy access to the back with Ben's wonderful one-handed latching system. I really can't say enough about our experience. Now up to elevation for some R&R.
neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #28
We are now prepping for HIH 7. Some of the normal stuff like tire rotation, oil change and filter change all got done. It was also time for a couple other little projects.
- installed the Yellow Box so the speedo and mileage would be correct
- put a Trasharoo on the back
- got some Scepter water cans from Joey at absolute wits end
- installed 4' Firestick using Gamaviti antenna bracket
- hooked up the cheap CB radio I took out of the FJ62
- packed bacon from Robert's Market in Woodside (the best Jerry, the best)
- Packed the LX for the drive to the San Juans
- installed the Yellow Box so the speedo and mileage would be correct
- put a Trasharoo on the back
- got some Scepter water cans from Joey at absolute wits end
- installed 4' Firestick using Gamaviti antenna bracket
- hooked up the cheap CB radio I took out of the FJ62
- packed bacon from Robert's Market in Woodside (the best Jerry, the best)
- Packed the LX for the drive to the San Juans
neilsen100
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- #29
Road trip through Utah to Colorado. We of course stopped at Red Rock Brewery beer store to purchase a case of my wife's favorite beer. Who figured she'd like an 11% beer from Utah?!?
Before arriving at National Monument for a quite night of camping in CO, I started to have my first signs of trouble with the AHC system. Driving down I80 the truck would drop into L and wouldn't go back to N when we pulled over. We have a RTT, roof rack, rear bumper, full Yeti ice chest, camping kitchen, food, full jerry cans, bike rack and two bikes. All of this on the back. This was my first HIH and I was going to be that guy. Panic set as we tried to find a place in SLC that sold air bags.
My wife suggested we try unloading the back a little and see if that helped. With the bikes and jerry cans off, the truck jumped back to N and would go into H as well. It seemed we would be okay on the trails if we unloaded some items so we reloaded and pressed onwards.
Before arriving at National Monument for a quite night of camping in CO, I started to have my first signs of trouble with the AHC system. Driving down I80 the truck would drop into L and wouldn't go back to N when we pulled over. We have a RTT, roof rack, rear bumper, full Yeti ice chest, camping kitchen, food, full jerry cans, bike rack and two bikes. All of this on the back. This was my first HIH and I was going to be that guy. Panic set as we tried to find a place in SLC that sold air bags.
My wife suggested we try unloading the back a little and see if that helped. With the bikes and jerry cans off, the truck jumped back to N and would go into H as well. It seemed we would be okay on the trails if we unloaded some items so we reloaded and pressed onwards.
neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #30
Hundreds in the Hills. What a fantastic experience!!! I went into it concerned about my lack of off road experience and was blown away by how welcoming and encouraging everyone was. It is an incredibly diverse group of people at this event, all linked by one common interest. I learned a ton about the these trucks, how others use them, and walked away with some great connections. I can't wait for next year, the ocho.
I even won a fridge donated by Gamaviti!! Looks like that will be the next thing for the LX.
I even won a fridge donated by Gamaviti!! Looks like that will be the next thing for the LX.
neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #31
Drawer System
I wanted to build more of a shelf system than a drawer system. My reasons are three fold. A) drawers add complication and cost, neither of which helped solve the problems our current organization had and B) our camp setup was organized but the various cases didn't have a distinct "place" in the back of the cruiser and C) I needed to have some sort of mounting platform for the fridge we won at HIH.
I will also say this about building your own setup. Don't do it unless you care much more about the process than the end product. I've seen the Trekboxx and LandShark KISS drawers first hand. They are at either end of the cost range and are both well worth their price. The shelves I built below have a number of problems that both these manufacturers have thought through and build solutions for. I can live with my mistakes only because I made them and fixing them would mean starting over from new. Not including the cost of fridge items or my time, I spent about $300 on parts and tools I didn't yet own.
Rough list of materials I used. Almost all from Home Depot
- x2 sheets 3/4 inch birch ply
- x7 Simpson Strong Tie 7 inch L-Angle
- x1 box #8 x 3/4 lath screws
- x1 box #8 x 1-1/2 wood screws with torx head
- x1 gallon Behr premium waterproof wood finish
- x2 Everbuilt piano hinge 1-1/2 x 48 in
- x8 M10 x 1.25 bolts
- x8 M10 washers
- x36 inches 1/4 in shock cord
Tools
- table saw
- jig saw
- drill
- dremel with router bit and guard
- 60 grit sandpaper
Other items in this project but not specifically for shelves
- Dometic CFX 50
- Dometic fridge slide
- Blue Sea 4356 below deck panel
- 10 AWG wire, red and black
Overall my goal was to go from this:
To This:
I wanted to build more of a shelf system than a drawer system. My reasons are three fold. A) drawers add complication and cost, neither of which helped solve the problems our current organization had and B) our camp setup was organized but the various cases didn't have a distinct "place" in the back of the cruiser and C) I needed to have some sort of mounting platform for the fridge we won at HIH.
I will also say this about building your own setup. Don't do it unless you care much more about the process than the end product. I've seen the Trekboxx and LandShark KISS drawers first hand. They are at either end of the cost range and are both well worth their price. The shelves I built below have a number of problems that both these manufacturers have thought through and build solutions for. I can live with my mistakes only because I made them and fixing them would mean starting over from new. Not including the cost of fridge items or my time, I spent about $300 on parts and tools I didn't yet own.
Rough list of materials I used. Almost all from Home Depot
- x2 sheets 3/4 inch birch ply
- x7 Simpson Strong Tie 7 inch L-Angle
- x1 box #8 x 3/4 lath screws
- x1 box #8 x 1-1/2 wood screws with torx head
- x1 gallon Behr premium waterproof wood finish
- x2 Everbuilt piano hinge 1-1/2 x 48 in
- x8 M10 x 1.25 bolts
- x8 M10 washers
- x36 inches 1/4 in shock cord
Tools
- table saw
- jig saw
- drill
- dremel with router bit and guard
- 60 grit sandpaper
Other items in this project but not specifically for shelves
- Dometic CFX 50
- Dometic fridge slide
- Blue Sea 4356 below deck panel
- 10 AWG wire, red and black
Overall my goal was to go from this:
To This:
neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #32
Drawer System continued
My general plan was to create cubbies for the camping equipment we had previously kept in a black tote or placed loosely in the back. This included the Skottle, camp chairs, two camp tables, an a bin for fire making stuff. I'd keep one black tote for camp kitchen equipment and some dry food staples. The shelves would then serve as a platform to mount the Dometic fridge slide. I also wanted a vertical barrier between the fridge and other items so when we pulled out the slide, bags and what not would fall behind the fridge.
Instead of full length cubbies I wanted some additional compartments that would be accessed from the middle row when the seats are folded down. In here I would store items I want with the truck at all times, but don't need regular access to, like jumper cables, an axe, backup to the backup toilet paper, etc.
Basic mockup of large pieces
Sizing the fridge to double check my measurements
Top of fridge compartment with curved front edges. Used a Home Depot bucket to get the curve and then freehanded with jig saw. The bottom sheet is not attached at this point.
All sides stained with two coats before final assembly. this is a little piece for the front cubbies with a notch cut out to hold the axe
made a little side box which will house the Blue Sea panel. This panel gives me a breaker in the switch, 12v cig plug for the fridge, a couple USB ports to charge things like phones while camping, and a voltage meter to monitor the battery. I'm wiring this directly to the starter battery.
My general plan was to create cubbies for the camping equipment we had previously kept in a black tote or placed loosely in the back. This included the Skottle, camp chairs, two camp tables, an a bin for fire making stuff. I'd keep one black tote for camp kitchen equipment and some dry food staples. The shelves would then serve as a platform to mount the Dometic fridge slide. I also wanted a vertical barrier between the fridge and other items so when we pulled out the slide, bags and what not would fall behind the fridge.
Instead of full length cubbies I wanted some additional compartments that would be accessed from the middle row when the seats are folded down. In here I would store items I want with the truck at all times, but don't need regular access to, like jumper cables, an axe, backup to the backup toilet paper, etc.
Basic mockup of large pieces
Sizing the fridge to double check my measurements
Top of fridge compartment with curved front edges. Used a Home Depot bucket to get the curve and then freehanded with jig saw. The bottom sheet is not attached at this point.
All sides stained with two coats before final assembly. this is a little piece for the front cubbies with a notch cut out to hold the axe
made a little side box which will house the Blue Sea panel. This panel gives me a breaker in the switch, 12v cig plug for the fridge, a couple USB ports to charge things like phones while camping, and a voltage meter to monitor the battery. I'm wiring this directly to the starter battery.
neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #33
Drawer System continued
System without the fridge and slide weigh 96.6 pounds. With another 50-60 for the fridge and slide I'm really weighing down the LX now.
Fitted into the back. with seats folded down it works great. When in the up position the center seats hit the cubby tops a little. This helps keep them from rattling. I removed the third row mounting points and bolted into the remaining threaded points on the truck with new hardware which I counter sunk into the base plate. With this setup there is zero movement between the shelves and truck.
Axe holder. Not perfect but works well enough. I like having these compartments but if doing this again I'd make them a little shorter in height and depth. Like I said before, making your own produces many little mistakes.
System without the fridge and slide weigh 96.6 pounds. With another 50-60 for the fridge and slide I'm really weighing down the LX now.
Fitted into the back. with seats folded down it works great. When in the up position the center seats hit the cubby tops a little. This helps keep them from rattling. I removed the third row mounting points and bolted into the remaining threaded points on the truck with new hardware which I counter sunk into the base plate. With this setup there is zero movement between the shelves and truck.
Axe holder. Not perfect but works well enough. I like having these compartments but if doing this again I'd make them a little shorter in height and depth. Like I said before, making your own produces many little mistakes.
neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #34
Over Christmas we got out for the last two nights of camping in 2017. That gets us to our goal of 20 for the year and gave us a chance to use the newly installed fridge. I honestly think the Dometic kept food warmer than the 25 degree overnight temps. Regardless, I was thrilled to no longer think about ice.
We stayed plenty warm in the RTT with a wool blanket and duvet cover. At times I actually felt hot. It is incredible how well the tent insulates and retains heat. Really wonderful being the Sierras this time of year.
Shelf system worked fantastic. Everything was accessible without having a Jenka experience.
Voltage meter let us keep an eye on the starter battery and make sure the fridge didn't drain it too much. I do travel with a jumper battery just in case, but we didn't need it at all. Picture taken when fridge was running.
Making Christmas morning breakfast. Stay in the sun to keep warm, it's cold in the shadows.
We stayed plenty warm in the RTT with a wool blanket and duvet cover. At times I actually felt hot. It is incredible how well the tent insulates and retains heat. Really wonderful being the Sierras this time of year.
Shelf system worked fantastic. Everything was accessible without having a Jenka experience.
Voltage meter let us keep an eye on the starter battery and make sure the fridge didn't drain it too much. I do travel with a jumper battery just in case, but we didn't need it at all. Picture taken when fridge was running.
Making Christmas morning breakfast. Stay in the sun to keep warm, it's cold in the shadows.
neilsen100
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #35
2017 goal is complete, 20 camping nights in the books, nearly all of which were made possible with the LX and having an enjoyable and easy camp setup. Our countdown is complete with pictures in every spot and now onto 2018. 2018 goal, see 20 National Monuments. We started with Carrizo Plain in central California.
Built Cruiser and Seinfeld quotes...man, you are all right.
No kidding - stellar update! Just curious, can you shout out the spots where you were in Mendocino NF and the lake you stayed next to for Christmas? I'm close to both and ready for some 'sploring!
neilsen100
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- Thread starter
- #38
@yotasavg - the Mendicino camp site was Middle Creek Campground off Elk Mountain Road. We got up there late in the day so picked an easy campsite since it was our first time there. Middle Creek is a staging area for many OHV folks. It was nice but not the remote and quiet camping we prefer.
Next time we'll head up Forest Route 16N01 to the Deer Valley Campground LINK. I drove up there the next day and it looked great for us. A pit toilet and much quieter.
As for the lake during Christmas, that is Spring Valley Lake in Plumas County. LINK It's up Skyway rd past Inskip. Nice area which was very quiet over the holiday weekend in the snow. Some locals said it's quite busy in the summer.
Wow thanks so much for the details! Lot's of good stuff up here in the North State. One of the drives I'd like to make this year is North out of Chico through Cohasset, and follow the Ponderosa Way trail up to Black Rock campground, then up to hwy36.
dubyahard
SILVER Star
Good idea using the photo documentation to reach your goals!
