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[Crush 4]

In NYC for a few months. Land Cruiser gets lots of looks here. Meanwhile, the updates continue.

First off was the install of the RLD Shower Cube. I had studied all the options on the market before choosing this one. I chose it because of the metal arms at the bottom that help it holds its shape. Also because it seemed like quality overall construction, with gas struts at the top.

I was not let down. This unit is fantastic. Mounting it required either letting it hang in a perfect rectangle, which would have required setting it out from the Front Runner rack by several inches, or flush-mounting it for a tight, streamlined, more aerodynamic fit when rolled up. I chose the latter, because the inner space is still great even with the stall hanging irregularly. However, I think I will offset it by 3 or 4 inches once I find the ideal spacers--basically, take a compromise between the two extremes.

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Do you take showers in parking garages? Not being a jerk just curious?

 

[brasskey]

Do you take showers in parking garages? Not being a jerk just curious?

Highly doubt it. I'm sure he just folded it out to show how it looks.

 

[Crush 4]

Highly doubt it. I'm sure he just folded it out to show how it looks.
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[BloggerL]

Well, it does get dusty in there. Maybe I can start a new trend.

 

[BloggerL]

Pretty neat.. I may have missed it but what is the intent of your modifications....mobile workstation?

I'm mostly on hiatus right now, but when the pandemic dies down this vehicle will be for work. I will driving it around the country for filming in remote locations. So it's partly a go-anywhere overlanding vehicle that can handle long stretches on the highway as well as full-out offroading. It's also a vehicle that will be used to transport a lot of film gear and will provide power and lighting. There will be a blogging aspect to my projects as well, so the vehicle will also have some onboard image acquisition capabilities to capture my experiences at the wheel. The computing mods will be for checking and reviewing footage, some occasional editing, and general work while away from home.

 

[MTKID]

I wonder if you could use a bracket for your RLD shower that would allow it to slide out from the side of the rack for use and slide back in for travel?

 

[BloggerL]

I wonder if you could use a bracket for your RLD shower that would allow it to slide out from the side of the rack for use and slide back in for travel?

That's a fantastic idea! I hadn't thought of that myself. I will look around. Or if anyone reading this knows of any such solution, please let me know.

 

[MTKID]

That's a fantastic idea! I hadn't thought of that myself. I will look around. Or if anyone reading this knows of any such solution, please let me know.

If no one already makes something I can imagine a pivoting bracket with two parallel plates that would only attach to the out of the rack and swing out & forward for use. Hopefully you can visualize this. Otherwise, hopefully someone already makes something that will work perfect.

 

[BloggerL]

If no one already makes something I can imagine a pivoting bracket with two parallel plates that would only attach to the out of the rack and swing out & forward for use. Hopefully you can visualize this. Otherwise, hopefully someone already makes something that will work perfect.

Looks like Front Runner has something along those lines for an awning: Movable Awning Arm - by Front Runner. But $761 is a bit more than I'd be willing to spend even for a perfect bracket, which this would not be. But it's useful as an idea starter.

 

[MTKID]

I agree, that is a starting point, but more than I could justify for cost also. I would picture two arms for support but then it couldn't swing all the way behind the vehicle like that one does. Probably not necessary for a shower enclosure though.

 

[BloggerL]

In testing today, the new monitor creaked a lot on its VESA mount as I traveled over some rough roads (which, of course, aren't even close to offroad terrain). I determined through inspection that the issue was not with the VESA mount or underlying headrest bracket but with the monitor itself. The thin plastic case just wasn't meant for this application.

As a fix for now, I added an additional point of support to the monitor with a clamp that has rubber-lined jaws. This clamp add some more rigidity to the setup and help greatly in my second round of tests. I will work with this for now and can always add additional support. The alternative would be a heavy production monitor, which would over-stress the headrest bracket.

If I have problems offroad, I will switch to a smaller monitor that has less opportunity to flex around its mount.

 

[greynolds]

I was wondering how a monitor that's not designed for this sort of application is going to work out. Creaking noises are just one concern. The Vesa mount could potentially break after even light offroad use; probably not after the first trip, but certainly after multiple trips - those mounts aren't typically designed to be in situations where things are bouncing around. Another concern is how it's going to hold up in extreme heat or cold (parked in a parking lot in the summer or outside in the winter). Only time will tell and hopefully it works out well.

 

[BloggerL]

I was wondering how a monitor that's not designed for this sort of application is going to work out. Creaking noises are just one concern. The Vesa mount could potentially break after even light offroad use; probably not after the first trip, but certainly after multiple trips - those mounts aren't typically designed to be in situations where things are bouncing around. Another concern is how it's going to hold up in extreme heat or cold (parked in a parking lot in the summer or outside in the winter). Only time will tell and hopefully it works out well.

All true. What will probably happen is that I'll have a second, smaller monitor and swap between them, depending on what kind of trip I'm doing.

 

[CWolg]

All true. What will probably happen is that I'll have a second, smaller monitor and swap between them, depending on what kind of trip I'm doing.

Depending on the needs for your work, you could use an iPad Pro as a second monitor for your laptop as well. Keep it stowed while traveling/driving, and then hang it up to get work done.

 

[ColoradoNick]

So read about the type of work you’re doing. Where is this work produced? Do you have channels we can follow?

Awesome truck!

 

[BloggerL]

Depending on the needs for your work, you could use an iPad Pro as a second monitor for your laptop as well. Keep it stowed while traveling/driving, and then hang it up to get work done.

That's a good idea but I need more screen real estate, really, on this particular monitor. I'm looking into different bracketing solutions at the moment. Might also just go down to 20" or so. That would probably be OK.

 

[BloggerL]

So read about the type of work you’re doing. Where is this work produced? Do you have channels we can follow?

Awesome truck!

Thank you!

Nothing much to share at this juncture. Hard to describe what it is. It crosses a lot of genres and mixes a lot of elements in our culture that are usually kept apart. I'm basically trying to illuminate some things I've seen and known and celebrate some wonderful people out there. And I'm doing that out in the grandeur of this land we share to get back to the basics of life in a way. I've got a team building a site from scratch for the content.

I know that's pretty meaningless, but all I've got to offer right now. I'm happy to talk more via DM about it with folks in the future.

 

[BloggerL]

Got some custom leather pouches made for the two Rago molle panels in the back. Here is one panel with two sizes of bag installed. A first aid kit will go in that free corner.

The leather is extra thick and strong to stand up to rougher handling. This required me to go with black, as there were a limited range of colors available with this type of hide, and custom-dying the hide would have exceeded my budget. But the thread matches the Heritage thread.

A special strapping system was designed for the panel. Each bag uses three straps with snaps. This creates a tight, solid fit and makes it feasible to get the bags on and off the panels without breaking your fingers. The snaps are also very heavy duty. These bags aren't going to be falling off.

 

[04UZJ100]

That leather would impress even the most discerning NYC lady!!!

 

[BloggerL]

[3/3/21 EDIT: mats below replaced with fuller-size custom mats per later posts]

Finished the rear cargo area today! I got a lot done, so I will divide it all over two posts.

First, I installed the rest of the custom pouches; routed AC power to both molle panels; installed a fire extinguisher, using the bracket for this that's made by Rago; attached a molle-style first aid kit on the other side; and lay down a pair of custom-cut "Cadillac" mats from Uline.

The wires from the power strips routed nicely under the seats. Attaching the fire extinguisher bracket to the mounted molle panel was very hard, but I got it done with just a handful (no pun intended) of finger abrasions.

The Uline mats are truly awesome. The quality is incredible, I got exactly the size I needed cut, and they look great too. They will protect the leather upholstery on the platform, provide cushion when needed, and can be stacked and unstacked, depending on whether the platform is folded open or closed.

I also installed a 2-color touch light from National Luna to illuminate the drawer area, using the wiring approach outlined by @radman at DIY Liftgate LED install. However, my wires looked thinner than his wires, so I soldered and shrink-wrapped instead of plugging into the harness.

I love this light too. It has three settings for white and three for amber. The white is bright enough to fully illuminate the drawers, and the amber will be adequate on buggy nights. What's great too is that this wiring approach results in the light turning on when you open the hatch, assuming you had previously left it on. And it remembers whatever setting what last used.

Here's how I wired: