I'm already down to 12-13 MPG best case without the tent. Hopefully, it doesn't get much worse 
Builds indycole's 2016 200 Series Build and Retrospective
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indycole
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #303
I had an opportunity to finish up the Baja Designs rock lights today. Gotta say, it was a tedious project mainly due to routing the wiring though it'd be easier if the truck was on a lift. I'm glad I already had the lights mounted so at least I wasn't starting from scratch.
There are some photos of the light pattern below. The passenger side pattern is a bit different because the OEM fuel tank and skid eliminate promising mounting locations so I mounted the passenger-rear light to the slider. I generally wanted to avoid mounting anything to the sliders as they frequently see action.
I don't have any photos of this portion of the install but here are some notes on where I routed the wires as there wasn't much info to go on.
Lessons/Notes
Lastly, a photo from the MLK Weekend Death Valley excursion that was taken with an actual camera instead of my phone.
There are some photos of the light pattern below. The passenger side pattern is a bit different because the OEM fuel tank and skid eliminate promising mounting locations so I mounted the passenger-rear light to the slider. I generally wanted to avoid mounting anything to the sliders as they frequently see action.
I don't have any photos of this portion of the install but here are some notes on where I routed the wires as there wasn't much info to go on.
- I created two wire assemblies (one for the two front lights, and one for the four side lights) using 18 awg wire, 3/16 split loom, powerpole connectors (which I use for all sPOD connections) and zip ties as needed. Originally, I thought about doing 12 awg wire because I had some on hand but realized it's overkill. 18 may seem small but the rock lights are low amperage and I even accounted for adding 2-4 more rock lights once the rear bumper is done and it's more than fine.
- All rock lights are on the same sPOD circuit.
- For the front, I ran the wire around the driver-side of the battery, through a cavity leading into the area between the radiator and the grill, and straight down into a pre-existing hole in the aluminum crash bar. I wired everything together below the crash bar and then shoved all the wiring back into the crash bar.
- Here's the general path for the side lights below the front and rear doors:
- Start in sPOD service loop area behind the main fuse box in the engine bay.
- Around the back of the brake fluid container.
- Along some metal tube things (brake lines? didn't really try to figure it out... just look for some metal tubes behind your front UCA) behind the UCA down to the frame.
- Along the frame with the KDSS lines including the brief area that is exposed to the wheel well (hopefully my 3 layers of split loom help protect the cable... I'll keep my eye on it).
- Continue along KDSS lines (being mindful of areas where the cable could be pinched due to body roll) and then hop over the frame where there's a protective panel just north of the KDSS valves. I ended up finishing all the driver-side rock light wiring in this area before putting the panel back up. This minimized exposure to the environment and the heat (exhaust pipes are nearby). I ran the rock light cables through the frame to this area and used Positap connectors to tap into the cable assembly. I've had good luck with these connectors in a variety of environments. Still, I made heavy use of zip ties and vulcanizing tape to isolate potential areas for movement and to brace the connections.
- How to get the cable to the passenger side? I went through the middle crossmember. This was especially tedious as part of the skid plate assembly reduced the available area within sections of the crossmember and also made it prone for the fishing tape to get stuck. It took about 30 minutes to get the cable to the passenger side.
- The front-passenger light is mounted pretty close to the cross member so it wasn't hard to again tap into the main cable.
- The rear-passenger light is mounted to the slider and I carefully ran its cable along the top of the frame to meet the main cable which terminated near the crossmember. I used a Positwist connector since the main cable was terminated.
Lessons/Notes
- I rarely do much off road driving at night so these are mainly for camping. It's a convenience thing. The light is more pleasant/even than the photos below make it out. I'll get some shots with a real camera the next time I'm out.
- On going from the engine bay to the undercarriage, I found it useful to fully turn the steering wheel to the right to provide access to the wiring path. The area is surprisingly accessible by removing a single, large clip.
- I'd have saved time (maybe?) if I'd just had drilled holes in the frame to either string the wiring along within the frame or mounted cable clamps to the outside of the frame. Hopefully, there are better/safer/simpler paths because this seemed like a lot of work for some lights. I spent more time with the fishing tape than I'd like on a Saturday.
- I want to go back and add some more fuses. I have an inline fuse near each light but even with reasonable precautions there are opportunities for wear and heat. I didn't plan on utilizing the frame as much as I did and troubleshooting will be frustrating.
- The asymmetrical light pattern on the sides is a bit annoying but the only solution I've come up with is utilizing the sliders as mounting points on both sides. Ugh, life is hard.
Lastly, a photo from the MLK Weekend Death Valley excursion that was taken with an actual camera instead of my phone.
indycole
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #304
We love winter camping but haven't had much of a chance to get out, aside from the soft-roading trip to Death Valley, but are hoping to rectify that in February and March as we lead up to the Baja trip.
I figured I'd share some upcoming plans for the truck.
Chores
I spent a fair amount of time under the vehicle for the rock light installation and was surprised at the number of noticeable frame scrapes given the fact that I've had skids and sliders since pretty much the first out on the trail. I also need to be nicer to the rear diff carrier as it's taken some noticeable hits. So, I'm getting the undercarriage steam-cleaned today and will be spending some more quality time with a grinder and some undercarriage paint fairly soon.
I'm also looking at moving the ham radio and external ham speaker to the front as I'm considering some longer-term changes to the rear storage system. The current plan is to plant a new fuse box in the front passenger area somewhere, find a place behind the dash to mount the Yaesu, and then I'm going to try mounting a ham radio speaker within the headliner. In other minor ham radio news, I moved the antenna to be much closer to the windshield and moved to a smaller coax cable as the prior placement was causing both a.) excessive rubbing on the hood which led to paint removal and some rust and b) a bit more water in the channel than I want due to some corners I cut when mounting.
In conjunction with the HAM work, I'm also working out a way to mount an external antenna for the sat phone. This will be a bit different as it's not meant to be a permanent mount, but I also don't want wires running every which way inside the cab.
Finally, now that I've reclaimed some switch blanks, I'm going to install an Air on Board USB charger to clean up the phone charger for the ProClip mount.
Armor and Winch
All right, here's what I'm really excited about. Once he works his magic for a couple other custom 200 builds, @reevesci will be building out a rear bumper and a hidden winch mount. I thought hard about a full front bumper but ultimately decided on at least starting with with a hidden winch. I don't really know what to expect out of either but trust that the truck is in good hands based on what I've seen on the forum — and in real life — regarding Jason's work. I'll be putting the amazingly versatile Wilco Offroad Solo hitchgate up for sale pretty soon.
Crazy Shower Tent
I picked up an awning-like shower/changing room from Drifta. I'm a fan of trying anything to streamline camp setup and teardown. This should be arriving soon but I'm not exactly sure how to mount it yet. I'm considering fabbing some brackets to mount to the driver side of the roof rack or installing a miniature swing-arm system on the rear of the roof rack directly behind the RTT. That may be too high, though.
Tires
I've had some bad luck with KO2 sidewalls over the past couple years. I've replaced six tires so far. It's probably as much my fault as the tires' but the problem now is that each tire has a different amount of wear. It's made balancing and alignment trickier than it should be (either that or I need a new alignment shop, which is entirely possible). I have one original tire that's pretty chewed up at this point but am thinking about cutting my losses with the KO2s and going for a 34 inch tire. The only issue is that I only have 2 options: KM2s or Exo Grapplers. I'm leaning toward the Exo Grapplers.
Storage
I've decided to take up @TrekboxX pre-order offer and switch out the ARB + DIY solutions for the Trekboxx Alpha system. Pretty excited about this. I'll likely offer the ARB drawers and some of my custom stuff for sale as soon as we're back from Baja. Perhaps I'll unload the ARB fridge and go for a National Luna 60L as well?
I think that's it for now. Off to West Marine to buy yet another fuse box.
I figured I'd share some upcoming plans for the truck.
Chores
I spent a fair amount of time under the vehicle for the rock light installation and was surprised at the number of noticeable frame scrapes given the fact that I've had skids and sliders since pretty much the first out on the trail. I also need to be nicer to the rear diff carrier as it's taken some noticeable hits. So, I'm getting the undercarriage steam-cleaned today and will be spending some more quality time with a grinder and some undercarriage paint fairly soon.
I'm also looking at moving the ham radio and external ham speaker to the front as I'm considering some longer-term changes to the rear storage system. The current plan is to plant a new fuse box in the front passenger area somewhere, find a place behind the dash to mount the Yaesu, and then I'm going to try mounting a ham radio speaker within the headliner. In other minor ham radio news, I moved the antenna to be much closer to the windshield and moved to a smaller coax cable as the prior placement was causing both a.) excessive rubbing on the hood which led to paint removal and some rust and b) a bit more water in the channel than I want due to some corners I cut when mounting.
In conjunction with the HAM work, I'm also working out a way to mount an external antenna for the sat phone. This will be a bit different as it's not meant to be a permanent mount, but I also don't want wires running every which way inside the cab.
Finally, now that I've reclaimed some switch blanks, I'm going to install an Air on Board USB charger to clean up the phone charger for the ProClip mount.
Armor and Winch
All right, here's what I'm really excited about. Once he works his magic for a couple other custom 200 builds, @reevesci will be building out a rear bumper and a hidden winch mount. I thought hard about a full front bumper but ultimately decided on at least starting with with a hidden winch. I don't really know what to expect out of either but trust that the truck is in good hands based on what I've seen on the forum — and in real life — regarding Jason's work. I'll be putting the amazingly versatile Wilco Offroad Solo hitchgate up for sale pretty soon.
Crazy Shower Tent
I picked up an awning-like shower/changing room from Drifta. I'm a fan of trying anything to streamline camp setup and teardown. This should be arriving soon but I'm not exactly sure how to mount it yet. I'm considering fabbing some brackets to mount to the driver side of the roof rack or installing a miniature swing-arm system on the rear of the roof rack directly behind the RTT. That may be too high, though.
Tires
I've had some bad luck with KO2 sidewalls over the past couple years. I've replaced six tires so far. It's probably as much my fault as the tires' but the problem now is that each tire has a different amount of wear. It's made balancing and alignment trickier than it should be (either that or I need a new alignment shop, which is entirely possible). I have one original tire that's pretty chewed up at this point but am thinking about cutting my losses with the KO2s and going for a 34 inch tire. The only issue is that I only have 2 options: KM2s or Exo Grapplers. I'm leaning toward the Exo Grapplers.
Storage
I've decided to take up @TrekboxX pre-order offer and switch out the ARB + DIY solutions for the Trekboxx Alpha system. Pretty excited about this. I'll likely offer the ARB drawers and some of my custom stuff for sale as soon as we're back from Baja. Perhaps I'll unload the ARB fridge and go for a National Luna 60L as well?
I think that's it for now. Off to West Marine to buy yet another fuse box.
I came close to ordering that shower enclosure. Would be nice with a flip out rear window.
EmuWings for the 200 Series Toyota Landcruiser.
EmuWings for the 200 Series Toyota Landcruiser.
Markuson
SILVER Star
Now THAT is cool. Would love quick, driver's side access & would be great for sleeping in back too for easy ventilation without window power.
Markuson
SILVER Star
Ya, can't remember the last time I tuned into FM.
Cool stuff! Let me know when you want to get rid of those drawers, I am local and interested!
I have been thinking about one of the Emu wings but feel like my truck is too tall for it to be super practical? Would love to see a truck with one in so I can check it out.
indycole
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #313
With the new rooftop tent I needed to find a better place for my recovery tracks. I wasn't aware, but Blue Ridge Overland Gear makes a tire mounting system using webbing for the Maxtrax bag that I'd already purchased from them. It's a nice little setup though not secure at all.
I also made use of the area between the tire and the tailgate for BROG's trash/storage bag while the Trasharoo is fitted on top of the Maxtrax bag. I can't imagine it being very easy to get the Maxtrax back in without at least loosening the Trasharoo but whatever.
I also finally got around to some secure mounts for my center row storage box.
And a photo of the cargo net. I do wish I could have found a way to mount it without using the drawers for 3/4 mounting points.
Lastly, I snapped a photo of the front axle while I had the truck on the lift to touch up a couple areas of the frame that made close contact with rocks. Just thought it was a cool photo.
I also made use of the area between the tire and the tailgate for BROG's trash/storage bag while the Trasharoo is fitted on top of the Maxtrax bag. I can't imagine it being very easy to get the Maxtrax back in without at least loosening the Trasharoo but whatever.
I also finally got around to some secure mounts for my center row storage box.
And a photo of the cargo net. I do wish I could have found a way to mount it without using the drawers for 3/4 mounting points.
Lastly, I snapped a photo of the front axle while I had the truck on the lift to touch up a couple areas of the frame that made close contact with rocks. Just thought it was a cool photo.
How's it been driving around town with the tent?
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2011
- Threads
- 233
- Messages
- 21,799
- Location
- Redding, California
- Website
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I'll keep the files for the winch plate. I'll make a prototype and then convert all the bend allowances over to the cut table and CNC brake.
J
Oh man you drank the Kool Aid.
You'll have yours first... my truck has been the mule. I'm just sad you wont have it before Baja
indycole
GOLD Star
- Thread starter
- #320
The countdown is less than 20 days for the Baja trip and am punching through a long list of final preparations for the trip. Things would be a bit easier if the truck were in my hands, but it's currently getting some plastic swapped out for metal in Redding. Fortunately, I've been doing bits of prep here and there since January.
Maintenance
The driveline fluids were replaced a couple weeks ago. The front and rear rotors and pads were also replaced with a Terrain Tamer setup. I haven't spent much time behind the wheel but will have a full report after Baja. The last remaining maintenance item is simply to hit the driveline and UCA grease zirks. Anyone aware of other grease points on the 200?
QuickPitch Ensuite & Roof Checks
I need to install the QuickPitch Ensuite shower/toilet tent and figured I can kill two birds with one stone as it's time to tighten the roof rack hardware and RTT as I've been on a couple offroad trips since the January installation. Interesting story on the QuickPitch... all the hinges were broken upon delivery but I was easily able to replace them and Drifta made it right by reimbursing me (and then some) without going to the trouble of doing an overseas exchange. Highly recommended place to do business. I expect some challenges in getting it mounted.
New Tires and Rubbing
I made the move to 285/70R18 Nitto Ridge Grapplers. I was kind of shocked to experience some rubbing on the front tires when traversing culverts at a moderate speed on pavement. I'm sure I'd have rubbing off road as well. The problem is that I'd already trimmed significant portions of my wheel well just to fit the 285/65R18s on my original ProComp wheels with no offset. I'm just surprised that there'd still be rubbing anywhere. I'll be quite bummed if I'm rubbing on the UCA or sway bar. All I can do is figure it out when I get the truck back. Hopefully it's something I can fix with more trimming or a trip to the alignment shop. @TRD Burglar @kreiten Did you guys have to do anything special to fit this size?
I have a longer list of small tasks/enhancements/optimizations but these are the main things I need to accomplish in the few days I'll have with the truck between getting it back from Jason and heading south.
Maintenance
The driveline fluids were replaced a couple weeks ago. The front and rear rotors and pads were also replaced with a Terrain Tamer setup. I haven't spent much time behind the wheel but will have a full report after Baja. The last remaining maintenance item is simply to hit the driveline and UCA grease zirks. Anyone aware of other grease points on the 200?
QuickPitch Ensuite & Roof Checks
I need to install the QuickPitch Ensuite shower/toilet tent and figured I can kill two birds with one stone as it's time to tighten the roof rack hardware and RTT as I've been on a couple offroad trips since the January installation. Interesting story on the QuickPitch... all the hinges were broken upon delivery but I was easily able to replace them and Drifta made it right by reimbursing me (and then some) without going to the trouble of doing an overseas exchange. Highly recommended place to do business. I expect some challenges in getting it mounted.
New Tires and Rubbing
I made the move to 285/70R18 Nitto Ridge Grapplers. I was kind of shocked to experience some rubbing on the front tires when traversing culverts at a moderate speed on pavement. I'm sure I'd have rubbing off road as well. The problem is that I'd already trimmed significant portions of my wheel well just to fit the 285/65R18s on my original ProComp wheels with no offset. I'm just surprised that there'd still be rubbing anywhere. I'll be quite bummed if I'm rubbing on the UCA or sway bar. All I can do is figure it out when I get the truck back. Hopefully it's something I can fix with more trimming or a trip to the alignment shop. @TRD Burglar @kreiten Did you guys have to do anything special to fit this size?
I have a longer list of small tasks/enhancements/optimizations but these are the main things I need to accomplish in the few days I'll have with the truck between getting it back from Jason and heading south.
