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@ntdb Do you have a link to the "guide" on the rear hatch LED strip? I have been meaning to do that - and have my own ideas on it - but it would be good to see what other folks are doing. Glad you were able to get on the road, what a drag about people smashing windows. You're right though, if you're out on the streets a portable heater is pretty enticing. If you come near Denver on a weekend, holler at me - maybe I can convince my partner to do some cold weather camping!
Heck yeah dude. Really nice to see the photos of you all set up out there especially after the break-in.
Is your internet fast enough? A buddy out in the CA desert (JV) has Starlink running and it's full speed, not sure what the power draw is but it might be an option.
Is your internet fast enough? A buddy out in the CA desert (JV) has Starlink running and it's full speed, not sure what the power draw is but it might be an option.
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- #564
It’s standard practice to snug up bolts like this after a few hundred miles. I just did them really fast!Dang, I'm really sorry to hear about one of those rattling loose. Glad you caught it and were able to snug it up in time. Also wow @red66toy seriously coming in clutch! These local folks are pretty great
You bet, this is the post I was referring to. There’s good info in following posts as well. We’ll be in a hotel near Eagle on Thursday night and at the Limon KOA Friday night. Are either of those near you? Our travel schedule gets unfortunately tight starting on Thursday.
Thank you! It feels so good to be out here. The internet has been good enough so far. I’m doing video calls on my phone to save hotspot data. The booster helps a lot but I’m still making a point to camp in spots with good reception. A mobile Starlink interface will be a game changer whenever it comes out.
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We can't wait to come back, it was awesome to drive and hang with you! Thanks for recommending we take 128 east this morning. It was dark for the first part of the drive but the stars were bright enough to see that the canyon is epic!
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Here's the final version of my wiring diagram. This doesn't show the aux fuse block at the front of the truck but it's just tied into the 100A circuit breaker. 
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Time for a very quick trip report! Ten days, six nights camping, three thousand miles, two national parks, and zero mechanical problems. Cruisers rock. Random highlights include getting pulled over 1/2 mile from our KOA on night two (he let us go), meeting @MoaByte and driving White Rim on day three (thank you @MoaByte!), Arches National Park on day five, crossing the i-70 mountain passes in Colorado on day eight, and logging 820 miles on day nine.
Loveland pass may have convinced me to do a motor swap. That was so stressful. I probably needed another 5 PSI in my rear tires and didn't adjust my timing for the altitude.
The WeBoost has proven itself. I was able to work from campsites for most of the week and I'm looking forward to doing more of it in slightly warmer weather.
I'm also loving the Roofnest Falcon XL. Setup and breakdown is super easy and the mattress is comfy. I'm thinking about ways to get it mounted a bit lower. A full platform rack could do the trick but it's hard to justify the cost when it's really just a mounting solution for the giant tent.
I haven't gotten to properly test the awning yet. I set it up on rocky BLM land just long enough to break the hinges in a gust of wind. It was stupid, I should have anchored the legs somehow. Thankfully the hinges are designed to break to protect the rest of the awning and I had spares so it's good to go again.
I'll be in Atlanta for a few weeks and then I'll likely head west again. Gonna get some maintenance done at ACC Garage and I'll install some Boss airbags as well. The rear is sagging just a bit and the reduced body roll will be very nice.
Loveland pass may have convinced me to do a motor swap. That was so stressful. I probably needed another 5 PSI in my rear tires and didn't adjust my timing for the altitude.
The WeBoost has proven itself. I was able to work from campsites for most of the week and I'm looking forward to doing more of it in slightly warmer weather.
I'm also loving the Roofnest Falcon XL. Setup and breakdown is super easy and the mattress is comfy. I'm thinking about ways to get it mounted a bit lower. A full platform rack could do the trick but it's hard to justify the cost when it's really just a mounting solution for the giant tent.
I haven't gotten to properly test the awning yet. I set it up on rocky BLM land just long enough to break the hinges in a gust of wind. It was stupid, I should have anchored the legs somehow. Thankfully the hinges are designed to break to protect the rest of the awning and I had spares so it's good to go again.
I'll be in Atlanta for a few weeks and then I'll likely head west again. Gonna get some maintenance done at ACC Garage and I'll install some Boss airbags as well. The rear is sagging just a bit and the reduced body roll will be very nice.
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I finally got the windows tinted! I agonized over how dark I should go and ultimately settled on 3M Color Stable 35% VLT. Honestly... it does look a little dark for my tastes from a purely aesthetic perspective. The heat reduction is already noticeable and visibility from the inside is great so ultimately I think it's worth it.
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Yesterday I introduced my nephew and nieces to the tent. They loved it and took a lot of convincing to come down.
Today I spent a while outside with a bottle of simple green and some shop rags. Got lots of dirt out of the tailgate area and the engine bay. I also ripped out the hood insulator and cleaned up under there. It was lovely. I ordered a new hood insulator, clips, and a new OEM rear view mirror from Toyota. I don’t need anything fancy, just a mirror that isn’t turning into dust from 40 years of UV blasting.
Today I spent a while outside with a bottle of simple green and some shop rags. Got lots of dirt out of the tailgate area and the engine bay. I also ripped out the hood insulator and cleaned up under there. It was lovely. I ordered a new hood insulator, clips, and a new OEM rear view mirror from Toyota. I don’t need anything fancy, just a mirror that isn’t turning into dust from 40 years of UV blasting.
Did you get the insulation clips from Toyota?
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Yep! I also like the idea of adding some butyl under the insulation. Gotta see if I can order just a small amount.
I'd give you some.
My structural supports have broke loose of the sheet metal. I need to glue them back. I didn't have fresh clips so I put it off.
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Ah shoot, mine are loose too. Time to research that project… if I don’t install the insulator before I hit the road again I may take you up on that offer, thanks!
If I recall correctly, @Cruiser Cult did a quick 'how to' on the hoodliner replacement and gluing the ribs. It was one of their Saturday tech tips. It was @NookShneer doing the work on Fitz.
Mine were detached as well so I asked Kelly glue them when the Bean was being worked on. I think he used a 2 part epoxy seam sealer?
Well that's cool, didn't know rear view mirrors were still available. Thought we had to rely on 4Runner or fj80 mirrors for replacements.
Just put a new one in mine....
70 series side mirrors are another nice option from a visibility standpoint.
And I forgot to mention, if you add a small piece of vacuum line to the nub on the rear view mirror mounting arm to lightly wedge it against the windshield it acts like the OEM rubber damper that is NLA from Toyota.
