Build Truckasaurus - linuxgod's Build Thread

[linuxgod]

Anymore pictures of your rig and the Trail Tailor front bumper? It might the only full guard full replacement bumper for the pre-2016's that I don't hate. I appreciate the stoutness and air bag compatibility of the Aussie stuff but man those things are just ugly and stick out way too far.

I've got tons of photos in my travel gallery, depends a bit on what you want. If there's a specific angle or measurement you want, let me know.

The TT bumper isn't quite a shallow as the Dissent one, but it's better than ARB for sure. IIRC at the time my options were ARB, TJM, Ironman, and Trail Tailor. If I was doing it now it would be a decision between Trail Tailor and Dissent for me.

 

[linuxgod]

Nice! Best color! Blends in the scenery of the west like none other

Thanks. Looking at early photos I think gold looks much better when a truck is built than when it's stock, whereas black and dark gray look nice no matter what. Just my $0.02.

Red would've been my first choice, but there were very few available when I was searching. Mostly black, dark gray, silver, and white. After 6 months of searching I was so happy to find a clean, reasonable mileage (<50k) truck with a Toyota CPO warranty for under market value that the color wasn't terribly important to me.

 

[linuxgod]

Nice build!
Question on your e-locker setup: Did you face any issues with the momentary disengagement when switching from forward to reverse? It seems to be a thing for all e-lockers, but not sure if it's seamless or bothersome when your using it.

TBH I haven't really tried it out yet. It was tested and engaged while on a lift, but everything around here are paved city streets and I *just* got through the 500 mile gear break-in on Friday. I don't think it'll matter for my style of wheeling though.

The air locker is definitely a more satisfying, instantaneous click. The elocker engagement is silent. Given the potentially partial rotation required to engage (depending on the position of the mechanism), if you're the kind of person that gets into trouble and then engages your lockers and needs instant traction with no wheel spin, the ARB air locker might be better. OTOH if you are going to turn your locker on as you approach a gnarly obstacle, or if you'll be ok with a bit of wheel spin before it engages, then the elockers work well.

Personally I've read far too many stories of leaking air lines, seals blowing out, etc from air locker installs, so the e-locker won out for me. For me a small increase in perceived reliability won out.

 

[Gazziza]

I've got tons of photos in my travel gallery, depends a bit on what you want. If there's a specific angle or measurement you want, let me know.

The TT bumper isn't quite a shallow as the Dissent one, but it's better than ARB for sure. IIRC at the time my options were ARB, TJM, Ironman, and Trail Tailor. If I was doing it now it would be a decision between Trail Tailor and Dissent for me.

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I appreciate the pics and links, I think it looks beautiful!!! I really like the Dissent bumpers as well but I'm interested in a full guard bumper mostly for animal strike protection. With the Dissent bumper sitting so flush and being aluminum I don't think it would protect all too much. The aussie brands would offer the ultimate protection but they are gawdy looking and bulky. I think the TT strikes a good balance between looks, profile and protection.

 

[linuxgod]

I appreciate the pics and links, I think it looks beautiful!!! I really like the Dissent bumpers as well but I'm interested in a full guard bumper mostly for animal strike protection. With the Dissent bumper sitting so flush and being aluminum I don't think it would protect all too much. The aussie brands would offer the ultimate protection but they are gawdy looking and bulky. I think the TT strikes a good balance between looks, profile and protection.

The best animal strike protection is probably the ARB, honestly. Anything which replaces the plastic bumper completely will put your steel bumper very close to the headlights, grill, and other components. In a serious strike it will likely not protect the vehicle from damage, though it should help protect the occupants. Most of these will likely reduce the overall damage though and for smaller strikes like deer without antlers all will probably save you from damage

 

[Gazziza]

The best animal strike protection is probably the ARB, honestly. Anything which replaces the plastic bumper completely will put your steel bumper very close to the headlights, grill, and other components. In a serious strike it will likely not protect the vehicle from damage, though it should help protect the occupants. Most of these will likely reduce the overall damage though and for smaller strikes like deer without antlers all will probably save you from damage

Agreed. I guess it's all about compromises. While the ARB is great for animal strikes and stoutness it probably weighs close 100lbs more than the TT. If I do hit something hopefully there's enough protection that all major components are still fine and I could still make it home.

 

[TLC2013]

I've got tons of photos in my travel gallery, depends a bit on what you want. If there's a specific angle or measurement you want, let me know.

The TT bumper isn't quite a shallow as the Dissent one, but it's better than ARB for sure. IIRC at the time my options were ARB, TJM, Ironman, and Trail Tailor. If I was doing it now it would be a decision between Trail Tailor and Dissent for me.

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Beautiful rig, truck looks amazing with the bumper.

 

[TeCKis300]

Cool to see you take us down storybook lane for your build. I know I've been following it for several years now. Always great to see the progression from stock.

 

[linuxgod]

I need to finish the actual drawer. Waiting on some t-slot nuts to arrive (USPS says Monday) as I miscounted when I originally ordered. To keep me occupied I mounted the drawer in the truck yesterday evening and the mounted the jack this morning in the front cubby.

 

[linuxgod]

Finished the drawer this week. And promptly filled it completely. Wow. Actually it's not *quite* done, I need to put some small straps on the slide out table as I can't actually get it out with the drawer in place right now.

If I had to do it again I think I'd buy a set of heavy duty ball bearing rails. The UHMW slides are fine if the drawer is lightly filled. But I must have at least 200# of stuff in it, possibly more, and I almost cannot pull the drawer out by the handle alone. And I even used UHMW tape on the bottom of the drawer where it meets the slide in order to help reduce friction even further.

I might move the Superflow MV90 air compressor which is in the drawer into the side compartment, but that does limit access to it a bit when I'm on a trail if I have stuff on top of the drawer. Might be an excuse to get an ARB Twin and mount it under the hood, but it's hard to drop $550 on one when I spent $100 on the Superflow which is just as fast and it works just fine.

 

[indycole]

Looks great! I'm curious what the D-ring on the side panel is for?

 

[Dan Higgins]

Great to see this! Loved the vid on the recovery from Mills Creek! Also good to see your roof rack holding up. Tim has one for me that will go on next week. Also, since I'm not planning to do a suspension upgrade on the new truck I may reach out to you about the air bags to provide a bit more stiffness when towing. But with our trailer downsize the tongue weight is 200 lbs less and we may be OK without them.

 

[linuxgod]

Looks great! I'm curious what the D-ring on the side panel is for?

For securing stuff, like every other D-ring

Seriously though, it just gives me the option to go across the back of the truck to the passenger side D ring in the floor without using the top rings. They came in 4 packs so why not us 'em? You can never have enough tie down points, so long as they're not in your way. I have 2 more tie downs in the left hand storage area on the baseplate I expect about half the time my dog will be on top of the drawer so if I need to tie something off then latching to the top might be in his way. The other times will be when I have the cooler on top of the drawer system tied down to them already and don't want to overload the rings.

 

[linuxgod]

Great to see this! Loved the vid on the recovery from Mills Creek! Also good to see your roof rack holding up. Tim has one for me that will go on next week. Also, since I'm not planning to do a suspension upgrade on the new truck I may reach out to you about the air bags to provide a bit more stiffness when towing. But with our trailer downsize the tongue weight is 200 lbs less and we may be OK without them.

What's the total trailer TW? I put mine in when I had a ~500-600# TW trailer and stock suspension.

 

[Dan Higgins]

What's the total trailer TW? I put mine in when I had a ~500-600# TW trailer and stock suspension.

700-750 (Lance 1995). That includes the ProPride hitch. I've done one very short tow with it. I was able to back to within a half inch of "normal" with the WD bars. But I have a bit more to sort out. My receiver is now 2" lower and that will change if I go to taller tires. So I don't have that all dialed in yet. Once I get back to Bend (I'm headed to CO to visit family and pick up/install my roof rack) I'll get look at it more closely. I'll post that on the "towing with a 200" thread.

 

[Dan Higgins]

Nice job on the drawer. What is the outlet you put on the side "face". Was that a relocation of the 3-prong plug on that side or is it a USB outlet?

 

[linuxgod]

If

700-750 (Lance 1995). That includes the ProPride hitch. I've done one very short tow with it. I was able to back to within a half inch of "normal" with the WD bars. But I have a bit more to sort out. My receiver is now 2" lower and that will change if I go to taller tires. So I don't have that all dialed in yet. Once I get back to Bend (I'm headed to CO to visit family and pick up/install my roof rack) I'll get look at it more closely. I'll post that on the "towing with a 200" thread.

If you’re at 700#, either go with air bags or stiffer springs. Factory springs will IMO have too much floatiness with that much weight even with good WD, and especially if you have other weight in the trunk. Then again try it and see as YMMV from my experience.

 

[linuxgod]

Nice job on the drawer. What is the outlet you put on the side "face". Was that a relocation of the 3-prong plug on that side or is it a USB outlet?

Cigarette style 12V, both on the trunk face as well as the side facing the rear passenger. The latter will get a dual USB plug for my daughter to charge her phone. The one near the trunk will be left alone. Fuse block and wire ordered...

I did consider relocating the 120V inverter but the only time it gets used right now is when my daughter plugs her iPhone adapter into it so the 12V will cover that need. If I needed it regularly I might just enlarge the finger hole that I made to flip open the side wing so that the flap could open

 

[linuxgod]

Minor update, adding mostly for posterity.

I've got 121k on the truck now. My HIDs used to occasionally flicker, but it wasn't bad or very regular. Recently I noticed the driver's side was flickering all the time, even when I was just sitting a stop light, so I figured it was time for new bulbs.

I tried the $30 DMEX HIDs from Amazon. They're decent and if you're strapped for cash they'll work, though I'd recommend getting the 4500-5000K color. Up close they seem bright. Cut-off was fine. They didn't seem as bright as the OEM bulbs at a distance (shining down my alley), but I think that might be due to the fact that they are 6k bulbs so the blue-ish light doesn't seem as bright at a distance.

Because I wanted *better* than OEM, I ended up ordering a set of Philips Xtreme Vision. Cost shipped from Germany was $156 for the pair off ebay. You can also order from lichtex.de directly. I was a bit concerned about fakes but Lichtex seems highly reviewed. the QR codes scanned fine, and the bulbs show up by Philips as being genuine. I think they claim 5000K color but are definitely slightly yellow-ish and I would've pegged them at ~4500K. They definitely are brighter than OEM and shine well down my alley. I don't know that they're 150% of OEM brightness but I'd definitely guess it achieves the same brightness for 10-20% more distance.

Pro tips for headlight replacement:

• Start with the passenger's side as it's easier to see WTF you're doing
• Use latex gloves when swapping the bulb. You shouldn't need to touch the bulb, but just in case...
• For the driver's side you can leave the battery in place but pop out the clip and remove the washer fluid fill tube
• I'd definitely recommend new gaskets to protect the bulbs from moisture, given how tight new gaskets make the ballast fit vs how easy it is to reinstall the old ones.

 

[linuxgod]

Sanded my Trail Tailor bumper down a bit and coated it with POR 15. There were a few spots where the power coat had flaked off in somewhat large chunks. One I'm pretty sure was from a rock, a few were dings from various offroad excursions, and one spot was from where I caught the edge of a chain link construction fence while trying to maneuver my trailer into the parking spot off the alley. I did the whole thing in POR 15 "rust preventative" and then went back yesterday and did a couple coats of POR 15 "top coat" in "chassis black" (seems to be a semi-gloss).

The result is acceptable but not amazing. I probably should have done a better job stripping it down during prep, and I actually wish I'd only done one top coat as the second one came out of the can thicker and tackier and didn't flow as well. This weekend once the paint has had a chance to fully cure I will try to hit it with some 400-grit and then some 0000 steel wool to see if it'll smooth out acceptably. I also may pull the bumper and sand blast the whole thing and then re-paint it in the future, but it's 33F out and not getting warmer until spring so this will likely have to do for at least the winter.

If I remember this weekend I'll update this post with a pic later but right now the truck is in the garage and it's almost dark so photos don't really show much detail.