Car Camping / Trip Reports / Photos / Buildouts / “Overland” / Expedition Rigs Area (homeless?)

Or you can go with one of my NSA Switch Panels. Lots of options.

See the link in my sig.

 

I guess it comes down to what you want to wire up. Make up a list and add up the components cost, then figure out what the best option is. Don't forget to account for your time.

 

Exactly. If you need a couple of 12V hots and a lightbar then the NSA and SPOD are overkill, but we all like to keep adding stuff. But if you're wanting to run lockers, a winch, lights, etc. then you need to start looking at the options. Hell, if you want eight switches you're going to shell out $120 for just the carling rockers. Then add a $150 wireless winch controller, and you've damn near bought my NSA. Add the wiring, relays, fuses, time, and you've gone well beyond that initial cost.

 

We have a sleeping platform in the Duramax, and it's nice for ease of setup. It is also a better option in extreme (subzero) weather and in bear country than a tent. I guess it doesn't matter how you sleep, just as long as we are getting out there!

PS, I didn't mean to start a war. I just didn't understand the whole RTT thing.
(edit, do the pics work now?)

 

Sounds good guys! I'm just wanting to wire up a winch, light bar in my pelfreybilt bumper, 4 pod led lights (2 being in the bumper and 2 on a pillars) and a front air locker and arb air compressor down the road.

 

Well said.

No worries about starting a discussion. It's good to have talks like this on the forum to share views of two different ways to camp. Who knows, someone might be reading through this thread some day and find the what was just said helpful.

 

1. Winch power
2. Winch in
3. Winch out
4. Light bar
5. Upper Pod LED's
6. Lower Pod LED's
7. Compressor
8. Locker solenoid

You can do that with a blue sea setup, just run the numbers on the components prices. It'll add up quickly. The SPOD is out as you need more than six switches. My NSA will work right out of the box though.

 

Might just have to look into your NSA switch panel!

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

Funny... I've heard the same thing.

 

Skip the RTT and just get the Flippac and be done with it.

 

I understand that everyone has a budget but I can say that we really get allot of use out of ours and while it stung a little at first, we don't regret the purchase at all. Whole thing weighs in just a bit over three hundred pounds and after allot of calculations I figured that I lose a mile and a half per gallon with it on the truck.

 

Got the RTT all mounted up with the relentless fab bed bars. Next is figuring ways to get the tools and gear mounted

 

It's all good.

 

Too heavy.

 

Smkytxn and I did some wheelin in Arkansas a few months ago (feels like a few years ago). I got to see his system in action. I was very impressed. If I weren't already up to my neck in carlin switches I'd go that route for sure.

 

I have a similar set up and love it. I'm adding drawers under the platform eventually. Zero set up and break down time, I have black out curtains so I can stealth camp any where, anytime. It's super warm too....sometimes a little too warm. I need to add a vent fan.

 

I think the roof top tents are pretty badass, it's probably the route I would have taken if I had a bought a short box. I camp in bear/cougar country and although being off the ground does give you some sense of security ultimately I wanted something hard sided. The flippacs are cool, until I read that you cannot add a roof rack to them and haul anything. I want to be able to take a boat on the roof so that was a no go for me. The best option that met my needs was buying myself a long box and getting a canopy with a rise for some more headroom.

I ended up with an ARE MX series. I just got the shell earlier this week. I spent all day yesterday working on my sleeping platform. I may eventually add some heavy duty slides and make a drawer underneath but for now I'm pretty happy with it. Still got lots of work to do to it regarding lighting, electrical and privacy curtains.

Here's some pics,


The whole assembly is easy to remove with no tools. The aluminum bars and 4 doors between the center are also removable so that you can take them out, set them aside and have the full space between the wheel wells if need be.

 

N

Nice set up!

 

Nice setup!!!

 

Need some advice guys. I want to buy a 30 or 40 qt fridge to run in my truck. What do people do when the engine is not running? Is it necessary to shut it off, or is the draw low enough that it can run for 12 hrs off of the battery? Is a two battery setup required? What do y'all do?

Thanks!