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

Did some very quick checking. The Viking Cylinder weights 10 lb empty. A steel bottle weights 17 lb empty. So not a lot of weight savings IMO. Unless I'm missing something.

 

Which one did you check? They've got several sizes. I like their smallest size too because of the compactness. More filling though

 

The 20 lb ones

 

The 11lb bottle is 9lbs empty. That's their small one. If I can find someone local to fill I think I'm gonna get one. We could probably get a group buy with enough interest.

 

Now you just need one of these to house those baby's.

 

I just purchased some of these today.

 

We have three of the 30lb bottles here that we sold as Ragasco brand before they propped up the Viking brand. Awesome bottles and I wish I could get more but it looks like they stopped at the 22lb bottles due to lack of interest. Lighter than steel, translucent, and never rust.

When you swap out a bottle at the store you are not getting 20lb of LPG. The three main providers nationwide fill to either 12 or 15lbs. It's allot cheaper to take your own and get them filled.

 

Count me in. I got mine out of the body shop from having those straightened out last week

 

You probably know this... Just a side note, Ragasco is based in Norway, so the Viking branding is very apropos.

 

My uncle uses them on his sailboat. Better in a saltwater environment than traditional ones.

 

@3378jakesr5
I'm out on the possible group buy for the Total Chaos Stiffeners.
ORW is having a 10% off + free shipping labor day sale, jumped on that. The item isn't on their website, had to call to order.

 

Thanks for the info guys. I have some other stuff mounted there so I'll have to figure out something else.

 

I'd be interested.

 

Got my ARB transit bag for my fridge on today.. really happy with it and recommend it to anyone with a fridge!

 

I have this setup with the bag and it's great. Still have to make a slide for it, but this worked for the day trip I used it on.

 

Hmm. I just got mine and I have left it I the back of the truck for a couple days just to test it and it wasn't struggling to keep temps with the bag. One day it must have been 100+ with the humidity and for the most part it was okay. I have mine continually running on a second battery when I'm using it. I'll have to keep an eye on it. Good thing is, from what I have researched is they can be repaired pretty reasonably. Hopefully I don't regret not getting an arb lol.

Edit: fridge is set to 37'f as a reference for ya.

 

I managed to get my wife onboard with the plans to modify the Tacoma into an overland style vacation rig. She even agreed an expensive fridge is better than an expensive cooler and having everything wet all the time. Now it's just a matter of time and money to piece everything together.

Today I installed a Blue Sea auxiliary fuse block in the rear of the bed and a panel with a 12v outlet, dual USB charger and voltage gauge. Right now it's powered off the primary battery but the wiring is routed to make it simple to cut and install new terminals once I buy the Off-grid Engineering battery mount and isolator.

 

Back of the truck in the bed. I had mine set to 37 and it was holding around 36 in the back of the bed running and what not. My second battery is run off a solar panel so it gets constant power all the time as there's no voltage drop (atleast after three days that I tested continually running iT-charges during the daytime, and at night the battery has enough charge to keep the fridge going all night) Don't know if this is a possibility, but could your second battery be draining and the fridge shuts off, causing it to have issues holding temps? Especially when parked and the second battery not charging for long times.

 

Thanks for those pics. Seriously thinking this could be a wise mod with a cap and prinsu and RTT. Adding some large fender washers or even a backing plate of some sort could be beneficial for reducing stresses from these holes and for adding even more strength for loads secured to the stiffener's eyes.

 

The 2005 Tacoma's had a design defect that caused stress cracking in the bed pillars. I learned this in 2010, and made this comparative photo to show the differences.



Yesterday I took a square to my bed uprights and they are still straight. I have had a shell (estimated 125 lb) for four years now, and at carry up to 125 lb on the roof rack when loading out for trips. So far so good.

I'm thinking the bed stiffeners are still a very good idea. I may have a welder make some with a variation, I need the gussets to be on the outside edge vs. inside.

And I like your idea of the fender washers. I'd want a little more back there for my comfort.