Igor: Double Cab 4x4. Frankenstein's Helper

I assume(d) most exhaust shops deal with larger diameter, thin wall tubing on equipment that wouldn't be able to handle heavier wall DOM tube

 

Oh. He had a hydraulic bender and two 1.75" dies. Think he does more then exhaust. I know the family did or still does do racing too

 

$7 StarTech.com 2m Cord - A to Down Angle Micro B - Down Angled Micro USB Cable - 1x USB A (M), 1x USB Micro B (M) - Black (USBAUB2MD), 2m / 6 Feet

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EBGGXS2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1Build Update:

Command Center

Okay so in prep for my trip to Utah. I needed to get the cab ready. I added my Ham radio back in and got a real mount for the face plate. Added a tablet for navigation. A mount for a second phone to run APRS off of. And power for the second phone and tablet. Plus a second Ham radio for the APRS, two antennas to the roof and the CB radio antenna out back.

I haven't gotten the CB yet, but its just a Uinden 520xlpro. Goes in the ash tray and is a common mod so not really gonna show how to do that.

The rest of this though, i am. Pretty happy with how the cab works, everything can be seen easily and reached easily. But isn't in the way either.

So lets start, there is a lot to cover.

Lets start with the Ham radio stuff, as most won't really know what this is or much care for it haha

I bought this mount from Panovise

$30 Panavise Custom InDash Mount for Toyota Tacoma '98-04

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00020D81Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Its a nice looking mount. Custom bent for our trucks

IgorsCommandCenter-31.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-32.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


installation is pretty straight forward. Need to open up the center section of the dash. Im not going to show how to do that as I did in my last update and that isn't a big job anyways. Just remove the top right screw off the radio mount and slip the bracket on.

IgorsCommandCenter-33.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-34.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

The mount comes with another screw to screw into the dash.

IgorsCommandCenter-35.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Replace the dash, which is a tad tricky with the bracket to get the snap clip in by the bracket. Need to do it an odd angle but itll go it.

IgorsCommandCenter-36.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-37.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then i bought this Ram Ball mount: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004O8LF26/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It lines up absolutely perfectly with the Panovise mount. Just needed to go buy some M5 button bolts and nuts to go with it and bolted it on.

IgorsCommandCenter-39.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

This works out great for me as my face plate has a Ram mount already made for it from Frankenstein. This makes swapping my main Ham radio, a Icom 5100, very easy. Hold the face plate well.

IgorsCommandCenter-40.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

It isn't as stable as i would have hoped. I don't think a tablet would work well on here.

Then it was time to mount antennas.

Which means dropping the headline and drilling two 3/4'' holes in the roof....

IgorsCommandCenter-7.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-8.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-9.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

As you can see, the paint if fucked on my roof for some reason..

anyways. Ran the cables down and plugged shit in.

This is the bottom of a Nimo Mount. The most common type of antenna mount for ham users.

IgorsCommandCenter-10.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

This is the top.

IgorsCommandCenter-11.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

And the two antennas.

IgorsCommandCenter-12.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

For APRS im using another hacked Motorola GM300 radio with a Mobilinkd TNC interfacing with a DroidX phone running APRSDroid. Since i didn't want to swap two radios over all the time and we had another GM300 i bolted it down behind the rear seats.

IgorsCommandCenter.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Which is a good place to show the phone mount for the DroidX. As i said im running APRSDroid, the OSM build with a fully built off line mount of the USA. No cell service needed which is good because this phone doesn't get cell service anymore.

Now i have the Magnetic Steelie ball mount already but i knew that wouldn't work for this. So I got an idea an ran with it. I decided to use a Ram mount off the A pillar.

So i ordered the following parts:

Ram mount arm:

$29 RAM Mounts Composite Double Socket Swivel & Ratchet Arm RAP-B-200-2U Compatible with RAM B Size 1" Ball Components

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009SX0J88/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ram mount stud mount Ball:

$15 RAM Mounts RAM-B-367U Motorcycle Handlebar Clamp Base with M8 Bolts with B Size 1" Ball

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005J43I56/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

X Brace Ram mount:

$39 RAM Mounts X-Grip Universal Phone Holder with Ball RAM-HOL-UN7BU with B Size 1" Ball

https://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Holde...rd_wg=K4mLf&psc=1&refRID=RXVE1D5KS6WJC3MNWKBX

The rubber tether for the X Brace:

Texel WebGrip Security Tether Cradle Support Black (00-90001-00)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014GW7KJ6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So my plan was to mount it off the A Pillar using the lower mounting bolt.

IgorsCommandCenter-13.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Just pop off the covers with some sort of blade to access the M6 bolts holding on the Oh Shit handle.

IgorsCommandCenter-14.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-15.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

I took off the cover to make sure stuff would clear, namely a USB wire for charging.

IgorsCommandCenter-16.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Takes some effort to remove but pops right off.

IgorsCommandCenter-17.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Sadly, the supplied bolts do not work. They are M8s and the toyota bolts are m6. So i made a trip to the hardware store and got a bolt. Plus a few other odds and ends.

The ball isn't tall enough so i needed a spacer to lift it off the truck more. Got a nylon spacer for the bottom of it. Then i got a lock washer and a flat washer plus another spacer to make the bolt stand out to allow a socket to get on it. If you don't get a top spacer then you cant tighten the bolt down enough. Why?

this:

IgorsCommandCenter-18.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

You can see i tried but the steel ring on the inside of the ball stops the 10mm socket just short. So you can't get the bolt tight enough and it will spin.

This was my arrangement and final solution to making this work.

IgorsCommandCenter-24.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

75mm M6 bolt
1/2'' long 1/4'' center nylon spacer
Ram Ball
M6 Lock washer
M6flat washer
3/16''x1/8'' center nylon spacer, i had to drill out the center to 1/4''


Worked great.

Make sure there is a flat washer or the nylon spacer will get chewed up by the lock washer.

IgorsCommandCenter-25.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Rested like this

IgorsCommandCenter-26.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-27.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

But i could get the socket on it now! And the bolt sucked down enough it wouldn't intrude on the balls function.

IgorsCommandCenter-28.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-29.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then put the phone mount together.

IgorsCommandCenter-19.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-20.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


Fits great! I do wish the top arm was just a touch longer to push it back further.

IgorsCommandCenter-22.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-23.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Now for Navigation.

I bought the Mob Armor X mount Per @SconnieHailer recommendation: http://mobarmor.com/mob-x/

Pretty nice mount

IgorsCommandCenter.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-2.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

And Samsung Tab4 off of ebay for cheap. Also Marc recommendation

IgorsCommandCenter-3.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Fit perfectly.

IgorsCommandCenter-4.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then i bought Backcountry Navigator for the app. Super handy and so far been liking it.

Installing the mount is..well..easy. And filament is perfect i think..

IgorsCommandCenter-5.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-6.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then i didn't want a bunch of damn UBS cables hanging all over the dash having to charge three devices or more. So i bought some 2m UBS cables with 90º mini ends.

$7 StarTech.com 2m Cord - A to Down Angle Micro B - Down Angled Micro USB Cable - 1x USB A (M), 1x USB Micro B (M) - Black (USBAUB2MD), 2m / 6 Feet

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EBGGXS2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

IgorsCommandCenter-46.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-47.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Ran the first down in between the A pillar and dash. It popped right out down below.

IgorsCommandCenter-48.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then had to cut a slit in the rubber cover of the Oh shit handle.

IgorsCommandCenter-54.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

make sure to feed the wire through the A pillar cover before putting it through the Oh shit handle.

IgorsCommandCenter-55.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

The cable lays nice in it all though.

IgorsCommandCenter-56.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

And bam! Cable out the A pillar.

IgorsCommandCenter-57.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Bolt the mount back up and check the wiring length to make sure it fits.

IgorsCommandCenter-58.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Love how the 90º fitting looks. Super clean.

IgorsCommandCenter-59.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-60.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Once the length was good I ran it along with my switch wiring under the steering column.

IgorsCommandCenter-49.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Pushed it up through the same spot as the switch wiring harness i showed in my Bussman install. And it dropped right out the bottom! Super easy!

IgorsCommandCenter-50.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

The tablet one was a bitch. I shoved my hand into the dash and some how was able to get it to squeeze in between the dash and the defroster vent and THEN shove it up through the vent slots. Was a bitch..

IgorsCommandCenter-51.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-52.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

But was worth it I think. Dropped it back down by the other cable.

IgorsCommandCenter-53.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Since the vent was pinching it so much i set the length and put the lower dash cover back on coiling up the slack and zip tying it up out of the way.

Then let the cable sit out and left enough to plug into this triple USB Charger i got locally.

IgorsCommandCenter-63.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-64.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Ignore the gray plug. I forgot to plug the 12v sockets back in haha

The third USB is for the TNC in the back of the truck. Also 90º ends on both sides and 3m long.

And Viola! Command center with navigation and communication!

IgorsCommandCenter-65.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Pretty happy with the setup. Will get to test it myself soon in all it glory.


And finally. the CB. Im using a BAMF rear mount i got from a friend. I modified it though to take a nimo mount.

IgorsCommandCenter-41.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-42.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-43.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-44.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
IgorsCommandCenter-45.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Not sure i love it. Don't know where else to put the CB antenna right now though. The mount isn't my favorite though. Either rubs the tailgate bad or make it hard to close.

 

Badass!

 

for some reason i was thinking APRSdroid is a TNC..... but i guess thats not correct sense you have it hooked up to the mobilinked. So is APRS droid just a interface i guess?

 

APRSdroid is the Android app you use. The TNC is a little piece of hardware that communicates with the phone via bluetooth and then to the radio via a cable. The TNC is like the interface. The Phone is the GPS and GUI interface.

 

Dude. That is a nice electronics setup. I'm going to have to bookmark this page and pretend that I'm going to make something nice like it for my truck. Also, having been off this site for a long while, your mod posts have gotten really good! Nice detail!

 

Thanks! I just want to share and be through to help out.

 

Really cool looking setup. I like the mounts but I don't think I could deal with having anything taking up windshield space, everything I mount goes below the dash. That icom looks like a cool radio. Is the panavise unstable or is the ball mount you attached to it, really like the panavise mount location.

 

The ram phone mount off the a pillar doesn't bother me. My ditch lights are still more in the way then that. The tablet..yea okay. But it's removable so won't have it on unless needed.

And what? I'm confused as to what you're asking?...the panavise mount is mostly stable. Would be great for cellphones. I think tablets would be too much though. The ram ball is rock solid. I really like the ram ball stuff.

 

You answered what I was wondering. I was thinking of mounting a tablet to the panavise because I wanted something dedicated for navigation and music storage (gotta have my FLAC)

 

Ahh gotcha. Idk. My tab4 might be fine. But it's a small and light tablet. A full size tablet idk about.

 

Slapped some shock industries sound deadener down in the foot wells. New tires are too loud. And my dad had some left over. Plan on getting the ram audio stuff later for the doors and more. Hopefully this will help a bit for now.

 

Love that stuff, maxx's are too loud???

 

For me. I'll admit I'm sensitive to noise though being an audio guy. But they aren't as quiet as what Id hoped for. My dads hankook ATMs are what Id hoped for. Those things are quiet. They'd have plenty of noise. Km2 like

 

Headed to moab! Mostly utah. Can follow my progress by going to aprs.fi and searching KG7LSU.

 

Made it back! No major damage or anything. 1000 miles of dirt roads traveled in 2 weeks. Been on the road for 15 days.

Have many things to update here. Will happen in the coming weeks.

 

Where is your airbag switch?

 

I thought the newer models used a weight sensor in the seat to determine if activating the airbag was appropriate.

 

interesting.