trlfrk's Rocky Mountain Build ('16 silver OR DCSB)

I love the new pictures with the tent on! I'm getting antsy waiting for my RTT to arrive from CVT...
How was Overland Expo? My company was represented, but I had to stay back and help keep things going.

 

Thanks for the info - Truck looks great!

 

Regarding my bed rack... I've had a few folks ask about it so, I wanted to provide a bit more detail. I actually chose my tent before choosing my bed rack, and struggled to find pictures of and ideas for how to mount my XL Tepui on my short bed truck.

I mixed and matched bed rack parts with RCI. So, this bed rack consists of side braces and top brace from a long bed taco bed rack. The three cross members are the same regardless of bed length, obviously. The two cross members closest to the cab are still mounted in the bed rails, but the last cross member is mounted to the composite bed directly, using existing holes-- see pic. Because of the shape of the bed rack and the composite bed right near that hole, I had to grind the composite bed in order for the rack to fit flush. Also, I didn't grind too much, but ended up with 3 washers in between the bed rack and the composite bed.

Its worked perfectly. I did this because I have an XL tepui tent (72x48x12, closed) and I wanted it fully supported. I've pretty much centered it front to back on the bed and it's worked really well, and the rear overhang of the tent isn't too noticeable.

 

Thanks!! It's finally coming together, bit by bit. Overland Expo was pretty awesome, except for the wind, which was really bad at times. Tons of cool trucks, plenty of tacos for sure. Everyone was friendly and helpful. what is your company?

Expedition Overland stole the show-- biggest booth by far, they were mic'd up and telling stories, answering questions, pretty cool.

Two vendors I did NOT see there were rotopax and maxtrax. I actually have bones to pick with rotopax, as two of my 3 rotopax are leaking, including the gasonline one. I literally had to carry around this leaky rotopax all week in sedona. I learned that rotopax are extremely difficult to fully empty into the taco gas tank... The angle just doesn't allow gravity to pull all the gas out.. tried everything....ended up dumping on my campfire (eh, before it was lit). For the price, I expected perfection-- I may just cancel the whole rotopax plan in favor of something else. Pissed.

 

Nice build, where in CO you are, i am looking to hookup with locals and do some overlanding and some moab trips, done few solo but would be cool to hang out with local crowd, i am located around Loveland CO area.

 

Thanks, and same to you! It's been fun, but expensive, man!

I'm south of metro in Castle Rock, but I'm down with any trails along the front range or in the mountains as well as moab. I've got a week planned in the san juans in august, then probably plenty of (long?) weekend trips between now and then.

CO native here, but never really explored ft. collins/boulder/loveland/steamboat area trails and would love to see a few of those this summer too.

I'll post any trip notices to see if you can get free, etc.

 

Definitely, i might be up for august trip to San Juan, love that place, ouray silverton did it last year was total blast.

 

Great build man!

 

I work for en expedition vehicle company just north of the Denver metro area (EarthRoamer).

I love the XO crew, hate their videos (only because I'm not out and about enough on my own adventure).

I'm interested to hear if you get anything resolved with Rotopax, I was thinking of adding a couple, but my just start in a different direction.

You said part of your choice for the Boss lift was due to rebuildable. Do you know what the maintenance schedule is for the boss units and or what all is entailed?

 

Wow-- dream job, eh? Very nice.

I realized I purchased the rotopax from 4wd.com, and they are willing to replace it-- I'm shipping it to them today (took a few days to get rid of the gas small-- don't want that in the mail). So, we should be good.

I don't know the schedule. Probably more based on wear/use? I take it in to RSG pretty regularly and will ask them again, but I would think within a year or two. I believe thye have a guy who'll do it (not in house) for 150 per coilover.

 

Maxtrax mounted. I always thought I would mount the maxtrax to the bed rack, but they don't fit easily (um, at all, without drilling more holes) on my RCI bed rack. I kind of like how I've set up my bed rack now anyway (axe, shovel, extinguisher on pass side, rotopax on driver side), so the recovery gear will stay in the truck. This will make day trips safer; when I don't have the bed rack/RTT mounted I'll still have recovery gear mounted in the bed (high lift, max trax) or under seats (straps, tire kit).

I used:
(2) 3/8 hex bolts
(2) bed rail track mounting plates from my RCI bed rack (unused because my last cross member actually mounts to the bed, not the rail-- see above).
(2) threaded plastic nobs that are a little easier to remove quickly.
(1) Lockless monster cable. This is how I lock down everything in my bed when the bed rack & tent are on (all other times the Extang solid fold 2.0 is covering the bed).

 

Still rubbing front right fender near the body mount, but on the plastic wheel well cover. It is interesting to me how much the alignment affects whether it rubs... RSG had it dialed in perfect, then I hit a huge rock on the beginning of Broken Arrow in Sedona. I just didn't see the rock. Totally threw out the alignment. Had it re-aligned by a great guy right in sedona (Mike's Alignment), drives straight, but rubs front right under heavy tweaking. Need to take back to RSG to have them get it back like it was.

 

What are your thoughts on the Boss lift? Hows on and off road driving? Deciding between Boss2.5 or an OME kit.

 

Nice build! I love the OEM OR wheels fitted with spacers and new tires; IMO looks better than the majority of aftermarket wheels.

**I see you mentioned you are considering new gears after adding the 285's. What has the driving/accelerating/shifting MPG experience been like with the stock gearing and 285's???

 

Thanks!! Agreed

I'm honestly not too sure about gears yet... The only time I notice the difference vs stock is flooring it from a dead stop, which I try not to do anyway. It's just a little lower. Since max torque is a little higher in the rev range on this truck anyway, these tires don't make me want gears that badly. The only other time is in 4 high (sometimes feels underpowered). I have yet to feel like I need different gears when in 4 low.

HOWEVER, since the clamshell bearing is going out, and thus the axle/front diff needs to be torn apart anyway, I'd rather not pay labor twice and just get gears (and or air locker) all at once instead of paying for that labor again later...

I hadn't really checked the diff in MPG til you asked, so I went and looked. my average is now 13mpg, whereas, pre lift and tires it was 15.7. The tent and rack have been on since the lift too, and I've spent way more time off road, so a little skewed, but there you have it!

 

No complaints. In fact, I love it.

 

Im confused? Im doing the same tent also with a short bed. Do I just need to order the long bed rack?

 

not necessarily. I wanted as much of the tent supported as possible. You'll find that a whole lot of the tent is unsupported if you go with the short bed rack. Still doable. I just didn't want to risk it.

 

Is that what you did, or is it just part of your rack that's for a long bed? Thanks for the time, also, I haven't talk to them yet but they don't have the aluminum one online if I call them are they supplying that if you ask ?

 

Their long bed and short bed racks are essentially the same except for 2 things:
1). I think the long bed racks come with two top braces instead of one (I think). I don't have this. I just have one.
2). the long bed rack side panels are longer. that's what stretches this distance between the 3 cross members. I have these side panels from the long bed rack.

They can probably arrange aluminum for you. Josh (owner) told me I got the first aluminum one. That was a couple months ago-- so I imagine they're pumping them out now.