Hondo Garage's New Thing

@Quadabaum - We recently got a V6 Tacoma and it didn't have more than 200 miles on it before we installed the camper, so I can't really make a comparison but I can say that my average mpg for the highway portions of the trip was about 14 mpg. That's with the camper, a lift, 32" tires, and driving 75-80 mph.

And that video is funny. I think one of those "new product" sites made that.

 

All work. Somebody had to camp in this thing... for science.

The trip was a ton of fun as Baja always is. I ended up putting in about 2000 miles of dirt road and trail driving down there, which was the most valuable part of the research. It's the constant rattles that kill campers down there and that's what I was trying to do, rattle it apart. So besides the fact that it was a very comfortable 27 nights, I'm happiest that nothing on the camper loosened up, nothing started to rattle, and nothing fell off

 

I thought about this and perhaps using a section of PVC cut in half and mount it to the leading face of the camper so as to provide some sort of "aero" instead of the wind just hitting flat surface. But a deflector would suffice as well.

 

IDK what you are all complaining about. 14mpg is good from a truck for the stuff we do. Its loaded down, driving at speed and doing offroad shit. MPGs should be a concern, your in the wrong hobby for that shit haha

 

Yeah if i got that i was stoked.

No...IDGAF anymore so never bother keeping track haha

 

Driving a stock truck at 75-80 I’ve seen 14-16 mpg. I’d hope at 65-70 it’s better (I’m usually around 20-21 stock).

Sure people don’t buy a truck for fuel economy but the difference between 14 and 18 is pretty huge on a long trip. That’s about 24 extra gallons on a 1500 mile trip. Which is two more fill ups.

Doesn’t seem like much until you are doing 500-1000 miles per day. Then fuel range matters a lot more.

 

No it doesn't.

Its smiles per gallon..not miles per gallon.

 

@ace7196 - So weight makes a difference in stop and go driving (because it takes more power to accelerate more weight) and aerodynamics makes a difference at highway speeds. Larger tires can also make a huge impact on mpg because it hits you in both places, more weight to accelerate and much more wind resistance. So if you want more miles per gallon then the following things (in order of amount of impact) will pay off:

• Drive 65
• Smaller tires
• No lift
• No roof rack bars or items on roof
  
• GFC wind deflector

I too was actually pretty impressed with 14 mpg because even though I pack light I have pretty much the biggest tire you can stuff without a cab mount chop, probably about 2.5" of lift, I drive fast, and I had two surfboards strapped to the roof. Worst case scenario for highway driving efficiency.

 

Definitely love what you're building, and I love seeing what people are doing/building/modding, even if I'd never do it myself. Eventually, I'd like to do some overlanding, however I don't think I'll ever build my truck out into an offroad monster. It's my daily driver, so I'd like to keep it simple. In the shorter term, I may end up selling my camper trailer for a full blown truck camper, which I can always easily remove and store. I may leverage experience with that to consider what I really need and what is a luxury.

I'll keep following your work, and I hope you're very successful!

 

I actually feel pretty comfortable with your 14mpg. If you have all of that and got 14mpg then I should be golden. I am still completely stock and when my stock tires wear out and i upgrade tires I am going slightly larger but same width so shouldnt be much impact. I dont plan on lifting in the near future. I want to experience the stock capability before all of these mods so I am focusing more on going out on adventures and investing in gear for adventures (hence my interest in the GFC). I expect that I will be able to get 18-20mpg with the GFC, given my driven habits and build.

 

That's why this will be a perfect fit for my needs. I live in Anchorage and during the summer I'll be driving 400-500 miles each weekend to hit different rivers for salmon fishing. I don't do any overlanding so stock tires and no lift for me. I can't wait to have this option for an enclosed cap and a sleeping platform up top. I can lock up my fishing gear in the back when I head to work on Friday and then hit the road for a weekend of fishing. So stoked to drive down to MT and get mine installed. Already have some time off planned so I can camp and hike in Canada on my way back to Alaska. Also making plans to get my truck on a ferry and shipping it to Kodiak island for a week of river fishing.

 

I am currently running cab-high shell with Yak towers and round bars. For about a year, I also had an RTT that went across the US and back plus many high Sierra and desert trips from my home at sea level. Honestly, I’m not sure my mpg is any better with the RTT gone ... headwinds, winter gas, and normal driving variations seem to make more difference. I averaged just over 21 mpg coast-to-coast and back with the RTT, including many 2 lane and dirt side trips, stock V6 TRD 4wd 3rd gen. So, I wouldn’t expect the GFC to make much difference unless you add something on top of the rack.

 

I have no idea. Never listened to the radio and don't have XM. I can check radio reception tomorrow though.

 

Asking the hard questions....did you stump Graeme? haha

 

I temporarily mounted a large RTT that shadowed but didn’t really overhang the shark fin antenna. It definitely made XM reception worse, depending on satellite orientation relative to truck orientation (seemed worse northbound in California). No noticeable effect on FM or GPS reception.
Edit: solved the problem by not renewing XM when the free trial ran out. Too many commercials.

 

Satellite radio doesn’t work up here in Alaska so I’m good either way.

 

Well, it stumped Wiley As the website says, you can't stump Graeme.

 

Dont worry guys, I have an answer. Its in here somewhere... http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:443745/fulltext04

Its Saturday and i'm a little busy, so I didn't have time to re-read the thesis and reference the right page, but I am sure you can find it.

 

Who do we get to translate that?

 

just noticed this thread; i like the design philosophy, as it allows a kayak or otherwise to be attached to the roof rack while travelling, retains the pickup box function to configure however I'd like; to carry gear, and camp, use for work, or carry a load to the dump.

Some thoughts that came to mind, and apologies in advance if they've already been mentioned.

It would be cool to have a simple awning system attachable. I'm thinking the side aluminum extrusion for the popup to have a channel where an awning could be easily added, to either side, or even the rear to expand the usable space in inclement weather or as a sun shade. (except the strut might be in the way...hmmm, would have to attach under the ) I'm thinking of a radius channel, where a companion round material that clamps one edge of weather proof material is slid into the channel, from an open end of the channel. (I see the current extrusion is more of a T slot) Add some stiffener assembly to the edges / underside of the awning material, such as your carbon stays; pop in some adjustable vertical supports to grommets at the outside edge of the stiffeners or the awning material, a couple of guy lines down to ground anchors to hold it taught. In other words not a heavier self supporting awning, but simple and light weight, that is removed, rolled up when not in use, protective sleeve maybe over the material/assembly and clipped to the inside of the space frame for travelling. If you know you won't need the awning, then you can leave it at home, and its not permanently hanging off the outside of the frame where it could get damaged.
example : http://store.adventuretrailers.com/nemo/

As for the side panels over the space frame, would tinted lexan be an idea? Allow light in, yet lightweight, and when all closed up, difficult to see in. Challenge is the added pinstriping over time would not look so good.