Hondo Garage's New Thing

Has anyone installed their frame savers yet? Is there a right/wrong way of doing it? I’m assuming there isn’t, just wanted to be safe. @wileydavis?

 

thanks. Im 39 years old and all I've ever driven were Toyotas. Im coming off of a 3rd gen 4runner and this is my second Tacoma, first was a 2003. Best trucks made! Im digging Tacoma World and all it offers and all the good folks contributing! This GFC get up is something exciting. What a great product.

 

That's about right. The small hole toward the top and tht flat section somewhat parallel to the bed rail. As long as the striker plate doesn't stick past the top of the tube it should be fine.

 

I can't believe we sent those out with the graphics on backward

 

The added thickness of the frame saver is giving me some trouble when I try and latch it down and isn’t allowing me to close it all the way. am I supposed to remove anything or adjust anything else? @wileydavis

 

The picture posted with them installed looked like the small bolt/nut was removed.

 

The latch adjuster bolt needs to be removed.

 

Awesome just the info I needed! Thanks Wiley and @crazysccrmd !

 

Anyone has some built interiors yet for these?

 

Good Morning Tacoma World, with my GFC completed and delivery a few weeks away I'm scrambling to set up a few last minute things for my camping setup so everything is at least here and ready to go when my GFC arrives.

I'm wondering if and how anyone made any penetrations through their GFC to run wires, cables, ext? My thought is to be able to hook solar to the roof into a battery in the bed? Is there a good clean solution that I'm not seeing? or do I have to drill? or perhaps run the cable down the back window area than up into the bed from the bottom?

Anyone do anything that involves electrical cables going through the GFC? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

What do you mean by built interiors? Like a Goose Gear setup? Not that has been show on here or IG that I've seen, a lot of people, myself included are trying to keep weight down a bit and have some flexibility.

I have a decked drawer system in my bed now and plan on mounting my fridge slide/ a house battery/ and a 5lb propane tank inside my bed and that's it. An action packer across the back to hold bedding held down with a strap. Everything else I have either goes in my drawer system or mounted to the platform in my back seat (I have a Double Cab)

My plan was to keep in minimal in there so there was room to get around if I need too. 5ft bed is pretty damn small to build much else. If you haven't already there are some cool videos from AT Habitat and Goose Gear showing a serious "mini-camper" build. Again not my style but if you've got the money you could do a lot worse. Good luck.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...5BA5BEE2399B9831CF015BA5BEE2399B&&FORM=VRDGAR

Linky to video.

 

That’s a nice set up! Heavy like you said. Pretty minimal what you can do for extras at the 5ft bed but I’m sure in the LB Tacoma to Tundra we will see some builds with the couch that flips down into a spare single bed.

Do you guys think eyelets at four corners connected to the side track system would be strong enough to use a garage hoist system like Racor for storage?

 

No. Don’t hang it from the extrusions. 250 lbs is quite a bit. Simple 4x4 frame would be more than enough. Bolt your eyelets through the boards.

 

Here is my logic, tell me if I'm wrong. The roof rack brackets and bars are advertised to be capable of handling loads up to 500 lbs. Why not locate a bar at the very front and back and attach there to lift. The GFC weighs a lot less than 500 lbs.

 

They originally quoted me $700 to color match the panels, at the time of putting down my deposit. By the time they were ready to start building mine, they were saying it would be around $1200. I really wanted the color match, but I couldn’t justify $1200 for color-matched panels.

 

Not yet. Trying to figure out the same thing now. Solar panel for the roof, but I don’t want to mount it permanently. Only use it for trips. I was actually thinking of holes in the bed of the truck for running wires instead of the gfc. Still trying to figure it out.

 

I'll have a couple of 100W panels and mount them on the front of the top with the rack. Will lead the wire along the extrusion and down the space between the GFC and the cab to the underbody. I'll find a way into the bed from there.

 

Another weekend out in the GFC. Took it on one of the most famous technical trails here in Colorado, and didn't feel hindered by it at all.



Scenic way home:

IMG_1614 by Brett Bjorgum, on Flickr



Here's a few small issues I've noticed after having it for a month now:

Front panel is rubbing slightly against the window trim on the back of the cab. Probably not a huge deal, but I'll be keeping an eye on it. And yes, I have fairly new poly cab mount bushings, so that's not the issue. Just a little too tight I think for the 1st gen.



There's a section in the front right corner that I can see quite a bit of light through. Looks like the seal was cut a little short.



Possibly related - I was sitting in the bed during a rain storm this weekend, with the side panels closed, and I had water dripping off one of the mounting bolts for the tent, albeit on the opposite side. Not sure where that was coming from.

Last, it's evident the nuts in the frame were sealed for power coating, which is good, but then nothing put in their place. They're starting to rust. Could also mean moisture getting to the inside of the tube structure. I'll buy a handful of bolts to seal these up, but would like to have seen these filled from the factory.

 

Great info and amazing pictures.