Vagabond Drifter Camper Buildout and Mods

I have seen some discussion on bed stiffeners and brands. Which one provides enough support that doesn't intrude on the floor build out... Thoughts?

 

I know the preference seems to be to use the KB Voodoo Caps (which I have already) or the new Relentless ones through VO, but is anyone using the KB Voodoo tailgate cap as well? Are there any issues to be aware of with it or anything in terms of different tailgate caps & mating with the rear door of the Drifter for a nice tight seal?

 

I have the Rago Fab ones (for 3rd gen), and would consider them to be as un-intrusive as possible while still doing the job they're intended for.

 

Total Chaos is what we recommend because we personally have used them and are a dealer as well.

I added mine after my bed had already cracked. It’s held it together. No further cracking and very easy to install. It also offers many points of contact so there’s a lot of surface area to offer strength.

 

Thanks so much!

 

X2 for the hatch light. I have the same type of lighting set up and it works great.

 

We placed our order a little over two weeks ago now so we have lots of painful waiting to do. I’ve been drooling over these forums which I’m not sure if it’s keeping me stoked or making the wait more brutal. We already have a buildout in our bed with our topper and plan to keep it as is when we get the Drifter. Will be interesting to see how it functions and what we’ll inevitably tweak, because we’re all in here because we love the projects just as much as the adventures. And full disclosure: this is a ‘14 Frontier Pro-4X, but this is the place to be for Drifters!!!

 

Both.

Are you a long or short bed?

 

Short. My husband and I are both fairly short, and since we live in SW Utah having a favorable breakover angle is worth sacrificing a foot in length.

 

Congratulations! You won’t regret it. This is indeed the Drifter place.

 

Anyone put a lithium battery in their engine bay as their secondary house battery? I originally thought about in the bed as a true house battery but figured if the space is available up front why not?

I know about the temperature for Lithium batteries (135F max before it shuts down according to Battleborn and not too cold for which they sell a heat blanket) and I know the issues with the battery weight on the fender well but am hoping the reduced weight will negate that concern.

Can it be done? Has it been done?

 

@Overlanerd knows someone who did. you'll have to use a lithium approved charger, i think the guy used the redarc BCDC charger.

 

What type of Lithium battery?

This chart is for a Lithium IRON Phosphate. This type has different characteristics than a normal Lithium Ion (Li-Ion).

 

I see the text says LiFePo4, but doesn't the bottom diagram, with the red arrow, say Lithium Ion

 

The diagram attempts to clarify "Lithium Ion" as "LiFePO4" which is lithium iron phosphate. But unfortunately, this is misleading since chemistries are not the same. Li Ion has higher energy density, but LiFePO4 chemistries are a little more forgiving in higher drain applications, have 4-5x more charge cycles, and less likely to explode when you f*** up.

Ideally, whatever lithium battery solution someone goes with, it'll have a BMS (Battery management system) and it won't matter. On the off chance it doesn't, there is a difference in charging profiles between Li-Ion vs LiFePO4 since Li-Ion cells have 3.6-3.7v nominal vs the 3.2-3.3v of LiFePO4.

 

This is my plan. https://battlebornbatteries.com/shop/12v-lifepo4-deep-cycle-battery/ The concern from Battleborn was just the possible high temperature. Overall seems to be the best battery overall for lifepo4, BMS, warranty, local support, on and on.

Then a Redarc setup like this https://adventure-ready.com/store/m...l-battery-complete-system-for-3rd-gen-tacoma/ or a hand built setup.

 

iz cheaps

https://www.gowesty.com/product/electrical/25082/lifepo_aux_battery-50ah

 

Saving 40% would be nice. Lose the space savings though and your max current is cut in half (if you would actually ever use it) which is doubtful for what most all of us would use these for.

Definitely going to take a deeper look into these. Thanks for the link.

 

It’s interesting that they recommend “dumb” chargers on their batteries.

 

The battery is about half the size. If you really want to get the space, you can just shuck the outer casing and make your own with polycarbonate or something.

If you're referring to the Gowesty, it's because of the BMS.