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Vagabond Drifter Camper Buildout and Mods

Discussion in 'Bay Area Metal Fabrication' started by MTNHABITOVERLAND, Mar 27, 2018.

  1. Apr 8, 2020 at 9:31 AM
    #3141
    4wdExplorer

    4wdExplorer Well-Known Member

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    Thanks not hard at all to make these work. Hows the powdercoat quality on the Voodoo caps? Few years ago they had horrible PC. I think that changed not, but not sure. Also I think they went with aluminum instead of steel.

    Might go with relentless during the installation of my Drifter. I'm over 1 year now and still waiting...
     
    Anderson likes this.
  2. Apr 8, 2020 at 9:34 AM
    #3142
    SenatorBlutarsky

    SenatorBlutarsky Well-Known Member

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    MountainBikeRdr likes this.
  3. Apr 8, 2020 at 9:49 AM
    #3143
    MJonaGS32

    MJonaGS32 MJ on a GS

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    Drifter wedge camper, Dual battery, OBA, ARB locker, 4.56 gears
    I got my KB voodoo caps when they first became aluminum. I had heard about the PC problems prior, but this was before anyone else had a bed cap option. Anyway, I think because they were aluminum they did better with the PC. idk, I just know that I have had ZERO issues with them, and a lot of people that had the steel version had a ton of problems. Or maybe I just had good luck? Who knows.
     
    4wdExplorer[QUOTED] likes this.
  4. Apr 8, 2020 at 9:59 AM
    #3144
    Twizted

    Twizted 1GR FE

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    stock af, but hover if you think you disagree... RV living: Vagabond Drifter (6' bed) Custom bed cabinet buildout 175w Renogy solar panel 40a Rich Solar MPPT solar controller 1000w Wagan Pure Line inverter Lavaner Pro 2kw diesel heat exchanger Suspension/wheels: Toytec Aluma 2.5 front shocks with resis 13x700 coils (soon 14x700) Toytec Aluma 2.5 rear shocks SPC UCAs Deaver Stage 3 rear leaf springs Wheeler's 3 degree axle shims Wheeler's U-bolt flip Wheeler's Super Bumpstops 18"x9" XD Monster (x5) 275/75/18 Cooper ST MAXX (x5) EBC Stage 3 pads/rotors Electronics: Kenwood DNX773S iDatalink - Maestro RR Stubby Antenna No-name Switchback LEDs Hella Sharptone horns (no relay) Relocated backup camera w/DIY bracket Armor/recovery: BruteForceFab Rear HC w/swingout BAMF Sliders (DOM, 10 degree w/kick out, rattle-canned) BAMF IFS Skid (BAMF powder-coated) BAMF Mid Skid (BAMF powder-coated) BAMF TC Skid (BAMF powder-coated) BAMF LCA Skids (BAMF powder-coated) BAMF Rear Diff Skid (early model, powder-coated) BAMF CMC Plates US Offroad Winch Bumper Smittybilt X20 10k synthetic rope winch Total Chaos Bed Stiffeners ARB compressor w/air-up kit DIY cowl snorkel ARB rear air-locker Interior: Husky Floor Liners (F&R) Rear 40% seat-delete Hinged fridge platform in place of rear seat Exterior: CaliRaised Low-profile Ditch Light Brackets CaliRaised Side-projecting LED pods CaliRaised Faux TRD Pro Grille Morimoto amber LED fog lights One-of-a-kind 1GRFE plate (second iteration) Removed: OEM Bed Mat CaliRaised bed molle panels
    I currently also have a VooDoo bedrack that is certainly suffering from the PC issues everyone else has. The problem is really with lack of prep on the bare metal before it gets coated. The edges peeled almost immediately, and then it just gets worse. I bought my caps second-hand, so I'm not sure when they were made, but aside from where I notched them, they're holding up nicely. Since my truck is black, I keep color-matched touch-up paint from the Toyota for all of my touch-ups, including any chips or scratches in powdercoating. I just brushed the paint over the cut edge, and all is good. It actually looks better than that horrible picture I posted; maybe I'll go take a nicer one some day.
     
  5. Apr 8, 2020 at 11:46 AM
    #3145
    socalexpeditions

    socalexpeditions IG: @socalexpeditions

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    Did you get the wiring pre-wired?
     
  6. Apr 8, 2020 at 8:46 PM
    #3146
    MapJunkie

    MapJunkie Well-Known Member

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    Ask me again in a year. After two months, the powercoat is flawless. It looks like they fixed the issues.
     
  7. Apr 8, 2020 at 9:51 PM
    #3147
    Mista_G

    Mista_G Well-Known Member

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    Kings F/R 2.5" EXT w/700lb springs, JD Fab UCA’s w/ Lower Pivot Kit, Icon Progressive AAL (with TSB and overload in), CB drop, 285/75-17 nitto ridge grapplers, SCS Deep Dish Ray Dimes, Snugtop Rebel Shell, Prinsu Toprac, Gibson SS Catback Exhaust, ATH front /rear steel bumpers, CVT awning, Airflow snorkel, @ Shmellmopwho sliders, SC w/ @justdsm HPtune, 3° Cam Gears @mightytacoman, 2.8 smooth flow pulley, StopTech BBK
  8. Apr 9, 2020 at 7:56 AM
    #3148
    splashflash

    splashflash Vagabonding

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    +1 for Morgan.

    We picked up a rear bumper and swing out with the drifter after we had it installed. Tight squeeze but it worked lol
     
  9. Apr 9, 2020 at 8:38 AM
    #3149
    MapJunkie

    MapJunkie Well-Known Member

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    Yes; I had Phil install 6AWG cable, which required two glands in the roof. I just thought it was better for him to punch the holes in the roof than for me.
     
  10. Apr 9, 2020 at 9:27 AM
    #3150
    White Mountains

    White Mountains Well-Known Member

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    Why the 6AWG instead of their standard pre-wire for solar that they offer?
     
  11. Apr 9, 2020 at 9:40 AM
    #3151
    mhshark

    mhshark Well-Known Member

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    Bend, Or
    Another +1. Installed his HC rear and swing just last week along with the bed stiffeners. Great welds and great looking stuff.
    I’m looking for a drifter or other wedge camper currently, this thread is so drool worthy
     
  12. Apr 9, 2020 at 11:24 AM
    #3152
    MapJunkie

    MapJunkie Well-Known Member

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    I plan to run 2 160w. panels from the roof. Best case, I could have upwards of 18 amps flowing from the roof per Renogy specs. The wire run is 20 feet for me as my solar charger is passenger and the glands are driver-side per Phil’s recommendation. My solar charger is in the bench seat, adding some to the run. I want to minimize the voltage losses from the roof to the solar charger, so I am building for a 2% loss. Lots of people lose power in their wire run and wonder why they aren’t getting the wattage they expect.

    Putting all that into the Blue Sea app gives me 6 AWG. I probably could get away with 8AWG, but this seemed like an inexpensive way to maximize my solar power.
    DEB40A28-8F3D-40B8-A587-FBB2E108080B.jpg
     
    Twizted and rob1208 like this.
  13. Apr 9, 2020 at 9:25 PM
    #3153
    migx333

    migx333 Well-Known Member

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    I have a first gen 2005 tundra, was wondering what you recommend I do to replace the plastic bed caps. We don’t have much aftermarket support and only some cheap flat plastic bedrail caps are available in the market.
     
  14. Apr 9, 2020 at 10:37 PM
    #3154
    Mista_G

    Mista_G Well-Known Member

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    Costa Mesa, CA
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    '13 DCLB 4x4
    Kings F/R 2.5" EXT w/700lb springs, JD Fab UCA’s w/ Lower Pivot Kit, Icon Progressive AAL (with TSB and overload in), CB drop, 285/75-17 nitto ridge grapplers, SCS Deep Dish Ray Dimes, Snugtop Rebel Shell, Prinsu Toprac, Gibson SS Catback Exhaust, ATH front /rear steel bumpers, CVT awning, Airflow snorkel, @ Shmellmopwho sliders, SC w/ @justdsm HPtune, 3° Cam Gears @mightytacoman, 2.8 smooth flow pulley, StopTech BBK
    I just had a buddy hire a Local fab guy to make bed bars that would work with a backflip. The fab guy decided to make bed caps that incorporated bed bar mounts directly bolted to them.
    Point of the story is a decent fab guy should be able to make you bed caps somewhat easily.
     
  15. Apr 9, 2020 at 10:41 PM
    #3155
    migx333

    migx333 Well-Known Member

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    I see you’re in Costa Mesa, I’m over in west LA. Do you mind sending the contact for the local fab guy that did it for your buddy?
     
  16. Apr 10, 2020 at 12:03 PM
    #3156
    Mista_G

    Mista_G Well-Known Member

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    I’ll shoot you a pm
     
  17. Apr 10, 2020 at 1:32 PM
    #3157
    Asphaltcowboychip

    Asphaltcowboychip Well-Known Member

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    A lil this a lil that.

    I have my Voodoo caps off and recently took my drifter off for some bed maintenance. I've had the same experience as above. Not only are the edges peeled now, but I have bubbling rust spots along the tops of them. If I had the option, I would of def picked them up in aluminum if you have the option.
     
    d.shaw and ETAV8R like this.
  18. Apr 10, 2020 at 5:18 PM
    #3158
    White Mountains

    White Mountains Well-Known Member

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    How did you get the Drifter off?
     
  19. Apr 10, 2020 at 6:48 PM
    #3159
    Asphaltcowboychip

    Asphaltcowboychip Well-Known Member

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    A lil this a lil that.
    To avoid carnage I'd like to plead the 5th..It wasn't the most thought out way and I wouldn't do it again.
     
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  20. Apr 10, 2020 at 7:00 PM
    #3160
    splashflash

    splashflash Vagabonding

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    Added the bedrug before installing the fridge slide (holes already drilled). Had to take off the bed stiffeners, clean and reinstall but at the end of the day it's a highly worth while addition for the knees and some insulation

    IMG_20200410_195556_01.jpg
    IMG_20200410_181952_MP.jpg
     

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