Benson X's 'Bout Time BBQ Build

Interested in how you wired the switch to the abs

 

There's a few different threads on how to do it, depending on what year Taco.

This is the way I did mine. I tried to include links in the OP for (most of) the Mods I've done:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/4lo-trac-abs-kill-switch-why-why-not.257444/

 

10 years later and I finally got a H/C Rear bumper on this thing:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...mper-build-aka-my-diy-h-c-rear-bumper.689120/

 

Sick build, following!

 

Done a few little mods recently:

• Reinforced ARB UVP Skid Plate Trilogy
  Write-up HERE
  
  
  
• Added a Famous Fab Shackle Flip w/ Daystar XJ Greaseable shackles
  
• Replaced my custom Skull Shifter with a Glow-in-the-Dark version. I drilled and tapped it (M8x1.25) and used a nylock nut to lock it in place on the shifter.
  
  
  

 

Bout time you updated!

You have me intrigued on the flip kit. Link?

I don't need any more height in the rear until I can get some more height up front to level it out, but you still have me curious.

 

I don't have a link to that particular (Famous Fab) flip kit made by @DWreck. I don't believe he is actively making them any longer.

I bought it off a friend many moons ago and finally got around to installing it. Here's a link with some really limited info. about it. Chickenmunga is who I originally bought it from.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...le-flips-whos-in-for-a-group-shipment.250991/

The XJ Shackles were sent to me from Daystar. Similar to these ones, but with greasable bolts and bushing sleeves:
https://daystarweb.com/suspension/s...ackle-(non-greaseable)-1-lift-by-daystar.html

To be honest - there's a lot of hate and misconceptions about Shackle Flips; people either love them or hate them. I have had the parts for nearly 10 years, and finally got the motivation to do it. My driver's side OEM shackle hanger was tweaked and bent a bit so that was the main reason to swapping to the shackle flip.

With the hardest part done (removing the OEM hangers) I figured even if I don't like this particular shackle flip/setup, it will make it super easy to upgrade or swap to a different setup in the future. Like a BAMF OEM hanger/shackle upgrade, or an Archive Garage setup (flip or hammer hangers).

I did modify the Famous Fab hangers a bit. Once I fit the shackles and checked the shackle angles at ride height, it cut the extra mounting holes off the hangers to prevent premature contact with the shackles and hangers on full stuff. You can see in the below pics the section I removed to allow more travel in the shackle.



I also added washer on either side of the shackle to prevent any lateral/side-to-side movement or play. They fit very snug and solid in the hangers with the washers added.

Lift-wise, they definitely jacked up the rear about 1.5". I had to adjust the front coilovers to even them out a bit. It had a crazy rake in the front before I cranked up the BP-51s a bit more.

I was able to get out and test it last month on some decent trails and found the rear to be MUCH more stable and planted, and allow for more side to side articulation (full droop on side and full stuff on the other) especially on off-camber, tank trap sections. I may eventually look into redoing my rear leafs and shocks to allow for more travel - since these will allow for much more droop and better articulation. Larger shock hoops, longer extended travel shocks and a new leaf pack would really allow the shackle flip to shine. The ride seems fine to me, perhaps a bit firmer than before but I don't notice it. By the same token - I've never been concerned about harsh or firm ride; it's a truck, not a Cadillac.

All in all, no regrets. I like the performance I've gotten from it so far.

 

I finally got my OBA Kit installed.


I ordered a Viair 10007 Kit about 2 years ago as an Amazon Warehouse deal and got a killer deal on it ($260).

Originally, I wanted to keep it simple but it quickly evolved into over-engineered/over-built project (as many of my mods do).

Here was my goal:

• Mount the compressor, pressure regulator, relay and wiring inside the bedside cubby.
• Mount the tank under the bed, above the diff. (this changed)
• Mount the switch and pressure gauge on the bedside cubby cover

COMPRESSOR MOUNTING:
I'm cheap and did not want to buy or use the Expedition Essentials BCM. It's expensive and also leaves the cubby too exposed (no sealed/protected) to water and dust intrusion, so I decided to build my own metal cubby using 1/8" scrap steel. I had to make a few adjustments to the box to fit and make sure it won't hit the body, bumper, or bedside.

I also wanted to ensure the welded cubby left both sides open and accessible to make it easy when plumbing and wiring everything before install. This meant I had to make an external plate (on the exterior side, behind the bedside) that would be secured and also sealed to prevent water and other contaminants. This is the first version I built; I had welded little tabs with welded nuts that were inset. I eventually had to change the design to trim a corner that was hitting my bedside and opted to use rivet-nuts rather than welded nuts, just for simplicity and time-saving.

Here is a view of the backside (bedside) when I was figuring out the placement for everything:


Here's a view of the cubby cover after I roughed-in the switch and gauge:



EXTERNAL FILTER MOUNTING:

The Viair Kit came supplied with an external intake filter. I wanted to install that in the middle cubby on the Driver's side so the compressor was always pulling in clean air.

Side-Note: Anyone who's messed with the cubbies above the wheel-well(s) has probably learned how easily the mounting tabs can break. I had broken my tabs about 10 years ago and used some VHB tape to hold it in place, which was a temporary solution and never lasted. I decided to reinforce the cubby and made a thin metal backing-plate to mount behind the plastic bedside and the cubby to be bolted and secured. Of course, I dropped the cubby when I was messing around with it and broke the corner off (black plastic epoxy was a quick/ugly fix). I sealed up all the seams and holes in this cubby as well.

This is the reinforcement backing-plate and the cubby that I modified for the intake filter.


Here's the backing plate installed through the plastic bed. I used rivet-nuts to secure the small cubby to the metal plate itself:


External Filter installed:


TANK CRADLE MOUNT:
For the 2.5 Gal. Tank - I was originally going to just bolt that underneath the bed itself above the diff. as I'd seen done on my other OBA installs. There is definitely enough room there and it would be a fast/easy install, but I felt it was just too exposed and risked getting bashed/damaged when wheeling. I found I had just enough room to mount it directly behind the tow-hitch tubing on my H/C Bumper. This would keep it nestled up higher and more-protected from damage.

I welded up a metal "cradle" for the tank to nest in and provide more protection on the frontside and both sides. The welded cradle would then be bolted directly to the tow-hitch tubing on my H/C Bumper. The cradle itself was a pretty simple design but I had to get creative with mounting and bolting it up, since there's not a lot of room to fit my hands/arms around once the tank was in place.

Here's the beginning of the tank cradle as I was cutting and welding the pieces together:



The OEM tow-hitch tubing is 1/4" thick square tube with some addtl. 1/4" plating welded to (some sections) the surrounding center area of the tube. I planned to drill and tap (vertical) holes for the tank cradle to bolt-up to the underside of the tow-hitch tubing and add a couple (horizontal) holes near the top to run a bolt/lock-nut on the top portion. There was a section on the underside of the two-hitch tube that did not have the addtl. 1/4" plate welded, so I welded more material in those sections to ensure I had at least 1/2" of metal to drill and tap the 3/8-16 thread into.

This was a PAIN IN THE ASS!!! Overhead welding is always easy and fun (insert sarcastic emoji here) and then drilling tapping 1/2" thick welded metal proved to be quite a chore. I broke (3) cobalt step bit just drilling the holes and broke a (cheap) tap handle when it came time to tap the holes - but I got it done and it worked out great in the end.

I also countersunk the underside holes and used flush-mount bolts so there would be little-to-no risk of shearing or damaging the bolt heads when wheeling (dragging on rocks and messing up the heads).

Here's the tank cradle welded, reinforced and painted up:


Everything was coming together and ready for wiring, plumbing and final install!

WIRING & PLUMBING:
For the wiring, I ran a single 12v lead for the main compressor/pressure regulator to my aux. fuse block (w/ relay) using 10AWG THHN. I connected the switch power, pressure gauge illumination lead, and ground(s) to the OEM 7-pin harness behind the bumper and used a waterproof plug to connect them all to the same harness.

Here's a few pics showing how the wiring and plumbing were connected inside the welded cubby box (before bolting the outer plate on for final install). I used grommets and sealed passthroughs for all the tubing and wiring to ensure no water or contaminants could get in.

I will say that I was completely overwhelmed with options when I was searching for weatherstripping and tried a few different options before finding some good ones for the front and back. The weatherstripping is essential for sealing the mating surfaces and also to help reduce noise and vibrations when the compressor is running.

This view is from the interior, behind the cubby cover:



Here is a backside view, which will have the plate bolted/secured before final install:



I also opted to swap the normal halogen bulb for the pressure gauge for a red LED bulb (+10 cool factor )

Here's a view of the backside after securing the back-plate. It's ugly, but works exactly as I intended. Having the removable back-plate definitely over-complicated the build and added some complexity, but it made for a much easier install for all the wiring and air lines to have access front and back.


Underside view showing the wiring harness and airline fittings (one for the compressor-to-tank lead and one for the return to the pressure regulator relay):


Here's the cubby installed and ready to connect wiring and air lines:


I left about 14" extra length for the Power and Ground (for the switch) and air-line for the pressure gauge to be installed on the cubby cover and allow removal of the cover without having to disconnect anything:


Here's the tank mounted on the cradle, ready to bolt-up and connect all the lines:




Underside view showing the compressor mount and the tank:



For the quick-connect fitting, I used a bulkhead fitting from Wit's End and the ARB Q/C coupler mounted on an open/recessed portion of my H/C bumper:


I also got this little Bobby Ross keychain plug (just for fun) to ride along on the trails with us.
"Happy Little Trees"


Finished product:




All in - I spent about $350 (or less) for this install and it works GREAT; wayyyy faster than my trusty 11 year old Viair 88p!

I do have a small air leak somewhere that I need to track down, but that's small potatoes to fix.

 

Love it! I picked up a bigger portable air compressor to keep in the truck. I always liked the idea of onboard air, and this is very well done.

 

Hell yeah - thanks @CowboyTaco!

The Viair kit was an impulse buy from Amazon, just because it was an open-box warehouse deal for a killer price. Luckily, it was in perfect condition and complete with everything; still not sure why it was so cheap but I'm not complaining.

I've been using a

$98 Viair 88P Portable Compressor Kit (12V, 120 Psi, Forup to 33" Tires)

Viair 88P for about 10 years and it still works fine, just VERY slowly. I was always the last guy to finish airing-up after wheeling and was far exceeding the duty-cycle for the 88P. It took about 30 min. to air up all 4 tires from 15 to 36 psi with the 88P and now I can get all 4 tires aired-up in less than 10 min.

 

Fuck yea! great write up!....now time for air lockers mwa ha ha
but from what ive learned... what you lack in lockers you make up in skinny pedal

https://photos.app.goo.gl/eAC9g9HAXKRGFrc69

 

LOL - I love your commentary on that vid!

F+R lockers, re-gear, 35s are all still on the wish-list! Gotta keep up with you guys and stay twinsies!

 

After seeing it in action on @mutilatedjak's Taco, I added this Opt-7 Tailgate LED light bar to the swingout on my H/C Bumper