Planning my overland build

Thanks - Quicksand it my favorite too, Cement was my second. Thanks for the ideas. After I get the GFC on and drive around with the extra weight I'll decide on gearing. Thinking of doing better skids, but keeping the weight down with aluminum.

 

Added my first mod today. Completed a rear platform for my AC. It is made of 3/4" plywood (what I had laying around) and covered with speaker carpet. I considered removing the seats, but decided to keep them if needed in a pinch. The rear is scribed to the contour of the back of the truck, and the support legs are on locking table hinges - makes it stable and easy to flip them up and remove the platform. Still considering someway to mount it, but it seems very stable. The next plan is to screw in some D-Rings and keep my cooler and jerry cans of water back there.

 

Looks good! I don’t wanna sound like an Overland douche-bag, BUT, consider a fridge over a cooler for long term usage. I’ll be honest a fridge is my absolute FAVORITE mod I’ve done to any vehicle as far as practical living and actually getting use out of the item. Better than a lift, wheels, tires, armor any of it, honestly. Just a thought but I really don’t think you’d miss soggy food and finding ice. Also keep in mind a fridge can be much smaller, since you don’t use half the space holding ice. Just my $.02

 

Thanks! I'm definitely considering a fridge (along with a bunch of other stuff) and will now put it higher on my list. I'm mostly retired, but do some consulting and that is my truck mod budget. I just saw the pullkitchen thread yesterday and think it is the bomb. I was going to build something similar out of plywood, but the aluminum version would save so much weight.

 

Sounded like he said 3-4 months of the year on the road, not 3-4 months at one time!
Sounds sweet, got a few more year before I join you!
Enjoy the ride, and build!!

 

Yeah if I were to build a multi month overland rig, fridge would definitely be towards the top of the list. I'd still have a cooler for beer of course!

 

The platform works great. It holds the two Scepter jerry cans and cooler perfectly. The Cabela's cooler held ice for 5 days without issue. My GFC won't be ready until March, so I put on Softtopper until then (incidentally I'll have a Tacoma long bed Softtopper for sale March 2021).

 

Southern Style Off-road Slimline bumper with smittybuilt winch

gave a look at this; Hidden Winch Bumper http://www.hiddenwinchmounts.com/

I ordered this bumper mount with a Warn Winch. I love the stock look and it doesn't add a crap ton of weight to the front end.

 

Thanks - that looks very interesting.

 

Best of luck in your build and happy retirement!

 

Random Question for you.... how is the flavor of your water out of the Scepter jerry cans? I've used mine a half dozen times and still a bit plastic-y.

 

I rinsed them, and didn't notice any plastic-y taste at all.