Vagabond Drifter Camper Buildout and Mods

I got the STS brackets both sides (If Phil adds it to the order). I’ll hardmount a rear probably. Thanks for your rec, I’ll just pick off the color of the bag lol.

 

FWIW there's only a few differences I can see between most of the standard awnings and its mainly when it comes to the add-on room accessory if you even want it. CVT is the only one I found that has an awning room for the 4 ft awning, all others seem to make it for the 6' and 8' only. and ARB rooms seem to have the most mesh on the walls for the most "panoramic" view and open air feel when you're sitting inside the room while still being able to close them up for full weather protection

 

What are people doing to keep their rear shelf in place offroad? Mine comes crashing down fairly often when things get exciting.

 

What rear shelf are you referring to?

 

Anyone have some good examples of shunt mounting in the engine bay? Trying to figure out a game plan for my Victron shunt and how to best have it live beside my OGE redarc set up.

Seems like it should be somewhat weatherproofed?

 

Maybe you know it as a mattress platform extension?

Also, when this happens, is there a better option to replace it with? I tighten it down every morning but it has a tendency to loosen as I drive. Today I got hit with a 60mph headwind gust while I was driving 65, and voila. It didn’t just break the lid in half; it bent the elevator arm 90*.

 

Hm. Do you have the new style or the old style?
Old style is the 1x2" aluminum rectangular tubing frame with a thin sheet of ePanel on top. Plastic plugs on the ends of the aluminum where it rests in the channel.

New style is just a honeycomb panel I think.

I have never had my old style panels fall out. I have a regular short bed panel as well as a 10" extension.

 

I had the same thing happen with my fan lid not long after I got it, but I was in the first batch of Drifters, and I suggested they add a fairing for the fan when I talked to them about the incident.
I haven't had any issues with it since they sent me the fairing (same one as what you've got there).

The only other thing is that I also swapped out my crank handle for a metal one, and I can give it that little bit of extra torque to feel comfortable that it's closed up tight:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ildout-and-mods.540940/page-192#post-23734519

 

I have the extention and no issues. Not sure how it would fall out either, since there is pressure on the extention when the Drifter is closed.

 

Hmm. I use my (old style) extension as a nightstand, so to speak; it’s not under the mattress so it doesn’t have much pressure on it when the top is closed. I guess pulling the mattress over it is the answer. Every time I hit some (mild) whoops the shelf hits the floor.

 

interesting. I slide my extension and the larger panel towards the rear, (often placing a pillow on top when camping) leaving the mattress forward where by keeping all the tent material contained in the enclosed section, and have not yet had it fall. Curious how you stow everything as you are travelling

 

I think I see your problem… is there no vertical part at the rear of your camper to keep the panel centered? Is that why you have those centering blocks on both sides?

I have vertical channel pieces the entire length of the portion that isn’t the fixed bed overhanging the cab.

 

Mounting some 48" l track to my camper side for some general purpose mounting. Tbd stuff, but possibly maxxtrax. Can't quite decide how far apart to space them so hoping that someone might have some insight. How does Vagabond usually space theirs?

 

I think I did 6" in from the top and bottom when I did mine. Just tape it up and see where you like it.

 

I keep my bed extension in the rear, and switch it from a pillow-holder while sleeping to a rear shelf during the day

The tent insulation helps keep things snug during travel, but the best thing is to slide it forward a bit so if fits between the side channels and can't fall inward. I also stow my pillows on the 10" extension, so that helps too.

See?

 

Whoa. I didnt even get that small rear portion haha. Was I supposed to or is it an extra?

 

It's an extension, gotta request/purchase from VO unless you're handy and make your own

 

Okay, how do I buy that insulation? I emailed “ops”, called their phone number, messaged them on instagram — nada. In fact, I’ve not ever been able to get in touch with them outside physically driving to Benicia.

 

Here I am making Hell’s Gate look hard.

10/10 Recommend remembering to lock your rear diff (or not bumping an aftermarket switch with your knee, as I have done a couple times).

0/10 Don’t recommend Goodyear Ultra-terrains for crawling. I’ve done Hell’s Revenge a handful of times, and sections that were super easy before before caused me to spin my tires this time. In fact, I skipped the tip-over challenge this time, in spite of having done it every time before, because I didn’t feel confident on my tires. For the record, I was at 19psi, after airing up from 10 because they felt unstable.

You can skip to 10:15.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_ixDvUZpSiQ

 

We also had a theft this past winter, stole ~3k worth of shit (dometic, fly fishing rode and more). The Strawfoot Handmades are part of our "security plan" too, along with lockable goosegear and a better way to tether new dometic fridge (was tethered before, but to a standard cleat that was removable).