Diet Taco... trying to keep things light

So much info! Love it. Also, your photos are rad.

 

Very efficient, more IPG*. Fits well with my build theme!

* Inebriation Per Gallon

 

When we backpack, we bring port in a small platypus bladder as a special treat. The trick is to meter it out over the length of the trip, so we decided that we only drink some port on a day that we have climbed over a pass. So it is Passport.

 

sub'd

 

sub'd

 

Good looking truck, Ive sent a couple of emails to FRP But I would have to liquidate some items to make the jump. Hopefully gonna check out another members flippac some time. They do the install for you correct?

 

Great writeup ....I think. I can't read more than a couple sentences at a time, so I looked at the pictures a lot, as all this words are overwhelming to my brain. There is one thing I did read, and as it happens, I am puzzled by your need to slide the Relentless tailgate on from the side. That just doesn't compute, as I've installed two by simply catching the lip and lowering the panel down to mate with the gate. Ask my friend @BigJim , as his was the second truck. The install went exactly like the DIY instruction thread showed.

 

Yeah, tire weight was a concern for me. I attacked it a bit by staying a bit below 32" and going narrow with 235/85/16 KO2. Those come in at 49.1 lbs available only as load E. The 265/75/16 KO2 is 53.6 lbs, also load E. Going to a 33" in load E KO2 gets you up to like 58 lbs - ouch! There are very few KO2 sizes that aren't load E unfortunately. But if you went with a different tire, something in load C range maybe, you'd probably get that 265/75/16 down to about 45 or 46 lbs.

They do install for you if you bring your truck to them in Riverside, CA. They can also ship it anywhere and most any shop that installs shells can do the job for you.

Word of warning, most people find FRP customer service pretty poor. They are nice people and if you meet them in person or talk to them on the phone they are usually quite helpful. Email seems to be a black hole with them. They often don't return phone calls leaving it up to you to keep calling and checking for status on anything you might need help on.

Adventure Trailers in Prescott, AZ is just about to show off a prototype of a Flippac alternative. Theirs is aluminum instead of fiberglass and the opening mechanism and direction are different, but otherwise much the same concept. They expect the price to be about the same, but in the end I think it will probably run a bit more expensive. If I was interested in a Flippac I'd probably wait a month or two to see what exactly AT comes up with - they have great products and excellent customer service.

Yeah, I get the sense I wasn't doing it right. More than one person felt they had to do the same thing as me in that Relentless thread. I may just have been a coward too worried I'd scrape the tailgate trying to do it as you suggest. Thing is in the final installed state on mine there is *zero* gap between the edge of the lip and the center of the tailgate so I'm not 100% sure the pivot technique you suggest would have worked on mine. So either I'm inept/cowardly or there is some variation on how they fit on tailgates. I'd give it about 80% odds it is the inept/coward problem

 

Wow, glad to have so many people sub'd on board!

I've still got more posts to do to get caught up to the present day and need to take a few pictures of finished parts of the build so far. Few trip reports too. But pretty quick I've got more new stuff to install and post about - color matched grill, armor and suspension are all ordered and on the way!

 

Yeah Ive lost a couple emails to them, phone call seems to be best means and figuring the flippac is just something they do on the side I'm not blaming them.

Thats awesome to know about AT, I was really hoping someone would make an updated version that went a different route in terms of opening without a torsion bar (Just doesn't look like fun to fix)

Thanks for the info!

 

Subbed for awesomeness.

 

Fiamma F35 Pro Awning (1.8m)
October 2015

Shade is really important for a desert vehicle! After spending more than one afternoon huddled in the thin sliver of shade along side my old truck I decided the new one needed an awning.

I initially questioned the utility of these relatively small awnings, in most people's build threads they proudly show them and their honey sitting under the awning - completely bathed in sunlight! Clearly positioning the truck and awning is critical for it to really function as useful shade. However, I realized this would probably be quite effective in two slightly different ways for two different use cases:

• Shade for lunch, especially when out with the family. If on the go alone I just position the truck so the tailgate is in shade and sit there. But with the wife and wee daughter that doesn't work so well. In this case orienting the truck so the small awning gives useful shade is easy because the sun won't move much during the one hour of lunch. And you usually eat lunch near noon when the awning is most effective. Having an awing that goes up and down quickly and easily is critical to make it useful for lunch too!
  
• Shade for camp. Usually I move camp every day, so awning not usually needed except at lunch time. But for the times I do stay in one place (Saline Valley especially) orienting the truck with the awning facing somewhere between NW and NE combined with a side shade panel or two (to be made in the future) would give good shade nearly all day despite the small size.

Next question was which one. There are a variety of good options. ARB and others make a nice "bag" awning where the awning is actually in a flexible bag mounted to the vehicle. People seemed pretty happy with these, but asking around it seemed for solo setup and take down people who had used both preferred the Fiamma despite the fact they are all very similar in design. The Fiamma aluminum hard case is also probably more durable in the long run, and I expect this truck to last 20 years with the vast majority of that time spent in a Las Vegas storage lot baking in the sun. Aluminum doesn't break down under UV.

I also checked out the Shady Boy awning which is super compact and light. It is a really neat design. It appears a bit fussier to setup and certainly no where near as robust in the wind as a Fiamma staked down. Over the years I've noticed it sometimes gets a little breezy in the desert from time to time... (Mojave Windsock - Truck tire chains tied to a post).

Size was the next question. The 1.8m fits cleanly on the side of the Flip-Pac. However the 2.1m has a significantly larger foot print as it also extends out further. I did find a case where someone mounted one that size such that it actually stuck out over the front of the Flip-Pac. It worked, and only looked slightly silly, but they said they wondered if they would choose to do that again. Also you can't put the 2.1m on the side of the Flip-Pac where you attach the handle to open. I had thoughts of perhaps making the awning mount such that I could swap sides. After hemming and hawing I decided to go for the 1.8m knowing that would be large enough for lunch and I'd be expanding the effective shade foot print with side panels in a longer term base camp anyway.

Next I obsessed about how to mount it. There is a pretty standard way to mount these to Flip-Pacs (and AT would even offer it as an option when they still sold Flip-Pacs) but I had the crazy idea I might want to move it from side to side. Or maybe even mount it to the back in some situations. All sorts of dove-tail mounting schemes or "french cleats" with pin locks floated through my head. And then it was September going on October and we were already living in California for the year. And my wife was saying, "OK, we are here, there's the new truck, when are we camping in it?"

So grand wacky mounting plans were forgotten and I mounted it the "standard" way as outlined in many posts on Expedition Portal. I also called the guys at Adventure Trailers who had lots of experience with mounting to Flip-Pacs (and I ordered the awning from them as well) and they gave me great pointers in the end.

Because I left it to the last minute I now had to scramble to get the right size rivets, you mount a standard awning rail with rivets to hang the awning and then use two bolts through the shell near the bottom of the awning case. So rather than getting them shipped to me I ended up driving across the LA basin to pick them up from a rivet supplier (at least I was in LA and could actually find a place with strange sized aluminum rivets in stock). AT recommended backing the rail and the awning with thin neoprene foam to reduce any wear on the fiberglass and extra protection at keeping water out. Rivets and bolts were silicone RTV'd of course.

(3YR UPDATE: My bolt selection and installation proved to be a bit of a long term problem. The bolt heads I used were Philips pan head and the edges of the cuts for the Philips began to wear a small hole in the awning fabric. For now I've covered the heads with duct tape which has abated the wearing but others should perhaps choose both the bolt type and location with some care accounting for the potential to wear the stored awning fabric.)

The Fiamma can also have its "legs" attached to mounting points on the vehicle rather than standing on the ground so that it is entirely free standing on the side of the truck. This looks pretty slick, but so far I've not attached the mounting points to the truck. First I'm not sure where to put the front one as it would go about where the rear passenger door is! Second having the legs angled back to the truck interferes with walking from the side of the truck to the tailgate where I'd typically be preparing lunch. So for now the mounting points don't get attached to the truck. Fiamma legs stand on the ground when deployed instead.

After all the fretting and planning and ordering it actually only took me maybe 2 hours by myself to get it all mounted. And not two days later all three of us ate lunch under it in Mojave, CA watching trains go by (to be described in upcoming trip report).

The 1.8m F35 Pro weighs 13 lbs, but the benefits of easy to setup and tear down shade seem more than worth the weight to me. So far I like it a lot!

(3YR UPDATE: This has worked out very nicely for family lunch stops and has performed that function just as expected. For a more permanent camp it combines nicely with a camo net for a large shade footprint.)

Lunch under the awning​

 

I love this thread.

 

Don't take this lightly @DVexile. He doesn't make compliments like this often. Usually the opposite.

 

That Justin guy sucks.

 

Submitted to @scocar for DMB consideration.

 

Alabama Hills
October 2015

And so finally it is time to actually try what the build is meant for - camping with the family.

My wife is a great camper, and in the past occasional backpacker too, but as we got older with the previous truck (shell only, regular cab bench seat) if there was a hotel nearby she'd rather be in that. Yeah, when way out in the Styx somewhere inaccessible in DVNP or MNP she'd camp in the old truck because it made sense logistically, but if there was a reputable hotel within less than an hour drive we'd better be in it.

My three year old daughter has never been camping. I'd expect her to enjoy it, but who really knows with a three year old what they'll think. My thinking is you can make a three year old like just about anything if you apply enough marshmallows to it so I pack accordingly.

The goal is to camp somewhere with easy bailout options if things go poorly for some reason. No established campgrounds, dispersed camping only, both for our benefit and any neighbors who don't want to experience a toddler temper tantrum at midnight. Not sure on the weather and temp forecasts varying a lot. So I decide the Alabama Hills just outside Lone Pine is a good spot. Plenty of neat topography for a little kid to explore, dispersed camping with sheltered spots if it gets windy, hotels a few miles away. Unlikely to be hot during the day and if temps are high unexpectedly plenty of high country to explore too. We are just going to go out for one night for her first camping trip and Lone Pine is a bit far for that, but what the hey. She does well on car rides.

Of course we leave later than I'd like, about 11AM by the time everything is ready to go. Daughter falls asleep on drive over the Angeles Crest and Angeles Forest. Get some last minute ice in Lancaster.

Stop in Mojave for a late lunch and pull into an open spot just north of the rail yard where the line down from Tehachapi comes through. That's a very busy section of track so I expect plenty of trains to come by to entertain the kid. And indeed many do, and about half even slide open the window on the locomotive to wave at the cute three year old. Awning gets deployed for shade, low camp chairs and roll-a-table well suited for a little kid brought out and a nice little lunch is had by all.

This stop also provided an opportunity for exploring the concept of potty in the outdoors. This proved to be a very popular activity and so soon there was a discussion about how we only say we have to go potty and make daddy get the little potty seat and shovel out if we really actually have to go potty and not just because we think it is a fun thing to do. This discussion would have to be repeated a number of times over the coming 24 hours. That said this was an area in which I was happy to have her over performing rather than under performing.

Wanted to stop by Fossil Falls on the way up, but late start and a great interest in trains means we are too late for that. Maybe on the way back. Find a nice spot in the Alabama Hills a little before sunset and set up camp.

The Flip-Pac receives four thumbs up from the wife and daughter once deployed. Wife now refers to it as the P.O.W. (short for Palace on Wheels). Daughter thrilled to climb all over the inside. This is also my first pass at a bunch of new camping gear, all of which mostly works great and I only need to add a few items to the "pack next time" list. We break out the propane fire ring (also new) to roast some marshmallows and make smores after dinner. In the end my daughter decides raw marshmallows are actually the best. I don't argue the point and get her another marshmallow.

Generally have a great little evening, but it mostly involves me running amok trying to remember where I have tucked everything which means my wife has to deal with my daughter almost full time. Still a resounding success so far by all measures.

I have a plan for bedtime of course. My daughter needs some sort of concept of a separate "room" or she will bug you all night. I'll have to post some Flip-Pac interior shots later, but when open besides the queen mattress that ends up over the cab there is also essentially a cot or hammock that runs back over the truck bed on one side. I use this cot as a "roof" and a blanket hanging from it to form a "wall" making a cozy little room on my raised floor for her to sleep in. Her little sleeping mat and sleeping bag fit in there and an LED glow stick is her night light. I've kept the sleeping bag away from her except for a brief encounter at home so that it will be so exciting that she simply must get in it right away. This ploy works amazingly well and we are treated to a nice quiet and calm night (and usually our daughter is a great sleeper once you get her going).

While some of the bedtime preparations are going on I get out of the way. The process goes better with one parent. I'm usually that parent at home, but in this case with a lot of outside camp fussing still going on my wife takes it on. I'm done early and don't want to climb back in the truck until my daughter is snoring away so to distract myself I try taking a night photo of the truck in camp. This took more than a few tries to get a workable exposure, and a fair bit of work in post processing for it to not suck. You can see the green glow from my daughter's night light in the back.

Alabama Hills Camp at Night​

Temps are a little cool in the night but nothing awful at all, everyone stays nice and warm in their sleeping bags. A little before sunrise I am awake and not likely to go back to sleep. The weather forecast is undecided if and when a storm system might show up on this side of the Sierra. So I quietly get out of the truck to take in the sunrise. Bring the camera up to a better vantage point and catch storm clouds swirling around the Sierra Crest and Mt. Whitney as the sun comes up. With a Tacoma featured in the foreground of course!

Alabama Hills Sunrise​

Soon my daughter wakes up and promptly climbs "upstairs" to see what mommy is up to. After awhile they climb out too. Hot breakfast is served, that nice smooth tailgate cover proves to be an excellent working surface. Determine the classic Coleman folding toaster thing we've all probably used for decades is a piece of junk that takes forever to toast anything and make a note to look for something better later.

Weather looks to be getting worse quick so I take my daughter out for some "exploring" and then I start to break camp while my wife takes her out for another round of "exploring". My daughter quickly discovers a nearby "cave" in the rocks and I keep the camera handy while packing to record a few snaps from her first camping trip. My wife and I apply our usual parenting trick of moving as slowly as possible while keeping her moving as quickly as possible.

Discovering a "Cave" with Mommy


Outpacing Mommy​

And in not too long big fat rain drops start falling from scary looking clouds. So we pull out of camp a bit before noon and wonder if it will be too stormy for Fossil Falls on the way back. In the end both my wife and daughter soon fall asleep and storm wise all hell breaks loose as we drive by Fossil Falls. So much for that stop, looks like lunch will be in a McDonald's someplace along the way!

Between Inyokern/Ridgecrest and Mojave on the 14 a really strong crosswind picks up and I am introduced to the "Tacoma Kazoo". This is incredibly annoying and loud. Seems to be coming from the A pillar or mirror. Much fussing does nothing to alleviate it. Make note to search TW for the cause and solution, assume must be due to the crosswind because I've never heard it before. (Further research much later on TW suggests it is the door seal and making it more rigid with additional material will cure the kazoo, need to add that to the to do list).

Eventually we get home, daughter asks when can we go camping again, wife says she'll camp nearly anywhere that isn't freezing in the Flip-Pac and I breathe a sigh of relief.

 

So much WIN! Thanks for sharing this.

 

Awesome read thus far! Looking forward to future thread updates!