Z's Approach/Utility Build

Yeah it’s gonna be awhile until I regear. Shits expensive

 

Found a stump with the rear bumper... (TOOK LONG ENOUGH!)
Did a little temporary fix to keep the gate from hitting it. Should be good until I can get a plate bumper on there!
Now - to cut the quarter panel off or not....

 

Nice fix! Finally had time to read through. So much inginuity in here.

 

Wow thanks, @Crom !!! I've learned so much from your build. It's one of the "golden references". I've been thinking a lot about your suspension fix on the rear axle... and may be doing that this winter. We'll see!!!

 

Suspension fix? I haven’t been in Crom’s build in a little while what did I happen to miss? How have you been hope all is well?

 

Ah - just his very clever adaptation of longer travel shocks and a little higher bump stop to get more travel out of the rear axle... (not a repair - an "improvement!")

I've been good - very busy with life - work, kids, new home, rehabbing shoulder injury (archery) - I know you know what that's like! But about to take off on a week driving from Petaluma CA to Darby MT, and then back to Boise where the truck will be based until mid September while I make a couple trips up that way to play.

How 'bout you??

 

Fired from job due to shoulder injury and permanent restrictions. I got a new job doing something entirely different making wine and my primary brewing beer when we get the brewery open.
Upgraded rear suspension to Deaver stage 3 packs and Bilstein B110’s still need to install the brake lines

 

Macgruder Crossing - Nez Perce Trail - Idaho

Well, I finally got out on a road-venture this summer... A week driving up to Idaho to rendezvous with a friend for some fishing on the Selway River. Decided to take the scenic route. Reading about the Macgruder Trail, I was a little nervous about getting part way and finding that it was beyond what I would be comfortable driving solo, but decided to give it a go.

The drive up from CA was so beautiful.

These were from coming up along the CA/OR border:

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Idaho, south of MacCall:

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Camp, night 2:

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Crazy climb up from Hells Canyon:

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The start... Elk City:

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The road was pretty tame, actually. Nicely graded. Crazy burned forest... I saw TONS of guys on ATV's and Razors, and even a couple in a Hyundai Elantra. (Made us all feel silly) The only bumpy bit was a spur up to the lookout.

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You can see the road off in the distance...

Camp the third night. And sunrise. The Bitterroot are just so vast...

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Made it to the river for some fantastic wild trout fishing.

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And, a couple snaps on the way out, heading back to Boise.

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I would do this route again, in a heartbeat, and spend two weeks doing it.

 

simply lovely.

 

It's a nice trip. Turbodb has posted about doing the Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route (IDBDR) that's the length of the state if interested.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/idaho-backcountry-discovery-route-idbdr-july-2019.623716/

 

Thanks! And, yes, very interested. His post has been open on my browser since I got back. (still reading it!) Idaho is pretty awesome, I gotta say!

I did the Oregon version back in 2000 on a moto. It was also amazing.

 

Glad you're enjoying. Just posted out time on the Macgruder, a highlight of our trip for sure (which I wasn't expecting, having run it previously)!

IDBDR Pt. 6 - Macgruder Corridor and Hell's Half-Acre​

catch up on the whole story: Idaho BDR, July 2019​

 

Two impending projects...

First up, going to be adding a plate rear bumper and fabricating my own swingout for occasional spare storage (only on trips, not during daily use). Started a thread to collect ideas:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bumper-swing-out-carrier-fabrication.630822/#post-21628650
And, also contemplating a DIY'd camper shell. Try and dissuade me! Ha ha.
Same thread idea here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/building-a-bed-topper-camper-shell.631476/#post-21660145
I'm worried i'm going to hate the sharp edges and wind noise of the shell idea... Might mock something up and drive it around to test...

 

Made some progress on the bumper... (slow going)
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bumper-swing-out-carrier-fabrication.630822/#post-22606806

 

Just wanted to say I'm in the area too, and have been following along with your thread for the last two years or so. Very inspiring work and projects, thanks for taking the time to share!

 

Sub'd! awesome fab work, cant wait to see what you come up with for the shell!

 

Thanks you guys! I am having fun. Really hoping to get this bumper on in the next few weeks so i can have my truck back. The tire carrier details keep getting more complicated...

 

Full write up soon...

 

Rear Bumper/Tire Carrier Build - Part 1 - The Bumper.

Ok, a little write up of the bumper build, thus far...

My goal for this was to balance the following in a plate rear bumper: high clearance, rating towing, stock fitment/look (no fender cutting) swing-out tire carrier compatible, and, with hi-lift points. I still use my truck as a truck and so having a carrier permanently on the back was not appealing. Plus, I've got my pizza cutter neatly tucked under so, why mess with that.

A lot of pre-build details and process shots are in this thread, but I thought it might be useful to collect the important bits in to one post. Here goes.

I decided to base the design on a 4X Innovations bumper.


Priced right and unpainted. In fact, they just ship it with a label stuck on it!


Southco latch,

AtoZ Fabrication Tire Carrier Swingout Builder's Kit (Mega Spindle with 6x5.58x6.5 wheel plate)

AtoZ Fabrication swing out kit, (sadly unavailable do to a tragedy - sorry to hear AtoZ!) and we're off to the races:


First step is to hack in to the bumper to make room for the pivot, drill for the pivot, relocate the jack point, weld the pivot in place, and plug over the old jack point location:


Next there was much head scratching as I tried to figure out a design for the swing out so i could accurately place holes for the swing out retainer and latch. I'll cover all that in a later post about the swing out. But, end result was a little fin for the swing-out retaining pin to drop in, and two holes for the swing out latch receiver.


Holes and cutouts for the reverse lights, license plate lights, and it's powder coat time!

While that was happening I made a welding table.


Back from powder coating. Thanks Miller Manufacturing in Rohnert Park!!!


My only complaint in this whole thing is the cutout for the tow connector was a little tight (and i stupidly didn't check it before powder coating!) so, i had to grind off a bit of the connector housing to get it in, but in it went. I do like the flush mount.

And.... It's going on...


So glad to have my truck whole again!


Yes - I will be making a little cover for the bare post when the carrier isn't mounted.

 

So, this happened:


No, not a DIY hood scoop. More like a 20' redwood tree branch playing jarts with my truck! USAA covered it though, and, since paint was being sprayed, i asked my local guy to hit the roof too. And he buffed the whole thing! It's never looked so good!