Another Around the World Tacoma

I began researching my house battery setup, and I think I have it slightly figured out at the moment.

In the meantime, my GMRS antenna cable arrived in the mail, so I switched gears to get that system hardwired to the truck.

I used to simply use a magnetic mount to secure the antenna to the top of the roof, but I want something more permanent now.

I took a while to determine where to locate the actual

$165 MXT275 MicroMobile® GMRS Radio – 15 watts Two-Way Radio with Integrated Control Microphone – Overland Caravanning Tractors – Detachable External Magnetic Mount Antenna - 8 Repeater Channels

MXT275 unit inside of the Tacoma, and ultimately decided on mounting it here, to the passenger side of the center console. This keeps it away from my legs while driving (very important), away from most any passengers’ legs (not as important), while still keeping the mic close enough to not have to overstretch the cable just to speak into it (more important).

I marked the location and drilled two holes for the two M5 nutserts that will hold the bracket in place.

Two small M5 bolts and washers were used to secure the bracket before mounting the actual radio in place. It is very secure here, installed this way.

More Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I still need to wrap the slightly exposed wiring in black Tesa tape to help hide it a bit more. I also contemplated drilling extra holes in the center console and grommeting the wires through the center console closer to the radio, but the antenna cable wont like that extreme angle, so I opted for this more exposed method.

After that was located, I needed to figure out how to power the unit. My other Tacoma simply ties into the cigarette lighter wiring underneath the center console. This was convenient but had two big issues I discovered while using it.

One, any time we would stop and turn off the trucks while on the trail, I would have to re-power the unit once we started going again, a small task I would forget off and on, sometimes missing critical comms.

Second, if the radio needed to be left on at camp, I would have to have my truck in ACC mode to listen for friends who would be making their way to camp after I had already arrived.

So, I opted to wire this one straight to the battery, alleviating those two issues, while introducing a new one. Accidentally leaving it on overnight. I am not too concerned with this, as I have a friend who has done this accidentally, and even has a fridge running off of his starter battery, and his truck still starts in the morning. My house battery will be able to float charge to my starter battery, so this is another reason why this potential drain is not overly concerning for me at this time.

I ran the wiring from the battery, through the firewall, in the dash, and to the center console. More crimping and heat shrink tubing and Tesa tape finished this part of the install. I tested it before I made all of the final connections.

Did my best to make it blend in as best I could, keeping things clean, especially wiring, is big on my list of wants.

More Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Today I will focus on getting the bracket for the antenna made, and then routing the cable to the inside of the cab. Not entirely sure on how to accomplish this yet, but I’ll figure it out.

 

Awesome, sub'd.

 

Another fellow structural engineer here - out of curiosity, what type of design work do you do? I do a mix of private commercial, public sector and chip fab work and I ask because my own workload isn't what I would qualify as flexible, or at least not nearly flexible enough to travel around the world. Outside of running calcs, I spend a lot of time coordinating with general contractors (read - holding their hand) and perform site walks/inspections which obviously prohibits me from traveling too far from home.

 

PM incoming

 

Better believe I’m subbing to this! Can’t wait to tag along on your adventure!

 

Thanks for the support!

 

As an option for your antenna, I use a Diamond K400S-NMO lip mount on my hood...it also has an SMA connector rather than a

$43 PL259 USA Made PL-259 Improved Double Shielded RG-58u for FireStik Antenna K-8A 18-Foot Single CB/Ham Coax Cable

PL259 (you'll need an adapter), which simplifies running the cable into the cab.

 

Enjoying the build.

My Silver 2021 DCLB agrees (RSI Cap fitted, still a long list of things like front camera yet to be done before next adventure).

Get out there and enjoy life!

 

More updates to share:

Wrapped up the GMRS system by installing the antenna. I used a Victory4x4 hood mount, with the appropriate NMO sized hole for the antenna mount. I went passenger side for two reasons. First, to use up a bit more of the cable so that I didn't have to worry about figure eighting excess cable underneath the center console, and second was to keep the antenna a bit more out of my normal line of sight.

Tested the system and it works great. Was able to pick up nearby hotel chatter between maids. Have yet to test it with another truck, but that will happen soon enough.

Tacoma Modifications by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The next problem to solve was the lack of direct line of sight to the rear of the Tacoma, making my OEM rearview mirror nothing more than a windshield decoration.

I spoke with a friend who recommended three digital rearview mirrors.

I ended up purchasing the Rexing M2 digital rearview mirror. It has both a rear facing and front facing (the front facing is built directly into the mirror itself) shooting in 1080p and 1440p respectively.

Initial Build by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I spent a while determining where to place the rearview camera. I didn't want to bang into it during the normal use of the rear of the truck, nor did I want to have exposed wiring running anywhere.

Eventually settled on mounting it in the small recessed area between the bumper and the bed, just to the right of the hole used to lower your spare.

I riveted it into place, and used a small rubber grommet to pass the lone wire through the metal. Ran the wiring along some OEM wiring along the frame, entered the cab through a grommet in the floor behind the drivers seat, then ran the wire along the drivers door sill and up the A-pillar and finally to the overhead center console.

I did need an extension for this cable, due to where I mounted it and the length of the truck. Even if you have a DCSB I'm still certain you will need an extension.

More Install by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Testing the system, the camera is obviously lower than what is normal, but it still provides plenty of information about what is happening behind you. It boasts a wide view in the marketing material, but it isn't super helpful when you are trying to grab information while backing up while close to something. I will need to keep that in mind. It isn't as helpful as the OEM rearview mirror in those types of situations.

It is wired into the overhead console wiring, with a 12v to 5v transformer, and it automatically powers on and shuts off when I turn on the truck. It defaults to the rear camera which is handy. The image is crystal clear, and it does a great job of displaying the nighttime as well. No complaints.

Next up is the initial design of the house battery setup.

My 100ah Lithium Iron Phosphate battery arrived from Renogy.

Tacoma Modifications by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I also purchased a BlueSea 12v, 12 slot fuse panel, a 1000w pure sine inverter and Renogy's 50A dc to dc controller with built in MPPT. It is currently on backorder, so I cut a to-scale template out of a piece of cardboard so that I can get everything mounted to the piece of sheet metal while I wait for it to ship.

Tacoma Modifications by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The controller allows me to tie the starter battery into the house battery system. This allows me to charge the house battery via the alternator, and the starter battery via the solar panels. It does all of this on its own as it is sophisticated enough to know when the truck is running. No chance of accidentally draining the starter battery as it won't direct current from that unless it is at 14.2+ volts (i.e. the truck is running), but it will top off the starter battery via solar if it needs it. It also has a bluetooth module with an app, so I can track what the system is doing in real time.

I learned a lot from Will Prowse on YouTube. I have a bunch of fuses, wires, connectors, etc. to link the system together. I am currently sketching this out on paper to help determine the best way to mount and route all of the wiring.

I also ordered an ARB dual air compressor, which I hope to mount to this same plate. That arrives this Thursday so I will wait until then to mock up the mount.

Placing the battery was as convenient as it could be. It simply fits right next to the water tank on the passenger side, right where I was hoping it would fit.

Since it is a solid state battery (no liquid), it can be mounted in any orientation, including upside down. So there it went.

Tacoma Modifications by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I used more of that sticky backed foam to protect the back and sides of the battery from excessive rubbing. It is a snug fit, and I will secure the battery with a strap similar to what I made for the water tank.

The panel with all of the gear will be stiffened with small angle aluminum riveted to the backside. The panel will then mount to the track system built into the ACCC on the backwall of the camper. It will be positioned more passenger side, but there will be a gap between the edge of the plate and the edge of the camper in hopes of using the space between the two flat sheets to store small bags of things. Haven't figured that out yet, or if it is even practical, but we shall see.

I am not a fan of huge, heavy, drawer or shelving systems. I would much rather get creative with bags and find places to tuck/mount them.

I'll continue figuring out this system and then I can tackle the solar panels, something I haven't figured out at the moment.

Thanks for reading.

 

Alright, it's been a little while, but some more work has been done.

The design of the power command center, as I am calling it, has been completed.

I started by purchasing a thin sheet of sheet metal from HD. Reinforced it with 4 pieces of angle aluminum riveted to the backside. The connection points of the panel to the ACCC take care of stiffening the panel in the horizontal direction, so reinforcing was added in the vertical direction to intelligently stiffen the floppy sheet. The components themselves also helped stiffen the sheet.

I then laid out all of the components of my system, and drew lines representing where cables would have to run on the sheet as well. I want cable management to be as good as it can be, but I have no desire to physically hide what is going on, so the wiring will be on the front side of the panel for everyone to see if they peek inside the camper.

I determined mounting points to the camper itself, and the mounting location of all of the individual pieces of the system.

Tacoma Work Round 5 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I installed M5 nutserts to hold the circuit breaker, inline fuse, BlueSea DC panel, Renogy 50A DC to DC charge controller with built-in MPPT (an all-encompassing component for a situation like this), Renogy 1000W inverter, and the ARB 12v dual air compressor. One final hole was added to install an M8 bolt, which is the common grounding point of the system.

After that was finished, the sheet was painted black and clear coated. Automotive edge protector was added to 3 of the 4 sides of the panel. The top edge was not done, as the way it connects to the track system in the ACCC makes it not useful, as that edge is physically tucked underneath the channel, and touching it is all but impossible.

I began mounting the components.

Tacoma Work Round 5 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Tacoma Work Round 5 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Next I had to get a power wire from the starter battery, and a common ground wire from the frame, up and into the ACCC. I used 4 gauge wire from the battery, protected with a sleeve to send the juices flowing where they need to. It was run along the frame, tying it to existing wiring on the frame. I crossed the frame at one of the cross members near the rear driveshaft. I insulated the wire near the engine, duplicating the OEM wiring insulation location for wires coming out of the fuse box that run down to the frame.

For the common ground, I found a suitable bolt on the passenger side of the frame near the back of the cab.

Both wires were run up the bedside, between the exterior fender and the inside of the composite bed. I penetrated the bed itself just above the 100ah lithium battery mounted against the back of the bed next to the water tank. I used waterproof connectors to keep the inside dust/water free.

Tacoma Work Round 5 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

With all of that taken care of, it was time to finally mount the panel! It came out wayyyy better than I originally anticipated.

Tacoma Work Round 5 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Now I need to wire up all of the individual pieces of the system before I can test its functionality. That is next on the agenda.

My suspension and C4 hybrid front bumper and Warn Zeon 8S winch are just about ready, so the truck will transform visually quite substantially in the next two-three weeks. I am very excited about this, as it currently just looks like a boring Tacoma with a fat black box on the back. Haha

I also got the whole Archive Hammer Hanger setup, with shackles, poly bushings, and cross brace paid for and in production. Look forward to installing that as well, whenever it arrives (60 day lead time this time of year).

One final note, took the truck out on its maiden 'campered' voyage this past week. A friend and I wanted to test it out, to see what it is like, even though it isn't complete at all.

I have to say, after spending a lot of time and trips using an open bed with a more common rtt on a bed rack, this setup is worth every single penny. The enclosed nature of the bed is much, much nicer and more comfortable. The wedge tent is so convenient it's not even funny. The side access through the hatches is just awesome. The entire setup just feels way more natural to use in my opinion. I am excited to keep improving it and making it better.

Oh, and the Shadow Awning is just insane. Massive coverage and is completely deployed in all of 22 seconds. Packing it back up takes just a hair over 60 seconds. The fully cantilevered design is just unmatched IMO. This thing takes making shade to a level I did not know existed!

We brought along our mountain bikes to ride while in Sedona. Installed two fork mounts to the rear molle panels and hung the bikes from there. Used ratchet straps, temporarily, until the rear tire trays arrive and I can affix those to the bumper caps. First couple of times it was cumbersome to get the axles inserted, but it's easier now that I have done it a few times.

Tacoma Work Round 5 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We will be taking it out again this weekend to rock climb and mountain bike again, so I want to get the wiring done and the interior lights built into the ACCC wired up to make it even more convenient.

Until next time!

 

Awesome idea and build! I will follow along.

My build philosophy is similar to yours - I went with a teardrop. While I don't live in it full-time, I did live in it for a month - while working a real office job. These days, my trips are usually limited to 2 weeks. That will be changing in the future.

Good luck on your build. I look forward to reading about all your travels.

Feel free to look me up when you get down South in Georgia.

 

Great build. I get my ACCC in March. Excited to get going with it.

 

Will do, thanks for sharing!

 

You will not be disappointed. I just spent another two nights in this thing, with the onboard power system being completed, and it was delightful.

 

Oh, you know it man. Excited to do another trip with you so you can see this thing function in real time!

 

Can’t wait! Always wanted to see one in action.

 

These next 8 months are going to creeeeeeeeeep by...

 

A bit more work has occurred since the last posting.

I was able to wire up the entirety of the power system to the best of my abilities.

All systems are a go, with juice being sent from the alternator to the house battery while I am driving the truck around, keeping it charged up.

The inverter ran my blender in the mornings, and the BlueSea DC panel powered the lights that are built in to the ACCC during the night. Multiple power ports throughout the ACCC allowed us to charge our cell phones at night, just like we would if we were in a regular house. This is so ridiculously convenient.

Tacoma Work Round 6 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Tacoma Work Round 6 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Picture from this past weekend, outside of Superior, AZ near a popular climbing spot called The Pond and Atlantis.

Tacoma near Superior AZ by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Another two nights in the camper just made me enjoy it even more. It is still remarkably convenient. The power setup was wrapped up before leaving on this trip, and that made the experience even better.

It was incredibly windy where we were, so windy that a soft shell RTT, of which I am used to, would have been impossible to sleep in. But not in this. The truck would gently rock back and forth under the hardest gusts, but with the zippers for the windows positioned in a way that they couldn't jingle, it was quiet enough for both of us to sleep through the night. The loudest noise was the wind itself, not the tent fabric being whipped around. Massive improvement.

I just finished up the wiring and the final plumbing for the onboard water system. The pump has a built-in pressure switch to turn the pump on and off. I wired in an external, 15A switch to kill power to the pump when it doesn't need to be running. This will keep it from draining the tank into the bed if a leak happens to develop.

Tacoma Work Round 6 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Two ways to get water. First is the kitchen spigot, which is easy to modulate to gently fill a cup of water. The second is a typical garden sprayer on the end of a ten foot section of hose. This thing sprays water much too far, but I can see it being handy in certain situations. The majority of water will come through the spigot, but I wanted to have the option to spray down a bike or something if I need to.

I need to buy two easier to use hose clamps, the kind that you can tighten with your hands, as the same hose I attach the sprayer to is the same hose that I fill the tank with from a water source. I simply swap the one end of the tube to the other brass fitting near the spigot, replace the sprayer with a filter, and then rotate two valves 90 degrees.

The tank fills pretty quickly imo, certainly fast enough that I won't be complaining about it.

Draining it via the sprayer did take longer than I anticipated, which was nice. I don't want to be going through water super quickly.

Suffice to say, I am impressed. No camping trip this weekend, but I look forward to testing out the system next time I pop the tent up and set up camp.

Tacoma Work Round 6 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Tacoma Work Round 6 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

My other Tacoma is back, so I used it to run up the I-17 to pick up a truck bed full of goodies that I purchased from a friend a while ago.

Tacoma Work Round 6 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The contents of that bed are what I will be focusing on next. This weekend in fact.

Swung by Discount Tire and purchased a set of (5) 255/85/R16 Cooper Discoverer ST Maxx AT E load tires. This is the setup that is ideal for me. Be wary, they were hard to find, and they were massively expensive. With certs and mounting the total for the (5) was $2,200. Skinny 33's are where it is at imo, but they are rare for 16" rims (I am maintaining the OEM TRDOR rims as I like them immensely) and come at a cost!

I'll have more 'cool' looking updates early next week, as the truck will finally look a bit better, more proportional, and like it is meant to have a giant black box on the back!

 

Hell yeah buddy. Same set up, same plans here.
T-minus 14 months till my wife and I take 4-5 years off work to do the pan American.

You picked an excellent vehicle, and an excellent shell. I have about 75 nights in the alucab in the past year, wouldn't trade it for anything (except a maltec landcuiser or 79 series with an Alucab Thor but I don't have that $$$)

Putting the finishing touches on our build now. Custom OBA with 2 gallon tank and a UV water filter for water system are going in next week. After that it's just a few changes to the interior cabinets, 20 gallon auxiliary fuel tank, build kitchen on rear door, a couple suspension tweaks then I'm done.

Looking forward to following along with your build, and I hope to see you out on the Pan-American.