how-to Homeless in Tacoma?

What you need is a fan, in a frame, that fits the cap ‘pass through’ window, then some ‘scuppers’ down by your feet - cut some holes in the bottom of the cubbie boxes and put some sort of, screened (bugs), furnace or hot water vent fitting in with some rivets and silicone. Get caps for them too, to seal up the boxes when you’re driving around. Close up the cap and run the fan blowing out of the cap. This will draw a nice draft from the back, bottom, of the bed, where the boxes are, up and out the pass through window. You can still stay locked in while you’re sleeping too.

 

so far I got an OPolar 10,000 Mah fan. Clips on. Built in battery. Hopefully it doesn’t fail (cheap). Maybe clip onto an open side window or front one.

I don’t know about “locked up”. That would be nice.
Unless there’s a feature I’m unaware of, my Snugtop back glass can only close and open from inside. Not lock.
From outside away from the truck I lock it with the key.

yes a more ideal fan would be building a panel inside the window. At which point I’d have to coordinate if I’m gonna use any of that space or not with a metal mesh molle type of grid gear organizer

I do keep stuff in the truck that’s probably useful to have for anyone.
But unfortunately right now it’s stuffed into door pockets and shit where it’s probably harder to find than if I set up some organizers.
Like tourniquet, chest Seal, fire extinguisher, Narcan that you can get for free.
with how things are these days you never know who or what you’ll come accross that may need it even if it’s not you.
Never been face to face with such things yet but have happened to be near them when others responded first who were closer by/more immediate.

side windows have mesh screens and it does kinda suck for shell to get hot in sun even if I’m not in it.

for example. Back glass has Velcro taped onto the tint. To attach an insulating shield. Lately that’s been falling off.

And simply leaving the regular windows open for breeze (which doesn’t even get in without a fan I noticed) probably isn’t smart because it can randomly rain at any time.


Right now it has a plywood carpeted bed platform that would be nice to cut panels into; it probably is blocking access to cubby natural outside air vent gaps that is likely minimal. Not to mention having a bed rug underneath.
Cutting a hole in the roof of the shell is another option but probably not now given a solar panel adhered up top and not knowing what the future holds if at some point I’ll get a Sherpa roof rack if it becomes smart budget wise (definitely want one)

Even saw recently a guy in Canada welds up custom bed racks that work with shells
That gives side gear mounting options
If not that then there’s Remora Offroad exterior window gear panels that can hold traction boards, liquid storage containers, etc
Though I think those shell racks require cheaper flat mount shells and not ones like SnugTop that wrap and curve down over the bed rail
I read snugtop extends downward that way (and probably Leer too) to help deflect water out the side

thank you for the idea gives me stuff to think about


This whole have to live in truck shit is temporary and should be coming to an end in the near future
but regardless the learning experience is interesting, and probably an asset to know.

even if I’m not in the future, it’s still good to know some stuff real world experience wise to have an idea of a proper build
And even have a good enough setup for short camping trips

I really want to take a friend to Black Bear Pass. It’s still closed undergoing repair
and sometimes ponder how the hell would I do that. Until who knows when it will open.
maybe let him camp in the bed to experience it and me nearby in a ground tent

at that altitude in those mountains supposedly there’s huge rodents (marmots?) that come eat every rubber hose on your truck and require rolling out Home Depot fence perimeter around it to keep them out…

 

Some hasps with pins, gate latches, deadbolts, etc are all ways to ‘lock up’ from inside the cap…

 

For truck camping I really like having no window between the cab and camper with an 'accordion boot' seal used to seal off the passageway in a fashion that looks legit and is water tight. This way you can lock up the back and front and climb through the window space for stealth camping in back essentially in 4-runner style.

Story time, 20 years ago I was camping in a 24hr fitness parking lot and some speed freak decided to start fucking with the truck and me when I was crashed out. It was a lot easier to climb through the window hole and floor it to gtfo vs. having to exit the back of the shell to deal with the situation directly. Only had that happen once, but it /can/ happen when you might not be in the mood for it and having a fast escape route (no rear window between cab and shell) can be the path of least resistance.

 

Subbing for the adventures

 

“This whole have to live in truck shit is temporary and should be coming to an end in the near future“

 

I would not mind doing Black Bear Pass again but it's currently closed

https://www.sanmiguelcountyco.gov/406/Road-Conditions

So you deleted the cab rear window?
I know my shell front window folds down
other than that it's just the center pass-through that's like a mini 1/3rd window that I don't think a human can fit through. Though I have thought about sealing those together to cool the shell a bit.
As the cab window scan be cracked (rain visors) but there's no way to crack any shell windows while keeping rain out.

I guess you could have thrown a traction board at him to keep it non-lethal and distance yourself from his dirty needle

 

ok,



great.

 

Shell front window is a cutout traced from the pinch weld of the cab once the rear window was removed. The accordion boot is waterproof and windproof and allows flex between cab and shell.

$75 Slider to Shell Accordion Boot Rubber - 10 ft | Spring Clips are Facing The Opposite Direction

https://www.amazon.com/Slider-Shell-Accordion-Boot-Rubber/dp/B00J4UBJ66

I read on here a while ago somebody found a 29er innertube also works to seal the gap well.

I have a carpet kit in back with some extra padding on bottom to block noise. Also a rubber seal on the tailgate to block water and airflow. Without a tailgate seal I found the tailgate could pull dust inside sometimes.