Laxtoy’s making of the pig

Looking good man! I didn’t even realize you had a build thread for your truck.
Hope all is well.

 

Thanks man! I’m trying to get ready for an Oregon BDR trip in mid June- I’m afraid to post a to do list in case I can’t get everything done.

 

Haha, gotta hold yourself accountable! What’s on the list?

ORBDR in June is bold, especially the northern section. Expect snowdrifts when you get up to 6500’.

 

Yeah, thought of that, but snow packs have been really low this year, 50% of normal, and we’ve had some stretches of mild, dry weather. I figure anything too hairy and we’ll abort that section for a later date especially because we’re rolling solo.

My concern about a later trip would be the fire danger and heat, not that we’d be at too much risk, but if there’s excessive heat or smoke that would be manageable but extremely unpleasant, or worst case, closures. I’d rather deal with cold as a possibility, pack a chainsaw, prepare for the worst than just know the trip will be rough with bad conditions.

We’ll be going from south to north and don’t have an unlimited amount of time either, basically a long week Friday to Sunday, so realistically 8 days on the actual BDR with a day of travel time bookending the trip.

Here’s my list, somewhat ambitious, but some things are not really that important

Camper/truck to do

• Chevy springs, high priority
• Inverter, low priority
• Trac board mounts, high priority
• Cigarette lighter plug, medium priority
• Tailgate lock, metal handle necessity
• Tailgate cutting board cover, medium priority, move fridge slide prior
• Tailgate step, medium priority, cover prior
• box frame, high priority
• refresh engine/valve covers, necessity
• lower control arms, necessity
• Alignment, necessity
• Taco tabs, high priority
• steering rack nut repair, necessity
• Delta joints, low priority
• calipers, rear brake line repair, check drums/shoes, adjust, brake flush, necessity
• lumber rack 100% functional, touchups include angle brace, holes for lashing, t slot rubber trim
• solar panel mount 100% functional, touchups include pivot/brace, flat braces on mounts, pads on mounts
• Wire charge controller, panel
• new solar charge controller, Phocos 15A mppt controller
• 10 awg solar panel extension cord with Anderson connectors, low priority
• Hi-lift mount, necessity
• Rework Jerry can mount, necessity
• Prime Jerry can swing out, necessity
• Paint Jerry can swing out
• Rework swing out latches, low priority (before rear bumper paint)
• Center console, necessity
• paint rear bumper, low priority (after swing out latches, clearance rear bumper)
• cut front bumper side horns, replace front plate, low priority (prior to paint)
• Replace fog lights, medium priority
• Paint front bumper, low priority (after front plate, cutting side horns)
• Mount Lightforce, low priority
• New switch box, wire Lightforce, low priority
• mount ax/shovel, necessity
• Propane tank mount, necessity
• table mount, medium priority, aluminum cut
• floor plywood system, low priority
• remount fridge, low priority, prior to tailgate
• Wire 3rd brake light
• wire Juicebox, necessity
• Clean up wiring to fuse box/2nd battery
• Reign awning/walls, high priority
• fairing, low priority
• Supercharger, low priority
• Clearance bumper at rear tires, low priority (prior to paint)
• Backup camera, low priority
• Seal tailgate, high priority
• Behind seat area, medium priority
• Mount 2nd fire extinguisher
• Repair sill plates

 

Holy moly, that’s quite the list. Sounds like tearing the back end down to the frame is your first step. Heck you might as well french those Chevy springs in at that point, just need to drop the tank.

Agreed on the low snowpack, snow might not be an issue for you. Although once you’re up in the Blues there are not a lot of ways to bypass the trail as I recall.

 

Yes, the list is a bit over the top- been working on things in the evenings after work, I feel confident I’ll get the necessities done and start after some niceties, not sure about the rear though. Wouldn’t be the end of the world, but the T100 springs I’m on are pretty clapped out. They’ve made driving with a lot of weight scary at times.
I do have some advantages that will assist in doing so if I get to it Using a two post lift will definitely help cycling the suspension and hot having to mess with jack stands.

I do plan to French the hangers as well as swap the spring perches and get the pinion angle dialed in. Years ago I tried to recenter the axle by drilling new holes in the stock perches since the T-100 leafs pushed the axle about a 1/2” to the rear, so they’re done and ready for the trash.

From my research so far, I don’t think any section is so far that if it becomes impassable I won’t have the option to turn around and head back the way I came. Plan to bring a Jerry can for fuel and water, hoping to not need the fuel.

I stranded myself many years ago with no winch, no locker, and no radio, and the lesson stuck, so not going to do anything haphazard. Good coms, good maps, backpackers GPS, detail given to contacts throughout the trip, etc.

Now iPhone 14 and newer running OS 18 can satellite text as well.

 

Nice! Two post lift will be super helpful to do all the suspension and frame work.

I haven’t done the BDR from south to north, but the first time I did it going south I filled up in Walla Walla and coasted on fumes into Granite. Which luckily has a seasonal gas station, that happens to have ethanol-free 94 octane. That stuff is like rocket fuel for a supercharged engine.

Did not know about the satellite texting, I just got an iphone 16 so that’s super helpful to know. Thanks!