geekhouse23's "LIFE'S WAITING TO BEGIN" #EAF Overland & Adventure build

Alright....I've waited.....7 minutes.

What's up?

 

Patience sir

 

Who's ready for an update on Caitlyn?

Contents of the box I received 3 days ago:



She's about to receive a bunch more #EAF points



I need to figure out how these tabs are going to work out:



Perhaps they can be curved at the bottom of the bracket to form around the hoop. Something clean but functional. This will be the new way to mount the limb risers. I am currently in the process of finding someone that welds aluminum nearby. I have a few lined up and I hope I can get a decent price. Really stoked on this and I cannot wait until it's done.

Now for the biggest transformation coming to Caitlyn this far.

My good friend and local, fellow TW member @LoadedTaco is selling his current rear Pelfreybilt steel bumper. It will now have a new home on Caitlyn.



I offered to take it off his hands and assist so he can order a new Pelfreybilt rear. Pete is changing up his truck a ton and is selling both his front AND rear bumper. The bumper will include everything pictured above except the spare tire. It WILL include the rigid lights he has mounted in there currently. I am happy and grateful for the opportunity and I am really looking forward to this next mod. It comes with the ability to mount Rotopax on the bumper. This will be great because I have two 1 gallon water jugs that can be moved out of the bed and readily available. I will be able to completely free up the bed space. I will also see if I can possibly work to mount the 20-lb CO2 tank and be able to swap between CO2 and the Rotopax mounts.

Another project will come out of this modification. Since I will be able to free up the bed space, I will be working to complete the platform system I picked up over a year ago. It will have to be removable and I have to work out the airflow system, but I think I have some ideas. Cold weather will be interesting, but I am not really planning on camping much in cold weather.

If you are wondering how I feel about my decision to go with the fake-ass eBay Bushwackers rather than cutting up the OEM flares or real, $500 Bushwackers, well, you tell me..

The bumper will take some work to get restored and I am not sure when it will be installed. I have to see how bad the bumper and Line-x are and then clean it up once it is in hand. I am debating on powder coating it. Unfortunately, as it is the winter, I cannot afford to spray paint it myself until at least March/April unless I get a weekend before then above 60 degrees. Kinda rare although more frequent in the past few years.

I also spent the latter part of the week and early morning today sending out some patches I sold. Without doing so, I would not be able to have made the initial down payment. Everything seems to have aligned and I am excited to get back into the build. The last and final major mod I would like to do would be new gears and air lockers front and rear. With this modification taken care of, I am one step closer to completing the build.

 

Can you turn the bracket around and weld the two ends to the tube.

 

I was thinking about that too..

 

Gonna be awesome! Love my full hoop- great choice

 

He needs to make his mounts like yours

 

Pic?

 

I can't stop staring at the pic I took checking the fitment of one hoop. Going to change the look completely. Very excited!

 

Do either of you have a picture of the mount?

 

It’s in my thread somewhere. At the pediatrician with the boy.

 

Found it

 

Got dang it thats sexi

 

Pure secks

I heard back from the first person I reached out to. He is on a business trip in CO and is driving back the next day to day and a half. He saw the pics and understands exactly what I am looking for. I hope he would be available this weekend, but with the holiday, I understand. If not this weekend, I am hoping for December 2nd. The first hurdle has been cleared; them agreeing to the work. The second hurdle will be picking a day and time to get everything done.

 

Shouldnt be too bad if you do the prep ahead of time

 

Got a 4 day weekend coming up so I should be able to have the brackets done and ready to go. Getting the oil changed and diff fluids changed on Friday. I will also be rotating the tires too provided it does not rain.

 

Fix a string to the cab fix point and run it to the new hoop. Weld your tab there. Be mindful that you may not be able to open the hood due to top of the cab being narrower. Because of that I used the quick disconnect pins that came with my turnbuckles.

 

My version 1 used a caribeaner at the top to quickly disconnect the risers. My V2 will probably be the same setup but I was to get those turnbuckles and a thinner cable

 

I sourced mine via

Panorama Swageless Turnbuckle Jaw End 316 Stainless Steel 1/8" or 3mm (Lot of 2)

Amazon. They are stainless and made for yacht rigging and cable bracing so pushing a few errant limbs off of the windshield will be easy work for them.

 

This is on my to do list