MadTaco Build

HAM radio is better hands down. I only added the mobile booster to give me more options for communications while out exploring. But my amateur radio reaches far beyond a cell phone.

 

I guess I got them mounted pretty close to being right.

 

Bored today, so I mounted this organizer on my camp trailer door.

 

You planning on bringing it back out to the 3rd Annual AZBDR trip?

also do you have a part # for the ladder you have on your rtt? I wanna get that replaced before camping season.

 

I may bring the trailer this year, the trail doesn't look to bad.

This is the ladder I have.
https://tepui.com/products/telescoping-ladder

This one looks like it will work as well.
https://artemisoverland.com/product...lescoping-ladder-fsr-series-traditional-tents

I did have to move one of the mounts on my tent to match, easy job.

 

Had a little time today to work on the camp trailer.
Added a 12 volt and a USB power supply to the inside of the cargo area.


Mounted a fire extinguisher and bottle opener to the door. Also stocked the fold down cabinet.


And I repacked the whole trailer for future outings.


Not pictured, I made an adapter for my solar panel to on board battery supply.

 

I have wanted one of these for a while, and they were on sale, half off. This will come in handy when I'm out by myself.

 

Added a new digital Innovative Motorsports oil pressure/temperature gauge to the MadTaco.
I never liked the idea of a oil line running from the sending unit to the gauge in the cab. Years ago I had a line leak on me.
The new gauge kit is electrical.

 

I still have my factory radio and the reception isn't that great. So today I installed an old CB antenna I had laying around. I purchased an adapter for my antenna plug and installed it.
And it works better!

New radio antenna


Cut off the old one for now.

 

I had to park next to it...

 

What flip kit is this and how did you mount the cradles? Looks like just a single nut and washer holding the cradle via the center pin right? Did you get a longer center pin? I am slowly piecing together my setup.

 

I used a Ruff Stuff spring plate with some 5/8" u bolts and nuts.
I used Currie center spring bolts to attach the Daystar cradle with an additional nut and cut them to clear the airbag base.
I welded 3" channel to the bottom side of my frame, but I would go a 1/2" wider.

 

oh shit I see now, you cut off the entire old bump contact point. Why wider? Easier to get a wrench in for those nuts?

 

I didn't realize that the angle iron has a radius in each corner. So the nuts do not tighten flush.

 

You can see how tight the nuts are to the edge of the channel.

 

Yeah totally makes sense about the bevel, thanks man.

 

Okay so piecing this together. So just to confirm, since you have one nut tightened down to hold the leaf pack together (higher torque yield) and then you have the cradle sitting on top of it, and then another nut holding the cradle down, the cradle is essentially floating and not flush to the u bolt bracket, correct?

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

I am debating either counter sinking the first nut into the material of the cradle (but then risking weakening the only cradle mount) or welding spacer material to the top of the u bolt bracket so that the cradle can be more supported.

I have rectangular tube sitting in the garage with 3 1/4" inner width, I think if I don't use flange nuts to secure the airbag and use regular nuts I shouldn't have any issues with the radius. Plus the radius on rectangular tube is surprisingly much less than c channel. Appreciate the help on this so far. I was able to save like $60 by piecing the airbag kit together myself too since I would be throwing out any of the brackets that would come with the stock setup.

 

I didn't have to clearance any material when I installed mine. Maybe the Curry enterprise center bolt had a smaller nut.

Here is a closeup of how it currently sits.

I hope this helps.

 

Ah derp the u bolt mount is thick enough that the nut sits hidden in the plate. Thanks man.

 

How are you liking the KM3s so far?