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PanicMonster's Outlet-Mallcrawler Build, Pro Edition

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Builds (2016-2023)' started by panicmonster, Feb 20, 2021.

  1. Feb 20, 2021 at 11:45 PM
    #1
    panicmonster

    panicmonster [OP] no

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2021
    Member:
    #351509
    Messages:
    178
    Anchorage, AK
    Vehicle:
    2021 Mallcrawler Pro
    [​IMG]
    Kachess Lake, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Washington, May 2021.

    2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

    • Bought new February 19, 2021
    • Less-than-daily driver + means to explore
    • Needed more technical tool for double-black diamond speed bumps, Tesla intimidation, and curb-hopping

    Mods with a semi-nuanced fully-pedantic detailed account of installation:

    Other Mods in no particular order:



    ORIGIN STORY:



    Peaks District, Coconino National Forest, Northern Arizona, Sep 2007.

    That is not a Tacoma. But, it does I think represent the general sense of purpose. The lovely vehicle in this photo eventually could not keep up after 14 years of service. In coveting the Tacoma for just as long, the time finally arrived.



    Foothills Toyota, Burlington, Washington, Feb 2021.

    A key portion of this story involves Wife’s need to make a pit stop on the journey home from the dealer. Thus, a Tacoma’s maiden voyage is christened as she embarked to…the outlet mall.

    I don’t have any photos of that expedition because I was busy carrying a new, but heavily discounted, Le Creuset Dutch oven. (tangent: If it’s a French-branded, French-manufactured, French-popularized cooking implement, can it still be “Dutch”? Riveting conversation on this debate over at Martha Stewart forums, to which I’m sure TW frequenters would have much to add.) Regardless, I get a new toy, Wife gets a new toy. Fair is fair, only mine was made in Texas.

    After lurking on TW for years and creating an account upon the decision to become a Tacoma owner (I couldn’t bring myself to post earlier than this), the selected events in the evolution will be detailed below, mostly for myself and posterity-sake.

    Looking forward to joining the TW fold.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2022
  2. Feb 21, 2021 at 5:11 AM
    #2
    doublethebass

    doublethebass aspiring well-known member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2017
    Member:
    #206252
    Messages:
    3,409
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Antoin
    Minneapolis MN
    Vehicle:
    ’17 6MT Pro
    Welcome to TW

    I think my wife and I have had the same conversation about the Le Creusets haha
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2021
  3. Feb 21, 2021 at 8:15 AM
    #3
    .劉煒

    .劉煒 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2015
    Member:
    #168910
    Messages:
    2,444
    Vehicle:
    2016 Inferno DCSBTRDORMT
    Heh - I tend to do more of the breadmaking anyway and I just went with the ikea enameled one v. a la crucet. She did get me one with legs for campfire use though. First thing as an outdoors tool, though - the stock taco tires suck beans.
     
    doublethebass likes this.
  4. Jan 18, 2022 at 1:32 PM
    #4
    panicmonster

    panicmonster [OP] no

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2021
    Member:
    #351509
    Messages:
    178
    Anchorage, AK
    Vehicle:
    2021 Mallcrawler Pro
    C4 Lo Pro Front Bumper, Frame Supports, and Warn Zeon 10S Winch

    Finally got this installed over the long weekend. Despite being one of the first big-ticket items I ordered for the Mallcrawler (on 3/22/2021) it didn't arrive until 4 months later, then spent another 2.5 months at the powder coater (Northwest Powder Solutions Inc. in Kent, WA -- turn around was slow, but price was fair and the finished product looks amazing). Now, 10 months after order, it's finally on. This last week was a mod-fest but I wanted to post some pictures of this one in particular to convey two things:
    • You can install this yourself, it will be ok
    • I used a unique solution for the winch controller mount, which I think will work out well (SDHQ Behind the Grille Mount)
    Key resources I used along the way:
    @C4 Fabrication's thread on the topic: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ront-winch-bumper-install-instructions.446516
    @ClassyTacos's video of his install: https://youtu.be/w81IXDl1h5w

    Pre-Install.
    [​IMG]


    Disassembly complete. I left the stock skid plate on, which only turned out to be PIA when installing the frame supports. In retrospect, I would have taken this off too.
    [​IMG]


    Bumper, lights, winch all bolted up with the SDHQ mounts. Also subtly in-frame is Kulshan Brewing's Kitten Mittens Winter Ale.
    [​IMG]

    My solution for relocating the winch controller: using the behind the grille mount.

    I bought some 1/8" aluminum from the hardware store, cut it to size and used it to back support the control box, with the controller port pointed straight up.

    I initially wanted it on the driver-side support but the cables that came in the Warn kit were about 1-2" too short to reach across center to the posts on the passenger side of the winch.

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    How it looks with grille back on. Sits in there nicely with much easier access compared to other locations I've seen. It's very sturdy. It does not obstruct the radiator.
    [​IMG]


    Final product:
    [​IMG]

    Just need to spool the rope and good to go.
     
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2022
  5. Jan 18, 2022 at 4:05 PM
    #5
    panicmonster

    panicmonster [OP] no

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2021
    Member:
    #351509
    Messages:
    178
    Anchorage, AK
    Vehicle:
    2021 Mallcrawler Pro
    RetraxPRO XR Tonneau Cover with modified drainage

    This idea isn't new (see here), but this is my take on it. Cross-post from that thread.
    • Vinyl tubing - black 1/2" ID
    • Threaded reducing hex bushing - brass 3/8" NPT male to 1/4" NPT female (installed into bed)
    • Threaded hose barb - brass 1/2" barb x 1/4 NPT male (clamped to tube)
    • Hose clamps
    • 3/8" forstner bit (but 7/16" would have been better)
    • Black RTV seal
    I wanted to retain the normal bed drainage holes, but add the larger diameter, more sturdy drainage tubes. The thicker vinyl tubing doesn't kink like the thinner clear tubing supplied with the Retrax. I found the Forstner bits to be superior for drilling through the bed in a clean and controlled fashion. Black RTV to seal the reducing bushings into bed. Having the threaded barb means I can remove easily.


    Clear tubing supplied with Retrax compared to my modified version
    [​IMG]


    OEM drainage hole next to newly installed drain hole with RTV-sealed bushing. Note: the fuel line is directly underneath, drill carefully, do not pass point.
    [​IMG]


    With hose-barb screwed into bushing.

    [​IMG]

    Cut out of bed mat to accommodate the drain tube. The hardest part of this whole endeavor was cutting through that thing.
    [​IMG]


    Finished product.
    [​IMG]


    Close up of driver-side tube.
    [​IMG]


    Originally had Rhino Rack HD cross bars (Rhino Rack Heavy Duty Black 2 Bar 59" Roof Rack Y01-130B-NT). The kit comes with everything you need to attach to the Retrax. No extra quick mounts or t-slot adapters needed. This setup was nice and easy to take on and off.
    [​IMG]


    Now with upTOP Overland's Mid-height Retrax TRUSS rack
    [​IMG]





     
  6. Jan 18, 2022 at 4:14 PM
    #6
    ClassyTacos

    ClassyTacos National Treasure 3, Times a ticking Nickolas

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2019
    Member:
    #306325
    Messages:
    1,900
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Papalote
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2017 TRD Sport 4x4
    Stockish
    Looks perfect, great job. I love the lights behind the grill and the box relocation.



     
  7. Jan 18, 2022 at 4:19 PM
    #7
    panicmonster

    panicmonster [OP] no

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2021
    Member:
    #351509
    Messages:
    178
    Anchorage, AK
    Vehicle:
    2021 Mallcrawler Pro

    Thanks man. Your video gave me a lot of confidence in doing this myself. Really appreciate your work and your channel -- always informative. Also I totally tried to find the brackets you used for your box relocation to no avail, ended up doing it this way.
     
    ClassyTacos[QUOTED] likes this.
  8. Jan 18, 2022 at 4:31 PM
    #8
    ClassyTacos

    ClassyTacos National Treasure 3, Times a ticking Nickolas

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2019
    Member:
    #306325
    Messages:
    1,900
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Papalote
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2017 TRD Sport 4x4
    Stockish
    Thanks for the kind words, appreciate it. With the brackets, I have folks hit me up all the time over FB or IG about them. The most recent set was sourced from Lowes.
     
  9. Jan 31, 2022 at 9:15 PM
    #9
    panicmonster

    panicmonster [OP] no

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2021
    Member:
    #351509
    Messages:
    178
    Anchorage, AK
    Vehicle:
    2021 Mallcrawler Pro
    Rear Camera Relocate for Hitch-Mounted Swingarm with OEM Panoramic 360 system

    Inspired by discussion on this thread https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...era-on-my-removable-swingout-on-a-2020.738469 from @StapleNut @caribe makaira @Blueberry.Taco -- thanks very much to these guys.

    I have an 8 pin camera connector for the panoramic 360 camera system. I didn't find that anyone else had confirmed this method would work with the 360 system...it does! And it's totally removable with a single easy disconnect point right behind the swing arm.

    Parts I used include:

    First, I confirmed the wiring and connectors would work with my system without having to bypass the CAN BUS by making a 3-way connector of sorts. Thankfully, everything seems copasetic with the CAN BUS leads simply unplugged. The details of the wiring are best described in the schematic posted by @caribe makaira here:

    Next, I attached the camera in vertical-mount mode to an existing hole in the swing arm. I used one on the wedged spacers. The wiring runs up behind the table and around the angled support, behind the license plate, and through the grommet on the fixed part of the swing arm. This routes around the area where the latch is because I was worried about the wiring getting pinched there.
    [​IMG][​IMG] [​IMG]


    Under the rear bumper the harness converts from the 8-pin OEM camera connector to the new camera's 4-pin connector. The extra wiring I didn't want to remove and splice because I might end up moving this elsewhere down the road and wanted to preserve the length. That is coiled up in the blind-ended loom.

    The small 4-pin connector sits right behind the swing arm and is an easy disconnect for when I remove the swing arm. The harness is zip-tied in and stays put.
    [​IMG]


    I used the extra connectors to make a plug for which ever camera-side connector isn't being used (OEM vs new relocate).
    [​IMG]


    Here is the harness as it sits now, where the new harness is connected to the truck, and the OEM camera-side connector has the plug. For when I remove the swing arm, I just swap the connections.
    [​IMG]


    Overall the quality of the feed isn't appreciably different from OEM. Plus, the panorama feature is preserved.
    [​IMG]


    The camera is angled so the red guide is exactly at the level of the swing arm. The green guide is 1-foot out, which approximates the edge of the spare tire.
    [​IMG]


    It is slightly off center though, which, is fine I guess (for now). What I dislike more is that it's so close to the ground that you don't get a nice bird's eye view behind like OEM. Solutions to this include a bracket behind the spare like the Jeeps have, or mounting it to the top of the bed rack. For now, this will do.

    [​IMG]
     
    dmca, lazyorefficient and StapleNut like this.
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