Simple yet Satisfying DCLB

This trailer build is already awesome! I have not seen anything quite like this. Well done, sir!

 

Thanks! Expect to see progress during the winter, since the garage is heated.

 

Since the trailer is more of a winter project (and a big one), I figured I would put some windows in my camper shell. That way I have something to use this fall. Since it is a $40 camper shell, I decided to use some scrap plexiglass and aluminum I had laying around. I have a few more pieces of plexiglass for the other windows.

Camper shell setup costs so far:
$40 purchase price of shell itself
$7 key made to fit
$5 hardware to retrofit my existing RTT hoist
$0 existing mattress and bedding

Still need:
A few cans satin black spray paint for windows
Velcro to attach curtains I will make from an old bed sheet

My camper shell camping set up will be way less than $100 LOL!

 

Warning! This build is getting lame and boring!

Projects are on hold for Now. Sister needed to move in for a while. Super glad to have her, but there is now a bunch of stuff in the garage and the camping trailer project. On the bright side, I have been traveling almost every weekend to the beach or the mountains. Mostly day trips, but I have found time to camp a couple times. I camped on the beach for the first time ever at Freeman park (Carolina Beach area) the weekend before last. It was awesome! Something to be said about waking up to the sound of waves.


Also, for my birthday, I decided I wanted to down size the tires a little for better performance on road trips. I also decided to use this opportunity to change to a 16" wheel and to go with a quieter tire. I know, I'm boring, but "function over form". I bought some used 3rd gen Off-Road rims and plan to mount some BFG K-bro2 load rang C tires in 265-75-R16. I have had great experiences with several sets of KO's over the years.

 

Jesse, nice to see an update. What are the wheel specs, if you don't mind me asking?

 

Thanks Nick. I haven't spent as much time on here lately. Nice to see updates lately on yours as well. The new wheels are 16" x 7" w/ a 5.25" back space, iirc. They are the same spec as the 2nd gen off road. I'm running 1" Bora wheel spacers, and I like them. So I'm at 4.25" bs, all said. The 265 tires I'll be installing will allow me the option of removing the spacers if I ever choose. I was having frame rub issues with my current setup of stock sport wheels and 255/ 80/ R17 tires until I added the spacers. They fixed that (with a little fender flare trimming), and I guess the truck looks a little better with them.

 

Thanks. Okay so same as 2nd gen ones. I like the look of the 3rd gen OEM wheel. The 265's are a good size. I ran them for 40K and overall I liked them a lot.

 

I have gone forward with a full suspension rebuild on the truck. I have installed basically new shocks and coil-overs from a 2017 Tacoma off-road (supposedly a better ride than the sport suspension and an inch of stock lift over a second gen front suspension) along with leaf springs from a 2015. The truck has also shed a ton of weight with armor and off-road recovery doodads. The 33's look hilarious on the new lowered suspension. I think I had bent something a while back, because I was suffering from a full inch of "taco lean" which was not there when the lift was new. The new ride height is 1 inch lower on the driver side and 2 inches lower on the passenger side. I also re-installed a sway bar and my old upper control arms. I was surprised how worn out most of my lift components were after only 47,000 miles. I will keep all of the parts in case I want to convert the truck back into an off-road rig when it is much older.

I know I will now have to change this thread title to "my simple and not so satisfying build", but I am looking forward to comfortable long road trips. It's funny that my 11 year old F150 with 271,000 miles is more of a joy to drive then my Tacoma on road trips. I saw that as a problem that needed correction.

All I need to do is tighten everything down and pull it out of the garage for some pictures.

 

The latest phase of the truck is complete. Here it now sits on factory third GEN off-road suspension and factory off-road sized tires (265/ 70/ 16). These tires are 3" smaller than the last set. I love the fact that it now can hold a gear on the freeway. Function over form, but I don't think it looks that bad.

 

Sister hasn't moved out yet, so the trailer is still on hold. I still have a bunch of crappy boxes of junk that isn't mine in my garage. I did this though. I bent up a random piece of metal to hold my GPS and painted it black.


I have been using this old-school GPS for sometime now, but it has always been laying in the way on top of the cupholders. I love it though, because it leaves a blue line ("trail of crumbs") everywhere I have been. Often times I venture down some random path and find a dead end. This helps me find my way out. It also helps me find the area later if it's worth returning. Cell phone service is very unreliable in the mountains around here, but this always seems to find a satellite.
I also did this:

 

Did the always on power outlet mod. Used this write up: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/always-on-power-outlet-relay-modified.407458/

 

A small update for my very slow progress. Made this out of some scrap 5/16" metal and a scrap hitch that I had planned on making a bumper out of a while ago. The idea here is to have the winch available when I'm going places I may need it but not have to carry it the other 95-99% of the time. My truck is mostly a pavement Princess these days. I still need to finish the mount of the winch itself on the cradle and all of the wiring, but you get the idea. Now the winch can be shared between this truck and my future more dedicated trail rig when I get it.

 

I've got a Panavise mount that's along the same line as that for my phone. It's a good mount system and a great spot!

 

It is working out great!

 

I got my whole garage back and put the Jeep trailer back in. I have my own place again! The trailer project can now continue. Warning though, it will still go very slowly, as I am also completely redoing the kitchen like an idiot.

I cleaned up the cuts where the floors were removed from the jeep, got more done on the demolition of the windshield and cowl area, and started cutting some plywood for the floor. I'm starting to see how redneck this is going to be, and I like it!

 

Sweet, interesting, and confusing lol

 

I figure since this build is pretty dead, the trailer deserves it's own build thread. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...om-a-jeep-grand-cherokee-on-the-cheap.539611/