The Drifter - Specs and FAQ

The Duo Long Wide + fits fine, but is wider than the stock mattress, so it's as easy to fold it up and out of the way to stow the sleeping bed for full truck bed access.

 

Nice! Just ordered one. Don’t have the drifter yet, but looking for something more comfortable for now and that we can use once we get it

 

PM'd!!

 

We tried this one. It's a tight squeeze but probably the best choice. The stock foam mattress is ~48" and the ExpedDuo is 52". We got it from REI but returned it because it had a small leak in it and deflated requiring us to pump it up in the middle of the night. We wanted to just exchange it but they were out of stock and so we are trying the Nemo Roamer (haven't yet tried it yet), which was similar $ with a 20% off coupon. The ExPed was super comfortable...wish we could have exchanged it. The main downside that I and JasonLee have both noticed is that because its wider, it's hard to move out of the way so you can tuck in the bed platform, even with deflating it. It may be why it developed a leak (wrestling with it). I think we've decided we'd rather have the comfort without the ability to move the platform (which we don't use that much anyway). I guess we'll see!

https://www.campsaver.com/exped-meg...S9FZX4tdRC1Nm7glmc5eUKahsEK0STtxoCZRUQAvD_BwE

 

A lot of questions in this thread result in the answer "

$8 3M VHB 100x200mm~ (4" X8") Double Sided Foam Adhesive Sheet Tape 5952 Automotive Mounting Industrial Grade Very High Bond 5952 (1 Sheets 100x200mm)

3M VHB tape". Here's why.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_fM5cqSODc

 

Need some input from someone who has a drifter and knows dimensions and spacing on the l-track and fan up top.
From my understanding, the whole roof footprint is 114"x54".

I'm getting a fan on mine, and will have a thin solar panel(61.25"x27.25") glued to a front corner basically as close as I can safely get it to the edges. I dont really want or need the standard l-track mounting option because I dont want any rack to cover the fan and panel, but I also haven't seen exactly where its mounted nor do I know how long each rail is.

So I'm contemplating asking Vagabond about the possibility of a custom spaced l-track install to the side of the panel that I could mount 2 crossbars onto for some extra storage or strapping some paddleboards or kayak to.

I mocked up the dimensions of the top and panel(.5") from the edge, with some hypothetical rails(not sure how far they need to be from the edge), and also not sure exactly where the fan is located. But I'm wondering if they could mount the l-track roughly like this, and have the side where the fan is cut and spaced around the fan. Just want to get some ideas of spacing and feasibility before I fire an email off

 

The L-Track near the center of the lid won't work well as there is a press brake "X" pattern across the roof. The roof isn't flat. Also, the currently installed L-Track option is at the edge where there is a 90 degree bend in the aluminum, helping support it and make it stronger. There is an internal 1" square tubing inside the roof that the inside ePanel is VHB taped to. This frame is set up so the fan fits inside of an open area.

Another downside to your L-track mounted in the center of the roof is that if it leaks, it will go inside the lid. The current L-track option mounts outside of there the tent attaches inside the lid, but still inside the outer edge. If anything were to leak, it won't go inside the camper.

 

That center L-track would run right through where the fan is.

What are you trying to carry on the roof?

As someone with a flexible panel velcroed to the roof, if I had to do it again, I would probably just go with a normal panel. It's risk free to mount stuff to the roof because of the design of the tent. It's offset so drilling holes in the outer ~3in is just aluminum and outside the tent. Mounting that center rail would require fastening through the insulated roof panel which I'm not sure is the greatest idea.

 

Thanks Jason that's pretty much what I was trying to find out, I had a feeling there were elements that I wasn't aware of. I'd be real into the standard L track config but again don't want to cover the panel.

I don't have any real specific need for a rack up there, but I'd like to have it as an option. Not having to deflate boats and roll em up and find room in the bed would be nice. Thats my biggest thought.

I got a really good deal on a Merlin panel and I like the low profile nature of it more, but definitely can see the upside to having a the panel mounted on the rack itself. What I'm hearing though is that in the future, I could add some L Track to those outside edges myself pretty easily? If that's the case I'll prob just do that and have some crossbars in the real estate behind the panel

 

Yes, it's not hard to install L-Track yourself later since it's low to zero risk of causing a leak.

 

The low profile was the reason I got the flexible panel. But then I got the fan which sticks up way higher than a normal solar panel. If you just put in some crossbars, you could just mount them directly instead of using a track. The flexibility is nice though.

 

The L track is super nice if you want to move or change your roof rack crossbar locations...... which 99% of us will set once and never move. Definitely a nice option and I like having it but probably not necessary.

As far as the set up you are going for, remember that overhang lip is on 3 sides of the roof pannel. You could mount your feet all the way back and in front of the pannel to make your set up work to a degree.
Think red as ltrack and blue as crossbars

 

This was our solution. We have Yakima tracks, a low profile Inno box. We decided to add solar and was recommended to attach it to the top of the box. This has worked beautifully. We were able to keep our max tracks (on the other side) of the box.
This is the solar panel we got: https://www.overlandsolar.com/collections/off-grid-cabin-solar and it can be detached if we ever take the box off. We keep the following in our box: madmat rug, two chairs, a roll-up table, a shovel. We just upgraded to 250lb struts and are happy we did - the top opens more easily.

 

A question for the group. We have some gaps on the sides of the drifter window above the tailgate. Others have this issue? What did you use to seal the gap? We just used this for the side of the actual tailgate but it was too big for the window.

$28 ESI Ultimate Tailgate Seal with Taper Seal 10ft for use with Truck Caps and Tonneau Covers

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IPQWXZQ

 

Post some photos of this. I haven't seen a 3rd gen tailgate interface in person yet.

 

That back window isn't closed properly, when latched it should be flush with the frame.

The locking bar inside is adjustable, use a flat head screwdriver or a 1/4" wrench to loosen the locking screw and snug it up to the window

No Good:



Good:

 

Thanks, Typ! Had no idea. Will give a whirl.

 

Here's my top notch rendering.

 

+1 on the functional fairing! Now add a sealed box with side access behind the fairing and it will be perfect.