Vagabond Drifter Camper Buildout and Mods

That is nice. Who makes that?

 

Thanks bud. Just ordered. Gonna play with the idea with adding grommets to the center (dipping section) or toward the corners like @snwbrdr852 mentioned. Thanks gents!

Also, I like the breathability point you mentioned about a mesh netting. That may be in the future, but I wanted something to block out light so we can try to mimic the same way we put her down at home. It's definitely going to be different, because it isn't her crib, so we're trying to make everything else as close to the routine as possible.

 

https://vrnclrsewnstorage.com/products/the-top-shelf

he is a one man show, designing and making stuff ( for bicycles and campers)

 

the Sherpa guys were planning on releasing the rack you speak of last week but nothing yet. Prolly had a few things to iron out still.

I have a g31 odyssey in the cubby on the passenger side back seat. I have the seat removed and have an 8020 platform that holds my fridge so I made a little shelf and battery box behind it out of 8020. Been running it like that for a little over a year with no issues minus lifting that big SOB in there when I installed it lol

could also look at some HD Velcro? Not sure how well it would stick to the tarp tho.
We took our little one out for her first trip last week and she slept with mom up top in a similar sleeper. I slept on the bottom bunk but next time we will both sleep up top for sure.

 

My recommendation is to just put the little girl as low as possible. We actually had great success on our recent trip putting our daughter on a pack-n-play mattress on the truck bed floor. No risk of falling down there. I know that doesn't exactly solve the problem you mentioned, but it kinda does right?

I saw that they released a "GFC" rack for short beds and long beds. I think their GFC short bed rack would work for a DCLB Drifter, but I'm not sure if they have something specifically designed for a DCLB Drifter. Maybe we should get a group discussion going with Sherpa? Are they a vendor on here?

 

does anyone know a brand or link to the drop down front window that the Drifter comes with?

 

I really wanted a fan but was not sure if I can fit into my garage with it. So Phil recommended that he install a blank piece and I can install the fan myself at a later date. Win/win I took the offer. All electrical, bracing, etc will be installed I would just have to install the fan myself. No biggie!

When I got home the vehicle fit fine into the garage without the fan, I had 1.5 inches of clearance. With the fan installed It would not fit.

So I called a local garage repair man and he raised my garage ~3 inches so now I can fit inside with the fan installed. Next mod is to install the fan! Right now I am working on my 2nd battery install with Redarc DC charger behind the rear seats.

Some test fit pictures.

 

I called a garage guy to raise mine and he told me it would be cheaper to buy a new truck!

 

lol. They can be raised. I paid him $100 and he was gone In less than an hour. Really honest guy and basically raised it to the max and adjusted my spring tension also well. Highly worth giving a garage guy a try. I’m on 34 inch tires and I will be able to fit in the garage now with the fan installed.

 

@4wdExplorer what's the height of that cross piece on the garage to the floor if you don't mind checking? If I buy a new house will need to bring a tape for the garage door haha

 

Yea lets see pics of the work done on the garage! @4wdExplorer

 

It depends what the low point is. Yours was obviously the point where the door stopped going up, which is extremely lucky for you that it worked out that way.

For me, and most others, it's the actual header that's the problem, not the door.
Once I added a custom Deaver leaf pack to my truck, I couldn't fit anymore. I got super lucky finding a lower profile fan I could install, then removed the trim from the top of the garage door opening, added two 60 lb sandbags in the bed ....and after all that, I can literally scrape in if I hug the very left side of the garage since I've got a slight slope in the concrete to that side.
And that's just on 32's, haha.

 

I just measured it is 2 1/2". I was thinking of getting a smaller cross brace, but no need now.

I definitely got lucky. I will add another leaf to my Heavy Dakars to make them Extra Heavy. I doubt I will gain much height from that.

 

Whoops guess I should have asked the clearance of that point to the floor.

 

89 inches.

 

Setting that in my home buying app now....Garage door clearance 89" or greater.

Thanks man

 

Unforunately he just adjusted the metal arm that the opener attaches to the garage. Nothing exciting lol. He did this 2 times and basically the garage opens flat now. He also had to adjust one of the springs since there was slack in one of the cables. Before the end of the garage was slanted when open, now its flat which I gained the ~3 or so inches I needed.

 

Its the night before our baby’s maiden voyage, but I got it done. Not the nicest, but it’ll do for now - it’s all temporary anyway. Thanks again @snwbrdr852 and @4wdExplorer for the ideas. Had the pup test it out for good measure

 

So, the next thing I am focused on is a water system. With a 5' bed, I am trying to retain as much space in the bed as I can, so I feel like the only real option is a tank mounted underneath the bed and probably using a custom made tank, most likely where the spare tire resides presently. Has anyone else done this? I know I have seen plenty of Propex and airtanks mounted down there in my research, but I also wanted to get some input from anyone who may have done this. Any thoughts, comments, etc. is appreciated.

 

Where is your spare going to be? How much extra weight are you going to hang off the rear bumper with swingout that is holding your spare and 10+ gallons of liquids?

It may be the time to start thinking about the DMZ frame boxing kit before you bend the frame since it seems like you may be adding a lot of weight. Check out Anderson's thread: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tr00pr-missed-every-target.667154/ He had a water tank inside the bed