2018 Taco TRD Offroad

Did a little cleanup on the cap harness. Replaced tape with heatshrink and wrapped the harness with split loom behind the light.

Added a waterport for showers and a half rack to use as a sleeping platform and for cargo. The rack is an aluminum dunnage rack from a online restaurant supply store. Hell of a lot cheaper than having something fabricated.

For now the teton camping pad will work but I do want to get something a little thicker.

MVIMG_20180513_114741.jpg
 
Removed the back jump seats and added a back panel molle rack. It's hit or miss with the mounting holes aligning on access cabs so I used rubber standoffs and a little pressure to align everything up. Knurled thumb screws allows me to remove the rack whenever I need to.

Electrical tape holds the washers in place that provide some adjustment to how the rack sits. I still need to add sound deadening material.

IMG_20180526_174215.jpg
IMG_20180526_172936.jpg


Materials
 
Hampered by the wet weather I still managed to run a conduit from the bed to the cab to protect the cables, run the cables, and set up a ham and CB antenna.

The Diamond antenna mounts are really nice. An allen wrench can be used to fold them back to avoid overhangs and obstacles. However they are for ham radio antennas so to get them to work with a CB antenna I had to reduce a 5/8" hole to 3/8". They are the last 3 items on the parts list.

A nylon sleeve bearing and steel shim sandwich the 5/8" hole for a ham antenna. The steel shim provides the ground for the FireStik cable. The nylon sleeve bearing plus the 3/8" ID nylon insulating washer provides the necessary insulation for the CB antenna.

From the cabin inside.
IMG_20180602_163136.jpg


To the outside
IMG_20180602_163222.jpg


And then back up to the inside the bed.
IMG_20180602_163229.jpg


Scanstrut cable pass through on each side for each antenna. The ham radio antenna is on the other side.
IMG_20180602_163521.jpg


Not able to finish I made my way over to the Point of Rocks MD boat ramp to check out the Potomac.
IMG_20180602_200537.jpg


That's the boat ramp.
IMG_20180602_200516.jpg


Materials

Most any epoxy adhesive for the nylon conduit and adapters.
Silicon sealant for the cable pass throughs.

For the FireStik Stud Mount (and any other exposed connections)
 
Last edited:
Al Swope said:
What is the breather pictured above for?
Click to expand...

It's a flexible conduit. The ham antenna cable is really thin with not much sleeving for abrasion protection. I wanted something to protect it. Both it and the CB antenna cable passes through the top of the cap. Along the cap's internal frame you can see in post #21. Out of the truck bed, through the conduit, and into the cab.

IMG_20180604_152323.jpg
IMG_20180604_152833.jpg
 
Waiting for parts to arrive for the T-slot platform that I'm making. Did a little prep work. Rhino lined the area that will be accessed by removable doors once the platform is in place.

IMG_20180607_213707.jpg
 
New wire pull for the fridge and radio running from the engine bay fuse box, under the plastic trim on the door sill, and into the back. The project box is working out well. Not a spec of dust inside. Not easy to add new lines though. The fuse block has to be dismounted. That requires the positive lead and negative ground to be detached.

IMG_20180614_182857.jpg
 
bob91yj said:
@Gallowbraid has similar attention to detail in his mods (I wish I had just a spec of what either of them do in that regard), he's in your part of the country!
Click to expand...

That's why I've been posting links to the parts. The biggest obstacle is knowing what's available. The best analogy I can come up with is rummaging through a box of Legos. While you're looking every block is one you don't need but every block you toss to the side gives you a better understanding of what you can build.
 
Another project box addon. Power will connect with a 4 pin deutsch connector you can see on the side next to the power socket. Cobra 75WXST plugs on the other.

The 3 shock mount studs pass through the floor sheet metal. Silicon sealant sandwiched between mount, sheet metal, and external washer.
IMG_20180625_230045.jpg


Had to flip the box so I ended up with a few extra holes.
IMG_20180625_230135.jpg
IMG_20180625_230549.jpg


Parts List
 
Last edited:
Please make sure you're looking at the amp ratings of the pins used for the Deutsch connectors. They are surprisingly low. Not sure why everyone is switching to these over the cheaper, easier to use, and higher rated Anderson Powerpole connectors, or even the Weatherpack connectors.
 
Mitch said:
Please make sure you're looking at the amp ratings of the pins used for the Deutsch connectors. They are surprisingly low. Not sure why everyone is switching to these over the cheaper, easier to use, and higher rated Anderson Powerpole connectors, or even the Weatherpack connectors.
Click to expand...

The pins that I'm using (14awg) are rated for 13 amps. With the wire length I don't think I'll go over 3.5 for the CB and 2.5 for the fridge. I used 5 amp fuses in the block just to give me a small buffer.
 
Greg said:
The pins that I'm using (14awg) are rated for 13 amps. With the wire length I don't think I'll go over 3.5 for the CB and 2.5 for the fridge. I used 5 amp fuses in the block just to give me a small buffer.
Click to expand...
I always do the same on small loads. Because honestly, you're not going to overload a 14 gauge line, but you still want to stay close to the load by the device. Generally, with amp loads of 1 to 1.5, I'll use a 3 amp or a 5 amp if I don't have a 3. The USB ports I use draw 4.8, which means 5 amp fuse should be plenty, but I use a 7.5 to increase the margin a little, not that it would ever use it, but I'm more concerned with shorts vs overload with amp draws down in this range.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom