2020 Toyota Tundra Crewmax build, "The Grey Menace"

The Ensuite shower enclosure will be here tomorrow so for now it will stay in the box.

Quick Pitch? A word of warning if you have the aluminum box version (and probably applicable to the bag version as well.)

Since we haven't been anywhere we've needed it this year, I haven't opened mine in many months. It lives on the 4Runner outside here in Ohio. I was fiddling with the truck the other day, and decided to open it up to air out, and found a lot of moisture inside! No standing water; more like condensation on all of the interior surfaces. But worse, all of the pivot point bolts and the washers under the pop-rivets are quite rusty!

I can't believe that they don't use stainless steel fasteners at this price point. I'll be replacing them all with stainless parts, but to make matters worse, the pivot bolts in the main assembly (attached to the aluminum box) are installed from the top, requiring the entire assembly to be removed from said aluminum box. And it's all held in with pop rivets. So, I'll need to drill out the rivets, replace all of the fasteners, and reassemble with stainless rivets I have left over from my old sailboat. Grrrr...

The aluminum zipper pulls were somewhat corroded, too, which is surprising. The box's seals all look to be in great shape, and there's no indication of leakage, so I don't know how it got so wet inside. Must just be seeping through the seals at the top (hinge-side) that's not adjustable like the clamps on the bottom side. Fortunately, the fabric and zippers (other than the pulls) are all fine, with no mildew or smell. I'll definitely need to keep an eye on it more in the future. Well, I hope to be using it more in the future, too...

So, just a word of warning to keep an eye on yours.
 
Thank you for the insight on the pivot points and the build up moisture. How long have you had yours? Maybe they up graded to SS hardware? Yes the case is Alum. I know my brother has a pop riveter that will do SS .
 
Camper shell was ordered and will be here at the end of October! I went with the Leer 100XR shell. Why because it fit my needs and the factory is going to install the Thule Aero blade roof rack system this way it's factory sealed so I should have no issues! The Ensuite shower enclosure will be here tomorrow so for now it will stay in the box. Well maybe a quick peek at the unit. Till next time... Out!

Check it all over carefully. The "factory rack install" on mine was meh to say the least.
 
The shower arrived the other day and well could not wait to see what it's all about! Upon inspection I like the black hammered look the alum case has. I might change the color to match the shell not sure as of yet one thing first. Now if I can figure out how to post comments in between the pictures I would have it made! As Dave would say "this post is useless with out pictures" Well ya got plenty of pictures but no comments. I need to figure this out! More to come I hope. As it sits, I really can't do anything yet with out the rack system and the camper shell except brainstorm how I want to mount this. Don't worry I will come up with some ideas!
20200910_044005.jpg
20200910_044031.jpg
20200910_044014.jpg
20200910_044117.jpg
20200910_044123.jpg
20200910_044208.jpg
20200910_044216.jpg
20200910_044257.jpg
20200910_044305.jpg
20200910_044350.jpg
20200910_044350.jpg
20200910_044433.jpg
20200910_044350.jpg
20200910_044257.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20200910_044123.jpg
    20200910_044123.jpg
    523.3 KB · Views: 62
  • 20200910_044149.jpg
    20200910_044149.jpg
    518.3 KB · Views: 64
Last edited:
Really no new updates, I did drill out the rivets for the ensuite shower and changed the bolts and hardware to SS material and re riveted it back in place. We are ready to go just need the camper shell. I am in the process of looking at off road rear bumpers, stay tuned.
 
Oh I forgot to include this in my modifications for my truck. it is a remote winch controller for my Warn12000. I already had the opportunity to try it out works pretty good has a very good range on it. I figure, the farther I can get away from the winch cable the better off. It does make things handy instead of go back and forth to the winch letting out cable in cable out to hook up. It works great!
It's a real nice Handy item to have.
20200922_192443.jpg
20200922_192422.jpg
 
OK another update if you will. I just ordered the Off road grid trek 215 solar blanket bug out kit. I was looking at the reviews and was very impressed with the unit and after reading Dave's post on the solar blanket I was hooked. Now with that said, I know my brother will be pissed somewhat Yeah well...
So I started my search of course for the lowest price. The best I found was $1,941.91 with free shipping! Still a bit pricey but what the hell. So I clicked on the link and it took me to Off road grids web site. Looking at the same unit the price was higher by only a few bucks. but when I was completing my order the shipping to me was 119.00 dollars. What it said free shipping! Not to get mad but I did a bit of exploring. I wanted to email the company but half of the page was pictures and the other half was products. So I went to the Facebook page and sent them a Pvt Mesg. It said the company will get back to you in a few mins and to my surprise they did, it was the owner of the company Rene. I explained my confusion and I sent him the picture of the ad. The ad was on google and I told him when I clicked on the product it took me to their web site and the price was higher. What he did was a total surprise to me. He sent me a promo code for when I checked out. I paid with paypal. The sub total was $1,798.14 shipping was and had to be included dang it and that was $119.60 Grand total was 1,917.74.... So I saved 199.79! Yes I was happy. Like I said this was for the 215 Solar blanket bug out package! In other words Score! Rene the owner who answered me on FB said it would ship out in a few days. Still would of liked free shipping but in the end it was a win win situation.
 
Well the solar panel came in yesterday, I must say it's heaver than I expected. Opening all the boxes were like Christmas. Checking out the unit you can tell this is the real deal. Nice quality. I have not had the opportunity to use it yet. Maybe this weekend as I have been busy in other projects.
 
Hello all, I have been looking at rear bumpers as of late I am looking at additive desert design's Why I like the 3/4 attachments for the D rings, My trailer hitch stays on the truck so no mods there, They have cut out holes for the sensors and cut out holes for Rigid square lights and free shipping, Black satin hammered look like the front bumper as well. This is the same color as mine but I do not have the TRO, I have the Platinum as Dave said nice Limo, LOL.
2018-toyota-tundra-rear-bumper.jpg
 
They said I will lose one of the two but I don't see why I should be able to cuz I'm going to drill holes for the other ones I don't see why that would not work.

Blind spot monitor and rear cross traffic alert use sensor units behind the bumper and require a plastic bumper for the signal pass through. This is why Toyota doesn't offer BSM and RCTA in conjunction with chrome bumpers.

The backup sensors mounted on the bumper only measure proximity for objects within a few feet in the direction they're pointed.
 
They said I will lose one of the two but I don't see why I should be able to cuz I'm going to drill holes for the other ones I don't see why that would not work.

There is radar behind the corners, the backup sensors will be fine. I don't believe anyone has a solution yet. Its only for the rear cross traffic assist. Can be turned off without any codes or anything, there is a button for it.
 
Just a short update, The rear bumper should be here Tuesday, As for the light to be installed in the bumper I went with the Rigid D series Pro. I already tested them and are very bright and these will fit my needs as a addition to my back up lights with much more distance. I might also hook these into my S Pod as I have one switch left.
lights.jpg
 
Last edited:
Will a little bit of good news today my addictive desert design rear bumper came in today I must say it was packaged up very nicely delivered to my house on a pallet in a nice sturdy cardboard box with spray foam around the bumper to help protect it I must say they did a very very good job packaging it was very impressed. Now the real work starts more than likely Saturday I'll take off the old bumper and install the new bumper, next install the Baja design backup lights get everything all situated so shouldn't take very long to actually install the bumper I did take a few pictures for ya. Also I call leer camper shells up in Temecula talk to the owner he research my order for my camper shell and he says it's on the truck that is supposed to be delivered next Tuesday or Monday which means I'll pick it up that weekend or possibly maybe mid-week which is very nice so give me another week of doing things to the truck which is fine. So things are progressing very nice I can't complain the is truck coming along very nicely
20201027_130326.jpg
.
 

Attachments

  • 20201027_130333.jpg
    20201027_130333.jpg
    430.8 KB · Views: 55
Back
Top Bottom