Louisiana Overland - Build and Adventure
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3wbdriver
New member
FRANK!!?? Izzat you!!!??? :shocked:
It is!!
Louisiana Overland
New member
Took a trip last week to do part of the Georgia Traverse again. We hit Nashville and Fall Creek Falls also.
Oh...and I stopped by CVT Tents in Chattanoogga and picked up a RTT!
Oh...and I stopped by CVT Tents in Chattanoogga and picked up a RTT!
Louisiana Overland
New member
Dometic Fridge Install
I picked up a Dometic fridge here on the group buy. I am still waiting for an Odyssey Grp34 battery to arrive for final wiring termination, but the fridge and slide are in the T4R. I opted to make my own "goose gear" type floor with a 3/4" birch plywood. I bought the ARB fridge wiring kit that came with a fused lead and a receptacle. The receptacle is mounted at the front side of the wheel well panel. Domestic's power cord has a cigarette lighter type plug that can be taken apart at the threads and then what's left threads into the ARM receptacle. Added insurance against coming unplugged on the trail. So out came the carpet....
If you look close, you can see I enlarged the fastener holes slightly to accept a threaded riv-nut. I picked up the tool at Harbor Freight and it came with ten of the correct size. Here is a closer look.
Here I have the plywood installed. I painted it with roll in bedliner and that worked out okay. Ill need to touch up around the bolt holes where the veneer split some.
I used 1/4" Lag Bolts to attach the slide to the new floor. There was one location where a bolt used to attach the floor to a riv-nut was interfering with the slide sitting flat so I drilled an extra hole in the slide and bolted through the slide and floor to the riv-nut below. It was a minor pain, but in reality adds some strength to the entire attachment.
And the finished set up.
I picked up a Dometic fridge here on the group buy. I am still waiting for an Odyssey Grp34 battery to arrive for final wiring termination, but the fridge and slide are in the T4R. I opted to make my own "goose gear" type floor with a 3/4" birch plywood. I bought the ARB fridge wiring kit that came with a fused lead and a receptacle. The receptacle is mounted at the front side of the wheel well panel. Domestic's power cord has a cigarette lighter type plug that can be taken apart at the threads and then what's left threads into the ARM receptacle. Added insurance against coming unplugged on the trail. So out came the carpet....
If you look close, you can see I enlarged the fastener holes slightly to accept a threaded riv-nut. I picked up the tool at Harbor Freight and it came with ten of the correct size. Here is a closer look.
Here I have the plywood installed. I painted it with roll in bedliner and that worked out okay. Ill need to touch up around the bolt holes where the veneer split some.
I used 1/4" Lag Bolts to attach the slide to the new floor. There was one location where a bolt used to attach the floor to a riv-nut was interfering with the slide sitting flat so I drilled an extra hole in the slide and bolted through the slide and floor to the riv-nut below. It was a minor pain, but in reality adds some strength to the entire attachment.
And the finished set up.
Louisiana Overland
New member
Georgia Traverse July 2018
I made my first trip to the Georgia Traverse last February and spent 4 days and nights camping and driving the traverse. I had a blast but due to time was forced to get off the trail where Cherokee National Forest intersects the Ocoee River at TVA Powerplant #2. I loved it so much I took a second trip a few months ago to do the Eastern part of the traverse with my girlfriend. Last week, my sister invited me to come up to Pigeon Forge and spend a week with them there vacationing. I decided I would leave a day early so that I could devote at least a day to doing the remaining part of the traverse that I had been forced to miss. I drove to Gadsden and slept in the truck at a rest area. I began heading onto the traverse the next morning at 6AM and pushed hard for about 8 hours to get to my finish up spot where I exited the traverse in February. As a "live for today" cancer survivor I cannot even begin to express the triumph I felt when I drove out of that forest and pointed the 4runner towards Pigeon Forge. Screw you, cancer!
This was my only wet crossing on the western end. The eastern portion of the traverse is littered with them, especially after recent rain.
No traffic jam here....
I have learned to expect a lot of this on the Georgia Traverse.
and my biggest obstacle of the day...
And lastly, a shot of the 4runner where I exited the forest at the Ocoee river entrance to Cherokee National Forest.
I made my first trip to the Georgia Traverse last February and spent 4 days and nights camping and driving the traverse. I had a blast but due to time was forced to get off the trail where Cherokee National Forest intersects the Ocoee River at TVA Powerplant #2. I loved it so much I took a second trip a few months ago to do the Eastern part of the traverse with my girlfriend. Last week, my sister invited me to come up to Pigeon Forge and spend a week with them there vacationing. I decided I would leave a day early so that I could devote at least a day to doing the remaining part of the traverse that I had been forced to miss. I drove to Gadsden and slept in the truck at a rest area. I began heading onto the traverse the next morning at 6AM and pushed hard for about 8 hours to get to my finish up spot where I exited the traverse in February. As a "live for today" cancer survivor I cannot even begin to express the triumph I felt when I drove out of that forest and pointed the 4runner towards Pigeon Forge. Screw you, cancer!
This was my only wet crossing on the western end. The eastern portion of the traverse is littered with them, especially after recent rain.
No traffic jam here....
I have learned to expect a lot of this on the Georgia Traverse.
and my biggest obstacle of the day...
And lastly, a shot of the 4runner where I exited the forest at the Ocoee river entrance to Cherokee National Forest.
Fellow Runners
Been a member of the Forum for a while. I have a 2010 Trail that I have been driving to Colorado since 2010. Just lately starting to see a few 4WD Runners in Baton Rouge. Would love to get together with other 4X4 Runners in Baton Rouge. E-mail [email protected]
Been a member of the Forum for a while. I have a 2010 Trail that I have been driving to Colorado since 2010. Just lately starting to see a few 4WD Runners in Baton Rouge. Would love to get together with other 4X4 Runners in Baton Rouge. E-mail [email protected]
Louisiana Overland
New member
If its the blue tarp....yes...they sell tarps like that at Walmart and Harbour Freight. Harbour Freight also has tarp clips that make it a breeze to add bungees to the tarp. I nearly always carry a tarp, bungees, and paracord.
3wbdriver
New member
I've searched but all I could find was a Mississippi Loop for the TAT. Is that the one you're talking about? I could possibly be cajoled into a weekend run later this year depending on my schedule.
Louisiana Overland
New member
Yes thats it. The loop info is on the TAT site. I believe the same guy mapped it. I am wrapping up plans for a 16 day trip out west in September. I still need to install the Odyssey battery and make final connections for the fridge. I also want a good lithium ion jump pack and a good air compressor.
Louisiana Overland
New member
She got new wheels this week. I did the “nose job” on the front facia last week. I was pretty conservative with the cuts but it still looks much more aggressive. The wheels are 17x9” SCS Ray10s. The backspace is 3.5” and -38 offset. These are new for SCS, as this size was previously only available in their F5. Its like running their 8.5” Ray 10 with a 1.3” spacer. Im scheduled with Southern Style Offroad for a body mount chop next week. The tires are my same 285/70 BFG KO2s.
Louisiana Overland
New member
Just adding some scenic photos....
Off the beaten path in Smokey Mountain National Park...skipped the asphalt by stopping at a jeep rental shop and asking directions.
Sarah’s Campground near the Georgia Traverse north of Clayton, Georgia. This is a great place to start the traverse and head west for a weekend trip. You can do the best water crossings, prettiest roads, and Trey mountain in a day or two from here. Solo trip last year.
Nawth Gawgia...
I saw some 4x4s circled up in a parking lot and stopped to see if they were going to be getting them dirty. We ended up tagging along. Christmas 2018
Trey Mountain that same day. There were 6 rigs til we headed to trey mountain. Everyone bowed out except me, an FJ, and an older 4runner.
Off the beaten path in Smokey Mountain National Park...skipped the asphalt by stopping at a jeep rental shop and asking directions.
Sarah’s Campground near the Georgia Traverse north of Clayton, Georgia. This is a great place to start the traverse and head west for a weekend trip. You can do the best water crossings, prettiest roads, and Trey mountain in a day or two from here. Solo trip last year.
Nawth Gawgia...
I saw some 4x4s circled up in a parking lot and stopped to see if they were going to be getting them dirty. We ended up tagging along. Christmas 2018
Trey Mountain that same day. There were 6 rigs til we headed to trey mountain. Everyone bowed out except me, an FJ, and an older 4runner.
Looks like it was an awesome trip.
We are currently planning 2019 trip. We are moving our start date to July. The last couple of years we have gotten heavy rain (Oct) that has kept us from many of the places we wanted to go. Here is our plan
1-Caprocks Canyon
2-Datil Well Campground
3-Goosenecks or Muley Point
Honacker Trail Hike
4-Goosenecks or Muley Point
5-Henry Mountains (Lonesome Beaver Campground)
Mt. Ellen Peak Hike
6-Henry Mountains
7-Rim Lake (Boulder Mountain Fishing)
8-Rim Lake (more fishing)
9-Cathedral Valley (Capitol Reef)
10-Snowslide Campground near Durango
11-Pole Creek/Rio Grande Campsite
(Old Hundred Mine Level 7 Hike)
12-Pole Creek/Rio Grande Campsite (Fishing)
13-Pole Creek/Rio Grande Campsite
14-Caprocks or Copper Breaks
15-Home
Anyone else planning for 2019? I’m ready for a good trip
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We are currently planning 2019 trip. We are moving our start date to July. The last couple of years we have gotten heavy rain (Oct) that has kept us from many of the places we wanted to go. Here is our plan
1-Caprocks Canyon
2-Datil Well Campground
3-Goosenecks or Muley Point
Honacker Trail Hike
4-Goosenecks or Muley Point
5-Henry Mountains (Lonesome Beaver Campground)
Mt. Ellen Peak Hike
6-Henry Mountains
7-Rim Lake (Boulder Mountain Fishing)
8-Rim Lake (more fishing)
9-Cathedral Valley (Capitol Reef)
10-Snowslide Campground near Durango
11-Pole Creek/Rio Grande Campsite
(Old Hundred Mine Level 7 Hike)
12-Pole Creek/Rio Grande Campsite (Fishing)
13-Pole Creek/Rio Grande Campsite
14-Caprocks or Copper Breaks
15-Home
Anyone else planning for 2019? I’m ready for a good trip
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Louisiana Overland
New member
Made a quick trip to North Georgia last week. I sure wish I could figure out how to imbed a video here!
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Louisiana Overland
New member
I have been doing some improvements lately on my suspension and the end result is much improved manners on the road and hopefully a little freer articulation Offroad.
-urethane sway bar bushings front and rear
-durobump bumpstops
-Dobinsons adjustable rear sway bar links
-Eimkeith Panhard correction kit.
The rig drives perfect!
-urethane sway bar bushings front and rear
-durobump bumpstops
-Dobinsons adjustable rear sway bar links
-Eimkeith Panhard correction kit.
The rig drives perfect!
