Recent content by erikhy

Southern Style Lo-Pro I'm really happy with the Southern Style Lo-Pro / Smitty Bilt X20 / Baja light bar combo. I know C4's are great too, but thought you might want to see if this option might work for you.

I'm sick of seeing the same "Drive Safely" startup message on the center screen when the key is turned. It is is basically useless and annoying. Does anyone have a way to make it go away or replace it with my own text? (I have a 2018 Offroad Premium.) Thanks! - Erik

Ham Radio Install - talking with Brazil and New Zealand CB is dead, mostly, until there is a highway pile-up, then comes alive with truckers. Ham radio is far more active for the overlanding and emergency response communities. So, in addition to the CB, I got ham-licensed and just installed...

I put on a Southern Style low profile bumper, which is basically just the center section, not the wings, and put a Smittybilt winch into it. It's pretty light compared to the full ironmongery spanning the whole width, and has great build quality.

You might also consider a "shoe" for your roof light bar - basically just cut and bolt on a metal strip to the bottom of your light bar that casts a shadow onto just your hood. Of course, if you like the two-tone look on your hood aesthetically, go for it.

SwitchPro wiring diagram for loads Since you asked about wire gauges, this is my wiring diagram for my SwitchPro aux electrical system. (There is no second battery at the moment.) It will give you some idea of wire gauges. For long runs to fridges, use 10 or 12 gauge (or heavier.) For lighting...

Lifted ARBs Two ARB drawers, lifted so a 35" square folding table slides underneath. It can be used for camp life, ro for "parking" the drawers in the garage when I want the full cargo area available. Drawers are turnbuckled to the load D rings.

I've got mine in the passenger side hole in the engine compartment, along with a 1 liter cooling bottle to keep the hose from melting from the compression heat. The compressor is wired into my SwitchPro 9100 with a relay. I've heard of cases where, due to a second battery taking that space...

You could probably drive 6 inch washboards and not feel them on that mattress. Impressive.

I built a telescoping platform on top of my ARB drawers, and at 6'1", I can sleep diagonally just fine without moving the front seats. It would be a bit tight, though, for partner shenanigans unless she was short. A partner does, however, help with winter heat generation. If you are tall, you...

I used a SwitchPro 9100 for power distribution, which is probably more than you are looking for. In your case, if you want simplicity, just run a pair of 14 or 16 gauge stranded wires from the battery, with an inline fuse close to the battery. There is a big rubber grommet in the driver's side...

Easily removable ARB Drawer Install with table, bed I just did an easily removable install of side-by-sdie ARB drawers into my 2018 4Runner, with a 35 inch square table underneath, and a bed platform slider on top of the drawers. The unit is turn-buckled to the load D-rings and very secure in...

Lordy, at 70 mph crossing into Utah on the way to Moab my old gf takes my hand and puts it in a very wet place. Thank god that road was wide and straight and not a mountain road with soft shoulders and dangerous curves. It was a *very* distracting experience. Smile.

I agree about ham. I'm going for both CB, so I can talk to truckers about road conditions, and ham, for trips with 4-wheelers, and for better back country signal and audio quality. I'm studying for my ham technician license now, using "The Fast Track To Your Technician Class Ham Radio License"...

I just installed a Cobra 75WXST 40-Channel CB Radio (amazon), where the entire guts are in the hand set, with just a tiny connector box under the passenger seat. The mic's stretch cable nicely rests in the groove between the passenger seat and the center console, nearly invisible. The CB puts...