Adio3x's Build/Pic thread.

[limamike]

Also got around to installing the GoalZero boulder 30s on my roof. Ran the charging cable to the trunk, down the pillar, and behind the ARB, into the goal zero 350 extreme battery. It does take quite some time to do a full charge. You have to be in direct sunlight for 10-14 hours to charge a full battery. I had this on the go, got about 40% extra battery while on the hwy. The battery only died once at the start, but that was going from 60 degrees to 31 degrees, too much power.

Zip tie those bad boys down! You're cutting potential energy out of the equation with those ratchet straps (but you knew that). I've had solar panels on the top of my truck for a while and zip ties keep them in place quite nicely.

 

[adio3x]

Zip tie those bad boys down! You're cutting potential energy out of the equation with those ratchet straps (but you knew that). I've had solar panels on the top of my truck for a while and zip ties keep them in place quite nicely.

I'm a little iffy about zip ties holding those down, I've had ties pop off before, I like the added security of the straps. I don't like to think of what would happen to some $600 panels flying off on the hwy lol.

 

[Snooperstyle]

I'm a little iffy about zip ties holding those down, I've had ties pop off before, I like the added security of the straps. I don't like to think of what would happen to some $600 panels flying off on the hwy lol.

If that one inch of space is so important for extra rays, then why not use some good old high quality woven rope? Keeps a low profile and much stronger than a zip tie...also easy to remove...you just need to know how to tie a good knot.

 

[whodat]

Everytime I look at your truck, I have a grin on my face and I would say out loud "damn!", my wife would then ask me "what?", I would then show her the pics of your truck and she would say "damn" lol looking good man!

 

[pawzitiv]

Thanks! They do plan on making more, Olivers was the prototype and mine was the mockup of his. I know a couple other members have been talking to Chris about it, but hes slammed at work. Its a small business, but he does plan on opening up the market for Toyota owners. Skid plates and a front bumper will be coming out towards the end of the year is what he was talking about. So if anyones interested, I'd give him atleast a month before you ask him about it, just so he has some time to finish up previous orders.

Andrew, your Hefty bumper looks great! I talked to Chris on the same morning you were to arrive in Colorado Springs. He sounded a bit more optimistic than what you're reporting about when he thought he might be able to start taking pre-orders. Chris figured the installation of your bumper would sort out any remaining details necessary to contemplate starting production. Were there any issues with the installation of your bumper?

 

[adio3x]

If that one inch of space is so important for extra rays, then why not use some good old high quality woven rope? Keeps a low profile and much stronger than a zip tie...also easy to remove...you just need to know how to tie a good knot.

I'll look into that. I mean these aren't staying on my truck for the rest of the year. I mainly had them on to power my fridge for the trip to Colorado, now that I'm back, I'll probably use it a handful of times before retiring it for the season.

Everytime I look at your truck, I have a grin on my face and I would say out loud "damn!", my wife would then ask me "what?", I would then show her the pics of your truck and she would say "damn" lol looking good man!

Haha thats hilarious.

Andrew, your Hefty bumper looks great! I talked to Chris on the same morning you were to arrive in Colorado Springs. He sounded a bit more optimistic than what you're reporting about when he thought he might be able to start taking pre-orders. Chris figured the installation of your bumper would sort out any remaining details necessary to contemplate starting production. Were there any issues with the installation of your bumper?

Thanks! Yea he had mentioned he was talking to a customer from Canada, so I thought "hey that has to be Arie lol". I'm just saying what Chris told me about the whole situation. He does plan on making more bumpers, the company is growing, but he doesn't have all the answers for everyone that is asking him about these bumpers and how long it'll take to make one. I just got lucky with the bumper he made me, when I called him about it, it was already 60% done and was a dual swingout at that point. He then had to change some stuff around, I gave him a date, and he met it.

As for the installation, since the first bumper was made on Oliver's trail, there were some complications as far as the fit went for my SR5. It took about 6 hours to install, but he made it work. Now I asked him on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the hardest) how hard would the install be for the average person, he said "probably like a 12 lol". So he's still trying to work out the kinks before he makes another one. But like I said before, he will be making more bumpers, he's just slammed at the moment.

 

[pawzitiv]

Thanks for giving me your impression of how busy Hefty Fabworks are at the moment and some measure of the bumper installation difficulty. I was rather hoping to make a road trip to Colorado Springs later this year and have Chris install another one of his creations himself.

 

[adio3x]

Thanks for giving me your impression of how busy Hefty Fabworks are at the moment and some measure of the bumper installation difficulty. I was rather hoping to make a road trip to Colorado Springs later this year and have Chris install another one of his creations himself.

That would help him a ton. He didn't want to have to ship out this bumper cause he wanted to work out the problems with the different trim bumpers and now he knows and thats understandable. But I hope you can get one made, its an amazing bumper.

 

[phillyd2]

What do you guys think about putting a solar panel UNDER the rack. I know it would reduce sunlight but how much?

 

[limamike]

I'm a little iffy about zip ties holding those down, I've had ties pop off before, I like the added security of the straps. I don't like to think of what would happen to some $600 panels flying off on the hwy lol.

I promise they won't go anywhere. The boulder panels have 6ea mounting points. I've had mine zip tied for a couple of thousand miles with no issue whatsoever. Also, they're all not going to fail at one time, so if you start hearing the panels get loose then just pull over!

 

[limamike]

What do you guys think about putting a solar panel UNDER the rack. I know it would reduce sunlight but how much?

It's impossible to say unless you actually do it, but I wouldn't bother. At best you're going to get panels with 22% efficiency in direct sunlight. I've had 84 watts worth of panels on the top of my truck at once, and the BEST I got was half of that at any given time because the angle is so poor. Put them under the rack and I bet you'll cut it in half (at least) once again.

 

[SEP]

Your truck is looking great with that bumper! but just curious why just the tire carrier? your not planning on bringing extra fuel when going to moab or somewhere?

What do you guys think about putting a solar panel UNDER the rack. I know it would reduce sunlight but how much?

I saw somewhere in expo forum where they put it under the roof rack but with a slide tray so they can pull it out only when camping.

 

[adio3x]

Your truck is looking great with that bumper! but just curious why just the tire carrier? your not planning on bringing extra fuel when going to moab or somewhere?



I saw somewhere in expo forum where they put it under the roof rack but with a slide tray so they can pull it out only when camping.

I just wanted one cause its my daily, I don't plan on carrying extra fuel everywhere I go. If I need extra fuel, I have a rotopax setup on the tail end of my Gobi (which I couldn't use cause I didn't buy those stupid back plates). Also I have to open my trunk almost 15 times a day for work, im not saying opening the swingarm is a task, but 2 would get annoying for me.

 

[SEP]

i see your point. thanks! sometimes i get too excited with all the features and think I want all of it but questions like this makes me say... "oh yea... maybe i don't really need that..." lol thanks!

 

[fdmstng99]

Love that bumper!!

 

[jangoforhire]

So are you keeping it under wraps - or can you tell us all what this "different direction" is that you keep referring to?

Personally I don't think your truck needs any other direction...

 

[GrantK]

Also got around to installing the GoalZero boulder 30s on my roof. Ran the charging cable to the trunk, down the pillar, and behind the ARB, into the goal zero 350 extreme battery. It does take quite some time to do a full charge. You have to be in direct sunlight for 10-14 hours to charge a full battery. I had this on the go, got about 40% extra battery while on the hwy. The battery only died once at the start, but that was going from 60 degrees to 31 degrees, too much power.

Hey, you've now got a 4Runner Hybrid!!!
:frog::frog::frog:

 

[adio3x]

So are you keeping it under wraps - or can you tell us all what this "different direction" is that you keep referring to?

Personally I don't think your truck needs any other direction...

I used to be into a lot of rock crawling stuff, cause thats really all we have here in Missouri. So I needed some heavy duty skids and went with the BBs. But after going to Colorado and watching all the X-overland vids, im gearing my build more towards overlanding. Getting ASFIR aluminum skids to replace the BBs, next big thing is either the ARB Touring RTT or Airtop maggiolina. I'm planning a 2 week west coast back country trip for the spring of 2013. So thats basically what I mean by different direction.

 

[1engineer]

I used to be into a lot of rock crawling stuff, cause thats really all we have here in Missouri. So I needed some heavy duty skids and went with the BBs. But after going to Colorado and watching all the X-overland vids, im gearing my build more towards overlanding. Getting ASFIR aluminum skids to replace the BBs, next big thing is either the ARB Touring RTT or Airtop maggiolina. I'm planning a 2 week west coast back country trip for the spring of 2013. So thats basically what I mean by different direction.

The Maggiolina is the best engineered rooftop solution I have seen in person. When my kids are out of college (only 4 more years lol) this will be my choice as well for camping. Good choice!

 

[jangoforhire]

I used to be into a lot of rock crawling stuff, cause thats really all we have here in Missouri. So I needed some heavy duty skids and went with the BBs. But after going to Colorado and watching all the X-overland vids, im gearing my build more towards overlanding. Getting ASFIR aluminum skids to replace the BBs, next big thing is either the ARB Touring RTT or Airtop maggiolina. I'm planning a 2 week west coast back country trip for the spring of 2013. So thats basically what I mean by different direction.

Sounds awesome! That's what I am working towards as well. Ideally I want to get my build finished by next spring and (hopefully) get a job/internship on the west coast for the summer. Then I can leave a few weeks early and hit all the trails out in Colorado, Arizona, California etc. Thats my goal, maybe I'll see you out there!