Familymopar's Build and Adventure thread

[familymopar]

The day I picked her up and brought her home:

<a href="http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/chuckgreenlee/media/IMG_2925_zpsmchgkpd7.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b573/chuckgreenlee/IMG_2925_zpsmchgkpd7.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_2925_zpsmchgkpd7.jpg"/></a>

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[familymopar]

Now:

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[familymopar]

I have been putting off starting a thread and the further it gets the more catch up I'd have to do. I have a number of photos but did not take photos of everything I did necessarily. Besides, there are guys on this site who are VERY good at doing instructional threads. I don't think I am probably one of them. So I will start here and if anyone wants photos or info on anything in particular where I could be of help, don't hesitate to ask. So many people on this site have been incredibly helpful to me that the motivation for this thread is to help anyone else I can.

Here is the list of everything, big and small, that I have done since bringing her home:

- tinted windows 25% driver and passenger and 5% on the rest
- Weathertech floor liners front and rear
- Capsure tethered valve stem caps
- black out rear emblems
- Gobi Stealth rack with ladder and shovel / ax mount
- Vision X 4.5 light cannons on CBI ditch mount brackets
- Rigid SR-M diffused lights: driver side, passenger side, dual rears
- S Pod SE touchscreen system with bluetooth
- ARB 50qt fridge hard wired to flush mounted ARB outlet
- Odyssey group 31 deep cycle battery

 

[familymopar]

I recently did the [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] / [MENTION=8206]harper7[/MENTION] storage space mod in the rear wheel well. I did it more to get access to mount the arb plug, but I will be finding something to keep in that space!

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When I tried to snap the tabs, the tab broke off on one side and the post broke off on the other, so I snapped the other tab and the other post off and voila! access to more space.

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[familymopar]

So I looked for a rod holder for a while and didn't find anything to suit me. I was looking for cheap, easy to install / remove, and preferably overhead inside. Not finding what I was looking for the solution seemed simple: make one myself. I have posted a photo of this somewhere else here but wanted to give some quick details to save any of you the headache if you wanted to do one. I can not go anywhere without someone asking me about it. If I have the rear window down people even ask me at stop lights. I think the total build cost me about $5 or so.

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It is just two 1x2's. The rear hanger is 40" and the front hanger is 43 1/2".

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I used a hole saw to cut in the rod spots. I did a five rod holder. I do not remember the size hole saws I used but I don't figure it matters too much. I made big holes in the back and little ones in the front. I cut the holes in the rear hanger at 6" intervals: 8", 14", 20", 26", and 32". this left 8" on either end.

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In order to make sure the rods tapered in between the two front seat passengers, I cut holes in the front 1x2 at 4" intervals: 13 1/2", 17 1/2", 21 1/2", 25 1/2", and 29 1/2". (so I guess there is an extra inch on one side of the rear hanger but I can't tell, largely because when using a hole saw to only make a half a hole I had to settle for "close enough")

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I bought some of these (the only purchase besides the 1x2):

<a href="http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/chuckgreenlee/media/unspecified45_zpsvzqfmunt.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b573/chuckgreenlee/unspecified45_zpsvzqfmunt.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo unspecified45_zpsvzqfmunt.jpg"/></a>

For the front hanger I screwed them into the ends and it hung perfectly on the coat hooks over the rear seats:

<a href="http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/chuckgreenlee/media/unspecified48_zpsc9tcgffa.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b573/chuckgreenlee/unspecified48_zpsc9tcgffa.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo unspecified48_zpsc9tcgffa.jpg"/></a>

For the rear hanger the D ring hooks did not fit / sit properly over the larger coat hooks in the rear area. So I used the bracket, removed the D ring, and looped some 550 through there:

<a href="http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/chuckgreenlee/media/unspecified47_zps5sjgyoyn.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b573/chuckgreenlee/unspecified47_zps5sjgyoyn.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo unspecified47_zps5sjgyoyn.jpg"/></a>

Before I put the hooks on I spray painted it black. And that's it. Presto:

<a href="http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/chuckgreenlee/media/unspecified46_zpsdybuusib.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b573/chuckgreenlee/unspecified46_zpsdybuusib.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo unspecified46_zpsdybuusib.jpg"/></a>

When I have rods on there I use 8" gear ties to hold them down firm (they won't balance if you have reels on your rods).

<a href="http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/chuckgreenlee/media/unspecified-15_zpspdynxivc.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b573/chuckgreenlee/unspecified-15_zpspdynxivc.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo unspecified-15_zpspdynxivc.jpg"/></a>

I've been using it for about a year. Installs and removes in 2-3 seconds. Keeps rods up close to the ceiling. My daughter is still in a car seat so she sits up very high but the rods are out of her way as well. No obstruction, works great. With 4 of us in the car we do not even notice it.

 

[familymopar]

Surfside, Texas 2015:

 

[familymopar]

Surfside 2015:

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[familymopar]

Surfside 2015, Labor day weekend:

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[familymopar]

Lake Livingston State Park, 2016 (I neglected truck photos on this one as it had to stay nearby in a parking lot):

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[Mistaken]

Awesome! Putting it to some good family use. Well done.

 

[familymopar]

Awesome! Putting it to some good family use. Well done.

Thank you! I appreciate that. I do not yet have any pictures of climbing over large rocks or crossing treacherous rivers but those things will come. For now it is about getting these kids out of the house as much as possible!

 

[familymopar]

Surfside 2016, the first outing with the ARB fridge and the one that led to this thread: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/216492-arb-fridge-not-cooling-well-12v.html



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[Mistaken]

Thank you! I appreciate that. I do not yet have any pictures of climbing over large rocks or crossing treacherous rivers but those things will come. For now it is about getting these kids out of the house as much as possible!

That is exactly what I envisioned for mine. Getting the family out of the house and off to enjoy the outdoors.

 

[Lawaia]

Rod Holder Question

Nice rod holder setup! Was wondering, what's the longest rod that can fit? Thanks.

 

[familymopar]

That is exactly what I envisioned for mine. Getting the family out of the house and off to enjoy the outdoors.

You nailed it. Although my desire to crawl over things that don't necessarily need crawling over to get me where I am going is growing, the whole point to this truck for me is to get us all out together and be able to take the stuff we want to take. If it can carry me through the sand, pack everything we need for a few days, light up a campsite when wanted, and keep beer cold I am pretty well set.

 

[familymopar]

Nice rod holder setup! Was wondering, what's the longest rod that can fit? Thanks.

Thank you! I carry a 12 footer and 2 10 footers in there all the time but they split in half. I also carry one piece 7-7 1/2 footers in there no problem. I am happy to throw my longest in there when I get home and see how much extra space there is for you. Stay tuned....

 

[Lawaia]

Thanks for the reply!!! I use lots of rods in the 10'-12' range, and sometimes use 13'ers...nice to know that they will fit. Will definitely do the same mod as you!

 

[Jhalko]

Funny, I'm scrolling through and see a couple coolers and I'm thinking, "What the heck where is the fridge?" Only to see it later! Good work, finished up my new plug and hooked up my fridge for a test last night...

 

[familymopar]

Funny, I'm scrolling through and see a couple coolers and I'm thinking, "What the heck where is the fridge?" Only to see it later! Good work, finished up my new plug and hooked up my fridge for a test last night...

Yea, when I decided to finally start the thread I wasn't exactly sure where to start. So I went back and threw up some pics of outings with the truck. The "build" part will be all over the place, the "adventure" part is chronological.

Glad you got your fridge hooked up. Since I mounted the socket last thursday the fridge has been on 24/7. I don't really intend to keep it that way but I wanted to get a good feel for both temp management and power usage. I am really happy with it so far and have had zero troubles starting the truck under normal usage. I will say that I have had to fight the desire to get out in traffic and grab a drink from back there.

Post up some pics of your set up and keep me posted on how it's going!

 

[familymopar]

Thanks for the reply!!! I use lots of rods in the 10'-12' range, and sometimes use 13'ers...nice to know that they will fit. Will definitely do the same mod as you!

So here are some pics I took for you tonight.

From left to right:
1) bottom half of 12' rod (which is 6'4")
2) top half of 12' rod (which is 6'4")
3) 7 1/2 rod
4) both halves of 10' rod (5'3" each)
5) 7 1/2 rod

<a href="http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/chuckgreenlee/media/unspecified90_zps9u5ktcxr.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b573/chuckgreenlee/unspecified90_zps9u5ktcxr.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo unspecified90_zps9u5ktcxr.jpg"/></a>


You can see how high above the seats they are:

<a href="http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/chuckgreenlee/media/unspecified91_zpsv61jguhh.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b573/chuckgreenlee/unspecified91_zpsv61jguhh.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo unspecified91_zpsv61jguhh.jpg"/></a>

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Here is how far up they go. As you can see, the 12' and 10' halves are not even visible here. The 7 1/2 in the center obviously goes up furthest. There is at least 8-10" from the tip of the 7 1/2 to the crawl control / multi terrain selector dials (that is where they would hit if they were longer). So if you have the sunglass cubby instead of those dials then it might go right under and you'd even have a longer space. I think a one piece 8' to maybe an 8'6" rod could go in the center and could definitely go towards the ends as the angle makes them a bit shorter.

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I tried to get a pic of where they are in relation to my head, and after many tries, was pretty unsuccessful. They are at the top of my head and are at least 6 inches to the side. I have plenty of room and in no way have to try to avoid them. My wife is 5'3" or so and she doesn't know they're there at all. She was not posing for pics though.

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I even tried to get my daughter to cooperate so you could see that even with that high car seat throne she sits in they are not in her way at all. You can see how well that idea worked.

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I hope some of this helps. I tried to cover it all but if you want any more pics, or anything else, just ask. Best $5 I've spent so far. Post a pic of yours up here when you get it sorted!