Johnny Utah
New member
not to get off topic here but...Mike, what inverter did you use and where did you mount it?
SeattleMike's cargo project
- Thread starter SeattleMike
- Start date
SeattleMike
New member
The Trail Editions come with one, 120v socket in the cargo area (100W) and a 120v (400W) in the center console. Anything I add in the future will most likely be 12v and run off a secondary battery.
Johnny Utah
New member
oh okay. I was reading the x-mas wreath thread and it sounded like you had already added one yourself. Makes sense. I forgot that you had a TE for some reason. Thanks!
SeattleMike
New member
Slowly but surely, this is coming together. I made some changes to the design and "hired" a friend to do what I haven't had the time to deal with over the last couple weeks. It helps that he has the right tools, too.
Anyway, the first drawer is built. I'm waiting on warmer weather to spray glue the carpet over the bare surfaces but this first section's design is done... for now. Once the carpet is on, we'll secure it in place and the dog will have a new spot with a better view.
The dog's ramp extended:
The newest MaxTrax:
And everything in it's place:
The slot that holds the Maxtrax was designed for 4, but emergency vet bills ate into the discretionary income for the month. Fortunately, the puppy is fine and I'll order another pair this summer to fill out the space.
The pantry drawer also got a redesign, so a few more days before that gets done. But here is the first version mock-up we used to check spacing and sizes:
The drawer will be mounted on 42" accuride sliders that hold 500 lbs. The redesign should make it a functional camp kitchen.
Now if I could just get some sunshine in my area...
Anyway, the first drawer is built. I'm waiting on warmer weather to spray glue the carpet over the bare surfaces but this first section's design is done... for now. Once the carpet is on, we'll secure it in place and the dog will have a new spot with a better view.
The dog's ramp extended:
The newest MaxTrax:
And everything in it's place:
The slot that holds the Maxtrax was designed for 4, but emergency vet bills ate into the discretionary income for the month. Fortunately, the puppy is fine and I'll order another pair this summer to fill out the space.
The pantry drawer also got a redesign, so a few more days before that gets done. But here is the first version mock-up we used to check spacing and sizes:
The drawer will be mounted on 42" accuride sliders that hold 500 lbs. The redesign should make it a functional camp kitchen.
Now if I could just get some sunshine in my area...
SeattleMike
New member
Thanks. You should see me pack a truck for moving :trophy:
It also helps that I have had a year to think about this, that others have provided some awesome examples, and I have some really patient people to work with me. It is also incredibly liberating when you allow yourself to be wrong and start over. Even so, I have to keep telling myself and the people helping "it's just a prototype, it's just a prototype, it's just a prototype" as we sort through ideas and scrap half-completed boxes.
SeattleMike
New member
CB is in, tomorrow it'll be warm enough to install the carpet on the floorboards and boxes, and possibly get this one installed too:
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SeattleMike
New member
Yes, the extra set of slides extend out the full length of the table. The slides are rated for 300 pounds, but we've yet to test it out installed in the truck.
It's a bit wobbly on the sawhorse but hopefully we can fine tune it when it's bolted to the floor.
It's a bit wobbly on the sawhorse but hopefully we can fine tune it when it's bolted to the floor.
SeattleMike
New member
Progress! I won't win any interior fit & finish awards but it no longer looks like I'm hauling scrap wood back there.
I'm gonna leave this in for the summer and see how it holds up, both with the (soon to be installed) boxes and drawers and with just the new cargo floor as you see it above.
I'm gonna leave this in for the summer and see how it holds up, both with the (soon to be installed) boxes and drawers and with just the new cargo floor as you see it above.
SeattleMike
New member
I'll have to see if the templates I used survived the wife's spring cleaning. The only problem I could foresee is the horizontal contour changes as you raise or lower the height, meaning you might still have to fine tune what I send if it's not the same height. But it's pretty easy to do; a contractor's square and a pencil are all you really need, then you can trace the contours out on your own.
If you still want a copy, let me know and I'll go poke around the garage and see if I still have them.
Side note: There are multiple ways to build a custom storage area for those of us with a sliding tray. I pulled the whole contraption out when deciding how to place my CB cable and discovered that you could even mount a steel frame similar to mine in the same holes used to secure the sliding tray's rails to the floor, if you don't want a sliding tray at all. If I had a cabinet shop on hand, I'd seriously be into building 5th Gen storage options. Unfortunately, I have just enough skill in woodworking to avoid cutting off my own fingers.
SeattleMike
New member
We took it for a shake down overnighter last weekend, so here you go:
Don't believe the smile on my wife's face, that mattress was like a brick. We were so sore from trying to sleep on it that we broke camp @ 3am and drove home, rather than toss and turn for the rest of the night. Everything was great until we tried to sleep. The awning and mesh walls were a great place to watch a movie on my laptop, the dog loves his "spot" in the back of the truck, and the annex (while a HUGE pain to set up) made a great changing and storage room for clothes, boots, and bags.
We have another shake down in two weeks, which will hopefully include our pantry drawer. I might skip the annex next time, depending on the weather, because it is an incredible pain in the butt to install.
SeattleMike
New member
Unzipping and unfolding the tent takes maybe a minute. I usually spend another 5 minutes fighting to get the metal rods into the window awnings, not the best design. The big awning and it's mesh walls takes maybe 5 minutes with two people. By far the largest pain in the ass is the annex, which reuses the same channel as the waterproof cover. If I had to do it alone, I'd still be there fighting with it. I learned some short cuts for next time, but mostly I need to trim the mounting rails back so I have more clearance.
The Annex hangs down and encloses the ladder. It zips to the bottom of the unfolded tent, and also has a zip-in waterproof floor. It's all very nice when it's put together, but the annex is the most difficult piece.
Mercy Buttercups :lol:
SeattleMike
New member
We're going with 4 inches of foam from a local company. If that can't resolve it, I'm too much of a candy ass to go camping.
