T100 "Bluebonnet"

[HongerVenture]

I'll start off with the current status of my rig:

1998 T100 SR5 Xtracab 4x4
- White (I think there are bonus points for that)
- Automatic Transmission (4:30 gearing in the diffs)
- Bilstein HD shocks
- Manual locking hubs
- Rhino-liner
- Extended diff. breathers
- Michelin LTX M/S 265/70R16's
- Custom front skidplate (with ricey Toyota logo)
- TJM T-15 Bullbar (with custom mounting brackets for extra strength)
- Milemarker M9000 winch
- Leer camper shell + roof rack (as needed for camping, otherwise in storage)
- Camping deck in the shell for sleeping on and storage under
- Engel 45 Model Fridge/Freeze (mounted in Xtracab area of cab)

Upcoming Mods
- TRD knock-off transmission cooler and temp gauge (on my project shelf)
- Rancho 26mm HD Torsion Bars (next to my project shelf)

Planned Mods (that means I'm still dreaming about the $ to buy these mods)
- Custom sliders and rear bumper
- 32" BFG All-terrain KO's (I can do these before lift)
- ARB locker in rear
- 1.5-2" ball-joint spacer in front (big maybe)
- Custom Alcans for 1.5-2" lift (maybe) and 500 extra pounds payload capacity

Trips have included a day trip to the Attica Badlands OHV Park, the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and several trips to the Tennessee mountains (Smokeys and Cumberland Plateau). Attica was a great run because it helped me realize that rock crawling and OHV Parks aren't quite the 4x4 adventure I want. Vehicle dependent exploration is what my wife and I enjoy. We are determined to find opportunities close to home (Tennessee and West Virginia to start) to do this while we wait for $ and vacation time to allow a trip out west.

A few pictures from our recent TN trip:
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/Trip%20to%20Smokeys/LittleRiverTruck.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/BigSouthFork0074.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/Calendar5.jpg

Notice my beautiful blue camper shell. Well, when the price is right (pronounced free) you can't be picky about color. Originally I was planning on painting the camper shell to match. The mismatched colors kinda bug my sense of symmetry (I'm an engineer). However, the look has grown on me for some strange reason and it even evokes a quirky nickname for the truck, "Bluebonnet." :D Now the plan is to leave it blue and adorn it with stickers from our various trips.

[erin]

:)
Very nice rig and great pics. Keep tham coming.

Looks like you have a weel thought out plan for your truck, and the blue definitely makes it original.

[kcowyo]

I guess giving 'er a nickname is cheaper than painting that topper, huh Joel? :hehe:

Obviously I'm a big fan of the T100's. I'm glad my buddy Joel has posted up about his T100 because I know how strongly he feels about them as well and I have a good idea of how much work he has put into his truck. Lots of custom touches like the skid plate, front TJM, and the sleeping/storage deck. Plus he's been a great sounding board and resource of info for me while we've discussed suspension modification options. I sincerely hope that sooner than later Joel and I will figure out how to shorten the gap between IN and WY, so we can make a trail run together, somewhere.

Quick question, then a funny, random story. Re the 4.10 gears and the auto tranny - I thought all auto's came standard with 4.30 gears while the manuals had the 4.10's? Did I miss a memo?

OK, half on-topic story re "Bluebonnet". A couple of years ago, the wife and I were told (incorrectly) that our second child was going to be a boy. We were trying to come up with a boys name and I had the idea that we should pick a name from the movie "Open Range", the western with Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall, because best we could tell, our child was conceived following our night out to a fave Mexican restaurant (lots of Margaritas) and seeing that movie at the theater. After "serious" consideration, Charley, Mose, Boss and Button didn't really seem to fit.

So I joked to my wife that we should go with Bluebonnet, Boss's real name. We laughed about that and for the last 5 months of her pregnancy, we referred to our unborn as Bluebonnet! Then the day came, and our baby was a girl, totally messing up our ridiculous plan. We had no girls names picked out but we did have a few we liked. But by then we so liked the idea of taking a name from that movie that I offered Katherine as a middle name for our little girl, thinking (again incorrectly) that was Annette Bening's characters name. Well, I got her character's name wrong (it's Sue), but by then we'd filled out the paperwork. So our little girl, that was supposed to be a boy named Bluebonnet, is instead named Katherine, after a character that doesn't exist, from one of our favorite movies. Damn margaritas....

[HongerVenture]

:)
Very nice rig and great pics. Keep tham coming.

Looks like you have a weel thought out plan for your truck, and the blue definitely makes it original.

Thanks Erin,
I'll have more pics coming soon of the deck I built for camping out of the back. My wife and I made use of it 2 months ago and it worked really well.

Joel

[HongerVenture]

I guess giving 'er a nickname is cheaper than painting that topper, huh Joel? :hehe:
The nickname is definitely cheaper... not to mention that I'd much rather put $100-200 of paint money toward tires, or new Alcans, or a fridge/freeze. I guess if I ever finish the build-up then I'll consider painting the shell as a final touch. ;)


Obviously I'm a big fan of the T100's. I'm glad my buddy Joel has posted up about his T100 because I know how strongly he feels about them as well and I have a good idea of how much work he has put into his truck. Lots of custom touches like the skid plate, front TJM, and the sleeping/storage deck. Plus he's been a great sounding board and resource of info for me while we've discussed suspension modification options. I sincerely hope that sooner than later Joel and I will figure out how to shorten the gap between IN and WY, so we can make a trail run together, somewhere.
Hey bro, thanks for all the kinds words. I hope as well that we get to wheel together sooner than later... but we will make a trip together sometime regardless.


Quick question, then a funny, random story. Re the 4.10 gears and the auto tranny - I thought all auto's came standard with 4.30 gears while the manuals had the 4.10's? Did I miss a memo?
You are 100% correct! Doh! :Wow1: I made note of my gearing because of the uniquely high gearing for a stock truck. I just got mixed up. Correction made...


OK, half on-topic story re "Bluebonnet"... Damn margaritas....

Wow... that's quite the story. :xxrotflma
Of course, now whenever I refer to my truck as Bluebonnet I'm going to laugh cause of this story.

[Scott Brady]

The T100 is such a pefect exploration size. I also really like the functional modifications you have done, like fitting the winch first.

Where those pictures taken in Kentuky by any chance?

[HongerVenture]

The T100 is such a pefect exploration size. I also really like the functional modifications you have done, like fitting the winch first.
I agree about the perfect size of the T100. The downside is that modifications and upgrades are going to have to be custom for the most part. Not a lot of aftermarket support for a truck that was only made for 5 years... understandably so.

I'd like to say I planned the winch first, but it is there largely because it was the right price (again, it was basically free). It has worked out nice to have that weight on there for making the final suspension and tire size plans. As well, it allows self recovery and gives me that added freedom in exploring (not that it has made me cavalier about where I trek though).


Where those pictures taken in Kentuky by any chance?
Your guess is within about 30 miles. We were in Big South Fork National Recreation Area. An absolute gem in the Cumberland area of TN. Big South Fork adjoins Boone National Forest in Kentucky. I'll do a write-up soon about our trip.

[BajaTaco]

Hi Joel, nice to see you and your T100 here. Sweet truck. :cool:


LMAO at KC... hahahahaha... damn margaritas...

Great story :clapsmile say HI to Katherine for us.

[blupaddler]

I can't take it anymore!!! :mad:

There's too many nice T100's around here. Arizona was tough enough drooling over KC's T the entire weekend. Now another one. I miss my T100, I think it is more of just missing a truck. Oh, well.
:rolleyes:

BTW were either of you guys on the old T100 forum? The Big Toy Trucks I think?




Nice truck.

[HongerVenture]

I can't take it anymore!!! :mad:

There's too many nice T100's around here. Arizona was tough enough drooling over KC's T the entire weekend. Now another one. I miss my T100, I think it is more of just missing a truck. Oh, well.
:rolleyes:

BTW were either of you guys on the old T100 forum? The Big Toy Trucks I think?

Nice truck.

Thanks for the compliment. And btw, it isn't just a truck that you miss... its the T100. :hehe:

KC and I are both on the 4x4Wire T100 forum... which is where that Big Toy Trucks forum migrated to. Erik B. moderates that forum and it is still alive and well. We are grouped with the Tundras but there are far more T100's on that forum.

[asteffes]

I want free mods! Where should I be hanging out? :)

[HongerVenture]

Ah yes, the free mods.

A little over a year ago I purchased a second T100 for a smokin' deal.:ylsmoke:

The T100 I purchased was dark blue (same color as the camper shell) and had a 4" suspension lift, the TJM bumper, Milemarker Winch, camper shell, Yakima Loadwarrior, KC HiLites, 60" HiLift, CB, 33" tires, etc. It was a '96 with manual transmission and he'd never wheeled it. He even gave me the stock bumper along with it. The deal was so smokin' I knew I could sell it, after removing the mods, for more than I bought it for. I convinced my wife to let me use the money we'd been saving for our house downpayment (this was easier than I thought since I married so well:Wow1:) to buy the truck. We booked flights, flew out, drove the truck across the beautiful mountains of the Northwest, and brought it home to Indy. I stripped the mods, washed and detailed the truck and put it up for sale. It took about a month and a half, and I let it go for less than I would have liked, but I still did better than breaking even. The truck paid for itself, the plane tickets, the hotel rooms, and even some shopping my wife did along the way. To top it off, I had $3500+ in free mods.:jump:

I'll post up some pictures of it later. The blue T100 was a real beauty and sometimes I kick myself for selling that one instead of my white one. But ultimately I made the right choice.

Joel

[calamaridog]

Joel,

I love your T100, real nice:)

As far as your "free" mods, you are a genius, and your wife is a patient lady:bowdown:

[kcowyo]

It took about a month and a half, and I let it go for less than I would have liked, but I still did better than breaking even. The truck paid for itself, the plane tickets, the hotel rooms, and even some shopping my wife did along the way. To top it off, I had $3500+ in free mods.

$3500 in free mods....:rolleyes:

Man.... How do you sleep at night?? ;)

[HongerVenture]

$3500 in free mods....:rolleyes:

Man.... How do you sleep at night?? ;)

Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Actually, it was the blue T100 that introduced me and KC to each other. KC thought I was a little opportunistic in my acquisition of the blue T100... but I think he was just jealous. ;)

A before shot...
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/SellingShots0003.jpg
And after shot... this is how I sold it.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/SellingShots0027.jpg

Look for a posting about my deck in the camper shell in the next few days...

[BajaTaco]

Sweet Rig!! WRONG color! :arabia: :shakin:

Can't wait to hear about the camper deck.

[kcowyo]

KC thought I was a little opportunistic in my acquisition of the blue T100... but I think he was just jealous. ;)


Well yeah... and I was about over it until I saw how good everything looks on your truck.... Thanks for opening up some old wounds!! :p

I've always liked that shade of blue on the T100's, but I seem to be in the minority. That was a good looking outfit. I have saved somewhere, an older pic of that blue T100, bone stock but with a white topper! I may have sent that one to you Joel....? I'll try to find it again.

So I don't recall, do you have a bench or bucket seats? Did you keep the CB and lights from the rack? Are the Aisin hubs worth having to get out in the snow to turn them? I like the ADD a lot, but again I seem to be in the minority.

I've seen some preview pics of the sleeping/storage deck. I think everyone's going to like it! :jumping:

[BajaTaco]

I like the ADD a lot, but again I seem to be in the minority.



You're not alone. I love mine too. ;)

[HongerVenture]

Truth be told, I think that blue T100 was absolutely gorgeous. I've always been a fan of white vehicles, but the color isn't why I kept my T100 over the blue one. The moment I picked up that blue T100 I was in love with that color... such a deep blue. Spending more than half a day polishing and waxing it only made it worse... ultimately one had to go and that's the one I let go of. :o

I just couldn't quite convince my wife to let me keep both... nor did I try very hard

The blue T100 had Warn manual hubs... I had already placed a set of Aisin manual hubs on mine. I love my ADD just as much as you KC. I only get out of the truck 2 or 3 times a year to lock/unlock the hubs. I turn lock them as winter sets in and unlock them when winter leaves... during that whole time I have ADD just like you. Now, during the summer months, when I'm not on a trip/trail, I can have them unlocked. This gained me about .5 mpg on average and also greatly reduces wear on the CV joints. After pulling the front axles once to replace the boots... I don't want to do it again anytime soon. :Wow1:

[blupaddler]

My T100 was the Sunfire Red color. :sunny:

I had black steel rims with 31" BFG's. Ironically enough, I saw it a couple of months ago. It was for sale, and in worse shape than when I left her.

[HongerVenture]

Ever since I logged on to Bajataco’s site and saw his camping deck, I have been inspired to build one of my own. It seems like the ultimate expedition platform for 1-2 people. After seeing other people pull it off a little differently I began to form my own plan. My first intention was to put in some heavy duty drawers under the deck. However, that quickly fell out of favor as I evaluated my needs. The deck for me had to meet the following criteria:
1) It had to be removable. I use my truck as my daily driver and I use the bed frequently enough that I don’t want to give up that flexibility.
2) The deck had to be quick to install and remove. If it takes me more than an hour or two to install or remove then it is missing the mark.
3) I needed access to the back of the bed under the deck. I didn’t want to be using a hook or similar to fish things out of the back sections.
4) It needed to be of a flexible design. I had to be able to make changes without starting over from the drawing board.
5) My wife and I needed to be able to read comfortably. Not necessarily a full sit-up situation, but comfortably slouched against pillows would work.
6) It needed to be CHEAP! If something gets damaged or broken, I don’t want to be out too much money.

My solution was a wood deck, covered with outdoor carpeting, providing compartmentalization via store bought plastic totes. Read on for more info…

The T100 was manufactured with pre-formed slots on the inside of the bed to span 2x6’s across the bed area. Promotional literature showed this feature being used by a contractor to haul lumber as well as tools separated from each other. I found a better use. ;-)

I spanned those pre-formed slots with 2x6’ and 2x4’s where appropriate. Laying a board across the top of the wheel well matches the elevation of the boards across the pre-formed slots (those engineers at Toyota don’t miss much!). I didn’t need 2x6’s throughout because of the proximity of some of my 2x4’s. The following picture was a conceptual layout of some boards spanning the bed via the pre-formed slots.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/TruckCamper/2x4s.jpg

I made the deck from 3/4" OSB in 4 panel sections. These sections were cut to match the contours of the bed side to make for a snug fit. I don’t want this deck shuffling around during transit nor do I want anything (keys, flashlights, etc) falling through cracks while my wife and I are using the deck for “living” space. The following picture shows two of the deck sections as well as the vertical piece of OSB giving me a front and back compartmental separation.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/TruckCamper/BareWood.jpg

I used a jigsaw to cut the deck pieces to match the contours of the bedside precisely. As I was doing this at first I was thinking of elevating the deck to avoid having to make such detailed cuts. In retrospect I’m glad I didn’t. The elevation allows me to still use the tie downs that are built into the bed. I made the cuts with a little bit of play so that the carpeting would have room to come over the edge of the deck pieces.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/TruckCamper/Detail1.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/TruckCamper/Detail2.jpg

I painted all of the wood pieces, including the underside of the deck pieces. I used a flat latex paint. I wanted something to basically seal up the wood and prevent splinters. The latex paint went on nice and thick and sealed the wood up nicely. This will protect the wood from minor spills and protects the occupants from splinters. Additionally this gives the deck a nicer finished appearance. In the following picture you can see the finished wood boards and the plastic totes we used to compartmentalize our storage. Lying on top of the totes is a piece of OSB I used to divide the rear compartment in two sections. I ran that piece of OSB in line with the truck right down the middle of the bed.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/TruckCamper/WithoutDeck.jpg

And finally, a finished product picture. Here you can see the deck completed with the outdoor carpeting covering the deck sections. Each section is screwed into the frame in just two places. This is mainly just to prevent any kind of shuffling as well as to keep the deck from bouncing on top of the boards. At the tailgate end of the bed I built a 2x6 frame to hold up the very end of the deck. There are no pre-formed slots for boards at this point and I wanted a well supported deck right at the tailgate. When closed, the tailgate snugs right against the carpet of the decking… perfect!
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/TruckCamper/FinishedSetup.jpg

The totes are Sterilite underbed storage containers. These suited my needs perfectly! Their lids open in two sections so that I can open the lid without pulling the container out all of the way. In retrospect I would have gotten the containers without the little wheels. The slide just fine and the little wheels fall off from time to time. One tote stored all of our non-perishable food needs. The other tote stored our cookware as well as a few other miscellaneous items.

To the left of the totes you can see that I placed a 2x6 for additional compartmentalization. This prevented the totes from moving side to side. Part of the flexibility of my system is the way I can move 2x6’s or small pieces of OSB to aid in compartmentalization. I can set it up to suit my specific needs or containers. Left of the totes we kept our camp chairs, camp mats, and shoes/boots.

The rear lids work on flush-mounted piano hinge. I made two lids so that you can access one side or the other or you can have one big opening if you leave the back as one large compartment. We kept our clothing back in one of the rear compartments and our gear (camelbacks, binoculars, etc.) and a few other odds and ends in the other side. Eventually I’d like to adapt part of the rear compartment area to house a water bladder as our water supply or perhaps have a tank fabricated to fit in there.

How it meets my needs:
The deck is easily removable. I can assemble it in about 15 minutes and disassemble it even faster. The flexibility offered by wood construction is just what I was looking for. By securing an extra divider here and there I can divide up the space to my hearts content. The level of the deck is perfect. We can sit up enough with pillows behind us to read quite comfortably… and did so one evening in Tennessee. The most expensive parts were the piano hinge and the plastic totes… not too bad at all! I probably spent around $50 as the lumber was from stuff I had lying around. :cool:

Unfortunately I didn’t take any action shots while in TN on its maiden voyage. It worked very well though! I don’t know what I was thinking not taking pictures! :o

Sorry for the length of writing, just wanted to share all the details.

Joel

[HongerVenture]

Well, with another trip to Tennessee in the works for next weekend and a trip to West Virginia in June, it was about time for this mod. Not to mention the fact that the truck is now paid off! Yippee! The mods should flow a little quicker now. :ylsmoke:

Considerable discussion has centered around this mod on the forum...

Any guesses?

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/BoxWeb.jpg

Okay, I can't wait until later to tell everyone, so here's a more telling photo...

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/EngelWeb.jpg

Yup, a Fridge/Freeze. 45 qt to be exact. It seems that many agree this should be one of the first mods. Since this will stick with me no matter my vehicle, it made sense to do this mod now. I picked this up from Nathan at Pangaea and really appreciated his quick and responsive service. I encourage you to do business with Nathan; he runs a great business and sponsors the forum.

I'm working out what setting to keep it on in my living room... 2.5 seems to just start turning a can of cola slushy... so I've bumped it down a notch.

I'm working on hardwiring a female 12volt auto connector into the back of the Xtracab. For now, it will share a battery with the rest of the rig. Over the next couple of days I'm going to see how much it can run without having to start the truck. I'll leave it on in the truck tomorrow while I'm in the office (with provisions to jump the truck if necessary). I want to become real familiar and comfortable with its battery drain before heading out to TN.

The next mod will hopefully be a dual battery system... two yellow-tops. A friend of mine has a relative who works for a company related to Optima and gets discounts. Stay tuned...

[datrupr]

Congrats Joel:clapsmile Very nice Engle you got there. I think it will come in very handy. That is on my wish/priority list to come down the track very soon. Where are you going to mount it?

[flyingwil]

Looks good!

Don't worry about your battery and the the Engel. I had my MT45 set at 4, with the TwoZone on top for over 15 hours and the truck started right up. It is a bit nerve racking at first, but it a shot overnight at home and see.

I am using a blue sea fuse block and a female connector right now for my Engel Hook up. You can see my write up here (http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=13861&postcount=74). Most would work well with your set up!

Take care, and congrats on a great purchase!

[CLynn85]

Awesome man, it's hard sinking that much money down at one time for something like that, but I'm sure it'll pay off in the long run, as well as on the long hauls. :eatchicke

[BajaTaco]

Joel, between you and KC, there is going to be some T-100 envy going down here at ExPo...

:ylsmoke:

That cargo deck is very cool. And now a fridge... :beer:

[kcowyo]

Joel, between you and KC, there is going to be some T-100 envy going down here at ExPo...

Yeah, but it's mostly between the two of us! I'm loving the fridge Joel! :bowdown:

I know you said once the truck was paid off, that the payment money was going to mods, and man you weren't kidding!! I'm really looking forward to your install since you'll be creaing the blueprint. At least I'm not aware of a T100 with an Engel....?

And a dual battery set-up? Awesome Joel! I'll be watching for your engineering expertise on how to put that together in the T100. How's the overhead console coming along?

Should we look into a 2 man "group buy" on snorkels? :jump:

[HongerVenture]

By popular demand... okay, maybe not popular. But KC has been e-mailing me prodding me to get some pics and info up on the install of my Fridge/Freeze.

First of all, what everyone else here says is true! The Fridge/Freeze is unequivocally the first mod that should be done for expedition travel. It has totally changed and eased the food/cooking aspect of our travels.

First of all, I selected a 12V outlet to install in the back of the XtraCab. I found one at Frye's that I thought would work but it ultimately broke while I was trying to solder leads to it... so it was out. I wasn't confident in its ability to carry the fridge loads anyway. I found this one at Autozone and it is a replacement cigarette lighter socket, plenty stout and of thick gauge material. Very capable of handling the loads. In addition, its two piece construction allowed me to use the sheet metal as the structural support for the socket. The right piece threads onto the copper part of the left socket piece and the sheet metal/carpet sandwiched between the flange on the socket and the right piece. Does that make sense?

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/ModsPictures/12VSocket.jpg

I decided the most suitable location was behind the driver's seat in the XtraCab. This allows my wife easy access while we are driving... and hinder's my access if I'm driving solo. This would force me to stop for access rather than succombing to the temptation to try and access contents while driving. That Diet Coke urge can overcome reason and logic. In any case, the hump under the jumper bench seat in the rear has an access panel which made this job easier.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/ModsPictures/BackseatArea.jpg

I already had a fuseblock installed in my truck. I haven't sprung for the fancy BlueSea fuseblock... yet. ;) For now this Buss fuseblock does the trick, though the lack of enclosure makes me paranoid. A 10 gauge wire supplies power directly from the battery and a 12 gauge runs to the fridge/freeze socket.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/ModsPictures/FuseBlock.jpg

The positive wire runs under the doorsill back into the hump area in the back. The ground wire is grounded to one of the metal body panels inside the compartment. I used a multi-meter to test the resistance of the ground at that point and was pleasantly surprised to see it was pretty low.

I installed the socket to sit flush with the carpet. I have a rubber stopper I use to plug it up when not in use (to prevent an accidental short by means of a peice of metal falling into the socket). I can fold the jumper seat down over the socket and you'd never know it was there.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/ModsPictures/LocatedSocket.jpg

Here's a cross-section view kind of showing how it looks inside the access compartment.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/ModsPictures/CrossSection.jpg

I heaved the beast in the back to get an idea of how I was going to situate it. My first thought was just to place it on top of the jumper seat. Because of the angle of rest on the seat its lid wasn't able to open very far before hitting the back glass.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/ModsPictures/EngelBackseat.jpg

I folded up the jumper and rested it directly on the hump which worked great. However, the folded up jumper kept the fridge sitting too far forward, so I removed the jumper altogether and settled for this.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/ModsPictures/WebFinalFridge.jpg

This is actually perfect. All four feet sit squarely on the rear hump. The lid opens to a full 90 degrees. In addition, the passenger side jumper can remain installed without conflict... just in case we ever need to carry an extra passenger. The little wire you see coming out of the fridge is the sensor wire for a little indoor/outdoor thermometer I picked up at Walmart for $9.99. This lets me know what the temps in the cab and in the fridge are. It looks something like this...

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/ModsPictures/Thermometer.jpg

The display sits in my center console out of the way. I usually only use this once or twice just to make sure I'm avoiding freezing items.

I'll consider this mod finished after two little details are taken care of... a better fuseblock (a more secure and safer one) and a method of securing the fridge. Against my better judgement I've let the weight of the fridge be the anchor. This is a big no-no and I realize that.:mad: It should be easy enough to install some flush fitting tie downs into the hump and use some turnbuckles to secure the fridge/freeze.

We have used it on two trips and we love it! We generally freeze the meat for the second half of our trip in our home freezer. This gets loaded in the bottom. The meat for the first half of the trip stays thawed so it isn't a block when it comes time to cook. We pre-fridgerate in our home fridge before leaving. We then load up the wire basket and load it directly into the already installed fridge/freeze. This is a great system and only requires the fridge/freeze to maintain temp... which it does effortlessly.

I can leave the fridge/freeze on and maintaining 33 degrees for 2 days and the truck starts without any hesitation. Midway into the third day it is still maintaining 33 degrees, however I have to jump the battery at that point. Don't worry, I performed this test in the safety of my own driveway.

[HongerVenture]

Should we look into a 2 man "group buy" on snorkels? :jump:

Overhead console... hmmm. I've bought materials but made no construction progress.

I must have missed this reply! I'm all for a 2-man snorkel buy. :ylsmoke:

[HongerVenture]

Well, my Hi-Lift was falling prey to rust. Before I had a house and garage, it had to sit out on my truck through a winter of Indiana road salt application. Ick!

I had my brother-in-law sandblast all the parts and I repainted it. I found this appliance epoxy at the hardware store and it worked well. With a few days of drying time it yielded a nice, thick, durable finish. Along with some new hardware it looks nice and blingy.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/ModsPictures/WebHiLift.jpg

[HongerVenture]

Well, I finally got an air compressor... yippee! This has made maintenance and work on the truck much easier, quicker, and more fun. I used some would-be mod money to pay for this and some appropriate air tools. Just had to share...

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/ModsPictures/WebCompressor.jpg

[HongerVenture]

Picked up a barely used Magellan Meridian Platinum off ebay... came with DirectRoute software, Worldwide basemap, and a car cradle.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/ModsPictures/meridian-platinum.jpg

Used it on my recent trip to West Virginia... I've still got a lot to learn about it, but it was a blast to use for some minor orienteering and trailfinding. Tracking your trail rides is really nifty as well.

[robert]

I would make sure that my contacts on your 12V outlet are covered- you don't want something in your storage area rolling into it and causing a short.

How is that appliance paint holding up? I need to repaint my Hi-lift too and that looks like a really good idea. Heck, it might work well on sliders too.

[HongerVenture]

I would make sure that my contacts on your 12V outlet are covered- you don't want something in your storage area rolling into it and causing a short.

Actually, I did manage to think of that one. The connectors fitting over the contacts have insulating boots as well.


How is that appliance paint holding up? I need to repaint my Hi-lift too and that looks like a really good idea. Heck, it might work well on sliders too.

It is holding up really well actually. I've operated the jack a couple times to see how it holds up and it does great. Some of the more awkward shapes on the Hi-Lift make it hard to get good coverage with the rattle-can. Really work at covering those areas as that is where I'm seeing some light rust again.

[kcowyo]

:jumping: :jumping: :jumping:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b247/honger01/ModsPictures/WebFinalFridge.jpg

Wow!! This was well worth the wait!!

Joel I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am for you and Amy. What a great install and another great write up! "Heaving the beast" into the back seat didn't sound fun but other than that it looks like you had a fairly simple install.

Very nice finishing work on the socket, and a very clever place for an unobtrusive install. What I've been primarily interested in finding out (thanks for being the Guinea Pig!) is how the 45qt would fit in the T100. Seeing how it allows use of half of the rear seat makes that size extra attractive, even over the larger capacity models for less $$$$.

As you know I've been watching some bigger models but I believe now that the 45 is the ticket. Looks like you're able to keep your seat slid all the way back too. This set up would allow me to use one child seat up front (since there are no pass. airbags in a T100) and one in the back for trips with the mini me's. I would have to relocate my large storage tub that holds recovery and survival gear, from the back seat maybe into the camper. But that would be a fair trade of space. I was already thinking that the bottom of the jumper seat would have to go for a fridge to fit, so no big deal there. That it opens fully in that position without contacting the rear window glass is a huge bonus.

Two and a half days maintaining temps before it killed the truck battery sounds very workable. Man! I'm so pumped thinking about the possibilities I can barely think to type. Keeping it out of your reach while driving probably is best from a safety standpoint. You shouldn't drink & drive anyway....you might spill your Diet Coke! ;)

I'm interested in seeing what you come up with for securing the fridge. I would probably just count on it anchoring itself too, maybe wedged in with some other gear in the back seat too. The turnbuckles would be easy and inexpensive plus still allow it to be removed from the truck to your shop. I like the idea of a secure but non-permanent mounting solution. Any idea what it weighs loaded down with burgers, bagels and Diet Coke?

Congratulations on being the very first to install a portable Fridge into a T100 (that I know of)! :luxhello: And thank you so much for the detailed pics and write up. I always enjoy your thorough reports and attention to detail when doing your upgrades. I feel like I can tackle this mod now that I know what size fridge will fit in the truck.

Thanks for creating the blue(bonnet)print for this mod!! :bowdown: :bowdown:

[kcowyo]

Re the new compressor, GPS and refinished Hi Lift, excellent!

Great idea on the Hi Lift, I've seen many fail on the trial because they are ignored for the most part. A little maintenence at the house sure would be worth it on the trail.

10-4 on the GPS too. I run hot and cold with mine. Sometimes I enjoy using it, sometimes I just use it as a paperweight on top of all my maps. As much as I find a GPS useful, I prefer looking at maps and trying to read the terrain to establish my location.

And with the compressor at home, can we assume a welder and pipe bender are not far behind? ;)

[jim65wagon]

10-4 on the GPS too. I run hot and cold with mine. Sometimes I enjoy using it, sometimes I just use it as a paperweight on top of all my maps. As much as I find a GPS useful, I prefer looking at maps and trying to read the terrain to establish my location.

The GPS can be a huge asset on any trip large or small, I find though it is not a replacement for a good map, the screen is never large enough to see where you are and where you want to go simultaneously. With both GPS and a map it is so easy to find exactly where you are on the map to plot a new course. BTW mine is the Magellan Gold with both Directroute and Topo. Topo has some of the trails of GWNF in it (including the one to Meadow Knob). Directroute is great for on road travel when you do not know how to get somewhere but it doesn't always pick the shortest route. Have fun with all the toys.

Now if I could get a fridge to fit in between the kids in the backof the Tun...

[Scott Brady]

Awesome stuff Joel!

Your truck is looking incredible, nice platform, the fridge, gps, etc. I am very impressed :bowdown:

Now we need to plan a trip for you to come out west, so we can see it in person :sombrero:

[BajaTaco]

Joel, great updates! Glad to see you are enjoying the fridge now :victory:

[HongerVenture]

Well, since the Expedition Trophy is now requiring sliders or at least highly recommending them, I figured it was about time to start the next project...

http://www.ericsonranch.com/linkedimages/SliderSteel.jpg

That is all I have for now... should be getting started this weekend. A friend of mine has done some truly amazing work on his Jeep and he is going to teach/coach me through doing sliders for my truck. Stay tuned...

[CLynn85]

Cool, glad to see some updates! I also like the home-made shop-chair in the background. :hehe:

[Martinjmpr]

Nice looking T100! Hey, nothing wrong with a mismatched topper color! Mine was a craigslist special - $150 with a busted back window (being replaced this weekend.)

Since I had just sold the crossover toolbox that came on the truck for the same $150, my shell was effectively "free", too. :jumping:

Since I think white is boring, and my favorite color is green (the color of my shell) I was actually thrilled by the "mismatch." :D

[devinsixtyseven]

Great install on the fridge!

I've never seen the inside of a T-100 before your pics. The rear bench setup, with the bump under the seat and everything, is almost identical to an extended cab Tundra--the compartments are a little different, and the sheetmetal is probably a little different, but the layout is the same. There sure is a lotta room without the bench seat :D...

-Sean

[kcowyo]

A friend of mine has done some truly amazing work on his Jeep and he is going to teach/coach me through doing sliders for my truck. Stay tuned...

Nice! I'm watching....:lurk:

[HongerVenture]

I love it when I actually make progress on a project...
http://www.ericsonranch.com/linkedimages/SliderMockup.jpg

Tube has been bent and we've tacked together one of the sides. We have all the pieces cut to tack up the other side. Once we tack that together, we'll start measuring/cutting to fabricate the brackets to connect to the frame.

Any suggestions on paint or coating?

[kcowyo]

I love it when I actually make progress on a project...

Me too! Looking good so far. :jumping:


Any suggestions on paint or coating?
Powdercoating costs too much for something that inevitably will wind up taking a hit and the finish getting marred. Spray paint looks a little ghetto to me but it can be good for touch ups.

I would consider a spray/roll on type of bedliner product. Something like Line X would give them a rough finish and make a "grippy" foot step for that bride of yours. She might appreciate that when the sliders are wet or muddy.

You gonna go with weld or bolt on?

[HongerVenture]

You gonna go with weld or bolt on?

Fairly certain I'm going with bolt on. If I weld them on the frame I destroy the paint on the inside of the frame thus creating a rust-prone location. In my neck of the woods that is a problem, so I want to keep the paint as intact as possible.

That and if I want to remove them for any reason I can. I can't think of one, but you never know.

What do you think?

[p1michaud]

Fairly certain I'm going with bolt on. If I weld them on the frame I destroy the paint on the inside of the frame thus creating a rust-prone location. In my neck of the woods that is a problem, so I want to keep the paint as intact as possible.

That and if I want to remove them for any reason I can. I can't think of one, but you never know.

What do you think?

Having made the mistake welding my sliders on the first time, definitely go the bolt on route! :oops: I've just spent well over 40 hrs cutting the existing sliders off the frame without damaging the frame then grinding the remaining metal off the frame then re-polishing to return the frame to before slider welding form. :ar15: Then I re-built them to be bolt on. I can snap some pics if you want.
I'm not sure what you had in mind, but I just re-built my sliders to be bolt on using Dick Foster's Slider sketch (http://www.tacomaterritory.com/~dickfoster/Pics/Dicks_Sliders.PDF) on TTORA as a guide. Your T100 should have similar holes in the frame that you could use as tie in points. I made a few changes as follows:
1-I used 4" x 4" gussets where the slider legs weld to the U bracket.
2-I drilled a hole through the frame at the front cross member so that I could bolt from the inside of the frame similar to what Scott did here (http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/tacoma/sliders.html).
In discussing slider builds on TTORA most guys felt that 3 legs from the frame to the slider was sufficient when using the U bracket design on a Tacoma. For the T100 you may want to go to 4 frame supports. The other important factor was choosing material size, most people suggested using at least a 1.75” OD tubing and min 0.120” thick. Finally make sure you have sufficient cross braces between the inner and outer slider tube. I used 5 not including the two end points in my case. See attached pic I used as a reference.

A few tips for you.
1-Build your U shapped brackets and bolt them to the truck. Then position your sliders where you want them and tack them in place. I would also partially weld them in position because when I finished welding mine when they were off the truck the heat from welding caused some alignment problems when I went to bolt them in place after they were complete.

2-For a good coating get them sand blasted and have them zinc chromate primered by the same facility if possible. This cost me $25 – 35 to have mine done. I then used some roll on bed liner. It has held up great with no need to re-paint in 3 years of extremely salty and rusty environment. See pic here ( http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=55335&postcount=9) of what my OME coils look like after 21 months of service. If this coating can last 3 years in that same environment without rusting it’s excellent IMO!

Cheers :beer:,
P

[kcowyo]

Fairly certain I'm going with bolt on. If I weld them on the frame I destroy the paint on the inside of the frame thus creating a rust-prone location. In my neck of the woods that is a problem....

What do you think?

I think bolt-on makes perfect sense, given your location and concerns. p1michaud makes a good case for going bolt-on as well.

[p1michaud]

Then I re-built them to be bolt on. I can snap some pics if you want.

To follow up, here are some pics I snapped tonight for you.
Side view:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/p1michaud/Bolt%20on%20Sliders/DSC03771.jpg

Mounting points:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/p1michaud/Bolt%20on%20Sliders/DSC03761.jpg

Front Cross member mounting bracket detail:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/p1michaud/Bolt%20on%20Sliders/DSC03763.jpg

Front Cross member mounting bracket backing plates and bolts:
Top left bolt is 3/8" bottom is 1/2" all hardware is Gr 8.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/p1michaud/Bolt%20on%20Sliders/DSC03764.jpg

U shapped bracket and gussets:
Bracket is 3" wide by 5 1/4" tall. Gussets are 4" x 4" x 5.5".
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/p1michaud/Bolt%20on%20Sliders/DSC03767.jpg

Back side of U shapped bracket (it's about 1/4" to 3/8" short but it works):
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/p1michaud/Bolt%20on%20Sliders/DSC03769.jpg

Finally this pic shows the location of my BudBuilt bolt in cross member for my belly pan and the location of the U shapped bracket. I would guess that the newly re-designed Demello Bolt on sliders would fit witout interferance as well. You can also see in the pic that the brake lines had to be spaced away to make room for the U bracket. I just made up a spacer that goes under the bolt for the brake line holder (top left hand corner of pic).
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/p1michaud/Bolt%20on%20Sliders/DSC03770.jpg

Cheer :beer:,
P

[HongerVenture]

p1michaud, excellent additional info! Thanks. This is going to come in handy for mounting the sliders. We made some additional progress last weekend. Decided to do the sliders flat rather than at a cant... allows me to keep them closer to the rocker panel.

Here it is mocked up under the rocker of the truck. Both sliders are all tacked up and ready to be fully welded. Now we just need to tack together the mounting.

http://www.ericsonranch.com/linkedimages/SliderMockup - OnTruck.jpg
(apologies for the poor-quality camera phone shot)

I'll most likely be covering these in Herculiner.

Joel

[Hoosier 45]

Hi Eric,
I live over north of Terre Haute. Is that a Rose-Hulman sticker I saw in the back window of your truck?

I have just recently bought an '03 DC Tacoma and sliders are first on the list. I will be teaching a machining class at ISU this fall and hope to get some welding time in.

Did you use 1 1/2 square tube? I have some laying around the garage and thought I would use it as steel prices are not getting much cheaper.
Martin

[p1michaud]

p1michaud, excellent additional info! Thanks. This is going to come in handy for mounting the sliders. We made some additional progress last weekend. Decided to do the sliders flat rather than at a cant... allows me to keep them closer to the rocker panel.

Here it is mocked up under the rocker of the truck. Both sliders are all tacked up and ready to be fully welded. Now we just need to tack together the mounting.

Joel,
Looking nice! Not sure if you are done yet, but make sure to add a few additional pieces between the inner and outer tubes that run the length of the truck. I've heard that if you don't put enough support pieces that the outer tube will bend. I've got a total of 5 not counting the end pieces where the pipe is bent and welded to the main beam.
Cheers :beer:,
P

[kcowyo]

Looking good Joel!

Big style points for making your own sliders. Can't wait to see the finished product!

:lurk:

[flyingwil]

Joel,
Looking nice! Not sure if you are done yet, but make sure to add a few additional pieces between the inner and outer tubes that run the length of the truck. I've heard that if you don't put enough support pieces that the outer tube will bend. I've got a total of 5 not counting the end pieces where the pipe is bent and welded to the main beam.
Cheers :beer:,
P


I was going to say the same thing. Great progress Joel!

[Geno_T10098]

Any pictures of how to did the sliders to the frame, i was looking at mine and im trying to get the right angle to mount them. Let me know thanks

[SC T100]

Bump for updates...anything new? I have had my T100 for about a year and I like the rear storage build. Beautiful truck btw.

[HongerVenture]

I think this thread needs an update.

Hoosier 45,
That is indeed a Rose-Hulman sticker. Graduated in '02.

p1michaud, kcowyo, and flyingwil,
Sliders are not done. I think you guys already noticed I moved to the UAE a few years back. The sliders are sitting in my buddies garage, waiting on my eventual return to the States.

Geno_T10098,
Attaching these to the frame was going to be the problem, especially given that the frame sits up higher than the bottom of the rocker panel. Let me know if you solve this one.

SC T100,
Thanks for the compliments on the truck.

The only updates are that my dad LOVES the truck. He's had the truck since I moved here... it's on loan. It's well over 200K and my dad has taken it from Kansas to California with no problems. The truck is just bulletproof. My dad has reported that the rear-fenders are starting to bubble with a bit of rust (darn the road salt!!!). That will just expedite my replacement of the bed with a UTE tray upon my return.

[jim65wagon]

A Ute tray would look cool!