getting my truck ready for some REAL camping with the FWC!

I got an Engel 45, and 3 more 50 cal. ammo cases (5 total now. and my back is solid, and full of all the gear I need:





I also have airbags now:



I made a crosslink for my airbags, it works out pretty nicely



It crosslinks the airbags, so, when wheeling, the air transfers from one to the other and makes you have A LOT more articulation.

not the best shot, but it articulates just as much as it did without the air bags. Before I got this nifty little thing, it would stop articulating about 3" from the bumpstops, now it goes all the way to them.

 

Sweet! I can't wait to see it with the camper and everything. Very cool, mang!

 

I'm getting really excited for the camper!

Not too much longer!

 

makes me scratch my head and wonder what the heck I was doing in college. Its too late for me now, enjoy it!

 

Don't feel bad, none of my buddies even begin to try and understand what I do, they're all out at the bars....

$30 for a night of drinking for them

$30 gets me some gas, hot dogs, a 6 pack and the middle of the woods and I'm a happy camper (literally and figuratively)

 

oly, do you have any information on your airbag setup. I interested for my tundra.

 

Sweet, expedition/camping rigs are my fav.

Can that fridge run on propane?

Lamm

 

Airlift airbags, I got them from www.Summitracing.com for just under 200 clams

here's the tundra kit: http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

 

Nope, the fridge is electric only (12/24V and 120V), but it only pulls 1 amp in fridge mode and 2.5 amps in freezer mode, and that's 100% duty cycle, so it's less than those figures. A very good fridge considering the 3 ways (propane, 12V and 120V) pull 3+ amps on the fridge mode only.

However, I have a 130 Ah battery that is just drooling (not literally) for the camper and the camper has a 50 watt solar panel which produces 3.3 amps at full tilt. And I'm going to be getting another 150 watts worth of solar down the road along with another battery. So with over 13 amps worth of charging during the day and 260 amps at night, I'll be plenty fine to run that fridge non stop for a long time.

 

Thank you very much oly, now I know what to tell the wife I want for christmas

 

no problem man

 

Wow, that is super efficient! That is a sweet mod, way better than igloo coolers and ice.

Lamm

 

Yup, and once i get my camper, I'll be looking at taking trips that last a week or more without going to town to "restock" or anything like that. So it's a must to have the ablility to keep things cool/frozen without having to add ice constantly.

 

Dude...you've got me itching to get out and go camping now. Very nice work, can't wait t see it all together. I think it's time I build a sleeping platform in the 4Runner.

Too bad school starts in 2 weeks.


...Can't wait for Montana.

 

Well, when you get out here, I'd be glad to help you get a platform set up and give you some pointers on what I would have changed.

 

Oly, what type of fridge is that?? I really want to get one for longer trips. With the baby on the way I am going to be reverting to renting camp trailers and taking two rigs (baby is a no-go in the reg cab), but still want to do long trips.... When I get home I am building a lightweight system for my bed that holds and secures more.... I am tired of the rubbermaid crap not fitting correctly...

Looks really good, I like the crossfeed valve... your not going to use that on the hwy right??

I'm going to have to do my camping thru you guys until next summer..... oh well... just send some good photos... and I agree on the 30 at the bar or 30 on camping.. I was the same way.. .mods/wheeing/camping is way better than the bar, any day of the week!!

 

It is an Engel 45 fridge/freezer, they have a great name, not too many people seem to be disapointed with them. Congrats on the new baby on the way! And thanks for what you are doing for me and the rest of this country.

I'm not using the crosslink valve on the highway, it's nice because without it the airbags act like a sway bar.

Well, next summer when you are back, you'll have to try to make it out to MT sometime.

 

Oh I'll be in MT next summer... my folks just bought 20 acres in Manhattan, and I havent seen it yet....

 

Excellent!

I'm going to be looking at buying a place either in Manhattan or Three Forks after I graduate.

 

My point exactly. I wasted a ton of money and time and and unfortunately discovered much later in life how much I enjoy exactly what you are doing.

Now when you get to my age you have all those "responsibilities" (kids/wife/career/mortgage) and the freedome to take off and disappear into the mountains for a couple of days at a time whenever you feel like it is gone like a fart in the wind.

Oh well. I'll just look at your pics and dream.