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So, in the never-ending but slowly-progressing modifications to my Tacoma, this is today's progress. PROJECT 1: Not enough storage in my Tacoma. I mean, it's a truck, there's no trunk. I have a bed rack on it, so a tonneau cover or cap wasn't an option. So I got a Decked system. So far I like it! (Last weekend's project was mounting the Pelican cases on the bed rack. I've had them for probably 10+ years, and they were previously mounted on a Nissan Frontier.)   PROJECT 2: On-board air, a dual ARB compressor, under the hood. Slee Off-Road bracket kit. Install was relatively easy, 2-3 hours, not including wiring. It was a little tight getting some of the fasteners on, especially with my big hands. Wiring will be easy - when I did my off-road lights, I put in switches, relays and fuses for everything, so this should be simply hooking it up to what I've already installed. Before:  After:  Thus the metric system did not really catch on in the States, unless you count the increasing popularity of the nine-millimeter bullet. - Dave Barry "Never go through life saying 'I should have'..." - quote from the 9/11 Boatlift Story (thanks, sdy for posting it) | ||
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Member |
Nice work. Smart to have the bike rack on the side, avoid it being super tall with having it on the roof or rack. Never would've thought of that. How hard is the Decked to remove, it you needed the full depth of the bed? Former boss' husband had a similar Decked system in his Suburban, 1 side for his rifle(s) & the other for investigation gear (Arson Investigator & SWAT Paramedic, and a few other things I don't recall) The Enemy's gate is down. | |||
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| Member |
It would be fairly complex to remove. However, it has a 2000 pound weight capacity on top of it, so hauling things shouldn't be an issue unless you need full bed depth. I got the bike rack the same time as the bed rack. It works well. Haven't off-roaded with a bike on it yet though. The bike might need a little lateral support to keep it from rocking back and forth too much. Thus the metric system did not really catch on in the States, unless you count the increasing popularity of the nine-millimeter bullet. - Dave Barry "Never go through life saying 'I should have'..." - quote from the 9/11 Boatlift Story (thanks, sdy for posting it) | |||
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| Member |
Could gab an appropriately sized PVC 'spacer, to put between the rack & bike, and a little strap to keep it tight. Radius the PVC to the rack & bike for a nice clean fit. The Enemy's gate is down. | |||
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| A teetotaling beer aficionado  |
Will you put the control switch for the compressor in the cabin? I know that seems to be the common wisdom, but it doesn't make sense to me. To air up, you need to lift the hood, connect the line and then connect to your tire or other thing you want to inflate. So, you go into the cabin, flip the switch and it starts buzzing away while you then tend to connecting things up. Or you might connect the things first, the go back in the cabin to flip the switch to get it rolling. I've got one in the plan (also have a auxiliary fuse block installed) and I'm planning on having the activation switch mounted near the compressor. Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves. -D.H. Lawrence | |||
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| Member |
PVC isn't a bad idea. Also has the advantage of being cheap! And I can paint it black to match. NavyGuy, the compressor air is a "closed" system with a regulator controlling on/off. If no air is going out (i.e., not airing up tires), it's pressurized and off. When it's airing up something, pressure drops, the regulator fires the circuit, and the compressor is on. So, I turn it on from inside the cab. It runs briefly and pressurizes, then goes off. I open the hood, connect the hose, and start airing up a tire. It goes on. I stop airing up the tire, it goes off. When I'm all done, I turn off the switch in the cab. It's not running constantly. Hope that made sense. My point is, it's not buzzing away the whole time the switch is on. Some people, if they know they have high-volume use (air tools, airing up a bunch of tires, etc.), will install a separate air tank filled by the compressor, much the way the compressor in your garage works. Thus the metric system did not really catch on in the States, unless you count the increasing popularity of the nine-millimeter bullet. - Dave Barry "Never go through life saying 'I should have'..." - quote from the 9/11 Boatlift Story (thanks, sdy for posting it) | |||
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Telecom Ronin |
Well thought out rig, if you are not on expedition portal you need to be. | |||
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Observer |
Nice work! phxtoad "Careful man, there's a beverage here!" | |||
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| Member |
Been there for years! You should see my Jeep.... Thus the metric system did not really catch on in the States, unless you count the increasing popularity of the nine-millimeter bullet. - Dave Barry "Never go through life saying 'I should have'..." - quote from the 9/11 Boatlift Story (thanks, sdy for posting it) | |||
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| Member |
Great stuff there!! Would it be better to put bike on passenger side as not to obstruct driver side mirror? Not a criticism, just a thought ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Live today as if it may be your last and learn today as if you will live forever | |||
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| Member |
Actually doesn't obstruct much at all. And I figured I could keep better track of my width with it on the driver's side. Less likely to sideswipe something. Thus the metric system did not really catch on in the States, unless you count the increasing popularity of the nine-millimeter bullet. - Dave Barry "Never go through life saying 'I should have'..." - quote from the 9/11 Boatlift Story (thanks, sdy for posting it) | |||
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Spread the Disease |
Did you make or buy a mounting bracket for the compressor? ________________________________________ -- Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. -- | |||
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| Member |
I have a 17 tacoma I’m slowly upgrading. What brand of rack did you get ? | |||
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| Member |
I got the Slee Offroad mounting bracket for the compressor. Slee has been doing this sort of stuff forever, based out of Golden, CO. The bed rack is from CBI Offroad Fab. They are somehow affiliated with Prinsu, who made my roof rack. I went with CBI because, honestly, I liked the looks. But there are a bunch of places making bed racks. Thus the metric system did not really catch on in the States, unless you count the increasing popularity of the nine-millimeter bullet. - Dave Barry "Never go through life saying 'I should have'..." - quote from the 9/11 Boatlift Story (thanks, sdy for posting it) | |||
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| Ice age heat wave, cant complain.  |
How do the Pelican cases mount? I'm assuming you drilled through the bottoms and theres a bracket of sorts that mounts to the bed rack? Trying to understand if this is the type of storage that you climb up in the bed to retrieve stuff or if the case can quickly be pulled down and accessed on the ground or other surface. All really cool mods. NRA Life Member Steak: Rare. Coffee: Black. Bourbon: Neat. | |||
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| Member |
The Pelican cases are something I had leftover from years ago on a project I was working, i.e., freebies. They already had holes drilled in them from when they were attached to something else. I actually had to re-drill one of the holes in each to match up with the holed on the rack and patch the old holes. They are attached with 1/2" bolts (2 per case), so not easy to remove. Pelican did come out with some new cases designed for the overland market. I am sure they will be expensive. https://www.pelican.com/us/en/discover/cargo-cases/ Thus the metric system did not really catch on in the States, unless you count the increasing popularity of the nine-millimeter bullet. - Dave Barry "Never go through life saying 'I should have'..." - quote from the 9/11 Boatlift Story (thanks, sdy for posting it) | |||
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| A teetotaling beer aficionado |
Yeah, I get all of that and know that's how most people configure there compressor set up. It makes a lot of sense if you're also using the compressor for air lockers but other than that I don't see a big advantage of having the on off switch in the cabin. I don't plan on adding air lockers so my plan, when I eventually get around to it, will be to mount the switch under the hood near the compressor. This will save me from having to snake the wire trough the fire wall and mess with adding a dashboard rocker switch and the functionality will not be compromised. Pop the hood, switch it on and go at it. But who knows, I might change my mind on that three or for times before actually start that project. Nice neat set up you have. Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves. -D.H. Lawrence | |||
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| Member |
Advantage of in-cabin = weatherproof. Or for air lockers, as you mention. Otherwise, it's a matter of convenience and ease of wiring, you are right. I ran wires through the firewall for lights, and just ran this at the same time, as I knew I'd be doing it sooner or later. I also found switches for everything to match the factory switches, so it doesn't look hokey. I'm picky like that. Thus the metric system did not really catch on in the States, unless you count the increasing popularity of the nine-millimeter bullet. - Dave Barry "Never go through life saying 'I should have'..." - quote from the 9/11 Boatlift Story (thanks, sdy for posting it) | |||
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