smirke's cruiser

[burnsie]

Hey @Smirke agree with the above for the trip I would recommend a installed unit, the range on the portable is still limited even though it is a 5W. We have the one in the car but also carry a handheld 5w for 4WDing so we can guide cars through tougher areas but also if we leave the car or split up we can still communicate.

Ronny from 4WDing in WA has just posted a video about some tips for the UHF but has some comments around handheld and inbuilt, worth a look

(No affiliation but a good video)

 

[Billnjim]

Couldnt afford the bling after the luxury car tax. It does look better with the lift and big tyres though.The bull bar's diameter is massive. I have to get bigger U bolts for my rod holder. (The car does have an angry birds smelly thing and a fluffy steering wheel cover....couldn't find the dice)
Tomorrow hopefully the Mickey Mouse ears, and next week the tow pro and possibly the 3rd battery and umpteen 12v outlets. Hopefully the car isn't too high for the van but we can already see we will need to lower the ball.

We haven't upgraded our suspension yet and with only 5psi in the airbags we sit a bit higher (about 3inch) then the tregg on the Starcraft OB - I don't like the look of those adjustable height hitches so will look at alternatives.

Couldn't see a roof rack I liked or roof bars, or a snorkel, etc. so not sure about the big stuff. Still, I'm sure I can find something! Saw a hand held 5W 2 way for $249, so may get that as I don't want any holes drilled in the dash....yet.

Speak to Ash from Opposite Lock Midland - he'll point you in the right direction for racks (rhino, front runner & tracklander mainly) and snorkels (safari); whatever you do don't get a genuine Toyota snorkel - they have caused the loss of several vehicles on several sites I have worked on due to their inability to keep dust out (poor fittment and fall apart)

 

[Dean Anderson]

Roof Racks...what a drama.................I'm in the middle of the design process for mine...............nothing really suited so I have to fabricate a few things..... I want a Kayak on top....240 watt solar on gas struts so I can angle them towards the sun, and a way of getting the kayak up there after the suspension upgrade and 2 inch lift (plus the latter option of the tyres being another inch higher). What a pain...

 

[Drover]

Airflow, Safari or Airtec are the way to go, Airflow do research and build there stuff. If it's fitted for you I would advise to really give every join a hard look, where they pass thru the body is the usual problem spot.

 

[Smirke]

Airflow, Safari or Airtec are the way to go, Airflow do research and build there stuff. If it's fitted for you I would advise to really give every join a hard look, where they pass thru the body is the usual problem spot.

Thanks @Drover . Had the safari on the patrol, and was happy with it (but then I'd have no idea if it was right/wrong/a good job, etc) so was thinking of going the same thing. Someone on here mentioned to me that ARB was good. Think they are at the show so will ask today.

 

[Smirke]

Roof Racks...what a drama.................I'm in the middle of the design process for mine...............nothing really suited so I have to fabricate a few things..... I want a Kayak on top....240 watt solar on gas struts so I can angle them towards the sun, and a way of getting the kayak up there after the suspension upgrade and 2 inch lift (plus the latter option of the tyres being another inch higher). What a pain...

Wow, you are so lucky to be able to make your own. A pain in the bum I'm sure, but lucky none the less.
Yes, the 2" lift certainly makes the car a tad tall. Think I need a ladder to get our kayaks up there and I'm not exactly short for a girl.


On a good note,
the 13 yr old has the monitor thing and sat nav all worked out (means I don't have to figure it out....yay)
Eldest sat in middle row of seats and said that there was more leg room.....yay (probably as hubby hasn't pushed the seat all the way back yet)
There are 4cup holders in the 3rd row of seats. Youngest 2 are excited. Already planned which one their iPods and drinks go


Not so good note is that there is no centre pull down consol with cup holders in the middle row. They are in the door, which is silly, as the maccas/hj's cups don't look like they will fit. I can see a few spilt drinks happening.....bugger.

 

[Drover]

Kids just make new vehicles all that more fun I think.......................Snorkels if I remember correctly, Opposite Lock do Safari, ARB do Airtec maybe TJM do Airflow, I was just going to order direct from them in Melb for my Jeep just never got around to it........problem with ARB, Opposite Lock etc is what they charge to fit stuff, unbelievable...............But if you don't have the facilities you just grin and bear it I suppose, oh hell I'm going to be in trouble soon with no shed.


Oh and if the snorkel isn't fitted right you usually soon know about, the engine will stop with a gutfull of dirt or water....or both !!!!!!!

 

[Smirke]

Ok, back from the show and got the cruiser some "bling".
Bought the oricom 380 uhf set which has the main bit not needing to be screwed into the dash, and came with an aerial. (may have to pay someone to put the thing in though, as I took a look at the instructions, but not too sure on the electrical side of things. Can easily do the rest of the install though)
Also bought her a snorkel , the Safari one thru ARB. Was happy with the price ($740 fully installed) and given how I have no idea on how to put one one, I thought it was good.
Still need to get a roof rack. Decided on either the tent type one ($599 alloy or $549 steel from one place, or an ironman one for $575) or the cage one, both full length, 2.2m. I was originally looking at either the flat type or the tradie as we have 2 kayaks that we take to coral bay with us. Hence the sudden idea of the tent type one, as we will be stowing stuff up there for the gibb trip. Undecided, but do need one.

 

[dugite57]

@Smirke, are you sure that snorkel is for the MY16 200? Saw a thread on lcool.org and the previous snorkels did not fit the MY16's new front fender shape. The last time I looked the MY16 had not been released by Safari...

 

[Smirke]

Apparently it is almost ready @dugite57, or so they said at the show. Ive put the order in, and am waiting for delivery to ARB. We don't really need it until our trip in July, and I know we won't get it before we head to coral bay on 8/4, so it will be next term before we get it.

 

[Smirke]

Car so far is going ok, but not impressed with toyota. Paid for the 12 pin plug to be installed on the car, using their people so as the warrantee wasn't void, even supplied the plug and jayco wiring diagram. Hooked up the van on Sunday to make sure all was good (oops car is too big, so am looking for a bigger jockey wheel) and find the ESC lights dead.
Emails to jayco to find out which pin it gets attached to (number 2 so they say) as well as toyota, only to get back...

"We just wired up the tow plug as per the normal fitting instructions for the 12 pin plug.
All of this other wiring is a optional extra."

Lets just say 0 for my customer service feedback is too high.

 

[Dean Anderson]

Standard I think....12 pin plug they will connect the same wires as a seven pin, no extra unless you specify exactly what you want (to pay for).

I had Toyota put in a relay to the ignition so there's only power when the ignition is on, otherwise they connect straight to the battery, and the last thing I want is to be woopwoop and forget to pull the 12 pin out and wake up with flat batteries in the car (and no telephone reception).

 

[Bellbirdweb]

Even with the standard 12 pin wiring, the connection of the ESC is actually separate.

It requires a direct connection to the battery via a circuit breaker

 

[Smirke]

The Toyota guy and the guy who actually oversees it all were told to wire it up as per diagram except for the tow pro as someone else is doing that.
Luckily it goes in to ORE tomorrow to get that and the airbags in and they have offered to check it out for me.....at a price no doubt.
Wondering if we really need the airbags though. Car is higher than the patrol and the back end is still up. I guess it's the old...better to have and not need rather than to need and not have scenario, so I guess they will go on too.

 

[Smirke]

Even with the standard 12 pin wiring, the connection of the ESC is actually separate.

It requires a direct connection to the battery via a circuit breaker

Our jayco guy here said that it was the connection directly from battery to pin 2 that controls the ESC

 

[burnsie]

Our jayco guy here said that it was the connection directly from battery to pin 2 that controls the ESC

Yeah direct connection to the battery from pin 2 via a fuse or circuit breaker, some people also split it from the 12pin and put it onto an anderson plug so when in rough situations you can disconnect so it won't activate.

Hopefully the guys at ORE can sort it out for you when they wire up the Tow Pro, just run an additional wire

 

[Bluey]

Couldn't see a roof rack I liked or roof bars, or a snorkel, etc. so not sure about the big stuff. Still, I'm sure I can find something! Saw a hand held 5W 2 way for $249, so may get that as I don't want any holes drilled in the dash....yet.

My unit is in with the auto gear shift under the cover towards the front of centre consol cant see it at all small wire comes out the bottom of the side and then plug hand piece into that like drover all controls on the hand piece and it sits next to me on the seat or on my lap when driving

 

[Smirke]

Might pay ore to put it in for me. Have no idea how to take apart the dash. (Too Chicken really). Got one I don't need to drill holes in the dash

 

[Dean Anderson]

It's always a doubt issue when you make modifications to a $90 000 vehicle....Used to be the doubt with a $50 000 vehicle, and a few years before that moding the Hyundai Excel at $12 000 was stressful.

Life has become more expensive but the stresses stay the same.... Maybe I should still have a tent and a car bomb and be less stressed?

 

[Dean Anderson]

Bomb of a car I mean (apologies to the jihad).