Starting my build - it’s going to be a bit of a slow one but thought I’d show you all the first steps if you want to follow along. Not a ton of this body style out there overlanding and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Denali. The AWD is no bueno for super difficult/muddy trails or rock crawling (that’s why I have a SXS). We camp mostly in crown land, easy access areas so this should work alright, as well as I cannot afford a separate truck at the moment and so as this is my work truck - everything sort of needs to be removable and built on a budget.
So, I have a PackRat and the truck toolbox for all my tools and the headache rack has the toolbox mounts and lighting. Nobody seems to make a bed rack for the 5’8” box that isn’t thousands of dollars and that fits with a toolbox and tonneau cover. So, out comes the welder, drill bits, a tap set and a good friend to help! End result is decent. The tricky part is making it removable and to not drill a bunch of holes in the bed. 1x2” flat tubing worked perfectly and is quite rigid, supports the weight of the tent and both people. The bottom rails are separate, so they can bolt down inside the stake holes and then inside the headache rack. Four plates so the rack can bolt down onto it separately.
We also set up the height to keep the tent as low as possible but also high enough to fit the Leitner boxes in.
Next step will be cross bars on the driver side to mount my Rotopax water and fuel containers and potentially a reinforcement platform on the tonneau to add more storage for my boxed furnace, propane tank, battery and storage cases.
Also looking at making a shower tank and mounting it inside the top on one side.
Hope to keep picking away at this. Let me know what you think and as always I am fully open to suggestions or improvements!!
Cheers!
So, I have a PackRat and the truck toolbox for all my tools and the headache rack has the toolbox mounts and lighting. Nobody seems to make a bed rack for the 5’8” box that isn’t thousands of dollars and that fits with a toolbox and tonneau cover. So, out comes the welder, drill bits, a tap set and a good friend to help! End result is decent. The tricky part is making it removable and to not drill a bunch of holes in the bed. 1x2” flat tubing worked perfectly and is quite rigid, supports the weight of the tent and both people. The bottom rails are separate, so they can bolt down inside the stake holes and then inside the headache rack. Four plates so the rack can bolt down onto it separately.
We also set up the height to keep the tent as low as possible but also high enough to fit the Leitner boxes in.
Next step will be cross bars on the driver side to mount my Rotopax water and fuel containers and potentially a reinforcement platform on the tonneau to add more storage for my boxed furnace, propane tank, battery and storage cases.
Also looking at making a shower tank and mounting it inside the top on one side.
Hope to keep picking away at this. Let me know what you think and as always I am fully open to suggestions or improvements!!
Cheers!
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