A new hope.

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Over the last couple days I’ve been working on a drawer system for the bed. Wanted a better way to store all of my random gear. This fall when I start going on some more trips I’ll probably make some refinements. The drawers are 4’ deep and about 20” wide. Plenty of room for extra gear and food. I didn’t want to use the entire length of the bed for drawers so I left about 9” at the end to fit my two 20” tool boxes from harbor freight in between the wheel wells. Eventually I want to replace these with a water tank with a pump so I can have running water. For now it’ll work great. I left the spots open on the sides for storing random stuff. I was thinking about using one of the drawers for a kitchen setup but I already have a chuck box that I built and really enjoy using. Previously I would set it up on the tailgate which now would make it impossible to access the drawers. Now I’m looking into getting a folding table to set up my kitchen on. View attachment 113429View attachment 113430

Good job. I like how you hid the tool boxes. It would also make great space for batteries.

 

[Matthew Reed]

Good job. I like how you hid the tool boxes. It would also make great space for batteries.

I was thinking about that too. I’m planning on changing up the system when I get back stateside. Waiting for this Coronavirus thing to be done with to go home. I’ve been working on designing a dual battery tray under the hood but if there’s not enough space it’s definitely going to end up back there

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

I was thinking about that too. I’m planning on changing up the system when I get back stateside. Waiting for this Coronavirus thing to be done with to go home. I’ve been working on designing a dual battery tray under the hood but if there’s not enough space it’s definitely going to end up back there

I'm working on that myself. I will definitely put two batteries in the back of my Land Rover Discovery in a container. I have no room under the hood. I do not have a plan formulated for my cargo area yet because I haven't decided if I want to have a sleeping platform in the rig or just go to a tent straight off.

 

[shocwav3]

Have you considered a slide out with a camper for sleeping since the bed is to short?

Great looking start to the build!

 

[Matthew Reed]

Have you considered a slide out with a camper for sleeping since the bed is to short?

Great looking start to the build!

What do you mean by slide out? I actually have an ARB awning with their enclosed awning room that I sleep in. It’s a lot easier than trying to get my dogs into a RTT or up into the bed. Pic of the doggos in the tent attached for bonus internet points.

 

[shocwav3]

Have you considered a slide out with a camper for sleeping since the bed is to short?

Great looking start to the build!

What do you mean by slide out? I actually have an ARB awning with their enclosed awning room that I sleep in. It’s a lot easier than trying to get my dogs into a RTT or up into the bed. Pic of the doggos in the tent attached for bonus internet points.

By using a camper top, you could build a telescoping slide out to extend the bed length..there is a tacoma that a guy lives in full time doing exactly that..its all over YouTube..I will find a link. It would work well with the pups!

 

[egilbe]

What OB build is complete without morale patches?? Only been collecting for a little while but I’d love to cover the roof of this thing.View attachment 100725

Never thought I'd see a MEARNG shoulder patch on a truck in GA

 

[James77]

Nice looking rig!! I have always had some interest in those. Cant wait to see it with the lift.

 

[Matthew Reed]

What OB build is complete without morale patches?? Only been collecting for a little while but I’d love to cover the roof of this thing.View attachment 100725

Never thought I'd see a MEARNG shoulder patch on a truck in GA

One of my friends is in that unit. I think he left that patch at my house when we were living together and it made its way to Georgia with me!

 

[Matthew Reed]

In an unfortunate turn of events today my wife was moving the truck out of the garage and the door wasn’t all the way up.. I am now in the market for a new roof rack/basket system. I may be attempting to weld/fabricate my own here shortly. This is really unfortunate. It looks like one edge of the rack got caught on the door and before she could do anything it broke the four mounting feet off and slid right off the back of the truck. The truck has some new scratches on the camper top and tailgate but other than that and the Thule mounts being wrecked all is fine. Just an excuse to upgrade right? I’d like to make a rack that’s a little more sturdy and more securely mounted. Previously I had a cheap basket mounted to some thule cross bars. Now I guess I have the opportunity to make something that really fits my truck and all of my gear.

 

[Matthew Reed]

I am now in the market for a new roof rack/basket system.

i just bought a shell in january and had ARE install the tracks (yakima) so i just went with rest of their rack hardware and then bought a basket from Tyger. Its heavy duty and very well built and cheaper than yakima...i looked a yakima baskets and prefer this one despite a price difference

Mine had a really nice set of Thule cross bars that were removable. I really like them because if I was going on a long trip and didn’t need the basket, I could unlock the feet to the cross bars and pull the whole thing off in a few minutes to give me that extra .5 mpg. Unfortunately the feet are in several
Pieces and the tracks are twisted. I suspect the fiberglass topper is cracked as well.

I think I’m going to take this opportunity to reinforce the topper with some steel supports going from the bed rails up to the roof. I’ll use that to tie in the new roof rack/basket. Should make it sturdy enough to stand on top of. I was noticing that the aide of my topper that I had my awning mounted on kept getting pushed out a bit from the weight. Most of these fiberglass toppers aren’t made to carry more than a hundred pounds or so. I certainly wouldn’t want to stand up on it. I’m hoping to rectify that. I’d also like to make the new rack extend out over the cab and add mounts for a light bar or just a couple of spotlights. The only thing I’m worried about is how far I can safely extend over the cab as the cab and bed will flex independently from one another and trying to attach it to both would end in something breaking. I’m also considering doing two racks, one over the cab and one over the camper shell (similar to the double prinsu rack on the Tacoma in the picture) This would let me do everything I want and add some limb risers but Frontier do not have anywhere to securely mount a rack t the roof. I would need to weld in reinforcement plates on the inside of the truck which is something I really don’t want to do. I’m an ok welder but I don’t have the capability to do any pipe bending so that runs me into the issue of making a roof rack that is strong and looks decent but has no bends in it.

I may be digging myself into quite the hole here. I will either end up with the best rack system ever fitted to a Frontier or a buttload of metal laying around my garage and no rack...

 

[Matthew Reed]

Just did a little more research on the prinsu racks and since it looks like they are just extruded aluminum with end caps that may be the way to go. I just need to figure out a way to mount it to the cab and this could turn out really nicely for me!

 

[Matthew Reed]

Research phase is just about complete. I ordered a rhino rack rail system that mounts to the cab of the truck. The rails are very similar to the ones on the camper shell so it should all match fairly well. Now it’s just a matter of taking the measurements once everything is here and ordering my extruded aluminum when I decide on a width. I like the width on the prinsu rack above, but my awning needs to be mounted a little further out or the attached awning room doesn’t quite sit right. I could either make the rear a little wider or fabricate some kind of bracket that holds the awning out further. I’m open to ideas!

 

[Matthew Reed]

Well I’ve been back in the US for less than 24 hours and the work has begun. Over the last 5 months I’ve actually stepped foot in 9 countries, circumnavigated the globe, had one day that lasted 31 hours and another day that only lasted 1 (when I crossed the international date line). To say that I’m still pretty jet lagged is an understatement so I started small. Installed some rain visors for the windows and updated my morale patch collection! I think I’m still missing a few patches but it’s getting pretty full up there. In the rear windows I have these cool screens that keep the bugs out while still letting me have some airflow and keep the interior a little cooler during the hot summer months here in Georgia.

I am in a precautionary quarantine for the next 2 weeks and then following that I have an additional 2 weeks of down time so hopefully over the next month there will be some big progress on this truck!

 

[Matthew Reed]

After a lot of struggling yesterday I managed to get the front lift installed. It gave me around an extra 2”. Hopefully going to try tackling the rears today or tomorrow and then the body lift will go on last. Tried removing the front sway bar to see how bad it would be without one... it’s bad. Haha. Definitely going to leave that on. I don’t think anyone makes sway bar disconnects for the Frontier so I think I’m out of luck there.

 

[IAm_Not_Lost]

Nice

I have a 2” lift on it’s way that should go on sometime this week and then I’m not sure. I think recovery points should probably be my starting point. I don’t have anything in the rear of the truck so putting a trailer hitch on there will be a must. It would also be nice to have the ability to tow a small boat or trailer/camper once in awhile. After that I’ll probably be saving up and keeping my eyes out for a used camper shell to mount my ARB awning to. I hate how expensive they are new and would much rather buy a cheap used one and just have it repainted. I just need to wait around until I find one that fits.

Nice truck man! I also have a Nissan Frontier. I went with an OME shocks front and rear and front medium duty coils, with an add-a-leaf and airbags in the rear. Gave me about 1.5" of lift all around. I use a Leer 180 topper shell with the mid height rise. I agree with you, try and find a used topper! They are so expensive. Holler if there is any help I can provide as I have had my Frontier for about 7 years and gone through all the ins and outs!

 

[Matthew Reed]

Nice

I have a 2” lift on it’s way that should go on sometime this week and then I’m not sure. I think recovery points should probably be my starting point. I don’t have anything in the rear of the truck so putting a trailer hitch on there will be a must. It would also be nice to have the ability to tow a small boat or trailer/camper once in awhile. After that I’ll probably be saving up and keeping my eyes out for a used camper shell to mount my ARB awning to. I hate how expensive they are new and would much rather buy a cheap used one and just have it repainted. I just need to wait around until I find one that fits.

Nice truck man! I also have a Nissan Frontier. I went with an OME shocks front and rear and front medium duty coils, with an add-a-leaf and airbags in the rear. Gave me about 1.5" of lift all around. I use a Leer 180 topper shell with the mid height rise. I agree with you, try and find a used topper! They are so expensive. Holler if there is any help I can provide as I have had my Frontier for about 7 years and gone through all the ins and outs!

Thanks! How are you liking the OME suspension? I went with All Dogs Off-road. I’ve got a lot of work to do over the next couple weeks.

 

[IAm_Not_Lost]

Thanks! How are you liking the OME suspension? I went with All Dogs Off-road. I’ve got a lot of work to do over the next couple weeks.

I have been pleased with it. For a basic no frills option it seems to work well. My favorite suspension addition though were the Firestone airbags. Absolutely love those. Look forward to seeing your build.

 

[Matthew Reed]

Not quite done yet, but today I finished installing my front lift springs and I got my body lift installed! Also added one of the more important mods, my OB Emblem

 

[Lil Bear]

Not quite done yet, but today I finished installing my front lift springs and I got my body lift installed! Also added one of the more important mods, my OB Emblem

What size wheels are you running? I bought my truck used and it had a level on the front, which sits a little higher then the rear but I think I just may remove the spacers and put a 3 inch lift on it. I want to be able to clear 35's. Im running Cooper Discoverer ATP's LT275/65R20's at the moment(came on it).