Manny's Vicarious Adventures

Plenty of room in center console. Now waiting for wireless mic and external speaker to arrive before final install.

 

On the way:

 

Losing my Luverne nerfs. Already sold. (By the way, Luverne makes quality products. Brandon,South Dakota Company. Anything that ranchers use is not bling. Like Ranch Hand) http://www.luvernetruck.com/index.html

On the way for $331, a great Amazon deal. (Yes, I know these are not rock sliders. ) Arriving Saturday. I needed an easier way to get into my truck for my grand kids , my old dog, and my old dog self. (more clearance too.)The rest of my CB goodies get here tomorrow. Saturday will be a busy day getting everything squared away. Early XMAS:
Body Armor 4x4 TN-4121

 

Arrived today:

 

Body Armor rails installed. $331 plus only $30 for next day Saturday delivery. Each side is @ 45lbs. Fed X guy asked me to help him unload. I was surprised how well made these are.



Definitely not made of cheese. Very generous powder coating too.
More than enough fasteners.
Totally box welded.


Homer buckets come in handy

I like em

 

Body Armor sells four rubber foot pads for the ridiculous price of $80 plus shipping. I bought two pair of Reese rubber pads just like on my rear bumper which I can trim to fit and will provide a better grip too. ($16) Too lazy to do it now. CB has to wait too.
Correction: $106 plus shipping.

 

All original chrome is staying put. Since its a first year, full size Toyota truck, the factory chrome stays. Besides I don't hate chrome, I hate too much (any) non factory bling "chrome", and not big on the de-badging fad at all. I get a lot of complements as it is all the time. Rather save/spend money on locker, UCA's, fender flares (I'm already getting some rock chipping with the mud flaps gone), some DAKAR leafs next. Non chrome bumpers/grill don't improve 4 wheeling. It's not all about looks in my book. Just the opposite. I do like the color matched bumpers/grill look just can't see spending the money and I won't plasti dip them. I haven't completely ruled out a rear bumper change at some point. The front will remain the same.

 

Thanks Ron. They were not light. My arms and back are still kind of tweaked. heh heh

 

I could have gone this route:
Poly step pads for the RockSteps, set of 4 pads

$ 104.95


Went this route instead. $18 total:

$7.57 per pair, $1.58 for box cutters
After trimming, alcohol to prep surfaces
I have these sure steps on my rear bumper for 6 months. No signs of coming off at all. (very good 3M adhesive)
Saved $85. Took 20 minutes. Better grip than the poly step pads.
Winning:

 

Tackling the CB now:

Wireless mic in a decent location. No drilling. Relocatable.
No drilling. Used high strength picture frame velcro. Speaker is larger than what I imagined. Not blocking anything. Relocatable

 

Mounted. Will finalize antenna cable connection to CB. Need to solder on the end connector now that I have the antenna cable routed to center console. Used 12V console output. Ugraded to proper fuse. Will connect wireless mic and perform VSWR alignment tomorrow at work. Almost done.

 

Did it by myself too. It's all good.

 

This set up is now under serious consideration: http://www.spintechmufflers.com/exh...dual-2-1/4-x-pipe-h-pipe-system/prod_829.html

 

They look awesome Mat. Trucks looking badass

 

Pics from this mornings outing :

Thanks. I 'm getting ready to post up some pics I took today. My Gmail acct is down. First real workout with new OME suspension. Needless to say my truck performed quite well. I was the only full size truck to make it up to the fork where my friends property is. Lots of snow and steep in places. When I got to the top there were three jeepers staring at me as I went by them. heh heh.

 

Heehee, that's right

 

The only other vehicles that I saw up where I was were a couple of ATVs. There is a turnout about 3 miles below where I saw a couple of mighty RAMS, and a Silverado stopped at the beginning of the ascent to the top. Never saw them again after I went on up. I've been going up there since 2005 so I know the layout and what to expect.

 

Pics up ( I really need to invest in a GoPro, any suggestions?):

Only my tracks here. Not too many flat places around here. My friends property is on a bench. A great piece of land indeed. A bitch to get to. Snow never gets too deep here due to the exposure to wind. Pretty soon there will be 6' to 10' drifts in places that block all access except for using a snow mobile or snow shoes which I have done and still regret.

Old un-used claim. They had to be 10X10X10. Most were never worked. (around 1870 when all this happened)

West end of property. 1.5ft snow. 10,600ft
Mt Evans. 14teener
Upper Central City center left. At one time the richest square mile on Earth
Year round spring on property.


Not a single aspen left untouched during the Elk/Deer rutting season
This is the route up from property. Much steeper than it looks with several rises not in pic. Pretty much have to put it in 3rd HI and haul ass, steering back and forth a little to maintain front traction. About a 100ft gain going up. If you lose traction you pretty much have to back down and do it again like I did. Sometimes I forget my Tundra is not a CJ5. Just go much faster. Pedal to metal. heh heh. Only my tracks. OME (any decent ToyTec offering for that matter) comes in handy for moments like these.
James Peak
Continental Divide
The pass where it forks to Pickle Gulch to the left and down to my friend's property to the right. (Over the crest, behind the truck in this pic.) There is a reason for the thin snow at the top. Windy as Hell. Around 11,000 ft

Continental Divide
These easy stretches eventually become the worst, after several heavy snows this spot will drift up making it impassible.
One of the easier stretches going up.
James Peak. 14 teener
Bob Nye's molybdenum mine. My truck is literally over the mine's adit. Most folks stop here and hoof it when hunting. Not me.

The way up tops out above the white snow patch. Once you start up the snow gets quite deep since your in the trees. Any exposed areas were 6" to 10". 1' to 1.5' in the woods.
James Peak

 

Awesome pics Mat, I love the mountains and got to get away from the beach once in a while. We went to Shenandoah mountains this wknd, but nothing like what's in Colorado. We are gonna make it out there in the near future, which my daughter lives and works there. Also we just found out that there converting the Stanley Hotel (The Shining) into a horror museum and were big horror fans. Gonna be awesome

 

The Shenandoah mountains are great especially in the fall. Was able to spend some time on vacation there once as a kid when my dad was stationed at Quantico MCAS. Anyone one who lives in CO needs to stay at the Stanley Hotel at least once. Yes, the Stanley owners will be providing another great reason to stay:http://myfox8.com/2015/10/23/the-shining-hotel-to-become-worlds-first-horror-themed-museum/

 

I came across a soldier from Ft Carson yesterday. Was buck hunting and had no luck so far. He was from out of state and GMU38 were the only left over buck tags available and was naturally unfamiliar with the area. I showed him a couple decent areas to check out on his BLM topo map. The snow will melt soon enough with good weather for the next week. He did come across a mt lion. He wanted to know if he was on private property. Told him he was on Bob Nye's property but it was cool. I gave him Bob's ph# and to give him a call and to tell him he got the # from me. Bob will let any vet/active duty hunt on his property. Bob told me just don't but bullet holes in his mine office. heh heh. Bob owns 2K acres up there and usually flies up in his son's chopper. (If you own several producing mines I guess you can afford a chopper to get around)

 

The guy is pushing 90. Very old school. Asking for permission goes a long way and earns respect immediately. He will let most hunt on his property if you only ask. Bob used to run horses up there but I haven't seen any up there for a few years. His property up there is in two parcels. 1200 acre "lot" and a "little" 800 acre piece. My friend Marvin's piece of paradise is 10 acres.

 

That series of pics is very nice. The Tundra walked through all of it That looks like a beautiful area
Thanks for sharing

 

I was pleasantly surprised how my Tundra did yesterday. These are very big trucks. Found out that there is more than enough power, a tight turning radius, and with any decent off road tire, and some craziness thrown in, you can take a Tundra to places where the only other truck you may see is another Tundra ,Tacoma. ( FJ's should have no problem anywhere, and not a truck)

 

I've decided after a few whiskeys I'm going to come over and dirty up your build thread from now on. Hahaha @csuviper

 

I didn't think it could get dirtier.

 

Yep, Just got dirtier.