The S.S. TRDFerguson: Captain’s Log

I'm always strapped!

Lol, I did that as soon as I got home from the shop. I do need to buy a better strap. I've got my eye on the Alpine one that @reywcms has...

 

https://alpinestraps.com/products/retro-y-strap

Just incase lol

 

Strapping

 

Did a few things over the last week. Additional tie down loops were added in the bed for the spare tire to be up top. I’m planning on keeping it in the bed for easier access while off roading, and it’s not a big deal to load it in or out when I have to do truck stuff.


This led to dingling from the dangling chain, so weight reduction ensued. Pulled out the spare tire hoist and finally got the spare tire guides out after some persuasion with the angle grinder.



My engine and/or cat skids have been creaking like crazy lately, no matter how often I check and retorque the crossmember bolts, so I pulled the cat plate, cleaned it up a bit, and added heavy duty felt tape where there was signs of wearing. Didn’t take a pic after the cleanup, but you can see where it rubbed on the frame.


Also got some goodies from Hotshot Offroad. Wide lenses for the SSC1 chase lights and dust covers for the ditch and chase lights in case I ever find myself venturing into unfriendly territory (cough California cough). The wide pattern is a good mix between the floods and spots, where the floods don’t have enough throw for thick dust and the spots burn retinas.

Floods:

Wide:

 

Is it a pretty big difference between the wide and flood lenses when viewed from a following vehicle? I just got a set of ssc1 floods to use as chase lights

 

Is vertical storage of the tire against the bed sides frowned upon? Or laying down is just the easiest?

do they have a combo lense, that’s what I was leaning towards for my front ditchies

 

I’ve been told that my flood pattern would disappear pretty quick when we’re running through washes. I’ve seen BD S1s go pretty dim, but still be moderately visible, in similar situations so I’m not surprised. @memario1214 might have some input.

I just did it laying down out of laziness. I could have made something for the bed rail, but I like having it hidden from sight but still accessible.

I’m running combo on my SSC2s up front. There’s no combo option for the C1s because they’re a single optic (might be screwing up the terminology but I know what I mean, damnit). Are you running BD sports on your ditch brackets?

 

Not much of a clue as to what this purchase was. Guess I’ll just keep refreshing and wait..

 

Might be something posted on Saturday…

 

So are we doing 7 small DD pods...

https://hotshotoffroad.com/collections/led-pods/products/ssc1-led-light-sport

Or 1 big pod BD pod...

https://hotshotoffroad.com/collections/led-pods/products/lp9-pro-led-light

I think those are your only 2 options.

 

It’s definitely something that may or may not have some LEDs in it.

 

Upgrading the worn out flash light huh?

 

You spelled fl… never mind. Let’s just go with Yes.

 

I got to get my hands on the new Hotshot Offroad bumper light brackets late last week. These things are sweet, way beefier than the DD brackets that came in the Stealth Bar kit. I wasn’t able to do as much of a shake down test as I was hoping, but the minimal about of bouncing/shuddering/deflection is a great improvement over the stock design.

 

Do you happen to remember where you snagged these? Been looking for some D-ring Tie downs that clear the bed bolt heads.

 

Sure do - it was these:
JCHL Cargo Tie-Down Anchors, 10PCS V-Ring 2" Diameter Steel V-Ring Bolt On Trailer Anchor for Cargo on Trucks Pickups Trailers Flush Mount TieDown Anchor

$19 JCHL Cargo Tie-Down Anchors, 10PCS V-Ring 2" Diameter Steel V-Ring Bolt On Trailer Anchor for Cargo on Trucks Pickups Trailers Flush Mount TieDown Anchor

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MB985GW

 

Awesome, thanks! Gonna order some up for mine. Why all trucks don't come from the factory with these is completely beyond me...

 

It’s nice to have the flexibility. I will say, they do rattle a bit on rough roads. But you can only really hear it if you have the back window down.

 

Just got to page 2 of your thread and saw the link for these...derp. Guess I should have just kept reading. Great build thread...truck looks awesome.

 

Thanks! I keep meaning to go back through it and clean things up a bit (better links to products used or other threads, and get a real table of contents built out). Someday…

 

Lotta good stuff in here for sure. It's still early here so I'm taking advantage of the quiet time to read through!

 

Hotshot Offroad/Form LED Reflector Headlight Install
I picked up some new headlights from Colton at Hotshot Offroad with the gift card I won from the TucsonTundra1794 raffle. I had planned on getting OEM TRD Pro LEDs since I had to replace my damaged driver side headlight, but then found these Form LED reflector headlights. They look just like OEM but include an amber sequential switchback pattern on the DRL strip. Since I had factory LEDs, the install just used the factory plugs and didn't require any of the adapter harnesses included in the box. Here is the install video from Form showing how to remove the grille and panels.


Form headlight (left) next to the OEM (right)


Light output differences:
OEM LED (notice the distinct hotspots from the beam)



Form (left) and OEM LED (right) (notice the softer pattern from the Form)


Form in both sides



Just the DRLs on with the Forms installed


Fitment was spot on vs OEM


DRL switchbacks with hazards running
https://youtu.be/5Ygi6AtuQW8

Overall I'm very happy with these. The pricing is comparable to OEM, with similar output and quality, and the added features with the DRL strip stuff. And @memario1214 is having a sale on those through Jan 5th

 

After our last outing I found out my bed was flexing a lot more than I thought. @AT x AT gifted me some bed stiffener brackets a while back, but I hadn’t installed them because I had a SwingCase on one side. I decided to remove that and swap in the brackets.

Install was straightforward. Just had to pop off the tail light housings, remove the rearmost bed bolt, and take off the rear D rings. There are also 3 holes that need to be drilled for each bracket.

 

Had one of my cheap Amazon LEDs in my cargo lights go out. Tried swapping in the same brand, but ended up getting a ton of interference when using the fob.


VLEDs to the rescue! No issues with the fob now and they’re nice and bright.

 

Sounds like an excuse to do nothing this weekend

 

If I ever bust up a headlight, I’ll be checking back with you on how these are holding up… that sequential switchback is the one thing I wish the factory lights had.

now I’m stuck deciding what to do about my taillights. I keep having one of my LED bulbs go out randomly. Do I go hot tails or aftermarket. I’d really like to reduce the chrome but not sure I want to cut open the housing.

 

Let me make it through Christmas, I might be giving you a call…