RainMan's 2021 Lunar Rock TRD Pro Build

Welp, good thing you bought a roof rack

Was out to lunch dreaming off off-road trails when I was dropping my wife off at the airport today. Musta stopped too close to the railroad cross when I heard the dingers going off. Wham! Right on the roof rack

couple white scratches

 

^ x2

 

good choice, been mulling that purchase over for 9+months…my truck still doesn’t know it wants to be when it grows up….broverlander or brorunner….

 

my leaning is toward broverlander with a heavy dose of brohomeowner thrown in.

 

So, Homelander?

 

None of the above….















ZOOLANDER!!!

 

A roof rack for ants?!

 

Took advantage of the Agency6 Labor Day sale and picked up one of their 2" Shackle Block assemblies in grey.

I ordered it at 11:48am Thursday and had my shipping confirmation on 12:36pm same day. It was in my mailbox on Saturday.

 

Swapped out the two rear billet tie-downs with the limited edition ToyoMafia ones as well as removing the two front tie-downs and putting ToyoMafia ones there as well.

Original post about the installation is here.

 

Sherpa Big Bear roof rack, courtesy of HotShot Offroad

The installation of this thing is not for the faint of heart - holes in your roof are required. It took me a long time to accept that and feel confident enough that the installation wouldn't end up with leaks...of all of the racks I've looked at personally, this one left me feeling the best about the process. Specifically because the Sherpa rack uses four mounting blocks that are anchored to the roof which then have the bolt holes in them for holding down the roof. These extra mounting blocks use 3/16" stainless rivets to hold them down (super secure) and allow for ample use of sealant under them (most of which is simply squeezed out anyway). Finally, the roof rack itself can be later removed if needed without leaving compromised holes in the roof - simply leave the rivet bases in place. Honestly, someone could use those same bases for making up their own rack if they wanted, though I don't know what Sherpa would charge for just the mounts.

First step is to roughly assemble the rack support parts and get it up on the roof to get some idea on mounting. I was working alone, so lots of rag towels on the roof to keep things from scratching.




After bolting the rivet bases to the feet, I set them into the gutter tracks with a strip of t-shirt rag under them while I was sliding things around.


A critical point, on the 2020/2021 trucks, is at the back of the cab, keeping the cross-bar from hitting the shark fin. I settled on 1" from the gutter trim clip to the back of the rivet base, which left me with about 1/16" clear on the shark fin. To do it over, I would go closer to 1-1/4" maybe since things don't end up exactly where I had them after all the drilling and anchoring.




Next is putting in the rest of the cross members and locking everything together to keep it rigid and square for final adjustments prior to anchoring. The front rivet blocks I set at 6-7/8" from the front gutter trim clips to the front of the rivet blocks (not picture - sorry). Looks like Sherpa's test rig they may have been a bit more forward than that - maybe at 6-1/2" - but this works for me.


Now the single-most scary part of the install - holes in the roof. The point of no return. I have no trust for drill bit stop collars, so I made up a block of wood that would give me the right amount of extension when the chuck of my drill bottoms out (different blocks for the 1/8" pilot bit and the final 3/16" bit). Using my cordless vacuum to clean up shavings after each hole was nice too. A note of information here - I recommend using the actual rivet bases as drill guides for this, and using only a 3/16" bit (the instructions called for a 13/64" bit). My first base, I didn't use it as a drill guide and the holes (even with good center punches) didn't come out lined up perfectly. It took some coercion with a mallet and the rivets (using my drill block as a setting tool) to get it to seat correctly in the track with the rivets. The other three bases were much easier to set when I used them as the drill guides. Also note that the front holes of the rear bases will end up drilling through two layers of metal in the truck. That was a bit of a panic attack moment when I saw the second layer below the first and couldn't get the rivet to seat fully if I left that lower layer in place. A quick text to @memario1214 and he replied back confirming that I needed to drill through both layers.






After getting all the bases in place, it was time to loosen up the mounting feet again to re-attach them to the rivet bases and then get things fine-tuned for spacing side-to-side (minor tweaking was required).








On reinstalling the roof trim, I did the front pieces first. The roof trim has a metal wire running through the center of it, so I trimmed and then clipped it with a side cutter. Then I stepped back the lower portion by 1" to lap over the rivet part of the base.




I attached some 3M red double-sided foam tape to the underside and attached the trim pieces. Then I adjusted the wind fairing down by using a single layer of towel to space it off the cab (about 1/8"). And then I added a little subtle branding that I've been holding onto for a long time trying to determine the right place for it...


Update 10/12/23:
over the past weekend, I got the middle sections of rain gutter trim reinstalled using 3M Super Weatherstripping Adhesive. That shit is a pain, but it’s done and looks ok to the untrained eye (no way I’m posting pictures on here).

The one thing about this rack that I didn’t care for is that I’ve got this nice big black rack on my truck, and at the mount points are these bright silver bolt heads visible in the space between the side rails and the roof line.


So I went back to the same M8-1.25 black stainless flange button head cap screws that I used for the step plates on my rear bumper (20mm long).

I figure the added aerodynamics should also gain me about 0.00009 mpg too.

 

MESO Customs Steering Wheel Control Fix

When I first saw this teased on @Meso IG, I signed up for notifications immediately. After nearly 3 years, the Toyota controls configuration still drives me batshit. So the instant I got the "it's live on the website" notice I ordered it. And it was in my mailbox 2 days later!

Installation is super simple - I've had that part of my wheel apart enough times to know how by memory now. No need to disconnect battery cables or airbags or any of that. I will say that their installation video is incorrect in stating you need a T25 torx bit. For the Tundra, at least, it's a T30 torx for the two bolts holding the airbag/horn in place.


I used the opportunity to clean up the nooks and crannies of the steering wheel trim a bit too, and then put it all back together. And now all is right with the world again (of steering wheel controls at least).

 

looking good! super jealous, I can’t decide if I’m going rack or not. I really only want it up there to support a 50” onx and high mounted chase lights….but dunno.

I also thought about reaching out to Sherpa for those front rivet brackets thinking i could come up with something good for an onx or other array of pod lights…

 

Dude - you're jealous or my rig? Damn!

I do plan on blatantly following your radio installation details - from the Icom radio to the duplexer unit to the BPD third brake light. Just need to find the time.

The front brackets would make for an awesome mount point for a custom-made light bracket. Not sure what they would want for them, but might be worth it. But you don't want a canopy and a water port up on the roof of your truck?

50" OnX is definitely now on the wish list.

 

where do you plan on mounting the external speaker and the rj-45 jack for the hand-piece?

I certainly do not want all the other bits and bobs overhead. Lol

 

External speaker will go in my center dash speaker spot. RJ45 for the handset I plan to put in the blank between the parking sonar button and the 12v (on the 20/21 trucks there’s less space down there because of the extra USB charger ports). The blank I plan to use is the one for the glass break sensor.

 

are you gonna use an Arizona license plate like @dittothat

 

Absolutely beautiful build. i was back and forth on a roof rack and couldnt bring myself to cover the sunroof, especially with the noise I already get from the bed rack.

Anyway, I will be going back and looking for some ideas off your truck when I get home.

 

I’ve got a pile of old Washington ones if I’m gonna go that route!

 

See, now for me the roof rack offers more alignment with how I use my truck than a bed rack does. And my sunroof doesn’t get much action in the Pacific NorthWet (but will still open with the roof rack if I need to).

 

Didn’t know anyone was working on a fix for the horrible controls. I too still hit the buttons wrong!

Meso solution ordered!

 

Now that holes are drilled I hesitate to ask; but with it so close to the shark fin, will it flex and make contact if you stack anything on the rack?

 

<sigh> Ordered.

 

MESO Custom Steering Wheel Control Fix, ordered, thank you @RainMan_PNW, another project, still thinking about that Roof Rack.

 

If you want the stealth antennas from rugged radios let me know! I just received them yesterday but I’m going a different route. Package hasn’t been opened yet. Too much of a pain to return (no free returns in the ‘zon).

license plate mount for the center speaker is the only way to go . Keep a piece of you Arizona folk with me everywhere I go


Rack looks great, Casey. Can’t wait to see what you put up there.

 

I'm not thinking there will be too much flex with how I think I'll use it. And that shark fin already has a few marks. I've got a little room to work with if I need to adjust it a little more too...

 

thats assuming you even use it