Build Thread Tejona

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

More progress. Garmin PowerSwitch is in and functional. Front spots and chase lights are hot. Suma replacement mirrors installed, Tiny Rig device holder done.

 

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

Roof wrap done- shop did a great job. I pulled the roof ribs, ladder, and end caps on 3rd brake light to facilitate a clean install.

Note that pulling the ribs destroys the clips that hold them on. 6 per rib, $1.50. clip from the dealer. Panel tool pops them up pretty easily- 10 minutes tops to remove all four. Putting back on is less than 30 seconds per rib. More time climbing down the ladder to go get the next one! Note the ribs are all direction and position specific.

 

[Mister_BevilAcqua]

First up - dual battery install using the RedArc BCDC Alpha 50. I had Warner do the install- really, really great work. The dealership was an absolute pleasure to do business with. They are 100% bought in, not just in it to move a unit, but to make sure the truck you get meets what you are looking for. Plenty of Grenadier stock parts but also lots of 3rd-party stock. 50+ trucks on the lot, including one on portals. And they have 3 Rebelle competitors that run out of their shop. Pretty awesome.

Also had the driveshaft serviced with Rezeppa replacement on the transfer case side. My plan is to just have it replaced every 10k miles when/until a real solution is released.

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I'm assuming it had the factory Ctek unit in there when you bought it?

 

[Phobiac]

@Mr_Bacon_Jr Awesome rig, you've been busy.

I have the Leitner 3/4 rack. Originally thought the full length would make the Safari windows obsolete, but you can just move the cross members. Which I had to readjust anyway for starlink mounts and maxtraxx mounts, etc. I probably go full length if I was purchasing now.

I would also go the REDARC route vs. the CTEK120S / 250SE DC-to-DC charger route and you don't end up with a true "useable" house battery expanding the stock configuration that way.

Question for you @Mr_Bacon_Jr I have the Lensun hood solar panel in my garage but haven't yet installed. Did you run through the engine firewall grommet and then along the door sills to the 2nd row/REDARC? Curious how your routing option went...

 

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

I'm assuming it had the factory Ctek unit in there when you bought it?

It did not- I specifically looked for one with no second battery and no high voltage switches. I’m doing all the secondary switching via Garmin PowerSwitch.

 

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

@Mr_Bacon_Jr Awesome rig, you've been busy.

I have the Leitner 3/4 rack. Originally thought the full length would make the Safari windows obsolete, but you can just move the cross members. Which I had to readjust anyway for starlink mounts and maxtraxx mounts, etc. I probably go full length if I was purchasing now.

I would also go the REDARC route vs. the CTEK120S / 250SE DC-to-DC charger route and you don't end up with a true "useable" house battery expanding the stock configuration that way.

Question for you @Mr_Bacon_Jr I have the Lensun hood solar panel in my garage but haven't yet installed. Did you run through the engine firewall grommet and then along the door sills to the 2nd row/REDARC? Curious how your routing option went...

I went through the passenger side grommet- left the Universal Solar Connectors in the engine compartment so I could disconnect the panels easily if I needed to work on the REDARC. Down the door sills, into the battery compartment. I used the extension cable that came with the kit. Female MC4 connector is the positive lead and the male connector is the negative. IRRC, I grounded the solar up front near where I came through the firewall.

 

[Commodore]

So I was a bit ambitious for this week's progress. I managed to get chase lights done, and the Klimat projects done. I have all the parts other than the Garmin PowerSwitch in hand. Garmin should land next week. Looking to get all the electrical wrapped by 4/15.

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How difficult is it to get the cargo area plastics off? I need to work of sound deadening.

 

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

How difficult is it to get the cargo area plastics off? I need to work of sound deadening.

RH side is all metal clips, IRRC. pops right off- most difficult part was maneuvering the panel where it intersects the seat. Probably supposed to remove the seat to take it off and on- I did not.

LH side was a bit more challenging. Hidden screw up in the jack area, and both clips and post-type attachment. I managed to break 2 clips as I assumed both sides were the same. Go slow and they will pop out.

 

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

So that was way more difficult than it should have been. For what the damn thing costs, everything should have just bolted on. Center line to center line for the top 2 bolts, it's 18.5 cm on the truck. After futzing around 30 minutes or so trying to get both top bolts started, I measured the ladder. 18.25 cm. Just enough off that there was no way to get both bolts in, and unlike the other 4 attachment points, no play in the holes.

Out comes the Dremel, and an hour later of grinding and test fitting, the ladder is on. Looks great, got it for the Jerry Can functionality and easier access to the roof. Letech sliders should be here early next month. I would say well-made piece of kit, but well...

 

[Phobiac]

I have that Letech ladder and same issue with the top right bolt. I pretty upset at myself as I got it in, but pretty sure majorly cross-threaded . I guess if I never take it off...no real issue.

I am much more happy with the Wavian Jerry Cans than with RotoPax.

 

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

I have that Letech ladder and same issue with the top right bolt. I pretty upset at myself as I got it in, but pretty sure majorly cross-threaded . I guess if I never take it off...no real issue.

I am much more happy with the Wavian Jerry Cans than with RotoPax.

There must have been an issue with the jig that holds the upper RH leg- it's the one that is visibly off a degree or so. I am goiing to hit up Warner service and see if they have had the issue as well.

And yeah, Wavian NATO > RotoPax for fuel.

 

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

More progress over the weekend.

Aux USB system. Installed a 100 watt USB power box under back seat, connected to Garmin PowerSwitch. USB C to passenger side of center console, 3 way splitter to 2 USB C cables up to Tiny Rig device holder with 2 Bullet Point mounts. Additional dedicated USB-C in the lower passenger center panel. About 2/3 done- still have to figure out how to route passenger power to Bullet Point mount. Really just figure out how to non-destructively remove the correct panels.

Agile Off-Road lighted ignition switch kit. Not nearly as trivial as described on their website. Easy to remove the three panels they describe in the instructions, but there is zero way to access the top screw holding the ignition switch in. You have to remove the panel above the steering wheel, below the dashboard. Pretty straightforward, mostly clips. Only gotcha is you have to remove the shiny strip to the left of the steering wheel to get the upper piece out. Clips are at 45 degrees. And there is a hidden screw behind the fascia for the LH air vent. It is, however, IMHO, one of the best day-to-day improvements. I can actually see the ignition switch!

 

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

Also got the Agile ditch light mounts hooked up. Very involved, but a super clean install. Not a fan of ditch lights mounted on the fender just kinda sticking up. These don't look 100% OEM, but as close as I was able to find on the market. You have to totally disassemble the doors, take off the mirrors, and run the cables through the flexible door conduits.

Also got the rock lights that PO installed connected to the Garmin PowerSwitch. They are pretty much a prime example of how not to wire stuff on your rig. KC Cyclones, with a homegrown mess of a wiring harness. I'll either rebuild the harness or just replace the whole thing with Baja rock lights.

All that is left now for electrical is to finish the USB install, clean up the rock lights, install Wolfbox (this weekend's project), and wire up the Starlink once the roof rack shows. ADGU drawer system should be ready in about 10 days, Letech sldiers in about the same timeframe. T minus 35 days to departure.

 

[Mister_BevilAcqua]

Also got the Agile ditch light mounts hooked up. Very involved, but a super clean install. Not a fan of ditch lights mounted on the fender just kinda sticking up. These don't look 100% OEM, but as close as I was able to find on the market. You have to totally disassemble the doors, take off the mirrors, and run the cables through the flexible door conduits.

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Also got the rock lights that PO installed connected to the Garmin PowerSwitch. They are pretty much a prime example of how not to wire stuff on your rig. KC Cyclones, with a homegrown mess of a wiring harness. I'll either rebuild the harness or just replace the whole thing with Baja rock lights.

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All that is left now for electrical is to finish the USB install, clean up the rock lights, install Wolfbox (this weekend's project), and wire up the Starlink once the roof rack shows. ADGU drawer system should be ready in about 10 days, Letech sldiers in about the same timeframe. T minus 35 days to departure.

Be sure to post up how you go about the wiring and routing for the Wolfbox.

 

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

Be sure to post up how you go about the wiring and routing for the Wolfbox.

Will do for sure. Think I know how it will all go, but it always chages as you get into it!

 

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

Got the Wolfbox install wrapped today. Agile Offroad mount, Wolfbox USB-C hardwire kit with parking monitor, Wolfbox G900 Tripro (for front bumper, not interior. Duh).

Agile mount is really great- machined AL, super strong and solid mount. Most of the install has been covered in multiple other threads- I have a few suggestions.

I ran the power down the driver's side sill.

Biggest power suggestion is to run the power line up from the driver's foot well, then connect it to the Wolfbox and tuck it in the headliner back down to the foot well. Keeps you from having to figure out how to get the voltage monitoring box down the A-pillar. Box tucks nicely here:

Hooked ACC and ground to the fuse box by the steering column. Used the interior 12 V plug fuse for the piggyback, and grounded to the same point Agile suggests for their lighted ignition solution.

Power run down the driver's side channel to the house battery, directly connected. Tested and done- everything acted as expected- on with ignition, off with ignition off.

 

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

Tucking everything in the headliner has been covered extensively. I ran the rear cable all the way back on the passenger side to the very rear of the truck. Tucked down D pillar- you need to partially pull the RH cargo panel, partially loosen the D pillar trim via a scew hidden behind RH cargo panel.

Once that is done, easy down to the cubby behind the pull panel in lower RH rear of cargo area.

The biggest challenge of the whole install for me was getting the video cable thru the flexible channel from the body to the door. The body side is like the front door channels- pull it and there is access. The door side is a mother f*cker. A small gland that is electrically taped to the OEM harness. I had to carefully cut away the electrical tape, snip a hole in the gland, and fish from there. The biggest win was dielectric grease. Good bit in the door side to get the fish through, then more on the body side for the actual pull. Unclipping all of the wire ties with a panel tool inside the panel gives you a good deal more room to maneuver for the pull

The upper grommet was an easy pull for the video cable once you cut away the cloth tape around it.

I replaced the cloth tape, tied everything back down, and replaced the electric tape wrap on the lower door gland. Tied up extra cable and put it in the small cubby in the cargo area.

Small gotcha- the T-30 screws around the lower panel are fine. The single T-30 securing the upper panel behind the cover is a rough thread. Heads up.

Also, know the clips securing the upper two pieces of trim inside the 60% rear door are the same ones that hold the roof ribs on. It is possible to remove them without destroying them, but you will break a couple. I ordered a few extra for the roof wrap project above, so I was good to go.

 

[Mr_Bacon_Jr]

Wavian NATO can on. Great solution for 5+ gallons of gas.