OmahaBravo's Build Thread

[OmahaBravo]

Stats from Big Bend trip

1930 miles
39.5 total engine hours
Avg mpg: 7.3 liters of honeybadger

Scaled on the way home:
Steer: 4680 lbs (GAWR 4800 #)
Rear: 3960 lbs (GAWR 6340 #)
Total: 8640 lbs (GVWR 10k #)


Lessons learned/existing knowledge reinforced:

• Air down, more
• Chase lights can be helpful for those behind you to keeping tabs on where you are
• Speaking of lights: need more lights for around campsite and in camper
• Low range is clutch when it comes to controlled hill descents. pick your gears to maintain your speed and save those brakes
• Ground Plane: understand what this means BEFORE choosing where to mount and 3d printing a mount your antenna or you may end up relocating it to your awning bracket in order to have it
• Jump in on the November group buy for some easily adjustable deflators so you dont end up trying to field adjust your knockoffs, it not work, you argue with your buddy that you told him to adjust them correctly who then consults ChatGPT only to have Chat all but convince you it is sentient b/c it trolls you for over 30 min telling you something that completely defies the laws of physics. Oh... and within that 30 min timeframe... you end up airing UP.
• if i think of more, i'll add 'em

 

[AZsurveyor]

Airing down is often overlooked, but it takes practice to understand the benefits and how low you can go.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with air pressure—you’ll notice a huge increase in ride and traction just by increasing your contact grip. And there’s no need to air up after every trail; so unless you’re running at 10 psi, you’ll be fine at highway speeds for a few miles and well onto next trail day.

On the trail, I am all about low and slow.

I love lights and I am always looking to add more.

The photo below was taken unedited at dusk last weekend. Engine is not running but wife had just shut one of the doors, hence the parking lights on.

I have used this set up for 8 continous hours at night with no ill effect on the battery.

The BD ambers in the rear might be a bit intesne if you're standing directly behind them but offer a great spread of light if you're on the side like the picture was taken.

If I wanted to add more spread, I could have switched on my Bronco mirror pod lights and angled them slightly. They have amber lenses, which once again provide a great spread without blinding anyone.

 

[OmahaBravo]

Updated my battery hold down to accomodate for my Ecoflow charger fuse box...

and then realized i am wanting to do one other wiring item that i should have incorporated into the hold down. Darn.
This is for a single battery gasser. Might work on a dual battery gasser. See file attached. NOTE: its purely for function. I didnt care about looks.


NOTE: the missing nylocks on the right of the maxi-fuse holder is for the lid hold-down piece i was printing when this photo was taken.

 

[OmahaBravo]

Went to Big Bend with a 3d printed Ram ball for the pole-mount adapter for my SL mini. both of them broke so i drew this up.

Its crazy snug b/c the filament I used didnt shrink as much as the PLA i used to prototype it. But some light sanding and it fits.
I'll be running my SL mini on my dash until i can get a roof rack that fits with my LP.
I'll post a pic once i get it installed in the truck.

 

[ccradier]

Went to Big Bend with a 3d printed Ram ball for the pole-mount adapter for my SL mini. both of them broke so i drew this up.

Its crazy snug b/c the filament I used didnt shrink as much as the PLA i used to prototype it. But some light sanding and it fits.
I'll be running my SL mini on my dash until i can get a roof rack that fits with my LP.
I'll post a pic once i get it installed in the truck.


View attachment 241625

I just got 4 magnetic disc and made a bar to push the feet out on my starlink mine holder. I ran the cable through the 3rd brake light. So far no issues. I tired easily of it being on the dash.

 

[OmahaBravo]

I just got 4 magnetic disc and made a bar to push the feet out on my starlink mine holder. I ran the cable through the 3rd brake light. So far no issues. I tired easily of it being on the dash.

Its not optimal but it worked the entire time i was in Big Bend. I cant run a TBL mount b/c of my Lone Peak covering it up completely.

I was in talks with a roof rack company to do some testing/review of a half-style roof rack that would work with my Lone Peak but haven't heard anything from them in a while (granted, half the time has been the holidays)

I have the CAD files for the roof/drip rails though

 

[ccradier]

What about on top of the tent on a tilting craddle? I was toying with this my self. Seeing what people want for simple mounts is terrifying!

 

[OmahaBravo]

What about on top of the tent on a tilting craddle? I was toying with this my self. Seeing what people want for simple mounts is terrifying!

Tilt mount would work. I dont want to go that direction though b/c I wont fit in my shop. I'm already ideating what i'm gonna have to do when i go to 36s/37s and a Carli Pintop.

The problem with 3d printing a mount is that it takes a lot of print time to make them. Unless you have your own 3d printer, or cant find something that is close enough to your liking, i would stay away from 3d print mounts. Youll get a far better part if its molded plastic or even metallic and you might not be out much more coin.

Lastly i dont want to mess with tilting it and untilting it everytime. I want to install it and be done until I need the SL somewhere else. This is the reason for the dash mount until i get my roof rack.

 

[ccradier]

My mount is steel.
Starlink mini mount
You could mount a actuator to tilt it lol. 38's do make it tall indeed. But I am not trying to garage my truck. Atleast for now.
Looking at a rendering on their site (lonepeak) you could mount it to the camper twords the front. It will sit below the camper and still give you a clear view.

 

[OmahaBravo]

You could mount a actuator to tilt it lol.

Remind me to introduce you to Rube Goldberg. Yall would get along.

 

[Godzilla/Tremornator]

narrowtrax update

big bend state park
brush is pretty brutal

i did do a lot of road widening lines

while i didn't prep as extensively for the narrowtrax as i did for the plastic dip. the plastic dip had much better adhesion

while the plastic dip seem tougher I'm not sure it is. only 2 coats versus 4 of the plastic dip.

while well worn & that may have been the culprit. i was in the rain on the interstate today

the rain & hwy speed peeled 97% of the narrowtrax off. gone!!!!!

conclusion
narrowtrax
dry application only
swapping or caught in the rain, it's going to fail from what i experienced today.

 

[OmahaBravo]

narrowtrax update

big bend state park
brush is pretty brutal

i did do a lot of road widening lines

while i didn't prep as extensively for the narrowtrax as i did for the plastic dip. the plastic dip had much better adhesion

while the plastic dip seem tougher I'm not sure it is. only 2 coats versus 4 of the plastic dip.

while well worn & that may have been the culprit. i was in the rain on the interstate today

the rain & hwy speed peeled 97% of the narrowtrax off. gone!!!!!

conclusion
narrowtrax
dry application only
swapping or caught in the rain, it's going to fail from what i experienced today.

If i'm reading this correctly... it worked alright but if it gets wet, it starts losing its integrity?

Thats muy no bueno

 

[OmahaBravo]

Just want to give a shout out and huge thanks to @Godzilla/Tremornator for letting me know about his experience with NarrowTrax. Got to chat with him about it on the phone tonight AND learn a little bit more about his recent excursions.
I'm buying you lunch next time we meet up. Saved me some coin on that narrowtrax stuff.

Now, regarding a solution that works... I'm looking at this film. Its 24" x 200', 4mil. $110 but it could likely do 3-4 trucks lol
I have a biz account with ULINE so I am having them send me samples of the 2.5mil and 4mil. I'll do an adhesion test as well as a paint test and let you know my thoughts. Arrives on monday.

Its a heckuva lot cheaper than TrackArmor or Xpels Tracwrap.

 

[OmahaBravo]

Installed

 

[MiTremor906]

InstalledView attachment 241880

Nicely done!

 

[NightForceFan]

Installed

View attachment 241880

What mount is this? Looks good.

 

[OmahaBravo]

What mount is this? Looks good.

Thanks.

Its a BulletPoint Rubigrid with some Ram stuff and a starlink pole-adapter mount i drew up.

 

[Wildcat82]

Went to Big Bend with a 3d printed Ram ball for the pole-mount adapter for my SL mini. both of them broke so i drew this up.

Its crazy snug b/c the filament I used didnt shrink as much as the PLA i used to prototype it. But some light sanding and it fits.
I'll be running my SL mini on my dash until i can get a roof rack that fits with my LP.
I'll post a pic once i get it installed in the truck.


View attachment 241625

Do you have a shareable stl file?

 

[OmahaBravo]

Do you have a shareable stl file?

no. But I do share the file on my website

NOTE: i'll get around to labeling it 3d-print files someday. Today's not looking like itll be it.

I printed using PPA-CF.

 

[NightForceFan]

Thank you sir