TheSheepKed's 2013 MN GLX Build

[TheSheepKed]

It has been a while but I've made a couple of changes to the car.

First off, got the hoops of the bullbar powder coated to match the rest of the bullbar. I had the intentions of adding side steps and brush bars but after I felt how heavy they were, I decided against them.

Next up, I scrapped the canopy and put on an alloy tray. It was a second hand Toyota dual cab tray but the dimensions fit the Triton really well.

Both of these marked the first time I paid someone to do the work on my car. It's a bitter sweet feeling as I've done all the mods by myself since I got the car, but I recognised that I was out of my depth with the tray.
It took the two fitters 5 hours to fit the tray. As Clint Eastwood said...


They did a great job of it and if anyone in Vic is looking for a decent, honest tray company, message me. Customer service was second to none.

The plan is to put a big aluminium canopy on the back. Will update when that happens.

[TheSheepKed]

Found a brand new set of brush bars and steel side steps for a decent price. Decided to get them. It was a pain getting the U-bolt under the thin metal rods that run along the passenger side chassis. A bit of prying and the U-bolt eventually slipped under. Would have been easier with two people but I used a car jack and some timber and did alright. Cutting the brush bars to length and drilling the holes was probably the most tedious bit.

I remember saying how I was only going to get a set of lights, a snorkel and a bullbar and call it quits in the mod department. Obviously that didn't last long. If anyone is curious, I'm still under the $3k mark for all the mods that I have listed in this thread. It has been a combination of patience and some good buying/selling opportunities. Totally doable for anyone who wants to mod on a budget.

[explorer.dave]

I'm loving this thread mate, where you started and where you have got to, good stuff, SheepIiUp

[TheSheepKed]

I finally found a second-hand steel canopy that fits the unconventional dimensions of my tray.
It's incredibly heavy and took 3 of us about 2 hours to move it onto my tray. I would estimate it weighs anywhere from 150 - 200kg, but it's very well made.



I'll make up some shelving for it in the near future to get it ready for work and touring.

It came with a rear wheel carrier which I won't be using so if anyone has any suggestions as to what else I can bolt on to those existing holes without adding too much weight, I'd like to hear them.


I have a little issue that perhaps some of you might pitch in with your own opinions.
I can't decide whether I want to
a) Remove the headboard - this would be purely aesthetic
b) Cut down the back of the tray so it sits flush, but I have no clue how to do this.



As you can see there's a bit of overhang. It's precisely one slat too long, and if I can work out how to shorten it, it'll fit flush.

I also accidentally burned the clear coat whilst removing a sticker using a caramel/rubber wheel. Any suggestions as to how I could fix this? Might just cover it for now with another sticker

[snakesoup]

Looks a solid canopy mate...good pickup!

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[snakesoup]

Shouldnt be hard to cut the tray down, just mark and cut the sides and main rails and the last slat should pop out....

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[TheSheepKed]

Looks a solid canopy mate...good pickup!

Shouldnt be hard to cut the tray down, just mark and cut the sides and main rails and the last slat should pop out....

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Thanks, I'm pretty happy with it. It's big enough that I can sleep stretched out in it.

Yeah I was thinking that might be how to go about it. But I want to retain the end plate so that I can still use the sides if I ever have to. It will also mean I have to cut down the removable sides to the new length.
I assume nothing is welded and it is all just nuts and bolts?

[snakesoup]

Yep nuts bolts and rivets....back plate should be able to go strait back on....take that back bit off first if you can and then you should be able to work out where to cut...

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[TheSheepKed]

If I don't shorten it, I might want to make use of that extra space.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I might be able to put there to fill up some empty space? Nothing too heavy.
Also removing that wheel carrier which will leave 6 bolts there. Any suggestions as to what I can bolt there to fill space up too?

[TheSheepKed]

I've added a fair few things to the car since the last time I posted thanks to a mixture of having time off and a new job!

First off, 2inch Fulcrum suspension lift. I'm measuring ~580mm from centre hub to flare. It's sitting pretty close to the upper bump stops but I don't want to replace with smaller ones and create CV issues. Turning and driving has improved a lot, and driving on dirt/corrugated roads is much more bearable
Heavy duty king springs on the front (rated for bullbar) and 350kg constant load at the back for the tray and canopy.
Very happy with the price (supplied and fitted) and performance. Sure it's not Outback Armour or Ultimate, but it does what I need it to do.






Next up, rear STEDI lights - both for reversing and doubles as a work light when I'm working late at night on farms.
Highly recommend STEDI lights. Only thing was that I had to wire in 4 extra metres of wiring to reach the engine bay.
Did a lot of research as to where I would put this switch and ended up using the blank next to the cigarette lighter. I drilled out a rectangle to fit the rocker switch, applied some super glue and fitted it back into the dash. Looks really neat and professional.





Battery is starting to look a little crowded with all those wires! I've done my best to keep it neat and well insulated.


Hayman Reese Towbar - much better profile and clearance than the stock one.


Second hand set of MSA 4x4 Canvas Seat Covers. One of the best purchases I've made. Came with covers for every seat.
Highly recommend.


Provent Catch Can - Really well made kit and fits well. Only issue was the catch can touched the brake lines so whenever I depressed the brake pedal, I could hear and feel a vibration. Ended up putting a couple washers under one of the bolts for the brackets to push it further away and haven't had any issues since. Still need to get my manifold cleaned at some point.


Cabin Filter - been putting this one off for a while but finally got around to it.


And finally, a new set of 265/70/R16 Hankook Dynapros AT-m RF10 - I've only read great things about these tyres and my previous 245s were bald. Bob Jane had a Buy 3, Get 1 Free deal. Tread is plenty aggressive and very deep. Fills out the wheel arches a lot better than the 245s which made the car look like a skateboard.

[TheSheepKed]

Finally found something to fill in those 6 holes that were used to mount the rear wheel carrier (previous owner).
Jerry can holder which doubles as a dirty boots storage and makeshift garbage bin.
Quality of the powder-coating was average but for $60, I couldn't complain. It's made of 2mm steel and actually weighs a fair bit.
I had to drill 6 holes into the holder to line up with the mounts. Took a couple of hours but it turned out well.

[TheSheepKed]

Couple new things added to the car. Nothing huge, just small comfort things.

1) Steering wheel cover makes all the difference!


2) Upgraded to STEDI ST3301 27.5 inch LED bar. Lots more flood rather than throw which the ST4K had too much of.
Great for country roads.


3) Stedi Rock Lights for the steel canopy. I installed all four and to be honest, two would have been more than enough (one on each side). Took a while to wire in and make it tidy but well worth the effort.


Excuse the messy wiring

[darmo-1]

The tray and Canopy turned out great.
I'm looking at doing a similar thing, where did you look for second hand trays and canopies?
Did it end up much cheaper that buying brand new?

[TheSheepKed]

The tray and Canopy turned out great.
I'm looking at doing a similar thing, where did you look for second hand trays and canopies?
Did it end up much cheaper that buying brand new?

Yes it did end up much cheaper. Sort of depends on the deal you manage to grab. But for what I paid for the steel canopy, I definitely wouldn't have found one of similar build quality and size.

[TheSheepKed]

After two and half good solid years of ownership, the Triton has officially moved on to make way for a Landcruiser.
Working on it has been a heap of fun and a great car to learn a few basic car mods on.

[RHKTriton]

Looking at what you did with the Trity, I'm sure you'll have lots of fun with the new toy.

Happy wheeling.