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Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build'

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Mav4x4Chris

Mav4x4Chris

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This was my first device layout. Phone top left, GMRS handheld top right, tablet lower right. During our last trip to Kisatchie National Forest I felt distracted having to look so far over and down to see my Gaia maps - and I felt like I was gonna hit my rear view mirror pulling my radio out of the holder. Rarely needed my phone because I can operate it through Android Auto.


Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230317_174704


So, I moved the tablet to the top left, phone top right, handheld to the bottom right. During my drive yesterday I found this to be more comfortable placement of the devices. Everything fits nicely around the Jeep screen and doesn't impede my vision either. We'll see how this arrangement pans out.

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230317_175513
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NeatFreq

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Great Build!
 
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Mav4x4Chris

Mav4x4Chris

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So with only 7,071 miles on the clock I found my back seat wet yesterday. The rear window is leaking.

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230318_112805


Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230318_112803


So we're gonna stuff $8 worth of EPDM weatherstripping into the back window of the $45,000 truck because I'm just not in the mood to deal with the dealer right now. Initial water hose test checked out. We'll see if this works long term during the next heavy rain.

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230318_151248


Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230318_151247


Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230318_153531
 
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Mav4x4Chris

Mav4x4Chris

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Installed these Red Rock bed sliders. $250 after tax. Install went easy. Requires minor trimming required on the Sport bumper. We'll see how they hold up. Having the extra bed protection will be nice on future trips, but honestly they are great steps for getting to my rack as well.

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230324_184925
Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230324_184940
Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230325_090329
Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230325_090333
Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230325_124317
 
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Mav4x4Chris

Mav4x4Chris

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So I originally had one of the top cross bars under my Pelican box and the box began to sag around it - so I arranged the two of them to support it evenly. Much better. If this box works well during the next trip I'll buy more cross bars and another box for the driver side.


Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230326_133109

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230326_133120

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230326_133700
 

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Mav4x4Chris

Mav4x4Chris

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Our next adventure is to Merus and they require an extinguisher and mine didn't have a mount. Now it does. This probably won't be it's permanent home but this will be its location until after the Easter trip. This quick release mount from Amazon works well enough and makes it easy to grab.

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230326_110245


Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230326_110327
 
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Mav4x4Chris

Mav4x4Chris

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OK it's just a trash bin but I like it! I saw it on a lightning deal on Amazon and figured why not. It has some plastic structure to hold its shape and a liner. Fits grocery store bags. Has a couple pockets. I figure it can hang on back of passenger seat and then when at camp I can hang it here off my rack since I cook and do things at the tailgate, and wash up with my water container here at this corner as well.

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230331_183359
 
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Mav4x4Chris

Mav4x4Chris

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I did not intend on buying an RTT - but my buddy was selling his to get a larger one, and I always wanted to try one out. Only live once, right?

I took it on two quick overnight camp-outs so far. Really like it so far. I am able to keep all of my bedding inside of it (sleeping bag, fleece blanket, and an inflatable pillow) no issues. So even though its a 110 pound box on the rack - it means no separate tent and then a large box of sleeping gear. I'm going to run this hopefully all next season and see how I truly like it.

Weight is not particularly noticeable in normal driving, and with all my sleeping gear removed for the off season now, the front of the tent tapers down nicely (way more than the pictures below) and helps make it more aerodynamic.


Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230423_072602


Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230423_072658


With the tent on top the Pelican Vault had to move to the side. I added some additional aluminum straps inside for my items to attach to so the plastic box isn't bearing the weight of the gear - its mostly being transferred back to the actual rack. It sticks out some, but so far it isn't an issue.

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230416_193804


Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230416_165556


Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230416_165612
 

Turnswrench

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Excellent. You've continued to adapt the rack to work for you which is what makes them awesome. Nice work!
 
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Mav4x4Chris

Mav4x4Chris

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Excellent. You've continued to adapt the rack to work for you which is what makes them awesome. Nice work!
Thanks. I've been doing my best to make it work for me. I think the only way I'm going to go away from it entirely is if I go wild some day and get a GFC or OVRLND type camper. Otherwise I'll probably just keep rebuilding this rack to work.
 

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injaneer

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Nice build, Yes it does remind me of mine a bunch :D Just got the bed rails as well, have not installed them yet. Just added it to my build thread.
 
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So after using the roof top tent a couple of times I removed it as camping weather was gone here in southern Louisiana. Then, we removed the rack for a bit. Pulled my largest trailer yet with the truck moving couches for the GF.

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230603_124558


Also this Gladiator cargo net has been super useful. I used it on our Merus trip to secure all of my gear in the bed, on the trailer above to keep couch cushions from flying away, and you can see it below keeping my box full of trash (from installing new appliances) contained.

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230630_142258


More to follow.
 
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Mav4x4Chris

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I returned the rack to its original configuration. The case being mounted on the side of the rack looked terrible to me and made utilizing all of the available space problematic. It was also taking on water and as a result that was leading to condensation, and in return, rust on my hatchet and hand saw. I didn't investigate how to solve the water intrusion, I just returned the rack to the arrangement I knew worked.

The RTT is great. It may get utilized more in the future - it may get sold. I'm not emotionally attached to and it requires me to reconfigure twice a year (camping season vs. not) whereas ground camping can be accommodated with one rack configuration.

So - I may add an additional Vault case on the driver side, and a narrow 'deck' in the middle for securing long gear such as my Gazelle tent.

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230703_133801


My new Iceco APL55 dual zone fridge / freezer arrived. It is substantially larger than my previous Alpicool CF35, as you can see - so I won't be just tossing it on the back seat anymore. We'll see a new solution. The Alpicool has been a great budget fridge, but on longer trips when solo, or weekend trips with the GF and her kids, we run completely out of space. Now we have far more space and once I add additional onboard power we will start to utilize the freezer portion, too.

Keep in mind, camping or 'overlanding' is only a small portion of its usage, and only in the fall and winter months unless we travel far north / west in the summer. The fridge is more often justified by day or weekend trips with the kids, keeping cold water and Gatorde/Body Armor and snacks on hand for the summer months where I may be at my house, my GF's place, or my mothers place doing projects, or simply being able to pick up a few items from a grocery store and not be obligated to go straight home.

Jeep Gladiator Chris's Sport S Max Tow - Boring Daily 'Build' 20230802_175251


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