"Woody" spare tire rack

YanniLazarus
YanniLazarus Member Posts: 366
edited April 2021 in Modifications & Upgrades
Committed now ... progress photos to come! 
Yanni Lazarus 2020 T@B320S, 2018 RAV4 Adventure, Central CT
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Comments

  • Lisamorrisette
    Lisamorrisette Member Posts: 48
    Looking forward to the progress report.
    Furbug 2014 T@B S - TV Toyota RAV
  • 4ncar
    4ncar Member Posts: 1,072
    I likey!
    TV- '16 Chevy Colorado LT Crew Cab-DuraMax
    2018 320S Outback
  • YanniLazarus
    YanniLazarus Member Posts: 366
    edited April 2021
    still working on it... I'm going to replace the self tapping screws with stainless steel carriage bolts now that I've confirmed i have access behind the speakers and the removable side panel.   3 bolts per mahogany side rail. Cross rails are 3/4 inch stainless steel tubes with 1/16th wall thickness. 
    Yanni Lazarus 2020 T@B320S, 2018 RAV4 Adventure, Central CT
  • fstop32
    fstop32 Member Posts: 391
    Very sleek and stylish!
    DaveR middleTN - 2015 320S  /  TV 2003 Tundra 4x4
  • Tampakayaker
    Tampakayaker Member Posts: 558
    edited April 2021
    YanniLazarus said:
    still working on it... I'm going to replace the self tapping screws with stainless steel carriage bolts now that I've confirmed i have access behind the speakers and the removable side panel.   3 bolts per mahogany side rail. Cross rails are 3/4 inch stainless steel tubes with 1/16th wall thickness. 
    Nice job.  Suggest you black out your license plate.



    (Mod note: pics removed from quoted portion.)
    2006 RAM 1500 4 door, 2016 T@B 320 MAX S 
    Tampa FL
  • YanniLazarus
    YanniLazarus Member Posts: 366
    LOL, I can't take the image out of your last post!   Thanks for the compliment. 
    Yanni Lazarus 2020 T@B320S, 2018 RAV4 Adventure, Central CT
  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,422
    License plates are public records. No need to blur them out or remove them.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,674
    edited April 2021
    jkjenn said:
    License plates are public records. No need to blur them out or remove them.
    Yes, license plates are public record. As such they can be potentially linked to personal information that I may not wish to reveal on an internet forum.

    While the actual risk may be small, I would prefer not to have my license plate posted here. YMMV. 
    2015 T@B Max S (320)
    2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
  • YanniLazarus
    YanniLazarus Member Posts: 366
    why is it that all my projects turn into "adventures?"  I'm close now.  Latest discovery was that the round hole in the millwork for the speaker is too small for my arm to fit in to tighten the self-locking nut.  Now I have enlarged holes, covered by the speaker housing.  Two of the three bolts are behind the speaker housing, and the third is in the glycol expansion tank area.  Now I just need long enough 1/4" carriage bolts to finish.  I'm using 316 alloy stainless steel, as I did with the tubes, to be compulsive.  The Yakima spare tire strapping system seems like it will work perfectly.  My favorite part of this project?  Applying teak oil.  I just love maintaining my dear T@B.
    Yanni Lazarus 2020 T@B320S, 2018 RAV4 Adventure, Central CT
  • Tabaz
    Tabaz Member Posts: 2,420
    Looks great!  But why stop there?  Maybe replace those plastic window accents with matching wood?  Hmmm.

    2016 Outback 320
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
  • YanniLazarus
    YanniLazarus Member Posts: 366
    Tabaz said:
    Looks great!  But why stop there?  Maybe replace those plastic window accents with matching wood?  Hmmm.


    well, you probably are pulling my leg a bit... but it would be really nice to do that to match my new woody rack!   I see you have your own version of tire carrier overkill.  I am being teased a bit for the amount of effort expended just to carry a stupid spare...
    Yanni Lazarus 2020 T@B320S, 2018 RAV4 Adventure, Central CT
  • Tabaz
    Tabaz Member Posts: 2,420
    Actually, I'm being serious.  I think wood accents would look way cool.  Reminiscent of the wood sides on the original "Woodies." Give it some thought.  You obviously have the skill set to pull it off.
    2016 Outback 320
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
  • Denny16
    Denny16 Member Posts: 5,430
    Yes adding a wood window trim would look grand.  The issue is, if using ply, you would need a good marine grade ply, that will not delaminate in the weather.  You can get a teak marine grade ply, but it is expensive.  Another option, would be a solid wood frame with a smaller panel inside, like the Woody wagons were done.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
  • Marceline
    Marceline Member Posts: 1,756
    Denny16 said:
    Yes adding a wood window trim would look grand.  The issue is, if using ply, you would need a good marine grade ply, that will not delaminate in the weather.  You can get a teak marine grade ply, but it is expensive.  Another option, would be a solid wood frame with a smaller panel inside, like the Woody wagons were done.
    cheers
    I have a friend who’s a professional interior painter (Victorian mansions) and he does the most fantastic faux wood grain. He’s done the entire hull of a fiberglas boat and has painted aluminum masts to look like wood.  @YanniLazarus could pull those panels off and ship them to him. 
    San Francisco Bay Area
    2013 CS-S us@gi
    2015 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner Double Cab
  • Denny16
    Denny16 Member Posts: 5,430
    Grand idea, but the panels have dents/holes textured surface, that would/could be filled in first.  But definitely a less maintenance option than using wood.  
    Cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
  • Marceline
    Marceline Member Posts: 1,756
    Denny16 said:
    Grand idea, but the panels have dents/holes textured surface, that would/could be filled in first.  But definitely a less maintenance option than using wood.  
    Cheers
    I think that Zane could figure something out. Faux rivets, maybe? 
    Here's a work in progress.  This is a fiberglas boat. He added a scarf joint for realism.

    San Francisco Bay Area
    2013 CS-S us@gi
    2015 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner Double Cab
  • Tabaz
    Tabaz Member Posts: 2,420
    OMG - That looks like real wood.  How scratch resistant is the finished product?
    2016 Outback 320
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
  • Marceline
    Marceline Member Posts: 1,756
    Tabaz said:
    OMG - That looks like real wood.  How scratch resistant is the finished product?
    Can't say for sure but he's done a few boats including a deck so he must use something pretty solid to to seal them. If anyone is interested I can put you in touch. 
    San Francisco Bay Area
    2013 CS-S us@gi
    2015 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner Double Cab
  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    edited April 2021
    The new 2021 T@B 320 no longer have the plastic window trim piece. NüCamp is now using decals instead.
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
  • Tabaz
    Tabaz Member Posts: 2,420
    I considered replacing my plastic window trim with diamond plate to match the front tub.  Turned out it was too bright and would have been the focal point of the entire side wall.  Wood on the other hand, would blend in much better with the surrounding surfaces.  Maybe add a matching wood strip on the front wall between the two grab handles to "balance" the wood accents on all four sides of the trailer? 
    2016 Outback 320
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
  • AnOldUR
    AnOldUR Member Posts: 1,739
    Could get the wood painting guy to paint the front diamond plate and boxes to look like wood. Sounds expensive.  :D
    Stockton, New Jersey
    2020 nuCamp T@B 320S * Jeep Wrangler
    60,865 camping miles through the end of 2025

  • YanniLazarus
    YanniLazarus Member Posts: 366
    Funny how long these projects take when you keep traveling with your T@B!  Update photo:  Two 1/4" stainless steel bolts through 2nd and 3rd aluminum roof framing tube with 5 feet between these and opposite hand bolts.  Photo taken through enlarged speaker hole.  The wires you see are to the speaker.  Third bolt through 1st framing tube,  not seen,  is concealed below behind access panel.  Each side rail has three concealed bolts!  
    Yanni Lazarus 2020 T@B320S, 2018 RAV4 Adventure, Central CT
  • YanniLazarus
    YanniLazarus Member Posts: 366
    ... and the third bolt. 
    Yanni Lazarus 2020 T@B320S, 2018 RAV4 Adventure, Central CT
  • YanniLazarus
    YanniLazarus Member Posts: 366
    All done but the cover...
    Yanni Lazarus 2020 T@B320S, 2018 RAV4 Adventure, Central CT
  • YanniLazarus
    YanniLazarus Member Posts: 366
    Think I can paint that cover white? 
    Yanni Lazarus 2020 T@B320S, 2018 RAV4 Adventure, Central CT
  • VictoriaP
    VictoriaP Member Posts: 1,496
    YanniLazarus said:
    Think I can paint that cover white? 
    Maybe? I’ve seen remarkably durable things done with chalk paint on upholstery. 
    2019 320s BD Lite, white with blue (“Haven”)
    2015 Subaru Outback 3.6r (unsafe 200lb tongue weight limit until 2020 models)
    2020 Subaru Outback XT
    Pacific NW
  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,035
    @YanniLazarus - that looks spiffy!  Nice job!
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
  • AnOldUR
    AnOldUR Member Posts: 1,739
    Looks great! But I don’t see it ending well. Hope I’m wrong.
    Stockton, New Jersey
    2020 nuCamp T@B 320S * Jeep Wrangler
    60,865 camping miles through the end of 2025

  • YanniLazarus
    YanniLazarus Member Posts: 366
    AnOldUR said:
    Looks great! But I don’t see it ending well. Hope I’m wrong.


    I hope you are wrong,  too!   Look, the rails spread the load over three aluminum tubes without flexing- doing a better job of spreading the load than the flexible yakima rack... AND the rails are thru bolted.   AND the load is in exactly the same place as the factory would have mounted the yakima... What's the problem? Why the worry? 
    Yanni Lazarus 2020 T@B320S, 2018 RAV4 Adventure, Central CT
  • YanniLazarus
    YanniLazarus Member Posts: 366
    Update... some good miles on the new rack now,  and some improvements underway.  I moved the tire to one side and added stiffener rails which do not touch the roof... all quite rigid now. More acorn nuts to install,  and a small  lightweight blackwater accessory box to add to the far left. The never ending project nears an end!  
    Yanni Lazarus 2020 T@B320S, 2018 RAV4 Adventure, Central CT

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