TrailRax Badlands Bronco Build

[TrailRax]

This reminds me, I was meaning to ask.
I am in the process of taking off my RTT and awning, and eventually the roof rack and hard top, for the summer.
If I take off the hard top, would the PakRax be able to support the roof rack without the hardtop?
Asking for a friend.

No, we do not recommend doing that at this time. We are working on a solution, while the pak rax can take the weight, the Pak Rax will not keep center without the hardtop.

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[Bruno]

Mine came with 2 chairs in the front and 2 in the back for emergencies... and general vehicle use of course.
Sounds like you need one of these.

then you arent listening.

Im simply not a fan of Goose floor storage and believe vertical storage makes more sense so you can use the back area more. Similar to this - but obviously, this is a larger vehicle.

Earth romers dont fit in containers so they are continent-locked unless you are super rich.

 

[Maine Explorer]

external mounting surface for your accessories but also a way of distributing weight to the body of the vehicle instead of all the weight sitting on your fiberglass.

Now if feel silly. Didn't realize it went all the way down the side! Weight on the body off the top makes total sense. Thanks!

 

[mikeeshim]

then you arent listening.

Don't mind me. I'm just messing with you, although to be fair, I didn't know you needed to ship your rig across oceans in a container.

 

[jbandc122]

Always!

Thanks for the compliment, If you have any questions regarding either parts, we are happy to share the build process and overall feedback.

I’m not typically a roof rack guy. I believe in shedding weight where possible instead of adding things on, but the short range and space in the 2 door has me looking at different options. I may be getting your half rack in the future. I doubt there will ever be an off the shelf option for soft tops but that would sure as hell make the decision easier.

And one of the previous posters was right, you have on hell of a photographer!

 

[JONNEE]

Very nice . . . A diagram!

A note on LiFePO4 as the second battery. A very positive note.

I am waiting to order my Bronco, so this experience is in my 2009 Chevy Tahoe. Other than that, it should be comparable to what happens in a Bronco.

I have the "towing option" for my Tahoe, there's space for a second type 24 battery behind the left headlight assembly. I have used deep-cycle marine batteries for over a decade in that position. I have a lot of radio and computer gear in my truck, and I leave things on for extended periods (days).

I have a 120 W solar panel hard-mounted on the roof, it wasn't easy to find one that fit in the location I picked, but it works fine.

A month ago, I finally bit the bullet on ditching the lead-acid battery for a LiFePO4 100Ah 12 volt. 100 amp built in battery management system (BMS). The battery is somewhat skinnier and taller than the old battery, so I had to modify the hold-down assembly. Some thread-rod and a generic battery hold-down bracket from Amazon, slightly modified, did the trick.

Resting voltage, charging voltage, and BMS low-voltage protection disconnect are all different between lead-acid and LiFePO4. Temp ranges are comparable, at least at the high end. Can't speak to cold wx, and I live in PHX. For me, this is an experiment, and I don't want to kill a brand-new LiFePO4 battery due to voltage issues.

I use a Hellroaring (hellroaring.com) smart battery isolator. It connects and at the same time isolates the starter battery from the second battery. It's quite trick and just seems to work. Automatic protection, no need to manually throw a switch under the hood to isolate. Highly recommend.

The solar panel connects only to the second battery.

Got it all installed and tested, then went on a 3600-mile road trip. Returned yesterday afternoon.

OMG, what a positive difference. The loads, adding up to maybe 4 amps continuous, with peaks to 25 amps, never even got close to depleting the LiFePO4 battery. Never even approached the 30-40% capacity remaining level (13.0 volts). With the lead-acid, I'd see voltage sags into the 11.8 volt range, which is pretty much end of capacity, and not good for the battery.

I did not have a temperature sensor mounted on the battery (yet), but am sure the underhood temps easily were in the 140 F (60 C) range. Perhaps higher. When the outside air temp is already over 100 F, under the hood is positively painful. No perceptible voltage/state of charge anomalies noted in the 12 day trip.

The jury is still out (I'm an engineer), but so far I cannot recommend enough using LiFePO4 industrial grade batteries in automotive applications. Just not for the starter battery (yet).

Cheers - Jon

 

[lakesinai]

A note on LiFePO4 as the second battery. A very positive note.

I am waiting to order my Bronco, so this experience is in my 2009 Chevy Tahoe. Other than that, it should be comparable to what happens in a Bronco.

I have the "towing option" for my Tahoe, there's space for a second type 24 battery behind the left headlight assembly. I have used deep-cycle marine batteries for over a decade in that position. I have a lot of radio and computer gear in my truck, and I leave things on for extended periods (days).

I have a 120 W solar panel hard-mounted on the roof, it wasn't easy to find one that fit in the location I picked, but it works fine.

A month ago, I finally bit the bullet on ditching the lead-acid battery for a LiFePO4 100Ah 12 volt. 100 amp built in battery management system (BMS). The battery is somewhat skinnier and taller than the old battery, so I had to modify the hold-down assembly. Some thread-rod and a generic battery hold-down bracket from Amazon, slightly modified, did the trick.

Resting voltage, charging voltage, and BMS low-voltage protection disconnect are all different between lead-acid and LiFePO4. Temp ranges are comparable, at least at the high end. Can't speak to cold wx, and I live in PHX. For me, this is an experiment, and I don't want to kill a brand-new LiFePO4 battery due to voltage issues.

I use a Hellroaring (hellroaring.com) smart battery isolator. It connects and at the same time isolates the starter battery from the second battery. It's quite trick and just seems to work. Automatic protection, no need to manually throw a switch under the hood to isolate. Highly recommend.

The solar panel connects only to the second battery.

Got it all installed and tested, then went on a 3600-mile road trip. Returned yesterday afternoon.

OMG, what a positive difference. The loads, adding up to maybe 4 amps continuous, with peaks to 25 amps, never even got close to depleting the LiFePO4 battery. Never even approached the 30-40% capacity remaining level (13.0 volts). With the lead-acid, I'd see voltage sags into the 11.8 volt range, which is pretty much end of capacity, and not good for the battery.

I did not have a temperature sensor mounted on the battery (yet), but am sure the underhood temps easily were in the 140 F (60 C) range. Perhaps higher. When the outside air temp is already over 100 F, under the hood is positively painful. No perceptible voltage/state of charge anomalies noted in the 12 day trip.

The jury is still out (I'm an engineer), but so far I cannot recommend enough using LiFePO4 industrial grade batteries in automotive applications. Just not for the starter battery (yet).

Cheers - Jon

A few pictures and actual solar panel/electric management system? I plan to permanently mount the panel on my rear half rack.

 

[JONNEE]

A few pictures and actual solar panel/electric management system? I plan to permanently mount the panel on my rear half rack.

i use 8 ga wire for my interconnects. 40 A fuses, except for the 50 A breaker that came with the Hellroaring.

The charge controller is a simple MPPT. Nothing fancy. An MPPT is kinda overkill, not that much efficiency difference, but I’m just that way The other box in the picture is an attempt at telemetering load current, battery voltage and temperature. Not done yet.

It's over 110 F here today. I did get out the IR Thermo and checked the surface temp of the battery once I pulled into the carport. Temp on multiple surfaces all in the 145-150 F range. Outside the LiFePO4 range, but not by much. (Ever read up on temp range for a lead-acid battery?)

hopefully some of the above is useful. Cheers - Jon

 

[lakesinai]

i use 8 ga wire for my interconnects. 40 A fuses, except for the 50 A breaker that came with the Hellroaring.

The charge controller is a simple MPPT. Nothing fancy. An MPPT is kinda overkill, not that much efficiency difference, but I’m just that way The other box in the picture is an attempt at telemetering load current, battery voltage and temperature. Not done yet.

It's over 110 F here today. I did get out the IR Thermo and checked the surface temp of the battery once I pulled into the carport. Temp on multiple surfaces all in the 145-150 F range. Outside the LiFePO4 range, but not by much. (Ever read up on temp range for a lead-acid battery?)

hopefully some of the above is useful. Cheers - Jon

Thanks!

 

[Gtrekker]

i use 8 ga wire for my interconnects. 40 A fuses, except for the 50 A breaker that came with the Hellroaring.

The charge controller is a simple MPPT. Nothing fancy. An MPPT is kinda overkill, not that much efficiency difference, but I’m just that way The other box in the picture is an attempt at telemetering load current, battery voltage and temperature. Not done yet.

It's over 110 F here today. I did get out the IR Thermo and checked the surface temp of the battery once I pulled into the carport. Temp on multiple surfaces all in the 145-150 F range. Outside the LiFePO4 range, but not by much. (Ever read up on temp range for a lead-acid battery?)

hopefully some of the above is useful. Cheers - Jon

Nice info!!! Thanks....

Made some notes for my overland trailer I'm working on. Racks are in and some preliminary wiring for lights. Still hashing the power supply source issues.

Need another beer!!! Lol

 

[KermitBronco]

Ha, ha, ha - we share GREAT taste. I'll see your Green Bronco and raise you a Stealth Wrap and American Adventure Lab interior complete with hidden RedArc system and 2000w inverter for using Induction cooktop, rice cooker, etc..

The Trailrax TRMR is SWEET and even allowed a "trick" way to mount MaxTrax Xtreme boards on the roof and still fit in the garage.

 

[TrailRax]

Ha, ha, ha - we share GREAT taste. I'll see your Green Bronco and raise you a Stealth Wrap and American Adventure Lab interior complete with hidden RedArc system and 2000w inverter for using Induction cooktop, rice cooker, etc..

The Trailrax TRMR is SWEET and even allowed a "trick" way to mount MaxTrax Xtreme boards on the roof and still fit in the garage.

Nice build! We will raise you a long travel kit from RPG avoiding any body lifts and getting more travel numbers than a Bronco Raptor...

 

[Gtrekker]

Ha, ha, ha - we share GREAT taste. I'll see your Green Bronco and raise you a Stealth Wrap and American Adventure Lab interior complete with hidden RedArc system and 2000w inverter for using Induction cooktop, rice cooker, etc..

The Trailrax TRMR is SWEET and even allowed a "trick" way to mount MaxTrax Xtreme boards on the roof and still fit in the garage.

This is a sweet setup and good looking truck!!!

Well done...

 

[KermitBronco]

Nice build! We will raise you a long travel kit from RPG avoiding any body lifts and getting more travel numbers than a Bronco Raptor...

Touche! Well, I'll see your RPG and raise you a Dana44 upfront and Camburg/Fox Elite suspension. In 48 hours we add a Dana 60 and BroncBuster Steering rack, get it race weighed, order and install custom Eibach springs and remove the ugly body-lift. You're correct - body-lifts aren't ideal and this is why we've stayed under the radar until it's done. But either way, that TRMR rack is awesome! Ha, Ha, Ha!!

 

[Emmitt]

Ha, ha, ha - we share GREAT taste. I'll see your Green Bronco and raise you a Stealth Wrap and American Adventure Lab interior complete with hidden RedArc system and 2000w inverter for using Induction cooktop, rice cooker, etc..

The Trailrax TRMR is SWEET and even allowed a "trick" way to mount MaxTrax Xtreme boards on the roof and still fit in the garage.

Where did you get the "Don't Pet the Bronco" patch? I love it.

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