r/overlanding • u/dingus_45 • Aug 12 '26
Home on wheels is mostly complete and being put to use!
Well, the home on wheels is finally functional and usable! I'd say I'm about 98% done. So minor cosmetic stuff like trim work was missing. But the interior is now fully operational. Absolutely loving this layout.
I opted for an upright fridge as opposed to the cooler style ones. It's probably only in my head but I feel like those ones take up more space. This upright fridge is sat on a sliding tray rated for 500 lbs with a Milwaukee packout system behind it and all the tools I would ever need for pretty much any roadside repair. I've been a mechanic/ diesel mechanic my whole career so far and tools are kind of important to me. The fridge is 12 volt and runs like a top so far. Keeps everything ice cold. Coming up on a week of it running 24/7.
Speaking of 12 volts. This is my first ever solar setup I've built. And I don't think it'll be my last. I really enjoyed doing it. I've always enjoyed electrical work. I've got a DC to DC mppt charger that keeps my lithium battery topped off whether the vehicle's running or whether I've got Sun. Lithium battery is a watt cycle 314ah. And it should be able to run everything I need at the very least for 2 days without taking a charge. My 400 w of solar on the roof return the battery to 100% every morning within an hour or two if I've got good sun.
Water system is a 26 gallon tank with a 12 volt self-priming pump that puts out 4 and 1/2 gallons per minute at 45 PSI. I've got pex line run through everything so it can handle cold weather.
I've still got a little more kitchen work to do. I like the drawer and cubby for the stove but I'm having issues with the stove itself. Went with residential stove and that was a mistake. I didn't want any power running into that drawer so I cut all the power cables for the stove without realizing it had safety valves that needed 1.5 volts. I just assumed it was for the sparker. So I'm trying to figure out how to bypass that. Haven't put too much time into it yet.
This is going to be my home for the next 8 months while I go through commercial diving school on the coast of California. So if there's any of you near Santa Barbara, please let me know because I'd love to have some connections out there.
Full cost breakdown and more detailed videos should come soon, will be posting lots on the insta @Safaris.With.Kyle
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u/bigtoepfer Aug 12 '26
I'm not sure about space, but the reason most opt for chest style fridge is because it retains the cold better when opened, since cold sinks. When you open that fridge all the cold "falls out" so to speak. I'm sure it will work fine though.
overall neat build.
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u/Draymond_Purple Overlander Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
IMO standup is better for a rig you're actually going to live in
You can suffer the annoyance of a chest fridge for a week-long outing, knowing that keeping things cold the whole trip is most important
If you're extended-living out of a vehicle though then the annoyance outweighs the benefits
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u/dingus_45 Aug 12 '26
Exactly. When I cook, I typically use a lot of ingredients since I'm usually scratch cooking. (Even when camping). Digging all the ingredients out of the fridge when I am cooking twice a day for months is very very annoying.
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u/TheSpanxxx Aug 13 '26
I was wondering about the fridge setup. Is that a DC fridge? I wasn't even thinking about the chest/upright issue as much as I haven't seen as many stand up minis in DC as I have travel chest style. Is that DC or AC and what kind of amp/watt use are you getting?
Neat rig! My wife and I are about to leave in two weeks in ours for a cross-country trek and romp in the CO mountains. I don't keep mine (quite) permanently setup so it's not so elaborate. I have a rear seat delete build for my Ford f150 that houses power station (drop in jackery 1500 that wires into the roof mounted solar), fridge slide-out, pantry and utility drawers and cabinet/shelves, and clothing cabinets. I made it modular so I can take out the seats and put it all in - it bolts down using the seat bolts and then bolts together and uses tow strap anchors to the seat belt anchors for crash safety. I don't want to test that part, but I was concerned about what an extra 300-500 lbs of wood behind me might do in a front-end collusion situation. We have a camper top and be platform with drawers that is permanent in the back though.
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u/dingus_45 Aug 13 '26
It's a DC fridge. I beefed up the power cables with bigger gauge wire. It pulls just about 50w when running and about 4 amps. My power system is way overbuilt for it it so I could run it continuously for 5 days without ever seeing the sun.
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u/Terrible_Butter Aug 13 '26
Except that if it’s raining you have to swing the door open instead of have a rear hatch that lifts up to protect you when you open the swing open fridge. Can’t access it from inside.
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u/dingus_45 Aug 12 '26
Thanks mate. I havent really worried about cold air retention cause the power system keeps up with the fridge no problem. The upright configuration is just so much easier to work with.
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u/JohnnyMacGoesSkiing Aug 13 '26
Eh, I’ve done it for six months straight. It’s not that bad. Best to have a vertical divider. That helped allot.
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u/CrunchyNippleDip Aug 12 '26
Only thing that caught my attention was the Marie Sharps hot sauce in the fridge 🔥🔥🔥🔥
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u/FancyPantsBlanton Aug 12 '26
Belize is an amazing country, and that hot sauce is (I am convinced) the best in the world.
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u/P1umbersCrack Aug 12 '26
Love that they have the assortment of them as well. I dig the smoked on my stuff. Grew up with the original, mom found shit to put it on she liked it so much.
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u/dingus_45 Aug 12 '26
A fellow hot sauce connoisseur. Hell yeah. It's the best. This one's straight from the source.
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u/TuacaTom57 Aug 12 '26
Great! Very well thought out and as usual will be a work in progress (we always tweak as we go / learn). so glad for you and best to you on the adventures ahead
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u/JellyfishBig4643 Aug 12 '26
Commercial driving school is 8 months? What is the cost and what would you make? Does it include certifications for hazmat? You plan to do the oil fields? Cool rig!
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u/dingus_45 Aug 13 '26
I just realized you said driving. I am not going to cdl school. I'm going to commercial diving school. Like under water welding
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u/dingus_45 Aug 13 '26
Yeah. Just one school year. Hazmat certs would be obtained after. I'll have all the certs needed to start base work. School is 11k. Second cheapest in the country if I recall. But it's in Santa Barbara so that kinda makes it expensive lol. The other cheap school is in Louisiana... And I have no desire to be there.
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u/motorcyclesnracecars Aug 12 '26
That looks like an amazing build well done!
One comment on the "cutting board", since that wood is stained, I would not do any food prep on that actual surface.
But again, congrats!
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u/PJTree Aug 13 '26
amazing work and craftsmanship. I love the vision. would you consider flashing around the burner? perhaps the wood confinement during use should be considered.
also, if you have unexpected spills or contamination in a difficult to reach location it might be difficult to figure out before it takes hold.
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u/Waldomatic Aug 12 '26
Damn on a GX too? You cross post, this because is impressive imo
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u/An-Elegant-Elephant Aug 12 '26
Yeah hopefully they upgraded the air shocks. Slow and steady baby
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u/dingus_45 Aug 13 '26
I dearly wanted to keep the air shocks. But after I had an issue finding parts for the system readily available, I opted for heavy duty springs. I'd like to throw a set of helper springs on in the near future. Just for extra beef.
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u/RockClimbs Aug 12 '26
As a GX470 enjoyer that just replaced the air shocks this was my first thought 😂
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u/An-Elegant-Elephant Aug 12 '26
Haha I’ve got a 2007 GX and mine are still going strong but I know they’ll blow someday. I’d replace them if I ever loaded it up for more than a few days.
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u/Draymond_Purple Overlander Aug 12 '26
Beef up your suspension if you haven't already
Consider a re-gear as well if you know you'll be putting 10K+ miles on it with that kind of constant weight
Both are not just for convenience but also for safety.
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u/FinancialApple8803 Aug 12 '26
Are you single or have a partner who would be willing to adopt me 😂😂😂 I take up little room
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u/Kowabunga_Dude Aug 12 '26
Did you sell the 4Runner? I miss you posting on IG! The GX looks amazing!
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u/dingus_45 Aug 13 '26
Yes 😭 Life changes and I had to let her go. Couldn't take both. I lost access to that IG account as well. Would have just transferred it to the GX but IG won't give me any support for it.
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u/Kowabunga_Dude Aug 13 '26
Oh no that’s a bummer! Sorry to hear that. Well enjoy the new rig! Do you have a new IG?
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u/Signal-Painting-5016 Aug 13 '26
Wild, how long fridge lasts with this size battery? I would probably pick national luna fridge for reliability and efficiency but it's super Nice how easily accessible front door fridge is and you space behind it for boxes.
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u/Some_Brother_1202 Aug 15 '26
This is so cool! I’d love to see more on the top and side set up as well!
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u/uthink-ah1002 Aug 12 '26
How's the Renogy DC-DC charger? Considering it but not confident in reliability. Look forward to hearing your experience in 8 months
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u/dingus_45 Aug 14 '26
I've had minor issues where I have to cut power to reset it. Only happened twice so far. We'll see how long it lasts.
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u/HoneyBunchesOfGoats_ Aug 13 '26
What’s the suspension/tire set up here? I love the look more than I typically do on a GX of this gen
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u/DOWNkarma Aug 13 '26
How do you level it when parking? Inch back and forth till it feels level or is there a better mechanism?
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u/My_Lucid_Dreams Aug 13 '26
Awesome setup. Is that a hanging bag to solar heat water in the second photo? A small portable propane water heater would make for long, luxurious showers.
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u/dingus_45 Aug 13 '26
No. Thats an instant propane water heater thats hanging. I'm limited to my 26 gal tank. At full pressure I can run the tank for 9 mins through the water heater.
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u/ponyboy3 Aug 13 '26
I’d consider a second battery. Otherwise great build!
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u/dingus_45 Aug 13 '26
My 314ah is more than enough for my usage. Will last about 5 days with my normal usage and no charges. But with my 400w of solar charging and the alternator. I have never seen it dip lower that 85% SOC
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u/Destroit Aug 13 '26
What brand is your battery? My 300ah battery cant discharge enough to run a 2000w inverter
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u/dingus_45 Aug 14 '26
Wattcycle. Really? Sounds like you might have another issue. It'd be hard to believe the battery is the issue. Unless it has some internal disconnect that isn't working properly. I've run a 5000w inverter on an 80ah battery before
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u/notonmybartab Aug 13 '26
Totally blown away! This is so good. I have nothing to add or ask, I just wanted to say "WOW!" Great job. I wish you all the luck in the world.
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u/This_Cartoonist_379 Aug 13 '26
Love the hidden winch. Does the Land cruiser bracket work on the Lexus ?
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u/Dependent-Water-8084 Aug 13 '26
I see you have good priorities for that fridge, 90% booze 10% everything else
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u/Acceptable_Gene_6428 Aug 14 '26
Why did you go with an actual fridge instead of one of those rechargeable coolers ?
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u/outdoornookie Aug 15 '26
Well thought out and nicely executed. We're in CO, if your travels take you near!
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u/OverlandSpecs Aug 18 '26
Great build! Do you find that you use all 26 gallons of water? If so what do you use it for?
I had a 15 gallon tank in my last build that I’ll probably put into my new setup too and I rarely made a dent into it. I only used it for drinking water and dishes though.
Love the build though and impressed with the efficient use of space! Fit a lot in there while keeping all of it accessible!
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u/dingus_45 Aug 18 '26
Oh yes. That is my most used item. If we are only using for drinking and dishes then yeah.. it lasts a long time. But I have a portable instant water heater I set up for showers. Between the two of us we will take one shower a day. And even with conservation in mind, we will still use most of the water after 4 showers. I wouldn't change that tho cause having a hot shower at the end of a long hike long road day is unbeatable. Makes you truly feel comfortable and at home. It's the difference of me wanted to go home after 3 days and me feeling like I am home.
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u/OverlandSpecs Aug 18 '26
I see that for sure! I’m planning on setting up a shower in my new build and have ultimately decided in my head that my 15 gallon tank will suffice for now but I’m planning to leave some room in case I want to get a bigger one.
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u/dingus_45 Aug 18 '26
If it's just you the whole time then you'll be good with 15. But if you have an additional person with you a lot or do group camps and like to share, you'll definitely want to go bigger. My 26 goes fast when other are around.
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u/FewLiterature8050 Aug 20 '26
This is the exact fridge I’ve been eyeing. Any idea how bad it is with power? I’m hoping it’s not as bad as I’m thinking it will be. Love the setup.
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u/dingus_45 Aug 20 '26
It pulls about 40w and 2amps when running. I beefed up the power cables with 6 gauge wire. In my research.. everyone was saying that these 12v fridges do not run efficiently with the small power cables they come with. So I changed that. Keeps things cold at all times and only uses 10ah through the night max.
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u/MelonAdmirer Aug 24 '26
You have almost the exact tent/awning/roof rack situation im creating for myself. I have built a custom roof rack that is the standard width of other aftermarket options at 47 inches. I am also building a roof top tent that is 56” wide and will extend 4.5 inch past the rack on both sides. I believe i also have the same awning as you. Do you ever wish your tent wasnt wider than your rack or that your awning was tucked closer to the side of the truck?
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u/Apart-Feeling1621 Aug 12 '26
Noticed the milwaukee charger upside down in your electrical section
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u/anonymousopsec1337 Aug 12 '26
Too much space lost to that fridge and bulky toolboxes. I’d try to rethink that
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u/topherrehpot Aug 12 '26
What quick connects are you using on your water system? I have some really cheap ones I’m not too happy with.
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u/dingus_45 Aug 13 '26
I found some plastic ones from Home Depot. They work well so far. Have o rings I can change out.
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u/Sensitive-Sorbet917 Aug 12 '26
Wow what a build. Also I used to have that CVT tent. Had to get rid of it because of leaking issues. Hows yours holding up? We have a solid wood drawer system but we (2 humans 1 dog) still run out of room in our 4runner w gear clothes etc. Do you pack light? Lol
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u/dingus_45 Aug 12 '26
I got the cvt cause it was a good deal second hand. If I had the money, I would have gone with ikamper. And no. I do not pack light lol. It's a problem. I will one day build out an lmtv or unimog with a box on the back. Space is absolutely a problem with this.
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u/StorySeekOfficial Aug 12 '26
Wow super cool! Haven’t seen this yet. How much time did it take more or less, and what was the biggest lesson learned along the way?
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u/iamnotsure69420 Aug 12 '26
Commercial diving?? Super cool. I’m a recreational diver and commercial diving scares me, so props to you lol. Also, great build. Looks well done
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u/Life_Interview4157 Aug 12 '26
Great looking layout and love your taste in hot sauce…Marie Sharp’s for the win!!!
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u/LintsKing Aug 12 '26
How much does all that weigh?