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Load box
I got my Drifter with a Skytop canopy
fitted the first extra I had installed was the Outback drawer system which is a
great help in organizing all my gear in the back of my vehicle. I use the drawer
under the fridge slide to pack all my tools, recovery equipment and spares. The
other drawer I pack 3 Gomo
boxes with the complete camp kitchen and all the dry food stores next to the
boxes.
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Power points
Then I had a power supply plug fitted on the top of the drawer system with a
separate power supply for my fridge.
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Water tank
Next I had a water tank made to fit between the drawer system and the cab. I
inserted a 12 V submersible pump into the tank with the on/off switch and the
end of a 3 meter long outlet pipe so I use the on/off switch as a tap. I fitted
the water tank in the space that was left open between the outback drawers and
the front wall of the load bin. The tank was made to fit in this space. We only
stuck a few pieces of thick rubber sealing strips for shock absorption down the
sides and across the bottom of the tank and then dropped it in place. The tank
only has a filler cap with a hole though where the pipe for the submersible pump
goes though. I can fill the tank though the filler cap (the fast way) or I
attach a hose to the pipe to the submersible pump (the slow way).
Suspension
With the extra weight of the Outback drawers and water tank and canopy I noticed
that the back of my vehicle was sagging a bit so I had Super springs fitted and
I ended with a lift of about 5 cm above the original height of my vehicle. I
also had the front torsion bars set to their maximum and also got about 5cm
lift. At 60000 km I found out I had 2 broken leaves right and 1 broken leave in
the left side. I replaced the back springs with heavyduty springs which gave the
back a lift of 4cm more than new with the weight of the outback drawers. I had
the front torsion bars adjusted again to maximum, the wheel arch heights (taken
fron the bottom of the rim) are now front 72cm and back 80cm.
Roof racks
I bought a Frontrunner roof rack
that I fit onto the canopy for more extended trips. It bolts onto the load bars
that originally came with the canopy. The roof rack has lockable fittings for a
hi-lift jack, spade and a no. 10 gas cylinder. I also purchased an load bag that
fits onto the roof rack where we keep all our bedding + extra mattress for the
roof top tent. I load 2 foldable chairs, a table, the roof top tent
ladder,3 jerry cans with diesel and 2 bags of wood on the roof rack. I had
gutter less load bars fitted from Frontrunner to the cab part of my
vehicle where I fit a Technitop roof top tent. I have the load bars permanently
fitted to the roof top tent so I just slide the rooftop tent off when not
needed.
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Replacement bumper
I replaced the front bumper with a bumper from Nudge-M. This bumper has an
mounting so a winch can be fitted behind the bumper at a later stage. It also
have 2 jacking points fitted in to the bumper which allows me to lift the front
of my vehicle with a Hi-Lift jack without causing any damage to my
vehicle. I cut extra openings in the front of the bumper which I covered with
staimless steel mesh with 5mm openings for better air flow. I removed the
protective mesh in front of the intercooler and added a scuff plate under
the intercooler with openings in front covered with stainless steel mesh with 2
mm openings.