Staggs MQ

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Staggs MQ

Postby Staggs on Mon Dec 19, 2016 4:11 pm

Hi guys,

Bought an MQ earlier this year and have slowly been tweaking it to make it more useful. I have a large list of stuff that i want to do but I'm yet to find that all elusive money tree to fund everything.

2015 MQ GLS auto in Titanium Grey
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One of the first things i did was fit a big storage box and rubber liner into the back. I needed somewhere to store things like recovery gear, compressor, tie downs, tools etc relatively securely. Picked the box up from Bunnings which fits perfectly between the wheel arches and the rubber mat from Clark Rubber.
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Next on the list after a couple of country night drives was a decent light for the front. The standard headlights are good if you stick within the city limits but at 110km/h on country roads they are pathetic. Picked up a 22" light bar from STEDI with a combination spread/spot beam which seems to work pretty well. It will get a workout over the Christmas period when I head down the south west though. For the relay I made a little bracket to hold 2 relays and a circuit breaker (for the battery in the tub).
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Next up was a 2nd battery. Its a little cramped under the bonnet and I was unable to work out a way to fit a large 2nd battery so to the tub it went. I ended up getting a 120AH AGM deep cycle battery and box from Australian Direct and then a mate sold me a Redarc BCDC1225 at a good price which I mounted to the lid of the box. I have 6B&S cable running from the battery up front to an Anderson plug mounted under the lip of the tray. Also have a 50amp circuit breaker up front shown in the pic above. The battery box then ties down into the ute and the BCDC connects to the anderson via a small flylead i had mate up and presto, dual battery in the back. The battery box also has a switch which changes the input type on the BCDC so i can hook it up to a solar panel if needed and use the BCDC to charge via a solar panel. Have only really used it proper once a couple of months ago but worked a treat.
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Next up was a fridge and some better tie downs in the tub. The factory tie downs are crap for tying anything down that doesn't fill the entire tub, in this case a car fridge and battery box. I ran through many different options for installing new anchor points from the aluminium rails with movable tie downs, to installing removable eye bolts but in the end I went with galvanised D ring anchor points from Bunnings. Supposedly each one is rated to 100kg with a 200kg breaking point. These are bolted to stainless steel rivnuts which i installed into the tub itself which have a pull out rating of ~20KN (2000kg force) according to the spec sheet, so should be plenty strong.

The rivnuts installed in place
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With the anchor point bolted in place, rubber is to stop the D ring rattling and rubbing through the paint causing rust spots.
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All anchor points installed
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and with the rubber mat and fridge in place. The battery would normally sit on the leftside.
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That's it so far, next up on the list is a proper steel bullbar, all terrain tyres and a small lift.
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby joelmsmith24 on Mon Dec 19, 2016 8:31 pm

looks good mate. i have been thinking about on of those boxes myself. not too badly priced

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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Duck on Mon Dec 19, 2016 9:52 pm

Looking good, I have never had great luck with the rivnuts especially with heavier items. Love the ute colour :)
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Maxiy on Tue Dec 20, 2016 5:57 am

very tidy and well thought out, nice work. i like the look of it, might steal your idea with the floor mounts ;)
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Chriscgls on Mon Jan 16, 2017 2:11 pm

Hi mate, Looks good, do you mind sharing how you mounted the lightbar?

And a 2Nd question how did the stedi go?

Thanks!
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Staggs on Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:29 pm

I used a couple of cut down heavy duty 6mm thick x 25mm wide 90deg brackets from Bunnings and bolted them to the metal frame that runs behind the front grill. I had to cut the brackets down so they fitted nicely and squeezed through the gap between the bottom of the grill and top of front bar. I used the bracket off cuts as a brace bolted to the back of the metal frame which is what the extra 2 bolts ~100mm out from the mounting brackets are for. The extra bracing is to give it a bit more strength and reduce the amount the lightbar would vibrate as the metal frame is only relatively thin pressed sheet metal. It still vibrates a little but overall it works well considering how much it cost. Without the bracing it vibrated a lot more with the trusty 'give it a wiggle and see what happens' test. All up including bolts it cost me less than $20 for the mounting, no cutting or modifying the front grill or bumper and a few hours in the garage.

Eventually i'm going to get a proper bull bar and some decent HID driving lights but I needed decent lighting in the interim to spot suicidal wildlife while driving in the country while I saved up some more cash.

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I'm really happy with the STEDI light bar, the overall quality of it seems pretty high especially considering the price. It doesn't send light down the road as far as I would have liked but it does have a pretty reasonable spread and its a significant improvement over the factory HID's. I have hit it a few times with the pressure washer removing bugs and so far no moisture inside and it still works.
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Chriscgls on Fri Jan 20, 2017 12:00 pm

Thanks for the reply, very helpful, will give me something to play around with in a couple of weeks when i got some time off!

It looks nice and neat, easy to remove when you go bullbar as well and no dramas with having to cut the grill,

I might try a stedi, pretty cheap especially if you like the build quality! i was also considering a 10inch rigid on license plate mount but that comes in well over $500 which is a lot of coin...and since i still have no space for any proper barwork this is a great interim idea

thanks again..
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Staggs on Sun Oct 15, 2017 3:48 pm

Been a while since my last update and have managed to sort a few more things out on the Triton.

Picked up a TJM outback bullbar earlier this year. After a lot of research I settled on the TJM bar because it looks as though it has actually been designed for the MQ with the extra large opening for decent airflow to the intercooler. Plus it also came standard with rated recovery points, LED fogs, big enough opening between the uprights to fit full size driving lights and its full steel construction.

However all that steel has made it weigh a crap load which over the course of about 3 months sagged the front suspension about 15mm and destroyed my front shocks to the point where it would wallow all over the road and small speed bumps were causing it to hit the bump stops. I replaced it all with the full TJM XGS 40mm lift kit with +200kg springs in the back. Once again reason for the TJM kit was because it appeared to be the most thoroughly developed kit for the MQ with the tail shaft spacer and new bump stops all round included in the kit. Also the local TJM had an open day where they knocked 20% off the cost of parts which made it comparable in price to the Outback Armour and cheaper than OME gear. Absolutely stoked with how it rides now, so much more control especially on rougher country roads and through twisty sections, and a lot less body roll around corners. While it was in the shop at TJM I also had a snorkel chucked on.

Picked up a Tuff Tonneau cover for the tub as well to keep my gear from getting soaking wet when it rains.

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Next on the list is new tyres in preparation for a trip at Christmas time from Perth across the Nullabor, to Adelaide then hitting up the Flinders Ranges, Coffin Bay, Cape Arid Nation Park, Esperance, and Albany on the way back.
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby docta.phipps on Sun Oct 15, 2017 4:48 pm

Nice car mate.

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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby 98kellrs on Mon Oct 16, 2017 9:44 am

Nice car! My MN is going in for the exact same bullbar at TJM O'Connor on Wednesday..I cheaped out though and didn't get it colour-coded.
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Staggs on Sat Oct 21, 2017 5:31 pm

Almost forgot, fitted up a direction plus 30 micron diesel pre-filter a while back as well. Note to anyone else installing one, it takes bloody ages to prime with the primer on the factory filter, i reckon i was standing there for 15 min pumping the primer wondering if i had screwed something up during install.

Today went and bought + fitted a set of the Rhino Rack RLT600 quick release racks so i could fit up the Kings awning I ordered during the week.

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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby WUNSIE on Sat Oct 21, 2017 6:50 pm

Staggs wrote:Almost forgot, fitted up a direction plus 30 micron diesel pre-filter a while back as well. Note to anyone else installing one, it takes bloody ages to prime with the primer on the factory filter, i reckon i was standing there for 15 min pumping the primer wondering if i had screwed something up during install.

When I fitted my pre filter kit, I filled it with clean diesel before I fitted it in place, hit the key fired straight up, died once, gave the original primer about 4 pumps till it went hard, hit the key and she purred like a kitten ;)
Like the look of your choice of snorkel, is that a TJM, looks like the flare did not need cutting as some others require, all in all I admire how you think about the final outcome when it comes to accessories, ;) I,m the same
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Staggs on Sun Oct 22, 2017 10:35 am

That would have been a good idea!

TJM snorkel and yeah, no cutting of the flare required. It's surprisingly quiet, I drive a number of 4wd's for work and it is by far on of the quietest snorkels I've encountered. Only really hear it with window down and when sticking the boot in other then that I don't notice it.
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Staggs on Sun Nov 26, 2017 7:29 pm

Picked up a new set of tyres for it yesterday. Toyo Open Country AT2 in 265/65/17.

Took it up the coast today to see what they were like in the sand and overall really happy.

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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby YTO on Wed Dec 06, 2017 10:55 pm

Nice car and great upgrades. We got the same colour. I reckon TJM bar looks really good, thinking of getting the same bar but after the quote not sure still want to go ahead lol.
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Staggs on Sun Dec 10, 2017 2:59 pm

Thanks, the bar certainly isn't the cheapest around that's for sure. Usually TJM do a special every few months knocking off around $300 off retail or including a few freebies or free fitting. I bought it on sale with free front under body bash guard.
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby YTO on Wed Dec 13, 2017 6:56 pm

Yep, certainly not the cheapest but looks awesome and tough compare to some of them out there. Also really like the rear bar from TJM.
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Staggs on Sat Feb 10, 2018 5:04 pm

Over the summer break we drove across the Nullarbor to Adelaide for Christmas and then on our way back spent some time in Pt Lincoln, Streaky Bay, Koonalda Station, and Esperance. The Triton performed awesomely on all the tracks and beaches. Clocked up just over 7300km in 4 weeks and averaging 11.6L/100km which was about what i expected (265 AT's & roof rack with awning, max track and oztent)

Had a slight issue where the car would refuse to start and all the warning lights on the dash would go full Christmas tree after stopping at a servo to refuel. OBDLink scanner told me it was a U0100 fault code (ECM/PCM lost comms). In the end i suspected it was a result of my OBDLink LX Bluetooth scanner causing the ECU to shit itself with comms faults when the scanner was reading live data as I shut the car down to refuel. After it happened a couple of times i pulled the OBDLink scanner and left it in the glove box and the problem never happened again.

Old Eyre Highway
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Koonalda Station
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Eucla Jetty
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Staggs on Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:13 pm

Picked up a new Flexiglass canopy today, its the FlexiEdge model.

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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Duck on Sat Mar 17, 2018 1:04 pm

Go you good thing looks good.
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Kevin Vermaak on Sun Jul 08, 2018 2:09 pm

Its been a bit quiet in here.... have you installed your drawers yet? how about wiring into the tub?
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Staggs on Sun Jul 29, 2018 9:50 pm

Making progress slowly.

120ah AGM battery, fuse box, relays, BCDC and switches all mounted in a enclosure between wheel arch and tailgate.
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4WD Supercentre 1300mm single drawer next to that.
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Still to come, full length fridge slide to go next to the drawer. Slide will have the car fridge and weber q.
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Deas on Fri Aug 03, 2018 1:44 pm

nce rig. have one same colour. did you connect the bcdc charger to an ignition source for the variable charge alternator? I have a Projecta dcdc charger and it seems to work fine without the connection. just wondering..
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Staggs on Fri Aug 03, 2018 7:21 pm

Nah I didn't connect to an ignition source. Triton doesn't have a smart/variable charge alternator so no need with the BCDC.
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Re: Staggs MQ

Postby Staggs on Sat Aug 04, 2018 6:22 pm

Finished up the fridge slide this arvo. Set of 227kg Dunn and Watson 1422mm full extension slides, 12mm structural ply, and a few lengths of 50mm x 50mm x 3mm aluminium extrusion.
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