Ricks 2013 Altitude

[ru_altitude Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close ru_altitude]

Just picked up my new Crystal White Altitude on Saturday. Took it in on Monday for a new set of Bridgestone D697 LT's. I am guessing the first of many new additions/mods.

It only just fits under the carport at home and under the car park boom gate at work. (good job otherwise I would have had to change my job)

The only off road driving it has done is through a sealed car park so I will have to remedy this as soon as I fit some recovery points and do some driver training.

I have started working on my wish list of items, however after having filling up with diesel on Monday I doubt I will be able to afford anything new for quite some time.

Modifications and Accessories to date

• Bridgestone D697 LT tyres (done)
• Tow Bar (done)
• TX3545 UHF Radio (done)
• Rubber Mats (done)
• Air Compressor CKMA12 (done)
• ARB Premium Recovery Kit (done)
• Waeco 50L fridge (done)
• Bushranger X Jack
• ARB Bar
• Magnum 10K Winch
• Side steps
• Safari Snorkel
• IPF HID 900 Lights
• ARB Roof Rack
• ARB Awning
• OME Suspension
• Outback Drawers
• Rear Cargo Rack and Divider
• Redarc BCDC Battery Charger
• Optima D34/78 Dual Battery
• Double Cig Sockets to Rear
• Single Merit Socket to Rear
• 6 way fuse box
• ARB Under Vehicle Protection
• AE4018 Aerial
• 1Kg Fire Extinguisher
• Premium First Aid Kit
• ARB E-Z Deflator
• ARB Puncture Repair Kit
• RV4 OzTent x 2 with Awning Sides

The wish list

• Air Lockers
• Air Ratchet Gun
• ARB Recovery Points

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Welcome Rick!

If clearance is an issue I'm guessing a roof rack won't be on your wish list any time soon. I clear the 2.1m car park at the local shopping mall but if I had a roof rack rather than just the cross bars I'd be in trouble.

The D697s are good tyres, I have the same ones. Not sure what the tyre shop told you but you have to run them at around 40 PSI on tarmac since they're the LT spec, run them lower and you'll get uneven wear.

The best news is your Altitude qualifies you for membership of the KLC (see my sig for what that means). Of course you have to like possums and there is a test but "no pain no gain" as they say.

Don't worry, I'm not mad, you'll soon what I'm on about.

[ru_altitude Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close ru_altitude]

Thanks for the welcomes. No the tyre shop didn't mention anything about pressures. They only thing they were concerned about was whether the white writing was facing in or out - like it makes it drive any better! I will check the tyre pressure out and adjust accordingly. Thanks for that fido.

KLC - interesting, I did notice that I have an AC point in the back - I'm guessing for that all important coffee machine that I can't do without while on a trip.

I've booked myself in for a 4wd proficiency course this weekend so am going to need to get a UHF radio this week. They also recommend tyre gauge and compressor. Will spend some time "lurking" in the forums to see what others have done in this area. Anyway, hopefully by the end of this week I will have my next wave of additions to my rig. Probably time I got some rubber mats too.

[butane8 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close butane8]

rick , tyre pressure's vary with load

as you have the new treads, just keep a eye on the tyre scuff, and maintain the pressures so that its just of the edge of tread is scuffed

stay away from hard corners or round abouts till you know what the tyre like's under the normal loads, once you work out the pressures for the front and back , then that is you benchmark , add 2 pound in winter, rotate the tyre as directed and you kays will clock up with out premature wear,,, i love the fact that a scuff on a tyre tread saves me getting out the pressure guage its easy to read once you look .. enjoy the new rig , cheers butane , but under different loads look at the scuff.. just like reading a book mate

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

I actually had my Prado on a weighbridge to check the weights over all 4 wheels,both axles, and the vehicle as a whole to determine correct tyre pressures; very good service from Bridgestone there. I have an analogue gauge from ARB to check pressures and an I-Max compressor off eBay to keep them pumped up. Tyre pumps at servos do weird things some times so I like to do my checks at home with the tyres cold.

Butane is correct in that tyre pressures vary with load, you may need to add extra air in the rears when loaded, etc.

This is the air compressor I have :-
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Monst...item3cc836eb16

Mine doesn't have the gold caps but the rest of the unit is identical. Moves around a bit on concrete and the power lead could do with being longer but it works well. I don't trust the accuracy of the gauge on it hence why I use a separate gauge to check pressures.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

fido be careful with gauges, my ARB gauge that is part of the inflator kit is about 8 pissies out. Thinking of taking it back if I can find the receipt. I use a separate Jamec Pem gauge that seems to be reasonably accurate.

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

my ARB gauge that is part of the inflator kit is about 8 pissies out. Thinking of taking it back if I can find the receipt.

If you purchased your kit from ARB, chances are the sale will be on computer so no need for the receipt. Give the store where you purchased it from a ring to check before making the trip in.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

fido be careful with gauges, my ARB gauge that is part of the inflator kit is about 8 pissies out. Thinking of taking it back if I can find the receipt. I use a separate Jamec Pem gauge that seems to be reasonably accurate.

Don't want to derail Rick's thread but is your gauge an inline one on a compressor inflator hose? Mine's the separate one. I also have a little pen type gauge that came in the ARB tyre repair kit.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

The one that is the inflator not a separate gauge.

[ru_altitude Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close ru_altitude]

Have booked in to get a vehicle mounted air compressor installed. It wasn't what I had originally planned to buy, initially I was looking at getting the portable CKMTP12 so that I could potentially use it with some air tools (not that I have any yet). While in the shop, I was shown the CKMA12 which can also be used to activate Air Lockers at which point I realised that even if I got the portable as planned, I would eventually need an in vehicle one when I get lockers. No point having two compressors.

While it's in getting done it will also get a rear tow bar, and UHF radio - TX3540 to be mounted under the passenger seat with a AE4018K1 antenna mounted by the bonnet (No bulbar yet to mount it on).

The visit after that is already booked in as well. In Sept it will be getting a dual battery system installed. The Redarc SBI12 with an Optima D34 battery.

Have started researching for a suitable roof rack to attach to the factory rails that will let me mount an awning, not sure which one yet, that may depend on what makes/models work together. If you see someone taking a close look at your roof rack/awning it could be me :-)

[Smithy - 120 D4D Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smithy - 120 D4D]

Have booked in to get a vehicle mounted air compressor installed. It wasn't what I had originally planned to buy, initially I was looking at getting the portable CKMTP12 so that I could potentially use it with some air tools (not that I have any yet). While in the shop, I was shown the CKMA12 which can also be used to activate Air Lockers at which point I realised that even if I got the portable as planned, I would eventually need an in vehicle one when I get lockers. No point having two compressors.

While it's in getting done it will also get a rear tow bar, and UHF radio - TX3540 to be mounted under the passenger seat with a AE4018K1 antenna mounted by the bonnet (No bulbar yet to mount it on).

The visit after that is already booked in as well. In Sept it will be getting a dual battery system installed. The Redarc SBI12 with an Optima D34 battery.

Have started researching for a suitable roof rack to attach to the factory rails that will let me mount an awning, not sure which one yet, that may depend on what makes/models work together. If you see someone taking a close look at your roof rack/awning it could be me :-)

You won't regret the in-vehicle compressor - always with you when you need it. The SBI12 is a simple yet effective unit too.

Great work!

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Just make sure they fit your CB securely Rick. When ARB did mine in the 95 series they just left it sitting loose under the seat, the bracket was attached but not screwed down. Wasn't happy after paying something like $350 just to have it installed (I supplied the unit and aerial). When you see how easy it is to remove one you have to wonder why they charged so much.

[ru_altitude Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close ru_altitude]

Thanks Fido, will watch out for that when I pick it up. I don't mind paying for installation, but I do expect it to be done right. If I wanted a dodgy job I would do it myself.

Went window shopping this weekend - no intention of buying, but ended up saving $511 on a Waeco 50L fridge, cover, remote monitor and slide. Am running it in at the moment in the house, amazing how quite it is.

Not sure how I am going to install it at present. The tie down points in the back do not exactly look that secure to me. They are only located on the back of the fold down seats. Taking the rear seats out looks way too drastic. The slide needs close to a dozen screws/bolts to secure, but the back of the seats are only thin. My thoughts at present is to put one piece of mdf in the back secured in-between the tie down points and then screw/bolt the fridge slide to the mdf. Needs some more thought I think. Will check out what others have done before I decide.

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Went window shopping this weekend - no intention of buying, but ended up saving $511 on a Waeco 50L fridge, cover, remote monitor and slide. Am running it in at the moment in the house, amazing how quite it is.

Where did you get the fridge from?

As for securing it I have seen build threads where false floors have been laid over the seats and the fridge secured to that. I wouldn't like to do that in a Kaka though as the seats already take up a bit of height in the luggage space. I assume the Altitude is the same with the seats folding into the floor? You might have to bite the bullet and take the seats out if that is an issue for you.

In some ways I preferred the 3rd row seats in the 95 series as you could take them out fairly easily, no electronics to worry about.

[ru_altitude Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close ru_altitude]

Where did you get the fridge from?

As for securing it I have seen build threads where false floors have been laid over the seats and the fridge secured to that. I wouldn't like to do that in a Kaka though as the seats already take up a bit of height in the luggage space. I assume the Altitude is the same with the seats folding into the floor? You might have to bite the bullet and take the seats out if that is an issue for you.

In some ways I preferred the 3rd row seats in the 95 series as you could take them out fairly easily, no electronics to worry about.

Got the fridge from Anaconda. The offer to throw in the cover for free was too much to resist. That's the sort of discount I like.

Yes the seats take up space like in the Kaka, bit of a pain really. For now I will leave the slide out until I decide how to bolt it in. Will just secure the fridge directly to the existing tie down points.

I imagine that taking the seats out will make a mess of the rear trim.

On a side note I noticed that others have posted nice pictures of how they have added power sockets and fuse boxes in a separate compartment above the compartment where the jack lives. Can't do that in the Altitude as it has a speaker there. Don't know why they thought I needed a speaker so far back in the car, there isn't one on the right hand side which is strange. Will have to find another location for some 12v sockets.