The Scorpion

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

A few more mods to report:

Lights mounted to the forward and rear N-Fab lightbars


3 x Acro X1870M Driving Lights & 2 x 40 B/U PIAA Flood Lights


2 x 40 B/U PIAA Flood Lights & 1 x LEDQUAD LED Strobe Light Bar


GPS - Lowrence 540C

Taking cues from some very sharp people, I have a new Lowrence 540c mounted on the FJ.

I collaborated with SHADOW-WARRIOR, who created a mount to place the GPS where the R/V mirror had been. For the sort of driving I like to do, the R/V mirror is much less important than the GPS. I run a larger spare that tends to obscure the view to the rear and on an expedition load-out the back is "full".



It is easy to view, easy to operate on-the-fly and it doesn't obstruct the forward view.



I took a shot through the windshield and you can see that the GPS is well out of the way. It's a little tougher to get the idea in the above photo looking out of the windshield.



CRUISERLARRY Home fabricated a mount for the GPS, and it attaches to the N-Fab light bar.



Here's a closer view of the mount for the GPS Antenna.

Tuffy Rooftop LockBox



I took the idea from CRAZYHERMIT who is a hermit (maybe) but he isn't as crazy as he claims to be. He was on the Kokopelli Expedition and had this rooftop lockbox. I liked the idea because there is a volume of recovery equipment including my Bushranger X-Jack, tow straps, ARB snatchblock, Fiskars axe, bolt cutters, etc. that I have with me all the time -- stored in the back of the FJ. This solution takes all of that "stuff" that I keep with me but don't use unless trail trouble happens and puts it on top, out of the way. The box comes with its own air dam and bolts securely to the top of the FJ.



I mounted my Hi-Lift jack transversely, across the OE roof rack behind the lock box. The photo below shows that mount. It's a temporary location until Jason DeMello gets my Fab Fours bumper in (DeMello sponsored group buy). Then it will mount to the spare tire on the swinging arm.



As with the lockbox, the Hi-Lift isn't something I use often and a transverse mount is just as good as a mount along the side of the FJ's OE rack.

You'll note with this series of modifications that I am trying to utilize the OE rack completely rather than going to an after market rack. By so doing I save weight (the OE rack is very light) and money, while getting similar storage and light mounting capability.

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

Shadow-Warrior said:

The light look awesome, I can't wait for the nightime pics.

Click to expand...

I had not planned on taking night picts of Scorpion, however, since my friend SHADOW-WARRIOR requested them...

I am not an inspired photographer like Dragon or some of the other competition winners. So please understand.



Scorpion from the front.

The lower driving lights operate as "fog lights" in that they project their beams down to provide brilliant coverage of the road directly in front of me. The ACRO HID lights (centered on the N-Fab bar) are medium range driving lights that take it out about 100 meters. The PIAA floods on the left and right are there for trail driving purposes since the road is rarely straight and I want to know what I'm turning into. They are toggled as follows:
HID Driving Lights
Left Flood
Right Flood
HELLA Flood (forward driving lights on bumper)



Scorpion from the rear.

The PIAA floods are directed in such a way as to flood down (right) and flood out (left) to provide coverage behind the rig for camping purposes and for backing purposes in the event that I need to turn around in darkness. They are switched together.



Scorpion Hazard Lights.

These operate independently of the ignition switch as does the GPS. There are 9 programable patterns and they are very bright. The photo doesn't do them justice. I have them on the wig-wag pattern at the moment.

Think about driving in dust behind somebody. Those lights should let you know I'm there -- please don't run into the back of the FJ. Or if I break down, hopefully they mark my position by the side of the road. Then again if there's a problem, strobes such as that are visible for a long way. (TCAO, remember the Kokopelli Trail by Hideout Canyon?)

Thanks to TCAO for giving up his discount on the ACRO lights so that I could buy them at a reduced price!

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

Fjamming said:

Sweet lights!

Click to expand...

I approached the whole off-road driving light issue with some trepidation. How often do we use them? For me, not all that often. And they're an expensive mod. I was content with the Hella Black Magic Lights on the ARB for a long time for that reason - then TCAO gave me a discount certificate and it moved me off dead center. Even they've only been on a short time, I like the ACRO lights and am looking forward to using them. The PIAA floods are much less expensive and do what it is that I wanted them to do (practically surround the FJ with light for camping as well as driving use). I also like the more aggressive forward mount that the N-Fab bar allows since I can still use ALL of the OEM rack behind it. The addition of the Tuffy Box filled that role as well as significantly reducing the wind/road noise from the lights/light bar.

Pencil beams were not for me since I don't drive fast on the trail at night (I'm not a Baja Racer) and I don't need over 100 meters of reaction time to a road hazard on the trail. The modified pattern that ACRO offers is very good, very functional and does what I need. (I think) Once I have a chance to give them a good shakedown, I'll post again and let you know if I've changed my mind.