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Side Boxes Get DUSTY Inside

M

MrFish

Charter Member
Full Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2002
Messages
390
Location
Redmond, WA
This might be a little off topic. Sorry.

The June 1 Washington/Oregon trip was WAY dusty. This was no ordinary dust. This was industrial strength real-man dust. The wheel wells on my truck were absolutely CAKED with this crud.

Anyway, after a good washing, I poked my head into one of the side compartments to get some stuff out. Whaddya know! The inside of the box was covered with dust. Uck.

I'm sure the folks that filled their boxes with ice don't have this problem, but fair warning: Throw enough dust up into your wheel wells and you're sure to have dirty side compartments. Those little drains are two way streets. :)
 
Did you have dust in the bed of the truck as well?

I noticed dust in the side boxes after a recent camping trip but assumed it was in there because I had them open for part of the weekend.
 
I had to wonder if the off pavement driving I did on that trip was worth it considering how little I accomplished verses how long it took to clean up the truck. Of course I didn?t go as far as some of the guys. I guess if I get it dirty, I should get it real dirty. :)

But I also had the same dust in the side boxes from that trip, but after unloading, it was easy to wash out. I also had some dust in the bed of the truck, mostly along the sides and the rear tailgate seal area. But it wiped out easily when I was mopping out some post-wash water with a towel.
 
I picked up dust in the bed, bins and jams as well. It doesn't make much difference weather your in the front or back of the line, it gets everywhere. The bright side is that it cleans up easily. It's a small price to pay for the smell of pine boughs, clean air and a view of snow on the Stewart Range.
 
Fairly common I would think. The drain/vent holes do not have one way flapper valves.

 
I had observed this after a trip off-road in eastern Washington. I opened up my side box on the drivers side and :D: - loaded with dust inside. I figure they're that way right now post trip from this weekend.

BTW - you're not kidding about that Blewitt Pass dust. I spent about 15 minutes at a you do it car wash using water only, then went through the tunnel and it was still dirty. The dust just packed in and caked up - nasty stuff...
 
RedAV said:
Fairly common I would think. The drain/vent holes do not have one way flapper valves.
Click to expand...

Do I sense another mod in the making, maybe a little "U" trap like a sink? ;D
 
gandolphxx said:
Do I sense another mod in the making, maybe a little "U" trap like a sink? ;D
Click to expand...

Unifilter used to and may still sell small round vents with foam air filter material in them for opening up stock airboxes on motorcycles and atv's. I have some floating around somewhere and when found I may have to see about incorporating them in the drains. If they won't work it shouldn't be too tough to make some one-way rubber flapper valves.
 
Fish, I had the same problem my pass. side top storage box was full of dust, on the driver's side I have the Top Box Storage bag (y)that keep dust off my first aid kit.
I do have to say that you guys are right I washed my truck and the wheel wells were the hardest part like you said Fish it was caked with :D:mud it was a pain to clean I washed it today and it is now geting all gone but you should see my drive way.
 
Steel, let us know how you make out. I'll take a look around our shop; I think we have some of those filters around somewhere that we used to keep bugs out of pressure plate weepholes. Not sure how to keep them there in the AV situation.
 
Clutter_Boy and I stopped at a coin operated pressure wand car wash in Cle Elum and blasted the cr&p out of the wheel-wells before the mud had a chance to thoroughy set up. It comes off much easier if you get to it right away. ?
 
I noticed this problem after driving country roads last fall looking for good hunting areas. The dust in the bed and in the boxes was unbelievable! And when I had the midgate down, it didn't take long for the whole truck to get a layer of fine dust coating everything. I tried stuffing paper towels in the drains. Not good. I have had a lot better luck with sponges cut to the shape of the drains. I just take them out when I am going to wash the bed or the boxes.
Madmax ><>
 
No one mentions chalking the seal to ensure the seal is making 100% contact with lid? (Make that 110% to compensate for the lid vibrations encountered when off-roading.)

If it isn't, can adjustments be made to increase the seals compression?

PS- Stainless Steel wool in hose won't impair flow of fluid but should impede air flow; if in fact, determined to be the root cause.
 
fishntools said:
If it isn't, can adjustments be made to increase the seals compression?
Click to expand...

Nope.

Also the seals shrink inlength over time as mine are about 2-3" short fromgoing all the way around.

Sponge in bottom drain helps the most.
 
Bummer, no lid adjustments! Had my first AV for 8 yrs without seal shrinkage and hope I don't on my 2013, but if I do I'll replace with SoffSeal trunk ribbon (again, since there's no lid adj.)

Thanks!
 
Common problem. Easily solved by cutting two pieces of foam and stuffing them in the drain holes. Quick, easy and permanent.
 
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