Builds Deer Slayer - KCJAZ's Build/Re-Build Thread (10 Viewers)

[kcjaz]

View attachment 3955792
You’ve got a lot of gear in your trunk. I was about 7600-# when I weighed after COTR in TN last fall. Just me and a tank of gas. Camping gear and food was maybe 100#.

Yes I do. Probably way too much. I have probably 150# in spare parts and tools. The only time I even open the Plano box I store all that stuff in during my two weeks in Colorado was to hunt for a host clamp to fix your toilet and I didn’t have the hose clamp. But if you had needed a CV, engine oil, gear oil, spark plugs, coils, any radiator hose on a 200 I’d have been there for you. I used to carry a spare alternator, but I left at home this time and replaced it with 2 1/2 gallons of water.

I need to reevaluate what all I carry. After Poughkeepsie, I’m adding tie rods, drive shaft, and UCAs…

 

[tbisaacs]

Yes I do. Probably way too much. I have probably 150# in spare parts and tools. The only time I even open the Plano box I store all that stuff in during my two weeks in Colorado was to hunt for a host clamp to fix your toilet and I didn’t have the hose clamp. But if you had needed a CV, engine oil, gear oil, spark plugs, coils, any radiator hose on a 200 I’d have been there for you. I used to carry a spare alternator, but I left at home this time and replaced it with 2 1/2 gallons of water.

I need to reevaluate what all I carry. After Poughkeepsie, I’m adding tie rods, drive shaft, and UCAs…

Is there a tipping point where being so heavy increases the odds that you need those spares? I have often thought events like COTR bringing the spares but leaving them at basecamp. Worst case scenario someone runs me back down the trail to go get them vs being heavy all the time.

 

[kcjaz]

Is there a tipping point where being so heavy increases the odds that you need those spares? I have often thought events like COTR bringing the spares but leaving them at basecamp. Worst case scenario someone runs me back down the trail to go get them vs being heavy all the time.

I think that is a good idea. I’m cleaning the camp gear and then I’ll go wash the truck. I’ll take all of the gear out and see what I weigh then. It’s just so easy to keep adding 20lb things…. When the group had issues at COTR, out come 4 or 5 700 ft-lb impacts, and any other tool you could need. Every thing except the needed tire rod…. Even in the event of a blown CV, I’d first try to get the rig down and do the work in camp.

On the other had, my son and I solo’d to COTR across Medano, did a side trip to Phoenix Park water fall and then Stony Pass to Silverton. Had we had an issue there wasn’t other rigs to rely on. The Phoenix Park trail was way harder than OnX lead us to believe (should have read the trail updates from uses before hand. Wasn’t so much “brake your truck hard” but the potential to get hung up and needed to self recover was high. My 8100 lbs did not make it easier. Still though, I didn’t need any of the stuff I carry.

Edit: link to “who’s the heaviest” thread:

Thread 'Who’s the heaviest?'

Jul 24, 2025

Last year, I weighed my rig in its state at the time (pre drawer system, per-RR, and pre-Bush Co XT Max awning) and was at 7360 lb with both fuel tanks full (48 gal total) and no people or gear and was at 7360 lbs. Since then I’ve added Trexbox drawers, fridge, batteries, RR, awning. I just got back from Colorado, and before I unloaded, I went to the scale:

It’s not apples to apples but as part of the 8100 is a lot of gear and stuff, but when you add people and full tanks of gas, I’m pushing 8800 lbs. Anyone else in this zip code? I think I’ll take all of the camping and...

• kcjaz
• Replies: 13
• Forum: 200-Series Cruisers

• 

Ended up at 7360 lbs w/o gear.

 

[kcjaz]

I love my BushCo awning, but I didn’t like how it was mounted on the roof rack. I have a Dissent roof rack in the angled sides make mounting things on the sides difficult. Dissent makes some awning brackets, but they’re not heavy duty enough for the BushCo XT max. The BushCo brackets are just large L brackets that all a height adjustment but need to be fully supported by the load bars and side of the rack.

I contacted Dissent and they were willing to sell me the angle parts of their awning bracket for me to connect the BushCo L brackets which would work but when I thought about it, I realized what would be better would be to make new gussets for the BushCo brackets that included the side profile of the Dissent RR. I sketched this on paper:

Then called a couple local laser companies. The needed a DXF file and also had $200 min order requirements.

I manually made a cardboard prototype and bought some 12 gauge steel to bandsaw and grind as pair of steel gussets. I made the steel parts at a friend’s shop and it turned out he also had Solidworks and he helped me cad the gussets. He also has access to a light duty CNC laser cutter that we used to make more cardboard prototypes to dial in the design. After we got the design finalized, we sent the DXF file to a local plasma cutter that he uses for his custom brackets who does small jobs with no minimum. I had him cut 12 gussets (double what I needed to allow for mistakes in bending the tabs). This was only $60.

Here are some pics:

Original install with BushCo brakets

New gussets

Mounted gussets next to Dissent awning bracket

Test fit of gussets to BushCo L bracket

Final fitment

I

Had to drill a couple holes in the Dissent rack

All three installed

These brackets and gussets are pretty simple, but I have a tremendous amount of time into these things. I spent hours figuring out solid works software. Hopefully that was time well invested for future things. While I have always had a respect and admiration for fabricators, I have to admit sometimes I find myself thinking the price of a manufactured part seems pretty expensive for what it is and to be honest, part of the reason I went down this path was because I didn’t like the price of the Dissent brackets. But after going through experience of designing, cading, prototyping, bending, and fitting my custom brackets, I have a better feel for all the work that goes into making a production part and understand that has to be covered in price.