Builds Owyhee J.A. BJ75 Troopy Journal

[Owyhee Jackass]

Got another trasharoo. This is my third one, they seem to have about a 2-3 year life span. I may have to pony up and buy one that isn't disposable.

This looks like a good option and I like how it attaches. Tire Storage Bag XL - https://www.blueridgeoverlandgear.com/products/tire-storage-bag-xl?variant=42441707061437

He's using an old 80-series wheel in the how-to video, must be a good dude.

 

[Guyute]

Don't have their tire bag but, super happy with the dozens of other BRO product I have. Quality made shizzz! Big fan.

It sure is several ducats more than the Fade-and-Disintegrate-A-Roo though.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Yeah, I wouldn't have bought another one, they actually sent me this as a replacement when I inquired about a higher quality option that would last longer.

I may just order the BRO version anyway and put this one up on Marketplace.

 

[mattressking]

I’ll take the tan one - my black one was also smoked after about 3 years - new truck needs something

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

My house battery has been sitting at 10.3 volts all winter. Works okay with solar on it, but it's dead. Tried the 'battery repair' function on my charger, but that didn't work.

Been dragging my feet to buy a new $200 battery for it as I'm still 'underemployed'...

I periodically look on Marketplace (using my son's account as I don't have one) and the weirdness of cookies and data gathering of Meta helped me out yesterday. I open up Marketplace and there's my exact battery for sale at an RV upfitter's shop, brand new, for $100. Right at the top, no searching necessary. Creepy. But helpful.

Installed the new house battery yesterday afternoon and its sitting at 12.6 volts this morning.

Not sure what the 'r' designation means on the new battery, all the specs are the same as far as I can tell.

 

[FJBen]

My house battery has been sitting at 10.3 volts all winter. Works okay with solar on it, but it's dead. Tried the 'battery repair' function on my charger, but that didn't work.

Been dragging my feet to buy a new $200 battery for it as I'm still 'underemployed'...

I periodically look on Marketplace (using my son's account as I don't have one) and the weirdness of cookies and data gathering of Meta helped me out yesterday. I open up Marketplace and there's my exact battery for sale at an RV upfitter's shop, brand new, for $100. Right at the top, no searching necessary. Creepy. But helpful.View attachment 3870739

Installed the new house battery yesterday afternoon and its sitting at 12.6 volts this morning.View attachment 3870740

Not sure what the 'r' designation means on the new battery, all the specs are the same as far as I can tell.View attachment 3870741

R usually means the pos/neg are opposite place from standard.

 

[tucker74]

Didn’t sound like the right time to do it, but switched to LiFePO4 batteries and can’t say enough good things about them. Half the weight, sealed, 8x life, full drawdown ability. Should check into at some point

​

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Didn’t sound like the right time to do it, but switched to LiFePO4 batteries and can’t say enough good things about them. Half the weight, sealed, 8x life, full drawdown ability. Should check into at some point

​

Yeah, a buddy of mine just switched to them. They're getting more affordable, I'm just not ready for it. How's it perform at below freezing?

 

[tucker74]

They’ll loose some capacity when extremely cold, but they sell self-heated versions if you’re in those environments a lot. I live in Texas, so no problems here .

 

[SNLC]

I had a Howling Moon trash carrier. Very stout, rubberized pvc coated canvas with drain holes. Didn’t really need a trash bag in it unless throwing real funky stuff in it. I would just spray it out with a hose.

Strap system was the same though as all the rest so I am sure the webbing and hardware were the weak links. Otherwise I think it would last 20yrs.

See post #11

Trasharoo alternatives?

Anybody using a hatch or spare tire bag for trash and recycling that isn't a Trasharoo? I ordered them for myself and a buddy in June and they keep getting delayed, backordered, delayed again… I could probably make my own but likely not for $60. Interested in what people are using, especially...

forum.ih8mud.com

I don’t know where to buy them anymore in the USA.

Cheers

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Finally got the passenger side mostly done. Need to get some brackets fabbed up. As expected, I have to slouch a bit to sit in the back with the top closed. They need to be about 2-3 inches shorter to sit up , but that's a lot of lost volume, so this will have to do for now.

Now I need to find some cushions or make some. I was thinking of just buying some EVA foam and gluing it to the lids like on my raft cooler and dry box.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Added some short sections of L-track to strap the fridge down.

This fridge is huge, think I need to get a smaller one.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Also added a propane tank bracket to the side, used a fabricator bracket from the same company, 63 Industries . Great innovative products.

Tank doesn't stick out any farther than my snowboard and brackets I had on there all winter...maybe 4-inches past the mirror.

I've got a bracket drawn up to mount the tank to my spare tire, just need to get it to a laser or plasma table and cut it out. I need to build a spare tire mount for my bumper and get the spare off the door before I start adding more weight to it though.

Used the new Partner stove on a raft trip this past weekend. It kicks ass.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Had to replace the upper large door latch/bumper again...not sure what happened to my bumper on my old 'new' one, but it was MIA and I couldn't find the bumper separate from the latch.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Got some 12/2 sheathed wire and built an extension cord for my fridge power.

Routed it under the rear floor mat, just in front of my wood floor, then down the back of the passenger side box.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

After doing the front knuckles and seeing the condition of the gear-oil, I figured that I better check the rear wheel bearings and differential fluid as well.

I was able to get inner axle seals (90310-35001) from my local Toyota dealer, one in stock and one next-day from Portland, no shipping charge. I had the axle flange seals on hand as well as the inner hub seals. Bearings had been changed recently and were still in good shape. Grease was still red and not running with diff oil like the front.

I'd been in here recently doing the bell cranks, luckily everything still looks good.

Found that I had two broken drive flange studs on the passenger side,

called the dealer and they unbelievably had two in stock (9011608325) and they were only $1.75! 0.71 on Partsouq, but shipping would have been $15.

One of the rare occasions that I didn't break a drill bit or the easy-out/screw extractor off in the hole as well.

 

[LDRF]

One of the rare occasions that I didn't break a drill bit or the easy-out/screw extractor off in the hole as well.

Is that an impact driver on the other end of the extractor bit?

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

No, just a ratcheting tap handle.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Built a spare tire carrier and added my high-lift jack to it as well.

P.O. had added the spare to the rear door and put some doubler-plates inside the door. I noticed a crack on the door at one of the bolt locations that hold the carrier.

Will have to open the carrier now before I can open the rear door. I can get in and out without opening that side though.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Bought a 10' stick of 2x2x.120 wall mild steel tubing for $60, used less than half of it.

Used a half of a 12" piece of receiver tube at China Freight - $16

And this wheel mounting plate from 4x Innovations for $27

Bought some 35mm long M12 x 1.5 bolts and used old lug-nuts to mount the tire and high-lift. Found out I didn't have a lug wrench in the truck when I was at the hardware store and wanted to double check that I'd gotten the right bolt. Figured I'd just pull a lug nut off in the parking lot and check as I'd left the spare ones at home...my OEM tool kit was missing the lug wrench. Luckily I had a spare wrench at home. Nice to find that out now and not in the middle of nowhere when I need to change a flat.

So about $110 all-in and about 3-days of fabrication time...fabbing is so time consuming. Especially when you don't have a real shop.

Finally burned up my Evolution cold saw blade, so I'll need a new blade before I tackle another project.