Corey's 2007 FJ Cruiser built for expedtion/overland, & daily driver
- Thread starter Corey
- Start date
Corey
OverCamping Specialist
The Goal Zero products such as the Yeti I just bought have a special 8mm input to charge them by.
The Goal Zero solar panel I just bought is made for the Yeti line as it uses the correct cable to charge the Yeti, and also has no charge controller since the Yeti has one built in.
There may be a conversion cable out there that would let the Renogy or other brands adapt to the 8mm needed to work with the Yeti, but I wanted to try out a different panel.
Corey
OverCamping Specialist
New Hood Compass Graphic 6-6-2017
Mucho better!
I talked with a local graphics/sign/vehicle wrap company last week, and I stopped in Friday to show them my butchered job I did on the Amazon compass decal.
He said they could not really fix it, and while it was OK quality, it is not as good as the 3M and laminated material they use.
The one I had on there was not laminated with a protective coating.
He took a picture of mine, and his graphics artist duplicated the one I had, but made it 24"x24" instead of 22"x22", I like it.
I will keep an eye on it to see how it does, but this stuff is made to be outdoors.
So far I am very happy with it.
If anyone local or not local is interested in the design, you can get a hold of the shop and see it they can send the file since I had to pay a digitizing fee, and get one of these for your rig.
Links:
Fast Signs Main Site
Fast Signs Of Auburn, WA
Pictures:
Closeup shot, an exact duplicate of the other one
Yeah...
Side shot, takes up more of the hood than the 22" one
Another side shot, kind of hard to get more detail, my rig is in the full sun right now
Mucho better!
I talked with a local graphics/sign/vehicle wrap company last week, and I stopped in Friday to show them my butchered job I did on the Amazon compass decal.
He said they could not really fix it, and while it was OK quality, it is not as good as the 3M and laminated material they use.
The one I had on there was not laminated with a protective coating.
He took a picture of mine, and his graphics artist duplicated the one I had, but made it 24"x24" instead of 22"x22", I like it.
I will keep an eye on it to see how it does, but this stuff is made to be outdoors.
So far I am very happy with it.
If anyone local or not local is interested in the design, you can get a hold of the shop and see it they can send the file since I had to pay a digitizing fee, and get one of these for your rig.
Links:
Fast Signs Main Site
Fast Signs Of Auburn, WA
Pictures:
Closeup shot, an exact duplicate of the other one
Yeah...
Side shot, takes up more of the hood than the 22" one
Another side shot, kind of hard to get more detail, my rig is in the full sun right now
Corey
OverCamping Specialist
Adventure Tool Company Atlas Map Case 7-1-2017
I needed a nice case to keep my atlas in to protect it, and I remember seeing a nice one on Adventure Tool Companies website, so I ordered one, and it showed up this past Thursday.
As with anything from Adventure Tool Company, this Atlas Map Case is made in the USA in Colorado of heavy waxed canvas and MILSPEC components.
This is the fourth item now I have bought from Paul and Amy from their company.
All of their products ships with heavy wrapping paper and string around it, and a thank you card, a very nice personal touch!
I had another Atlas, but was due to for an upgrade to a newer addition when I did a little research on Amazon, and found that a lot of people prefer the Washington Benchmark one better, so I went with it.
I remember from surfing Adventure Tool Companies site before that they had a case for these type of atlases to protect them, so I ordered one up earlier this week.
This is a great way to keep it nice looking.
In addition to using GPS and Gaia Maps on my Android NVIDIA Shield tablet I bought earlier to map out and set waypoints for futures visits of campsites, the Atlas is a great tool to use as it shows most of the logging roads, lakes, and trails I want to find to check out new campsites.
If you are looking for a great way to keep your atlas nice, pick up one of these from Paul and Amy.
It smells nice too
Every time I open up the cargobox, I can smell the canvas of my three tool rolls I bought from them, simply intoxicating.
Links:
Atlas Map Case
Washington Benchmark Road & Recreation Atlas
Pictures:
This is always how their products arrive after you take it out of the shipping envelope
A thank you card, and a sticker
Atlas case opened up on my hood, and the flap on the left side is Velcro in the open position, it folds over on the opposite side
Case and atlas folded, and the Velcro flap you open to gain access to the atlas is now closed
I needed a nice case to keep my atlas in to protect it, and I remember seeing a nice one on Adventure Tool Companies website, so I ordered one, and it showed up this past Thursday.
As with anything from Adventure Tool Company, this Atlas Map Case is made in the USA in Colorado of heavy waxed canvas and MILSPEC components.
This is the fourth item now I have bought from Paul and Amy from their company.
All of their products ships with heavy wrapping paper and string around it, and a thank you card, a very nice personal touch!
I had another Atlas, but was due to for an upgrade to a newer addition when I did a little research on Amazon, and found that a lot of people prefer the Washington Benchmark one better, so I went with it.
I remember from surfing Adventure Tool Companies site before that they had a case for these type of atlases to protect them, so I ordered one up earlier this week.
This is a great way to keep it nice looking.
In addition to using GPS and Gaia Maps on my Android NVIDIA Shield tablet I bought earlier to map out and set waypoints for futures visits of campsites, the Atlas is a great tool to use as it shows most of the logging roads, lakes, and trails I want to find to check out new campsites.
If you are looking for a great way to keep your atlas nice, pick up one of these from Paul and Amy.
It smells nice too
Every time I open up the cargobox, I can smell the canvas of my three tool rolls I bought from them, simply intoxicating.
Links:
Atlas Map Case
Washington Benchmark Road & Recreation Atlas
Pictures:
This is always how their products arrive after you take it out of the shipping envelope
A thank you card, and a sticker
Atlas case opened up on my hood, and the flap on the left side is Velcro in the open position, it folds over on the opposite side
Case and atlas folded, and the Velcro flap you open to gain access to the atlas is now closed
Corey
OverCamping Specialist
Already been out a month of so back.
We went out just for the day though marking waypoints on my NVIDIA Shield Android tablet for some future campsites we want to try during vacation which is not too far off.
Corey
OverCamping Specialist
I will have you know malls are beneath me, I buy from Amazon
D
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Corey
OverCamping Specialist
Web Crawler?.....
Corey
OverCamping Specialist
Trasheroo Installed 7-22-2017
Bought this years ago, but never got around to putting it on.
I have trued unsuccessfully for the past few weekends with no luck.
I know they say on the FJ Cruiser to cross the straps at the top of the tire, but I could not get it to work.
Plus I have two sets of Maxtrax on the Maxtrax hanger on my tire, and that takes up some room.
If you have a swingout spare tire carrier on your bumper, it is a lot easier to install from from I have read.
Also a woman I follow on Instagram who has an FJ Cruiser opened up her rear window to get to the straps.
Since I have a rear ladder, my window will not open far enough to try that trick.
The way the Trasheroo comes is the top and bottom straps are made to hook together, but what I did was take off the buckles and made it so the top straps would connect with each other, and same for the bottom.
And instead of going over the spare tire, I ran the buckles on the top through the big slots on the Maxtrax and connected them and took out as much slack as possible and reran the right strap through the Maxtrax again so it would be tight.
For the bottom two straps I ran the left side behind the Maxtrax, and the right side buckle through one of the Maxtrax slots again.
The bag is nice and tight, and it not going anywhere, unless a thief decides he wants it.
Stuffed some tall kitchen drawstring trash bags in the upper zippered flap, and according to their site, it can take a 30 gallon trash bag in the main compartment which I will pick up tomorrow during a grocery run.
That will keep the main compartment clean from liquids and other nasty trash.
Besides using this for trash accumulated during camping trips, it will be used for carrying a firewood bundle.
Links:
Trasheroo, Off Road Spare Tire Trash Bag
Specs
Pics:
Top straps run through the Maxtrax
Bottom straps ran behind the Maxtrax
Trasheroo ready for work
Bought this years ago, but never got around to putting it on.
I have trued unsuccessfully for the past few weekends with no luck.
I know they say on the FJ Cruiser to cross the straps at the top of the tire, but I could not get it to work.
Plus I have two sets of Maxtrax on the Maxtrax hanger on my tire, and that takes up some room.
If you have a swingout spare tire carrier on your bumper, it is a lot easier to install from from I have read.
Also a woman I follow on Instagram who has an FJ Cruiser opened up her rear window to get to the straps.
Since I have a rear ladder, my window will not open far enough to try that trick.
The way the Trasheroo comes is the top and bottom straps are made to hook together, but what I did was take off the buckles and made it so the top straps would connect with each other, and same for the bottom.
And instead of going over the spare tire, I ran the buckles on the top through the big slots on the Maxtrax and connected them and took out as much slack as possible and reran the right strap through the Maxtrax again so it would be tight.
For the bottom two straps I ran the left side behind the Maxtrax, and the right side buckle through one of the Maxtrax slots again.
The bag is nice and tight, and it not going anywhere, unless a thief decides he wants it.
Stuffed some tall kitchen drawstring trash bags in the upper zippered flap, and according to their site, it can take a 30 gallon trash bag in the main compartment which I will pick up tomorrow during a grocery run.
That will keep the main compartment clean from liquids and other nasty trash.
Besides using this for trash accumulated during camping trips, it will be used for carrying a firewood bundle.
Links:
Trasheroo, Off Road Spare Tire Trash Bag
Specs
Pics:
Top straps run through the Maxtrax
Bottom straps ran behind the Maxtrax
Trasheroo ready for work
SWITAWI
Doesn't Get Out Enough
Yep, I know what you mean. I use mine with the mount straps crossed in a X-pattern behind my FJC's spare. Works great, but you have to start with the straps full extended and it can be a pain to get it on securely. If you don't have a tire cover be prepared to have tire marks on your forearms, lol. A friend with a Kaymar swingout tire carrier has it much easier, until he wants to grab his MaxTrax too, lol.
I use 30gal bag as well. Keeping a big roll of heavy 3mil or 5mil thickness bags in the zippered pocket in the cover flap helps keep it from blowing open in case of rain and also for those times when you forget to buckle it down. If you forget and hit the road, the weight of the roll lets it ride along covered just fine.
Also the Trasharoo inspires a small segment of the general public to have minor panic attacks. Be prepared for random strangers waving at you on the highway to tell you that something is falling off the back of your truck.
I use 30gal bag as well. Keeping a big roll of heavy 3mil or 5mil thickness bags in the zippered pocket in the cover flap helps keep it from blowing open in case of rain and also for those times when you forget to buckle it down. If you forget and hit the road, the weight of the roll lets it ride along covered just fine.
Also the Trasharoo inspires a small segment of the general public to have minor panic attacks. Be prepared for random strangers waving at you on the highway to tell you that something is falling off the back of your truck.
SWITAWI
Doesn't Get Out Enough
I will have you know malls are beneath me, I buy from Amazon
One of the few times I actually want a LIKE button on ExPo. :beer:
Corey
OverCamping Specialist
Thanks for the tip on keeping a roll in there to help keep the flap for a flappin'.
He he, thanks.
Mallcrawler, I hate malls.
I have had multiple Amazon deliveries this week including today and tomorrow