In Need of pictures please

[Hillbillybonez]

I am in need of some help, since i have been working on the TB a lot i have seen different styles of off road, trail, mall rides as they are called etc. Well since my TB is not only my DD its also my trail ride and i use it for almost everything. Most of the places they wife and i go are are really what most call back in the stix, but hey this is west virgina everywhere is back in the stix. I have all the basics to get us out of most situations, but I'm really interested to see what yall use and have on your rigs. We do alot of survival type camping I mean bare bones style. and pictures of gear mounts etc would be helpful because right now everything gets packed away in plastic totes. I'm adding a roof rack before winte to move that bulky spare tire as well. any tip's, tricks and pic would greatly be appreciated!

[The Roadie]

Please refer to the Build Threads. I personally went to a lot of trouble to take pics of what I carry and how it's packed.

A quick piece of advice is to build a sliding drawer unit so the stuff on the bottom doesn't get buried in the stuff on top. At the very least an elevated platform in the back, sized to allow some containers/footlockers to slide in under the platform and some on top. It can be cheap.

[Hillbillybonez]

Please refer to the Build Threads. I personally went to a lot of trouble to take pics of what I carry and how it's packed.

A quick piece of advice is to build a sliding drawer unit so the stuff on the bottom doesn't get buried in the stuff on top. At the very least an elevated platform in the back, sized to allow some containers/footlockers to slide in under the platform and some on top. It can be cheap.

Thanks Roadie, i'll have a look right now.

[AA1PR]

though most like roof racks & yes I had one once

to me they throw your center of gravity off...

I prefer the closed cargo boxes like my Thule ascent 1100, I just place things in either dry bags of compression bags & I'm set

its amazing how much you can get into 17cubic feet of space, thats weather proof too


only had a couple of instances wheeling where it was a tight fit under a fallen tree

[HARDTRAILZ]

I would take my basket vs a cargo box. Either will be equal in affection of cog

[ErikSS]

I would take my basket vs a cargo box. Either will be equal in affection of cog

What's your reason(s)?

[HARDTRAILZ]

The basket has the ability to mount more things to if needed. I could not see mounting a light bar or similar to a plastic box.

The basket and hold 5 37 inch Pit Bull tires...I am fairly certain a cargo box would have been destroyed when I did that.

I like the tubing and ease of strapping items quickly. I toss stuff up there all the time. Cant really throw a few 12 foot 2x4s on a cargo box as easy as on the basket with a couple bungees.

The basket can take awkward loading if needed. Cargo box limits you to what fit in a specific area, but you can let things hang over the basket if needed.

Empty they are both lightweight and COG is affected about the same then. It the loading that will really change COG. I want the most useful tool and the basket seems to be that for me. I can have plastic boxes up there is I need weatherproofing. Did Tecore with 3 XL Plano boxes up there along with a folding table and couple chairs. Not a heavy load that would affect COG much, but certainly a load that would not have fit in a cargo box.

[ErikSS]

Anyone have an opinion on how they each affect fuel milage?

[HARDTRAILZ]

I have posted many times about the different roof setups and MPG affects of them in my experience. I have not only ran a cargo box, but the flat rack, the basket, and the basket with a low deflector I have reported on.

Basically, in my experience...The flat rack and low deflector on the basket are a similar 1.5 ish mpg loss. The basket w standard fairing was a bit more. Prolly 2 or so. Loaded with tire or boxes up top is a few mpgs loss depending on wind. Definitely more noticable. Also they seem to have less affect on driving below 60 mph or so. I really only seem to see the high interstate driving really get affected. In town and such I don't think the aerodynamics are as big of deal.

Some say the crossbars affect things, but without a basket or rack I saw no difference in leaving the crossbars off or keeping them up there.