Le Refuge

Luckyj

Hello to all.

I have been here a couple of month, sharing some ideas and taking a lot of them.  Think it is now time to introduce our selfs.

my name is Luc, girl friend Rachel.  I'm a paramedic and volunteer ski patroler (telemarker), she is a social worker.  We got togehter a little more than 5 years ago, and we realized over time that we both liked the outdoor, summer or winter, we like water and dogs.  I was already into offroading, but it was not something she enjoyed much.  Then I entreduced here to overlanding.  She was hook.  So yes, that gave me a chance to go back to an old dream and came back full circle in a way.  When I was a teenager, I was looking at the Paris to Dakar races and knew that if not race, I wanted to travel the back roads and go on adventure.  Started with a dual bike, 1984 yamaha xt600 that was follwed by a 1987 (canadian) Honda Transalp.  With a limited budget, went accross Canada on the TA to learn english for 6 weeks.  Bike was and is still great.  27 years later, still own the TA but got into a brand New YJ in 1994.   Was my DD, but could use it to travel with friends and my dog.  Was not easy with the bike.  Got into off roading, cause none of my friends wanted to camp travel.  After 15 years and a highly modified YJ, lockers, lift, 2 winch, decided it was time to go back to travel after GF came into my life.  She came with 2 teens that are not into road trip at all.  So slowly getting further away as they get older, and GF just loves it.  

The begining of those adventure were with an offroad trailer and a RTT.  But GF simply did not have the patience of set-up and teardown.  

In urly june, drove by a T@G dealer that had an outback max. We were hook.  After thinking about it, trying for a week to find reason not to get one, we gave up and signed the paperwork.  

Took it home mid june and have been preping and moding it to suit our adventure need.  Around here, it is not easy to get a fully equiped off road tear drop.  Importing fees and exchange between us and canada does not favor us at all.  So since I knew I would be able to make the mods I wanted, we went with a T@G.

Luckyj

This is test day.  Decided to stop by the dealer with the main TV to find out how it would fit behind.  It was a shock to me,  by it self, in the parking lot with other trailers it looked small and felt small.  Well with the jeep, it seen to get bigger every time I looked at it.  Turn out that when my gf saw it once it was home, she was also sure that it was bigger that the one we saw the first day.  She stoped again by the dealer a week later to realized that it was the same size.  But the more we looked into it, the more I was looking at other off road models on the web, the more I realized that with the inside space we wanted, it could not be smaller and after a couple of trips, In very windy conditions, in very hilly roads and highway speed, plus the electric brake, I tow just great.


If you notice by zooming, you can see that I was not able to hook it up because of my costum gas can /tire carrier that gets in conflict with the trailer jack.  To go pick it up, I had to lenghted the draw bar on the jeep.  It was a quick w/o breaks trip.  But it was a nice 45 miles back trip.

Luckyj

Once ai got it home, I started mesuring, fabing, cutting and welding.  This is what came out of this.  A back bone or a spine that would go from hitch to rear bumper.  Giving a sturdy recovery point in the back of the TD or a 2" hitch receiver for anything else like a bike rack.

Luckyj

i soon as this was done, we when out on our first trip to my parents cabin on the st-laurence river.  It was all highway and black top driving, but was a nice first test.

then I installed the brake controler and realized that One of the 7 pin connector was for reverse light.  I had Single dot led light around for an othe project that was still on the shelf, so I went on drilling and passing wires.

oh yea, forgot to mention that well I had to move the liscence plate.did not liked the location anyway.  Not hook up to electrical yet, but I have an idea the came from my wranglershigh brake light.  I will show you when I get around to do it.

Luckyj

Next was the galley.  Did not like the fact that we were not able to organized the closet space under the sink and that all the plumbing was not isolated in any way from the pans, pots and every thing else.  Also found out that richelieu was the same model of all the doors handle.

also found a scott towel roll holder that was the same or close as the door handles and reorganized the layout.  The alluminium cheker plate was not installed yet, was more to show the gf and get the go for instalation.  She liked it and I got the go.

Luckyj

Now for the no see ums, I made the side window nets like was done here in some other post, but also added one to the fan screen.

this is my travel partner, but nope, this is not the GF.  Lol

I also made some rolls and bag to organize stuff and protect the suroundings when bouncing in the back roads and fsr.

Luckyj

This red bag is a shoe bag that I want to try to hang just under the door sill.

jgram2

You've done a huge amount of work in 2 months time! Making it your own and making it work for the two of you. Congratulations and welcome to this fine group of T@ggers and T@bbers. Thanks for sharing your mods and photos.

Luckyj

And this is firt back road adventure.  GF was out of town, I was free for the night, forcast was great for the next 36 hours. So decided to head north of town in what I call the expanse. It is roughly 200 to 300 miles going north by 150 miles of forest with logging roads.  So I was able to make a bout a 100 miles, get in about 3 miles noth of town and getting back on black top about 120 miles from home.  Drove on black top to come back.  And made it home just after lunch time.

Luckyj

And on my way out in the morning, saw that scare beaver.  It was my first.  Lol

Now, first impression of the fist back road trip with the TD, it follows realy well.  But suspension is not adequate.  Will have to change it.  Spare even if still under the T@G will be move to the back rear side corner, and I will fab some tubular all around steel bumper with under belly protection.

but it was so nice that after I back it up in a level spot, I realized that the set-up was done.  I was looking for things do do to get ready. So I decided to pull a chair and open a bottle of clamatoe cesar.  

This is the beginning a nice adventures.

foxden

This makes me smile!! Congratulations, nice job and happy travels.

Jannon

Great stuff!  Love the custom fabrication...appreciate the pics

Luckyj

Thank you guys!

like I mentionned up here in previous post, I found and still find great inspiration from other owners on this forum.  From T@Gger and T@Bbers (love that expression).
'but yep, I will slow down a bit, but I'm not done.  Can only work on it every other week since I'm working 7 days in and 7 days off.  And will only have 1 week available until our trip to cape-breton Island NS.

ericnliz

@Luckyj, Thanks for sharing not only the story, but the fabrications/modifications as well. Looks and sounds like you're well on your way in making your T@G fit both you, and your girlfriend's needs! Have fun out there & be safe.

KBaggins1

Great work! Working 7 on 7 off should give lots of trip time.

Luckyj

Just realized one pic was missing.

travel partner!



Any one ever saw a ScareBeaver!  Lol

irvingj

Very nice! Many changes, done well. Thanks for sharing!

Esq'il y a de poissons la?

Homebodyatheart

You have the sweetest travel partner! Thanks for sharing. Oh, and did the scarebeaver work? 

Luckyj

Homebodyatheart said:

You have the sweetest travel partner! Thanks for sharing. Oh, and did the scarebeaver work? 

Thanks.  And for the scarebeaver, could be working, water level is prety low.  

Luckyj

irvingj said:

Very nice! Many changes, done well. Thanks for sharing!

Esq'il y a de poissons la?

@irvingj sorry, I only saw your post today.  

As for fish, I do not know, but the lakes all around the area, for sure.

thank you for the comment!  

Luckyj

Here are two more I wanted to do since we purchased the Our Refuge.

front charging station and battery monitor on switch. lighted dot is the USB charger on off switch actualy on.
 
Connected by spliceing the rear charging station wire with soldered joints. You can see in the lower corner of the back wall, down under and behind the lower floor support that I took apart for the installation.  This is the water reservoir of a T@G btw.

Luckyj

The second mod is the rear spare tire carrier.

bolted to the maine frame rear corner.

Luckyj

The jig I had to make to cut the circle for the wheel support.  Had to make one, could not find one around.  Made from an old BBQ roast bar I had aourn the cabin.

irvingj

Very clever! Who'd thunk it-- a circle cutter for a torch -- I love it!

Spare sorta mars the beautiful lines on that side of the trailer, but looks eminently practical -- doesn't look like it extends much, if any, beyond the fender, so no clearance issue. Very neat, and I'll bet a lot easier to get to.

I think I'd like to get up into your "expanse" and try the fishing sometime. We're about 3 hrs south of Montreal; how long a drive is it up into that area? Unfortunately, we no longer have our T@B but have a short-wheelbase Sprinter RV (alas, no 4WD). Could that get up there near all those lakes OK?

Luckyj

Thank you @irvingj and yep, I am pretty sure that a 2wd sprinter van would have the clearance for this. Some or the public land roads (the ones that are not under paid mannagement, are not as maintained and could have more washed out. But no major one when I was there. But you might have to pay fees to get to some of these territories (they are like a belt surronding the free land), and we have to use the roads that they maintain.  But it is not all like that.

as for the drive, we are about 4 hours east of Quebec city, so I would say around 8 hours from Montreal. The town the town is Les Escoumins, QC

where are you at south of Montreal??

Ratkity

I like the rugged look of the spare where you put it. It must be a "Jeep Thing". Your whole setup looks ready for adventure and going for the road less traveled! I have to say, I have never seen a "ScareBeaver". At least you have a picture of proof!

Luckyj

The look is kind of accidental, in a way that under the TD, clearance was way to low, in the front, I didn't want to add mor weight and also keep the basket and rack shelves unused for other potentiel items and also wanted to just offset the tongue weight toward the back.

i even tried it with bike rack and bike in the back, and weight is still good with overall balance.

i will do more in the future to improved the off road readiness, but for now, I am done until next srping, at least with major stuff.

irvingj

Luckyj, we're at the geographic center of NH and VT, near the intersection of I-91 and I-89. We're about 4hrs south of Quebec city.  You are really up there!!

On our list of places to visit are the Maritimes, with a ferry ride perhaps, and some of the other territory that's so close (yet so far!).

As yet, we've only been up that way as far as Miramichi. Caught some nice salmon there.

(Sorry for the thread hijack!)

Luckyj

irvingj

(Sorry for the thread hijack!)

No worries!

I lived in Colebrook NH for almost a year about 15 years ago.  Really liked the area, but the Canadian company for whom I worked for clesed the plant and brought production back to Canada.

i would have spent the rest of my life in that area, but my work permit was specific to the company.  So had to come back.

I might be up there, but the scenery is very worth it. And plenty of slamon fishing rivers along the north shore, and one of the best near Sept-Iles.  Plus, the Translabrador that goes from Baie-Comeau (389) to Labrador city and back down to New-foundland for a full circle is getting better and better with unfortunatly for me as more and more black top.

Luckyj

More active about this on the T@G forum, but since this is still here, I tought I would share.

we had our 2017 T@G outback since june of 2017.  And almost since my first trip, I new that the 2000 lbs suspension was to stiff and was making tye T@G bounce around even on blacktop.

so I was planning a suspension mod, and here it is.  Air bag suspension.  But the goal of all this was to make everything reversible.  Being able to get the original dxter axle is an absolute condition for this.  

This means building a sup frame that will be bolted to the T@G using the same holes and brackets, and maybe adding a couple more.

so it is air bags, on independant trailing arms.  Total lift will be about 3 inch, 4 in of travel, witch is way more that the 2000 lbs dexter with that light load.  Pressure adjustability as well.

this is the work I have done so far.  It is upside down on the table, air bags are not localized yet, axle tube is about where it will be.

also, bigger brakes, 10" drum instead of the 7" oem drum, 3500 lbs bearings and parking brake.  No more chuck blocks (if all is good).

had to close shop till next monday.  

I will try to hupload the pics later, just does not work right now.  Even small size.

jgram2

@Luckyj I was thinking about your T@G when someone asked about off road abilities of the T@B! It will be good to see your photos and the finished project.