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WE HAVE DEBATED TRASH STORAGE IDEAS FOR THE RIG MORE THAN REASONABLE PEOPLE SHOULD. THE MAIN ARGUMENT AGAINST STORING TRASH ON A SPARE TIRE IS SIMPLE- WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO PUT THEIR TRASH BAG IN A VISIBLE PLACE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE? BUT THE MORE DAYS YOU SPEND ON THE ROAD WITH TRASH IN THE RIG, THE LESS WEIGHT THAT ARGUMENT SEEMS TO HOLD COMPARED TO THE ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF SUCH TRASH STORAGE- MAINLY, KEEPING TRASH OUTSIDE OF THE RIG ALSO KEEPS THE SMELL OF THE TRASH OUTSIDE.
YES, WE'VE HEARD OF THE TRASH-A-ROO. BUT AFTER SEEING COUNTLESS SAD LOOKING TRASH SACKS AND READING A LOT OF REVIEWS COMPLAINING OF SUN BLEACHING, SAGGING, ETC., WE WERE DETERMINED TO FIND A RECEPTACLE TO STORE OUR TRASH THAT COULD STAND UP TO THE WEIGHT OF OUR JUNK, THE HARSH SUN, AND THE ABUSE OF LOTS OF MILES BOUNCING DOWN DIRT AND ROCK TRAILS.
WE CAME ACROSS A FEW OPTIONS THAT LOOKED LIKE VIABLE ALTERNATIVES TO THE TRASH-A-ROO, BUT WE WEREN'T WILLING TO PAY THE FEW HUNDRED DOLLAR PRICE TAG THAT CAME WITH IT.SO, WE DECIDED TO CREATE OUR OWN SPARE TIRE TRASH STORAGE BAG. HERE'S A LOOK AT HOW WE DID IT AND HOW YOU CAN TOO!
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STEP 1: GATHER ALL THE MATERIALS:
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BACKPACK: WE USED THIS EARTH PAK ONE. ONE OF MY FAVORITE FEATURES OF THE BACKPACK IS THE SMALL FRONT POCKET, WHICH WE USE TO STORE UNUSED TRASH BAGS.
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WEBBING: WE USED STRAPWORKS HEAVYWEIGHT POLYPROPYLENE 1-INCH WIDE WEBBING.
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BUCKLES: THERE ARE LOTS OF OPTIONS AND WE USED SOME THAT WERE WELL REVIEWED ON AMAZON.
STEP 2: DETACH THE WEBBING THAT EXTENDS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BACKPACK TO THE SHOULDER STRAP FROM THE PLASTIC LOOP THAT IS ON THE SHOULDER STRAP BY PUSHING IT BACK THROUGH THE LOOP. REPEAT THIS ON THE OTHER STRAP OF THE BACKPACK.
STEP 3: ATTACH ONE OF YOUR BUCKLES TO THE END OF THE WEBBING THAT EXTENDS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BACKPACK BY LOOPING THE WEBBING THROUGH THE BUCKLE. REPEAT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BACKPACK WITH ANOTHER BUCKLE.
STEP 4: CUT TWO PIECES OF WEBBING THAT ARE LONG ENOUGH TO EXTEND THE BACKPACK STRAPS TO FIT AROUND THE TIRE. FOLD THE ENDS OF THE WEBBING AND USE FLAME TO MELT FOLDED SECTION TOGETHER SO THE ENDS ARE THICKER. (THIS COULD PROBABLY ALSO BE DONE USING AN ADHESIVE OR BY SEWING THE FOLDED ENDS.) THIS IS DONE TO PREVENT THE WEBBING FROM JUST PULLING RIGHT THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE WHEN TIGHTENED.
STEP 5: WEAVE ONE OF THE PIECES OF WEBBING THROUGH THE EMPTY PLASTIC LOOP THAT IS ON THE BACKPACK SHOULDER STRAP. WEAVE THE OTHER END OF THE PIECE OF WEBBING THROUGH THE EMPTY END OF THE BUCKLE THAT YOU ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM STRAP OF THE BACKPACK IN STEP 2. REPEAT THIS PROCESS WITH THE OTHER PIECE OF WEBBING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BACKPACK.
STEP 6: SECURELY FASTEN THE BACKPACK STRAPS AROUND THE TIRE AND TIGHTEN. CLIP THE WAIT BELT THROUGH THE WHEEL AND TIGHTEN. CLIP THE CHEST STRAP ON TOP OF THE TIRE AND TIGHTEN. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE STRAPS ARE TIGHT SO THAT THE BACKPACK DOES NOT MOVE AROUND WHEN YOU'RE CRUISING DOWN THE ROAD.
WE PUT OUR SPARE TIRE TRASH BAG THROUGH THE PACES DURING OUR TWO WEEK EXCURSION IN BAJA CALIFORNIA AND COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH HOW IT PERFORMED. THE BAG ITSELF STAYED SECURELY ATTACHED TO THE SPARE TIRE WITHOUT FALLING OFF OR COMING LOOSE. AND IT MANAGED TO HOLD SEVERAL DAYS WORTH OF TRASH NO PROBLEM.
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WHILE WE USE THIS BAG FOR TRASH STORAGE, IT COULD BE USED TO STORE A VARIETY OF OTHER THINGS- BLANKETS, DIRTY LAUNDRY, ETC.
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