The Big Lap of Australia in a Troopy - What Broke, What We'd Do Differently, Challenges & Money

[@allankingsbury5657]

Hi Jack & Megan. It's quite rare for me to drop any comments, however after watching and listening to the both of you throughout all of your adventures I have found not only a great source of entertainment value in your videos, but also a deep sense of respect for the both of you in your honesty and companionship as a fun-loving couple who fully appreciates what Nature has to offer. May the Universe continually bless the both of you, and may Nature in all of its magical glory caress your footsteps with loving tenderness. Love & Peace be with you always for the value you have given to my senses!

[@itsJackandMegan]

Hi Allan, Wow thank you so much for such a kind kind comment you have made our day we appreciate you taking the time to leave such a beautiful comment.

[@allankingsbury5657]

@@itsJackandMegan Hi again Jack & Megan. Many thanks for your gracious reply :) . Never let go of your inner-child and savour every moment. Cheers!

[@TheCandyman351]

Hey guys the zipper try a bit of heat shrink on the tab or change it out for a bit of leather 👍🏼, travel buddy 12v power upgrade step up transformer.

[@thelazyoverlander]

Quick easy cure for the rattly zips... red shrink wrap, stops the rattle and makes the zip ends easier to spot.

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thankyou mate that’s a brilliant idea!

[@lachlanstill]

That is awesome thank you

[@HammerRocks]

To quieten the zips, run some paracord through them and do a snake knot (or which ever you want). It will stop the jingling noise and gives you a longer tab to pull the zips with. This way, you don't have to cut off the metal tabs and replace them with paracord or strings (which many have done).

[@fatmanoverlanding]

I've done this. I looped a certain length of paracord around and through each zip pulls, and this has prevented the zip tags rattling. And it looked so much better and tidier than wrapping electrical tape around them. And as you've mentioned, the paracord gave the zip pulls a longer tag, making them easier to zip up/down.

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks mate I think we are going to end up possibly going with the heat shrink idea!

[@ltholmsy]

bit of heat shrink on the zip handles. did the same on my awning just because it annoyed me driving down the road. and will probably do the same to my bushcompany rtt

[@itsJackandMegan]

Cheers mate turns out alucab actually have replacement rubber zips but might just go with the heat shrink idea cheers!

[@GR8Tmate]

You two have a great chemistry together, makes watching you very enjoyable. Look after each other & thanks for making the effort to produce these KZbin’s. 10/10 👍 I totally agree with you about the issue of weekends -vs- weekdays when travelling. When I travelled full time I hated weekends & all the warriors that come out & over ren camps…..Worse still, school holidays. The only solution for school holidays is to head away from the coast, as coastal camps become so heavily overcrowded during school holidays 🤨

[@itsJackandMegan]

You’re exactly right mate school holidays are crazy 😂😂. Thanks for the kind words we really appreciate it 😊

[@deriusnorris4463]

That is an awesome vehicle. For the zips you can use heat shrink over them

[@itsJackandMegan]

Cheers mate!

[@bernardnazgul5254]

Thanks for the video. We have a troopy and the long ranger water tank is a no brainer. I have had one for years. My only advice is fill up your 10 litre water containers every morning because if the pump fails for whatever reason then you have no easy access to water. This can be a pain and has happened to me. But you will never look back. We have lived on the road for quite some time and my overall advice is to keep it simple and everything has a place. Less is more

[@darthvader8433]

Try gluing a magnet to the zipper tails to stop them rattling. Well check the zipper teeth attract the magnet first.

[@itsJackandMegan]

Cheers mate

[@bradleybruce3633]

Thank you for sharing your adventures and showing the bad with the good. Your fun interaction with each other is very enjoyable and your true feelings for each other show through in these hard times. I'm from the Western side of USA, really love the Aussie accent and the Australian slang words. You have great informative videos, product promotions and reviews, you just need to consider what you do for us is a business. Looking forward to your new endeavors. Will be catching up on your earlier videos. Thank you again and take care. BB

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks for watching Bradley wow all they over in the USA how cool! Yes our accents are rather interesting 😂😂😂 we have some very questionable slang happening don’t we haha.

[@steve-deltasdad3906]

Just for clarity, the inside tank is an aux water tank. You can get a range of sizes or get one tailor made. 👍😁

[@itsJackandMegan]

Will be looking into this!

[@HammerRocks]

Great update guys. I've always liked your transparency. Good for you in picking up sponsors. It shows how your episodes are resonating with many audiences. Keep it up. 👍

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks mate we are so happy with how it’s all going. And it’s nice to get confirmation from yourself a regular viewer of the Chanel. 👍

[@jemty9564]

Good run down on what worked and what didn't. For the zip rattling, use some heat shrink , quick n easy . Cheers from two West Aussies in Saudi

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks for watching guys!!

[@camo4889]

You guys are awesome, so honest and informative, I’m going Patreon 🤙

[@itsJackandMegan]

Really appreciate it legend! 🙏🏼

[@bigwhale5840]

Im glad you2 did it like that ..looking forward to sharing more precious moments

[@platinumtowingservice9713]

cut the zip tags off and put some leather strips through the holes and leave a 2 inch tag to grab with your fingers

[@itsJackandMegan]

Another brilliant idea cheers mate

[@kerrimeier6573]

You guys are great together you really enjoy each others company & are best friends and that is very important in any relationship, :):):):) keep the videos coming will still watch every week

[@itsJackandMegan]

Cheers Kerri we do get along very well very thankful that we have found each other 😊 Thanks for following along.

[@65cj55]

Hey Guy's, good to see your smiling dials, i think you're right on the Troopy, there's nothing else out there, my Uncle has the Iveco Daily, with the Camper back and walk through Cab Conversion, but that ain't a cheap option.

[@itsJackandMegan]

The iveco would be awesome! But yes way to expensive for us we saw heaps on our travels.

[@martysib6547]

Great honest review - we to started with a hot water system and realised water is precious and they waste water. Shower tent I agree is not necessary, Get the weight off the rear - you won't regret that. Keen to see how you go with Parabolic springs, Travel buddy promotes bad food and extra power required, Toilets are great, we love ours too and I'm happy to empty as long as there's running water at the dump point. Sorry Jack and Meagan but our Patrol beats you're troopy. (Modified 88) Your Troopy is the second best I've seen. Looking forward to the FJ vlog. Cheers Marty & Sally

[@itsJackandMegan]

Shocking when no water provided at the dump points! Have had some very bad experiences.... I have watched the modified video you have got so much room up top. Still love my Toyota’s tho 😉

[@bobrodgers2335]

Thank you for the run down of your lap, very informative, and I look forward to following on your future trips and project, you guys are so down to earth which is nice to see, have a good one. cheers

[@itsJackandMegan]

Our pleasure Bob! 😊👍

[@celiabonifacio3912]

I’m so glad you guys are still posting 😊

[@itsJackandMegan]

😬😊

[@richardweerasinghe3296]

Nice to hear your trip went well. Great car and thanks for the update. 👍

[@gofaroverland7854]

Wow! You guys rock! Thanks so much for sharing your experience of the big lap. Very informative and funny. I live my dream of travelling around Australia through you guys so keep it up!

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks for that mate glad you’re enjoying the vids 😊👍

[@eamonnmckinney4302]

Great tips, cheers :) I've got an early 80's model Engel sitting in the same spot in my troopy.. approaching 40 years old and still runs perfectly!

[@itsJackandMegan]

Glad you enjoyed it mate! The Engels really are the goods hey!

[@spudboy1328]

Regarding tough tyres: If you can stomach the slightly raised noise levels of a more aggressive tyre, get some BFG KM3s. We have them on our Troopy in size 255/85R16 - the perfect expedition tyre size. We've hammered them through gibber and corrugations and they've been excellent. They air down in sand to a really nice long footprint. And for road-going travel you can run them at modest pressures (like 28 Front and 36 Rear - cold) and still be within the manufacturers load/pressure specs, so they make things more comfortable. They are a notch up in noise from an AT, but not that much. Worth it for the peace of mind on rough terrain.

[@itsJackandMegan]

Hey mate yes definitely have considered these tyres!!

[@dougneville9097]

Hey Jack,Megan great info top vid.You can't go wrong with a troopy,iam a LC79 man we love it for our adventures.Looking forward to seeing the next lap.Thanks.

[@itsJackandMegan]

Cheers Doug LC79 is the dual cab v8 yes? Bloody beast of a car aren’t they!

[@andrewb5887]

@@itsJackandMegan 79 is 2000 onwards single cab chassis and the 2012 onwards double cab of which toyota saw the demand from south africa 1 to 2 cab conversions and so made their own with very little thought (majority of the tray is over the rear axle hence how common chassis extensions are)

[@campscape]

Really enjoy your vids guys! Just a pleasure to watch on screen!

[@itsJackandMegan]

Glad you enjoyed😊

[@mitchsimpson2384]

Great video guys, one day want to get my HZJ78R out of NSW and get over to WA and the top end. Love your channel!

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks Mitch! You will love WA especially the top end. It’s amazing Broome has some beautiful coastlines.

[@andyhawkes6961]

A good tip with the zips is to put some heat shrink over them

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks Andy

[@fatmanoverlanding]

Thanks for sharing your equipment experience, and your trip cost summary. Definitely food for thought. And congratulations in picking up some sponsors for your channel. 👍

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks mate! Appreciate it.

[@brentmcd12]

well done guys !! can't wait to see your future endeavors!

[@itsJackandMegan]

Cheers Brent!

[@arsenalphill742]

Hey guys I don't think you should have any concerns or carry any stigma worries because you are sponsored. It has come your way because of the quality of what you do as presentation for all of us. As long as you stay true to yourselves, as I have no doubt you will, and give honest open reviews, pluses and minus', I think it's fine. Good luck..... keep rolling........

[@itsJackandMegan]

Cheers mate appreciate your comment!

[@steve-deltasdad3906]

hi guys, nice vid. couple of points/opinions to put forward. 1 - In regards to your water storage, just consider that any additional tank's you put under the body will increase your buoyancy when not completely full, so if you have the aux fuel tank and the water tank empty this will most likely cause the rear of the troopy to float or loose traction in a deep water crossing. Maybe consider an interior tank between the seats and rear set up. 2 - Do you have solar panel on the roof?? I seem to recall you used a portable panel that you set up away from the troopy but I'm not sure. What was your feedback on considering the size and weight of the portable panel versus have a fixed panel or blanket. Cheers

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks for the tip Steve definitely did not think about that! We have a 110watt kings slimline solar panel glued on the roof and to be honest it’s just enough to keep our 135amp agm charged and run the fridge but if the inverter is on no chance. Solar blanket made it so much better being able to follow the sun when we are setup at camp. Personally I wouldn’t really change the setup it works very well. As for weight the 150watt blanket does have some weight to it but happy to deal with this as it really does help with making life easier on the road!

[@nrtuazon]

Awesome information guys. Keep it coming. One thing for sure - the toilet for sale was really funny 😊

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks for watching Nino! Haha glad we share the same sense of humour 😂😂

[@jasonbarnes5605]

Thanks for such an informative video. Will help me so much with my setup for travel next year. Was a bit disappointed with the issues that you had with the Alucab. It seems that even the high end gear still have problems.

[@itsJackandMegan]

Hi Jason. Yep even the high end products have problems unfortunately. Hopefully they will sort it out for us.

[@andrewb5887]

@@itsJackandMegan warranty? also which vids had the scares? i will watch them all one day but only 24 hrs in the day

[@beeragonewhere2819]

Alu-cab less than 11 months old and falling apart sounds Equivalent to Kings or coleman crap. But the mega price they charge thought it would be better.

[@itsJackandMegan]

👍

[@stevearmitage5024]

I hear you about the selling the toilet. We sold ours before leaving Australia, I said no way anyone will buy it, the other half advertised it and sold within the day.

[@itsJackandMegan]

😂😂

[@GeorgeSoan]

Love it guys, thanks for sharing these super helpful tips 👌 I’d love to do the lap in a troopy but they are quite hard to get hold of in Sydney atm. I’m thinking of getting a Ute then putting a slide on camper on the back. For the paid promotion stuff, I really enjoy seeing product reviews which you guys endorse! Keep going 😄

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks George! Yes slide of camper would work great as well saw heaps on our travels!

[@furtherupthetrack7583]

Megan & Jack thanks for the great video 👍👍👍

[@itsJackandMegan]

No worries mate! 👍😊

[@rosswilson1176]

mod for the zips ? best one ive heard of easy fix ... heat shrink .. enjoy

[@itsJackandMegan]

Cheers mate!

[@graemetowner7257]

great advice...dont apologies for doing product promotions or reviews, if you want to make a business from overloading then you need to include them, no different to regular tv networks, could even look at some patches / stickers /stubbies etc. If looking to replace toilet, look at the Cleanwaste toilet that Drifta sell, uses powder to solidify waste so can go into any regular bin rather than having to go to dump station. we camp / overland with two young kids and makes life just that bit more pleasant ! I would also get a snake bite first aid kit, everyone should carry one, could do a nice cross promotion with Survival First Aid !! look forward to FJ build and your second lap.

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks for the tips Graeme I’ll look into that toilet for sure!

[@adelarsen9776]

Well, I know I enjoyed the video. That's a start. I think I wrote something about not equating mud tyres with strong puncture resistant tyres. Most mud tyres are hopeless. I said something about getting Radial Truck tyres from a truck tyre centre. A good highway pattern truck tyre will provide safety whilst being quiet. The point is, Do not buy 4wd tyres - they're a rip off and easily punctured.

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thankyou Ade as usual love your very informative comments! Thanks mate will look into this and do some further research 😊👍

[@adelarsen9776]

@@itsJackandMegan If you can depress the sidewall of a tyre (off the rim) with your fingers then it's piss weak. If it's like 25mm thick and you can't push in nor move in or out the side wall then it's worth putting on your troopy. Never believe the hype nor anyone on you tube - It's all BS. You'll hear things like "it has a 3 ply side wall". That means diddly squat. Ignore it. Put your hand in and see if you can twist or depress the side wall. If it's thick and you can't then it's puncture resistant. Talk to a truck tyre centre.

[@tracklifex5259]

Weight is the enemy. I like your plans for better distribution 👍

[@itsJackandMegan]

Spot on mate! It can be very annoying 😅

[@GrabLifeByTheGourlays]

Awesome vid guys, loving the journey! Have you thought about the Raslarr Rear bar which has an integrated tow bar and large rear reversing flood lights... so bright when reversing!!

[@itsJackandMegan]

Yes have looked into these! So many to choose from 😂

[@GrabLifeByTheGourlays]

@@itsJackandMegan Yeah sometimes it's hard to know what is good and what isn't! Raslarr are Aussie built in Melbourne I believe but I got mine shipped up to Brisbane and have been super impressed with it! I just like it cause it has an integrated tow bar and the reverse lights light up everything behind you!

[@lisasteele6895]

Love watching you guys and this was a great informative video. I have to admit that I have not loved your recent blatant produce promotions. I was not fussed by the ones that you did were you were explained a bit more about why you liked the product, but some of the recent ones (ie teselate towels) were just ads. I completely understand why you are doing them, but if you could try and incorporate more of the “why” you like the product it makes it feel like less of a pure sales job.

[@itsJackandMegan]

Hey Lisa thanks for the feed back it’s exactly what we need to hear! Thanks for watching 😊

[@ryanmckeering9178]

Is that The rock slides at Big Crystal Creek in the intro ?..

[@itsJackandMegan]

It is! Loved it there 🙌🏼

[@matthewhill4295]

Planing on doing a half lap starting February which im so excited for. The only thing that worries me is finding drinking water. How does jt work? Can you ask petrol stations and caravan parks or are there dedicated sites? Cheers for all the videos

[@itsJackandMegan]

Hey Matthew we had the same problem as well but when we hit the road full time we got into a routine of stopping at a caravan park once a week and filling up. Never had a problem finding water. 😊 we also asked caravan parks a few times and they always say yes 👍

[@Mad-ventures]

So cool guys! Been watching for a few months now and we start our trip in 2 months. I’ve already stolen Jack’s idea of having the little safety light in rooftop tent. What amp hour is your battery? We’ve only gone 120ah and it already doesn’t seem like enough!

[@itsJackandMegan]

Yes it comes in handy! We run a 135 amp and it wasn’t enough. But we are running a rather large laptop flat out....

[@markanthony4728]

Hey guys. Thank you for sharing your adventures. Can't wait to follow your next trip around. Question: how did you find doing the lap with a manual transmission? If you had the opportunity in the future would you go an automatic in your next 4x4?

[@itsJackandMegan]

Hey Mark I think I am so conditioned to driving the manual it doesn’t bother me anymore. On the trip it was fine did not bother me at all, personally I think I’d always stick with manual tbh!

[@whitehunter101]

Just a question regarding the roof top tent. You guys are fairly young, what are your thoughts for an older couple (reasonably fit 50) climbing up and down, especially at night to go to the toilet? And how much does it sway during windy conditions?

[@itsJackandMegan]

You guys would be fine! And getting down to go to the toilet is made easily as the back quarter pops up.

[@Jellybean00001]

Love your videos very much Your great together ❤️👍

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks so much Patrick! Appreciate the comment mate

[@scorpiontail2561]

Haven't seen other vids yet..just wondering why they on the odd occasion didn't feel safe?.? Was it people,animals or other factors..

[@itsJackandMegan]

Just had a couple encounters with some characters that made us feel a little uneasy 😅 but overall we felt extremely safe travelling Australia!

[@kevanharding9716]

Said it before you guy’ are awesome , love your honesty and always put a great video together…..love it !

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks for watching appreciate it mate!

[@soriginal805]

How ya go with first Aid.. did you have anything other than the basics... anything you wish you would’ve brought along? Also please keep up the great content!!!

[@itsJackandMegan]

We did carry a first aid kit think it cost us $80 it is pretty decent. Purchased it from super-centre needed to use a few bandaids and that was it. But would never leave with out a kit on board and always had it easily accessible! Also a fire extinguisher.

[@404errorpagenotfound.6]

Dog needs to be secured so it doesn't become a projectile. Sounds like it will be loose??

[@itsJackandMegan]

Yep need to sus out a harness for him too 👍

[@404errorpagenotfound.6]

@@itsJackandMegan a decent crate is usually best for in vehicle transport. Please be careful with temperatures inside unattended vehicle. Also thanks for your bravery and honesty discussing relationship strains while travelling so much. I bet no other YT'ers will ever be that honest to the public. Gives you more credibility as real people.

[@jackreminis5174]

Hey guys love your work, ive got a quick question about how many campsites in aus actually require you carrying a toilet, want to know if its worth carrying?

[@itsJackandMegan]

Hi A few of the national parks and free rest stops require you to have them making you kind of self contained to a degree. We personally will always carry a toilet so we don’t have to run into any trouble. But met a lot of people that didn’t bother with them and have had no dramas.

[@robcantwell1981]

Great helpful information guys👍. I only have one question. How many kilometres did you do in the 11 months?

[@itsJackandMegan]

Hey mate thanks for watching! Around 45,000 from memory

[@Gordon_L]

Good feedback guys , I don't have any problem with sponsored videos , it takes time to produce footage and money for the camera gear / laptop / drone and effort to set up shots and retrieve the cameras so that's only fair . Your channel has grown by over 11,000 subscribers since I joined , that says you're doing something right , it's been less than a full year . One suggestion I'd make is to add a paypal link in the links section under the "about" portion , that way people who may not be in a position to become a patreon or want to make an ongoing commitment can still sling a few bucks your way when they want to . I've been giving serious thought to a first drone purchase ( old dog , new tricks , wish me luck ) and I wonder if you'd be willing to share your learning experience , positives and pitfalls , do's and don'ts. Maybe for a future video sometime . I'm leaning towards a Mavic Mini 2 Combo ( 3 three batteries etc. ) and welcome any feedback on that choice . All the best , cheers :-)

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks Gordon! You’re right a lot of effort does go into creating the videos. Thanks for the suggestion on pay pal! With your drone purchase what you have mentioned is a great drone! The DJI brand is so user friendly you will have no problems at all. If you wanted to be on the super safe side I’d recommend the mavic pro or the mavic pro 2 they have a lot more sensors built in to minimise crashing. Also the second hand market is huge you should check out gumtree or Facebook markets. Buying second hand can also be great you will be able to test the drone out before buying.

[@lukedavis5027]

Hey guys love Yas When does the second lap start?

[@itsJackandMegan]

Hey Luke hopefully March - April next year 😬😬

[@lukedavis5027]

@@itsJackandMegan which direction ya going

[@shaunmoller2997]

Epic thanks for sharing

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks for watching Shaun! 😊👍

[@raedlandtrips9414]

good

[@jimmydickson8854]

You. Don’t want the red dust coming your vehicle it needs to be sealed good

[@itsJackandMegan]

👍 the dust is a pain!!

[@doneB830]

Just don’t buy Coopers, I get very good service from Bridgtone deulers AT.

[@lonepineX]

re: the winch.....if he's too stupid to let his tyres down - leave him to it!

[@itsJackandMegan]

Shocking hey mate!

[@coadyg]

You need to make a living so don't be concerned about paid promotions. It's all part of your journey enjoy.

[@itsJackandMegan]

Cheers Garry. 😊

[@leesydneyharry7958]

That sound track is the worst.

[@itsJackandMegan]

The intro song or the video audio in general?

[@leesydneyharry7958]

@@itsJackandMegan the intro. Because I watched Back to Basics channel he used it for all of his and I la vagabond used it. KZbin must give it to channels FOC or something.😉 Plug your personal play list into your editing suite.🤔

[@leesydneyharry7958]

@@itsJackandMegan no it was Coastal Caos which made me realise they must give it to all KZbinrs.

[@bigwhale5840]

Looking forward to see you2 make your relationship legal by marrying

[@gail9906]

Such a great video, honest reviews and exciting ideas camping with Ollie. 🐕❤🇦🇺🦘

[@itsJackandMegan]

Thanks for watching Gail! 😊😊