Welcome to Plan B — the page where I explore the “no-trailer” option and what it would actually take for us to pull it off.
This is very much a work in progress, because it involves a few… interesting challenges:
Budget reality: convincing my wife that spending around $3,000 on suspension isn’t just “buying fancy springs,” but actually something important. There is NO WAY that this can work without upgrading the springs and shocks.
Food negotiations: preparing Jasper for the heartbreaking possibility that Plan B may involve no bacon, because space becomes precious when everything has to live inside the Jimny.
Physics: the final boss of 3D Tetris — fitting fuel, water, food, tools, recovery gear and two humans into a tiny box on wheels without breaking the laws of geometry.
Trusting the internet: Plan B also means putting faith in an untested idea suggested on the internet, looks like a good idea.. but still ... scary..
As I work through the numbers, the tests, and the compromises, I’ll keep updating this page.
Nothing is final yet — this is simply the start of figuring out whether Plan B is practical, possible, or just a hilarious experiment in creative packing.
Well… this is what it looks like when you assume an average of 15 L/100 km and pack the six jerry cans that requires — plus 40 L of water tucked behind the seats.
And before anyone panics:
Yes, I know the jerry cans aren’t tied down. This is just the first packing test. I wouldn’t drive off the driveway like this, let alone into the desert.
This is simply to see what the raw volume looks like before I start the real-life game of Jimny Tetris.
First packing test complete — and surprisingly, everything does fit inside the Jimny if we’re willing to sacrifice the freezer (RIP bacon) and the esky. Space-wise, it works. Emotionally… still processing.
A few notes about what you can’t see from the photo:
I used the traction boards as a cargo barrier.
It actually works brilliantly — until we need to use them in mud. Then the inside of the Jimny will look like a wombat rolled through it.
Yes, I could add roof bars… but that’s weight. And then I’d need a real cargo barrier… more weight.
Here’s what’s what in the picture:
Big green bag (front): All our food goes here.
Small khaki bag: Kitchen gear.
Space above the power pack: Starlink mini + odds and ends.
Large space above the food bag: Our clothing duffel.
Two green/brown bags: Our sleeping system — bulky but very light.
Grey “tarp-looking” blob: Our tiny tent.
Shade cloth: Groundsheet.
Self-inflating mattresses: Used as padding to lock everything snug so it doesn’t bounce around like a washing machine.
Conclusion:
From a space perspective, we don’t need a roof rack at all — and skipping it saves weight, money, and one more thing that could rattle loose somewhere.