Pff, Honda Schmonda, body-on-frame 4x4s are the only legitimate adventure rigs. IFS is for losers. You haven't lived if you haven't dragged a differential pumpkin down the middle of a rutted trail. And don't get me started on those wannabes with their Subarus. Jon, what an awesome voice you have become in this community. Thoroughly interesting as always sir.
Haha! Donald, it’s crazy to think that we met on Subaruforester.org, and 4 years later we have UA-cam channels. What a freakin coincidence right? Just two guys with our ideas 💡 and thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo. No! I don’t want to drive a floaty 4wd hundreds of miles to a place I want to visit and explore! No! I don’t want to burn almost twice as much fuel doing it! I’m so happy to be part of the overlanding community where the goal is the journey, not the destination. It’s so awesome to see “gate keeping” because those people admit defeat in our world. Here’s to many more adventures 🍻 friend!
@@travelinman482 😂 I know it was a joke as you can see from my user name I drive a Subaru. It was a reference to a video @softroadthewest made titled “you should have got a Jeep” where he shows how capable his Forester really is after getting several messages informing him his Subaru isn’t a Jeep. 🤙🏼 it’s pretty great if you haven’t seen it before check it out ua-cam.com/video/JLmrj7UOMUY/v-deo.html
I guess all the mud I’ve driving through really got the axles sticky. While hammering them out the threads were damaged. The solution was a tap and die kit or new axles. For $175 Traxda was able to get some aftermarket axles from autozone. Install looked really straight forward. You just stick the thing in. No greasing the boot or anything. I’m not a super mechanically inclined guy, but I think I may be able to do the job myself in the future. It’s just a two person job having to handle the heavy knuckle and all.
It's very cool and unique that you chose a Honda Passport for these off-road adventures. Most everyone I know has either a Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Grand Cherokee or Wrangler. Personally speaking I didn't like driving a Wrangler everyday. The 4Runner is much much better. The Grand Cherokee is pretty awesome. I will definitely try out the Passport though. Your videos definitely raise its reputation. And that lift looks great on it.
Thanks for the kind words! Since a lot of my adventures are hundres of miles away on a paved road, I had to choose a vehicle that was well balanced in on-road comfort and efficiency and offroad capability. It seems AWD is getting more capable and 4WD is getting more efficient and comfortable, one day they'll probably merge. Still a long way to go though! The Land Rover Defender should be the vehicle to bridge the gap, but too many reliability issues (according to TFL) and the independent suspension seems to really limit capability. The Jeep JL wrangler seems to be one of the better on-road handling 4WDs but also hands down the most capable. Lets see what the new Bronco has to offer! Exciting times ahead!
Haha! For a modern unibody crossover/SUV 3.5” is huge 🍆! My automotive design friend was looking at the steel warn winch bumper they have for Subarus. He measured it up and it appears to be a perfect fit for the passport. It’s just a matter designing the adaptors to make it fit.
I am in the process of installing a 2 inch lift in a 2011 pilot. I can't wait to try it out. Also, I have an engine skid plate coming in. After that I have to fabe exaust, rear diff and fuel tank skid platez.
Iv'e been a Honda guy for over 20 years. I'm so happy there is an aftermarket for Honda in the off road arena. I'm in the middle of 2 inch lift and a bigger tire on an 03 CRV. I just don't like a a pickup truck and i know my way around Hondas. This is all me!! Now i have to find another Ridgeline! Fun fun!!
Nice vehicle, you are probably going to get crap from body on frame people (i drive one, my exploring vehicle is a Nissan Xterra) but i have noticed after going out since around 2016, that unless you are going to be doing some extreme rock crawling (which like 98% of off road people wont) you can get out there, explore, camp, overland, get to know new places, etc, with pretty much any vehicle (AWD or FWD, body on frame or unibody) ive gone places where unibody vehicle's keep up with Toyotas, Land Rovers and Jeeps, from deep snow and mud, sand and difficult trails, i believe its pretty much all up to the driver and his or hers common sense and good tires... Keep up the nice videos!!!
Thank you so much for this comment! I use to drive a 2008 FJ cruiser, but like the majority of people that own body on frame 4WDs, I never took it offroad. I just drove it up snowy roads up to the ski resorts. My Brother actually owned the vehicle, but he had a long work commute so he traded vehicles with me for a while (he took my 2003 Toyota Celica 5spd manual). Fuel economy wasnt too good, especially at the time, gas was $5 a gallon in California. I didn’t like the floatiness on the highway and how the vehicle handled. Eventually I purchased a used 2010 WRX. After I went AWD, I never looked back. I like the comfort and road handling! You’re so right about the “hard core rock crawling” part. Those places are typically busy with recreational off-roaders. I actually just want to explore and get to beautiful destinations, the new term that I’ve been hearing about alot is called “destination overlanding”. That’s what I do, and this vehicle is balanced well for it!
Love it. My next rig is going to be a 2019 Passport. I will do the 3-4 aftermarket improvements you did. It will be my daily driver and snowy mountain un paved roads and also snowy highways and summer mountain camping destinations.
Im very impressed with these mods and its capabilities. Im interested in this vehicle and wont be doing nearly as gnarly off road as that, so i feel more comfortable with that AWD.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Yeah the Disco Sport is in a bit of a limbo, the panoramic roof cracked- it seems to happen to these so that is getting replaced as we speak. I have the Eibach lift springs in but waiting for the Spaccer strut spacers to clear customs. The skid plates are TBD from (over 4 months) EU. I have a brand new Voyager low profile roof rack siting in my garage waiting for install - taking out the current rails and crossbars. With that I’ve been focusing on the EcoSport waiting on it’s lift kit, rear “pseudo” spare tire swing away concoction system, and seeing if I can get plates fabricated for it. And work has been bizzee.
Thanks JonDZ Adventuring. I've been going back and forth between the Passport and the ZR2. I was also wondering if there are lift kits available for the Passport and then this video showed up in my recommendations. Between the video and your responses to comments you answered a lot of questions for me. So I subscribed and will be watching more of your videos.
The ZR2 is a completely difference vehicle! That truck is loaded with features including a front differential locker. If you want one heck of a truck, the ZR2 is a good choice! It has a pricier starting price though! The Passport AWD starts at $33k. It will be a more comfortable, spacious and daily driveable SUV, better suited for paved roads with occasional overlanding excursions. The ZR2 starts at $41K and will shine in off-road situations. There's a diesel option that will give the ZR2 some respectable MPG numbers. I want to make sure you choose the right vehicle, so choose carefully!
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Thanks for the quick reply. You are correct about the ZR2, I've researched that one quite a bit but hadn't really started researching the Passport yet. Wasn't sure if anything was out there since it's AWD. I think the only way to go wrong between these two vehicles is not being realistic with what I want to get out of overlanding since each have their pros and cons. Your videos will allow me to make a much more informed decision by better understanding the capabilities of the Passport.
I sleep inside my Passport quite a bit. I just spent two nights up in the mountains by the ski resort over the weekend. I’m 6’1” 260 lbs so I can’t fit in the back of a short bed truck, and even a 6 foot long bed would be a tight fit as well. The way I have my Passport setup for solo camping trips is I have my bed on the passenger side and gear on the driver side. My sleeping area is 7 feet in length. This is with the front seat slid all the way back. So what other SUVs would give me this much room? It’s really between a 4runner (too old for me), Grand Cherokee Trailhawk (questionable reliability), and the Passport. It’s too bad they don’t have the Ford and Chevy versions of a SUV here in the USA. In Australia, they have 4runner (fortuner ) conpetitors. The Ford Everest, which is a Ford Ranger SUV and the Holden Bison ZR2, which is the Colorado ZR2 SUV.
This is badass! I really like the Passport, somebody around the corner from me has one, I think it's really sharp looking. Had no idea people were lifting these till I stumbled upon your channel through your comment on the TFL Imogene pass video. Just a comment on the ground clearance, 12in front is amazing! My 4Runner Trail Edition with stock 31.6" tall tires has 7.5" under the front skid. Fairly pathetic, my Volvo CrossCountry wagon has the same, haha.
Oh! Thanks awesome! I just wanted to show TFL love ❤️. I’ve been watching them since 2012. I really respect their real world reviews and I hope to meet them one day.
Hi Jon, wrap looks GREAT!! Love the color. Are you planning on doing a video on how it was done? I would like to know if I have the skill to attempt it...... :)
Time to ditch the Dubs! I tried to get the dealer to change them out with wheels from a Honda Ridgeline, but the Passport was so new they would budge. They gave me this BS excuse that it would effect Honda Safety Sensing 🤣.
Amazing video! You are the man! I have the traxda 1.5 inch leveling kit on my ridgeline perfect for my needs and the 6spd definitely notices the weight
Bolt prices are crazy! Been searching EVERYWHERE to find the right bolts for my diy rear subframe spacers. Turns out a random bolt for older Subarus is the EXACT length I needed!
Great review Jon! I love how you gave pros and cons but in reality its more than most will need for everyday use, I am impressed at what the passport can do.
Jalopnik did a pretty good article explaining the modes. Read this article here. jalopnik.com/heres-how-the-2017-honda-ridgelines-trick-off-roading-m-1775651261/amp One day I’ll do a video on the modes, but it’s just so hard trying to get appropriate footage. I’ll shoot the footage, but then when I get back home to view it on my computer, the footage ends not being very useful. It’s been challenging for me. I need to get footage that shows the tires moving. The lighting has to be perfect, the angle has to be perfect. I wish I had a camera man, but unfortunately, I’m just a one man show.
I hope you're willing to answer this. I'm just getting into the idea of modding my vehicles for off-roading or over landing. I have a friend that works on cars and I showed him this Traxda lift kit. He says it's just a body lift, and that you're better off lifting the entire suspension with new springs. Any opinions on this?
Immediately right there, by him saying "it's just a body lift" you can tell he is not experienced with how the modern unibody crossover/SUV with full independent suspension lifts. When you lift a vehicle like the one I have, the whole thing goes up, that's why this 3.5" lift kit increases my clearance from 8 inches to 12. So what vehicles do you plan on lifting? If you have solid rear axle vehicles, the spacers will only act as a body lift, then you'll need to add taller tires to raise up your differential pumpkins
love your videos, minimum ground clearance is measured by the lowest point of the vehicle aka your lower control arm as you can see its closer to the ground than the skid plate. just fyi
Thanks! The CV joints aren’t counted in the minimum ground clearance measurements. For example, a Subarus lower control arms lowest points is 6-7 inches, but it’s advertised for 8.7 inches of minimum ground clearance. I get you though, they are a low hanging point, and if I mess up on wheel placement, they’re taking a hit. So I’m super excited for those Traxda high clearance lower control arms!
There’s options for the Mitsubishi Outlander. Hit up: instagram.com/j_k_adventuring?igshid=nnxeje47ab4y Or instagram.com/revving9k?igshid=1unx84c2a7d9d On Instagram
Hahahahaha! It’s true @bruceyyyyy ! I started commenting on @borderlineexplorer ‘s most recent video. I started commenting on other people’s comments and I saw the video views double yesterday. 🤔. Somethings up! Let’s give it a few days and let your donuts in the snow video age a bit more and then I’m going to comment on other people’s comments and let’s see if it pleases UA-cam algorithms.
Very nice, there must be a voltage supplied to the rear when to lock up each side of the rear diff. I'd think if you could tap into each and put a toggle switch for each side to lock it up all the time when off road and avoid any slip which is wear on the clutches anyway and heat increase.
Actually, Sand and Mud mode already do that 😃. But, it’s a simulated lock (which Honda does not openly admit, because, it’s not a true locker). Ford marketing is calling their GKN supplied twin clutch rear differential a locker, so does BMW in their Msport AWD X6. Only true mechanical locker will act like a locker. I actually was planning to release this Instagram clip, but I did it early just for you 😃. instagram.com/tv/CMfZS-zgtpX/?igshid=1srizf0yuypuf
@@JonDZ_Adventuring lol thanks. Hard to see from the small video of you marching but if simulated locked then the rear tires should never stop moving if either front tire is moving. Unless it is not capable of fully locking the rear. It was tough to tell what was going on in this circumstance with the size of the video and black wheels.
@@kartboarder22g17 as I stated, a simulated lock, isn’t a true lock. So it won’t look like one. If you have Instagram you can watch the video clip on full HD
@@JonDZ_Adventuring yeah so that brings me back to could it be fully locked if the supplies voltage was changed to constant... I suppose if the mutiplate clutches are compressed by electromagnetic and the electromagnetic gets hot when energized I can see why that would not be a desirable outcome/option. But say it doesn't then it would be a very desirable outcome except for the strain put on the alternator/battery... Well mainly alternator.
Thanks! I’m definitely not trying to sell anyone on the Passport, I just hope you pick the vehicle that suits you best! For AWD (onroad comfort/efficiency) the Passport is hard to beat. 4WD (off-road capability) JL Wrangler (dependability) Toyota 4Runner/Tacoma/GX...
I just bought a 2021 Passport Elite last week after having had multiple Subaru Outbacks for the past 18 years. As much as I love Subaru the Passport is a rad vehicle, the Elite model in particular is just so much nicer than anything Subaru has ever made.
Nice vehicle and video. Just got a 21 pilot that im about to rig for some adventuring. They are both surprisingly offroad capable vehicles. Even though they rationalize the 3.5 lift im still leery of how that would wear on the axles and gonna go with a less aggressive 2in. Im not gonna take the thing rock climbing so that plus bigger tires should work just fine to get me and my boys into some decently hairy terrain.
@@YtRando69 yes, but I’m also partnered with Traxda to sell the 2 inch kit. If you watch the video, the shop foreman (Justin) explains why the 3.5” kit puts less stress on the axles. You can visibly see the axles are more straight.
How did the 3.5in lift affect your gas mileage? And the 2in lift for that matter? I test drove a Passport yesterday and really enjoyed it! Just wishing I had a little more ground clearance and want to know what I’m realistically looking at for fuel costs. Awesome videos man! Appreciate the content 😎
There wouldn’t be any noticeable difference from a lift. It’s well documented in 4WD groups of all makes and models that a lift does little. More aggressive and larger tires and roof modifications (cargo platforms, racks, carriers) will make the biggest difference. Also, make sure to run skid plates, they will improve your MPGs with their smoother surface. The Traxda 3.5” lift is solid, I ran it for 70K miles. I have a more custom setup now, but I can tell you that I’m dealing with “custom issues” too.
The main reason for lifting them is to put the bigger tires in, that's what gets you off the ground, with this lift kit what's the largest or should I say tallest tire you can fit in there without rubbing?
The modern Unibody crossover/SUV lifts different than a Body on Frame Truck or SUV. When you have a body on frame vehicle, spacers lift the body, and the frame stays where it is, especially the differential “pumpkin”. In the Modern unibody, the differentials lift with the subframe.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring in the video the current tire size looks perfect for the truck but in my mind stepping up a notch 33 inch would be awesome, once again what do you think the bigger or biggest tire size that it would fit without rubbing
Greg is such a cool dude. He gave me an hour tour of his shop in late Feb. I showed him my Black Edition tricked out Ridgeline. I was so impressed with their in house operation. I was thinking a 2"/1" design. But I love the 3.5"! The thing with Traxda you can front Camber/Toe that other kits dont offer for a true alignment. TY Greg again for the tour.
JonDZ, maybe you can suggest to traxda to think about creating a mount for a ditch light in front of the side mirrors. I saw a setup on a Subaru and it was designed to help with additional lighting on the side as you drive.
@@mrwolphie7 since I come from a Subaru background, I’m constantly monitoring what is made for them and then I got people like Greg from Traxda to make it 😃. Yes! Let’s hit up a trail. Would be cool to do a little Honda gathering. What’s your Instagram?
Yeah, they were designed for the 2017-2020 Ridgelines that didn’t have the dual exhaust system. The design will have to be modified to fit the exhaust in the newer models.
Hi. To start with - I really appreciate your movies, it's a great way to learn cool and helpful things - Thank you. I have a quick question about tire robbing, did you have any spacers installed, or are you running this 3.5 lift without it? Additionally, did you do any timing to your bumper covers or other parts there?
@@JonDZ_Adventuring In another comment I asked about tire pressure sensors, and the robbing question was under another video, and I have never seen a comment under it, or I missed it in somehow :(
@@theChico999999 haha! Thanks for clarifying, sorry! So, spacers won’t really help you clear taller tires, but they may help clear wider tires. An OEM offset (neutral spacing) is your best bet. I run a wheel with a 10mm offset (oem is 55mm offset) which is equivalent to a 1.75” spacer. It actually made the rubbing worse.
Awesome video! I own a 19 pilot and desperately want to lift it (the wife fights me on it) the snow here is always so deep everyone is always hung up. One day ill just cruise by them all haha
@@440tomcat I have 265/50R20 falkens like Jon has. I'm up in Northern Saskatchewan. I do good with the tires but there's still the big snow days where I get hung up.
Yeah, it doesn’t take much to max out on the 7.5-8.1 inches of ground clearance. A few videos back I’m driving up hill in lots of snow. Even with 12 inches of ground clearance my front skid plate was plowing snow and lifting my front tires up in the air. A high clearance trail is defined as needing 8” of clearance, and that’s far from Rock crawling!
Just got one of the new 21 pilots which are surprisingly capable, this is coming from someone that runs a beefed up r51 pathfinder. The first thing the boss said was you better get whatever you need before you even think about taking that thing off the pavement. Waiting on my lift kit (just 2 in), skid plates and grill guard to come in then gonna mount some 31s. I’m a lucky man.
Just bought a '22 Pilot SE with 20" wheels. This has def peaked my curiosity. I wasn't thinking to lift my Pilot because I do a great deal of off-roading, but because I went from the a beast Infiniti QX80 that is WAY higher to this Pilot that makes me feel like my butt is dragging on the ground! I just want to be a little higher up, but better ground clearance never hurt anyone either! Thanks, you have a new sub! I will be considering the 3.5" lift for sure! Now to find someone reliable to install it, as I'm not going to trust my new Pilot to some backyard hack. I"m in SoCal as well, any suggestions?
Thanks! It’s Marsh Green - Avery Dennison rugged vinyl wrap. I wrapped it myself for $600. A professional job would probably cost $2500 - $3500 here in California
@@erick1670 I made a video, but not many people watched it.... 😢. I thought it would had way more views than this video. Here’s the link: ua-cam.com/video/mtDG85TGmWo/v-deo.html
Hi Jon, I like the spelling of your name! I have a '21 Ridge and was interested in a lift. Do you know of any reputable place in Orange County, CA to get a lift using Traxada parts?
@@JonDZ_Adventuring I don't have a lift yet, just want something to get a little more "Mammoth" snow clearance and fit some 265's. I am running everything stock right now.
Factory wheels and tires will work. Actually, This lift May help clear a tire that’s 1 inch taller than oem, that’s it! For anything larger than a 31” tire you’ll need to either trim the wheel well or purchase the Traxda axle relocation kit.
IT DOES! Someone in our Crossoverlanding (event hub) facebook page has had his lifted! It looks great! He says the lift kit is quite complicated, but it's doable! And yes... the Discovery sport is a very capable AWD crossover. It has an even better crawl ratio at 22:1. Come join the page, you have to meet the other Disco sport!
The JonDZ special goes for $1547 after my 20% discount. The lift kit I have in my Passport doesn’t have the axle relocation kit and it’s $1192 after my 20% discount.
This makes me more confident in purchasing a whatever year Passport. Although I would love it if you knew if this would fit the new 2022 Trailsport. Also, what tires are you running? Would the 18s from the new 2022 be sufficient with this lift kit? Love the content, and you got yourself a new subscriber
Thanks for the support! The 2022 Passport is the same vehicle (trailsport is just a trim). I run Falken Wildpeak AT3W, as far as the size, they are 32.1” x 10.0” 255/70R18, but these will not fit without modification. Check out my build here: crossoverlanding.com/honda-overland-build
No, I have never overheated the transmission. Highest temp has been 230F because that’s where I draw the line. I’ll pull over and wait the 10 minutes for it to cool down (which is relatively quick). In the midsized Hondas, the temp light comes on at 250F. I change out my high temp transmission fluid (the expensive green stuff) every 30k miles, and I do this because of my previous experience, I have transmission PTSD. My previous vehicle was a 2015 Subaru Forester XT and the CVT overheated frequently. The light comes on at 270F and I had it pop up on 3 occasions. The CVT melted at 60K miles. By the way, The Passports transmission is not prone to overheating. If the Passport is at 230F other single speed AWDs will be at 300F+ or catastrophic failure. This all relates to crawl ratio, the more of it, the less hot it gets.
Hey Jon, traxda doesn’t call it out on the website but you’re using the ridgeline lift correct? Considering pilot passport and ridgeline are all interchangeable?
I have a 2013 Forester XT and have had my eye on the Passport but have read nightmares about the transmissions and the infotainment systems not working right and dealers not handling any fixes. Have you had any issues with yours so far?
I have to start off by saying that I felt the Passport was the true successor to the FXT, since it was killed off in 2019. We are a special kind of buyer. We want sportiness and we want utility and in 2019 there really weren’t any other options. I also need to point out that owners of 2014-2018 FXTs typically had their transmission go out at aground 100k miles. Mine lasted til 60K. So transmission problems in the Passport? No, the Passport has the 2nd Gen ZF9. I’m hearing there are more issues with the Rav 4 Aisin 8 speed transmission. Everyone else will have even more issues (Subaru, Nissan). Infotainment system is very temperamental. There was a recall a few month ago, and since then, it haven’t “locked up”. But when trying to run a bunch of Apple car play apps, it’ll act up. It might be because my phone is old, I have a iPhone 7 Plus.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Yeah thanks for the reply. My Forester is the old 4spd before they went CVT. Between dropping the turbo and the CVT, I love mine but I just can't buy another Subaru. The turbo really makes the vehicle capable on the highway which is super important to me. Being able to pass at will and cleanly is so important with so many left lane campers in the Northeast. I think I'm just going to keep maintaining the Forester until it hits the wall. Just ordered some of the Kings progressive springs and some Bilstein B6 series to give the suspension some new life. GL with the Passport, I really like the way the lift looks and I live on a dirt road at elevation and routinely like to run dirt and gravel at a good clip up here so a bit of punch, and ground clearance capability is a great thing. I'm also 6'5" and I fit in very few vehicles anymore which makes it harder to find the ones that work for me.
@@kingsqueak2221 the Passport does very well at elevation. I think it’s because of the gearing, it has little issue getting to move. As you know, even with a Turbo (I had a 2010 WRX as well), at elevation, it takes a while to get into boost range, but once there no more issues. By the way, I have 63k miles on the Passport.
I drive that road to Big Bear so often. You could easily keep up with that forester. I drive my lifted Tacoma way faster on that same passing lane as that forester. I keep up with BMW 3 series. Its all about knowing the road and picking the correct line.
Do they offer or upgrade under body protection? Do they tuck or cover CV boots to prevent them getting torn up. I have been building and breaking Off road stuff since 1984. I started with VW beetle sand rails and flat fender jeeps and went up from there. I learned alot testing vehicle components to their breaking point and beefing them up. Honda needs to change their first 2 gear ratios for lower off road speed and crawling and higher torque. Then they need to add a higher than normal ratio at the top for interstate speeds. Their all wheel drive system is great. The crawl ratio sucks. Then put a hill in front of them and you are gonna struggle. Do they offer a better upgraded half shaft for the lift combo?
You can Google the formula. I roughly measured 30 something-ish degrees approach at the center front bumper. The corner over hangs are at around 60 degrees because I got the bumper on those corner overhangs.
How do you fix the camber in the rear? Do you still need to put an adjustable ball joint? I took my lift off after the ball joint came loose (torqued to spec). Not sure what the ball joint does to towing weight limits either. An upper arm that solves the camber and need to have an adj ball joint would be awesome!
With the 3.5” front / 3” rear Traxda lift, it was found that the rear had 1 degree of negative camber, which was within Honda’s specifications. You can try talking to Nolo Designs (skid plate maker). He figured out a way to run a ball joint in the rear on his 2021 Ridgeline
Mixed MPG isn’t really fair because I drive spirited around town. On the big open highway I’ll cruise. I also live in California, and our fuel has alot more additives than other states. I went on a recent road trip to Utah, and it proved that I get better MPG on gas outside of California. So, to answer your question, I get 21-23 mpg highway at 70 mph on flat ground and calm winds. In the city, I get 14-17 mpg (because I drive spirited).
Hi Jon, I wanted your opinion on this topic..... if I buy the passport springs for my pilot, would that take me from 7.3in ground clearance to 8.1 ground clearance??? Or, do I need to replace more parts? It seems like the parts are similar, if not exact???
So when adding the 3 1/2 inch front and 3 inch rear lift to a 2024 Ridgeline and the subframe drop in the axle relocation what is the largest tire size I can install?
I’m running 33” class tires 265/70R18. With the axle relocation kit, you would have to cut some front wheel well plastic. I personally don’t have the axle relocation kit. I shaved my rear wheel wells instead.
Now I have a better understanding of your setup after our interactions on instagram. By the way, I subscribed to your channel and think you have an amazing Ridgeline setup! So, that 3.5” lift kit will slightly help you run taller tires. At stock height, the wheels center hub is just below where the tire would rub, at 2” lift it’s right in line with the center hub, which would make the rub worse, at a 3.5” lift, the rub zone is now higher than the center hub.
The Traxda guy talks about the Axel relocation kit. In the beginning you mention that the 3.5” kit is just fine on the axels. Is the relocation kit a good addition? What’s up with that? I plan to buy a kit and want to make sure I order what I need to and get it all done the first time.
I really like your car bro. How did it compare to that tacoma off road? I own a 19 tacoma and that thing hardly breaks a sweat. I'm more worried about loosing my rear bumper than getting stuck. I eventually need to get a steel rear bumper
I am half way through this video. Based on what you have said so far this has some of the same off road hardware that the Bronco Sport Badlands has If I am not mistaken. It seems like this might be a better vehicle for several reasons. What are your thoughts from what you have seen out there? The Passport now has the trailsport, I am wondering if it may be a better option.
Hi how are you doing? First of all I love your Honda passport and your videos. I got a question do you know if there’s a lift kit like yours for a 2017 Subaru Impreza hatchback. I want to lift my Impreza and how much would it cost ? Thanks
Thanks Jorge! Hit up my buddy Robert Sean Griffith. He has lifted his Impreza HatchBack, put a roll cage on it. It’ll inspire you! instagram.com/robertseangriffith?igshid=1wi72z3nt2gc5
I have a video about the largest tire you can fit. Here’s the link: ua-cam.com/video/c57eqe-V15c/v-deo.html The 3.5 inch kit may fit a 31 inch tire if you keep the width under 10 inches in width, but I can’t confirm. May rub slightly. If you want to run larger tires you can run the Traxda relocation kit or trim the metal wheel wheel.
Thanks DJ! Traxda’s #2 customer is Chevy. Their #1 is actually Ford. I’m not even sure Honda is in their top 5, but maybe that will change! I’d love to see more mid sized Hondas on the trails!
My original idea was 35s with a 6" lift. Now I know a little more that 35s are still in the future but now I am thinking only 3-4 inch at most of a lift. Your Honda will bring in a lot more Honda's in the overlanding world. Your doing a really good job in what u do. Your youtube channel is growing fast and will grow faster and a lot bigger soon. I can't wait until I get my rig closer to where I want it
The cargo box (carrier) is the Thule Motion XT alpine. There’s actually two awnings in this video. The slimmer one is the Yakima slim Shady, and the bigger one is the OVS (overlanding vehicle systems) 180 degree self supported awning.
The lift kit does nor alter the speed sensor on the wheels or the TPMS sensors in the tires. That would be strange if it did 😃. Will Honda void the warranty? They would probably void the warranty on anything dealing with suspension related parts, but since I have 76K miles (81K actual), I’m waaaaaay passed any warranty on my vehicle. I believe Drive train is 60K and everything else is 36K. Nothing has broke.
Good question. The threads were Stripped when they hammered out the axles. Traxda isn’t setup for automotive repair and didn’t have a tap and die kit to fix the thread. They just ordered a passenger side front axle.
Great video! I’m still looking at this or the new Ridgeline to eventually lift. Have you heard of any wheel bearing issues occurring after installing these lifts or bigger tires? I’ve been told by a Subaru dealership that they’ve experienced this, yet they sell their cars lifted with bigger tires lol.
Subaru’s have strut top hats that prevent mounting +3 taller tires unless you use wheel spacers. It’ll take some really wide wheel spacers for that! On these Honda midsized vehicles there’s no top hat, so no need to space things out unless you want to run 275+mm tires. To me, taller is better with these vehicles. Width just kills MPG’s and adds unnecessary weight. I run 255/70R18. So mount tires taller than 31” you’ll need to either trim the wheel well or get an axle relocation kit. Wheel bearings aren’t affected out of normal wear if you use oem wheels.
Hey ! My dad just got a passport touring and he’s wondering if it’s ok to put 225/75/17 tires for the winter setup, the car is 100% stock so I don’t know if there would be any rubbing
Use www.tiresize.com to calculate the diameter of the tire. In this video, it’s mentioned that a 30.5” tire will rub slightly. Your Dad’s tires come out to 30.3” so he should be fine, plus, since those tires are narrow, that will reduce the chance car of rub.
I shared some pictures on my Instagram account but I didn’t get any good footage next to another AWD passport. I even visited the dealer but the AWD passports go fast out here in California, so I’ve never seen one ever seen one since I bought mine back in February of 2019. I found a stock AWD passport parked at Costco and took some video footage but it was dark.
@@djw1091994 it’s part of my stories, here’s the link: instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3ODgxNjA3MDU0MDQyNTc4?igshid=1gss4oiel9yk7&story_media_id=2486616493756884241
I wonder what the install is for the front lift kit. Prying the lower arm to get the shocks back it seems to be maxed out at 2". Not sure how 3" is going to work out for the Pilot.
Pff, Honda Schmonda, body-on-frame 4x4s are the only legitimate adventure rigs. IFS is for losers. You haven't lived if you haven't dragged a differential pumpkin down the middle of a rutted trail. And don't get me started on those wannabes with their Subarus.
Jon, what an awesome voice you have become in this community. Thoroughly interesting as always sir.
Haha! Donald, it’s crazy to think that we met on Subaruforester.org, and 4 years later we have UA-cam channels. What a freakin coincidence right? Just two guys with our ideas 💡 and thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo. No! I don’t want to drive a floaty 4wd hundreds of miles to a place I want to visit and explore! No! I don’t want to burn almost twice as much fuel doing it!
I’m so happy to be part of the overlanding community where the goal is the journey, not the destination. It’s so awesome to see “gate keeping” because those people admit defeat in our world. Here’s to many more adventures 🍻 friend!
Should have got a Jeep
@@freedom_foz_6337
News flash! This isn’t a Jeep loyalist channel.
@@travelinman482 😂 I know it was a joke as you can see from my user name I drive a Subaru. It was a reference to a video @softroadthewest made titled “you should have got a Jeep” where he shows how capable his Forester really is after getting several messages informing him his Subaru isn’t a Jeep. 🤙🏼 it’s pretty great if you haven’t seen it before check it out ua-cam.com/video/JLmrj7UOMUY/v-deo.html
@@freedom_foz_6337
I’ll check it out. I liked your comments.
Whoever is doing the camera work of your car driving is talented!
Yep! That’s Alan from @borderlineexplorer
Lol I'm still practicing my man. Appreciate the kind words.
Always paving the new road for off-road Honda enthusiasts. Sorry about the axle casualty. Looking forward to the damage and repair report.
I guess all the mud I’ve driving through really got the axles sticky. While hammering them out the threads were damaged. The solution was a tap and die kit or new axles. For $175 Traxda was able to get some aftermarket axles from autozone. Install looked really straight forward. You just stick the thing in. No greasing the boot or anything. I’m not a super mechanically inclined guy, but I think I may be able to do the job myself in the future. It’s just a two person job having to handle the heavy knuckle and all.
Just amazed at where you can take that Passport! And the rock-crawling sound effects, superb! lol
It's very cool and unique that you chose a Honda Passport for these off-road adventures. Most everyone I know has either a Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Grand Cherokee or Wrangler. Personally speaking I didn't like driving a Wrangler everyday. The 4Runner is much much better. The Grand Cherokee is pretty awesome. I will definitely try out the Passport though. Your videos definitely raise its reputation. And that lift looks great on it.
Thanks for the kind words! Since a lot of my adventures are hundres of miles away on a paved road, I had to choose a vehicle that was well balanced in on-road comfort and efficiency and offroad capability.
It seems AWD is getting more capable and 4WD is getting more efficient and comfortable, one day they'll probably merge. Still a long way to go though! The Land Rover Defender should be the vehicle to bridge the gap, but too many reliability issues (according to TFL) and the independent suspension seems to really limit capability. The Jeep JL wrangler seems to be one of the better on-road handling 4WDs but also hands down the most capable. Lets see what the new Bronco has to offer! Exciting times ahead!
I love your Passport. From the color down to the cutouts. Definite car goals. You should give Washington State off roading a try.
Thanks for the kind words Tyler! Washington is definitely on the bucket list!
Thought this was going to be clickbait but nope! 100% badass Passport. I want one now!
Haha! Thank you 🙏
Never has a man been more proud to show off 3½ inches.
Now if only they offered a winch, or at least a front receiver for it.
Haha! For a modern unibody crossover/SUV 3.5” is huge 🍆!
My automotive design friend was looking at the steel warn winch bumper they have for Subarus. He measured it up and it appears to be a perfect fit for the passport. It’s just a matter designing the adaptors to make it fit.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring "He measured it up and it appears to be a perfect fit for the passport." Woo Hoo!
I am in the process of installing a 2 inch lift in a 2011 pilot. I can't wait to try it out. Also, I have an engine skid plate coming in. After that I have to fabe exaust, rear diff and fuel tank skid platez.
Dude, I love how detailed the video was. The passport looks awesome with the lift.
Thanks Mr. Tran! Was nice to see you out in Lytle creek over the weekend
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Likewise bro.
Iv'e been a Honda guy for over 20 years. I'm so happy there is an aftermarket for Honda in the off road arena. I'm in the middle of 2 inch lift and a bigger tire on an 03 CRV. I just don't like a a pickup truck and i know my way around Hondas. This is all me!! Now i have to find another Ridgeline! Fun fun!!
Thanks Jon & Traxda. The Traxda 3.5" lift kit is being installed on my Passport tomorrow.
Nice vehicle, you are probably going to get crap from body on frame people (i drive one, my exploring vehicle is a Nissan Xterra) but i have noticed after going out since around 2016, that unless you are going to be doing some extreme rock crawling (which like 98% of off road people wont) you can get out there, explore, camp, overland, get to know new places, etc, with pretty much any vehicle (AWD or FWD, body on frame or unibody) ive gone places where unibody vehicle's keep up with Toyotas, Land Rovers and Jeeps, from deep snow and mud, sand and difficult trails, i believe its pretty much all up to the driver and his or hers common sense and good tires... Keep up the nice videos!!!
Thank you so much for this comment! I use to drive a 2008 FJ cruiser, but like the majority of people that own body on frame 4WDs, I never took it offroad. I just drove it up snowy roads up to the ski resorts. My Brother actually owned the vehicle, but he had a long work commute so he traded vehicles with me for a while (he took my 2003 Toyota Celica 5spd manual). Fuel economy wasnt too good, especially at the time, gas was $5 a gallon in California. I didn’t like the floatiness on the highway and how the vehicle handled. Eventually I purchased a used 2010 WRX. After I went AWD, I never looked back. I like the comfort and road handling!
You’re so right about the “hard core rock crawling” part. Those places are typically busy with recreational off-roaders. I actually just want to explore and get to beautiful destinations, the new term that I’ve been hearing about alot is called “destination overlanding”. That’s what I do, and this vehicle is balanced well for it!
Love it. My next rig is going to be a 2019 Passport. I will do the 3-4 aftermarket improvements you did. It will be my daily driver and snowy mountain un paved roads and also snowy highways and summer mountain camping destinations.
Im very impressed with these mods and its capabilities. Im interested in this vehicle and wont be doing nearly as gnarly off road as that, so i feel more comfortable with that AWD.
Awesome. Thanks for opening up more ideas for AWD off-roading! Keep making fun and great videos!
Hey! You have the lifted disco sport don’t you? There’s a guy that commented looking for a lift
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Yeah the Disco Sport is in a bit of a limbo, the panoramic roof cracked- it seems to happen to these so that is getting replaced as we speak. I have the Eibach lift springs in but waiting for the Spaccer strut spacers to clear customs. The skid plates are TBD from (over 4 months) EU. I have a brand new Voyager low profile roof rack siting in my garage waiting for install - taking out the current rails and crossbars. With that I’ve been focusing on the EcoSport waiting on it’s lift kit, rear “pseudo” spare tire swing away concoction system, and seeing if I can get plates fabricated for it. And work has been bizzee.
Thanks JonDZ Adventuring. I've been going back and forth between the Passport and the ZR2. I was also wondering if there are lift kits available for the Passport and then this video showed up in my recommendations. Between the video and your responses to comments you answered a lot of questions for me. So I subscribed and will be watching more of your videos.
The ZR2 is a completely difference vehicle! That truck is loaded with features including a front differential locker. If you want one heck of a truck, the ZR2 is a good choice! It has a pricier starting price though!
The Passport AWD starts at $33k. It will be a more comfortable, spacious and daily driveable SUV, better suited for paved roads with occasional overlanding excursions.
The ZR2 starts at $41K and will shine in off-road situations. There's a diesel option that will give the ZR2 some respectable MPG numbers.
I want to make sure you choose the right vehicle, so choose carefully!
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Thanks for the quick reply. You are correct about the ZR2, I've researched that one quite a bit but hadn't really started researching the Passport yet. Wasn't sure if anything was out there since it's AWD. I think the only way to go wrong between these two vehicles is not being realistic with what I want to get out of overlanding since each have their pros and cons. Your videos will allow me to make a much more informed decision by better understanding the capabilities of the Passport.
I sleep inside my Passport quite a bit. I just spent two nights up in the mountains by the ski resort over the weekend. I’m 6’1” 260 lbs so I can’t fit in the back of a short bed truck, and even a 6 foot long bed would be a tight fit as well. The way I have my Passport setup for solo camping trips is I have my bed on the passenger side and gear on the driver side. My sleeping area is 7 feet in length. This is with the front seat slid all the way back. So what other SUVs would give me this much room? It’s really between a 4runner (too old for me), Grand Cherokee Trailhawk (questionable reliability), and the Passport. It’s too bad they don’t have the Ford and Chevy versions of a SUV here in the USA. In Australia, they have 4runner (fortuner ) conpetitors. The Ford Everest, which is a Ford Ranger SUV and the Holden Bison ZR2, which is the Colorado ZR2 SUV.
Crack crunch crunch crunch, SLAM! More DZ Sound FX please 🙏.
I don’t want to complain, because your camera work was so awesome! But maybe future upgrade will need to be a fuzzy microphone, hhahahahhaah 🤣
@@JonDZ_Adventuring I'm still practicing adjusting the exposure. Dang I want a fancy mic. For now this $40 will do 😜.
This is badass! I really like the Passport, somebody around the corner from me has one, I think it's really sharp looking. Had no idea people were lifting these till I stumbled upon your channel through your comment on the TFL Imogene pass video. Just a comment on the ground clearance, 12in front is amazing! My 4Runner Trail Edition with stock 31.6" tall tires has 7.5" under the front skid. Fairly pathetic, my Volvo CrossCountry wagon has the same, haha.
Oh! Thanks awesome! I just wanted to show TFL love ❤️. I’ve been watching them since 2012. I really respect their real world reviews and I hope to meet them one day.
Hi Jon, wrap looks GREAT!! Love the color. Are you planning on doing a video on how it was done? I would like to know if I have the skill to attempt it...... :)
Thanks 🙏! I made a video about it here:
ua-cam.com/video/mtDG85TGmWo/v-deo.html
I'm a 2020 Passport Touring owner and love the car but hate the ride on those 20" tires. Love your rig and videos!
Time to ditch the Dubs! I tried to get the dealer to change them out with wheels from a Honda Ridgeline, but the Passport was so new they would budge. They gave me this BS excuse that it would effect Honda Safety Sensing 🤣.
Us Honda offroad people are a different breed. I would love to drive out to California and wheel side by side with you. The past meets the present!
Come on over! Love that lifted civic you have!
@@JonDZ_Adventuring I'm planning a west bound trip towards the end of the year. I would love to do a video with you, I'll keep you posted 👍👍
Amazing video! You are the man! I have the traxda 1.5 inch leveling kit on my ridgeline perfect for my needs and the 6spd definitely notices the weight
Thank you 🙏
Bolt prices are crazy! Been searching EVERYWHERE to find the right bolts for my diy rear subframe spacers. Turns out a random bolt for older Subarus is the EXACT length I needed!
I couldn’t imagine! Everything vehicle specific costs so much! Plastic trim clip? $5!!!! Haha
Great review Jon! I love how you gave pros and cons but in reality its more than most will need for everyday use, I am impressed at what the passport can do.
Thinking about getting a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander and wondering if could get a 3.5 lift kit in the near future.
That sounds like a very very Niche vehicle. If Toyota Sells a lot of them, I'm sure people will make lift kits.
Can you do a breakdown of the different drive modes and what they do mechanically
Jalopnik did a pretty good article explaining the modes. Read this article here. jalopnik.com/heres-how-the-2017-honda-ridgelines-trick-off-roading-m-1775651261/amp One day I’ll do a video on the modes, but it’s just so hard trying to get appropriate footage. I’ll shoot the footage, but then when I get back home to view it on my computer, the footage ends not being very useful. It’s been challenging for me. I need to get footage that shows the tires moving. The lighting has to be perfect, the angle has to be perfect. I wish I had a camera man, but unfortunately, I’m just a one man show.
looks real nice with the 3.5 lift !!
Thank you! 🙏
I hope you're willing to answer this. I'm just getting into the idea of modding my vehicles for off-roading or over landing.
I have a friend that works on cars and I showed him this Traxda lift kit. He says it's just a body lift, and that you're better off lifting the entire suspension with new springs. Any opinions on this?
Immediately right there, by him saying "it's just a body lift" you can tell he is not experienced with how the modern unibody crossover/SUV with full independent suspension lifts. When you lift a vehicle like the one I have, the whole thing goes up, that's why this 3.5" lift kit increases my clearance from 8 inches to 12. So what vehicles do you plan on lifting? If you have solid rear axle vehicles, the spacers will only act as a body lift, then you'll need to add taller tires to raise up your differential pumpkins
love your videos, minimum ground clearance is measured by the lowest point of the vehicle aka your lower control arm as you can see its closer to the ground than the skid plate. just fyi
Thanks!
The CV joints aren’t counted in the minimum ground clearance measurements. For example, a Subarus lower control arms lowest points is 6-7 inches, but it’s advertised for 8.7 inches of minimum ground clearance.
I get you though, they are a low hanging point, and if I mess up on wheel placement, they’re taking a hit. So I’m super excited for those Traxda high clearance lower control arms!
They should manufacture one for mitsubishi outlander.
There’s options for the Mitsubishi Outlander. Hit up:
instagram.com/j_k_adventuring?igshid=nnxeje47ab4y
Or
instagram.com/revving9k?igshid=1unx84c2a7d9d
On Instagram
BIG Honda
BIG Lift
BIG Tires
BIG Algorithms
BIG Win
Hahahahaha! It’s true @bruceyyyyy ! I started commenting on @borderlineexplorer ‘s most recent video. I started commenting on other people’s comments and I saw the video views double yesterday. 🤔. Somethings up! Let’s give it a few days and let your donuts in the snow video age a bit more and then I’m going to comment on other people’s comments and let’s see if it pleases UA-cam algorithms.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Touch me like one of your French girls, Jon.
@@bruceyyyyy 🤣🥰
Very nice, there must be a voltage supplied to the rear when to lock up each side of the rear diff. I'd think if you could tap into each and put a toggle switch for each side to lock it up all the time when off road and avoid any slip which is wear on the clutches anyway and heat increase.
Actually, Sand and Mud mode already do that 😃. But, it’s a simulated lock (which Honda does not openly admit, because, it’s not a true locker). Ford marketing is calling their GKN supplied twin clutch rear differential a locker, so does BMW in their Msport AWD X6. Only true mechanical locker will act like a locker. I actually was planning to release this Instagram clip, but I did it early just for you 😃.
instagram.com/tv/CMfZS-zgtpX/?igshid=1srizf0yuypuf
@@JonDZ_Adventuring lol thanks. Hard to see from the small video of you marching but if simulated locked then the rear tires should never stop moving if either front tire is moving. Unless it is not capable of fully locking the rear. It was tough to tell what was going on in this circumstance with the size of the video and black wheels.
@@kartboarder22g17 as I stated, a simulated lock, isn’t a true lock. So it won’t look like one. If you have Instagram you can watch the video clip on full HD
@@JonDZ_Adventuring yeah so that brings me back to could it be fully locked if the supplies voltage was changed to constant... I suppose if the mutiplate clutches are compressed by electromagnetic and the electromagnetic gets hot when energized I can see why that would not be a desirable outcome/option. But say it doesn't then it would be a very desirable outcome except for the strain put on the alternator/battery... Well mainly alternator.
Nope. Clutch plates can’t = a mechanical lock
Jon... Looks GREAT!!! Love the Passport with the lift! A baad vehicle gets "badder" looking! LOL. Awesome!
Thanks for being here from the start of this build Ram14250 🙏 . It’s been 2 years now!
This stuff is what i want to do with my 2019 ridgeline.
Extra ground clearance goes along away! I would not attempt these rougher trails with only 8 inches of clearance.
Awesome review that just sold me on the Passport!!
Thanks! I’m definitely not trying to sell anyone on the Passport, I just hope you pick the vehicle that suits you best! For AWD (onroad comfort/efficiency) the Passport is hard to beat. 4WD (off-road capability) JL Wrangler (dependability) Toyota 4Runner/Tacoma/GX...
I just bought a 2021 Passport Elite last week after having had multiple Subaru Outbacks for the past 18 years. As much as I love Subaru the Passport is a rad vehicle, the Elite model in particular is just so much nicer than anything Subaru has ever made.
Nice vehicle and video. Just got a 21 pilot that im about to rig for some adventuring. They are both surprisingly offroad capable vehicles. Even though they rationalize the 3.5 lift im still leery of how that would wear on the axles and gonna go with a less aggressive 2in. Im not gonna take the thing rock climbing so that plus bigger tires should work just fine to get me and my boys into some decently hairy terrain.
The 2 inch kit will put more stress on your axles compared to the 3.5 inch kit. I ran the Traxda 2 inch kit for 35K miles
@@YtRando69 yes, but I’m also partnered with Traxda to sell the 2 inch kit. If you watch the video, the shop foreman (Justin) explains why the 3.5” kit puts less stress on the axles. You can visibly see the axles are more straight.
@@YtRando69 I put 48K miles on the 2 inch kit and 33K miles on the the 3.5 inch kit. I’m well past my factory warranty.
Dope SUV
Not all of us can afford a Toyota Landcruiser…
How did the 3.5in lift affect your gas mileage? And the 2in lift for that matter?
I test drove a Passport yesterday and really enjoyed it! Just wishing I had a little more ground clearance and want to know what I’m realistically looking at for fuel costs.
Awesome videos man! Appreciate the content 😎
There wouldn’t be any noticeable difference from a lift. It’s well documented in 4WD groups of all makes and models that a lift does little. More aggressive and larger tires and roof modifications (cargo platforms, racks, carriers) will make the biggest difference. Also, make sure to run skid plates, they will improve your MPGs with their smoother surface. The Traxda 3.5” lift is solid, I ran it for 70K miles. I have a more custom setup now, but I can tell you that I’m dealing with “custom issues” too.
The main reason for lifting them is to put the bigger tires in, that's what gets you off the ground, with this lift kit what's the largest or should I say tallest tire you can fit in there without rubbing?
The modern Unibody crossover/SUV lifts different than a Body on Frame Truck or SUV. When you have a body on frame vehicle, spacers lift the body, and the frame stays where it is, especially the differential “pumpkin”.
In the Modern unibody, the differentials lift with the subframe.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring in the video the current tire size looks perfect for the truck but in my mind stepping up a notch 33 inch would be awesome, once again what do you think the bigger or biggest tire size that it would fit without rubbing
Thanks JonDZ ! Love the video!
Thank you Greg for making real functional parts so that we can adventure further!!!
Greg is such a cool dude. He gave me an hour tour of his shop in late Feb. I showed him my Black Edition tricked out Ridgeline. I was so impressed with their in house operation. I was thinking a 2"/1" design. But I love the 3.5"! The thing with Traxda you can front Camber/Toe that other kits dont offer for a true alignment. TY Greg again for the tour.
Does the ridgeline 3.5in and rear 3in lift fit on a 2019 honda pilot touring?
Yes! That’s the kit that was modified just for the Passport/Pilot. Traxda used my vehicle to measure 📏. Part # is 222060
It does, it does!!:)
JonDZ, maybe you can suggest to traxda to think about creating a mount for a ditch light in front of the side mirrors. I saw a setup on a Subaru and it was designed to help with additional lighting on the side as you drive.
LOL, it’s already been R&Ded, I only told a few people about it. Is this a coincidence or are you one of Greg’s friends trolling me? Haha
@JonDZ Adventuring not at all. I was the guy that deemed you Legend on Instagram.
@JonDZ Adventuring just looking to build my 21 Ridgeline to do some overlanding. Maybe go on a trail or adventure with you.
@@mrwolphie7 since I come from a Subaru background, I’m constantly monitoring what is made for them and then I got people like Greg from Traxda to make it 😃. Yes! Let’s hit up a trail. Would be cool to do a little Honda gathering. What’s your Instagram?
@@JonDZ_Adventuring MrWolphie09
The rock crawling sounds effects are on point lol
Hey there! I’m coming from a 2018 Subaru Outback. I love your videos.
Those prototype rear lower control arms would look great. I've seen trailhawk cherokees tear theirs out offroad.
Yeah, they were designed for the 2017-2020 Ridgelines that didn’t have the dual exhaust system. The design will have to be modified to fit the exhaust in the newer models.
I never heard of this trail. Thanks for sharing! Looks like a decent challenge! Fun times
Awesome Road through the mountains
Hi. To start with - I really appreciate your movies, it's a great way to learn cool and helpful things - Thank you. I have a quick question about tire robbing, did you have any spacers installed, or are you running this 3.5 lift without it? Additionally, did you do any timing to your bumper covers or other parts there?
I think I answered this in another of you comments, right?
@@JonDZ_Adventuring In another comment I asked about tire pressure sensors, and the robbing question was under another video, and I have never seen a comment under it, or I missed it in somehow :(
@@theChico999999 haha! Thanks for clarifying, sorry! So, spacers won’t really help you clear taller tires, but they may help clear wider tires. An OEM offset (neutral spacing) is your best bet. I run a wheel with a 10mm offset (oem is 55mm offset) which is equivalent to a 1.75” spacer. It actually made the rubbing worse.
@@theChico999999 I had to trim more of the wheel well, and yes, I trimmed the inner plastic splash guards.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Thank you.
Awesome video! I own a 19 pilot and desperately want to lift it (the wife fights me on it) the snow here is always so deep everyone is always hung up. One day ill just cruise by them all haha
Thanks 🙏 good luck on convincing the wife!
@@440tomcat I have 265/50R20 falkens like Jon has. I'm up in Northern Saskatchewan. I do good with the tires but there's still the big snow days where I get hung up.
Yeah, it doesn’t take much to max out on the 7.5-8.1 inches of ground clearance. A few videos back I’m driving up hill in lots of snow. Even with 12 inches of ground clearance my front skid plate was plowing snow and lifting my front tires up in the air. A high clearance trail is defined as needing 8” of clearance, and that’s far from Rock crawling!
Just got one of the new 21 pilots which are surprisingly capable, this is coming from someone that runs a beefed up r51 pathfinder. The first thing the boss said was you better get whatever you need before you even think about taking that thing off the pavement. Waiting on my lift kit (just 2 in), skid plates and grill guard to come in then gonna mount some 31s. I’m a lucky man.
Just bought a '22 Pilot SE with 20" wheels. This has def peaked my curiosity. I wasn't thinking to lift my Pilot because I do a great deal of off-roading, but because I went from the a beast Infiniti QX80 that is WAY higher to this Pilot that makes me feel like my butt is dragging on the ground! I just want to be a little higher up, but better ground clearance never hurt anyone either! Thanks, you have a new sub! I will be considering the 3.5" lift for sure! Now to find someone reliable to install it, as I'm not going to trust my new Pilot to some backyard hack. I"m in SoCal as well, any suggestions?
Central tire #5 by LAX has lifted many midsized Hondas. Ask for Aldo and tell him I sent you.
Awesome new lift!
But, what’s more awesome is the Babba Fett raptor liner paint job.
Did you filmed that and how much it cost?
Thanks! It’s Marsh Green - Avery Dennison rugged vinyl wrap. I wrapped it myself for $600. A professional job would probably cost $2500 - $3500 here in California
@@JonDZ_Adventuring looked in few shots like it was Raptor liner.. Looks great!
Did you filmed the prosses? It would have a nice content for it.
@@erick1670 I made a video, but not many people watched it.... 😢. I thought it would had way more views than this video.
Here’s the link:
ua-cam.com/video/mtDG85TGmWo/v-deo.html
Excellent presentation!....tell me, what do we have for 2023 Pilot trailsport?....
Hi Jon, I like the spelling of your name! I have a '21 Ridge and was interested in a lift. Do you know of any reputable place in Orange County, CA to get a lift using Traxada parts?
Haha, thanks! Central Tire #5 by LAX has lifted many Hondas. Just ask for Aldo the owner, and call to set an appointment. What size lift do you have?
@@JonDZ_Adventuring I don't have a lift yet, just want something to get a little more "Mammoth" snow clearance and fit some 265's. I am running everything stock right now.
@@jonsprekelmeyer9867 they can help you with that.
Love the new color, did you wrapped it? And do you have to change anything for the title?
I have a 2017 Ridgeline, if I get the 3.5 lift kit installed do I need to get bigger tires and rims or can I keep the factory tires on it?
Factory wheels and tires will work. Actually, This lift May help clear a tire that’s 1 inch taller than oem, that’s it! For anything larger than a 31” tire you’ll need to either trim the wheel well or purchase the Traxda axle relocation kit.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring awesome, gladly appreciate your knowledge on it. Thank you!!!
I would like a lift kit for my discovery spor but no one make one, I think my suv is pretty capable but doesn't have clearance
IT DOES! Someone in our Crossoverlanding (event hub) facebook page has had his lifted! It looks great! He says the lift kit is quite complicated, but it's doable!
And yes... the Discovery sport is a very capable AWD crossover. It has an even better crawl ratio at 22:1. Come join the page, you have to meet the other Disco sport!
Honestly, the price for the lift kits isn't bad.
They raised it to $2000 after this video and named it the JonDZ lift
The JonDZ special goes for $1547 after my 20% discount. The lift kit I have in my Passport doesn’t have the axle relocation kit and it’s $1192 after my 20% discount.
Cool business. It´s great to see products locally manufactured.
This makes me more confident in purchasing a whatever year Passport. Although I would love it if you knew if this would fit the new 2022 Trailsport. Also, what tires are you running? Would the 18s from the new 2022 be sufficient with this lift kit? Love the content, and you got yourself a new subscriber
Thanks for the support! The 2022 Passport is the same vehicle (trailsport is just a trim). I run Falken Wildpeak AT3W, as far as the size, they are 32.1” x 10.0” 255/70R18, but these will not fit without modification. Check out my build here: crossoverlanding.com/honda-overland-build
Hi Jon, Great video's. Did you ever overheat the trans before you installed the transmission cooler? If so, in what situation did that happen?
No, I have never overheated the transmission. Highest temp has been 230F because that’s where I draw the line. I’ll pull over and wait the 10 minutes for it to cool down (which is relatively quick). In the midsized Hondas, the temp light comes on at 250F.
I change out my high temp transmission fluid (the expensive green stuff) every 30k miles, and I do this because of my previous experience, I have transmission PTSD. My previous vehicle was a 2015 Subaru Forester XT and the CVT overheated frequently. The light comes on at 270F and I had it pop up on 3 occasions. The CVT melted at 60K miles.
By the way, The Passports transmission is not prone to overheating. If the Passport is at 230F other single speed AWDs will be at 300F+ or catastrophic failure.
This all relates to crawl ratio, the more of it, the less hot it gets.
Very informative, great job JonDZ! Very impressive clearance numbers :)
Thank you Aaron!!! 🐊
@@JonDZ_Adventuring lol, we are heading to Naples Florida around Easter, I’ll be sure to video some gators on Alligator Loop Rd.
Ha! I look forward to it!
Yo where do I buy the kit? Someone please give me the link
Hi do you have info of the shop that sell the lift kit and shock?
Hi Kelly, the lift kit is made by Traxda. There’s a link in the video description
Hey Jon, traxda doesn’t call it out on the website but you’re using the ridgeline lift correct? Considering pilot passport and ridgeline are all interchangeable?
Yes, the lift works on all 3 vehicles. It’s recommended that the Pilot and Passport go with the 3.5” front / 3.0” rear lift kit
I have a 2013 Forester XT and have had my eye on the Passport but have read nightmares about the transmissions and the infotainment systems not working right and dealers not handling any fixes. Have you had any issues with yours so far?
I have to start off by saying that I felt the Passport was the true successor to the FXT, since it was killed off in 2019. We are a special kind of buyer. We want sportiness and we want utility and in 2019 there really weren’t any other options. I also need to point out that owners of 2014-2018 FXTs typically had their transmission go out at aground 100k miles. Mine lasted til 60K. So transmission problems in the Passport? No, the Passport has the 2nd Gen ZF9. I’m hearing there are more issues with the Rav 4 Aisin 8 speed transmission. Everyone else will have even more issues (Subaru, Nissan). Infotainment system is very temperamental. There was a recall a few month ago, and since then, it haven’t “locked up”. But when trying to run a bunch of Apple car play apps, it’ll act up. It might be because my phone is old, I have a iPhone 7 Plus.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Yeah thanks for the reply. My Forester is the old 4spd before they went CVT. Between dropping the turbo and the CVT, I love mine but I just can't buy another Subaru.
The turbo really makes the vehicle capable on the highway which is super important to me. Being able to pass at will and cleanly is so important with so many left lane campers in the Northeast.
I think I'm just going to keep maintaining the Forester until it hits the wall. Just ordered some of the Kings progressive springs and some Bilstein B6 series to give the suspension some new life.
GL with the Passport, I really like the way the lift looks and I live on a dirt road at elevation and routinely like to run dirt and gravel at a good clip up here so a bit of punch, and ground clearance capability is a great thing.
I'm also 6'5" and I fit in very few vehicles anymore which makes it harder to find the ones that work for me.
@@kingsqueak2221 the Passport does very well at elevation. I think it’s because of the gearing, it has little issue getting to move. As you know, even with a Turbo (I had a 2010 WRX as well), at elevation, it takes a while to get into boost range, but once there no more issues. By the way, I have 63k miles on the Passport.
Great video and information! Jon, I have a 2012 RAV4 V6 with diff lock. My question would my Toyo be worth modifying? (lift and an A-TRAC mod)
Heck yeah!! That’s a unicorn 🦄 Toyota RAV4. They have a rear locker mod that I saw on Instagram. A true mechanical rear locker!!!!!
Looks so much better with the lift.
Ty 🙏
Nooice brother can't wait to get my 2021 honda ridgeline and put a lift kit on it
I'm so jealous of the new front end... I may have to get it transplanted onto my Passport!
@@JonDZ_Adventuring do it lol
I drive that road to Big Bear so often. You could easily keep up with that forester. I drive my lifted Tacoma way faster on that same passing lane as that forester. I keep up with BMW 3 series. Its all about knowing the road and picking the correct line.
Back when I drove a 2015 Forester XT I got passed by a Toyota Sienna! This was in the middle of a snow storm too! 🤣 you locals/regulars are crazy!
Do they offer or upgrade under body protection? Do they tuck or cover CV boots to prevent them getting torn up. I have been building and breaking Off road stuff since 1984. I started with VW beetle sand rails and flat fender jeeps and went up from there. I learned alot testing vehicle components to their breaking point and beefing them up. Honda needs to change their first 2 gear ratios for lower off road speed and crawling and higher torque. Then they need to add a higher than normal ratio at the top for interstate speeds. Their all wheel drive system is great. The crawl ratio sucks. Then put a hill in front of them and you are gonna struggle. Do they offer a better upgraded half shaft for the lift combo?
Thanks for all the info Jon! one thing i can't find after googling- how much do the approach angle and departure angle improve after this lift?
You can Google the formula. I roughly measured 30 something-ish degrees approach at the center front bumper. The corner over hangs are at around 60 degrees because I got the bumper on those corner overhangs.
How do you fix the camber in the rear? Do you still need to put an adjustable ball joint? I took my lift off after the ball joint came loose (torqued to spec). Not sure what the ball joint does to towing weight limits either.
An upper arm that solves the camber and need to have an adj ball joint would be awesome!
With the 3.5” front / 3” rear Traxda lift, it was found that the rear had 1 degree of negative camber, which was within Honda’s specifications. You can try talking to Nolo Designs (skid plate maker). He figured out a way to run a ball joint in the rear on his 2021 Ridgeline
I’m wondering if you have to “climb” in to the vehicle with 3.5” lift compared to when it was stock.
Good question! I’m 6’1” so I just slide right in 😃.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring thanks do your shorter friends and family feel like it’s a climb?
With the lift kit what combined mpg are you getting now? you got a sweet setup buddy. I am a og Honda fan and I love that V6 vtec.
Mixed MPG isn’t really fair because I drive spirited around town. On the big open highway I’ll cruise. I also live in California, and our fuel has alot more additives than other states. I went on a recent road trip to Utah, and it proved that I get better MPG on gas outside of California. So, to answer your question, I get 21-23 mpg highway at 70 mph on flat ground and calm winds. In the city, I get 14-17 mpg (because I drive spirited).
@@JonDZ_Adventuring that's pretty mpg good with the lift kit mod. 👍
Hi Jon, I wanted your opinion on this topic..... if I buy the passport springs for my pilot, would that take me from 7.3in ground clearance to 8.1 ground clearance??? Or, do I need to replace more parts? It seems like the parts are similar, if not exact???
If you have Instagram, message @awd.nv he has done the transplant, and he has your answrr
So when adding the 3 1/2 inch front and 3 inch rear lift to a 2024 Ridgeline and the subframe drop in the axle relocation what is the largest tire size I can install?
I’m running 33” class tires 265/70R18. With the axle relocation kit, you would have to cut some front wheel well plastic. I personally don’t have the axle relocation kit. I shaved my rear wheel wells instead.
Now I have a better understanding of your setup after our interactions on instagram. By the way, I subscribed to your channel and think you have an amazing Ridgeline setup!
So, that 3.5” lift kit will slightly help you run taller tires. At stock height, the wheels center hub is just below where the tire would rub, at 2” lift it’s right in line with the center hub, which would make the rub worse, at a 3.5” lift, the rub zone is now higher than the center hub.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Thank you brother!!! More to come for sure!
The Traxda guy talks about the Axel relocation kit. In the beginning you mention that the 3.5” kit is just fine on the axels. Is the relocation kit a good addition? What’s up with that? I plan to buy a kit and want to make sure I order what I need to and get it all done the first time.
I really like your car bro. How did it compare to that tacoma off road? I own a 19 tacoma and that thing hardly breaks a sweat. I'm more worried about loosing my rear bumper than getting stuck. I eventually need to get a steel rear bumper
I am half way through this video. Based on what you have said so far this has some of the same off road hardware that the Bronco Sport Badlands has If I am not mistaken. It seems like this might be a better vehicle for several reasons. What are your thoughts from what you have seen out there? The Passport now has the trailsport, I am wondering if it may be a better option.
Hi how are you doing? First of all I love your Honda passport and your videos. I got a question do you know if there’s a lift kit like yours for a 2017 Subaru Impreza hatchback. I want to lift my Impreza and how much would it cost ? Thanks
check out Gorilla Off-Road Company they have a great selection and decent prices.
Thanks
Thanks Jorge! Hit up my buddy Robert Sean Griffith. He has lifted his Impreza HatchBack, put a roll cage on it. It’ll inspire you!
instagram.com/robertseangriffith?igshid=1wi72z3nt2gc5
@@JonDZ_Adventuring thanks
Too bad Traxada is so far away from Pittsburgh. I’d love to do this to my 2021 Ridgeline.
They ship their products to where ever in the world. They actually won’t perform a lift on any vehicle unless it’s part of research and development.
Do you know the largest tire diameter you can put on a stock RTL-E and maintain clearance in turnings? With 2” lift? With 31/2” lift? Thanks
I have a video about the largest tire you can fit. Here’s the link: ua-cam.com/video/c57eqe-V15c/v-deo.html
The 3.5 inch kit may fit a 31 inch tire if you keep the width under 10 inches in width, but I can’t confirm. May rub slightly.
If you want to run larger tires you can run the Traxda relocation kit or trim the metal wheel wheel.
Very cool vehicle! Looks great! How does it compare to your forester?
Thanks! It’s a night and day difference compared to the Forester.
Looking really good jon.
Thanks DJ! Traxda’s #2 customer is Chevy. Their #1 is actually Ford. I’m not even sure Honda is in their top 5, but maybe that will change! I’d love to see more mid sized Hondas on the trails!
Maybe they’ll have something for your build. They pricing is great too!
My original idea was 35s with a 6" lift. Now I know a little more that 35s are still in the future but now I am thinking only 3-4 inch at most of a lift. Your Honda will bring in a lot more Honda's in the overlanding world. Your doing a really good job in what u do. Your youtube channel is growing fast and will grow faster and a lot bigger soon. I can't wait until I get my rig closer to where I want it
Where is this at? Looks beautiful!
Various places in Southern and Eastern California.
-lone pine, CA
-Manzanar National Park
-Lytle creek, CA
-Big Bear, CA
Build is looking strong 💪
Thank you Hondo!!
Hi Jon! I wanted to know if you had a trans cooler installed?
Yes, only about 2 months ago 😃. It helps
What do you have up top for cargo box and pull out awning on your passport?
The cargo box (carrier) is the Thule Motion XT alpine. There’s actually two awnings in this video. The slimmer one is the Yakima slim
Shady, and the bigger one is the OVS (overlanding vehicle systems) 180 degree self supported awning.
Does the lift kit off set the tire sensors in the Pilot? Will Honda void out you warranty do to the modifications?
The lift kit does nor alter the speed sensor on the wheels or the TPMS sensors in the tires. That would be strange if it did 😃. Will Honda void the warranty? They would probably void the warranty on anything dealing with suspension related parts, but since I have 76K miles (81K actual), I’m waaaaaay passed any warranty on my vehicle. I believe Drive train is 60K and everything else is 36K. Nothing has broke.
What caused the stripped thread on the axel?
Good question. The threads were
Stripped when they hammered out the axles. Traxda isn’t setup for automotive repair and didn’t have a tap and die kit to fix the thread. They just ordered a passenger side front axle.
Great video! I’m still looking at this or the new Ridgeline to eventually lift. Have you heard of any wheel bearing issues occurring after installing these lifts or bigger tires? I’ve been told by a Subaru dealership that they’ve experienced this, yet they sell their cars lifted with bigger tires lol.
Subaru’s have strut top hats that prevent mounting +3 taller tires unless you use wheel spacers. It’ll take some really wide wheel spacers for that! On these Honda midsized vehicles there’s no top hat, so no need to space things out unless you want to run 275+mm tires. To me, taller is better with these vehicles. Width just kills MPG’s and adds unnecessary weight. I run 255/70R18. So mount tires taller than 31” you’ll need to either trim the wheel well or get an axle relocation kit. Wheel bearings aren’t affected out of normal wear if you use oem wheels.
Hey ! My dad just got a passport touring and he’s wondering if it’s ok to put 225/75/17 tires for the winter setup, the car is 100% stock so I don’t know if there would be any rubbing
Use www.tiresize.com to calculate the diameter of the tire. In this video, it’s mentioned that a 30.5” tire will rub slightly.
Your Dad’s tires come out to 30.3” so he should be fine, plus, since those tires are narrow, that will reduce the chance car of rub.
Hey did he ever get the tires? I’m trying to figure out what’s the biggest and widest tire I can get while I’m stock
Can we see yours next to a stock passport? I think that would really drive home the difference in 3.5 inches.
I shared some pictures on my Instagram account but I didn’t get any good footage next to another AWD passport. I even visited the dealer but the AWD passports go fast out here in California, so I’ve never seen one ever seen one since I bought mine back in February of 2019. I found a stock AWD passport parked at Costco and took some video footage but it was dark.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring I'll check out your insta 👍🏽
@@djw1091994 it’s part of my stories, here’s the link:
instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3ODgxNjA3MDU0MDQyNTc4?igshid=1gss4oiel9yk7&story_media_id=2486616493756884241
Always passing on that trail and road etiquette! ✋
I love your Mandalorian badge does it interfere with the radar at all?
Thanks! It’s a combination of a vinyl sticker and two different vinyl wrap colors. It does not interfere with Honda Sensing.
What a cool jacket with the pups on it! Where did you get it!!?
I wonder what the install is for the front lift kit. Prying the lower arm to get the shocks back it seems to be maxed out at 2". Not sure how 3" is going to work out for the Pilot.
You’ll need to loosen the subframe to install the 1” subframe spacers. Don’t full tighten those until you get the struts in.
Man she’s perty. Did you wrap it?
Yessir! I made a UA-cam video about it. I wrapped it myself. Materials cost me $600. This is special vinyl wrap, the basic stuff only cost me $300
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Excellent! I’m going to check it out. I want to wrap the roof of mine. White with a black contrasting roof should look nice
@@JonDZ_Adventuring could you link me your video? Having a hard time finding it.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring nm. I found it.
@@chrisperrywv glad you found it, hope you find the video helpful.
Good to meet u earlier