Your first line caught my brain: the people with those shiny rigs actually don't go out overlanding. I see them in cities and each time I mention how I get to drive for 3 weeks into a different country they try to advise me on which tyres I need, they insist on me having a 4wd yet in my areas of interest I'm okay with my 2wd van, they give all kids of advice, yet they don't do it. There's 2 reasons why I love your content: 1. You have done exactly what I want to do and your experience is so rich. U make clear what adventure is about. 2. You're not a millions of dollars guy who would scare us normal folks. Some people buy $100,000 vehicle then modify it with $150,000 and they are not my type. I like how u make it simple and you have made me want to go out more. DRC Congo is 150 miles from my home and I already plan a 6000km trip into DRC Congo all because of your inspiration. I'm happy for the content. It's about going out and do it. That's all.
@@TheRoadChoseMe Engine swaos are bad? I'm curious to know what you think about Jeep's new Gladiator JT pickup. That 3.6L V6 Pentastar engine is weak sauce for what the average guy will use the truck for on a daily basis. Next year, They are coming out with the 3.0L EcoDiesel and a new 6.4L Hemi V8 for the Wrangler and JT. Any thoughts on this? I'm more inclined to buy a JT with the EcoDiesel as I can install a heater (for sleeping quarters) that will run on 1 gallon of diesel fuel per 8 hours. A lot van dwellers have this setup for their Transit and Sprinter camper vans.
@@Sig721Tau I’m definitely not Dan and I don’t have his experience, but I would absolutely go with the Diesel. The Diesel won’t be fast and zippy but it has an outstanding amount of torque meaning you won’t have any trouble moving once you’re loaded down with camping gear. It also has the best mileage which is usually important for overlanding. The 6.4L Hemi is lots of fun but it’s a gas guzzler. It’s much better suited for weekend warriors who want maximum play capability rather than long term.
Are you talking dry conditions? Because my 2WD van and car both get easily stuck in wet, slushy, waterlogged grass, so going off-road after a lot of rain is always a challenge, maybe I'm doing something wrong.
Great advice! I have 33” tyres on my 76 series wagon, which is factory size, basically. I did do an axel swap and brake booster upgrade to correct the wheel track (look that up) and improve braking safety as well as increased GVM for the 50mm lift. When I went to get it engineered for registration the very experienced gentleman said he saw my appointment and initially thought “great, another Instagram 70 on 37’s and a 4” lift that will never go off-road and be unsafe”. When I pulled up to his hoist, he put me in the air, looked under the car and didn’t say much. Took his photos and wrote his notes, put me down and said “thank-you, you’ve turned a Toyota land-rollover into a Landcruiser! you’ve actually improved it and not gone overboard” I took that as a compliment from an experienced person like that! Now I want to know the Mercedes diesel story. The Mercedes and overlanding enthusiasts is curious!
All great advice, agree completely. I'd also add: never go to over landing shows or watch UA-cam channels that are sponsored and only exist to sell you stuff you don't need after they win your trust. One thing I really love about this channel is the honesty and the open minded approach to what one really needs.
The shows & channels are fine, just KNOW you don’t need all that stuff. But there is occasionally a ground breaking or trail blazing new product that IS or CAN BE very useful (not necessarily required or needed). And the shows and channels can be very entertaining.
Love this video! I’ve done thousands and thousands of miles overlanding across North America in my Jeep. I amazed at the comments I get from people telling me I could build my Jeep better. LOL
Experience based advice, the best kind of advice you can get. After watching the video about the diesel conversion, I can completely understand why you are against engine swapping.
I’m just starting to get into overlanding, this is probably the best video I’ve come across so far. It has been a little discouraging to see so many expensive builds when I’m on a tight budget. So it’s nice to see that most of that is the flash and materialism that much of society is consumed with.
My personal advice is buy something reliable but cheap. Do as the man says and make a few trips. Its easier to resale a stock vehicle and pickup another. Modified vehicles are usually sold at a great loss. I have found here in Reno that most of my trips are 1-2 nites and about 600 miles max. No need for a lot of the extras. I also tend to set up a base camp and them explore in loops that take me out and return my to same place. No its not an around the world adventure. But its still the most common length trip most of us will do. An extra couple gas cans will do.
I went to one overland show and I must say if every other one is the same I think that’ll be my last. The show was more about people showing off their trick new suspension with remote reservoir racing shocks or alucab camper that cost more than a house then it was about travel. We brought my brothers newest home built teardrop trailer that he’s spent many many nights in and no one at the show even noticed it, even though it was one of the more practical setups there. My time is better spent in the forest or desert actually using my gear versus showing off how much I spent.
You're right. Myself gets bored on the competition on stuff they carry rather than talking adventure. U know why I like listening to people who do adventures on motorcycles? Same reason: they actually carry too little yet explore too much and I try stealing their motorcycle mentality in adventure and put it into vehicle Overland
It's funny that you mention that. I once had a conversation with a guy who was planning to drive is Defender 110 around the world. He modified this thing to a "T". New, upgraded, non-standard suspension, Engine swapped with a MB model, interior totally made over, pop-up shell for the roof....on and on. Well, the conversation came around to why he choose the Defender...answer: "because it's so common you can get parts anywhere and every mechanic knows how to fix one". The irony of not getting that his mods would make getting parts and repairs very difficult.
@John Walker - I agree, though I will add that if you spend time in the campgrounds at those shows, and talk to "real" people (not just salespeople) you'll meet some really, really interesting people who do prioritize travel, and who have amazing home-built stuff that really, really works. It's also great when you're walking around and stop to look at something and the owner proudly walks you through it... then says "Hey, do you want a beer?" and before you know it you have a roaming hoard of 20 people going through the campground chatting and checking everything out. By far the part of those shows I enjoy the most!
Absolutely agree. The whole thing has become so commercialised. Companies actively encourage you to buy stuff, a lot of which looks good, but in reality will never be used. Like small 4x4’s with winches fitted that could pull a semi….why? Or tyres so much larger than stock that they put so much additional strain on and destroy the steering system and wheel bearings…..My goal is KISS….keep it simple (and where possible) stock….
Thank you for the clarity and honesty. There is definitely a tendency for people into vehicles to do more, faster, better, etc but it's ultimately about the experience OUT THERE rather than the addiction to adding stuff to an online cart.
I've just finished buying a JLU and this vid alone has changed my mindset on what I thought an overlander is. Thank you for your willingness to share this info.
Love the straight ahead “common sense” advice that’s not so common. Experience is everything. You’ve served me tons of money just by highlighting what I don’t need… in particular it was your internet and coms video… a sat phone is cool to have to talk to friends and family but in an emergency, who are you going to call… the person outside your window at any given moment is your best option for help, no tech required. You’re doing great work here, keep it up!!
AWESOME VIDEO!!! The information you give is priceless. As an American who has been camping my entire life; I'm relatively new to overlanding (5 years). My rig is a 2005 Ford Expedition 4X4 (because it's what I owned when I started). The ONLY mods to the drivetrain/suspension is a 2.5 inch lift and a rear E-Locker. Oh, well I did swap the factory 17"X7" rims for (factory) 18"X10" rims and running 33.5X18X12" all terrain tires. I'm more than happy with my rig build, and I even (stupidly) got stuck in the Arizona desert for 2 days before help came along . . . I had everything I needed to comfortably survive, and after getting a little tug I was on my way again! I built my rig with everything I need, but nothing I don't!
Awesome, straight forward, no frills, simple, based on experience advice one can actually use. Thanks!! (as always). To answer your question: yes, I made the mistake to choose tires and wheels as my first mod. I chose the wrong tires--too wide (12.5): now having cow shit and mud on your vehicle during a weekend trail run may be fine, but during a 6 week or more long trip, that cow shit becomes pretty old... :) I should have chosen a narrower. On the plus side, I am glad I stuck to 33s! Live and learn.
Favorite UA-camr currently, I'm planning an (long term, not trip duration but build completion) overlanding build on an Jeep XJ and his videos always snap me back to reality.
The Practical Overlander. Always good bits of info from you. In the US, you can have a great time just using a 2WD and a small teardrop or RTT. There are tons of beautiful places accessible thru our State and National Parks.
Best overlanding videos out there! No one comes close! Thanks Dan for all the quality content. Always to the point and giving us real world, first hand perspective!!
One thing I learned in the two and a half years with my 4x4 is overlanding and off-roading are two completely different things. As you said, most off-road dedicated rigs are basically buggies and can’t be driven long distance or daily.
99 % of the blinged out rigs I be ever seen have NEVER been off road let alone dirty or muddy. The beaters are the ones that have truly been off-road. And learned something growing up in FL (Mud Bog territory). Off-roading is way different from mudding (or rock crawling), I don’t care how nice you rig is, if you rock crawl or mud bog… you breaking your rig!
Totally agree about these. Iv been follow 2 peoples in social media about their overlanding. 1st guy start build an overlanding vehicle. 2nd one just go and byy 10 year old Nissan and hit the road. That 2nd has drive around the wordl and make a book about it. 1st one still building his vehicle in garage 😆
I'm planning my intial build and trip heading south thru central and south America, Im glad i came across your channel. You really simplify what is needed as well as having a grounded and realistic approach. Seeing all these other over engineered builds takes away from the character one should gain along the way.
Absolutely, the people you meet on the road are keeping it simple and actually going on the big adventure, rather than having a big complicated vehicle that doesn't go anywhere much!
Perfect summary. I would add 4th item - safety. Gotta be able to pump a tyre back, gotta be able to un-bog yourself, gotta be able to deal with injuries and the most important thing - water. So my safety list would be: decent air compressor (150 psi, around 150 liters per minute for 20 minutes between stops), recovery kit, med kit, snake bite kit, jump starter and emergency water supply of 4l/1 gallon per person per day.
You are absolutely right, thank you for that video. In my Defender everything is standard and upgrades, like boxes in unused space or a second battery, came in after I had bad experience on journeys without them. And as a fun fact: locals in foreign countries sometimes drive nearly dead or brand new out of factory cars and don't have fancy things in their trunks. Keep on traveling! Greetings from Germany.
One your best videos yet, I particularly like that you pointed out the very real issue of designing and building a suspension mod before the rest of the rig. That is true for ANY suspension mod, on any rig, off-roader, overlander, tow rig, race car, etc. You need to know how heavy and what the balance is before you go messing about with the suspension, or you're likely to just have to do it over anyway. Great content.
Thanks for the tips Dan. I learned a few of these the hard way. I did the suspension and tires first which worked great until I loaded it up for a 3 week long overland trip. The springs weren’t rated for the extra weight and the vehicle in the back was near bottomed out just parked. On the freeway any sudden dip at high speeds would cause the bump stops to hit. Easy enough to fix but requires better springs and adjustable shocks which I just bought. I wish I had thought about it more when I started out as it would have saved me time and money.
This was really great to hear. I’m just starting this overlanding thing and have a 2007 Ford Expedition. A lot of people tell me it’ll never do what it needs to for Overlanding, but by your logic it’s perfect for right now.
Great video and great ideas . I was getting caught up in a perfect build and that was the wrong mind set . Glad I was just thinking and not wasting money yet ! Lol. Cheers.
I needed to hear this, I just bought a 2003 montero and I’ve been stressing about spending loads of money on “overland needs” but my overland needs are my camping gear inside the car😁
Love your channel you make valid points... I had a four-door Jeep JL 2018 and I tow a off road Square drop trailer i built... It's 450 km to the nearest town from me in the Northwest territories and another 600 Km and some to Yellowknife I've got 200 Km nasty Gravel, pothole and mud so we're continually overloading ...lol but truthfully I'm amazed at the vehicles that are used up here mostly SUVs and trucks... But my jeep would be running on empty trying to get to the nearest town I was always packing gas...... The ride was rough so we traded it for a 2020 ford F 150 lariat diesel 3.0 I have twice the range less than half the cost in fuel and way more comfort and I can carry more stuff..... Rather than loading my roof rack up..... I'll put a little bit better shocks tires later on... As we always Boondock. But the truck even has a rear locker, so you're right it depends on your needs......whats fantastic about the diesel I don't even know I'm towing and it never gets past 1500 RPM fully loaded and super quiet.... Yes I did think of putting a diesel in my JL jeep....lol even getting the new diesel jeep but the financing was way better for the truck and they gave me $18,000 off...soooo the savings I can put a rack on the back.... Love your videos maybe you can do a video on the biggest overlanding mistakes you've maybe funny campfire stories.......
It’s amazing how many people have told me my stock 2006 Jeep Rubicon will not go here or there because I don’t have lift or huge tires. Then I out perform their rig and they are so surprised. People have been programmed to think they need things they really don’t.
All your mistakes you saw are very valid.. Except the engine one, on a new vehicle you are 100% right. But my 1987 SWB Pajero, has a 50hp petrol engine. You can engine swap a eotech V6 supercharged Commodore motor in it to give it surprisinly better milage (newer engine). about 5-6x more power (50hp vs ~280hp) and being a commodore engine for Australia.. Parts are very very common (nearly ever scrapyard and 2nd hand parts dealer in Australia has a few commodores sitting in a yard) but thats a very niche example.
Very sound advice. Keep it simple and basic mods to suit your needs. I’m a diesel man and if I want a diesel car I buy one with a diesel motor in it!! Why stuff around swapping motors which will always cause problems somewhere along the line. Loving the content you do on Overlanding. Cheers!
I do honestly believe your 100% correct on everything you’ve said with 1 small exception. WATER. I live in aust. And here if you get stuck or get lost than water is life and that extra 20-30 litres may save your life. But having owned decidecated rock buggies ect I’m with everything else you’ve said 100% bang on. Keep going brother wicked vids correct info. Enjoy your journeys
This is soooo good! You nailed it. I know all of these things from experience too, but I should probably re-watch this video once a month to make sure I keep my current build on point 😂
I see one, beneficial engine swap option and it's because the engine displacement is merely increased but is still the same base block of the engine. Specifically, going from the Ford Bronco II or Ranger pickup up to 1990 2.9l Cologne V6 switching up to the 4.0l Cologne V6 is and has often been the best upgrade for capability and fuel economy as the bigger engine doesn't have to work as hard. I personally got 38mpg in my '89 Bronco II with the 2.9l with a K&N stock air box filter and a Magnaflow muffler, towing a 14' boat with a 12' Porta-bote inside with 2 outboard motors (56 and 57lbs each respectively, two children one skinny wife and a week's worth of camping and fishing gear, clothes, and food. It was a fluke, the trip was from North of Salt Lake City to Jackson Lake, Wyoming. And, with an automatic transmission no less(overdriven) great little rig, someday I may have to install my spare 4.0l into my new one.
Good advice - I really like the fact that Old Man Emu offers springs in light, moderate and heavy load ranges for many of the 4x4's in their catalog. If someone follows your advice, ordering springs will be based on knowledge, rather then guess work.
Very clear and accurate. I did the Simpson Desert and 200,000km (125,000 miles) in 7 years through remote Australia, with a stock Navara, except for All Terrain tyres, 50 usable amp hours of battery, 3 Gerry cans and a fridge. The vehicle I am now planning for the Australia to UK and back trip will have a roof top tent, small 2 burner cooking stove, water heater, AT tyres 150usable amp hours of battery, fridge and 100lt water tank, for 2 people.
2003, I engineered my ExpeditionVehicle after my Very Significant Other got sick. In one week, we completed our conversion while selling everything. We left Oregon with the goal of 'south...'. We did south America twenty-four months twenty-four thousand miles. Alaska, Panama, all over north and central America. Winters on Baja beaches. Our rig is a 1997 Ford CF8000 commercial truck. Cummins 8.3 mechanical, Allison 3060. Sixteen inch ground clearance, standard 24.5 truck tires. Our GVWR is fifteen ton, across the scales is seven ton, leaving a comfortable cushion for cargo. Simple can be better. The nifty shiny gear is just stuff. If the thought of starting paralyzes you, join a caravan of experienced overlanders to learn from their combined decades of breaking and discarding stuff. Mike Rowe: "Safety third!"
I'm guilty of a bunch of similar thinking over the years. What perhaps has struck me the most recently is having my disco on axle stands over the summer and me ending up borrowing my dad's rear-wheel drive converted sprinter van to do a few trips in. Sure, I ended up looking for campsites where the disco wouldn't have blinked but the sprinter was a complete no-go, but that didn't really affect the trip. I camped somewhere else instead. After spending like 10 nights with your own toilet, a fridge, solar, a bed that doesn't need to be converted every night... ok, so you're not the coolest car on the road, so you can't drive down to the beach, so you can't take the smallest forest paths, but in the end you have many MORE alternatives for overnighting because you're just in a non-descript white van and you can be comfortable on a whole other level. If it was 4WD and had a bit more clearance... I think we have a winner.
I can very much relate to this. Having a good night of sleep is the top priority. I recently overlanded Sweden and temperatures dropped down to 5° Celcius - I was freezing even when sleeping inside of the Jeep with a good quality sleeping bag. Now the top priority for further gear is a portable Diesel heater which is probably not considered 'sexy' gear
Dan, Thank you for taking the time to show us all of the beautiful scenery, and tell us about your good, and sometimes bad, experiences. Like always, I look forward to your next video. Cheers and Safe travels.
You are an interesting character. Lol. I don't always agree with your logic but you're spot on with all 5 points here. Make your upgrades slowly as you figure out what works for you is the best advice!
Great commentary on not doing too much stuff. Recently watched a well known “experienced overland” guy load up his with two Dcdc chargers, way too much battery capacity, too much solar , too much fuel tank capacity, and guess what? His brand new prepared vehicle was WAY OVER legal weight maximum. And it must have cost a fortune. And probably complex to run and fix in the Bush. Madness ! Cheers
Great advice once again! I built my own overlander van and my priorities were weight, space and everything must be dual purpose. Keeping the weight down saves you a lot of money because there is no need for any power or suspension upgrades and the vehicle is not under strain.
You learned in a few years what I spent decades doing! And you're correct, most of that stuff doesn't really make for a good overlanding vehicle. I only wish I had all that money that I wasted trying to build crazy vehicles so I could have spent it on actually traveling!! Keep these coming!! Best series on the web for the real world of overlanding!!!
At my house we have a variety of vehicles for travel. My restoration Jeep ZJ has a better rear axle with a Trutrac differential. Because I got the Jeep for free because the original had a broken housing that ate differentials. I replaced all the suspension rubber bushings and stuff. The shocks were upgraded , but about $55 a piece. Upgraded the tires to 255/70-15 General AT2's. That 23 year Jeep has no problem visiting remote ghost towns around the California and Nevada deserts. My '16 Ram 1500 Quadcab 4wd Ecodiesel 3.92 axle ratio. It has a camper shell, with adventure gear inside. I did upgrade the shocks for better highway travel. The suspension got a mild 2" lift to allow floataion 33" tires over the stock 31.6" tires. That combination gets a minimum fuel economy of 25mpg. But has delivered up to 52mpg traveling 50mph on country backroads. I have upgraded the front suspension upper and lower control arms. Because as my old daily driver. The freeways have been tough on the front suspension. The dirt roads are usually taken slower more casual pace. It does have about 160,000 miles though. The beast of our adventure vehicles is my wife's '18 Ram 2500 Crewcab 4wd 6.7L Cummins diesel powered beast. It was only modified with better shocks and more durable all weather tires. But it does pull our 27ft travel trailer real nice. But we are shopping for a smaller trailer that will fit in more adventurous locations when we want a different trailering experience. So I do agree, it is unlikely we can build the Ultimate vehicle.
I actually am building a rig from the chassis up, custom body and everything. My goal is vehicle longevity and ease of maintenance, the cabin is the largest part of the body, and I’d like to find the most comfortable lay flat seats for sleeping. The size of water tanks, and number of fuel cells will be limited by space, and I do expect the vehicle to be heavy, so it is powered by the stock Diesel engine the donor vehicle came with. I’m planning on keeping stock component sizes, but using the strongest versions, such as an F350 front axle as opposed to the weak F150 or F250 split front axle.
love your videos. giving real world advice from your first hand experience. i did a road trip across the USA in my 2016 F150 4x4 in july 2020 sleeping in a ground tent half the time hotel the other half. 8,000 miles in 22 days. It changed they way I think about long trips. the likelihood of me doing aggressive off-roading is low because i want to protect my vehicle and not have any problems which would harm my trip(s) and cost money. So now instead of me planning on lifting my F150 and putting bigger tires and a roof top tent i'm going to buy a high roof cargo van as a second vehicle and make it into a half RV and half business vehicle. Easy to do and live with during trips but can still be used to load products and cargo. platform bed will be removable. the worst thing i'll probably drive down is a rough dirt road for 100 miles here and there. Plan to drive from southeast USA to Alaska summer 2021
Great advice, especially about vehicle mods! Speaking as someone with a very highly modified car(not my potential overland rig) I've learned that upgrading usually invites lots of unplanned issues that you are constantly chasing! Plus stock is a lot easier to diagnose and repair!
It seems I'm headed in the right direction. I bought my 2020 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Extended Cab with my eyes on an overland/bug out truck. I have no plans to ever swap the engine, unless i have to. Even then, I'm just gonna find another colorado 3.6L gasser. I have no intentions on rock crawling until after my warranty is up, if at all. The plan is building a camper in the bed using a canopy (reason i chose the ext cab was the 6'2" bed), so keeping under payload means not overdoing the extras. The best thing about the truck is the capability it rolls off the lot with, allows me to focus everything but the truck itself. First build is to make my dog comfortable in the back seat area. Then its the camper interior, the chuck box/kitchen, and canopy exterior. Once I'm done all that, I'll look at upgrading suspension and breaking. Your channel and a few others I watch regularly have been a big help in making sure I do this the right way. Thank you for making these vids, and I look forward to seeing more of them.
Very well said Dan. I too fell to the charms of diesel when I went about figuring out a vehicle that would do double duty as a daily driver and overland travel vehicle. However I didn’t swap. I wanted an IDI diesel (to account for bad fuel) and well capable from factory rather than adding stuff later. I kept a look out for a Mercedes or Land Cruiser diesel. Ironically ended up with an OM606 (from factory) Merc G Wagen :). Slapped some KO2s and that’s it. Didn’t mod anything else. Where the vehicle fell short is my expectations of fuel range. I only manage 14mpg so even the 25 gallon tank just gives me 350 miles of range. But no matter. I don’t intent to sell or mod. Just use this to discover new places and travel. Love your videos and especially the no muss no fuss format of your delivery. No stupid music etc. just straight to the point. Keep up the amazing work.
The Road Chose Me Whenever you are around North California please do ping me. I would love to catch up share and learn from you. I specifically went for the OM606 because of the combo of good power for daily driving at modern speeds, IDI means less diesel fuss and seeing how these have done in other applications I am hoping they will be reliable. The fuel pump is the only major electronic item which can be replaced with a mechanical one from Diesel Pump UK. The 290 with OM602 was another consideration due to its legendary reliability but very under powered at 90-120HP.
Good, sensible, solid and practical advice here Dan. Not only applies to overlanding but life in general. "Meet your needs and not your greeds" is an expression that comes to mind. Life is better when we keep things simple.
Your video is a nice splash of reality, thank you. I am reaching retirement age, my bucket list is to tour the America's in retirement. I will be living in my vehicle for long periods (yrs) so a van (indoor space) is appealing. I enjoy travelling off the beaten path, exploring the backroads and true culture of the countries I am visiting. In your opinion, can this be accomplished in a 4WD Sprinter or similar platform, or am I better served with a +1 ton truck/camper set-up? I would appreciate feedback from those who have come before me. Cheers all!
Another great video! I've been traveling the US west and I have learned myself what you need and what you don't need. I'm also in the midst of purchasing and outfitting a jeep gladiator and trading in my 2010 jk. I like your advice about the needs of your vehicle and how sometimes circumstance change. I got stuck behind a cattle drive for 3 hours on a tight mountain road and it was just slow enough to where 1st gear was too fast, so lots of clutch play. That, plus my wife hates driving a stick rig up and down the rockies. Time for an upgrade that fits our needs
Lol me and my brother were just chatting about my Jeep XJ and overlanding and he suggested switching out the stock V6 motor and replacing it with a Chevy V8 because according to him, it will make the gas mileage better. Thanks for making this one Dan, I was seriously considering making the swap.
Thank you for this sage advice. I am new to overlanding and trying to determine how best to modify my rig and make a priority list on how to spend my $$$ budgeted. Subd!!
Great video. With your extensive experience I would love to see a video of things you need and things you don't need for specific roads or areas of the world. Assume everyone has their basic overlander build complete. What extra do you need or don't need for each trip. For example. Dempster Highway. Need: extra spare, warm clothes. Don't need extra fuel, lots of lights. Africa Need: extra water, water purification, extra fuel. Don't need: diesel heater or engine. This would really help people either prepare their vehicle for a specific trip or even choose a trip that already fits their vehicle. I realize some of that information is in your videos of each region or trip you've been on. Would love to see it compiled into one video. Thanks for considering.
The only counter I have to suspension is that factory suspension is often more geared towards pavement travel even in a 4WD vehicle, and trucks/utes specifically have about a 2 inch raise in the rear to compensate for weight you might be carrying in the bed or on the hitch while pulling a trailer. In pretty much all cases, if you can afford it and you travel off-road a lot, it's worth spending the money on a good, comfortable, and reliable suspension system specifically geared towards the kind of driving you do and how much weight you're carrying. But like you said, it's important to consider how much weight will be in the vehicle when it's fully loaded or else you're just gonna screw the whole thing up.
Oh, I agree 100% that it can be really beneficial to upgrade suspension (and tires), but what I'm saying is figure out if you ACTUALLY NEED it before doing so. Don't make it your first upgrade, and certainly don't do it before you've even used the vehicle!
Couldn't agree more with Dan on this topic! Having done three road trips lasting 30+days and 12,000+ km each, I can speak from experience that the only modification I ever needed for my Subaru Outback was just a roof rack and a set of KO2 all-terrain tires. to be totally honest, there are only 3 things you need to make your vehicle a base camp: .a stove, a water tank and a power station.
I once heard it said you need A place to lay your head, a place to keep your beer and meat cold, and a way to make that meat brown. Everything else is optional :)
A someone who has LS swapped their JKU I'd agree with you. It's a blast to drive around town and on local trips but it cost a LOT all said and done and introduced a ton of issues with heat (mostly exhaust) that are not sorted enough yet to use it for long trips. A factory supplied V8 wrangler would probably be a better story on the reliability side but would also probably be $70k+...
Thank you for the video, 100% make sense, I'm building my LC105 and suspension and tyres are last on the list as I don't know if I will need GVM upgrade after installing all which I think would be necessary for my particular needs, I'm building an off-grid overlander where I can sleep inside the car without requiring a tent.
Firstly I must say how much I agree with the vast majority of the content you produce which is excellent. I have some differences of opinion mostly because I was at the more extreme end of the spectrum. I was an expeditioneer and did trips that required the max of everything...foremost reliability and endurance, then capacity and then comfort. Horses for courses...literally. Of the utmost important was cooling so no cracked cylinder heads, bigger radiators and fans and such, followed by filtration systems for the fuel and air. Some after market systems are better the oe as original is often built to a budget, then capacity...if your following towns and main routes then cool, if not you absolutely need capacity and redundancy, don't forget if your going hard in low range in heavy sand then your fuel consumption is going to be astronomicly higher, sometimes down to 1-2 miles to the gallon...it depends on the envoirament absolutely. Spares, recovery, food and water reserves and the ability to filter water, always prepare for the worst to come out the best. And damn it...DON'T buy cheap shitty tools!!! ...and a good pillow, don't forget a really good pillow....and the fan, don't forget the fan!!! ...and wet wipes. Don't ask, you'll find out. Have a great one guys and a big thanks for the vid, loved it and subbed.
Yup! I went to OE and saw more ways to waste money than anywhere, other than a boat show. That said, I will admit I got the bug. I have done all the little stuff; lights, sound, recovery, comms, etc myself. A lot of work nobody sees but makes me feel good. I have run some great tracks on stock and have learned about new tires, suspension, etc. Just finished a suspension and undercarriage upgrade which, again, is understated but capable. Backed off the bumper and winch work until I see how I use the current config. Wise words. Besides my loving spouse notices little about my investment thus far.
My vehicle has over 1000 mile range, my main reason was to purchase fuel in states that have more reasonable prices, and I think for me it has been working well, when I do more dirt driving I carry less fuel but the tank does take up much storage space ,thanks again
“Maybe your spare tire is so heavy you can’t change it yourself” that shade at the 40 inchers tho 😂
Your first line caught my brain: the people with those shiny rigs actually don't go out overlanding. I see them in cities and each time I mention how I get to drive for 3 weeks into a different country they try to advise me on which tyres I need, they insist on me having a 4wd yet in my areas of interest I'm okay with my 2wd van, they give all kids of advice, yet they don't do it.
There's 2 reasons why I love your content:
1. You have done exactly what I want to do and your experience is so rich. U make clear what adventure is about.
2. You're not a millions of dollars guy who would scare us normal folks. Some people buy $100,000 vehicle then modify it with $150,000 and they are not my type. I like how u make it simple and you have made me want to go out more.
DRC Congo is 150 miles from my home and I already plan a 6000km trip into DRC Congo all because of your inspiration.
I'm happy for the content. It's about going out and do it.
That's all.
I'm happy to hear it's useful!
@@TheRoadChoseMe
Engine swaos are bad? I'm curious to know what you think about Jeep's new Gladiator JT pickup. That 3.6L V6 Pentastar engine is weak sauce for what the average guy will use the truck for on a daily basis. Next year, They are coming out with the 3.0L EcoDiesel and a new 6.4L Hemi V8 for the Wrangler and JT. Any thoughts on this? I'm more inclined to buy a JT with the EcoDiesel as I can install a heater (for sleeping quarters) that will run on 1 gallon of diesel fuel per 8 hours. A lot van dwellers have this setup for their Transit and Sprinter camper vans.
@@Sig721Tau I’m definitely not Dan and I don’t have his experience, but I would absolutely go with the Diesel. The Diesel won’t be fast and zippy but it has an outstanding amount of torque meaning you won’t have any trouble moving once you’re loaded down with camping gear. It also has the best mileage which is usually important for overlanding. The 6.4L Hemi is lots of fun but it’s a gas guzzler. It’s much better suited for weekend warriors who want maximum play capability rather than long term.
I’m convinced those people are “Instalanders” who spend more time on social media than they do on dirt.
Are you talking dry conditions? Because my 2WD van and car both get easily stuck in wet, slushy, waterlogged grass, so going off-road after a lot of rain is always a challenge, maybe I'm doing something wrong.
This has to be one of the most sensible overlanding videos available on youtube, Well done.
“Go out and LEARN what you NEED”. Could not have said it more simpler than that.
so true
Great advice! I have 33” tyres on my 76 series wagon, which is factory size, basically. I did do an axel swap and brake booster upgrade to correct the wheel track (look that up) and improve braking safety as well as increased GVM for the 50mm lift. When I went to get it engineered for registration the very experienced gentleman said he saw my appointment and initially thought “great, another Instagram 70 on 37’s and a 4” lift that will never go off-road and be unsafe”. When I pulled up to his hoist, he put me in the air, looked under the car and didn’t say much. Took his photos and wrote his notes, put me down and said “thank-you, you’ve turned a Toyota land-rollover into a Landcruiser! you’ve actually improved it and not gone overboard” I took that as a compliment from an experienced person like that!
Now I want to know the Mercedes diesel story. The Mercedes and overlanding enthusiasts is curious!
You can see it in his first few videos and read about it on his blog. It's pretty heart-wrenching.
All great advice, agree completely. I'd also add: never go to over landing shows or watch UA-cam channels that are sponsored and only exist to sell you stuff you don't need after they win your trust.
One thing I really love about this channel is the honesty and the open minded approach to what one really needs.
The shows & channels are fine, just KNOW you don’t need all that stuff. But there is occasionally a ground breaking or trail blazing new product that IS or CAN BE very useful (not necessarily required or needed). And the shows and channels can be very entertaining.
You're a smart grounded whilst being very exeprienced traveller/ adventurer...thanks for the common sense valuable advice
Love this video! I’ve done thousands and thousands of miles overlanding across North America in my Jeep. I amazed at the comments I get from people telling me I could build my Jeep better. LOL
Experience based advice, the best kind of advice you can get. After watching the video about the diesel conversion, I can completely understand why you are against engine swapping.
I just love your way of thinking: keep it simple and enjoy the real travel. Well done mate!
Glad I didn’t fall into those holes….. you are my favorite, thank you!
I’m just starting to get into overlanding, this is probably the best video I’ve come across so far. It has been a little discouraging to see so many expensive builds when I’m on a tight budget. So it’s nice to see that most of that is the flash and materialism that much of society is consumed with.
Glad it was helpful! - let me know if you have any questions, I'd love to help you learn what you really need to get out there and have fun!
My personal advice is buy something reliable but cheap. Do as the man says and make a few trips. Its easier to resale a stock vehicle and pickup another. Modified vehicles are usually sold at a great loss. I have found here in Reno that most of my trips are 1-2 nites and about 600 miles max. No need for a lot of the extras. I also tend to set up a base camp and them explore in loops that take me out and return my to same place. No its not an around the world adventure. But its still the most common length trip most of us will do. An extra couple gas cans will do.
Viewing your videos have save me a lot a money no need for bigger tires etc
I went to one overland show and I must say if every other one is the same I think that’ll be my last. The show was more about people showing off their trick new suspension with remote reservoir racing shocks or alucab camper that cost more than a house then it was about travel. We brought my brothers newest home built teardrop trailer that he’s spent many many nights in and no one at the show even noticed it, even though it was one of the more practical setups there. My time is better spent in the forest or desert actually using my gear versus showing off how much I spent.
You're right. Myself gets bored on the competition on stuff they carry rather than talking adventure.
U know why I like listening to people who do adventures on motorcycles? Same reason: they actually carry too little yet explore too much and I try stealing their motorcycle mentality in adventure and put it into vehicle Overland
@@mugumyapaultheafricannomad9488 Bikepacking is very similar. Take the least, do the most.
It's funny that you mention that. I once had a conversation with a guy who was planning to drive is Defender 110 around the world. He modified this thing to a "T". New, upgraded, non-standard suspension, Engine swapped with a MB model, interior totally made over, pop-up shell for the roof....on and on. Well, the conversation came around to why he choose the Defender...answer: "because it's so common you can get parts anywhere and every mechanic knows how to fix one".
The irony of not getting that his mods would make getting parts and repairs very difficult.
@John Walker - I agree, though I will add that if you spend time in the campgrounds at those shows, and talk to "real" people (not just salespeople) you'll meet some really, really interesting people who do prioritize travel, and who have amazing home-built stuff that really, really works.
It's also great when you're walking around and stop to look at something and the owner proudly walks you through it... then says "Hey, do you want a beer?" and before you know it you have a roaming hoard of 20 people going through the campground chatting and checking everything out.
By far the part of those shows I enjoy the most!
Down to earth honest advice. The comments regarding suspension and tyre sizes were spot on. For overlanding it's all about practicalities, not posing
Absolutely agree. The whole thing has become so commercialised. Companies actively encourage you to buy stuff, a lot of which looks good, but in reality will never be used. Like small 4x4’s with winches fitted that could pull a semi….why? Or tyres so much larger than stock that they put so much additional strain on and destroy the steering system and wheel bearings…..My goal is KISS….keep it simple (and where possible) stock….
Thank you for the clarity and honesty. There is definitely a tendency for people into vehicles to do more, faster, better, etc but it's ultimately about the experience OUT THERE rather than the addiction to adding stuff to an online cart.
This is the best advice I have ever heard from anyone on overlanding, you are very wise.
Dan, as always you cut through the clutter with your disarming logic; it's so important to overcome peer conditioning.
Experienced advise, upfront and honest. Why would anyone give you a thumbs down for this excellent video?
I've just finished buying a JLU and this vid alone has changed my mindset on what I thought an overlander is. Thank you for your willingness to share this info.
Glad I could help!
Love the straight ahead “common sense” advice that’s not so common. Experience is everything. You’ve served me tons of money just by highlighting what I don’t need… in particular it was your internet and coms video… a sat phone is cool to have to talk to friends and family but in an emergency, who are you going to call… the person outside your window at any given moment is your best option for help, no tech required.
You’re doing great work here, keep it up!!
AWESOME VIDEO!!! The information you give is priceless. As an American who has been camping my entire life; I'm relatively new to overlanding (5 years). My rig is a 2005 Ford Expedition 4X4 (because it's what I owned when I started). The ONLY mods to the drivetrain/suspension is a 2.5 inch lift and a rear E-Locker. Oh, well I did swap the factory 17"X7" rims for (factory) 18"X10" rims and running 33.5X18X12" all terrain tires. I'm more than happy with my rig build, and I even (stupidly) got stuck in the Arizona desert for 2 days before help came along . . . I had everything I needed to comfortably survive, and after getting a little tug I was on my way again! I built my rig with everything I need, but nothing I don't!
Thank you Sir I am planning to overland from Malaysia to London with my wife and 2 kids in 2023.. Thank you for your information It’s really help..
Awesome, straight forward, no frills, simple, based on experience advice one can actually use. Thanks!! (as always). To answer your question: yes, I made the mistake to choose tires and wheels as my first mod. I chose the wrong tires--too wide (12.5): now having cow shit and mud on your vehicle during a weekend trail run may be fine, but during a 6 week or more long trip, that cow shit becomes pretty old... :) I should have chosen a narrower. On the plus side, I am glad I stuck to 33s! Live and learn.
Favorite UA-camr currently, I'm planning an (long term, not trip duration but build completion) overlanding build on an Jeep XJ and his videos always snap me back to reality.
Estoy armando un poroyecto y tus videos son de gran utilidad. Gracias ! Hasta la vista !
Always providing sage advice even when it’s hard for some people to hear. Thanks Dan!
The Practical Overlander. Always good bits of info from you.
In the US, you can have a great time just using a 2WD and a small teardrop or RTT. There are tons of beautiful places accessible thru our State and National Parks.
I love your videos...a guy who's "been there and done that" giving read advise on overlanding.
Excellent advice
Best overlanding videos out there! No one comes close! Thanks Dan for all the quality content. Always to the point and giving us real world, first hand perspective!!
I appreciate that!
Agree. And I also believe that the closer to stock, the better.
One thing I learned in the two and a half years with my 4x4 is overlanding and off-roading are two completely different things.
As you said, most off-road dedicated rigs are basically buggies and can’t be driven long distance or daily.
99 % of the blinged out rigs I be ever seen have NEVER been off road let alone dirty or muddy. The beaters are the ones that have truly been off-road. And learned something growing up in FL (Mud Bog territory). Off-roading is way different from mudding (or rock crawling), I don’t care how nice you rig is, if you rock crawl or mud bog… you breaking your rig!
Agree with you, my challenge is having a daily driver, setup for 4 for only week long trips vs suspension setup.
Totally agree about these. Iv been follow 2 peoples in social media about their overlanding. 1st guy start build an overlanding vehicle. 2nd one just go and byy 10 year old Nissan and hit the road. That 2nd has drive around the wordl and make a book about it. 1st one still building his vehicle in garage 😆
I'm planning my intial build and trip heading south thru central and south America, Im glad i came across your channel. You really simplify what is needed as well as having a grounded and realistic approach. Seeing all these other over engineered builds takes away from the character one should gain along the way.
Absolutely, the people you meet on the road are keeping it simple and actually going on the big adventure, rather than having a big complicated vehicle that doesn't go anywhere much!
Perfect summary. I would add 4th item - safety. Gotta be able to pump a tyre back, gotta be able to un-bog yourself, gotta be able to deal with injuries and the most important thing - water. So my safety list would be: decent air compressor (150 psi, around 150 liters per minute for 20 minutes between stops), recovery kit, med kit, snake bite kit, jump starter and emergency water supply of 4l/1 gallon per person per day.
You are absolutely right, thank you for that video. In my Defender everything is standard and upgrades, like boxes in unused space or a second battery, came in after I had bad experience on journeys without them. And as a fun fact: locals in foreign countries sometimes drive nearly dead or brand new out of factory cars and don't have fancy things in their trunks. Keep on traveling! Greetings from Germany.
One your best videos yet, I particularly like that you pointed out the very real issue of designing and building a suspension mod before the rest of the rig. That is true for ANY suspension mod, on any rig, off-roader, overlander, tow rig, race car, etc. You need to know how heavy and what the balance is before you go messing about with the suspension, or you're likely to just have to do it over anyway. Great content.
Spot on!! I've made ALL these mistakes bench-building my JKU... I'm very thankful for the vid!
Right on!
The humvee gots it covered 👌
this is such great advice !! thank you man, keep them coming !
Thanks, will do!
Thanks for the tips Dan. I learned a few of these the hard way. I did the suspension and tires first which worked great until I loaded it up for a 3 week long overland trip. The springs weren’t rated for the extra weight and the vehicle in the back was near bottomed out just parked. On the freeway any sudden dip at high speeds would cause the bump stops to hit. Easy enough to fix but requires better springs and adjustable shocks which I just bought. I wish I had thought about it more when I started out as it would have saved me time and money.
This was really great to hear. I’m just starting this overlanding thing and have a 2007 Ford Expedition. A lot of people tell me it’ll never do what it needs to for Overlanding, but by your logic it’s perfect for right now.
It’s too long of a wheel base for most rock crawling, but off-roading or 4 wheeling it’ll be fine.
Nice tips. Thanks for sharing your huge experience. Your 5th advice is excellent. "Usually less things means more fun".
Great video and great ideas . I was getting caught up in a perfect build and that was the wrong mind set . Glad I was just thinking and not wasting money yet ! Lol. Cheers.
Dan, while I completely agree with your points on practicality, cost, and fuel mileage, I still want to put a 600hp V8 426 Hemi in my JKU 😂
I needed to hear this, I just bought a 2003 montero and I’ve been stressing about spending loads of money on “overland needs” but my overland needs are my camping gear inside the car😁
You got this!
Love your channel you make valid points... I had a four-door Jeep JL 2018 and I tow a off road Square drop trailer i built... It's 450 km to the nearest town from me in the Northwest territories and another 600 Km and some to Yellowknife I've got 200 Km nasty Gravel, pothole and mud so we're continually overloading ...lol but truthfully I'm amazed at the vehicles that are used up here mostly SUVs and trucks... But my jeep would be running on empty trying to get to the nearest town I was always packing gas...... The ride was rough so we traded it for a 2020 ford F 150 lariat diesel 3.0 I have twice the range less than half the cost in fuel and way more comfort and I can carry more stuff..... Rather than loading my roof rack up..... I'll put a little bit better shocks tires later on... As we always Boondock. But the truck even has a rear locker, so you're right it depends on your needs......whats fantastic about the diesel I don't even know I'm towing and it never gets past 1500 RPM fully loaded and super quiet.... Yes I did think of putting a diesel in my JL jeep....lol even getting the new diesel jeep but the financing was way better for the truck and they gave me $18,000 off...soooo the savings I can put a rack on the back.... Love your videos maybe you can do a video on the biggest overlanding mistakes you've maybe funny campfire stories.......
It’s amazing how many people have told me my stock 2006 Jeep Rubicon will not go here or there because I don’t have lift or huge tires. Then I out perform their rig and they are so surprised. People have been programmed to think they need things they really don’t.
Another great video which we need to be brought back down to earth from the nice shiny overlanding equipment that we don't need
Absolutely!
Well done, as always. Thank you for sharing your knowledge that is based on 1000+ days of actually overlanding globally. Much appreciated!
My pleasure!
All your mistakes you saw are very valid.. Except the engine one, on a new vehicle you are 100% right. But my 1987 SWB Pajero, has a 50hp petrol engine. You can engine swap a eotech V6 supercharged Commodore motor in it to give it surprisinly better milage (newer engine). about 5-6x more power (50hp vs ~280hp) and being a commodore engine for Australia.. Parts are very very common (nearly ever scrapyard and 2nd hand parts dealer in Australia has a few commodores sitting in a yard) but thats a very niche example.
Very sound advice. Keep it simple and basic mods to suit your needs. I’m a diesel man and if I want a diesel car I buy one with a diesel motor in it!! Why stuff around swapping motors which will always cause problems somewhere along the line. Loving the content you do on Overlanding. Cheers!
I AGREE with everything you said!!!
I do honestly believe your 100% correct on everything you’ve said with 1 small exception. WATER. I live in aust. And here if you get stuck or get lost than water is life and that extra 20-30 litres may save your life. But having owned decidecated rock buggies ect I’m with everything else you’ve said 100% bang on. Keep going brother wicked vids correct info. Enjoy your journeys
This is soooo good!
You nailed it. I know all of these things from experience too, but I should probably re-watch this video once a month to make sure I keep my current build on point 😂
I see one, beneficial engine swap option and it's because the engine displacement is merely increased but is still the same base block of the engine. Specifically, going from the Ford Bronco II or Ranger pickup up to 1990 2.9l Cologne V6 switching up to the 4.0l Cologne V6 is and has often been the best upgrade for capability and fuel economy as the bigger engine doesn't have to work as hard. I personally got 38mpg in my '89 Bronco II with the 2.9l with a K&N stock air box filter and a Magnaflow muffler, towing a 14' boat with a 12' Porta-bote inside with 2 outboard motors (56 and 57lbs each respectively, two children one skinny wife and a week's worth of camping and fishing gear, clothes, and food. It was a fluke, the trip was from North of Salt Lake City to Jackson Lake, Wyoming. And, with an automatic transmission no less(overdriven) great little rig, someday I may have to install my spare 4.0l into my new one.
Good advice - I really like the fact that Old Man Emu offers springs in light, moderate and heavy load ranges for many of the 4x4's in their catalog. If someone follows your advice, ordering springs will be based on knowledge, rather then guess work.
Exactly right, that's why I think they're one if (if not THE) best in the industry!
Thanks again Dan. Your sound advice is saving me from making bi mistakes.
I'm really happy to hear that. If I can save one person the anguish I went though on the diesel swap it will help take a little of the sting out!
Very clear and accurate. I did the Simpson Desert and 200,000km (125,000 miles) in 7 years through remote Australia, with a stock Navara, except for All Terrain tyres, 50 usable amp hours of battery, 3 Gerry cans and a fridge. The vehicle I am now planning for the Australia to UK and back trip will have a roof top tent, small 2 burner cooking stove, water heater, AT tyres 150usable amp hours of battery, fridge and 100lt water tank, for 2 people.
2003, I engineered my ExpeditionVehicle after my Very Significant Other got sick.
In one week, we completed our conversion while selling everything.
We left Oregon with the goal of 'south...'.
We did south America twenty-four months twenty-four thousand miles.
Alaska, Panama, all over north and central America.
Winters on Baja beaches.
Our rig is a 1997 Ford CF8000 commercial truck.
Cummins 8.3 mechanical, Allison 3060.
Sixteen inch ground clearance, standard 24.5 truck tires.
Our GVWR is fifteen ton, across the scales is seven ton, leaving a comfortable cushion for cargo.
Simple can be better.
The nifty shiny gear is just stuff.
If the thought of starting paralyzes you, join a caravan of experienced overlanders to learn from their combined decades of breaking and discarding stuff.
Mike Rowe:
"Safety third!"
Sounds fantastic!
I'm guilty of a bunch of similar thinking over the years. What perhaps has struck me the most recently is having my disco on axle stands over the summer and me ending up borrowing my dad's rear-wheel drive converted sprinter van to do a few trips in. Sure, I ended up looking for campsites where the disco wouldn't have blinked but the sprinter was a complete no-go, but that didn't really affect the trip. I camped somewhere else instead. After spending like 10 nights with your own toilet, a fridge, solar, a bed that doesn't need to be converted every night... ok, so you're not the coolest car on the road, so you can't drive down to the beach, so you can't take the smallest forest paths, but in the end you have many MORE alternatives for overnighting because you're just in a non-descript white van and you can be comfortable on a whole other level. If it was 4WD and had a bit more clearance... I think we have a winner.
I can very much relate to this. Having a good night of sleep is the top priority. I recently overlanded Sweden and temperatures dropped down to 5° Celcius - I was freezing even when sleeping inside of the Jeep with a good quality sleeping bag. Now the top priority for further gear is a portable Diesel heater which is probably not considered 'sexy' gear
I wish to share this. Anyone can have the "ultimate" vehicle, it is the one that fit their needs for their life. Great video.
Dan, Thank you for taking the time to show us all of the beautiful scenery, and tell us about your good, and sometimes bad, experiences. Like always, I look forward to your next video. Cheers and Safe travels.
Glad you enjoyed it
You are an interesting character. Lol.
I don't always agree with your logic but you're spot on with all 5 points here.
Make your upgrades slowly as you figure out what works for you is the best advice!
Well said!
Love this...wish I could 'Like' it more than once. Most excellent Dan!
Thanks!
Great commentary on not doing too much stuff. Recently watched a well known “experienced overland” guy load up his with two Dcdc chargers, way too much battery capacity, too much solar , too much fuel tank capacity, and guess what? His brand new prepared vehicle was WAY OVER legal weight maximum. And it must have cost a fortune. And probably complex to run and fix in the Bush. Madness ! Cheers
your suggestions are spot on and make a lot of practical sense. I just wish there were more roof top tent and roof rack options for my JK 2dr though.
Great advice once again! I built my own overlander van and my priorities were weight, space and everything must be dual purpose. Keeping the weight down saves you a lot of money because there is no need for any power or suspension upgrades and the vehicle is not under strain.
Right on!
You learned in a few years what I spent decades doing! And you're correct, most of that stuff doesn't really make for a good overlanding vehicle. I only wish I had all that money that I wasted trying to build crazy vehicles so I could have spent it on actually traveling!! Keep these coming!! Best series on the web for the real world of overlanding!!!
Thanks for the feedback!
At my house we have a variety of vehicles for travel. My restoration Jeep ZJ has a better rear axle with a Trutrac differential. Because I got the Jeep for free because the original had a broken housing that ate differentials. I replaced all the suspension rubber bushings and stuff. The shocks were upgraded , but about $55 a piece. Upgraded the tires to 255/70-15 General AT2's. That 23 year Jeep has no problem visiting remote ghost towns around the California and Nevada deserts.
My '16 Ram 1500 Quadcab 4wd Ecodiesel 3.92 axle ratio. It has a camper shell, with adventure gear inside. I did upgrade the shocks for better highway travel. The suspension got a mild 2" lift to allow floataion 33" tires over the stock 31.6" tires. That combination gets a minimum fuel economy of 25mpg. But has delivered up to 52mpg traveling 50mph on country backroads. I have upgraded the front suspension upper and lower control arms. Because as my old daily driver. The freeways have been tough on the front suspension. The dirt roads are usually taken slower more casual pace. It does have about 160,000 miles though.
The beast of our adventure vehicles is my wife's '18 Ram 2500 Crewcab 4wd 6.7L Cummins diesel powered beast. It was only modified with better shocks and more durable all weather tires. But it does pull our 27ft travel trailer real nice. But we are shopping for a smaller trailer that will fit in more adventurous locations when we want a different trailering experience.
So I do agree, it is unlikely we can build the Ultimate vehicle.
I actually am building a rig from the chassis up, custom body and everything.
My goal is vehicle longevity and ease of maintenance, the cabin is the largest part of the body, and I’d like to find the most comfortable lay flat seats for sleeping. The size of water tanks, and number of fuel cells will be limited by space, and I do expect the vehicle to be heavy, so it is powered by the stock Diesel engine the donor vehicle came with. I’m planning on keeping stock component sizes, but using the strongest versions, such as an F350 front axle as opposed to the weak F150 or F250 split front axle.
Wise words from a very wise man.
love your videos. giving real world advice from your first hand experience. i did a road trip across the USA in my 2016 F150 4x4 in july 2020 sleeping in a ground tent half the time hotel the other half. 8,000 miles in 22 days. It changed they way I think about long trips. the likelihood of me doing aggressive off-roading is low because i want to protect my vehicle and not have any problems which would harm my trip(s) and cost money. So now instead of me planning on lifting my F150 and putting bigger tires and a roof top tent i'm going to buy a high roof cargo van as a second vehicle and make it into a half RV and half business vehicle. Easy to do and live with during trips but can still be used to load products and cargo. platform bed will be removable. the worst thing i'll probably drive down is a rough dirt road for 100 miles here and there. Plan to drive from southeast USA to Alaska summer 2021
It sounds like getting out there and getting experience taught you all the lessons you'll need! Perfect!
Great advice, especially about vehicle mods! Speaking as someone with a very highly modified car(not my potential overland rig) I've learned that upgrading usually invites lots of unplanned issues that you are constantly chasing! Plus stock is a lot easier to diagnose and repair!
Right on!
Spot on!
well put
It seems I'm headed in the right direction. I bought my 2020 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Extended Cab with my eyes on an overland/bug out truck. I have no plans to ever swap the engine, unless i have to. Even then, I'm just gonna find another colorado 3.6L gasser. I have no intentions on rock crawling until after my warranty is up, if at all. The plan is building a camper in the bed using a canopy (reason i chose the ext cab was the 6'2" bed), so keeping under payload means not overdoing the extras. The best thing about the truck is the capability it rolls off the lot with, allows me to focus everything but the truck itself. First build is to make my dog comfortable in the back seat area. Then its the camper interior, the chuck box/kitchen, and canopy exterior. Once I'm done all that, I'll look at upgrading suspension and breaking. Your channel and a few others I watch regularly have been a big help in making sure I do this the right way. Thank you for making these vids, and I look forward to seeing more of them.
Sounds like a brilliant plan! I like the way you think.
Hey Dan. Great video. Awesome advice and spot on, as always
Hey, thanks!
Very well said Dan. I too fell to the charms of diesel when I went about figuring out a vehicle that would do double duty as a daily driver and overland travel vehicle. However I didn’t swap. I wanted an IDI diesel (to account for bad fuel) and well capable from factory rather than adding stuff later. I kept a look out for a Mercedes or Land Cruiser diesel. Ironically ended up with an OM606 (from factory) Merc G Wagen :). Slapped some KO2s and that’s it. Didn’t mod anything else. Where the vehicle fell short is my expectations of fuel range. I only manage 14mpg so even the 25 gallon tank just gives me 350 miles of range. But no matter. I don’t intent to sell or mod. Just use this to discover new places and travel.
Love your videos and especially the no muss no fuss format of your delivery. No stupid music etc. just straight to the point. Keep up the amazing work.
I'd love to drive a factory OM606 G wagon to see what they're really like! I hardly drove mine at all before the engine blew up!
The Road Chose Me Whenever you are around North California please do ping me. I would love to catch up share and learn from you.
I specifically went for the OM606 because of the combo of good power for daily driving at modern speeds, IDI means less diesel fuss and seeing how these have done in other applications I am hoping they will be reliable. The fuel pump is the only major electronic item which can be replaced with a mechanical one from Diesel Pump UK. The 290 with OM602 was another consideration due to its legendary reliability but very under powered at 90-120HP.
Good, sensible, solid and practical advice here Dan. Not only applies to overlanding but life in general. "Meet your needs and not your greeds" is an expression that comes to mind. Life is better when we keep things simple.
Well said!
Your video is a nice splash of reality, thank you. I am reaching retirement age, my bucket list is to tour the America's in retirement. I will be living in my vehicle for long periods (yrs) so a van (indoor space) is appealing. I enjoy travelling off the beaten path, exploring the backroads and true culture of the countries I am visiting. In your opinion, can this be accomplished in a 4WD Sprinter or similar platform, or am I better served with a +1 ton truck/camper set-up? I would appreciate feedback from those who have come before me. Cheers all!
Another great video! I've been traveling the US west and I have learned myself what you need and what you don't need. I'm also in the midst of purchasing and outfitting a jeep gladiator and trading in my 2010 jk. I like your advice about the needs of your vehicle and how sometimes circumstance change. I got stuck behind a cattle drive for 3 hours on a tight mountain road and it was just slow enough to where 1st gear was too fast, so lots of clutch play. That, plus my wife hates driving a stick rig up and down the rockies. Time for an upgrade that fits our needs
Yikes, you don't ever, EVER want to be doing clutch play!
Lol me and my brother were just chatting about my Jeep XJ and overlanding and he suggested switching out the stock V6 motor and replacing it with a Chevy V8 because according to him, it will make the gas mileage better. Thanks for making this one Dan, I was seriously considering making the swap.
Huh, perfect timing! .. you'd have to drive 100,000 miles before you would actually save money!
No plans to go overloading, but I am still learning so much from your videos. Thank you!
Great to hear!
Thank you for this sage advice. I am new to overlanding and trying to determine how best to modify my rig and make a priority list on how to spend my $$$ budgeted. Subd!!
Awesome advice!
Glad you think so!
Great video. With your extensive experience I would love to see a video of things you need and things you don't need for specific roads or areas of the world. Assume everyone has their basic overlander build complete. What extra do you need or don't need for each trip. For example. Dempster Highway. Need: extra spare, warm clothes. Don't need extra fuel, lots of lights. Africa Need: extra water, water purification, extra fuel. Don't need: diesel heater or engine. This would really help people either prepare their vehicle for a specific trip or even choose a trip that already fits their vehicle. I realize some of that information is in your videos of each region or trip you've been on. Would love to see it compiled into one video. Thanks for considering.
The only counter I have to suspension is that factory suspension is often more geared towards pavement travel even in a 4WD vehicle, and trucks/utes specifically have about a 2 inch raise in the rear to compensate for weight you might be carrying in the bed or on the hitch while pulling a trailer. In pretty much all cases, if you can afford it and you travel off-road a lot, it's worth spending the money on a good, comfortable, and reliable suspension system specifically geared towards the kind of driving you do and how much weight you're carrying. But like you said, it's important to consider how much weight will be in the vehicle when it's fully loaded or else you're just gonna screw the whole thing up.
Oh, I agree 100% that it can be really beneficial to upgrade suspension (and tires), but what I'm saying is figure out if you ACTUALLY NEED it before doing so. Don't make it your first upgrade, and certainly don't do it before you've even used the vehicle!
The bird in the background had me looking out my window haha
Couldn't agree more with Dan on this topic! Having done three road trips lasting 30+days and 12,000+ km each, I can speak from experience that the only modification I ever needed for my Subaru Outback was just a roof rack and a set of KO2 all-terrain tires. to be totally honest, there are only 3 things you need to make your vehicle a base camp: .a stove, a water tank and a power station.
I once heard it said you need A place to lay your head, a place to keep your beer and meat cold, and a way to make that meat brown.
Everything else is optional :)
A someone who has LS swapped their JKU I'd agree with you. It's a blast to drive around town and on local trips but it cost a LOT all said and done and introduced a ton of issues with heat (mostly exhaust) that are not sorted enough yet to use it for long trips. A factory supplied V8 wrangler would probably be a better story on the reliability side but would also probably be $70k+...
Thank you for the video, 100% make sense, I'm building my LC105 and suspension and tyres are last on the list as I don't know if I will need GVM upgrade after installing all which I think would be necessary for my particular needs, I'm building an off-grid overlander where I can sleep inside the car without requiring a tent.
Sounds like a perfect plan to me
Firstly I must say how much I agree with the vast majority of the content you produce which is excellent. I have some differences of opinion mostly because I was at the more extreme end of the spectrum. I was an expeditioneer and did trips that required the max of everything...foremost reliability and endurance, then capacity and then comfort. Horses for courses...literally. Of the utmost important was cooling so no cracked cylinder heads, bigger radiators and fans and such, followed by filtration systems for the fuel and air. Some after market systems are better the oe as original is often built to a budget, then capacity...if your following towns and main routes then cool, if not you absolutely need capacity and redundancy, don't forget if your going hard in low range in heavy sand then your fuel consumption is going to be astronomicly higher, sometimes down to 1-2 miles to the gallon...it depends on the envoirament absolutely. Spares, recovery, food and water reserves and the ability to filter water, always prepare for the worst to come out the best. And damn it...DON'T buy cheap shitty tools!!! ...and a good pillow, don't forget a really good pillow....and the fan, don't forget the fan!!! ...and wet wipes. Don't ask, you'll find out. Have a great one guys and a big thanks for the vid, loved it and subbed.
Yup! I went to OE and saw more ways to waste money than anywhere, other than a boat show. That said, I will admit I got the bug. I have done all the little stuff; lights, sound, recovery, comms, etc myself. A lot of work nobody sees but makes me feel good. I have run some great tracks on stock and have learned about new tires, suspension, etc. Just finished a suspension and undercarriage upgrade which, again, is understated but capable. Backed off the bumper and winch work until I see how I use the current config. Wise words. Besides my loving spouse notices little about my investment thus far.
All true! Very good advice as always. Thank you for sharing ypur experience Dan.
My pleasure!
My vehicle has over 1000 mile range, my main reason was to purchase fuel in states that have more reasonable prices, and I think for me it has been working well, when I do more dirt driving I carry less fuel but the tank does take up much storage space ,thanks again