The Perfect Overland Vehicle DOES NOT EXIST!
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- Опубліковано 4 сер 2024
- It's become common in Overlanding to think a vehicle has to be able to drive on Mars to be considered a capable Overland vehicle, when the reality is actually vastly different. I run through a few criteria that people use to judge the practicality of overland vehicles that make no sense at all.
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#Overland #OverlandVehicle #PerfectOverlandVehicle - Навчання та стиль
I love these types of videos where you debunk the naysayers and gatekeepers. Some just want to keep outsiders from joining their hobby, and put up guard posts to prevent anyone from being motivated to try. You’re the opposite, teaching the masses that it’s possible for anyone. That’s the biggest value of your material in my opinion
I crossed the Sahara twice on the Hogghar Route, once in a stock Peugeot Sedan, once in a 1975 VW T2 Van, near Stock, with the 50 HP aircooled engine
My uncle had one of those VW vans, hand painted in green. He would let me take it for a drive when I visited. I loved that thing, but man, maybe it went 40 mph with a tailwind going downhill while people were still passing me. It was fun to drive and point out to my passengers that the skinny pedal was pressed against the floor and there was nothing more I could do.
The perfect overland vehicle is probably the one you've already got.
Back at it again throwing facts on the table Dan. Love your work.
The perfect overlanding vehicle is the MARS ROVER
I've had a Nissan Leaf for 10 years which has needed ZERO maintenance over that time other than new tires.
That's really such a huge upside to electric vehicles that rarely gets brought up - no oil changes, coolant flushes, transmission changes, etc. They had 400k mile teslas rentals and the repair bill on those convinced me to get an electric for my next daily driver
Dude time for an oil change 😂 (jkjk)
I Do agree with your overall Premise. I see a lot of $200k ovelanding type vehicles in Montana. They park next to Subaru wagons and my Buick.
I really doubt the expensive overlanding vehicles will go any place a $12,000 dollar Ranch Pickup won't go.
M.H.
Exactly. I bought a little 2010 Ford Ranger. Bought it for 10k and apparently have put 8k into it already with not a ton of mods at all.
Didn't realize that lol.
I am a Commercial Truck driver. In the last 15 years I've struggled with or other Company trucks are Struggling with computer issues.
I am now Running a $300k Dollar 2020 Kenworth T880 with a Cummins engine.
I Started driving it with 7 thousand miles on it. It now has 45k miles. And it has a lot of Computer issues. I was told that the companies Sister truck to this one in another branch. Has a terrible amount of Computer problems with it.
Computer problems in Commercial trucks is a Major and Common issue industry wide. So to think that much less expensive vehicles have a better track record is Not likely.
Its Funny you mentioned electric windows.
Some of the Volvo trucks that I've driven. As I'm Driving along the door window opens all by itself. I had this happen in a heavy rainstorm in Livingston Mt. And a Driver window opened in a winter storm in Idaho. And another time just sitting in a parking lot in Spokane Wa. And you can't get the window to shut.
I called other drivers and they had these problems also.
To get the windows up you would have to try a bunch of formulas that might be something like. : Open the drivers door and the window shuts by itself. Leave the door open because when you shut the door the window opens again.
Leave door open.
Leave engine running.
Pull the ignition relay and windows fuse at the same time.
Shut the door.
Reinstall ignition relay leaving the window fuse out.
Then drive Home.
Vehicle electronics in most cases are not worth the possible hassles they can Potentially cause.
Just my opinion.
Best Wishes! M.H.
Great video Dan! Always love your content. I've got a 2006 TJ that is a bit more geared for general off-roading, but me and the girlfriend have taken it remote camping around michigan more than once! Any vehicle really can be an overlander if you put your mind to it. Thanks for always being so positive!
I always like your take on these topics! Yours is one of the better UA-cam channels I like.
Appreciate that
As a kid, my parents visited Outback Australia in a 15+ year old Holden station wagon that would constantly overheat.
Better to have fond memories, instead of dream trips. Just go out with what you have.
I love that quote, I hope you don't mind if I steal it!
@@TheRoadChoseMe haha happy for you to take that. Tried to word it as best I could
Such great advice Dan.
It sounds so obvious when you give it! But it’s you’re real world experience that shines through.
Since watching your channel, you have really helped me focus on what’s important. Where I sleep. Where I hang out and where I cook.
My Jeep xj is not ideal because of its size for over landing . But I love how capable it is off road. With 4.5” of lift. Super flexible suspension and a rear locker and winch. But the next tires are going to be 10.5” wide. Not 12.5”. I don’t need tons of armour. It’s already got great clearance all round
I’m focusing on keeping it lightweight.
I’ve spent so much time on making it better and better off road that I forgot about me lol. Time to add a bit more comfort when camping 🏕 and keep the Jeep as light as possible.
Because the 4.0 is reliable all day long. But fuel economy not so much ha ha.
Cheers from Calgary
I like how you get it, Dan. You understand driving overland.
I have always found that figuring out how you are going to do the next leg of the journey with what you have is part of the adventure. What you need is a solid, reliable vehicle and you have to know your vehicle. heck those boxes and you are good. As for electronics and even full EV systems...all it means is you need to have some different tools in your tool kit. Your preparation is more important than any vehicle characteristic.
I think you hit the nail on the head at the end...most of the folks critiquing overland vehicles have never really done any lengthy overland trips...they are just regurgitating talking points they picked up on some forum or other....
To add one last comment...look at Tom Sheppard and his travels in a bone stock G wagon....and he literally wrote the book on overland expeditions...
Very good analogy and explanation. So many overland videos out there and if you took them to heart you would never leave home unless you had a tank. You my fried make the most sense.
Facts and facts and then logical inferences from those facts. This all makes for great thoughtful advice. As always... thank you.
Great topic! I purchased a Toyota FJ Cruiser a couple of months ago. Our mission is to use that vehicle for exploring AK, CA, US, Central America, and then South America when I retire in 4 years. There are so many modifications out there that I get overwhelmed (the FJ's from Australia are beasts no doubt). Listening to your discussions have helped me keep "the mission" in mind every time I start to consider what I want to do to it. I have scrubbed many mods off of my build list thanks to you. I thank you and my pocketbook thanks you too! Keep up the good work and I look forward to your next video.
Give it a 2 inch quality lift and a set of good tires and that's all an FJ needs. They're only shortfall is that lack of articulation and that's why they flip in off camber situations. Other than that they're crazy good on and off road.
Not to mention I believe they're the least depreciating vehicle in the US right now!
Morning Dan🙋♂️,,
Again,, thank you for your wisdom. I'm a firm believer in learning from others experiences or mistakes. I have followed your advice on several aspects of my vehicle preparation.
K.I.S.S is a favorite motto of mine. And,,
less is more. My previous Backpacker mentality solidify this.
Hey,, I like comfort as much as anyone, but.
Comfort is a mindset.🤷♂️
A reliable vehicle is the Necessity #1!
Cheers 🍻, G.
+1 on KISS ;-)
Hi Dan! I love your channel, it's very very informative and has inspired me to start my own overland adventure. I'd like to suggest a video, how about safely storing items inside and outside the vehicle? How to keep stuff from rolling around, what do you use to secure things generally. Also some items like recovery tracks, jacks, gasoline canisters etc should be stored outside for obvious reasons, how do to secure those, as those seem quick and easy targets. Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words! Checkout this video where I talk about everything in and on my vehicle and how to make sure it doesn't get stolen! ua-cam.com/video/-ZEQAV09uhg/v-deo.html
Thanks, Dan! You always make so much sense! I'm planning a California road trip in a couple of months, and I will do it in my 1965 Volvo. You use what you have! It will be great!
Don't need anything more than that here! Hope you have a great time
65 Volvo road trip! That's EPIC!! Honk and wave if you go by Redding on I-5!
@@AgileWoodsman Will do! :-)
While perfect may not exist, the next best , is paid for, and in your own garage/driveway !
Love your videos! I've been looking for a vehicle for overlanding for a few months now and keep trying to look for the perfect one that can do pretty much everything, but after watching your video, I realize that I don't need a perfect vehicle, I just need a vehicle.
You need a vehicle, and then get on a trip!
Anecdotal, but I have seen modern car computers have issues. A friend's GMC Acadia randomly shutting off after passing a semi on the Dempster highway in early March was probably the most extreme example - we pulled over with them, disconnected the battery, futzed around with relays, and tried a few other things, and after 10 minutes everything started to work again, seemingly without a cause. Was hitting a bump that caused a loose connection temporarily? Who knows, but it sure was scary for the driver.
Some other points that are less relevant might be the freezing/rebooting issues with Toyota's Entune infotainment system, or the many bugs and QC issues that Tesla owners have reported.
All that said, I think your original point is still valid - an electric powered car isn't going to have that much more computer controls than any modern combustion powered car, and by and large modern computers are so dramatically improved versus those of the eighties that it really isn't even fair to compare them. I guess I would just say that just because you haven't experienced it, doesn't mean no one will.
Tangentially - I haven't watched your other video on electric vehicle overlanding yet, but I think the fundamental issue of charging time and charging station availability will continue to be a hurdle for a while. Although you COULD get to all the places you'd want with an electric vehicle, it won't be as easy or convenient until infrastructure is more widespread. Just my two cents. I should probably go watch that other video now haha. Edit: watched the other video, yep you pretty much addressed that.
Totally agree mate, thanks for making this video. One funny thing from my experience though, the only modern cars I’ve seen have debilitating electrical issues are Jeep Wranglers 😂 3 friends each with a stock 2010+ wrangler JKU, all had electrical problems, from the alternator to the ECU, to gremlins that made the wipers and lights randomly turn on and off haha. Obviously you’ve had a very different experience with your wranglers, and I’m glad yours works well.
Great video
Nice video. It would be great if you make a video about lights. Is neccesary to have led bars? Or if it's enough to make a little upgrade in the stock headlamps? I assume you have truck lite headlights, were they good enought to drive with in the night?
I love it when people say "it's not a proper overlander because of XYZ..." because in reality the people that make these claims are either trying to sell you gear, or haven't done it themselves. With regards to electrics and reliability, they are ultra-reliable. In fact, modern vehicles are far more reliable than their forebears. My main overland vehicle is a 40 year old Land Rover. It still runs on a carburettor, but it has been retrofitted with electronic ignition. Why? Because electronic ignition is more reliable than the old contact breaker/points system. People seem to look back on older vehicles with rose tinted spectacles, but don't forget that they were maintenance heavy and not particularly reliable. Unless you are seriously demented (like myself) or are mechanically competent (not like myself), modern vehicles are more fuel efficient, easier to get parts for, and easier to drive.
Again, those that claim it's not a proper overlander because it can't do this road or trail miss the point entirely. I think this has more to do with the US-interpretation of overlanding which appears to be more about technical off-road driving with bits of camping in between. I remember a conversation on Facebook (actually on one of Dan's old posts) where I claimed I don't go overlanding in Africa for the off-road challenge, since the joy for me is the scenery, the people and the challenge the bureaucracy. An American replied saying that what's the point of overlanding in Africa if you aren't prepared to do a technical off-road trail? I think really a lot of these comments are from people who've never experienced overlanding outside the Western World, because the day-to-day challenges outside of North America and Europe are more than enough to deal with for 99% of people.
Except for the new Defender
@@mark2073 Land Rover have never made reliable electronics, my parents Discovery 3 is testament to that. It doesn't mean that they're unsuitable though, because they are really very good as an overland vehicle. I would say Toyota make a more reliable vehicle with better spares back-up internationally, although Toyota have never been popular here in the UK.
Hi Dan, I love your videos and I am just consuming your books. So much great information in there and I am definitely planning my great adventure because of you!
My biggest question is, is a sprinter van worth getting for these types of expeditions. I am currently own an FJ Cruiser and I was going to begin converting it, but I was also looking into converted Sprinter Vans. Do you know of anyone that has gone remote like you with these Sprinter Vans and what are the pros and cons of having the Sprinter Van?
Thanks again and I love your videos!
Absolutely! literally thousands of sprinters have driven the length of the Pan-Am, and many 2wd vans are roaming all over Africa too. Obviously how far off the beaten path you can get might be different than in my Jeep, but of course you'll be living much more comfortably than I do!
Pros and cons, but absolutely it can and has worked very well!
@@TheRoadChoseMe Awesome! That is good to know. I guess it is a question of comfort vs. experience.
My other question is did you see any overlanders bring their dog with them in Africa? I know that a bunch of people do that in South America, but I have never seen anything in Africa. Thanks again Dan!
another great video
Keep up the good job Dan, it's been very encouraging.What do you think about driving a six yr old Audi A Six, Avant two . zero tdi to Nigeria from London UK especially about the quality of diesel along west Africa.
Diesel quality is the worst in the world - and even in my lifted Jeep with big tires the roads were so bad I was bottoming out in potholes and rough sections. I personally wouldn't do it.
Believe if you have time travelling from Willuna to Halls Creek for example or in hot, sunny climate with a electric vehicle and a set up to take a lot of solar panels along (much lighter than to carry fuel), camp and charging 2 days+-, then travel one day at a time(To sort the best time table) or charge by day and travel by night it is possible to reach any destination with out any external help.
Your point about optimizing for huge fuel capacity and range is what's keeping me from spending the money on adding an auxiliary fuel tank in my 4Runner. It's much cheaper if I just carry a bunch of extra fuel on the roof when needed, even if I give away the cans when I'm done with them.
and the *really* big question is where are you planning on going where you'll actually need them?
@@TheRoadChoseMe Long FSR adventures in BC (yes, possible to drive out for more fuel, but I want to see how far I can go just on back roads), Trans-Taiga in Quebec. That's about it. Much cheaper than a $2000 fuel tank.
The arctic in winter part is hitting home for me right now. I'm sitting in Iqaluit waiting for the arctic weather to improve enough to fly around and do my job. Temps in the mid -20s Celsius are easily deadly, not something you want to play around in camping if you don't have the experience.
I look forward to getting to Iqualuit one day. When I worked for NWTel they never sent me unfortunately!
I went camping in -20 and forgot to put my boots in my sleeping bag, they froze solid. Luckily someone came out from the cabin to check on me and put my boots on the stove.
10:05 Yes Dan. I have a 2013 Wrangler JK. Nothing but electrical problems from the main computer. It has me worried about taking it remote (more than an hour from a main forest road) Although I think I have a vehicle built on a friday afternoon, if you know what I mean.
Are there ANY vehicles that can drive the Canning Stock Route with the OEM fuel tank???
As for rock crawling capability, I had a dedicated rock crawler on and off for 30 years. My new overland vehicle is an F150 4x4 on stock suspension.
Hey Dan. What are your eating/food arrangements on the road ?
I filmed a video about exactly that! ua-cam.com/video/gYi17mZfNek/v-deo.html
"....to get there you need a 4wd or a rental car!" My North America perspective is that if you live in the southwest, you might be able to regularly use a modified 4wd. Otherwise, your biggest obstacle is miles of pavement. On our trip to Alaska (stock 4wd pickup) we regularly shared the parking lots and campgrounds with same mondo expedition vehicles over and over. Unless you are really on a third world Expedition, a built overland vehicle is expensive to build, own, and operate. You might experience a lot more by investing in time off, plane tickets, rental cars and camping gear.
There is nothing more noble than harvesting your own protein.
A couple of things.....
First, I think there's a distinct difference between "off-roading", "overlanding" and "touring".
Off-roading is running things like the Rubicon trail. You're not there to sight see or explore. You're there to test your vehicles capabilities and maybe your crawling skills.
Overlanding is gravel, dirt, some mud, mountain passes, deserts, and so on. It's off the beaten path. It's off pavement. But the purpose isn't to see how much your vehicle can take before things start to bend and snap. It's to see amazing things that most people never get to see. In order to do "overlanding" I do believe you need 4x4 with a proper low range, some decent ground clearance, at least all terrain tires and basic recovery gear. In my opinion you cannot overland in a Honda civic.
Touring is driving places by paved roads, staying in hotels, campgrounds, just off pavement or even in a Walmart parking lot.
Touring can be done in about any vehicle from a 250cc scooter to a Honda civic to a Lincoln Town car to a Prevost........
Oh, Tesla / reliability? They can't make a fender line up properly with a door or a door with a roof line. I would not be putting a lot of confidence in any mechanical aspect!
I do very much enjoy your videos.
The problem with a electric vehicle is NOT that it can't travel to 5% of the places, the problem is that it can't travel to 50% of the places. Refueling is only second to actual movement. As the charging grid expands, this will change. Not quite there yet, but in a few years who knows.
And if you do run out of power, you can't go get a jerry can of gas to get it going
What do you think about the known DPF problems in regards to altitude and high sulfur diesel?
I cover that in this video (where I say modern diesels are no good for world travel) ua-cam.com/video/YoxdojIpiGY/v-deo.html
I really enjoy listening to your insights. I now find myself asking do I really need it with every modification I think of doing... Thanks
@carpe_diem_overland
Ohh but it does... the one that suits my needs😀😀😀
Nailed it! (perfect for YOU!)
@@TheRoadChoseMe like in everything...industry s gunna try to convince you what you need +plus armchair warriors..people that never go or do anything but they just "know"everything... when i went to Cuba or Brasil everybody was like ohh you gunba get kidnaped or robbed ..oh you got shitload of money... i had time of my life and spend less than in my own country... 😀😀 now i got my covid passport so its time for a new adventure😀😀
Hey Dan, great video. I’m trying to plan a trip in Europe, and I’m having some trouble finding good routes between POIs. I have identified good 4x4 spots and other places I want to go, but how can I find a route between things that isn’t just boring highway? Something like the trans-America trail but in Europe... any tips? Thanks in advance.
Hey Sam, I've never looked at travel in Europe, so I don't know specifics.
My rule of thumb is to stay off highways, and try to use the smallest routes/roads possible. They're always more interesting!
Try to contact local 4x4s club in those countrys and see/hear their recomendation, route planning etc, etc.. good luck !!
Dan thanks for the response. So do you plan your exact route in advance for a trip? Or do you just know waypoints you want to go to and just set up your GPS from one to the next with settings to avoid highways? Maybe you talked about this in your navigation video, I’ll take a look at it again as well. Thanks
@@yepitsme431 sounds like a good idea, thank you for the friendly answer!
@@samv.7594 Similar is done for Europe, transeurotrail.org It is planned for adventure motorbikes, but most of it can be done with a car (I think). Everything is not gravel, but scenic routes.
You need a range of around 1000kms on sand to do the Canning. Fuel now at Kunawarritji.
Good to know, though that's well out of reach for the vehicle I drove around Africa, and the one I drove from Alaska to Argentina!
@@TheRoadChoseMe Same for most of us. My friend with 260 litres in his LC 200 could do it though. 😃 Good videos mate, thanks
Though with that 260 liters on an LC200 I bet he doesn't have much of a water tank, or much space and payload for gear, food, people, etc.
@@TheRoadChoseMe He's gone the full Monty with a bucket load of ARB accessories and a GVM upgrade. He gets about 1800kms out of a tank of diesel on the highway. The car is too heavy for my liking though. I'd prefer your car.
Can you review the Grenadier 4x4
If you get out of gas in petrol vechicle YOU WONT MOVE ON YOUR OWN. You'll need external help or leave your car to get fuel.
In electric, even with 200-300w of solar you can start charging through inverter. Sure it will take time but as you mentioned multiple times, its not a race. You can enjoy a day or two in wilderness and move on when you have some battery.
Not to mention efficiency of that cars, with just 20l of gas you will get drasticly more range from hybrid than heavy 4x4 truck.
An electric vehicle could do the canning stock fine if you you bring solar panels. It will take you a while since you'll have to stop a lot to make enough energy to start going again.
Just FYI: A bog standard Toyota Land Cruiser troop carrier (78 series) comes from the factory with 180L (48 US Gallons) tanks. Although you do chew through it with that lovely V8 engine, so you don't really get the range you'd expect from all that diesel.
Right, but that still enough enough to do the Canning end to end in deep sand
@@TheRoadChoseMe I'm guessing you mean to say it's still NOT enough to do the Canning end to end, and yes you'd be right. In soft sand they use 18-20L/100Km, so you'll get about 1000KMs in soft sand. We crossed the Simpson on one tank no problems, but the Canning is another step up.
All the people who say it can’t be done: “it can’t be done”
Guy doing it: “hold my beer”
I agree with Fabian Baptiste (above/below). After listening to your videos Mr Dan Grec, I am now going over my vehicle build trying to figure out "what modifications that I have already added are necessary and which of these modifications do I have to remove." As well as, what modifications are necessary going forward. Weight, Weight, and Weight vs Usefuleness. Thanks Dan and Fabian.
The perfect overlanding ride is a camel....if you're not in a hurry. Edit: Polar bear if you want to challenge the cold. Bring lots of Penguin jerky.
Start with the camel, and then later let the polar bear eat it for "free" fuel!
(OK, I'm totally joking!)
@@TheRoadChoseMe I wouldn’t laugh it off to quick, it is the circle of life....and dare I say efficient. Only problem I see is the return trip...without a camel you’ll be stuck at the winter border unless you want to chance overheating problems with the polar bear. Back to the drawing board. Cheers
of course one can overland on a shoestring, but having peace of mind does help in tickin boxes. range is the big box to tick, even if you are doing this in Europe and N.Africa. Then we go to weight, gvm and maintaining the standards of Ralph Bagnold & his amazing LRDG , who mastered the science of it all-> condenser, sand ladders, sun compass, etc and mtm stripping a vehicle to the bare minimums. the less the better. I drive a JB74W and can challenge any to go +1600km on any day.. the Spartan way..καταλαβαίνεις?
Kenda Klever R/T 35x10.50r17 seems like a good size for light/mid weight overlanding when one wants a 35 inch tire. Don't know about world wide availability though.
Yeah- narrower will help with rolling resistance/aero, although that might be a tough size to find on the road
Literally zero availability! Unheard of.
@@TheRoadChoseMe Thats what I was afraid of😔
As Dan said in a previous video use a standard tire size like what came with the vehicle from the factory...
It's not the EV vehicle as much as finding a charging station. Let's be realistic here, I've never seen one outside a major city or major throughway.
What sealed the deal for me was watching vacation travelers recently get about 4 hours out of the Bay area (which is about how far out I am) and see them all pulled off into little towns sitting at charging stations for quite a while.... and afaik there is only two spots in about 100 mile radius that have charging stations at all.
To restricting for me. Maybe someday.
What's your opinion about fuel cells with induced chargers ( electric superchargers) ? It seems fuel cells can run on any combustible volatile liquid !
My criteria for vehicle is A) I need to sleep in proper bed. B) My days of digging for hours and hours stuck somewhere are behind me. C) I am in need of quality drivers comfort. (good seat, no dust, AC, good power and smooth ride. ) D) I want to be able to go where ever I want to go and others have gone before (but not offroad tracks). E) I want to be able to cook outside the vehicle and cook inside the vehicle when it rains or there are lots of flies. F) I want to be able to pack up and leave without exiting the vehicle and do it in few minutes. G) I am done with the days of dealing with large 20 ton truck stuck, alone in middle of nowhere, I want vehicle as light as is possible. H) I want to be able to cool my sleeping place and keep it warm - either why I need. I) I need my sleeping to be comfortable in all weather. In extras, I want to be able to deal with and make drinkable all water I find on the road and have proper fuel filtration system that can remove particles, water, bacteria and fungus from my fuel. After investigation, I have chosen Diesel, because bad petrol is worse to petrol engine than bad diesel is to diesel engine. It is possible to set up marine grade fuel filtration system that makes all diesel good enough. Learning from you Dan, that petrol is easier to find in many places, I plan to set up for max 1500 km range (I know 1000km should be enough, but that extra 500km is for drivers comfort). Shower and toilet are also on the list. I am just too old for uncomfortable life. But I also love wild camps and hate campsites, avoid them when ever I can.
the perfect overlander is the one you can aford i would suggest :D
I strongly agree with that!
I want to know if you got a caribou! We didn’t know you were a hunter!
I got a moose and bison every year I lived in the Yukon (4 years), but I never did get a caribou or sheep!! I need to work on my glass & stalk technique, my patience and my overall hiking fitness to get the mountain critters!
@@TheRoadChoseMe man! Awesome! Moose is second on my bucket list right after elk. The only reason it’s second on the list is because of the cost. We live in Texas so it’s only one state away for an elk. Most of our overlanding is for our hunting trips. Thank you for the great content.
There was only one TINY elk herd in the Yukon, and I didn't want to be the one to hunt them into extinction!
But here in BC there are plenty of them getting around. Deer are plentiful too!
The Canning is not so hard anymore. Fuel is available at the Kunawarritji Community in the southern half of the route( I believe fuel drops have been discontinued). 1200km is ALL you need. Dan's jeep would make it easy. Most people, who do it nowadays. Will take 4 or 5 jerry cans on the roof. Transferring them into their main tank over the first couple of days sheading the extra weight from the roof ASAP. If your going North to South. You may not need to fill cans to travel the other 600 or so KM to Newman. Most people who travel this route have pretty basic setups. Many smaller 4X4 utes or mid sized 4X4 like a Toyota Prado's ect. You don't need anything more then a reliable vehicle and good preparation and planning. I almost forgot....A sense of adventure.
The best I've *ever* done in my jeep was 900km without a fill-up in the Congo on paved roads, driving VERY carefully. No way in a million years will it do over 600km on sand.
So my Jeep won't even make half the required distance for the canning as it is now (carrying 135L of fuel)
@@TheRoadChoseMe Your Jeep is a little thirsty! I know a couple who did it with a Jeep Wrangler with standard fuel tank. They would have had no more space for about 5 cans. Fuel consumption on the canning is not as bad as you would think. Travel speeds are slow but dunes a far apart. You spend a lot of time just crawling along because of corrugations. Not using a lot of fuel. I did it 6 years ago in a Nissan Patrol Diesel. But I had 215Lt of fuel tanks. Only took 1 can for emergencies.My consumption was just under 19L/100km. I did the Simpson Desert East to West (The Dunes are Steeper and bigger, especially on WAA line). Consumption was much higher 28L/100km. But the Simpson is only 500km across. I think this shows the difference in the terrain. The canning I found was easy to drive as you cruise along as you mentally know it's going to take 1 week- 2 weeks - 3 weeks who knows. Were the Simpson you power ahead punishing your 4X4. Thinking it should take 3 days. 1600 dunes traffic jams!!! You look at you GPS and it shows you have only gone 40km and it's already lunch.
@Gavin Williamson - sounds absolutely incredible mate, and for sure parts of the world I need to explore at some point!!
I really think the perfect overland vehicle is the one you design for yourself, some may want to escape for years on paved and gravel roads and some may want to escape for days on logging roads and or quad trails, what does time and mileage make you an "overlander" now?
After all I have Dan's UA-cam channel for the big adventure 😁
The Canning stock route, that's a route I haven't thought about in years! In this case I might have to argue that it could be the perfect route for an electric vehicle. Instead of packing all that extra fuel I would think all you would need is a suitable sized generator to charge the truck overnight and just enough fuel to run the generator. I don't know what size it would take to charge an electric truck but it would seem to me much less then running your average diesel or gas truck on that route. Dan, as an engineer would that make sense?
Just take a hybrid :)
@@bindingcurve Maybe a Prius? lol The discussion was about all electric vehicles so I just focused on that.
@@jimstringer1733 Electric Vehicle + generator = hybrid. FYI I'm an electrical engineer who worked on jets for 10 years and has a fetish for diesel locomotives. Know a thing or two about power delivery :) FYI The best way to do this is use a "power" trailer to extend the range of an electrical truck and you would be better off with a generator you can run while driving.
@@bindingcurve That sounds good, I wonder how big the trailer would have to be and how much fuel would be needed to run the generator?
I agree there isnt the perfect overland vehicle, but there could be the perfect overland vehicle for you. It all depends on what you want to do and where you want to go and most importantly your budget. For me and for what I wanted to do and how deep my pockets were, it was a ten year old 100 series Landcruiser with the 24 valve 4.2 litre turbo diesel. With some new shocks and good quality all terrain tyres it took me from the UK to the Chinese border and back without an issue. For someone else it may be a 18 ton Mercedes Arctos truck with a gin palace on the back offering all the mod cons you would expect from a house.
Very well said!
There's definitely a window of vehicles where they aren't ideas. Things made between 1980 and 2005 probably shouldn't be taken too far remotely. Either you want something simple that doesn't have shiny components that break down easily. (Think my 1983 pontiac where the cruise control malfunctioned at 31 years of age which caused the engine to race... I started it in neutral and dropped it into drive as I was cranking it over while pressing the brake with both feet and I left over 30 feet of rubber). The most dangerous thing is relying on really old aged electronic components.
You start really adding weight and starting running in mud and steep hills and that electric range will be half of what they claim.
Good point. Hadn't thought of that.
I'm going to help you with this one....the long famous drive in the outback can be done in an EV without the fuel drops.....roll-up solar panels. High-quality panels are about 200W per meter square. A roll-up panel like the ones on the link below placed the roof to be pulled out midday. Let's say 2 meters wide and 50 meters long, bulky but not crazy. That equals 200W x 100Msq= 20KWH at peak output, lets go with a 6 hours mid-day charging = 80KWH of power to put in a battery. A truck like the Rivian or Hummer EV can store that for maybe 100miles of off-road driving per day, so a 1000 mile trip will take 10 days, slow but possible. It would require sunny days and open spaces. Someone like GM should try this, it would make for a great show! www.renovagen.com/products/rapid-roll-i/
That was my first thought on the outback route. If you run out of diesel 1000 miles in on the 1200 mile drive you are done for. But electric you could theoretically charge as many times you need again of solar. Slow, yes, but you'll get there.
Agree totally, perfection is fundamentally a subjective measure & definitely not relevant to any vehicle on this planet, so basically go with what you know or simply like 👍
Any modern fuel-injected vehicle has dozens of computers, networked together. In addition to controlling injection and ignition, computers control lighting, safety and security, navigation, entertainment, etc. Anything with pushbutton start, keyless entry, automatic start-stop, is dependent on computers to function. My BMW won't start or shift out of park unless the computer allows it. Electric vehicles have much less mechanically to go wrong, and really the only additional electronics are the high-voltage traction inverter/charger.
Good job on presenting the myths exposed by new technology. They will simply need to program in the sound of a diesel engine for old people like me.
Electric windows still fail all the time if you have a German car
Dan. Love your videos. You are so wise with overlanding but my man, you got to get a new toque. Get something from the homeland. :-)
I've got a great Aussie hat, but it doesn't work so well at -10C. It's a summer thing and it will come back!
@@TheRoadChoseMe No worries:-) Love your videos man. You are by far the best on giving all of us the most useful information about "real" overlanding. Can't wait till you announce your next journey and following your trip.
@Gary Collier - I'm about to start sharing details of the trip and vehicle build plan with my supporters on Patreon. They'll get the info months before I make it public! patreon.com/theroadchoseme
g/day dan how are you. has been some changes on the canning you can now buy fuel on the route about 890 k from hall at 3.54 a litre so you dont need a huge fuel capacity but it does help and their is a lot of tracks here where you just can't get power for your batteries. most cars we have here at the moment only have a ranger of about 2.5 hours we are just a bit behind the rest of the word.
Can you buy Petrol and Diesel there?
@@TheRoadChoseMe I know you can at least buy diesel when it’s open. Andrew St. Pierre did it on his Canning Stock series from a few years ago.
And by “when it’s open” I’m referring to the current COVID closure. I do think you need to call ahead for fuel in normal times.
They dropped the Morse holes for the Perseverance wheels and now its collecting dust on the inside of the wheel. They did this on purpose?
Please tell us more about this, thanks :-)
I'll start believing in the viability of electric when I start seeing guys like you doing trips like the Mackenzie trail and the Whipsaw trail with all your piles of gear in battery powered rigs.
I bet we'll see a lot of that in 2022 when we have the Rivian, Cybercruck, F-150 and Hummer EVs
@@TheRoadChoseMe Like I said, I'll believe it when I see it, but I think you might be a bit optimistic. Rough terrain is going to reduce range by 50% or more.
@@wirebrush it boils down to where you drive. There are no charging stations deep into the deserts, in remote areas where I go and even if there were, I'm not going to waste a 8 hours a day or more charging it. And then saying "well that destination is out because there is no charging station. As it is now I have to carry extra fuel as it can be hard to find in certain places. As I said before if overlanding to you is staying on the main thoroughfares and not minding driving 4 hours and sitting 4 to 8 hours to refuel then its very doable. The hope is to create a storage battery that can be charged in a matter of minutes and building out an infrastructure of charging stations. The problem is billions dollars have been spent on battery technology but it's basically the same as it has been since the 1800's. There has to be some earth shaking discovery in storage capacity and materials and a means to quickly shove thousands of amperes into that device quickly without it exploding. I think hydrogen is the most promising but a very dangerous liquid to carry around and transfer. That is why that has failed as an alternative fuel. Let's face it, at this point in time, for vehicle travel to the types of places claimed by overlanders, fossil fuel is the only viable option.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the statement that the 80's were 40 years ago...I know the math checks out, but it just feels so wrong!
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I finally got around to reading your books. I loved them! Can't wait for Volume 3!
I know exactly what you mean! I was born in the early 80s, so that 40 number will be very real for me next year!
Great to hear on the books! Please leave a review on Amazon if you have a minute, it really helps!
@@TheRoadChoseMe I gave them both 5* reviews a couple days ago. Cheers!
Thankyou kindly!
Ur misunderstanding the range anxiety math. Tesla’s rated at 400miles get 350 if ur lucky on interstates flat. Driving mountains or hills loaded w equipment and u could be more like 290. Combine that with refilling the batteries on 110 outlets becuz 220 is going to be source and u could see how slow going it could be
Here's my opinion when it comes to the debate over electric vehicles take a look at the "Remote control car world" no one runs gas anymore it's has been completely taken over by electric they sink them in mud completely submerged them in water and they keep on trucking! Electric motors and batteries have came a long way over the last few year
First- I know nothing about this.how bout pulling a trailer loaded with fuel cans. ?
Me makes a video on why there is no best 4x4, 3 days later "the Perfect Overland Vehicle DOES NOT EXIST!" (this was probably just a coincidence, and my channel is crap. Plus I just started. Big fan btw!)
Now wait a minute! You can say "any vehicle CAN be a overland vehicle" and of course your friend drove Africa in a Moris whatever, but in real life, it wouild be miserable to do so and I wouldn't let my daughter do it!
Reality says ANY 4wd vehicle with some extra cargo space would be the minimum. 2 requirments. Maybe a 3rd would be something with reliable spare parts. I saw a couple of large guys get out of a MGB GT that was pulling a teardrop and thought that was the very definition of missplaced confidence.
What do you think Dan? What is the realistic minimum?
You said it yourself - my friend drove East Africa in a little Morris Minor and had the adventure of a lifetime. Realistic Minimum? A vehicle that can move under it's own power. That will enable adventure!
If you WANT storage space and spare parts and all the rest that's great, but plenty of people have proven you don't NEED it!
@@TheRoadChoseMe OK, so of course you can drive any vehicle. I would like to know what are the most common vehicles that you see. You have seen how good or bad the roads are in, say South America. What have you seen people using? Yes, you might see a Morris occasionally, but what do people actually drive and what are they happy with?
yes you can buy both makes it great. iam not really against electric cars just not suitable for me with what i do. how are you enjoying my home country
I'll get an electric vehicle when they can be charged up in 3 minutes just like I can fill my gas tank up in my truck and when they can haul a 26,000 pound trailer 400 miles Non-Stop through 120 degree temperatures all the way down to -40 below temperatures. That's when a electric vehicle has arrived when you see semi trucks hauling Freight down the interstate one after one another all electric. That's when they made it until then they're just a fad and an inconvenience and novelty. That's the standard I set because that's what I deal with every year where I live and the places I go my gasoline vehicle does all those with no problems last night it was -2 below we have 6 feet of snow out and everything has got to work.
So not an over landing vehicle but a work truck so once again a criteria outside of what is being discussed.
I’m sure this exact same conversation was happening in 1900 when they started discussing early motor vehicles.
I’m not giving up my horse drawn carts until I can fill up as easily as I can feed my horses by the side of the road or haul a ton 20 miles in 8 hours blah blah blah
Times are changing, tech is changing get used to it. EVs will be here and will meet the needs of most, not all, because as mentioned there are no 100% perfect vehicles now
@@grahamsampson4807 we'll see we'll see when they start making fire trucks and ambulances and Highway county plow and sand trucks Electric but until then,
@@gumbystown yep same discussion 120 years ago
@@grahamsampson4807 and everything I described before! you could totally Overland in a truck hauling a big trailer remember he said that you can take a two-wheel drive vehicle so I'm sure you could Overland in a truck pulling a big old trailer
@@grahamsampson4807 and with all the mall's closing we can use their empty parking lots for Gigantic charging stations were thousands of cars can park why they're waiting to charge for 7 hours