What's do you think the most impactful first upgrade is to a rig?

What's do you think the most impactful first upgrade is to a rig?

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For me it will be tires... Because... My annual vehicle inspection failed due to the need for new tires. It is about a six hundred dollar upgrade and since I am not installing them myself an "easy" upgrade. Not sure what will be next. It may be determined by what I can find second hand at a reasonable price.

Gato
 
It ain't tires. Unless you have a very specific, special need for them. Heck, most of the tires ya'll are running, are a joke to me.

I can choose trails that lame OEM tires work fine on. And forego softer trails for later. I can also pick a mild hybrid tread for better slab use. And chain up, in mud.

I'll concede that proper tires are priceless, but we all started with thin wall garbage, and did fine.

It ain't a lift, lights, or nav. Subaru's get by just fine, I sleep at night, and sat nav is just about useless off road. It ain't kitchen or sleep. We're fat, and ground tents still rule.

For me it's lockers. All 4 tires spinning the same speed no matter what. Complete game changer.
 
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I backcountry camped for about 20 years in my prior vehicle which was a 4WD truck that had a good set of all terrain tires as the only mod aside from a bed cover to keep my gear somewhat dry and clean. I then got a new Jeep and went nuts on upgrades but nearly all of that has been more want then need.
 
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@MidOH Good point, lockers are absolutely a game changer. However, I would hardly recommend them as a first upgrade for the casual user, since at that stage the basics haven't even been covered (such as desired ride height, tire size, build weight, etc.)

I however speak as one who built a rig around the goal of accommodating my tire of choice, and incidentally elected to keep a limited-slip rather than go locked. I happen to be one which you mentioned with a very specific, special need... The mud here is no joke! I've been stuck where a locker would have helped, and I've been stuck where a locker would have made no difference. A locker is most useful where the wheels meet the sky.

Some people start by ditching the whole suspension and drivetrain, usually for the function of installing a locker. When ya need it, ya need it, and if the whole build is planned from start to finish before the first bolt is removed, there is no better place to begin.
 
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Training & First Aid are a given and probably should be options in this poll. Rule of thumb is to go from the bottom up. Tyres are the lowest thing on the car and thus should be first.
 
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Driver training. You can get out there and play in almost anything 'if' you have a clue what you are doing and the 'knowledge' of what not-to-do. Then I go armor ! Learn how & protect what you have. MHO
 
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Comprehensive tool kit, and one cheap enough that if you let somebody borrow something, you aren’t sad when it never comes back.

Getting a basic socket, screwdriver, wrench, and pliers set, a good jack, big breaker bar with the basic impact sockets for lug nuts, big pry bar and the basic multimeter from harbor freight will likely have more tangible results than throwing away perfectly serviceable tires (that might have the same construction specs as the ATs you “need”). I’ve used and provided tools to others more times than I’ve ever encountered situations where AT vs HT would have made a difference.
 
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To be fair, the OP was asking about vehicle mods, not driver mods... It seems to be inferred that the driver already has common sense and an understanding of physics. If they apply these two as they drive, minimal further training should be required.

(There is talk of a poll mentioning driver mods; I am unable to see this poll, so excuse my ignorance if it's visible to others.)
 
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DintDobbs said:
To be fair, the OP was asking about vehicle mods, not driver mods... It seems to be inferred that the driver already has common sense and an understanding of physics. If they apply these two as they drive, minimal further training should be required.

(There is talk of a poll mentioning driver mods; I am unable to see this poll, so excuse my ignorance if it's visible to others.)
Click to expand...


I would rather expand my knowledge base than spend money on stuff I don't know how to use. Common sense and and understanding seam to be at a low point these days. YMMV. It is my belief that the OP what's to start off on the right foot and get the most bang for the buck.
 
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"Overlanding" can be very tame, meaning a rear wheel drive sedan on a packed-down dirt road. But in general there are four things that improve a vehicle's capability offroad: tires, ground clearance, 4WD, and torque.
 
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1st thing I did with all my Land Rovers was stick a winch on them. It wasn't an option on the poll so I chose the next upgrade, tyres. They have come a long way since the Norseman Tru-Trac 10ply's I first ran! HOWLLLLLLLLL! But man they went places!
 
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I would agree that tires are the most important. It’s the only contact point your vehicle has to the ground. That be said I also think suspension is equally as important to not only fit whatever size tires you’re choosing but also your suspension will dictate how well those tires (your contact point) will function, perform and handle on the trails.
 
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landcruiser-200-overlanding-vanlife-setup.jpg


What is useful, what is not - depends a lot on your specific vehicle. It can`t be answered globally.

After 75`000 Miles / after 120`000km - from a transafrika, to trips in europe and south america this was my summary, which Mods was helpful at the end:

www.4x4tripping.com

Reisefahrzeug Offroad-Umbau was braucht es wirklich?

Welche Umbauten braucht es wirklich auf Weltreise? Schorchel, 4x4, Seilwinde? Hier meine Erfahrungen. Von Tranafrika, Seidenstrasse bis zu der Panamericana Reise.
www.4x4tripping.com www.4x4tripping.com

This is for the Landcruiser 200 (J20) - for the specific model. Would be probably different for even a Landcruiser Prado (J15)

And it is too very personal, the habbits during overlanding are different. From Overlanding till mud / rock loving...

trippin
 
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I prioritized things to start my adventure. We work hard for our $$$ so saving it, is huge! Although tires and suspension’s are great. We are spending our $$ on comfort and the ability to get out and play. After this we will work on expanding our horizons. So to answer the question for us the RTT was huge a long with a way to cook and a shower!!
 
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@Onenonlychance Good insight there! In general, the most impactful modification seems to be the one that STOPS PREVENTING you from doing what you want to do! Hearing what different people needed in order to get the best out of their individual experiences definitely broadens the perspective.

I generally go reliability > clearance > traction (only do this after clearance because I like oversized tires) > safety > convenience > comfort... never calculated this as an order of operations, but this is just how it always ends up.
 
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