First Overlanding Trip: Moab 2021

[EMohler]

I’ve been watching videos, dreaming and scheming for years to start my Overlanding adventures. Once the pandemic and divorce was final I knew it was time to make memories with my two daughters and start Overlanding.

My 2017 Ram 1500 Big Horn started getting her mods this summer and we decided to head out July 30th, 2021 for 5 days in Moab.

I’ve been reading the Wells Guide for Moab and dialed in several routes which I believe the truck and my crew can handle our first time out. Chicken Corners is the pinnacle route that we are shooting for.

However, being the over thinker that I am I can’t help but want to hear input about good routes for a lightly modified Ram 1500. Although I have extensive driving experience the off-road environment with this truck is an unknown. Would love some discussion about great vistas to take the girls to. I have toured and hiked around Arches and Canyonlands on my own but never going off-road. Important details below:

11 and 12 year old girls, sports and hard work don’t scare them.
2017 Ram with 2” front level and Bilstein shocks.
17” rims, 33” tires, 10.2” wide
Camper shell on the back, 500lbs of gear in the back. Basic recovery and communication equipment. Bivy Stick for GPS and Comms backup.

I feel like I have the basics for safety lined out but any input would be great. I’m former FF/EMT and did 10 years as LEO, so I carry all the proper first aid and personal safety equipment.

I would love to meet up with anyone out that way hitting the trails around July 31-August 3rd time frame as the 30th and 4th will be travel days. Thanks y’all!

 

[Neal A. Tew]

Welcome aboard.

Assuming you're planning to camp, be sure to look at the weather forecast. It may be quite warm. If so, it can be hard to sleep at night if it doesn't cool off enough. It'd be great to find a shady spot along the Chicken Corner trail and spend the night out there. Otherwise, that trail (along with getting there and back) makes for a long day.

If those side steps decrease your clearance and you're not too attached to them, you might leave them at home. They love to catch rocks.

See if it's practical to disconnect your sway bars. I disconnect my rear by removing one bolt and I loosen my front. It makes a big difference on trail comfort. I also assume you'll be airing down to about 20 psi?

One fun drive would involve Shafer Trail, Potash Rd and Long Canyon. That makes a fun, scenic loop. You could replace one leg of that with Gemini Bridges.

There is also a lot of dispersed camping north of town along Dalton Wells and Willow Springs Rd. The latter is a back way into Arches NP.

 

[EMohler]

Great advice. I had an order in for rock sliders but they cancelled the order due to not being able to fulfill the order. I think I will leave them home! I’ll bring a tool kit and probably disconnect the sway bars once in Moab. I want to air down but I don’t have refill options onboard at the moment. Maybe I should spring for something on the trail?

Welcome aboard.

Assuming you're planning to camp, be sure to look at the weather forecast. It may be quite warm. If so, it can be hard to sleep at night if it doesn't cool off enough. It'd be great to find a shady spot along the Chicken Corner trail and spend the night out there. Otherwise, that trail (along with getting there and back) makes for a long day.

If those side steps decrease your clearance and you're not too attached to them, you might leave them at home. They love to catch rocks.

See if it's practical to disconnect your sway bars. I disconnect my rear by removing one bolt and I loosen my front. It makes a big difference on trail comfort. I also assume you'll be airing down to about 20 psi?

One fun drive would involve Shafer Trail, Potash Rd and Long Canyon. That makes a fun, scenic loop. You could replace one leg of that with Gemini Bridges.

There is also a lot of dispersed camping north of town along Dalton Wells and Willow Springs Rd. The latter is a back way into Arches NP.

 

[Neal A. Tew]

Great advice. I had an order in for rock sliders but they cancelled the order due to not being able to fulfill the order. I think I will leave them home! I’ll bring a tool kit and probably disconnect the sway bars once in Moab. I want to air down but I don’t have refill options onboard at the moment. Maybe I should spring for something on the trail?

It's possible the steps could protect you from rocker damage. HOWEVER, more often than not they grab rocks, get you hung up and ultimately bend. That exact thing happened just recently on a trip with a Toyota. He took them off and got rid of them before the trip was over.

Have a look under your truck now to see what it would take for the sway bars. Your results may vary.

I can't over stress how much difference it makes to be aired down. Assuming you don't have a compressor (but do have a good full size spare), here's what I might do. Find a flat spot going up Hurrah Pass to do whatever you decide with the sway bars plus air down. (It's usually much easier to manage sway bar adjustments with the truck as level as possible.) Enjoy your trip out and back. When you return to this area, reconnect your sway bars for safer road handling. Drive back to town on the 20 psi and air up there. There is an excellent compressor on the back side of one of the gas station's car wash on the south end of town. I think it's a Chevron. I can check satellite view if necessary. There's another one behind one of the auto part stores in the same area on the opposite side of the highway. Having said that, I encourage you to get the best compressor your budget will allow.

 

[EMohler]

Great advice. I had an order in for rock sliders but they cancelled the order due to not being able to fulfill the order. I think I will leave them home! I’ll bring a tool kit and probably disconnect the sway bars once in Moab. I want to air down but I don’t have refill options onboard at the moment. Maybe I should spring for something on the trail?

It's possible the steps could protect you from rocker damage. HOWEVER, more often than not they grab rocks, get you hung up and ultimately bend. That exact thing happened just recently on a trip with a Toyota. He took them off and got rid of them before the trip was over.

Have a look under your truck now to see what it would take for the sway bars. Your results may vary.

I can't over stress how much difference it makes to be aired down. Assuming you don't have a compressor (but do have a good full size spare), here's what I might do. Find a flat spot going up Hurrah Pass to do whatever you decide with the sway bars plus air down. (It's usually much easier to manage sway bar adjustments with the truck as level as possible.) Enjoy your trip out and back. When you return to this area, reconnect your sway bars for safer road handling. Drive back to town on the 20 psi and air up there. There is an excellent compressor on the back side of one of the gas station's car wash on the south end of town. I think it's a Chevron. I can check satellite view if necessary. There's another one behind one of the auto part stores in the same area on the opposite side of the highway. Having said that, I encourage you to get the best compressor your budget will allow.

I was going to buy the ARB dual air pump but Amazon can’t get it here till the day I leave… might look for a local option. I disconnected the front sway bar last Sunday for the leveling kit but it has to be majorly deflected to actually take the connecting rod off. Any danger running disconnected but not removing the connecting rod??

 

[Neal A. Tew]

I don't really have an opinion on your sway bar without seeing how yours works. On my Chevrolet front, I just loosen the links but actually leave everything connected so there's a lot of slop. It does have lock nuts so they don't try to come apart on me.