Member Introductions *NEW MEMBERS INTRODUCE YOURSELF*

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Jake Wettern | iamjake

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate II

2,666
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Member #

5315

Hey folks. David, new here from just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. My wife and I have two children, two dogs, and both work in healthcare. We also both have serious wanderlust and live to explore all of the amazing places that our country has to offer. The Southwest and the Rockies are where we long to live eventually, but for now we are enjoying being in Tennessee.

My wife and I recently decided that it was time to start prepping our 2016 Ram 2500 for some overlanding next year so I have been scouring the web, reading up on other Ram 2500 builds, and stumbled across Overland Bound in the process.

We've been fortunate to own a variety of vehicles over the past few years and honestly turning the Ram into "yet another off-road vehicle" was never really part of the plan when we bought it. To the contrary, we were looking to get away from the off-road scene for a while and just have something big, reliable and powerful to serve as my daily driver and take care of business whenever something needed towed, hauled or uprooted. The fact that it can be transformed into something overland capable has been a welcomed discovery as we began to feel the familiar tug of the backroads and no-roads on our hearts.

I guess to give an idea of where we're headed with our build it's somewhat appropriate to talk about where we've been.


This is my former 2010 FJ Cruiser Trail Teams. We bought it new and I built it up over the course of a year for an adventure we took out in the American Southwest:



I set it up with an Icon suspension, Cooper STT tires, an Expedition One front bumper, HAM radio and a variety of other gear. I ran out of time and money before the trip to put a winch on it, but we didn't let that deter us. We plowed forth and spent two amazing weeks traveling from Tennessee to Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Moab, Ouray, Silverton, Telluride and eventually back home. That photo was taken in Moab on Potash Road.


A while later we lucked into a deal too good to pass up on a 2011 Ford Raptor. We owned it up until recently and by the time we sold it (for a profit, of all things) it served as my daily driver and saw a variety of modifications. While we took it on several trips, it never made its way back out West where it really could have been some fun.

This photo was from a weekend drive out in the Land Between the Lakes area of Kentucky and Tennessee. It loved the dirt.




When the new 3.6L Pentastar engines came out in the freshened-up 2012 Jeep Wrangler, we replaced my wife's vehicle with a 2012 JKU Rubicon. She took over the Raptor as her daily for a while and I built the Jeep into what was our most capable vehicle yet. We did a LOT of off-road exploring with it and loved every minute of it.

As they say, everything is for sale at the right price, though. A gentleman offered me far more for it than it had cost me to build it, and I took him up on the sale. I kind of wish I hadn't.




But if every end is another beginning, that means parting with the Wrangler has lead me to our Ram 2500. I am dubbing it the "Land Shark" because of the Granite Crystal Paint and because deep down inside I'm still a 13-year old boy who has to give his toys super cool names. :sunglasses:



Currently, I have installed a Pure Performance 3" lift/level with Fox 2.0 shocks, Method wheels, and it's now shod with Toyo M/T 35-inch tires. Other than that, it is a blank slate for me to go nuts with.

I have some Rigid D2 and SAE DOT legal driving lights to put in the bumper this weekend, and have started amassing the gear to put my Icom ID-4100A shortwave radio in it. Next up will be some White Knuckle rock sliders to replace the wimpy running boards, and then we'll move on to building a bed rack for a roof-top tent and then maybe a Buckstop front bumper to accommodate a winch. I won't have another off-road vehicle without a winch. We got lucky without one in the FJC.

Eventually I'll replace the Fox shocks with some King Pintops from Carli, and maybe replace some more of the suspension bits with gear from Carli as well. The Pure Performance springs are quite nice so I won't replace them unless I have to.


Anyway, that's pretty much the story of my build and a bit about me and my family. I look forward to learning from you all and sharing with you what little I know. I'm pretty handy with a wrench and electronics, so maybe I can contribute in some way. :)
Hi David and welcome to OB! Nice looking rigs! Safe travels and enjoy those open roads!
 
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Jake Wettern | iamjake

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate II

2,666
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Member #

5315

View attachment 37672
--Here she is at Mammoth Mountain

Currently in South Carolina
2016 Toyota 4Runner SR5
Overlanding... I recently learned about this new term "overlanding" from a good friend in Las Vegas, NV when I saw his SAS Xterra with a RTT on it. After more questions and a few beers, I realized I needed to learn more about this lifestyle because it was...me. I've been hiking, backpacking, and camping for years... this is the next level!
Hi Reis and welcome to OB! Nice looking 4Runner! Safe travels and enjoy those open roads!
 

Jake Wettern | iamjake

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate II

2,666
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Member #

5315

Hey Everyone,

My name is Josh and I do a lot of videography, photography, and drone operations.
I am located in southeastern Pennsylvania, right outside of Philadelphia.
I bought a 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Offroad 10 months ago and I love it.

I have always been an outdoors kind of person, but never really knew the term overloading. I am excited to begin this journey
and explore the outdoors with my rig. View attachment 37673
Hi Josh and welcome to OB! Nice looking Tacoma! Safe travels and enjoy those open roads!
 

Jake Wettern | iamjake

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate II

2,666
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Member #

5315

Hey everyone, wanted to introduce myself. Name is Matt, active duty Air Force currently stationed at Kadena AB in Okinawa, Japan. Will be returning stateside in May '18 to most likely Oklahoma City, but hoping the assignment Gods smile on me and send me to Colorado Springs.

Just sold a '92 Land Cruiser 70 HZJ73 and took delivery of the current ride that I'll bring home in May. Its a May 1993 HDJ81. 157k km, 1HDT Turbo Diesel. No lockers, but it'll do.

Zero overlanding experience but look forward to branching out around OKC in all directions, baselining the rig, and meeting new people!

Hi Matt and welcome to OB! Nice looking HDJ81! Thank you for your service! Safe travels and enjoy those open roads!
 

Jake Wettern | iamjake

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate II

2,666
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Member #

5315

View attachment 37677 Hey, everybody

My name is Jim, from Cave Creek, AZ just north of Phoenix.
I drive a 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road

I retired a few months ago and bought the truck and started exploring the back country. I didn't even know that what I was doing had a name until I started watching overlanding videos on YouTube.
Hi Jim and welcome to OB! Nice looking Tacoma! Safe travels and enjoy those open roads!
 

Jake Wettern | iamjake

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate II

2,666
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Member #

5315

hello all from Southern Idaho

My name is Steve, I am a family guy with 4 boys and 1 little girl. I have doomed them all to a life of landcruisers. They all have pictures of the cruisers they want in their rooms and I am really gonna work on getting the Pink FJ40 for the little girl in 6 or 7 years. Right now we have a '96 FZJ80 and '90 Fj62. They are kinda rough but we take care of the stuff that keeps em going. I am also a scoutmaster and these rigs get us to and from all our monthly adventures. I quote one of the boys from our trip last weekend "why go to an amusement park when you could just do this" .

anyway, I'm looking forward to all I can learn here and getting to know the crowd.View attachment 37685 View attachment 37686
Hi Steve and welcome to OB! Nice looking rigs! Safe travels and enjoy those open roads!
 

Chadlyb

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate III

2,779
Bend, OR, USA
Member #

7632

Hey, what's up guys! This is super cool. Excited to be here! Just became a member. #8159

Name: Matt
From: SLC, Utah
Rig: Xterra
I have been overlanding since I could drive, just didn't have a name for it.
Hello Matt and welcome to the OB crew...nice Nissan and look forward to seeing your adventures
 

Chadlyb

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate III

2,779
Bend, OR, USA
Member #

7632

Hello all.

new member from Canada. Kinda wondering how many other Canuks may be hiding in these forums waiting for overlanding and 4x4 to take off as much here as it has in other places in the worls.
Hello Morgan and welcome to the OB crew
 

Scarlet O Mikey

Rank IV
Launch Member

Advocate III

1,402
Lincoln, Ca
Member #

6488

New Member 8197..
Green Bay Wisconsin.
2017 4runner Limited.. Pics to follow
My life has been an adventure, however, this is a new chapter.. Novice.. Feel free to message me or get to know me if you are in the area.
Greetings PsychNurseWI, welcome to OB. Hubby is Psych Nurse here in CA. It's tough job. All the best in your adventures.
 

John D.

Rank V
Launch Member

Pathfinder I

2,055
porterville, ca
First Name
John
Last Name
Duffy
Member #

7950

Hello all.

new member from Canada. Kinda wondering how many other Canuks may be hiding in these forums waiting for overlanding and 4x4 to take off as much here as it has in other places in the worls.
Welcome Morgan from California