Outsideonline article, "No, You Don't Need to Modify Your Truck to Go Off-Road"

[RAWags]

This article by Wes Siler has got me reconsidering some of my build plans. More than anything he embraces the Overland Bound ethos of get out and go, don't let your lack of a perfect rig hold you back.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2193931/do-you-really-need-modify-your-truck-go-road

 

[druff6991]

I'll just say this. Yes a stock truck can go off road. But a mildly built one can go a lot further off the well beaten path

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[Arizona Overland]

I'll just say this. Yes a stock truck can go off road. But a mildly built one can go a lot further off the well beaten path

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Exactly. And you don't have to wait till your rig is built to go. Like anything else in life, you do what you can with what you've got, and improve and modify as you go along.

 

[druff6991]

Exactly. And you don't have to wait till your rig is built to go. Like anything else in life, you do what you can with what you've got, and improve and modify as you go along.

You also don't need 100,000 dollars worth of upgrades. Don't need a roof top tent, or a brand new Toyota Tacoma trd pro, or jeep Rubicon. Hell my half ton silverado went down some nice trails (in pursuit of untouched fishing grounds), that my college roommates wouldnt take their jeeps (due to the price of one) it was just a leveled 4wd with one size bigger tires. I had to go slower and pick my line better, but she got the job done.

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[john casson]

This article by Wes Siler has got me reconsidering some of my build plans. More than anything he embraces the Overland Bound ethos of get out and go, don't let your lack of a perfect rig hold you back.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2193931/do-you-really-need-modify-your-truck-go-road

Thanks for sharing good read. I'm building as I go. It will be a never ending build.

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[Robert OB 33/48]

Very true, and, I would like to add the following;
What kind of Overlanding do you do? From weekend to always on the off beaten path.
From seriously rock climbing to traveling across a dirt path.
From looking for the next challenge or finding scenery and try to be able to go over a little challenge?
All this will give you an idea what you need.

For instance, I have a Rig, Jeep Liberty, which will be build up for the task in the near future. But, we drove this car to and from Morocco in pure stock form. Just a Roof Rack and some drawers.
Oh and mild AT tyres. Falken Landair AT.
It towed a Trailer all the way. Except for the dunes.
And in Spain it did a good job during the trip through the Bardenas Reales half desert.
So, a big Overland journey in a stock vehicle. Duable? Yes it is.

And see this from Andrew St Pierre White
so, I guess, yes, you can do more as you think with a stock car.

 

[Andy G]

Wow, great article that comes at a perfect time for me as I'm right now shopping for a rig.

Thanks for posting!

 

[mad4runner]

Wow.

#8519

 

[Stoked]

I agree with several points made in the article. But some of it seemed as if the author was saying that all of these mods that most people do are a waste of time and money, and I'm not sure I agree with that. This is my fourth Jeep, so I have a good idea of what I want to do with this one. I will be doing some of the mods that the author says are unnecessary, but I build so that I don't have to worry about getting stuck, stranded, or broken. I'll still go out and have some fun with my Jeep as it sits, but I won't push my luck or put my family in a potentially bad situation until I know the Jeep is set up to handle it.

 

[craigR]

Nice write up, and I think he makes some valid points. I believe the main takeaway of the article is, don't let your equipment stop you from getting out and enjoying yourself. It's a great message.

That said, I think vehicle enhancements above and beyond better tires have their place, and I definitely disagree with his endorsement of leasing for this specific application.

Thanks for sharing the article!

 

[RAWags]

Very true, and, I would like to add the following;
What kind of Overlanding do you do? From weekend to always on the off beaten path.
From seriously rock climbing to traveling across a dirt path.
From looking for the next challenge or finding scenery and try to be able to go over a little challenge?
All this will give you an idea what you need.

For instance, I have a Rig, Jeep Liberty, which will be build up for the task in the near future. But, we drove this car to and from Morocco in pure stock form. Just a Roof Rack and some drawers.
Oh and mild AT tyres. Falken Landair AT.
It towed a Trailer all the way. Except for the dunes.
And in Spain it did a good job during the trip through the Bardenas Reales half desert.
So, a big Overland journey in a stock vehicle. Duable? Yes it is.

And see this from Andrew St Pierre White
so, I guess, yes, you can do more as you think with a stock car.

I've driven my family crazy watching all the Andrew St Pierre White videos. He has done a couple of these trips in stock vehicles. Though, to be fair, the diesel engines they have are a huge advantage. He just finished doing the Canning Stock Route in a brand new Land Cruiser Trooopy that had a truckload of money put into it.

Your trip in the stock Jeeps sounds like a great one!

 

[Robert OB 33/48]

True, but a D-max Isuzu is a lot of super duper car for a few bucks. And that went through Africa.
The Canning Stock Route is a tough road, and yes the Trooper is very good equiped, but look at the real suspencion, tyres and such, that is fairly simple. Good but simple.
No big tyres, no big lift, all modest.
Yes is camper part is great.
My Liberty will have a modest modification. it has now just a 2 inc lift, a 100kg extra payload, and bigger tyres, but they are just 30.5 inch tyres on 16 inch rims. All very modest, as it is a Rig for travelling and yes, it can do some challenges when it is ready.

 

[James Feldermann]

This writer made a few good points and then lost all credibility when he said to lease a vehicle, especially one you are taking off road. He also named mods like lift, tires, winch and followed up with "Mods that actually make a difference". What a tool. He has an agenda and it's defending taking out a stock , leased vehicle. Ultimately, wheel what you have. Be smart about where you take what you have. And be honest about your rig's abilities. I've done Hell's Revenge more than once and he didn't do it (start to finish) in a stock Tacoma.

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[Robert OB 33/48]

Thank you James.
That is true as well.
Just back to the whole issue. If a lease car, or a car on payment, or a car of yourself, or which financial background a car has, which is not very interesting in the discussion about how you can use a stock car for Overlanding in general.
There are so many possibilities for Overlanding.
Distance, Terrain, heat, cold, much tarmac or no tarmac, desert or mud, or gravel. A stock car can perform well, but will not exceed in a special kind of terrain.
The question remains, what will you do with your Rig.
And with that in mind, when you start your Overlanding career, I think going out with a stock Rig, is a smart thing.
Find out along the way what you like and dont like. Were are the limits for you. And with all that in mind the list of modification will come together and also your specific priorities.
I think he made a point, and that mad RAWags think twice about his list.
That is the issue. What are you (everyone in general as a newbie) gonna do with this knowledge.
Me? I think in stages now. What I would like and how it will end. That will deside the future and my future experiences.
thank you for reading.

 

[RAWags]

The author also drives a 1999 Land Rover Discovery that he claims has been virtually trouble free.... He posted another article about why you should buy a full-size truck for overlanding. You have to take his advice in context.

This quote really got me thinking...
"If you want to spend money on off-roading, you’ll be able to go further, in more safety, if you take classes, read books, and solicit help from experienced friends."

For me, as I was buying my Montero I was picturing it with an ARB front bumper, roof basket, sliders, big 33 inch tires, and a lift. This article made me reconsider those mods, for now. My new plan is to install skid plates, get a new set of AT tires (in size close to stock), pack the basic recovery and safety gear, and take a couple classes. The stock 03 Montero is a capable vehicle. I don't need it to look like an expedition rig to go overlanding, or drive my kids to school.

 

[LostInSocal]

For several months I've been catching up on the Youtube videos from "SUV RVing". He drives an outfitted RAV4, but none of it, from my recollection, has to do with lifts, recovery gear, etc. All his gear has to do with convenience, storage, and activities. This guy's been places I would love to visit. From his videos, it looks like he just has a strong sense of adventure and he does research of where he wants to go. Apparently, he doesn't feel like he needs all that, and he's still able to get out there. Yes, of course, his setup does have limitations, though it doesn't seem to bother him the slightest.

 

[MazeVX]

In basic he's right, but I think he overshoot in some points. You can lift a truck and it handles better than before on and offroad, you can mount bigger tires without negative effects and so on... Just don't overdo everything like many people do. In fact I owned a '92 subaru legacy bone stock and it did well, now I have a wrangler and it's going to be lifted and bigger tires but less is more.

To boldly go... ;-)

 

[WrightRunner]

Bottom line do what you can with what you can afford. Just get out and explore!

 

[vegasjeepguy]

This is a great point...

Skid Plates
Most of the dangers your vehicle will face off-road don’t come from the front, rear, or sides—they come from underneath. Drive over an unexpectedly pointy rock, and you risk damaging essential, relatively fragile components like your oil pan, transmission, differentials, or exhaust. Skid plates can easily be bolted on, and they add a massive amount of protection, don't impact your fuel economy or safety, and can be easily removed. Consider them cheap insurance.

 

[Michael]

Run what you brung. We say, "it doesn't matter what you drive", which is true, but it does matter where you drive it!

I'd run a stock rig from San Francisco to Cabo San Lucas, if I went the friendly way, but not if I'm going to hit some hard trail.

I like the advice that you dont need a "built" rig to explore. If you said the opposite, you'd be an elitist. "You have to drive a D110, built for the Sahara if you want to Overland". It's laughable and too frequent.

Bang for buck however, a few simple mods, tires, sliders, lift, and you open up a whole new world.

Ultimately, think it through. Be safe.