When Your Daily Driver is Your Overland Rig
- Thread starter Corrie
- Start date
A Chevy Colorado ZR2 with most bed caps or racks would fit, even if you added a little bigger diameter tires. You may have to replace the OEM antenna with a stubby unit though. If you want stuff on top of the cab roof or bed rack/cap (spare tire, jack, RTT, etc.), you'd have to store it separately.
My rig on 33s clears my garage door opener by one inch. If I nose it all the way to the back of the original slab (I have an 8 foot extension on the back), I can actually jack it up enough to get some work done.
Mine is daily driven. Just crossed 276k on the odometer. Freshened up the top end in the garage. If any of you out there have a chance to rebuild a Powerstroke in your garage without jacking the cab.......pass. ;-)
Member III
Thought provoking article. Nice to know I’m not alone commuting in my adventure mobile. I have an over-roof rack system which must be removed before I can fit in a parking garage. Looking into other solutions but may just dial in public transportation. Anyway, thanks for the article.
Steward II
- 10,598
- First Name
- Dave
- Last Name
- Addington
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10123
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- KN6BKH
Great article and well written. I’ve struggled with this concept as well as I do about 3500 miles a month. So I’ve looked for ways to transform my DD into my rig and be able to swap back and forth. For example my Nav and comms I use a product that enables me to mount ram balls and take them off easily, and the mount hides discreetly behind my radio bezel never to be seen while in DD mode. The sliders I chose give me good rock protection but also don’t stick so far out that my pants (or passengers’ pants) get wet or dirty when exiting. I also worked hard at finding a rack system for my truck that takes 10 mins to pop on and off so the transition is quick. With some thought and research it definitely can be done depending on your function and form that you want. I talked to Michael at the OB Rally and he did a walk around about it.
Just added this bumper on 2 weeks ago, it matches the stock look while giving me a winch, LED Bar, and hard points while not looking too overly aggressive or heavy.
Just added this bumper on 2 weeks ago, it matches the stock look while giving me a winch, LED Bar, and hard points while not looking too overly aggressive or heavy.
I am a new member, 2013 Jeep Wrangler. I am very interested in Jeep activities in Florida and the Southeast. Bob
Steward II
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- Dave
- Last Name
- Addington
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Welcome Bob. Lots of great people on here. Check out the rally point page and then choose your region from the drop down and you’ll get a list of all the events happening local to you whether that be a meet up or a trip.
Steward II
- 10,598
- First Name
- Dave
- Last Name
- Addington
- Member #
10123
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KN6BKH
Enthusiast I
"Expedition Battleship" Awesome! Thank You for the insightful article. New to this, but my Jeep is my daily driver and I suppose once I gear it up, I'll be in the same boat. Thanks again!
Thanks for this! I want to explore overlanding using my tacoma sport as my primary rig. I am not looking to make this a lifestyle thing initially but dont want to be underequipped when it counts. OMG this seems to be an expensive hobby! Maybe I should look into yachting or polo instead.....
Enthusiast III
I enjoyed this. You helped again illustrate to me that its not reasonable (for me) to have my daily as an overland. I have a lowly subaru outback that I have lifted, and put a roof rack on, with a few other goodies like sliders. As I was building and seeing the gas mileage drop off the cliff, I came to the point where I need to start thinking of storage. Once I got into that It came clear to me my best option was to get a trailer. I simply did not want to take up my entire rear with racks and sliders full time. I have dogs, I have things to move, I have a day to day life I didnt want to disrupt.
I had to get a small but functional trialer so I went with a turtleback getaway trail.
Each to their own and all.
I seriously looked for a trd pro 4runner, I mean scoured the dealership sites. I finally convinced myself I would just do all the upgrades you did over time, and that made me question why I would buy the pro for 10K more than an offroad.
No doubt you have a good looking rig.
I had to get a small but functional trialer so I went with a turtleback getaway trail.
Each to their own and all.
I seriously looked for a trd pro 4runner, I mean scoured the dealership sites. I finally convinced myself I would just do all the upgrades you did over time, and that made me question why I would buy the pro for 10K more than an offroad.
No doubt you have a good looking rig.
Enthusiast II
I live about 11 miles from the office with is 90% freeway so that helps with the gas. I have been an advid bike rider my whole life so I "try" and ride to work 2 days a week in the spring and fall. Living in las vegas when it is some times over 100 at 7:30am in the summer and not wanting to be a sweaty mess when I get to work keeps me from riding too much in the summer...hahaha
I have 3 cases that fit side by side (by side) on the roof rack/bin with hold random camp stuff/cooking utensils in Ziploc bags, cans and dry good food and the last has my axe, camp shovel, extra tent supplies and basic tools. I take those off the truck durring the week and pop them back on in 5 or so minutes before I jet off for fun. I also have a bin and bag inside the cab with two small compressors, a fully charged jump pack and recovery gear....
Its nice to have the extra room inside... My XL7 has a third row which is always down and then I drop the second row for more stuff.
I have 3 cases that fit side by side (by side) on the roof rack/bin with hold random camp stuff/cooking utensils in Ziploc bags, cans and dry good food and the last has my axe, camp shovel, extra tent supplies and basic tools. I take those off the truck durring the week and pop them back on in 5 or so minutes before I jet off for fun. I also have a bin and bag inside the cab with two small compressors, a fully charged jump pack and recovery gear....
Its nice to have the extra room inside... My XL7 has a third row which is always down and then I drop the second row for more stuff.
My DD has been my stock LLC since the end of 2009. It does fine as a DD and fine as a trail rig in stock form (but I never push the vehicle because I'm always alone in the back country). The only "mod" is I run KO2 tires (and previously, Big O/Cooper AT tires) instead of the P loads that Toyo likes to put on these rigs.
ctcv1984
Rank III
Off-Road Ranger I
Enjoyable article, thank you. I do have one little question, though. How is it that you have two different license plates on your 4Runner? Just curious.
Pathfinder I
My rig is my DD but I have it easier than most.
1. I'm retired so don't have to worry about getting to work if I break something. I could be gone for a month before anyone noticed.
2. I live in NM where we have nothing BUT wide open spaces. It's never a problem getting around.
I do get a lot of stares, compliments, questions and "What the hell is that?" (RTT) A lot of times people will pull out their phone and snap pictures. Once I was out in the middle of Walmart's parking lot, reading the news on my ipad, when one of the Google Maps cars came and did a 360 around me. My rig doesn't look nearly as funky as theirs.
1. I'm retired so don't have to worry about getting to work if I break something. I could be gone for a month before anyone noticed.
2. I live in NM where we have nothing BUT wide open spaces. It's never a problem getting around.
I do get a lot of stares, compliments, questions and "What the hell is that?" (RTT) A lot of times people will pull out their phone and snap pictures. Once I was out in the middle of Walmart's parking lot, reading the news on my ipad, when one of the Google Maps cars came and did a 360 around me. My rig doesn't look nearly as funky as theirs.
Enthusiast III
Regarding using your overland vehicle as your daly driver, all's I have to say is:
If you're not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
If you're not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
I like this write up. No where is he glossing over the impracticalities of how most overland vehicles are built. But the big thing that hit me is the total disregard for weight. And the belief that adding all that heavy armour actually makes yer rig more rugged. When exceeding the GVWR actually stresses every factory part making yer overlander more vulnerable. I grew up 40 years ago with sports cars and rally cars. The golden rule back then was for every pound you add, take off two. Add rally lights.... strip out the back seats. Want new wheels and tires.... only buy them if they save you weight.
My own Wrangler, I am returning it to stock, the lift is gone, I will alwys have a winch but on the factory bumper. And I just dropped to 7.50R16 tires saving 40#, improving the ride incredibly, and going from a best of 17mpg to a daily average of 22mpg. Thats adding 100 miles to the range of a tank of gas.
Buy a good vehicle. Keep it close to stock. Add stuff you really need, like refrigeration, bedding and a bit of first aid..... And learn to drive with out breaking things or hitting shit.
If you want to rock crawl..... build one but a rock crawler is not an overlander.
ps... front bumpers are designed to not maim pedestrians. With the number of wheelers trading bumpers for guillotines it will be a short time before the insurance industry cries foul and government passes regulations banning after market bumpers.
My own Wrangler, I am returning it to stock, the lift is gone, I will alwys have a winch but on the factory bumper. And I just dropped to 7.50R16 tires saving 40#, improving the ride incredibly, and going from a best of 17mpg to a daily average of 22mpg. Thats adding 100 miles to the range of a tank of gas.
Buy a good vehicle. Keep it close to stock. Add stuff you really need, like refrigeration, bedding and a bit of first aid..... And learn to drive with out breaking things or hitting shit.
If you want to rock crawl..... build one but a rock crawler is not an overlander.
ps... front bumpers are designed to not maim pedestrians. With the number of wheelers trading bumpers for guillotines it will be a short time before the insurance industry cries foul and government passes regulations banning after market bumpers.
A trailer for overlanding makes daily driving the tow vehicle real easy, since it can be virtually stock.
