Expedition Modded Jeeps - Let's see 'em!!
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,800
Likes: 374
From: Midwest City, OK
Those are the two I'm familiar with. But, don't miss The Gods Must be Crazy (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_gods_must_be_crazy). Also, the episode of the BBC Top Gear Bolivia episode (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear:_Bolivia_Special). And their Vietnam episode (on motorbikes) was also incredible (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear:_Vietnam_Special). You can find parts of all of those on YouTube, I expect.
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,800
Likes: 374
From: Midwest City, OK
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
From: Harahan, LA.
This is a really great question. I hope in my answer below that I don't hurt anyone's feelings or gore any sacred cows. Heck, we all build our own rigs as we want them to be, not as some hoser (me) wants it to be. And we all enjoy different things in what we do--rock crawling, expeditions, trips to the hunting cabin, getting the wife and kids safely to work and school, or just mall crawling. So, please take what I offer below with a big grain of salt--it's a reflection of what I enjoy about my Jeep, which may be entirely different from what you enjoy (though if you're reading this thread, I hope you appreciate where I'm coming from). So, with that ..
First off, not everyone lives in the States--check out Marksdsv's portfolio of runs in Borneo and Dubai. But, back to the question: Playing on rocks is rather like being in a playground. You're restricted to a small area and don't get to stray too far. After you spend a half day or so day doing that, you go find another playground and play in it. It's rather why I never have liked lake boating or dirt bikes or ATVs: I grew out of playgrounds a long time ago.
I like to go see things. I like to travel, and have put 115K miles on my JK in the past seven years (considering I'm retired and don't drive to work daily, that's a lot of miles). In those travels, I like to be prepared for the worst "road" conditions. So, that's what I've built my Jeep for. 35s were overkill, but I did it because I like the look (ran 33s for many years, and even did some rockcrawling with them keeping up with 35-equipped JKs).
Yes, it is difficult to get away from civilization here in the States, but difficult isn't impossible. Earlier this year did three days and 165 miles on the Ozark Overland Trail. We did see one gas station on one of two highways that we crossed. So what? We acted as if it wasn't there and used fuel we carried to complete the trip. We did about the same number of miles at Big Bend National Park, and yes we did refuel at the gas station and we ate at the restaurant in the Chisos Basin--but we camped three nights on the trail and weathered a pretty hairy storm during the process. We planned a two night trip into the Sans Bois Mountains of OK--not very many miles at all, but still some very heavy rains and mud that we had to drive through to continue our explorations--a challenge not to log miles, but just to log a mile (had to winch a half dozen or so times, for example). We are going on a week long, 400-mile off-road trip that will include White Rim Trail, Cathedral Valley, Grand Staircase Escalante and BLM land on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Will we see small towns and gas stations? Sure. We even plan to stay in a hotel one night. But, it will still be a heck of an adventure, as opposed to heading out to Disney, OK yet one more time and climbing the same hill one more time and then crawling out through the same river one more time. A lot better than going to Sun Dog Trails and paying a fee to play around on dirt trails on a few hundred acres of land with the ATVs for a few hours when I'd much rather be logging a few hundred miles and living off the gear and supplies I've transported in my vehicle. So, in that vein, here are my thoughts on what makes a build expedition:
1. Tires should be 33s or so ATs. Yes, I violate this one. 35s hurt gas mileage, and gas mileage is crucial in an expedition build. But, as has been pointed out, finding a gas station isn't really a problem here in the States (well, most of the time--you can still do it when your GPS lies to you about a gas station that closed six months ago--I experienced it in Colorado!). AT tires because you'll be traveling a mix of on highway and off-road in all manner of weather. I've gone on trips in dust storms, heavy rains, blizzards, ice storms, etc. Weather that would have kept the rockcrawlers at home. Consider: On a ten day trip, you don't decide to not continue the trip because Mother Nature decided to dump six inches of snow in the mountain pass (unless the highway patrol beats you to it and closes it). You head on through. Not so for rockcrawlers. They just cancel their trip to the playground. Or spend the night at base camp.
When the highway patrol closed I-40 in Flagstaff because of a blizzard, we had to find an alternate route or miss our target date to begin the Mojave Trail. So we headed south out of Winslow into unknown conditions ...
2. Lift should be no higher than needed to accommodate the tires. Excessive lift reduces drivetrain reliability, and a driveshaft failing while 75 miles from civilization is a pain in the rear. Or front. 4" lift and 37s are rockcrawlers, not really expedition rigs.
3. Front bumper should be one of those hideous ones that provide protection for the entire front end--brush guards, as it were. I hate the looks of those, so went for a rockcrawler bumper and suffer the branches taking on the paint. Also, stingers, front or rear, are definitely for rock crawlers. On expeditions, they are more likely to get hung up in trees and brush and such, making life a little more difficult. And their primary reason for existence (ignoring that some folks think they look cool) is that they keep you from rolling forward or backward while crawling over boulders. That's not something expedition rigs are built for.
2:22 and 5:38 for some pretty heavy brush.
YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQHYl2Kp5ww
4. Stock fenders are plenty satisfactory. They are the best looking fenders and while flat fenders are needed when you add large tires to provide clearance, they are not a expedition build need.
5. Cold air intakes are a no-no. You'll be traveling on dusty roads and maybe crossing streams. If you want the CAI for improved breathing on the highway, opt for something that lets you reconfigure it quickly for a snorkel (RIPP makes one).
6. You need to carry extra gas. That probably means a rear bumper that accommodates it.
7. You may be traveling at night--you'll want lights high up to be above any streams you may be fording at night. And, illuminated lights below water line have been known to crack--allow lights that will be underwater to cool. This also allows the differentials to cool and reduce the chance for them to suck in water during the fording. And, remember, there really is quick sand out there and you might find yourself in deeper water than you had planned!
This guy got stuck yahooing out there the night before and had to abandon his truck. We are all standing on quicksand, and it doesn't take much motion to sink up to your knees in about 10 seconds.
8. An overhead rack and trail rack allow you to carry extra gear. You need to be prepared for most anything that could happen on the trail, but at the same time using the overhead rack means you'll be hitting more trees and more susceptible to the wind. If at all possible, avoid using it, but it's there if you must.
9. Self-sustainment also includes carrying your food, cooking and camping gear. Some folks prefer all-terrain trailers. I've traveled with them and while they look super cool and provide incredible comfort at camp, they do slow down the trip on rougher roads/trails. If it gets muddy or wet and rocky, expect to have to winch them more. I prefer to go more the backpacking route (having years of experience at it, as well as the gear), so sleep in a small tent on the ground.
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4075267640966&set=vb.1260697505&type=3 &theater
This trailer rolled while attempting to reach camp after darkness. Winches were used to right it and it suffered very little damage (a testament to the strength of these trailers).
10. Everyone needs a winch. It can be a major pain to get a vehicle at the front turned around and back to the middle on a very tight trail, costing lots of daylight hours (and making those risky night river crossings that much more likely).
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3985195109209&set=vb.1260697505&type=3 &theater
11. Someone needs a land anchor. Not every place has a convenient rock or tree to winch off.
12. You'll use your shovel, axe, pick axe and machete on occasion, depending on the trail. Carry them.
13. Sand ladders and bridges should be in the group. I like the MaxTrax.
14. Water. And more water because in a proper group someone is carrying a shower and it's sure nice on day three or four to be able to take one. So carry extra propane for that purpose (one propane bottle will heat the water for a shower quite nicely).
15. Refrigerator. Or a Yeti Cooler, if you must have ice. Because you'll want your beer/white zinfandel to stay chilled for three or four days.
7:49-8:33 on the video. It doesn't get any better than that.
YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4TZkduhlRM
16. A reasonably quiet muffler. You're out there to see the wildlife, not scare it away. And there will be people out there hiking and backpacking and such who'll appreciate that they don't hear the steady drone of you coming and going for an hour or two.
17. Topo maps. Because while you may be out there to get lost from society for a few days, you don't really want to be lost!
Bottom line, we go because of the challenge of it. Sure, we can't get away from civilization much of the time, but that doesn't mean we must suffer it. We'll get back to it soon enough, and in the meantime we can let the pace of modern society go about its own business while we enjoy a few days appreciating this great country of ours.
First off, not everyone lives in the States--check out Marksdsv's portfolio of runs in Borneo and Dubai. But, back to the question: Playing on rocks is rather like being in a playground. You're restricted to a small area and don't get to stray too far. After you spend a half day or so day doing that, you go find another playground and play in it. It's rather why I never have liked lake boating or dirt bikes or ATVs: I grew out of playgrounds a long time ago.
I like to go see things. I like to travel, and have put 115K miles on my JK in the past seven years (considering I'm retired and don't drive to work daily, that's a lot of miles). In those travels, I like to be prepared for the worst "road" conditions. So, that's what I've built my Jeep for. 35s were overkill, but I did it because I like the look (ran 33s for many years, and even did some rockcrawling with them keeping up with 35-equipped JKs).
Yes, it is difficult to get away from civilization here in the States, but difficult isn't impossible. Earlier this year did three days and 165 miles on the Ozark Overland Trail. We did see one gas station on one of two highways that we crossed. So what? We acted as if it wasn't there and used fuel we carried to complete the trip. We did about the same number of miles at Big Bend National Park, and yes we did refuel at the gas station and we ate at the restaurant in the Chisos Basin--but we camped three nights on the trail and weathered a pretty hairy storm during the process. We planned a two night trip into the Sans Bois Mountains of OK--not very many miles at all, but still some very heavy rains and mud that we had to drive through to continue our explorations--a challenge not to log miles, but just to log a mile (had to winch a half dozen or so times, for example). We are going on a week long, 400-mile off-road trip that will include White Rim Trail, Cathedral Valley, Grand Staircase Escalante and BLM land on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Will we see small towns and gas stations? Sure. We even plan to stay in a hotel one night. But, it will still be a heck of an adventure, as opposed to heading out to Disney, OK yet one more time and climbing the same hill one more time and then crawling out through the same river one more time. A lot better than going to Sun Dog Trails and paying a fee to play around on dirt trails on a few hundred acres of land with the ATVs for a few hours when I'd much rather be logging a few hundred miles and living off the gear and supplies I've transported in my vehicle. So, in that vein, here are my thoughts on what makes a build expedition:
1. Tires should be 33s or so ATs. Yes, I violate this one. 35s hurt gas mileage, and gas mileage is crucial in an expedition build. But, as has been pointed out, finding a gas station isn't really a problem here in the States (well, most of the time--you can still do it when your GPS lies to you about a gas station that closed six months ago--I experienced it in Colorado!). AT tires because you'll be traveling a mix of on highway and off-road in all manner of weather. I've gone on trips in dust storms, heavy rains, blizzards, ice storms, etc. Weather that would have kept the rockcrawlers at home. Consider: On a ten day trip, you don't decide to not continue the trip because Mother Nature decided to dump six inches of snow in the mountain pass (unless the highway patrol beats you to it and closes it). You head on through. Not so for rockcrawlers. They just cancel their trip to the playground. Or spend the night at base camp.
When the highway patrol closed I-40 in Flagstaff because of a blizzard, we had to find an alternate route or miss our target date to begin the Mojave Trail. So we headed south out of Winslow into unknown conditions ...
2. Lift should be no higher than needed to accommodate the tires. Excessive lift reduces drivetrain reliability, and a driveshaft failing while 75 miles from civilization is a pain in the rear. Or front. 4" lift and 37s are rockcrawlers, not really expedition rigs.
3. Front bumper should be one of those hideous ones that provide protection for the entire front end--brush guards, as it were. I hate the looks of those, so went for a rockcrawler bumper and suffer the branches taking on the paint. Also, stingers, front or rear, are definitely for rock crawlers. On expeditions, they are more likely to get hung up in trees and brush and such, making life a little more difficult. And their primary reason for existence (ignoring that some folks think they look cool) is that they keep you from rolling forward or backward while crawling over boulders. That's not something expedition rigs are built for.
2:22 and 5:38 for some pretty heavy brush.
YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQHYl2Kp5ww
4. Stock fenders are plenty satisfactory. They are the best looking fenders and while flat fenders are needed when you add large tires to provide clearance, they are not a expedition build need.
5. Cold air intakes are a no-no. You'll be traveling on dusty roads and maybe crossing streams. If you want the CAI for improved breathing on the highway, opt for something that lets you reconfigure it quickly for a snorkel (RIPP makes one).
6. You need to carry extra gas. That probably means a rear bumper that accommodates it.
7. You may be traveling at night--you'll want lights high up to be above any streams you may be fording at night. And, illuminated lights below water line have been known to crack--allow lights that will be underwater to cool. This also allows the differentials to cool and reduce the chance for them to suck in water during the fording. And, remember, there really is quick sand out there and you might find yourself in deeper water than you had planned!
This guy got stuck yahooing out there the night before and had to abandon his truck. We are all standing on quicksand, and it doesn't take much motion to sink up to your knees in about 10 seconds.
8. An overhead rack and trail rack allow you to carry extra gear. You need to be prepared for most anything that could happen on the trail, but at the same time using the overhead rack means you'll be hitting more trees and more susceptible to the wind. If at all possible, avoid using it, but it's there if you must.
9. Self-sustainment also includes carrying your food, cooking and camping gear. Some folks prefer all-terrain trailers. I've traveled with them and while they look super cool and provide incredible comfort at camp, they do slow down the trip on rougher roads/trails. If it gets muddy or wet and rocky, expect to have to winch them more. I prefer to go more the backpacking route (having years of experience at it, as well as the gear), so sleep in a small tent on the ground.
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4075267640966&set=vb.1260697505&type=3 &theater
This trailer rolled while attempting to reach camp after darkness. Winches were used to right it and it suffered very little damage (a testament to the strength of these trailers).
10. Everyone needs a winch. It can be a major pain to get a vehicle at the front turned around and back to the middle on a very tight trail, costing lots of daylight hours (and making those risky night river crossings that much more likely).
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3985195109209&set=vb.1260697505&type=3 &theater
11. Someone needs a land anchor. Not every place has a convenient rock or tree to winch off.
12. You'll use your shovel, axe, pick axe and machete on occasion, depending on the trail. Carry them.
13. Sand ladders and bridges should be in the group. I like the MaxTrax.
14. Water. And more water because in a proper group someone is carrying a shower and it's sure nice on day three or four to be able to take one. So carry extra propane for that purpose (one propane bottle will heat the water for a shower quite nicely).
15. Refrigerator. Or a Yeti Cooler, if you must have ice. Because you'll want your beer/white zinfandel to stay chilled for three or four days.
7:49-8:33 on the video. It doesn't get any better than that.
YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4TZkduhlRM
16. A reasonably quiet muffler. You're out there to see the wildlife, not scare it away. And there will be people out there hiking and backpacking and such who'll appreciate that they don't hear the steady drone of you coming and going for an hour or two.
17. Topo maps. Because while you may be out there to get lost from society for a few days, you don't really want to be lost!
Bottom line, we go because of the challenge of it. Sure, we can't get away from civilization much of the time, but that doesn't mean we must suffer it. We'll get back to it soon enough, and in the meantime we can let the pace of modern society go about its own business while we enjoy a few days appreciating this great country of ours.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 325
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From: Malmoe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUGK2vLnfsQ&list=UUtjnYCDQ-g3Vm1UkQhOE1kg&index=89 Alot of intresting videos here
Uploaded videos - YouTube
JK Newbie
Joined: Jul 2012
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From: Chardon, Ohio
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,800
Likes: 374
From: Midwest City, OK
LOL. He didn't stand back because he wanted to. I had just asked him to stand back because if he fell over I'd hate to have to explain to his wife why he wasn't coming home! Last year at Black Canyon of the Gunnison south rim (nearly a 1/2-mile straight down), he asked a ranger if it was okay if he went past the barrier to shoot a picture and she said she wasn't supposed to stop folks (surprised me). Then when she saw how far out and down he was getting, she said she really didn't want to perform a rescue that day, would he please mind ...?
JK Junkie
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 4
From: Israel
Mark Doiron
1. Tires should be 33s or so ATs
2. Lift should be no higher than needed to accommodate the tires
You need to be prepared for most anything that could happen on the trail
Some thoughts... –1. Tires should be 33s or so ATs
2. Lift should be no higher than needed to accommodate the tires
You need to be prepared for most anything that could happen on the trail
If all we want or need for expeditions is 33"s and 2" lift, why a Jeep? A pickup would have more storage space (even with a shortened bed, to increase departure angle), lower center of gravity, and a diesel engine...
We prefer a Jeep because of its offroad capability (and unique charm).
As you say, once you go offroad, the Jeeps' potential can always be unexpectedly needed.
Therefore, the 'expedition' Jeep should be made as capable as one can make it – and this means more than 33" and 2" lift.
.... using the overhead rack means you'll be hitting more trees and more susceptible to the wind. If at all possible, avoid using it, but it's there if you must.
Due to air resistance, the rack and what's on it, chew on the mpg at least as 35"s would. The smallest trailer would carry more weight than a roof rack, the load would be more accessible, and both the center of gravity and air resistance would be lower.
Yes, the downside is maneuvering in tight places.
Last edited by GJeep; Dec 29, 2012 at 03:44 AM.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 476
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
I don't think a truck could go down the trails I have been on. It's just too tight and the truck can't manuver as a Jeep can. I do like my trailer but it will slow you down on an overland trip. If I could get it all in the Jeep that would be great. If I need more room, I use my roof rack and if the boys and my wife come along I need the trailer. I look at it as a progressive thing. The more people and gear, the more storage needed. The cost is a slower trip with worse mileage but that is always worth it to get the family out and going. I also run 35's but most of the guys I go with run 33's and do just fine.