Ryan0260

The hydro blue is an awesome color, and will be in demand over standard colors down the road making it easier to sell if you chose to do so.

Septu

I bought an 10k Engo. Cost $350 and when they did the winch test, it and the Warn were the only two still working. Going on 3 years now, with a bunch of hard pulls every summer. I figured I'd run it till it dies, then likely buy a Warn. Using synthetic line with a thimble.

Septu

I miss the steel blue. Or the other dark blue colors. My first JK was white, and then when I ordered this one in Nov 2012, they didn't have any nice blues. Settled for silver. I don't mind it... but there's a lot of silver ones out there - especially up here. I thought of getting one of the bright ones (likely orange or yellow), however was worried I'd get tired of the color after a while. Cant' stand the green's or tan colors.

Like Mark said... it's highly subjective.

htm7765

I am in the same spot I have 11 Mango 2dr and love it it's different and you don't see to many of them around I really think the new color palette for 15 is lacking other then the three basic colors white black silver not sure.. I did see the yellow in a Willys that looked sharp .... I have the green light to purchase but I left the dealer because I cannot pick a color any idea if there is any talk of a mid year color like they did last year with copperhead ??? I would get another 11mango in 4dr but everyone has them so high a couple grand more I can get a 4 model year newer and zero miles ............

Dlampe

I would like to see more pictures of that little tear drop trailer on the last page. I would like to have something like that vs the trailer with a roof top tent but they are a little pricey. I would be interested to see how they hold up on trips like Mark takes.

Color choice is always a big decision but maybe not an "expedition modded jeep" thread topic. (I personally like the tank or Billet color!)

Anyway, if someone has expedition experience with those little trailers, I would love to hear about it.

Mark Doiron

Sorry, Dean, no help for you on the teardrop trailers (other than I agree they look pretty cool), but yesterday did some work on a couple Jeeps, including mine.

Installing an AEV snorkel on a friend's JK (Actually, this is his wife's. His was at home.) ...

The new AEV snorkel ...


And fabricating a bracket to secure my second spare tire (which I've been carrying on the MBRP rack front extension, where it will stay, but secured with a bolt through the wheel instead of a tiedown strap, which allowed it to slide left to right on the rack).

Started with a piece of plate metal ...


A little bit of grinding and such, then broke it twice ...


Shaping it to fit over the two round crossbars ...


Added reinforcing plate, drillled holes through both pieces, then welded together in holes before chamfering ...


Tap for the bolt ...


Finish welding up ...


It's ready for painting. Waiting for the weather to warm up a little this afternoon. Thanks to my friend, James, who is a master fabricator!

Cool Danish

Wow, that is a nicely appointed workshop your friend James have :-) I'm to whimpy to weld with bare arms
Can't wait to see the end result mounted on the Jeep.
Do you frequently need a second spare? I guess another question to everyone: Do you guys have success repairing tires out in the field? or do you just switch to the spare and get the tire repaired after you get back to civilization?

Mark Doiron

I don't always carry a second spare. If I'm in a situation where I could get to a shop to replace a damaged tire, then it's really not needed. But, I started this after Moab Overland a couple years ago. Ten days, 463 miles of off-road travel, and in the first fifty had ripped open the sidewall on my one and only spare. That's when I decided that for the cost of a wheel I could carry a second spare (by saving two tires each time I replace my four tires that are on the pavement). So, it's cheap. I'd been carrying it on the overhead rack, but it tended to slide sideways. So I asked James if he could fabricate a bracket that would hold the second spare in the same spot, but without the cargo strap (which was also a bit of a nuisance to put in place and cinch down). Right now the bracket is in the garage and I'm waiting for some seam sealer to dry so I can prime and topcoat it. Then we'll fab up the tiedown bolt and project will be done. I will post a picture once finished.

As for repairing tires in the field: I've never done it. I just change it. However, I have repaired them successfully once back home. Another option, for a seriously damaged tire, is to carry an inner tube. The tire repair kit I now carry is super complete. Big, giant patches and such that most other kits don't have. Super nice tools, too, BTW. It comes with sewing gear so you can sew up a damage tire. I don't expect that would prove very useful on a tubeless tire--unless you were sewing up a gash like I had on Moab Overland, then using an inner tube to hold the air. Now, to just find an inner tube for my 35" tires!

jeffe

That teardrop trailer is so sick! I've always dreamed of overlanding with one. How is it driving with it? Do you have any more pictures you could post later? And also, how is it going on trails with the teardrop?

Septu

I have both. And both have their uses. I much prefer the TD for road trips and plain camping. My 2 weeks in Alaska in my RTT would have been good... but not the same as it was in the TD. However I will not take the TD on an "off road" trip. Gravel roads? Sure. But despite the "off road" package I have, I just wouldn't do it. Mainly because it's too wide (5' wide model), which makes it much more difficult on the trail, and too heavy to move by hand around harder obstacles. Setup/takedown time on my RTT is virtually nil due to the RTT I have. Unclip the latches, setup the ladder and close the doors. Setup takes 1 min, and takedown takes 2-4 minutes. Both tow very well on the highway.

There's honestly pro's and con's to both. I have the bed setup's in both very comfy now. One has more room, and allows you to stealth camp (which is huge for me), while the other is more versatile in where you can take it, and what you can pack. But doesn't have the already setup kitchen and bed, and kind of limits you on where you can go. I'll likely be selling the TD this spring/summer. Not that I want to... but I don't really "need" two trailers, and not being able to take it on the trail right now is a deal breaker. Which sucks, because I love every other aspect of it, but for me for now, it's the right thing to do.





Driving is fine. You notice it back there (mine is maybe 400-500 lbs heavier than my m101/RTT setup), but it tow's very nicely.

Define trails. I took my RTT down a 200km trail in BC last summer (first time hauling a trailer off road). It was very tight at times and at one point due to rock placement from an rock slide I had to disconnect it to get around a rock (4 rocks (2 huge ones, 2 mid/big one) were setup in such a way that I didn't think I could make it over/around, and there was a 30' drop into a lake behind me). And I plan to go back down to the same area this summer on an 8 day, 5 trail run. I'll chance it with my RTT setup. I wouldn't dream of it with my TD. However at some point I would like to take 6 months or so and drive down to Panama, and that I would not do in an RTT setup, but would in a TD. They're great setups, as long as they will work for your intended application. And for 99% of mine they work great... but that 1% is just enough that I want a 2nd trailer - and since I had the m101 first, and paid a fortune for my RTT (and to legally get the RTT into Canada), I can't sell it without loosing my shirt, where I can sell the TD and almost certainly post a profit. So it makes it an easier (but unpleasant) decision.