For this wrap-up video, we review our time with the Sierra 1500 AT4 Duramax diesel truck, including our modifications. We added an Eibach suspension, Timbren SES jounces, Hellwig overloads, AEV Crestone wheels, and Kenda 35×10.5″ tires. Additional modifications includes Tuffy storage boxes, Garmin GPS, and a Scout Kenai camper.
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: Super Pacific Switchback X1 Truck Camper
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: Super Pacific Switchback X1 Truck Camper Of all the additions I have added to my Ram 2500 overland build, the Super Pacific Switchback X1 truck camper has been the most significant in terms of size and infrastructure. It provides a variety of solutions for vehicle-based travel, all in one neat,…
Feature Vehicle: Randy Wimenta’s 1989 Toyota Corolla “AWDROLA”
We all have two distinct choices in life–do nothing or do something. Many are content to binge-watch TV shows and doom scroll until their retina melt, while others get busy learning, designing, building, and creating. Randy Wimenta, the Marketing Activation Manager at KC Hilites, is a hands-on, gearhead kind of guy; he chose to get…
2008 Toyota Tundra TRD Off-Road Overland Build :: 46-Gallon Transfer Flow Fuel Tank Install
How many times have you passed a gas station wondering if you should turn back and top off the tank? Are you constantly curious about how much gas is actually remaining when the low fuel light illuminates? Have you looked at those gasoline-filled 2-liter Coke bottles in Mexico and pondered what the percentage of cola…
2008 Toyota Tundra TRD Off-Road Overland Build :: OME BP-51 Suspension Installation
Suspension is the foundation of any overland vehicle build. Its purpose is to manage the additional payload of tents, campers, armor, and other accessories. Although factory springs and shocks will likely provide a more comfortable ride and last longer than aftermarket components on a stock truck, they were not designed to manage the weight of…
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: AEV Dualsport XP Suspension, Salta HD Wheels, General Grabber A/Tx Tires
Two important questions that I’ve asked myself throughout my Ram 2500 overland truck build are Will this upgrade add utility, and Will this upgrade enhance capability? Utilizing this decision-making framework is generally straightforward, but when it came to making changes to the suspension, I felt some uncertainty. I was interested in creating more wheel well…
2008 Toyota Tundra TRD Off-Road Staff Project Vehicle Introduction
Editor’s note: To learn more about preparing the first, second, and third generation Tundra for overland travel, please enjoy the Overland Journal Podcast Episode 94: Principles of Overlanding :: The Toyota Tundra for Overlanding. I just spent the last six weeks and 3,000 kilometers exploring the Baja California Peninsula with Ashley (my wonderful wife and…
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: SPod Bantam X and Touchscreen Controller Installation
When I started researching how to install aftermarket lighting in my Ram 2500, I was very quickly overwhelmed with information. I was also discouraged to learn that making a small mistake could present a myriad of problems for the many computerized systems found in my vehicle. As someone with DIY ambitions who wants to understand…
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: Installing Expedition One Steel Bumpers
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: Expedition One Range Max Ultra HD Bumpers I’ve just begun my 2021 Ram 2500 Cummins overland build with the installation of Range Max Ultra HD front and rear steel bumpers from Ogden-based fabricator Expedition One. But why start with bumpers, and why Expedition One? What are the Benefits of…
Expedition Portal Project :: 2021 GMC AT4 Diesel
There is no question that full-size trucks are becoming the new vehicle of choice for North American overland travel, offering robust payload and towing capabilities. Most of the reason for this shift is the generally anemic mid-sized offerings, some providing less payload than a sedan. The full-size truck also affords notable improvements in durability, with…
Project Vehicle: Lexus GX 470
Editor’s note: This article was originally posted in Overland Journal’s Spring 2021 Issue. Traditionally, the best SUV platforms in North America have been restricted to the Land Cruiser offerings, and to a lesser extent, the 4Runner, G-Wagen, and Land Rover wagons. In 2003, Lexus released the GX model in North America, Russia, and other limited…
Aether Apparel Alpine Alfa
Che Bello! Aether Apparel has unveiled their all-terrain restomod of the legendary 1985 Alfa Romeo GTV6, dubbed the Alpine Alfa, and it’s beautiful. This “safari-ready” machine “was born from a desire to create an unorthodox tool for adventure that celebrates the space where streetcar meets backcountry skier.” Well, it’s arrived (unusual for an Alfa; sorry, couldn’t…
Feature Vehicle: 2002 Suzuki XL-7
Looking at some of the overlanding vehicles roaming the wilds of Instagram, one might think that kind of adventure is financially out of reach. It’s not! If your desire is to get out into the world and you don’t necessarily care how you do it, building a rig to get you there doesn’t have to…
4Runner Ironman 4X4 Suspension
There are few modifications that improve a backcountry vehicle like the installation of a proper suspension. The 4Runner, in particular, benefits from increased spring rate and firmer shock valving. One of the great strengths of the North American Spec 4Runner is that it has a legitimate payload, some models having a rating as high as…
Armorlite Expands its Protection for Jeep
Nothing says “Adventure Tough” better than protecting your floors. Well, Armorlite has just announced that is has expanded its flooring protection into the Jeep JL and JT platforms! A complete flooring replacement has been produced to protect the interior of your Jeep, allowing for full-floor coverage to reduce heat and cabin noise while channeling all…
Installing Long-Travel Suspension in our 1990 Toyota Pickup
Suspension is one of the most important components of any overland vehicle build. The time, effort, and dollars spent on shocks and springs are realized each and every time you drive. You’ll be reminded of your good (or bad) suspension design on every corner, pothole, washboard road, or Mexican tope. We chose the tried-and-true Old…
Triumph Tiger 800XC
Executive Creative Director Sinuhe Xavier discusses what worked and what didn’t work on the build-out of his lightweight ADV touring machine.
From The ExPo Vault: Dust and Snow in the American West
Five months. That’s how long it took me to crack. Just five months and the concrete jungle surrounding my Dallas apartment had driven me insane. A train rolled by every 15 minutes, passing cars echoed in a constant hum, and the view outside my window was nothing but a continuous reminder of the city in…
Project Mercedes G-Class Wrap-up
We finish our long-term Mercedes overland project by simplifying it.
Backroads Rubicon
One of the Southwest’s premier guides builds a Jeep Wrangler for the road less travelled.