Hey All - I am headed out west from Jacksonville to Red Cone/Webster Pass. Then on to Moab, Grand Staircase and back home. Total trip is nine days and 4500 miles. My current ride is a 2004 with recently rebuilt engine and an upgraded cam. 10k on the new engine and everything has been running fine the past year. Also relatively new tires, 2 inch lift and new shocks. I have ~$5k I can spend on any upgrades needed. Currently exploring new diffs gears and Detroit TrueTracs. Might also get some diff armor. Any other suggestions on functional and proactive upgrades before I head out west?

 

If it were my truck I would move those lights and install a decent 10k winch in the bumper. That combined with a set of traction boards can get you through just about anything. I would also make sure your cdl is in good working order and check your front driveshaft and rear flex joint to make sure they aren't going to leave you stranded.

 

Personally I would not bother with the winch, it is a lot of money and work to get it setup right. To be of value you need an anchor, and all the rigging gear.

Have a good set of soft shackles and a good recovery strap/rope then you can get help if required.

I am not a fan of kinetic recovery stuff unless both sides know exactly what they are doing.

As to the Truetrac put a few hundred miles on before your trip, armor I have yet to hit a diff but it can not hurt.

Toss some basic spares in CPS, Rotoflex, Serp belt.

Then drive and enjoy the trip, it is unlikely you will be alone on any of the trails so assistance should be handy.

 

I laughed when I saw this photo and Moab GS epic trip in the same post. No offroad tires, winch, roof rack. No under carriage guards, no CB radio, extra parts or camping supplies. Does it have a spare tire? Looks good for a photo, But missing important essentials to make sure you get the most out of your adventure.

 

Thanks Hysteria. Definitely agree on the traction boards. I have avoided a winch just because they add a lot a weight and you need something to anchor to. Out where I am going, there aren't a lot of trees. I used a recovery strap on the Georgia Traverse and that seem sufficient although its not very useful for self-recovery. Still debating this one.

CDL is in good working order as of last year when I ran the 250 mile Georgia Traverse, but I plan on giving everything a once over before hitting the road in April.

Thanks again for the input.

 

Hey Richard!

Yeah I keep going back and forth on the winch. Been able to do without it for a while and have gotten by with just a recovery strap. Although I haven't had too many places I can't get out of with just the built in Rover capabilities.

I'm getting the gears and Truetrac from Great Basin Rovers in Utah. Bill Davis is a great guy - really knows his stuff. Spent an hour on the phone with him going through the options. Good tip on getting them broken in before heading out.

I have already replaced the rotoflex, but your right - they are cheap so throw one in the tool kit with a CPS and belt. Good call.

Thanks again!

 

Not familiar with this particular area, but l've used my winch more than a few times to move downed trees or get me moving again.. And a good sharp axe has saved my butt more than once. Nothing worse, than being on a tight trail and running into a down tree. And, if you install a winch...learn to use it...read up on safely using the winch and proper equipment..then go out and get stuck...they are not just eye-candy. I wheel/explore 99% of the time solo, so relying on others isn't an easy option.

Personally, and again...have no idea about the trails you speak of...but an 04 with locking CDL, TC, good off road tires, hi-lift jack, winch and a few other off-road odds and ends and a good head on your shoulders/good off-roading experience...should take you about anywhere you want to go. Biggest thing is...get out and walk a section of trail prior. Have a plan...prior to needing one. Look for anchor points, impassable objects, certain failure sections, places to turn around, etc. And be prepared to spend a night or two, longer, than planned (food and water).

Oh, and don't be that guy...that never checks his winch until it's needed. Usually check mine before every trip.

 

@Jackspratt2 Essentials? Never thought of a roof rack as an essential. To be clear, I am looking to add some upgrades to an already capable off road vehicle. I'm not building a mall crawler. You make a lot of assumptions about my set up but let's got through your list.

1. Roof Rack - Plenty of storage inside the vehicle. Roof rack adds weight, noise and reduces gas mileage. Not needed.
2. Winch - Already have recovery straps for 2 vehicle recovery. Not going anywhere there won't be other vehicles. Limited anchoring points in the desert. Extra weight. Still debating this but leaning towards no winch.
3. Off Road Tires - I am using 32 inch 10 ply Cooper ATs. They were more than sufficient on the 250 mile Georgia Traverse (although they are not great in mud). They are quiet on the road and given that this is my daily driver and the majority of the trip is on highway, not sure I would swap them out with anything more extreme. Research I have done indicates they will be more than sufficient for the locations I am going. Yes I have a spare. I also have a hi-lift jack and have actually used it on numerous occasions.
4. Armor - Front and back bumpers are heavy duty custom bumpers from Dark Crow Design. Front bumper has a fair amount of skid plate protection. Also have custom rock sliders from Dark Crow Designs and I plan on adding diff guards.
5. CB radio - Going solo. Not needed. Cell phone is sufficient.
6. Camping Supplies? - The original post was about upgrades to the Rover, but yes, I will be bringing camping supplies..

 

Oh, and l hope that oil spot on the ground is from some other vehicle...lol.

 

But that does bring up another thought...

Be sure to get out and check your vehicle for damage after a tough section of trail. You tear something loose, puncture an oil pan/tire, put some branches or brush through the grill...it's best to find it early.

My last time out, after navigating an extremely muddy section, had a section of another vehicle plastic grill wedge in my wheel-well rubbing on the tire. Didn't hear it, found it while inspecting.