2005 ford explorer upgrades for mojave road and others

[rayra]

here, this might help as well -

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/135929-Jerry-Can-MWC-MFC-stowage-box-build

LCI / Industries for the Blind makes milspec 20L MWCs, they're about $25ea last I looked. They're nigh indestructible. Their website is a little odd to navigate, but they are there for sale.

http://www.lcidistribution.com/Item...er-Can-Desert-Tan--5-gal--5-gal&ItemID=906396

Second best are Aquatainers, available at Walmart and elsewhere for about $15 these days. They hold 7gal and make sure you buy the version with the screw-on vent cap, not the press in friction fit plug. The last few of those I've purchased have been a bit thin on their bottoms and while 'stackable' you can't stack them more than 2-3 high for very long before they crack and leak.

But barring all that or any sort of specialty mountings for such water cans, at least go get a buttload of jugged water in those blow-molded milk plastic gallon jugs, two jugs to a box and fill your cargo area with a bottom layer of the things. And a few more on the roof. Good enough for a trip, and the leftover will be useful still in the near future.

 

[PJorgen]

Lewis - I have to reiterate what others are saying. Find someone in another vehicle to go along with you! You didn't mention how old your daughters are but six people in an Explorer won't leave a lot of room for gear. The GVWR on the Explorers isn't that high and with six people, camping gear, extra spare tire, recovery gear and water for six you may well be over gross weight. That increases the risk of mechanical failure.

BTW - I grew up in Apple Valley. Left for college in 1979 but used to visit my parents there regularly. That's where I learned to off-road.

 

[rayra]

just to belabor the point -



Arizona man and grandson die of exposure/dehydration on day hike

An Arizona science teacher and his 12-year-old grandson were found dead after they went hiking in hot temperatures on an historic desert trail southwest of Phoenix, and the boy's efforts to save them failed, authorities said on Thursday.

The bodies of Thomas Gillespie, 63, and Robert Miller, 12, were found on Wednesday night by deputies near the small town of Gila Bend, said Officer Chris Hegstrom, spokesman for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

Miller was found about 1.5 miles from the trailhead, while Gillespie's body was some four miles further on.

"We believe that he left his grandfather to seek help and that's when he succumbed to the elements," Hegstrom said. "This is just a horrible thing."

Authorities believe Gillespie, who taught science at a high school for teenage parents in Tucson for the last 23 years, died from a medical emergency or from heat exposure, with temperatures in the area surpassing 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 Celsius) at the time.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/09/us-usa-arizona-hikers-idUSKCN0PJ2P120150709


All they did was go for a little stroll (in their minds).

 

[KK6POV]

ATTENTION: THE FOLLOWING IS AN OPINION BASED ON REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE. There is no such thing as being over prepared. However, in the time I have spent around the mojave desert, I have learned it is not as remote as some would like to think. These days the odds of dying along the road because of a broken down vehicle are slim. A broken down human would not last long though. Water is key, and for your vehicle Fuel is key. There is a gas station on the I15 and Cima Rd. There are TONS of houses along the road if SHTF, not all are occupied however. From NEARLY all points along the road, a more populated road is within sight. The most remote place along the road IMO, is after crossing Cima Rd and Heading west towards Afton Canyon. The most difficult part of the road (down hill to rock spring) can be bypassed on the dirt freeway know as cedar canyon road, I have heard of group leader who shall go unnamed driving in excess of 60mph down this road in an H2.
Good tires (+spare) , Good fuel (lots of it), Good water (even more). Having spares never hurt (belts etc), and plenty of space on your Camera card. Having someone go with you is always safer because if gives you a spare vehicle.
BTW, I did the whole thing in 2wd. :sombrero:
Have fun and be safe! Take heed to what others besides me are saying, but do not be afraid. Respect the desert, but do not fear it.

It is the Mojave "Road" not Triple Black Diamond Extreme 4x4x4 Mojave Trail.

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

I would think twice about having a rack out the rear receiver. There are a few woo-pde-doos on the east end where it will drag if you don't have a lot of lift. We've done it several times with a small hard side Lance Camper on a short bed Dodge pickup. I was the chuck/gear wagon for 6 guys on fat bikes and motorcycles. In order to haul all the stuff needed, I towed my 1955 Bradley jeep trailer with a pintel hitch to take the extreme angles. If the Soda dry lake is wet, drive all the way around. It was slightly damp so we went anyway and the resulting small amount of soda ATE MY exhaust system up and rusted up my leaf springs and U bolts. I'm not doing that again. We worked tire pressure, disconnected the anti sway bars, putting the adjustable shocks on the stiffest setting. We had 60 gallons of H2O, CO2 tank for blowing tires back up, and wide tires for motating over the long sandy stretches, sometimes having to go through stretches of blow sand. Go to the truck camper forum on RV.net and search Mojave Road to get a couple pictorials of our trips over the roads.

jefe

 

[Martinjmpr]

Wow, 6 people in an Explorer? :Wow1: I am assuming the Explorer has a 3rd row seat since I know there aren't 4 sets of seatbelts in the back and AFAIK the Explorer has a console in between the two front seats so no possibility for a rider there.
.
Mojave Road itself is not bad, most of it you could do in a Volvo as long as you had good tires.
.
As for water, aren't there at least a few "developed" campgrounds in the Mojave Reserve? They will often have a spigot with potable water.

 

[AZJim]

Well, if the OP hasn't been run off, I'd like to point something out. While a lot of good information has been stated. The OP did say that they would be going in the winter time. Which cuts down on the amount of water needed.

Jim

 

[racehorse]

One additional ancillary suggestion: Plan your trip on a weekend or holiday - Mojave Road on a weekend or holiday can sometimes look like a freeway with everyone that's wheeling it - good for you, visibility and help if needed.

 

[lewis4]

Hey everybody thanks for all the great advice and suggestions. I havent been on here for a while I've been super busy with work and the transmission in our explorer needs to be replaced =( we still plan on doing the trip this winter though!!