Expedition Vehicle selection thoughts?

[waveslider]

The sooner people realize that every decision made on these vehicles presents some form of compromise, the sooner they will realize there is no perfect solution - regardless of the money spent. And furthermore, the solution for one person/s is not automatically the solution for anyone else.

If you don't have a good sense for what exactly your use case is, then you are very likely going to be disappointed.

The key is knowing what capabilities you need/want and (hopefully) choosing wisely those features that you compromise on.

My 20+ years of truck camping/overlanding combined with 12 years in a SMB has given us great knowledge in those things that are important to us. And I will laugh in the face of anyone that blindly says "Oh, you should have gone smaller/gone bigger/spent less/reduced weight/etc" Because without knowing what we want to use our vehicle for, they are ill-informed to make a suggestion. And yet, even here on this forum people will ignorantly declare one choice is inherently better than another.

So if you don't know what you want, then just pick something and start there......its unlikely you will stay with your first choice.

 

[srqsup]

I'm looking for a self sustaining rig to explore North America. Fitting in shipping containers isn't a concern for me, but I'd like to keep the vehicle 25 feet or less in length. The budget would be $250,000. I am not at all opposed to a good quality used unit.

The requirements:

1. Really good off-road 4x4, rear and front locking differentials, winch, decent approach/departure/breakover angles, 3 point camper mount etc.
2. Have or be able to be modded for large solar+lithium battery bank. Electricity the main power source.
3. Bellow/portal access from cab to camper.
4. Large freshwater/grey tanks, cassette or composting toilet, large diesel fuel tank(s).
5. Must be 0F to 110F capable. Double pane windows, interior or heated tanks and lines. Air conditioning and heater systems that are commensurate with these temps.
6. Parts have to still be available.
7. A vehicle cab that you don't have to put ear plugs in at 65 MPH and doesn't beat you to death.
8. If foreign, must be left hand drive and registerable in the US.

I've been checking Unicat and Expedition truck brokers but haven't found anything that meets my needs yet. What route would you take for $250K?

It sounds like your needs would be well met by a GXV TURTLE. I had a GXV Patagonia built on an M1083 frame and loved the truck. Just sold it and waiting on delivery of my new GXV Turtle in December.

 

[martinf]

Maybe this?

 

[boxcar1]

https://www.hino.com.au/500/4x4/ The Hino 500 4x4 bare frame would be a good starting point. (Serviceable world wide.) Add the coach of your choice. Should make a good world traveler.

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

Zbane wrote, "There is a reason that truck campers aren't "expedition vehicles" when slid into pickup trucks. Those things start to have problems going over large pot-holes, let alone off-road and stay in one piece."
jefe here. This has certainly not been my experience. I can tell zbane has never even been in a well prepared truck camper out in the wilds when he says, "slid into pickup trucks." No one slides a truck camper, "In". I have no qualms about taking my lightweight rig and following anyone in a $300K expo-look rig. On a lot of hard-core off-road trips I was tailgunner as I had an on board welder and a lot of metal to patch frames, cross members, shock mounts, spring hangers, and driveshaft tubing/U-joints to reconstruct driveshafts on the trail, over the Rubicon; or out at 'The Hammers', always lagging way behind picking up the pieces. This was not my idea of a good time but all part of my learning experience.
Being 'expedition ready', and I don't even like the deceptive, romanticized term, "expedition" as there are no more expeditions, has more to do with the operator's technique, experience, and savvy, than the rig itself. A cadre of us hard-core TC players have taken our rigs to the end of sanity and returned.




But, we chose well knowing when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Having driven more than 1.7 million miles in 13-4WD's of all sorts, from snow queens to 16K pounds of rolling thunder, to rock crawlers; with each change of venue taking with you a certain amount of knowledge about what works and what doesn't. I'm always amused when someone at the end of some gnarly jeep trail says, "How did you get here in THAT?" Simply applied all my off road tricks and added what I know about physics after building a lot of 4WD's.

Have I pulled my camper apart yet after 174K miles; hundreds of nights off road sleeping in the box in any weather; any season; and 16 years of reliable service? No. Am I going to reveal all the tricks? No. The best teacher is doing it yourself; finding the flaws; learning your lessons and mushing on to the next build.
regards, as always, jefe
Below is a little clip of us running up the 'Diablo Dropoff', the wrong way on a one way sand hill with big moguls near the top in the Anza Borrego Desert. Some hints: T.P. 20 pounds on super single rims. Both upgrade axles with Eaton Tru Trac, torque biasing, gear driven limited slips; 4th gear low range until the moguls, then down to 2nd/low.
click on this for short vid:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bfj5y93wsd7vfkw/jefe does sand hill at dry wash of the devil Anza.m4v?dl=0

 

[boxcar1]

I wouldn't take [U]Zybane[/U] or his comments to seriously. [U]Mundo4x4Casa[/U] He is obviously ill informed. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Nice pics.....

 

[Zybane]

Seems someone wishes to have others view their perspective on terminology as the "correct" one.

"Slide in truck camper" is a phrase used in the business quite frequently:

https://travelliterv.com/truck-campers/

Travel Lite has been manufacturing high quality slide-in truck campers since 1998.
Please click on the perfect Travel Lite truck camper for you.

And not sure what is meant by "there are no more expeditions".

expedition
noun

1. an excursion, journey, or voyage made for some specific purpose, as of war or exploration.

Everyone's definition of an expedition vehicle is different. But I think at the very top is large water carrying capacity. Most lightweight truck campers like yours have only 20-40 gal water tanks. That would eliminate it from consideration at the very onset.

 

[zb39]

Mine carries 71 gallons and I love it..

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

The requirements:

1. Really good off-road 4x4, rear and front locking differentials, winch, decent approach/departure/breakover angles, 3 point camper mount etc. Its a Land Cruiser
2. Have or be able to be modded for large solar+lithium battery bank. Electricity the main power source. Both
3. Bellow/portal access from cab to camper. Yep
4. Large freshwater/grey tanks, cassette or composting toilet, large diesel fuel tank(s). 20gal fresh, 2.5gal hot, No grey, Wrappon green toliet, 80gal fuel
5. Must be 0F to 110F capable. Double pane windows, interior or heated tanks and lines. Air conditioning and heater systems that are commensurate with these temps. Dometic windows, webasto heater, super insulated cabin
6. Parts have to still be available. Toyota - world wide
7. A vehicle cab that you don't have to put ear plugs in at 65 MPH and doesn't beat you to death. It a Land Cruiser whisper quiet with a unparalleled ride at 80+
8. If foreign, must be left hand drive and registerable in the US. Its an US Land Cruiser base

100% wife approved and she will drive it like she stole it.



Will cover more ground than anything listed above
Will go more place than anything listed above
Weight is under 7000lbs dry
Parks in any spot
Goes in any parking garage and many home garages at 7'2" tall
Make no mistake this is a serious travel off road vehicle not an oversized condo on wheels


Maltec is now serious about the US market and a US test drive is available. Its going to be a game changer.
Pictured are two different cabins on a 200 series Land Cruiser.

Try this in any of the noted vehicles above. Its the same vehicle in the video and above with my wife, just been updated as it was built several years ago and still tight.

 

[Sitec]

'Expedition Vehicle'... Any vehicle you can go on an expedition in!! Be it a Fourby, light truck or heavy truck.. if you can carry some food, water, supplies and a place to lay your head I'd class it as an expedition vehicle! Nice Toyota Expedition vehicle by the way!! I'm not a Toyota fan, but I'd be proud to own and use that machine!

 

[Michelle@EarthCruiser]

A camel also qualifies. An expedition is what you want it to be. Find the right tool for the job.

 

[Buliwyf]

https://fmtvtrucks.com/inventory/1997-stewart-stevenson-m1078-3/

These look interesting. Given that in new condition they're pver $100 000.

 

[erstwild]

View attachment 474452

The requirements:

1. Really good off-road 4x4, rear and front locking differentials, winch, decent approach/departure/breakover angles, 3 point camper mount etc. Its a Land Cruiser
2. Have or be able to be modded for large solar+lithium battery bank. Electricity the main power source. Both
3. Bellow/portal access from cab to camper. Yep
4. Large freshwater/grey tanks, cassette or composting toilet, large diesel fuel tank(s). 20gal fresh, 2.5gal hot, No grey, Wrappon green toliet, 80gal fuel
5. Must be 0F to 110F capable. Double pane windows, interior or heated tanks and lines. Air conditioning and heater systems that are commensurate with these temps. Dometic windows, webasto heater, super insulated cabin
6. Parts have to still be available. Toyota - world wide
7. A vehicle cab that you don't have to put ear plugs in at 65 MPH and doesn't beat you to death. It a Land Cruiser whisper quiet with a unparalleled ride at 80+
8. If foreign, must be left hand drive and registerable in the US. Its an US Land Cruiser base

100% wife approved and she will drive it like she stole it.

View attachment 474453

Will cover more ground than anything listed above
Will go more place than anything listed above
Weight is under 7000lbs dry
Parks in any spot
Goes in any parking garage and many home garages at 7'2" tall
Make no mistake this is a serious travel off road vehicle not an oversized condo on wheels


Maltec is now serious about the US market and a US test drive is available. Its going to be a game changer.
Pictured are two different cabins on a 200 series Land Cruiser.

Try this in any of the noted vehicles above. Its the same vehicle in the video and above with my wife, just been updated as it was built several years ago and still tight.

Is it just me or would anybody else love to see what Maltec could do with a new 2019 Ford Ranger stateside?

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

1. Really good off-road 4x4, rear and front locking differentials, winch, decent approach/departure/breakover angles, 3 point camper mount etc. Its a Land Cruiser
2. large diesel fuel tank(s)., 80gal fuel
6. Parts have to still be available. Toyota - world wide
7. A vehicle cab that you don't have to put ear plugs in at 65 MPH and doesn't beat you to death. It a Land Cruiser whisper quiet with a unparalleled ride at 80+
8. If foreign, must be left hand drive and registerable in the US. Its an US Land Cruiser base

Where do you buy the 200 series chassis cab base vehicle in the US?

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Where do you buy the 200 series chassis cab base vehicle in the US?

Haha you dont. Maltec cuts a new 200 series Land Cruiser in half and the build begins.