Good choice, I think it will do all you need to do! We are going with the Rubicon with most all options, I will remove the rear seat and built a box to add more secure storage in the cab. Are you looking at the Rubicon as well, what options? How much lift and how big of tires are you thinking? We are probably going 35's with a leveling kit.
Hourless Life: Documenting Our Global Overland Adventure
- Thread starter Hourless Life
- Start date
Hourless Life
Well-known member
So this is really an interesting question. We've done a metric ton of research for our global overland build. One of the things we've learned from folks who have gone before us around the globe is that there are some significant differences for building out an overland rig for North America vs a lot of the rest of the world.
I actually wrote an article on the topic should you care to read it: How To Avoid Mistakes In Your Global Overland Build
If you read the article, you'll note that something that I harp on quite a bit is payload capacity. I also talk about tires in that article.
The TLDR version is that if we were building out a rig just for the USA, Canada, and Mexico we'd build it much differently than we are looking to build our next rig. But since we're looking to drive around the world, a ton of other considerations come into play.
I wanted a Rubicon, on 37's with a 3-3.5" lift and 1-ton axles. (That's the Jeeper in me coming out) but the payload capacity on the Rubicon trim is actually one of the worst in the JT line. It took a ton of research (and basically a direct contact at Jeep engineering) to track down the configuration for the "RIGHT" JT package for us. That is with the cornerstone of our build being the payload capacity (and still wanting to run a Jeep)
So what we've learned is that the Jeep Gladiator Sport S with the Max Tow Package with a standard transmission has the highest payload capacity you can get on a Gladiator at 1700lbs.
But with as many road miles as we'll be driving, we really don't want a standard transmission. (Though in truth we're still considering it as we don't purchase the vehicle until January.)
So with an automatic transmission the highest payload you can get is with the same trim. So JT Sport S with Max Tow Package and auto transmission gets you 1535lbs of payload capacity.
Compare that to a stock JT Rubicon which I believe has a payload of 1200 lbs. That extra 335lbs makes a HUGE difference in what we can carry on our journey.
Also you mentioned the tires. Well, larger tires also adds more weight that the rig is moving, and they aren't easily sourced in much of the world. @Dan Grec of The Road Chose me did an excellent video on this topic, and he has the "overland cred" to really make such a statement.
So believe it or not, we will be looking at getting a Jeep Gladiator Sport S with the Max Tow Package and automatic transmission, and we'll keep the stock sized tires. I'm thinking we'll opt for the 2" mopar lift from the factory (even though it will make it look like a roller skate) and we are looking at doing a 60 seat delete as well. This will help in the distribution of the weight in the vehicle when loaded.
Our current vehicle which we'll be keeping in North America is a JKUR on 35's with a 2.5" Rock Krawler lift. It has been very capable and given us very little issues. But it is not the right vehicle IMO to travel the globe with a family of 3. So we're building out our new one, which I'll be updating here on this thread as we start making progress.
Hope that all makes sense and answers your questions. Thanks for your continued interest in our journey.
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
Given how much weight you will carrying, I'll be shocked if it doesn't end up sitting lower than a stock JL with no mopar lift.
Very, very few lifts are designed to carry the weight of full GVWR, and I don't believe it will ride well either.
I learned this the hard way with the suspension on my Africa Jeep.
Personally when I build my next vehicle I'm going to build it entirely, put *everything* in it that I'm taking with me (inc. fuel and water and food) and then drive it onto a scale.
Only then will I be able to correctly spec the right suspension, from a company like Old Man Emu who specifically design and sell suspensions based on the weight they are designed to carry, not just "lift height" (which is entirely an off-roading idea for stuffing huge tires under vehicles and has little to do with long term expeditions).
-Dan
Hourless Life
Well-known member
So this is something we've been thinking a lot about as you can imagine my friend. We will be at payload or very close to it when all is said and done I'm sure. One place we won't "skimp" in our build is suspension. Are you suggesting we don't get the MOPAR 2" lift and just keep it stock from the factory and then add all of our gear and weigh it, and then make the suspension determination? That makes sense, and if it what you are suggesting we'll definitely look into what that would look like for us. Please advise.
~ Eric
alanymarce
Well-known member
Great trip! There's so much which occurs to me to mention, however for now I have only one comment. I really think that you should think about how to travel more of Africa - your plan will no doubt develop to include Botswana as well as Namibia, Angola, etc., however I think that you should at least consider how to work out your route to include Zambia, Malawi, and East Africa at least.
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
That is what I would do, personally.
Suspension is so important to get right, choosing it before you know the final weight is like throwing a dart at the board and just hoping. There is a better way.
The big downside is you're not getting the 2 inch lift from the factory, so whatever you do won't be warrantied, etc.
BUT, given there's a 99% chance you'd be changing out the 2 inch lift anyway, whatever you do won't be warrantied anyway
-Dan
Hourless Life
Well-known member
If you are talking about our map, it is a very ROUGH and SIMPLE sketch of our general route around the globe. There is so much we want to see. Much of it will be determined by our visas (how long we can stay) the current state of politics and unrest in whichever regions we're in, advice from other ovlerlanders currently in the area we're headed to, and what doors open up to us. We're in it for the long haul and open to any possibilities that may arise!
~ Eric
alanymarce
Well-known member
Yes - I appreciate that - and you had made it clear in other posts. Just an initial reaction based on an assumption (on my part) of a "one-way" (RSA to Morocco) trajectory.
re visas - bear in mind (I suspect you know this) that getting visas is as much of a challenge as the time they give you in each country. For our last Africa trip we had to fly (from Colombia) to New York to drive to Washington and back to get the Botswana visa, then fly to London (theoretically we were supposed to fly to São Paulo and back however the Namibians were a lot more helpful than the Batswana) to get the Namibia visa. Had we tried to do everything by mail/courier our RSA visa would have expired by the time we got there! Visa acquisition planning is critical.
Hourless Life
Well-known member
Honestly i haven't really started looking at getting the visas yet. From what you've written above, I'm assuming you were flying into various countries and not driving into them? I haven't heard from other overland drivers going through countries that they had to do anything but be patient, smile, and jump through a few hopes at each border crossing. (Unless one country had an issue with another country that your passport has a stamp for)
Would appreciate any insight you have on this matter! Thanks in advance, ~ E
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
For Southern and almost all of East Africa, visas for anyone with a US/Canadian/Australian/UK/EU passport are super, super simple.
They're all issued on arrival now, no problem.
West Africa is the nightmare for visas. Maybe the hardest on the planet.
-Dan
Hourless Life
Well-known member
Well that doesn't sound promising. But the real question @Dan Grec is it doable, is it worth it, and what would be your recommendations for heading up from South Africa to Europe? You know just a 30,000ft view type route?
~ Eric
ripper1600
Adventure Seeker
If your going to use a truck like a gladiator. Maybe consider air bag system to remove some squat when you are driving down hard ball roads or gravel. Then you can deflate them when you are going to go down some rougher roads. They sell everything to be able to inflate and deflate from inside the cab. It can be had for less than 1K dollars. It will also make it easier when try to have flat ground for camping in the shell. Great post, I look forward to following your plans more and maybe one day get my wife on board.
Hourless Life
Well-known member
I've wondered about this. I think if we were staying in North America that we wouldn't hesitate to try an air bag system. I really like the idea of it. And for what it's worth, the furthest we've gone overlanding so far in our lives is to Puebla, Mexico South of Mexico City, and to the tip of the Baja Peninsula. But with our plans to drive around the world, we're really hesitant to put any systems on the rig that could potentially fail or make repairs more intricate. I'll ping my friend @Dan Grec and see what his thoughts are on your suggestion. Dan has really been instrumental in helping us make wise decisions for our build as a result of his fairly extensive experience in many of the areas we plan to travel. So please don't take it as an affront. Because I really appreciate the suggestion and would love to have it in our rig. I just want to make sure that I'm not potentially creating a problem I can't fix when I'm miles and maybe countries away from a reliable shop that understands such a system. ~ Eric
ripper1600
Adventure Seeker
Sounds good . The kit I got is able to be filled by a simple external compressor should the onboard motor system fail. The air bags I chose contain bump stops so those aren't gone just replaced.
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
The easiest way to summarize:
If you want a vacation, where you can camp in really nice places, see TONS of wildlife, have good infrastructure (and some adventure) - go East Africa.
People do it in 2wd cars all the time, it's a cake walk now.
If you want the hardest all-out adventure of your life, more difficult than anything else you've ever done and maybe will ever do - go West Africa.
The rewards are, of course, immense.
For me personally, it was the greatest thing I've ever done, and it was near the line of "too much", which in hindsight was exactly what I wanted out of my "Africa Adventure".
If the whole trip had been like East Africa, I'd be a bit disappointed now, it just wasn't enough adventure for me.
-Dan