Novice Needs Your Guidance to help get started

[NomadRad]

While this may sound crazy, I assure you it is a sincere request. I have been a terrible work-a-holic for my entire professional life. I have become an avid listener, viewer, and reader of Overland Journal/Exp Portal, TrailRecon, and others for about a year. My wife and I are trying to educate ourselves and get proper training. I am good at what I do but am not handy. I did to break things by my roughness and limited patience. Lori, my wife, is handier and jokes that I tend to make things worse when trying to be . Ultimately, I would likely to have a newer model truck and adventure camper van to travel in the US and internationally (as we gain experience and skills). I have not earned the right to start this adventurous exploration last third of my life with a nice new Rivian Truck, Terranova, Ram Truck-camper etc. Our three college/grad school age kids drive Wrangler Unlimiteds. I do not want to go there for now. Lori and I are attached to our 2008 Infiniti QX56 Luxe 8cyl 4WD (228k miles, never a major mechanical failure or repair required) and have been relatively lucky so far ("knock on wood") with our 2015 LR4 Lux/Black Pkg (6cyl, 130k miles), which has had some mechanical issues but mostly annoying fixes. We want to reasonably modify at least them for two novice's to get started safely with light overlanding while we obtain training, skills, and experience. Before we would do any international travel or more challenging adventures I think we will upgrade to a Rivian Truck or a Toyota/Lexus vehicle. We will eventually get some type of modified Ford Transit van just for ease of remote work while experience a beautifuly world, people and cultures. Our two vehicles are not worth much in a Blue Book, but they are worth a lot to us at the moment with 3 kids in or near college... Will be empty-nesters in 2 years and have more flexibility of travel then but want to get started now. We will start with easy travel in Southeast before explore mountain west an beyond. Will likely homebase in Oxford, MS and Flagstaff, AZ in due time. Your guidance regarding the Qx56 (comfy travel to hike and get away, sleep in it) and the LR4 (obviously, want to use its capability for more adventurous travel and training). We are trying to live by the mantra, "just go, get out there", spend money on travel and training more than new vehicle....Sincere thanks in advance.

 

[NomadRad]

Thank you...will do....sounds like a plan.

 

[Rovertrader]

First, congrats on getting ‘out there’ and kuddos for seeking some training!! Someone like Frenchie or in the Land Rover world Bill Burke would also be good.
Another option would be attend a few Land Rover events- sadly you missed Uwharrie last w/e. There are usually several trails and multi levels ie:beginner…
Best of luck, and hope to see you out and about!!

 

[WolfeB]

Rent one for a week! There is an outfit in Golden Colorado where you can rent a Tiger, Sports mobile or other rig. See what you like and don't.

 

[rnArmy]

New vehicles are expensive! Since you have some nice vehicles already in your stable that you want to keep for now, have you thought about a small trailer like a little teardrop? Unless you're doing hard-core four-wheeling, you should have no trouble pulling a small lil' teardrop wherever you want to go in the lower 48, Canada, and Alaska. Then when you stop for the evening, you're not having to shuffle gear around to try and sleep in your vehicle - you're ready to shut it down for the day... in comfort. The bed's already made... there's a kitchen in the back of the teardrop so you're not having to dig out kitchen stuff... life is simple. Your wife will be happier. You will enjoy your overlanding trips so much more.

There are tons of options out there for little teardrops and square-drops - size-wise and price-wise (IMO - think about a smaller sized trailer). You won't have to modify your vehicle much to tow one (a 2" receiver if not already equipped, and wired for electric brakes and a brake controller). And the trailer can be ready to go on a moment's notice - so you can hook it up and just go and get out there. If both of your vehicles have a rear 2" receiver hitch and are wired for electric brakes, you aren't limited to using just one vehicle or the other for overlanding. Either one of your current vehicles should be able to pull a small teardrop with no issues.

Since I mentioned it, I use this brake controller, and have been happy with it: Tekonsha Prodigy P3 Trailer Brake Controller - 1 to 4 Axles - Proportional Tekonsha Trailer Brake Controller 90195 (etrailer.com)

This teardrop (pictured below) is my "someday I'll get one of these (when I can afford it and my wife says I can)" teardrops: The Pika Teardrop Trailer | Small Camping Trailers, Camping Trailers (timberleaftrailers.com)

This one (Pika) should be easy enough to pull behind my four-cylinder Jeep TJ. And nimble & narrow enough for PNW overlanding. Again; lots of options out there for little teardrops and square-drops.



As far as vehicle modifications: I recommend at most a mild lift if you want to lift it (which is not a bad idea to improve ground clearance and approach/departure angles), good HD off-road all-terrain tires (3-peak if thinking snow country) maybe sized just slightly larger than stock (don't go crazy), and some sort of traction devices both front and rear (Detroit Truetracs front and rear are simple, and work awesome). These'll get you through most of the places you want to go. Then consider a winch up front, maybe some rocker panel guards, and only then start considering the overlanding bling some folks go for first.

My current set-up (I know about pulling lil' trailers):

 

[displacedtexan]

Not to talk bad about training, or those that offer it. Knowledge is priceless.

But also, just go and do. You won't die.

Try things, see what works, see what you like. I've done (and enjoyed) things that people will say doesn't work.




And remember, when things invariably don't work right... Panicking never fixed anything.