Stock or near stock vehicles

[Martinjmpr]

ahhhh... how was it by ship?

Pretty nice. Wife and I took a Holland America cruise tour. Looking at their web site last year, seems like they no longer offer the same trip we took, which is a shame because it was pretty incredible: 6 days sailing from Vancouver to Seward, with port calls at Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway (1 day at each) as well as a full day cruising through College Fjord and Alaska Glaciers National Park, then a short bus ride to Anchorage.

Next day we flew the cargo & personnel run to Prudhoe Bay, toured the area and dipped our toes in the Arctic sea and stayed the night at the big oil camp there.

Next morning we got onto another bus (pretty nice one, actually) for a two day drive down the Dalton Highway, overnighting at Coldfoot and ending up n Fairbanks.

Stayed the night there and then got onto the Alaska RR where we took a half day to ride to Denali, got off and spent the rest of the day touring the park by park service bus (which is the only way you can do it, unless you're on foot or unless you get one of the "day passes" to drive your vehicle there, though I think they only do that for one day in September.) Stayed at Denali that night and took the train into Anchorage where our tour ended.

At that point most people fly home, but we didn't. Instead, we rented a car and spent the next 3 days touring around the Anchorage area and the Kenai Peninsula, including a full day float fishing trip on the Kenai river, which was amazing.

All in all a great trip, the trip of a lifetime. But I still want to make the road trip one of these days. If I do I'll do it solo, though. Wife is OK with road trips now that we have the teardrop, but 10 -12 days of constant driving would make her miserable, and you know the saying "If Momma ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy!"

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Pretty nice. Wife and I took a Holland America cruise tour. Looking at their web site last year, seems like they no longer offer the same trip we took, which is a shame because it was pretty incredible: 6 days sailing from Vancouver to Seward, with port calls at Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway (1 day at each) as well as a full day cruising through College Fjord and Alaska Glaciers National Park, then a short bus ride to Anchorage.

Next day we flew the cargo & personnel run to Prudhoe Bay, toured the area and dipped our toes in the Arctic sea and stayed the night at the big oil camp there.

Next morning we got onto another bus (pretty nice one, actually) for a two day drive down the Dalton Highway, overnighting at Coldfoot and ending up n Fairbanks.

Stayed the night there and then got onto the Alaska RR where we took a half day to ride to Denali, got off and spent the rest of the day touring the park by park service bus (which is the only way you can do it, unless you're on foot or unless you get one of the "day passes" to drive your vehicle there, though I think they only do that for one day in September.) Stayed at Denali that night and took the train into Anchorage where our tour ended.

At that point most people fly home, but we didn't. Instead, we rented a car and spent the next 3 days touring around the Anchorage area and the Kenai Peninsula, including a full day float fishing trip on the Kenai river, which was amazing.

All in all a great trip, the trip of a lifetime. But I still want to make the road trip one of these days. If I do I'll do it solo, though. Wife is OK with road trips now that we have the teardrop, but 10 -12 days of constant driving would make her miserable, and you know the saying "If Momma ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy!"

That does sound like the trip of a lifetime, I was telling my wife a few weeks ago that when I finally graduate I want to take a trip to Alaska.

 

[Mad_Texan]

2003 F150 near stock

Here is my F150 that is pretty much stock...

- Removed factory running boards
- Adjusted the torsion bars +2"
- Replaced the rear shackles +1"
- Switched from 16's to 17x7.5 factory wheels
- Installed 285/70/17's +1.5" ground clearance
- Installed Aussie Locker in the 8.8
- Magnaflow exhaust
- Installed factory skid plates
- Installed Rough Country front diff skid plate

I added the rack to the cap for the RTT which has worked great and leaves the bed open for carrying everything else

Only things I'm looking to change:
- A little taller tire
- possible gear change to 4.10's
- Rocker sliders/ step

 

[deadbeat son]

Who here keeps their expedition vehicles in stock or near stock condition?...This truck is also my daily driver so keeping mpg up is important.

Looking for others with similar setups and would love to see pictures of your vehicles in action.

Thanks for the replies...Seeing so many lifted vehicles in Colorado you sometimes feel you can not go up into the hills with out one. It is nice to see others that like to explore in their stock or near stock vehicles.

If you look a bit closer, you'll notice another sort of vehicle out here that kind of slips by the radar for most people. Those vehicles are stock trucks and SUVs with more aggressive stock-sized (or nearly stock-sized) tires. This is the camp I fall into. Use a good stock vehicle, but upgrade the tires to something with a bit more traction and durability than what the factory equipped on it. This setup has gotten me everywhere I needed or wanted to go, but I did install some sliders after time for protection.

I am considering a suspension upgrade, but it's not to lift and clear bigger tires, it's to handle the weight of a slide-in camper. But I won't change the suspension until I buy the camper, so that way I can ensure what I get is the right tool for the job and not just to add complexity and expense I don't really need.

Good luck with your exploring, and keep your eyes peeled for these "re-soled" stock vehicles.

 

[DaveInDenver]

If you look a bit closer, you'll notice another sort of vehicle out here that kind of slips by the radar for most people. Those vehicles are stock trucks and SUVs with more aggressive stock-sized (or nearly stock-sized) tires.
-snip-
I am considering a suspension upgrade, but it's not to lift and clear bigger tires, it's to handle the weight of a slide-in camper. But I won't change the suspension until I buy the camper, so that way I can ensure what I get is the right tool for the job and not just to add complexity and expense I don't really need.

This is what I've gone back to over the past few years. My truck progressed to the point it made it through the Rubicon, although not to the point it would do so repeatedly without a lot of damage. But it wasn't fun anymore so it got lowered (lost the ball joint spacers and one leaf from the mostly OME suspension), stock gearing with open diffs (I took out Air Lockers in fact), appropriate sized BFG ATs. Back to the where it was 10 years ago more or less. It's a better match for our use, which is daily driver, utility around the house and exploring. Highly modified vehicles are proportionally more time and money consuming to maintain and operate, so it made the most sense for us. Turns out I don't miss harder trails and missed walking/riding/paddling/skiing that stuff instead of driving it anyway.

We briefly owned a first gen Taco last year (finances disallowed continuing to keep it for eventual replacement of my Hilux), but with stock suspension it was a terrible ride. It was not a high mileage truck, 115,000 on it, but it wallowed terribly compared to the OME, so I would suggest that upgraded suspension is worthwhile most of the time. At least better shocks and appropriate rate springs even if it stays at basically a stock height. Manufacturers have softened suspension so they ride well unloaded for test drives and it doesn't take a full overland build out to overwhelm it.

 

[Clutch]

We briefly owned a first gen Taco last year (finances disallowed continuing to keep it for eventual replacement of my Hilux), but with stock suspension it was a terrible ride. It was not a high mileage truck, 115,000 on it, but it wallowed terribly compared to the OME, so I would suggest that upgraded suspension is worthwhile most of the time. At least better shocks and appropriate rate springs even if it stays at basically a stock height. Manufacturers have softened suspension so they ride well unloaded for test drives and it doesn't take a full overland build out to overwhelm it.

Stock Tacoma suspension is lack luster to say the least...rest of the truck is stellar.

I am considering lowering close to stock height, I can adjust my Camburgs down. (or is it up? since you back off the pre-load)

Which leaves did you pull from the OME pack? I have the HD's...the ride is too harsh, plus too high. 250Lbs of sand bags helps for DD. I want to pull one of the over loads,
but unsure which one to pull out of the main pack...though I am STILL hunting for a Flip Pac, I may leave it the way it is.

 

[deadbeat son]

This is what I've gone back to over the past few years.We briefly owned a first gen Taco last year (finances disallowed continuing to keep it for eventual replacement of my Hilux), but with stock suspension it was a terrible ride.

Stock Tacoma suspension is lack luster to say the least...rest of the truck is stellar.

Yes, my current plan for the suspension (after I buy the FWC, which won't be for another 2 years) is OME front and custom built Alcan rear springs. I hope to stay at 2" or lower overall lift (probably by staying with the OME 883 front springs).

 

[Clutch]

Yes, my current plan for the suspension (after I buy the FWC, which won't be for another 2 years) is OME front and custom built Alcan rear springs. I hope to stay at 2" or lower overall lift (probably by staying with the OME 883 front springs).

Cool!

I would be very happy if I could find a Flippac...as soon as they come up for sale they are gone. Even missed one right here in Tucson not that long ago.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Stock Tacoma suspension is lack luster to say the least...rest of the truck is stellar.

I am considering lowering close to stock height, I can adjust my Camburgs down. (or is it up? since you back off the pre-load)

Which leaves did you pull from the OME pack? I have the HD's...the ride is too harsh, plus too high. 250Lbs of sand bags helps for DD. I want to pull one of the over loads,
but unsure which one to pull out of the main pack...though I am STILL hunting for a Flip Pac, I may leave it the way it is.

With it lifted I was running CS019R packs with the D6XL extra leaf, which are essentially CS020R heavy springs (4 main full length, 3 progressive). I have a WilderNest on my truck and run shackles that are 5.5" long (I think, they are about an inch longer than stock, so give about 1/2" in lift). This was basically flat fully loaded with 1.5" ball joint spacers and 25mm torsion bars not cranked.

When I lowered it I took out the spacers and cranked in enough torsion bar preload to compensate for the winch and bull bar, which wasn't much. I removed the D6XL leaf from the rears (3 main, 3 progressive) and left the longer shackles. This is just about perfect with the WilderNest and typical load. When I take the 'Nest off it is obviously stink bug and rides very harsh. I threw in a few tube sand bags and it rides better but still very stiff. I need to get my camper back on but my truck was hit in the side so it needs to go in for a little body work, which will require the shop to remove the bed and I thought I'd be nice to them.

So short answer is mediums with a slightly longer than stock shackle seem to be just about right in a stockish truck used purposefully. They aren't too soft it doesn't seem to me. With an empty bed mediums with stock shackles seem like they would be good match with a stiffer stock height up to maybe about an inch of front lift. Slightly longer shackles (like I assume ARB makes, I'm using Marlin shackles) are enough to compensate for the FlipPac/'Nest.

 

[Clutch]

Thanks Dave

 

[Regcabguy]

Stock is fine, you can go a lot of places in a stock vehicle...most of the Forest Service vehicles are stock.

Don't even really need 4WD either....Ford had a cool little UTE available in Australia, 2WD with a locker.

Oz had Ford Falcon Rancheros 200-240 ci 4x4 manual trans and hubs when I visited in '79.

 

[Regcabguy]

Pretty nice. Wife and I took a Holland America cruise tour. Looking at their web site last year, seems like they no longer offer the same trip we took, which is a shame because it was pretty incredible: 6 days sailing from Vancouver to Seward, with port calls at Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway (1 day at each) as well as a full day cruising through College Fjord and Alaska Glaciers National Park, then a short bus ride to Anchorage.

Next day we flew the cargo & personnel run to Prudhoe Bay, toured the area and dipped our toes in the Arctic sea and stayed the night at the big oil camp there.

Next morning we got onto another bus (pretty nice one, actually) for a two day drive down the Dalton Highway, overnighting at Coldfoot and ending up n Fairbanks.

Stayed the night there and then got onto the Alaska RR where we took a half day to ride to Denali, got off and spent the rest of the day touring the park by park service bus (which is the only way you can do it, unless you're on foot or unless you get one of the "day passes" to drive your vehicle there, though I think they only do that for one day in September.) Stayed at Denali that night and took the train into Anchorage where our tour ended.

At that point most people fly home, but we didn't. Instead, we rented a car and spent the next 3 days touring around the Anchorage area and the Kenai Peninsula, including a full day float fishing trip on the Kenai river, which was amazing.

All in all a great trip, the trip of a lifetime. But I still want to make the road trip one of these days. If I do I'll do it solo, though. Wife is OK with road trips now that we have the teardrop, but 10 -12 days of constant driving would make her miserable, and you know the saying "If Momma ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy!"

That's my kind of cruise. No tuxedo prom night with the captain and mobs of little ones.

 

[Clutch]

Oz had Ford Falcon Rancheros 200-240 ci 4x4 manual trans and hubs when I visited in '79.

That is cool.

 

[Bikemobile]

Proven all terrain tires 1" taller than stock.
1/4" leveling spacer.
Full skids plus belly skid.
Stock mechanicals with recovery equipment.

This thread has made me reconsider a superchips programmer for the jeep. Keep the computer and the engine stock.

 

[kojackJKU]

My rigs are close to stock.

2011 jeep UK unlimited

2" teraflex leveling kit
285 tires
1.25" wheel spacers
Some lighting upgrades
Monroe reflex shocks.

2005 suburban

2" lift from flea bay
Monroe reflex shocks
some type of front guard to give it some light mounts a nicer look.
285 tires
Roof rack and some interior uogrades

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