What do you really NEED for overlanding

[rruff]

Rig: 2018 TRD Off-Road tacoma 4x4 with the stock e-locker.
This is one area where I don’t exactly know how much or what recovery gear I need.

I overlanded for 13 years in a 2wd Toyota pickup. I think you are in good shape. And I was alone most of the time (just me) and no one knew where I was for months at a time. Usually camped far from any humans. The wilderness is really not dangerous unless you are stupid.

Recovery gear was an air compressor, camp shovel, tire plugs, and a nylon rope. I used the air compressor a lot, the shovel and plugs several times, and the rope twice (once for me, once for someone else). I'd recommend a good compressor in addition to a cheap one.

Most important IMO is to make sure you always have at least a couple days of drinking water on board if you are in the desert. That's about it.

 

[Timcampsallover]

I've read your question. While I don't have a lot of actual "experience" I have been on the forums a long time. That makes me pretty much an expert.
First thing you'll need is a $3000 roof top tent. Don't get the biggest available. You'll need that roof space for all the pelican boxes and rotopax.
Without them, you'll die.

You'll need a $1500 270 degree awning as well. If you don't have the awning, you'll die.

Don't leave home without ARB lockers. Without them, you'll die.

You'll need a $300 dual burner propane stove, a $1400 fridge and a Skottle. Without them, you'll die.

A sleeping platform designed and built by an engineer is critical. Without that engineer, you'll die.

BF Goodrich 285 70r17 KO2s. Without them, you'll die.

Don't forget the solar array and bank of golf cart batteries. If you run out of power, you'll die.

I hope this helps! Happy adventuring!



But seriously. Like any other back country adventure it can be as complicated or as simple as you make it.
Try not to die.

 

[Timcampsallover]

Cheap air compressor: https://www.4wheelparts.com/Air-Com....aspx?t_c=89&t_s=566&t_pt=100437&t_pn=S/B2780

Wanted the dual ARB ....but used this for two years now and it’s great. It’s much faster airing back up than you’d think.

Lots of great ideas and advice to consider in the thread.

Not a lot to add but If you’re going somewhere where there are mosquitoes I’d get some deet 30% wipes and a thermocell.

Great truck too. Good choice! I’ve got an 15 OR and it’s great. All pro Apex sliders have been great for us too. Your stock OR can do a lot of off road driving in most conditions, just be smart about road/trail info and weather.

Most of us who are older have survived without the safety and situational awareness technology that’s available today. But ....its available now and relatively cheap and super useful, so please buy whatever you’re comfortable with and learn how to use it. The Garmin in reach system with the ap is really great. I have an iridium enabled sat phone but it typically stays off and stowed away and if I want to let someone know what’s going on or ask a question I just text using the in reach system.

There are a ton of mods available to make your rig perfect for you and you are in the right place to find some fantastic and best in class proven improvements. Read the forum section on Tacoma’s and there are some excellent articles and videos on gear and Tacoma mods on the Portal in other places too. There’s also tacomaworld. Lol. Expedition Portal has the best info ....and Tacomaworld has the best taco pics.

I think the best and most useful three things I’ve bought for my adventures and daily driving has been the suspension improvements and lift (3”), bigger “e” rated tires (33” Terra Grapplers) and my cargo glide/ bed slide. Or maybe my topper and the winch bumper.....or my rigid dually lights, or my Yakima rack, or my camp chef kitchen, or my..... lol, you get the picture. Shovel, high lift jack, both good to have if you need them too. Best of luck with the process! Get out there and explore/experience.

 

[steelhd]

"Back in the day we drove to and from our destinations uphill in the mud one way and uphill in a blizzard the other with nothing but a tube patch kit, tire irons, matches, a sweater, and guts. We ate a sandwich then toughed it out until we ran over our dinner or killed it with a rock. Sure some died but they were weak."

 

[Happy Joe]

I have carried tire irons ('though they are not much talked about) manual dismounting of tires is a pain without them. Also its one use for a hi-lift; other than ballast.
Note; installation of a vulcanizing boot (internal patch) requires the tire to be removed from the wheel...
Snow and blizzard travel makes easy trails fun (if you don't die through being poorly prepared)... those side hills can be a bit thrilling though.

 

[simpletrip]

OMG this is the best forum discussion I have seen in all my years!
Occums razor, simplicity is the word, more stuff is not always better.
I retired after 30 years in wildland fire which included managing a fleet of vehicles that spent most of the time off pavement.
2 things I keep in mind, stuff and humans break and fun is where you find it. When you bump into individuals at 16000 ft in the Nepal wearing Gucci flip flops and singing Rocky Mtn. High you gotta laugh at what is really necessary to have fun.
Great stuff, keep up the entertainment.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

OMG this is the best forum discussion I have seen in all my years!
Occums razor, simplicity is the word, more stuff is not always better.
I retired after 30 years in wildland fire which included managing a fleet of vehicles that spent most of the time off pavement.
2 things I keep in mind, stuff and humans break and fun is where you find it. When you bump into individuals at 16000 ft in the Nepal wearing Gucci flip flops and singing Rocky Mtn. High you gotta laugh at what is really necessary to have fun.
Great stuff, keep up the entertainment.

What was the most common failure in your fleet and what did you do to minimize it?

 

[s.e.charles]

sorry: essay questions are not allowed.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Most important IMO is to make sure you always have at least a couple days of drinking water on board if you are in the desert. That's about it.

That is easily about the only thing you "need" in this whole discussion, enough water or a way* to get it easily.

Most everything else is about convenience. I feel 4wd, shovels, a 3-burner camp stove, decent sleeping bag, cooler/fridge and all that are minimals but that's only because I don't feel like doing instant oatmeal and being cold and walking a ton to find help. But if the question was waiting until I had an ExPo-qualified laundry list of junk or just going the answer would be simple - just go and don't be stupid. A brain and even temper are about the things you "need" to have to be safe.

*Insert mandatory wienie safety statement, but I think a necessary piece of equipment is a filter or purifying tablets.

 

[simpletrip]

Cruiser Phil, Human error was the #1 failure as in all high risk occupations. Not understanding the vehicles limitations. Getting stuck somewhere was not cool and often damage resulted. I smile when I see all the front bumper winches without rear bumper rollers. From my experience if you needed a way out it was backwards not forward.
Remember now we did the full time and not for recreation. We practiced running cable under the vehicle and through the rear rollers.

Human factors are the same for anyone, climbers, rafters, off road vehicles, mtn. bikers, hang gliders, whatever, just keep it simple and know your limitations.

General failures were bent rims, that is why all the vehicles had steel rims. A large hammer and a foot pump was std. I have seen many disabled vehicles with aluminum or mag/alloy rims which shatter not bend.

The second and most often failure was when electronic 4x4 systems came on the scene. Simplicity, manual hubs and manual 4x4 high and low range were std fair.
Linkage is easier to fix in the field than electronics.

I have responded to many civilian medical aids when recreational overlanders just did not understand the limitations of vehicles they were using not to mention the $2000 tow bill. Common injuries were from using high lift jacks, rollovers due to high center of gravity such as overloaded roof racks many with roof tents, crazy idea, and lifted trucks.

All this is just from my experience, hope it helps. I have learned from my experience and I still make mistakes but my wife and I traveled to remote areas as a hobby and simplicity has worked well for us for over 45 years.

 

[Airmapper]

Cruiser Phil, Human error was the #1 failure as in all high risk occupations. Not understanding the vehicles limitations. Getting stuck somewhere was not cool and often damage resulted. I smile when I see all the front bumper winches without rear bumper rollers. From my experience if you needed a way out it was backwards not forward.
Remember now we did the full time and not for recreation. We practiced running cable under the vehicle and through the rear rollers.

I don't think I've seen such a rear roller device, or can imagine a way to rig this to work on a typical 4x4,.

I mean to be so smug about it presumes you believe it is a commonly available or known method of recovery. From the sounds of it, I'm all for it if I could make it work, sounds excellent. I've long been of the opinion I'd like rear recovery but the winch belongs on the nose close to it's power source.

I see a lot of people on these forums asking about and even installing rear winches, and it makes me cringe to think of the weight of carrying 2 winches or the burden of carrying one winch back and forth front to rear. On top of that most never use proper cables to them so they run with extreme voltage drop and stressed wiring. Putting such a high amp draw unit so far from the battery on DC current is a fools project anyway under most circumstances.

How does this overcome the obstructed path from the front of the vehicle to the rear, something has to lower the line down below axle level. Also how does this work on a high centered vehicle where you are likely bottomed out. I agree winching backwards is preferable in many recovery situations, but my first though to approaching it would be a snatch block forward to redirect the line and a double pull off the rear to do a backwards pull. This needs some fortunate anchor points to work.

I'm all for this method you suggest, but I'm having a hard time visualizing this in a real world and practical sense for the type of vehicles most of us here use, care to elaborate? If it was so good how come I've never seen this on a 4x4?

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Sometimes things just dont work out when you are stuck even with a lot of recovery gear.

 

[simpletrip]

Airmapper, Pretty simple really, The concept is to run the cable under the vehicle above any obstructions, above the differentials through an installed fairlead, usually on the trailer hitch. Find a suitable anchor and winch away. The kicker is running the cable under the vehicle, not destroying your brakelines, shocks or other important stuff. Also the configuration must be planned in advanced, your front bumper will be destroyed, ripped off if you have not set up reverse extraction in advanced. PTO winches are much preferred electric can be lacking when you put them at a reverse angle.

I will dig deep for photos, for the last 20 years I only run 2 wheel drive since the I feel a short wheelbase high clearance 4x4 does not fit my needs.

Make sense????

 

[s.e.charles]

it does to a point.

is it just logic, or are most vehicles in tune with the "no obstruction" path if you can find it?

and if the winch is pulling what I think is 180* from its normal direction of intended (not compression or shear, so I assume tension?) operation, are there special mounting techniques used?

I can pretty much visualize a set of rollers mounted on the rear bumper, but never seen it offered by a manufacturer. maybe have and never realized what I was looking at. would certainly give the vehicle massive street creds. or maybe more correctly "off-street creds".

either way, this is a good topic.

 

[simpletrip]

Airmapper I lied, I do have A 4x4 that meets my needs. I have a 2015 Subaru Forester, 6 sp which is our daily driver. I live in a rural mountain area and it is great in the snow. It has also been a great desert car, good in sandy areas and great mileage. To get to serious I have had a Nissan PU, 2017 going on my 3rd in a row, set up for my personal needs including towing my Zodiac, which is my get remote vehicle at this time.

I will do my best to get you some photos, I will canvass my former co workers. I can recreate it if need be, I have many 4x4 friends that I know winch backwards.

I do not really stay up on this stuff, too busy getting to remote areas and having fun. I can not remember seeing a commercial civilian rear roller device but I will chase it around. Again, to put it into perspective, getting stuck was not a good thing and we all tried not to. If you had more then a few feet to back out something was really wrong. To ask for help was really bad for the ego.