BorntoVenture
Adventurer
Hello everyone, I thought I'd post my progress on building my GMC Sierra "Overlander" truck for small overlanding trips in the US. I'll be mirroring what I post on my blog at http://borntoventure.com in this thread. I know that my build-up or adventures won't be nearly as grand or amazing as most but hey, you have to start somewhere right? I've already started work on the truck so these first few posts will be catching up to where I am now.
There will be loads more images than I post at my Flickr page if you'd like to see them. The link is in my signature below.
Thanks for reading!
This is the first of many articles on the on-going build up of my 2003 GMC Sierra truck with it's intended purpose being Overland Travel. Most people think of multiple countries and tens of thousands of miles when they think Overland Expeditions but overlanding can be done on a smaller scale as well. With this truck I plan to travel the southeast US starting with my home area of north Alabama, north Georgia, and southern Tennessee. Later on and after countless bugs are worked out I hope to expand my travels into the northeast US, western US, and eventually an Overland Expedition from Alabama to Alaska. So here my journey begins with the build and prepping of my expedition truck.
The base platform is a stock 2003 GMC Sierra Z71:
While this isn't the most common vehicle for overland travel it fits my needs very well. There are pros and cons of using a fullsize vehicle like this:
Pro's:
Con's:
The truck stock minutes before receiving a small lift kit:
Part 1: Lift Kit
I wanted to be able to run a 33" tire so a small lift kit was needed. I ended up going with a Truxxx 3" Front / 1" Rear Lift/Leveling Kit. This puts the truck only an inch higher than a level stance so the suspension geometry and ride quality remains the same. The kit consisted of new torsion bar keys, shock extensions, and rear replacement blocks. I plan to remove the shock extensions and replace them with new shocks that have the correct amount of travel at a later time. The lift was easy to install and granted the advertised amount of lift. I left the front slightly high for the added weight of a new bumper and winch. I'm still a little concerned about the 33's fitting without rubbing since the 285/70/17's that are on it now seem to be a perfect match for the truck's new height. I guess I'll find out in a day or so!
There will be loads more images than I post at my Flickr page if you'd like to see them. The link is in my signature below.
Thanks for reading!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the first of many articles on the on-going build up of my 2003 GMC Sierra truck with it's intended purpose being Overland Travel. Most people think of multiple countries and tens of thousands of miles when they think Overland Expeditions but overlanding can be done on a smaller scale as well. With this truck I plan to travel the southeast US starting with my home area of north Alabama, north Georgia, and southern Tennessee. Later on and after countless bugs are worked out I hope to expand my travels into the northeast US, western US, and eventually an Overland Expedition from Alabama to Alaska. So here my journey begins with the build and prepping of my expedition truck.
The base platform is a stock 2003 GMC Sierra Z71:
- 5.3L V8 Gasoline Engine
- Mileage: 13 City / 17 Highway
- 4 Speed Automatic 4L60E Transmission
- Electronic 4wd
- Z71 Option Skid Plates
- Z71 Ride Control for better off-road handling
- All available options including trailer brakes
While this isn't the most common vehicle for overland travel it fits my needs very well. There are pros and cons of using a fullsize vehicle like this:
Pro's:
- Full-size comfort - Plenty of cab room and comfortable for extended periods of driving
- V8 power - Can haul large loads when needed, pull mountains easily, and pull trailers
- Good wiring - Wiring is not on the small end of allowed diameter like most import vehicles
- Common Vehicle for the US - Parts for this truck can be found from coast to coast
- Reliability - Very reliable vehicle even with the extra features
- Truck bed - Allows endless uses and storage options, not restricted like an SUV
Con's:
- Large vehicle - Tight trails will be difficult
- Fuel Economy - Even at it's best most fully loaded import SUVs will see better mileage
- Gasoline Engine - Only an issue in extreme cold and in other countries
- Truck bed - The other side of having a truck bed, doesn't have as much storage out of the elements as an SUV
The truck stock minutes before receiving a small lift kit:
Part 1: Lift Kit
I wanted to be able to run a 33" tire so a small lift kit was needed. I ended up going with a Truxxx 3" Front / 1" Rear Lift/Leveling Kit. This puts the truck only an inch higher than a level stance so the suspension geometry and ride quality remains the same. The kit consisted of new torsion bar keys, shock extensions, and rear replacement blocks. I plan to remove the shock extensions and replace them with new shocks that have the correct amount of travel at a later time. The lift was easy to install and granted the advertised amount of lift. I left the front slightly high for the added weight of a new bumper and winch. I'm still a little concerned about the 33's fitting without rubbing since the 285/70/17's that are on it now seem to be a perfect match for the truck's new height. I guess I'll find out in a day or so!