new here with big plans...maybe

[dmaxmike]

hello everyone!

been a lurker here for a few years and finally decided to join up.

i have been off road camping via motorcycle and on foot for years. but with the addition of our first child those options are going to have to take a back seat for quite a while. so much so that i have sold off my BMW and Yamaha dual sports because i knew my week long + adventure rides would be a thing of the past for the next few years.

that leaves me with a paid for 2008 Chevy 2500HD crew cab short bed truck with the duramax diesel motor as my only means of back-country exploration with camping gear and family in tow. its a great truck but its kind of on the big side, and as most of you know they are not exactly very off road capable. as in they get stuck in wet grass because they weigh so much.

so since i have the tools and talent to make whatever i want; but don't have the money or space to buy a new/used 4 runner, land cruiser, range rover. I have been thinking about just making some rock rails, bumpers, roof rack and using the truck i already have that's paid for.

whats everyone's thoughts on this approach? remember im not in the wide open desert west two tracks, i am in the muddy and tree lined trails of the east. here is the truck as it sits today.

 

[locrwln]

Mine's an '07 Classic, but look at the build thread in my signature for the things I have done and the places I have gone with a relatively stock (no suspension lift) truck.

Nice looking truck by the way.

Jack

 

[east_tn_81]

I say go for plenty of guys on here rocking 3/4 ton trucks. For you your plan for body protection will be golden .

 

[155mm]

With a wife and kid(s), you will want the room. There are plenty of fun places you can go with that truck with your family.

 

[dmaxmike]

thanks for the reply's. i think this is going to have to come down to me deciding that back roads and mild logging trails are the extent of the places i will be able to go. to be honest without mud terrains i don't even think i could get to my favorite remote camping spot and all it is to get there is a long steep decent into a valley. going down would be no problem just a little tight but getting back out might be a nightmare.

this camp spot is the main reason to want to have a capable vehicle because the wife has never been there because since i have known here i have never had anything that i would trust to get down there besides a bike and i don't trust myself to ride us both down there and back up loaded for camping.

and putting M/T's on a 7,000+lb truck that tows regularly seems expensive. anyone have pics of 08+ Chevy HD's with winches mounted?

 

[superbuickguy]

Jeep XJ to the rescue? My advice to people who play is never abuse your DD. With your truck, you'll be constantly trying to force a square peg into a round hole... with obvious results. For less than the cost of steel, you can buy a Cherokee that you can use and abuse to your heart's content - all while teaching your child how to scream (hopefully in joy) in off-road adventures. Best of all, if you break it, you have the rig to haul it home.

with that said, traction (tires, lockers), and lift will get you to some pretty remote places.

 

[chaos616]

Hi,

You would be really surprised what a 7000+ lb (stock) chevy truck can do off road. If you watch it a little you can do just about anything short of maybe trails like the rubicon. Sometimes weight is a hinderance, and other times it can help with traction. All said and done my 07 classic body style similar to locrwln's is going to weight in just under 9000 lbs and i wheel the heck out of it. With the stock suspension it weighed in at 8200 lbs. and it did just about everything with a completely stock drivetrain. Also mud terrains do help a lot off road, they are a worthy investment, probably the most worthy of all the modifications you could do.

I know G80 LSD's are a debated topic on many forums as they say they blow up, i have 1 on both ends of the truck now and i don't seem to have too many issues with them, but i also don't mash the gas when the tires spin a little bit. If you have that in your rear end that can make things much better off road.

I'm excited to see where you go with this truck and what kind of modifications you decide to make, whatever you do i'm sure it will fit your needs well.

Cheers,

Ehren

 

[dmaxmike]

if i am getting another vehicle it is going to be a WJ or unicorn V-8 4 runner. the truck gets used for work and commuting daily. part of that work is hauling stuff on a 30ft G/N trailer. that means that if i want a cap and bed mounted stuff it has to all be easily removable. and that takes away from the appeal of a rig that's just sitting ready to go.

i know i could make my truck look bad *** and self sufficient but to have to remove more then half the stuff every time i come home is starting to make me think i need to convince the wife to let me get a second vehicle.

powerball i need to remember to play the powerball!

 

[Bojak]

Build it. Maybe fab a frame and go RTT. Little easier break down after the trip. Or instead of a 2nd vehicle as the adventure vehicle make the second vehicle a tow pig. Build the dirtymax and DD it. Talk about convenient, not hooking and unhooking the trailer is convenient. Hook it up and leave it ready to roll.

 

[borison]

Build it. Maybe fab a frame and go RTT. Little easier break down after the trip. Or instead of a 2nd vehicle as the adventure vehicle make the second vehicle a tow pig. Build the dirtymax and DD it. Talk about convenient, not hooking and unhooking the trailer is convenient. Hook it up and leave it ready to roll.

X2

 

[Seabass]

My solution for towing. It was cheap- has a six speed Allison and turned up DT 466. It'll run 100mph and cruise at 70. It even has air brakes.

My DD. best of both worlds. I love your rig.

 

[dmaxmike]

i am going to do some soul searching and measuring this weekend. not even sure if my truck will fit in the garage with a roof rack??? I like the idea of a second large diesel burning tow only rig but i am sure it is more of a pipe dream then a dedicated expo rig.

i have an idea for the bed mounted stuff if go the route of building the 2500. anyone here ever seen a B&W turnover ball hitch? the ball sits down under the bed when not in use and they sell a 5th wheel kit that goes in the same hole. i was thinking i could somehow make a set of waterproof drawers and stuff that could be attached via the B&W mount then it would just take a few minutes and a couple guys to remove the whole shooting match.

now the next thing is to make sure i don't have any more kids. because we are TIGHT on space with one car seat and an English mastiff in the back seat! i could just kill my dad for not letting me buy his old 8.1 suburban! it would have been perfect!