Platform Testing

A couple of buddies and I took the truck out to test a number of things on the platform. A day of learning if you will. The goals included seeing how the:

• vehicle handled in fresh, wet, messy mud
• tires cleared debris, maintained traction and enabled control;
• vehicle responded with no air lockers, rear only, front and rear;
• winch, cable, remote, tree strap and clevis worked in combination pull a dead vehicle up a gradual slope; and
• land anchor works, pros, cons and general usefulness.

We ran out of day and did not get to the land anchor. It was still a great day. We learned.

• The tires clear out well, grip well and overall provided great control uphill, downhill, through ditches, on ATV trails in the forest and on slippery, muddy roads.
• The air lockers rock. The truck works well in standard 4x4, with rear air locker and with both engaged.
• The 12k lb winch wasn't tapped. One of my buddies pushed the brake to stress the winch a bit more. We didn't tap the potential. Did what it should.
• Same goes for straps, clevis, etc. All worked as expected. No issues. I feel good about them.
• We ran out of day and didn't get to the land anchor. Bummer.

Now, part of the reason we ran out of day was due to losing engine power. We checked the vehicle computer and it told us the platform was having trouble on cylinder eight. So, we replaced the coil and BAM! it picked back up and partied. All of this occurring across about three hours, a visit to two auto parts stores, the garage of one of my buddy's father, as well as, some general wrenching. Still learned. Still had a great time. Friends make the journey enjoyable.

Incidentally, another important lesson: Under-carriage armor is great for protecting the machine. It also collects mud. Even with a power washer, cleaning was measured in multiple hours, across multiple days. We very thoroughly found amazing places to gather mud.

Oh, and did I say we had fun?

NITTO Tires Rock

I'm using NITTO Trail Grappler M/T 285/75R16 on this platform. I recently took it out onto Grade B / farm class roads composed of mud/clay mixes with 2-4 inches of sludge on top, onto an unkempt forest trail composed of logs, grasses, mud and ruts at incline, as well as, an ATV trail that was pretty much narrow ruts, deep puddles and mud between trees. Many times I could run without straight 4x4 behavior without the need for air lockers. Occasionally, I run the rear locker and sometimes both front and rear. These tires are so far magnificent.

The tires always kept moving, the platform continued to move up the inclines and through the slog without every giving ground. In fact, given the short-wheel base of this platform, coupled with 4x4 and locker ability and these tires, I am duly impressed. These tires are likely the best purchase I've made to the platform to date. Of course the other bells and whistles are nice. However, these tires seemed to clean themselves out well and I could dependably trust that they are a solid, dependable aspect of this platform.

They have been fine on pavement, dry and wet. They are great on gravel so far. However, grass, ruts, inclines and mud? Worth every penny.

To and From Slee Off-Road

I recently took the Cruiser out to Slee Off-Road in Golden, Colorado to a) have them inspect the platform integrity and progress in order to make recommendations to me for further platform evolution, as well as, b) to have them perform some work that is important enough to me that I wanted an experienced expert at the helm for this part of the build. I had them:

• Install ARB air lockers in the front and rear
• Install ARB air compressor
• Install the IBS dual battery system
• Install the ARB Intensity driving lights/modify the wiring harness and lights on the ARB bumper itself
• Install the Front Runner roof rack platform
• Install undercarriage armor
• Install the Outback drawer system in the rear of the truck

The trip out through Kansas to Colorado looked like this:

The trip back through Colorado and Wyoming looked like this:

The work that Slee Off-Road did, coupled with their outstanding education/teaching attitude and customer service, is outstanding. I knew I was asking softball questions sometimes and they fielded them courteously and professionally, very thoroughly each and every time. Reading teaches. Experience teaches. Getting schooled by a group of people who do this everyday helped increase the velocity of learning. I would have paid additional money for some of the education I received while there and then paid more money for more education. Nonetheless, my opinion of Christo Slee and Slee Off-Road staff is very high as a result of my experiences with them to date and they've help put me multiple steps closer to my overlanding goals.

Planned Modifications List

As with anything, ideas abound. I have a list of things I believe to be on my 'to do' list and will continue researching their perceived value until I choose to or not to execute accordingly. Context I have to date is considering overland requirements of terrain I'd like to visit in South America, Central America, different parts of the US, particularly Alaska, as well as, Canada. Presumably off-road, mostly graded off-road though not necessarily, and definitely some paved experiences. I'm not particularly fond of, nor looking to go it with only one machine in the convoy, rock crawling and deep water, higher risk, fjording. Although I really like the word, "fjord". Of course I'm doing more exhaustive research on parts and pieces, routes, gas mileage, way points, weather, terrain and the like. For now, the baseline is outlined below as (what is it, where did I get it/plan to get it, date installed, approximate cost to purchase and approximate time to install for me):

Install Snorkel	Fix rust, apply Line-X	Replace rear bumper
Replace front bumper	Modify suspension	Install diff breather kit
Install roof rack	Install rooftop tent	Install awning
Install tent extension	Install mossy netting	Install front winch
Install redundant battery system	Install air lockers	Install two-stage fuel filters
Install flood lights	Install rock sliders	Install side rails
Install CB	Install safety equipment

The date I publish this list is of course the baseline plan. However, as I finish planned work and/or modify the plan I'll continue updating this page associatively. As of this date, I have no idea what I'm talking about, but am excited to learn. I look forward to seeing what actually happens compared to what I think will happen (which is the definition of a journey I believe).