Getting it done on the Cheap

[1derer]

Overlanding doesn't need to be expensive or only available to those with massive amounts of disposable incomes. I wanted to start this thread how to "outfit and explore" without breaking the bank. The idea of making it yourself increasing knowledge putting in the effort instead of the cash?

Such as Power solutions: building your own second battery system utilizing jumper cables (cheap wire) and $20 mechanical solenoid vs the pre-made and fabricated kits in excessive of $450.

$150 lift kit vs $1,000+ , yes here is the question of doing it right but is there a lower cost way of "right"?

What ideas have you come up with to save $ and still outfit your rig?

 

[OffroadTreks]

Yes here is the question of doing it right but is there a lower cost way of "right"?

To touch on this point, just thinking through things can save you a lot of money. Being intentional about the mods you ACTUALLY need to meet a goal or improve things.

I'm in a fullsize Power Wagon, one of the most capable fullsize off-road trucks you can buy. And I constantly see guys running out with their new 2017's buying wheels so they can run 35's or 37's. Buying spacer lifts, etc. But 10 seconds of research would have revealed you can run those on your stock wheels with no lift. Or just randomly replacing suspension components because ..... it's better somehow... ???

Being really intentional about my build and testing the limits of my truck in stock trim first before doing mods, has saved me a lot of money.

There seems to be a rush of first mods people do on any platform. And sometimes, I'd argue a lot of it is a pointless waste if you don't even know what your goals are. Or what challenges you'll encounter when you're out overlanding.

 

[CDN Offroader]

Patience is a virtue in the build. AS BoldAdventure said, do the research, find out what you actually need. Try out your rig and see if it performs better than you thought before deciding you"need" to modify it. Classifieds can be your friend to get a used item rather than paying full price for brand new. Some companies offer gear rental that would let you try before you buy. Finally, hold out on that shiny new widget. CyberMonday is coming.... and lots of other good sales/group buys etc. Learn how to do mods, repairs yourself.

 

[The other Sean]

X3 on mentioned above. Research and waiting has saved me many dollars over the years.

I have a no name 30 degree sleeping bag. While a name brand new one would be nice, it will also be $$$/ So, I spent $12 on a fleece bag liner which is going to easily buy me some warmth.

Looking at the whole picture can also help. My current wants are bumpers, winch and traction boards. While Maxtrax are nice, do I need the top of the line traction boards if I have a winch? probably not. Do I need top of the line traction boards if I don't have a winch? Wouldn't hurt.

Also, wearing out what you have before getting the new fangled one helps too. My wife and I have a pair of heavy $40 cots that I would like to replace with lighter units. BUT... the cots I am eyeballing are $250 each... so... waiting until the current ones start falling apart.

 

[2dub]

I'll be following this thread.

Overlanding can break the bank quickly. We see some incredible setups on this site and begin drooling. @The other Sean mentioned patience. That is huge. Not jump out and buy the newest and coolest thing.

Some things I'm doing as I get started again are:

• Cheaper ground tent - A RTT would be incredible, but not in my budget. Then again some people's ground tents are just fabulous too. For the past 7 years I have gotten by with a $60 tent. Unfortunately, earlier this summer some moron who didn't pay attention to what he was doing (me) stepped on and broke one of the fiberglass rods. I duct taped it and it is okay, but I'll need a new one again before too long. This cheapo tent has been used in some pretty challenging weather and pulled through just fine.
• Research and knowing what you will do
  • Cooler vs/ fridge - I know I'm not going off the grid for weeks at a time my cooler will hold ice for 3-5 days so I will never need a portable fridge.
  • Tires - Once again knowing what type of overlanding you will do, you can determine if you really need the true off-road tire or will a quality all-terrain tire do?
  • Other suspension components - Once again knowing what you need for what you intend to do you can save a lot of money. For many trails stock will be fine, some better shocks can do wonders, but how many of us truly need these massive long travel kits. I'm not a rock crawler.
  • Lights - I drool over some guys light bars and lighting set ups. But the way I travel I fully intend to have my camp set up well before night fall.
  • Electronic gadgets - Once again these get me drooling, but not always the most practical or give a great bang for the buck given my style.
  • Air compressor - I have a nice little portable Craftsman air compressor which does the job just fine and I think it was only $25-30. I'd absolutely love an installed ARB compressor. But this works just fine and yes it takes a lot longer for me to air up again than people with those nicer ones.

 

[picklejuice]

Harbor Freight cargo carrier for RTVs as uber-cheap rack to mount stuff on. I think I got if for $30 on sale.

https://www.harborfreight.com/500-lb-capacity-deluxe-cargo-carrier-66983.html

Drilled some holes for u-bolts (which I still need to cut). All in, something like $40. Not a looker, but gets the job done! BTW, love the idea of this thread.!

 

[picklejuice]

Oh, and by the way, ditto all the way on the mentions above about classifieds:

All Craigslist finds!

1. ARB Deluxe bumper - $350
2. Warn Winch - $300
3. Steelies - $100
4. BFGoodrich AT KO2 w/ 5,000 miles - $500
5. Yakima cargo box - $100
6. Yakima roof rack - $100

Snorkel was an ebay purchase of $70 shipped.

Even got my rig on Craigslist, lol. Basically, all of this has gotten me out of my house and into the wilderness. I'm just over $1K in on mods, but I do all my own work. I wouldn't say that I'm the norm here as I'm a bit obsessive about getting things on the cheap, but it can definitely be done.

 

[KD7WCD]

I have a buddy who bought a brand new Jeep and has spent literally thousands modifying it so he can go Off-Roading with me.

Now I drive an Xterra Off Road with less than $1000 of upgrades. Rock Sliders, Add-a-leafs in the rear and spacer in the front to give me just enough lift to go a little bigger on the tires.

Everything else that has been added were added as a replacement for anything that has worn out. The bigger Cooper tires once I had had enough of the BFG that came stock. Only other "upgrade" was I just did the shocks after 130k.

Use up what you got if it works.

But some people have money to burn. My friends Jeep does look nice... Even when I am pulling him out. [emoji16]

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[1derer]

Now I drive an Xterra Off Road with less than $1000 of upgrades. Rock Sliders, Add-a-leafs in the rear and spacer in the front to give me just enough lift to go a little bigger on the tires.

Personally I really like the Xterra and think its highly under rated as a competent exploration rig. Easy to maintain, work on, modifications are inexpensive (Compared to Land Cruiser), the off road version with factory rear locker is great too!

 

[KD7WCD]

Yep. That was one of the thing that was a selling point for me. It is certainly Shade Tree Micanic freinds. That and it'll climb like a Billy goat. [emoji238]

Unfortunately. Some other brands seem to inflated when it comes to after market parts. But as this thread is most likely going to point out, with a little research and ingenuity one doesn't necessarily need to buy into all the hyped up glossy adds. First real step is to figure out what you want your rig to do and head out from there.

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[Darren01]

Personally I really like the Xterra and think its highly under rated as a competent exploration rig. Easy to maintain, work on, modifications are inexpensive (Compared to Land Cruiser), the off road version with factory rear locker is great too!

I can not agree with this more!! I wish the Xterra had gotten more recognition, as it certainly deserves it. They are quite easy on the wallet, for repairs, modifications and just the general cost of the vehicle!

Love this thread though!

 

[squishware]

Picking a platform is critically important. I love my 10th Generation F150 (5k and less) but I spend a lot of time falling in love with jeeps and Landcruisers. I do the homework and nothing has a lower cost of ownership. This body style Ford is all over North and Central America like a rash so it fits my long term goal of living out of it on this continent.

 

[DesertWalker]

Great info here. Definitely following to get Ideas for when I purchase my rig.


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[KD7WCD]

Along those lines consider this.

I have a friend who seriously believes that the Zombie Apocalypse will happen some day. This leads to some interesting debates about how to survive in post apocalyptic world and of course one of the topic is what is the best vehicle to have is. My stance is that while the Unimogs, Pinzgauers and Hummers make for sexy Hollywood scenes the smart post apocalyptic motorist will be in something more common place. One should look around at what is prevalent in your area. If there are lots of Toyota Land Cruiser around chances are you can find parts for it. Where do you go to get parts for that exotica truck?

I think the same logic fits into overlanding. If you are going to forge your way across Siberia you might want to look and see if you can get parts for the Jeep Rubicon before you leave.

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[1derer]

Along those lines consider this.

I have a friend who seriously believes that the Zombie Apocalypse will happen some day. This leads to some interesting debates about how to survive in post apocalyptic world and of course one of the topic is what is the best vehicle to have is. My stance is that while the Unimogs, Pinzgauers and Hummers make for sexy Hollywood scenes the smart post apocalyptic motorist will be in something more common place. One should look around at what is prevalent in your area. If there are lots of Toyota Land Cruiser around chances are you can find parts for it. Where do you go to get parts for that exotica truck?

I think the same logic fits into overlanding. If you are going to forge your way across Siberia you might want to look and see if you can get parts for the Jeep Rubicon before you leave.

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In this case Toyota Land Cruiser would likely be your choice... world wide likely the most common 4x4 but not a cheap solution while you still need to pay for parts and accessories. Nissan and Jeep have the LC beat in that market. The price gap really narrows when you can do your own fabrication.

 

[1derer]

How do you feel about Harbor Freight? I know there is a lot of opinion (Especially around Bandland winches) but I have not actually heard anyone who has had one speak badly. There is also the question previously posted about baskets. Anyone use their blocks? Too great of a risk or worth having if one couldn't afford the name brand equipment?

 

[The other Sean]

Like everything, it's an educated decision/risk based on cost. While I don't have a badlands winch, I'm buying a winch soon and I did look at them in my search. What I found was the cost savings didn't quite outweigh the risk of failure.

The 9000lb badlands winch with steel cable and roller fairlead is $269 with a 90 day warranty. I want synthetic line and a hawse fairlead, so I would be spending more money. New line and a fairlead I can expect to spend at least $100. so $369.

The 9000lb Engo winch with synthetic line is About $450 with a limited lifetime warranty on mechanical
components with a 1-Year warranty on electrical components

So, $100 more and I get a known brand and a pretty decent warranty.

Economy isn't always in how much you spend, its where you spend it.

 

[1derer]

Like everything, it's an educated decision/risk based on cost. While I don't have a badlands winch, I'm buying a winch soon and I did look at them in my search. What I found was the cost savings didn't quite outweigh the risk of failure.

The 9000lb badlands winch with steel cable and roller fairlead is $269 with a 90 day warranty. I want synthetic line and a hawse fairlead, so I would be spending more money. New line and a fairlead I can expect to spend at least $100. so $369.

The 9000lb Engo winch with synthetic line is About $450 with a limited lifetime warranty on mechanical
components with a 1-Year warranty on electrical components

So, $100 more and I get a known brand and a pretty decent warranty.

Economy isn't always in how much you spend, its where you spend it.

As far as winches go I agree I went the smittybuilt XRC 9.5K route seemed to be a good value for the money and it has pulled my rig several times fully loaded without any issues.

 

[ce4460]

@bwildjournals would approve.

 

[wheelhard916]

This is a very good topic for O.B. I have had this argument many times with a friend who spends to much on fancy name brand stuff on his Land Rover. I go all of the same places he does and I have gotten off a lot cheaper in my 2011 GMC Canyon. Only mods I have made were a $65 body lift from ruff country and $50 wheel spacers with decent tires. Stock my truck had horrible ground clearance but other than that it actually performed well off road. I got the body lift and an inch bigger tires to give a little clearance. I got the wheel spacers because I didn't want to pay for slide rails and the wheels come out just enough to protect the side of the truck. It seems to be easier coming up on steep inclines in narrow valleys with the tires sticking out past the side of the truck.


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