Yes
@reaver your headlights do indeed need improvement...
To the OP. Overlanding needs break down real simple... “
Overlanding is: "Vehicle Dependent Travel". Nothing else.”
1st Overlanding principal
The only neededs in Overlanding is a reliable means of transportation and your imagination. That is it. Nothing else; noting more required.
Some people spend lots of money on their tires, lift kits, armor, and recovery accessories. While others dump all their savings into the ultimate camp kitchen. Then other say you have to have an RTT or an off-road adventure trailer.
Im hear to tell you that a 1989 Full Sized Bronco is a great Overland rig, so was my Ford Escort. I used to have a huge tent, elaborate camp kitchen, 2 tons of body armor on a lifted Dodge Ram. It looked syck, and I was always the envy in camp. But I was also the last one to leave camp.
Since getting the Bronco I downsized my kitchen from a pull out chick box with 25 gallons of water and hot water in demand to a simple Cast Iron skillet, Dutch Oven and a sleeping roll for the warm summer nights and a T4 Plus for those chilly and wet camps of early spring and late fall. My Bronco has added lights and a roof rack to help me carry my T4 and light my path at night. I now only carry 12 gallons of fresh drinking water that I heat up in my old beat up percolator. Fuel is still carried as needed in old army hand me down fuel cans, and only carried when I know I’m going to be venturing far from civilization (like elk camp).
The fallowing is the rookie Overlander Kit to success.
Drive what you got, the way you have it set up at this exact minute, for one year. Purchase a note pad and a pencil to be left in your rig at all times. Make three lists in three different parts of the note book. List 1: List the equipment you already own and take with you on your journeys. List 2: things you need to do to your rig. List 3: Camping gear that will make life better for me on the trail.
For one year write everything down that comes to mind. Keep track of the gear you are using. What would make life easier in the trail? What or where does your vehicle excel at, where and what are it’s weaknesses. Can you overcome those weaknesses with aftermarket parts, can you manufacture your own solutions.
Now that a year has elapsed, take your three lists and compose them into a new note book... this time it’s going to be six sections. The three lists remain the same, with the addition of two sub lists per main list... Wants/Needs... so as you copy the data, put thought into each item and prioritize the spot on the list to its actual importance. Buy 2 needs for every want. By doing this you will soon find out what you actually need, and what you don’t.
My Bronco I towed home to be built as an Overlanding vehicle... I have built quite a few over the years so I had an idea of where to start. After getting the Bronco road worthy I went on a short day trip and learned the stock tires weren’t what I needed, so I quickly drove to the tire shop and got tires that would suit my needs. Every one told me to go with 35’s and 4” of lift at minimum. I stayed stock and went with 32’s. Because that is what my driving style needs. The next trip out my alternator when out... so I upgraded it from a 35 amp to 95 amp because I knew I was going to be adding lights and coms gear down the road. Well since I got the alternator I went ahead and bought my roof lights. (Tires=need1, Alternator=need2, Lights=want1... see the pattern?) next trip out my fan belt broke due to a failed smog pump. The Power Steering Pump was whining as well, so I got an upgraded PS Pump along with a smaller belt to bypass the smog pump. I upgraded the PS Pump because I have a hydraulic winch from my last build that will go into the Bronco in a couple of weeks. But I bought the pump early because I was looking ahead at other projects I was going to undertake in the future.
The seats sucked... they were uncomfortable and the adjusting slides were worn out. I found a set of seat out of a 2004 F-250 that looked nice along with a center console for cheaper than a single adjustment rail for the original seats. The steering column also had some issues and tearing into it I found the main housing to be beyond repair, so I ordered a new steering column out of a newer F-250. All of this lead to me wanting a new stereo and coms gear so I built an overhead console to house my radio and CB while I mounted my 2 meter radio to the front of my center console as a temporary position.
Finally my automatic transmission won’t stay adjusted, I can’t maintain overdrive at highway speeds. I prefer a manual transmission any ways so I just picked up my 5 speed for the conversion later this week (I Hope).
Some where last winter while building the overhead console, I built my roof rack because I knew I needed more storage for when my kids come with me.
All of this has taken me a little over a year to complete and once I have the transmission swap done I only have my lockers to think about... so far they have been a want and not a need.
I hope my rambling makes sense... my point in all of this is drive what you got... what works for me won’t work for you. And vice versa... leave the gear envy at the door. That’s for those elite guys on that other forum. Get what works for you. Ask questions on here... just don’t ask “Do I need this?” Or “Should I get that?” Because if you have to ask those types of questions you are actually falling victim to the gear envy...Now asking “Is Item A better than Item B?” Or “What is the point of item A?” That’s a different story.
