Car Camping / Trip Reports / Photos / Buildouts / “Overland” / Expedition Rigs Area (homeless?)

So ... ep1.

They blew out a fuse wile welding sliders on the truck? Didn't disconnect the battery maybe? Not sure how else you would do that.

A lot of grainy footage and bad audio. The volume of the voice over was much higher than the rest, well except the music at the beginning and end.

Ep 2.

More wind noise covering audio and bad volume leveling. Lapel mics would fix most of that. They could use the services of an editor. Seriously.

Voice over volume is so high that words like "ultimately" become garbled.

The dog is one of the better actors.

there is a lot of accelerated video for what appears to be no reason.

Camera operators really need a tripod, or even a mono-pod.

Sponsors should be mad, not a single mention of products used, if they are actually benefiting the group, or in what ways they could be useful. Well, they did put it in the credits.

Ep 3.

One vehicle (Tacoma) gets stuck in a river. Green River actually, just outside Grand Junction, CO. The next four minutes is him sitting on his hood.

This is basically the entire episode.

(Spoiler: a commercial tow truck gets them out because the only winch cable they had was apparently broken)

Ep 4.

Once again, lapel mics would have done wonders for the audio quality.

Still more accelerated video with the shots just way to long for it. Seems be a "style" choice they have made for the series. It is everywhere.

Music and voice volumes are much more leveled in the episode. However the shaky footage is still a distraction.

The dog returns for a shot.

White balance after the snow is way off.

Ep 5.

The voice over that starts this episode is at an almost unintelligible volume (far far far to low) so you turn up the volume to hear the words of wisdom only to get blasted, yet again, by the overly loud intro music.

This episode started out as a reflections episode while showing a series of b-roll footage of overland expo east.

Turned into a mini episode about trying to go mountain biking, and once again getting stopped by a river.

Then random drone footage that pans less than smoothly and jerks around.

Random ferry ride to a sand island with a camp fire.

Then a random recipe, not on the island. (Complete with accelerated footage of cooking on a gas wok looking thing.)

Randomly back to the camp fire.

TL;DR - Final review

1) The sponsors got ripped off. The gear listed in the credits from sponsors is huge, not a single mention of them during an episode.

2) They had all the right gear, looking EAF, but lack of experience cost them 1 Tacoma and a large list of headaches.

3) Not professional. They are not videographer's nor professional overlanders. So don't get your hopes up on either.

4) I loved it. They went out and did it, which is a heck of lot more than most people do and I hope they keep doing it. More people need to get out and do it.

 

Agree with 4) most. We can talk smack from out laptop about trivial things all day. They're out living their dream. Looks like a blast to me.

 

They have compressors (or at least the LC did)... do they not know about airing down? They looked to be running street pressure in all the videos. Gotta be a rough ass ride on a lot of those trails, since I've done them before and street pressure would suck ass.

 

If they are just outside of grand junction, it couldn't be the green river. Probably the Colorado.

 

I think it said it was the Delores in one of the videos.

Edit, looks like this was probably the crossing...

38.809920,-109.274424

 

My only problem with the Bold Overland season was they went to have a relaxing time and ended up trying to force themselves at the end to do something relaxing. This series seemed like they were just forcing it in order to get the youtube clicks so they can get sponsors.

 

Agreed. Video 5 was a collection of random shots to fill space while not really adding anything substantial.

 

Gotta say, I much prefer 1 long black shaft than two shorter ones...





wait.








Truck feels so much more "hooked up" and solid. Nice and smooth to 75 and everywhere in-between.

 

I'd imagine there's a bit more pep to the truck since torque is transferred to the rear in one less step. Would be interesting to dyno the two and see the difference although most likely not worth the invested time or money.

 

Amazingly so. The 2 piece with the double cardon worked great, don't get me wrong. But after the last one breaking it was always on the back of my mind and didn't want that to happen again. In addition, it had a weird clunk and softness in stop and go traffic when the truck was loaded down for a trip. I took some video and it was basically the carrier bearing rubber flexing under load.

It now feels 100% like it should. Like a new truck from the factory. Feels smoother, more direct and more peppy all around.

Super happy.

 

Sorry, I didn't follow along, but it is a custom shaft, correct? Ballpark price?
May consider it.

 

Yes, the 2 piece is custom as is the 1 piece (obviously).

Built by Tom Woods and it ran $479.00 shipped to my door.

 

Not too bad. I guess it'd be a shame if my driveshaft broke on the trail this weekend...

 

Bit of backstory starting here - https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/overland-expedition-pics-specs-with-bs-thread.220278/page-416

 

Why did you put the driveshaft on with the slider end at the differential end?

 

It's how they built it and I really didn't have a say. With all my trucks and desert toys over the years they've all been this way and has never been a problem. I suppose if I was mudding or did a lot of water crossings I'd want it the other way around.

Not sure if it would even be possible unless they made a slip yoke integrated into the double cardon assembly.

 

Very tempting.

 

@1MK do you have any pics showing the difference in ground clearance?

 

This.

I always hear that cited as a reason for not going with the one-piece DS.

@1MK

 

Lo