New to Overlanding

I am running the ARB summit front bumper, it’s a heavy duty robust bumper. Ripping it off like those guys did impress me. Lol.

 

Your assessment is spot on.

 

I'd start with new tires and making a friend. Tires because you can get a little extra ground clearance and a bunch of extra traction by getting rid of the stock tires. There is a whole 'wheel/tire' subforum here and it may take some time to find what is right for your vision.

As to the friend? The best way to know what you want to add is just start 'overlanding'. It means different things to different people. Once you find the limit of your truck then add upgrades. But finding the limits of your gear solo sucks. Having another truck to pull you out of a bad idea is amazing. Having a friend to spot you through that tricky section is worth more than just about any mod.

Just need rubber and a friend and to get started. (Happy Friday!)

 

Tires would be my first upgrade. My truck is as good in 2WD with my new tires than it was in 4WD with my stock Toyo's.

 

Like others have said get some good tires and sliders for the wheeling part and buy/borrow some basic car camping gear then get out there. Despite what instaface says you don't need abunch of shit bolted onto your truck to go camping.

Get out with some basics (ground tent, pad, sleeping bag, and a cooler of food/beer) and it'll allow you to figure out how YOU want to build your truck. Then you'll have a camping rig that suits your needs opposed to a cookie cutter build based on internet advice.

No need to rush it, I've been building my truck out for the last 10 years and its just finally getting right to where I want it.

 

My favorite def of 'overlanding' was this one.......

Others have given great advice. Tire quality upgrade (size not being much factor here), basic recovery gear and knowing how to use it.

Then go do stuff, and add bits and pieces when you find what may be shortcomings.

The biggest factor is the driver. Picking the correct line. Knowing when to turn back. Knowing which gear/drive selection to have for specific conditions. Knowing when to air down. Etc.

Therefore keeping the loose nut behind the wheel tightened up is critical.

 

^this

 

Leave your truck stock until you know what you really need. Buy some basic camping equipment if you don’t already have some.

 

How are you liking the Wild Peaks? I saw them on a Taco today and thought they looked pretty dope!

 

THIS. Tires...the only reason I don't have a set waiting for my truck right now is that I need to check some clearance things once I get my truck (live downtown, not sure how much clearance I'll have with my kit). And I would go so far as to say maybe a bit more than any *friend* (although any is better than none). If you can find a friend with some reasonable experience, then you have a nice pairing. Sometimes, two inexperienced people can help each other get into more trouble, "oh, you'll be fine" (where somebody with more experience knows you will NOT be fine)...but still better to have somebody else out there in case things go sideways.

I decided to buy a truck last year, and spent all of last year with my current SUV out camping and trying different things to see what I needed for my core build. As many have said, minimal investment/upgrades to start, then go do it...identify what's missing (and what in that list is most important to your type of *overlanding*), and start the never-ending journey of modifying your truck! My initial build is more focused on staying out for a few days than it is for going over more intense terrain. My current SUV can't go where my stock Tacoma will be able to go, so I'll worry about the amount I can do there after I learn what I can't do stock. If you're more interested in harder trails, but maybe just day-trips, you might have a totally different order of modification.

Oh yea, and good luck with the warranty. As others have said (And some dealerships are nicer than others..but I wouldn't count on the word of the person SELLING the warranty), once you mod certain things, they're looking for a reason to NOT fix it under warranty. Lift? Significantly HEAVIER (not necessarily even BIGGER) tires? Upper Control Arms? Added weight of a steel bumper and winch? Warranties have been voided for less (but not always, to keep a bit of perspective on it).

In the end, I say get it, find a friend, go see what it does before you put money in it that you don't need to. They can take quite a beating without turning a wrench.

 

Thank god someone said it. Just the term itself makes me cringe. There’s even an argument to be made that there is no such thing as “overlanding” in the continental US because you are never truely remote enough/ far enough away from civilization at any given time.

 

What is the standard warranty? Subtract those numbers from the 7/100 and that's what you paid for. IOW it's not an 'on top of' warranty, it's an 'extension of'.

So if Std is 3/36, you bought 4/64. If powertrain is 5/60, you bought 2/40. So the question is, what are you looking to protect? Everything, or the powertrain? (where the big bucks usually lie)

Another analysis point is your history of keeping vehicles and miles you drive. You're covered for just over 14k/yr. for 7 years. Do you keep/drive enough, or will you over or underdrive the warranty conditions?

Only reason I bring all this up is you have options to cancel the extended if you want to.

Last, hopefully you bought a real Toyota warranty (looks like you did?), not an aftermarket one that the dealer happens to hustle. 'Cause the fine print on those are mostly conditions to be met and exclusions to be made.

 

Some good advice in here. I started off in 2020 flush with a big pile of Govt/Covid cash and went hog wild and spent $25k on a full build on my OR. If I had to do it over again I probably would have gone with a Pro and some light mods and called it good.

 

Welcome OP

Well said.

 

"Overlanding" is a very loose interpretation of many ways to be self sufficient in a vehicle somewhere away from home.

However, "overlanding" is being portrayed that it is more like rock crawling, mud bogging, steep hill climbing, deep water crossing, and so far off grid that you'll need a sat phone or you'll die.

No need for new tires, sliders, or any other upgrades out of the box.

Change the definition of overlanding to camping and then go from there.

Dial in how to self sufficiently camp first. This would include navigating to and from your campsite of choice, setting up a comfortable sleeping arrangement, a safe and reasonable cooking layout, a way to properly contain/dispose of your #1 and #2 business.

Outside of that, don't venture too far out of civilization until you have these basics functions figured out.

Build on your camping skills, campsite setups, and slowly bring in driving adventures as appropriate.


A weapon does not make a hunter, nor does a YouFaceInstaTwit worthy "overland" equipped truck make and overlander.

 

So I guess I've been 'overlanding' with a pickup for about 40 years now...hell I didn't even know of that word a year ago.
This is my 3-season setup. Sleeping pads, pretty decent fart sack and a Gortex bivi-bag. Yeah, I've got a jet boil, med kit and skeeter net behind the seat.
It's actually pretty damn fancy from what I usually had during my 30 year career as a professional camper in the Army.
Was a time when I'd of used this as a 4-season setup but with age comes, if not wisdom, at least the realization that I don't have to do that anymore...
Take whatever you have and just go have fun. I think you might find that the less extraneous crap that you carry along the simpler it will be to set-up & take down camp.
And simple, easy and low stress can be just as fun and comfortable - if not more so .
Good luck and Happy Motorin'

 

You will definitely need this full suspension if you want to be taken serious

 

Get a full leaf pack. Don't waste your money on AAL

 

I live in the north Georgia mountains and recently saw a Taco at the local Ingles fully decked out with everything you can imagine and i mean everything! Lift, big tires, racks, RTT, HD front and rear bumpers, winch, recovery gear, fucking lights everywhere, etc, etc, etc. It was a bad ass looking truck and I could only imagine how much he had invested in that rig. But lets face it, although there are definitely some remote areas in North Georgia, you are always pretty much always within spitting distance from a road or highway.

But it was clear this stuff had never been used once; everything on that truck looked brand spanking new. I'm serious, there was not a spec of dust on anything! Maybe he was a hard core prepper waiting for the end of the world, but more likely was just in it for the look / prestige. I guess there is nothing wrong with that, but that's a ton of fucking money spent just to look cool and impress your social media friends.