Airing down is an essential part of driving on dirt. Bottom line, it gives your rig more traction and more ride comfort when on graded roads. Let’s be honest though, airing up at the end of the day is a PITA. Portable compressors can work well, but they are one more piece of gear that needs to be stored in your rig and they always seem to be difficult to access, when you’re tired, dirty and hungry! Here at TAP, we used inexpensive portable compressors for a few years, but after blowing out two hoses and burning our hands on their overheated handles, we’d had enough. It was false economy! So, we bit the bullet and shelled out for two on-board compressors from ARB. After 6 months of use; so far, so good. Attaching the hose is super easy and our new on-board compressors inflate our tires at approximately the same rate if not a bit faster, than the previous portable compressors. Overall, we find it much easier to maneuver a hose rather than a burning hot box and hose around our rigs. Fitting the compressor into the Taco was easy with plenty of space available and even with the very cramped engine area of the Rubicon, we succeeded in finding a suitable location. An internal power switch on the dashboard, helps us look even more like the deck of the Starship Enterprise, so of course another plus. Well, that’s our simple, down and dirty non-technical compressor review. Here are the specs from ARB on their on-board, 12 volt air compressor (CKMA12).
About the Product:
This permanently mounted compressor is installed into your rig and includes a full wiring loom with air locker solenoid pug in contacts, mounting hardware with reinforcing bracket and quality compressor isolating switch. This compressor, with the addition of ARB Pump-Up Kit can be used to activate air lockers, inflate camping gear and it’s got enough output to air up four 35″-37″ tires. It’s been tested in freezing conditions, blazing hot conditions and sandy, silty desert conditions for ultimate performance quality. Last but not least, it’s small. It can fit into the smallest space and it’s quiet enough to mount in the cab.
The Kit includes:
-fully assembled compressor
-Wiring loom with Air Locker solenoid plug-in contacts
-OEM quality compressor isolating switch
-Air Locker supply rated pressure switch
-Relocatable splash resistant air filter with washable high-flow sintered bronze filter cartridge
-Mounting hardware with reinforcing backing plate
-Comprehensive photo illustrated installation guide
Optional Accessories:
-Full assembled and test air compressor
-Complete wiring loom with Air Locker™ solenoid plug-in contacts
-OEM quality compressor isolating switch
-Air Locker™ supply rated pressure switch
-Relocatable splash resistant air filter with washable high-flow sintered bronze filter cartridge
-Mounting hardware with reinforcing backing plate
-Comprehensive photo illustrated installation guide
Features
-Compact design makes it the highest flowing compressor in its class (voltage vs size)
-Fully sealed components for moisture and dust
-Pressure switch controlled air manifold systems specially designed to suit ARB Air Locker™ equipped vehicles
-Hard anodized cylinder bore and PTFE (Teflon) impregnated carbon fiber piston seal for reduced friction and maximum trouble free life
-New anodized mounting bracket dissipates motor heat and allows compressor to be repositioned 180°
-Anti-vibration/sound deadening mount
-Relocatable splash resistant air filter assembly for cleaner, cooler air supply and versatile waterproof air intake positioning
-High density, high flow washable sintered bronze air filter element
-Maxi-Fuse equipped for professional in-line circuit protection
-Motor is 100% ball bearing equipped with unique linear brush pre-load system for extra long life, low heat and quiet operation
-Compressor piston is equipped with a German-made high shock rated cylindrical roller bearing
-Constructed entirely of light weight, high strength engineering grade materials, including military and aerospace grade components
-Over-pressure safety valve equipped
-Motor is internally thermal protected against extreme temperature damage
As a reasonably new transplant to Denver Colorado from Montana, I have to say, there were a number of things that I was excited about. I was excited about baseball, trying new restaurants and I was really excited about checking out the hockey. But what I wasn’t excited about (remember I’m from Montana) were the overlanding opportunities in Colorado. Sure, there are a ton of off-road trail heads, Forest Service roads, and 14ers, but there are also nearly 5.5 million people wanting to share those areas with you. Boy, was I surprised when we headed over to the town of Lake City, CO to explore the iconic over land Alpine Loop.
The Alpine Loopis a 63 mile route through the San Juan Mountain rangethat links up the towns of Lake City, Ouray and Silverton. This over land route is generally unimproved dirt road with some stretches of moderate wheeling that requires a high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle.
Our vehicle supported adventure trip started on a Saturday morning at our home on the south side of Denver. We had decided the night before that we wanted to get out of the city, explore and go camping. We decided to check out the Alpine Loop. I had never heard of it before our google search, but my wife was quickly sold on the relative remoteness of parts of the route as well as the opportunity to explore some towns we had heard good things about (Ouray, Lake City, and Silverton). We hurriedly packed the Tacoma full of camping gear, our Yeti cooler, photo gear, and our two black Labs: Teal and Hudson.
The traffic heading out of Denver on a gorgeous summer Saturday morning was less than ideal, but once we neared Buena Vista, the roads opened up a bit and we thoroughly enjoyed the nearly five-hour drive through Gunnison, along highway 50, and then up CO-149 to Lake City. Once we arrived in Lake City, we stopped to top off our fuel and do a last-minute check to make sure we had enough beer for the campfire. After adding an extra bag of ice and a six-pack of Colorado’s finest, we loaded up and headed for The Alpine Loop.
The Alpine Loop starts out as a well-graded gravel road. There are a number of excellent places to stop including numerous waterfalls, old mining towns, trailheads that lead to 14ers and many places where you just want to stop and take in the view. One place my wife especially enjoyed, was a decent sized waterfall somewhere in the first 5 or so miles of road. We stopped and took loads of photos, then decided that we needed a closer view, so we scrambled down the side of a muddy hill and took even more photos. Once we left the road and were down near the waterfall, it felt as if there was no one around for miles and miles. It was wonderful having this beautiful place all to ourselves.
As I mentioned earlier, the first section of the Alpine Loop is pretty tame. We were probably ten miles in before I engaged the four-wheel drive, as it really wasn’t required. There was only one section up at the top of Engineer Passwhere I felt inclined to drop into four low. If the road had been dry, it would have been unnecessary. I drove up in four low as much for the excuse to drive slower and enjoy the view as anything. Let me tell you, I’ve yet to enjoy a drive in the state of Colorado as much as I enjoyed the drive to the top of Engineer Pass. The views into the Uncompahgre Wilderness are gorgeous, dramatic, and well worth the effort to get there.
We started down from Engineer Pass at 12,800 feet to grab some dinner in Ouray. I knew the road split and either headed up Cinnamon Pass and back to Lake City (or Silverton if you make a right turn before Cinnamon Pass) or we could take the right hand turn and head down to Ouray. After our adventure and an awesome thunderstorm at the top of the pass, we had decided we felt like getting a hot meal and exploring the town of Ouray.
The road down into Ouray wasn’t too long, but there were a few ledges just large enough to put my skid plates to good use, and a couple of places narrow enough to make my wife a little nervous. Needless to say, we made it down into town without serious mishap, but I would not recommend driving a stock, long wheelbase vehicle down that trail. Once onto the highway, it’s a few miles into Ouray, and there are a couple of places worth pulling off the road and checking out if you aren’t in too much of a hurry.
As we were coming into town, I suddenly remembered that FJ Summitwas taking place that weekend. This explained why we had seen so many FJ’s that day and we occupied ourselves enjoying all of the well built FJ’s around town. We also got to meet Clay Croft and his wife of Expedition Overland fame, who live in the same town we recently moved from. They were extremely kind after what I’m sure had been a full day of talking to hundreds of people.
After a nice dinner in an Irish pub, we decided it was time to look for a place to sleep. When an event as big as FJ Summit is in town, finding a suitable campsite can be tough. We knew we were going to be heading towards Silverton the next day, so we started looking for a campsite in that direction. The remainder of our trip, unfortunately, had no more exciting off road driving. We wound through Silverton and Durango before stopping in Pagosa Springs for a relaxing soak, after all the time spent in the driver’s seat. By the time we rolled back into Denver on Sunday evening, we had covered around 700 miles and enjoyed many of the most beautiful parts of the state that I now call home.
Author Josh Bent is the owner of Bomber Products. Check out Bomber Products here
Everyone on the trail should learn to drive off-road. Unfortunately, Four wheeling is often viewed as a man’s world and for the most part it is. However, women are increasingly joining our hobby. Some of these women are single and others are introduced to the hobby by a husband or friend.
In either case, it’s always best for her to take an off-road driving course. If you haven’t taken a course, I encourage you to join her. It can be a fun and rewarding experience for you both.
Here are some good reasons to consider enrolling your better half in a 4WD training course.
1. She can be a back-up driver: If something happens to you, your wife could drive out. Chances are, the training course will teach her how to overcome most of the challenges she’ll face on trails. Even if you’re out cold, she should be able to drive you out or at least get you to an extraction point.
2. Building confidence: Learning to drive off-road entails mastering new skills. It involves unusual terrain, special driving techniques, and different equipment, like standard transmissions. Experiencing all these while under the watchful guidance of a trained instructor builds confidence.
3. Better all-around driver: Off-road skills are put to use in the city during bad weather, such as a snowstorm or heavy rain. In the aftermath of an earthquake or tornado, there could be sinkholes or debris in the roadway. Drivers need to negotiate around those obstacles. That’s standard procedure in four wheeling. Someone who has taken a 4WD course is better able to handle these difficult and stressful situations.
4. Additional spotter: The best spotters are also good drivers. Having gone through a 4WD course, your wife will be able to read the trail as well as you, providing you a valuable second set of eyes.
One catch, guys: If your wife starts to enjoy off-road driving, you may end up the spotter. But that’s OK, right? On the other hand, your wife may still just want to sit and enjoy the ride. Encourage her to get behind the wheel on occasion to keep her skills sharp.
Wait – one more catch: You may end up buying another 4 wheel drive vehicle just for her!
5.An extra driver to take over, when needed. Driving off-road, as you know, is very demanding. Fatigue can set in after just a few hours. It’s a comforting to know that a skilled driver can take over if needed.
6. Companionship on the trails:Fishing buddies are great, but you can’t beat having your spouse along. You experience the adventure together, share great memories, and really bond while outdoors.
One of our readers, Louise, sent me two additional suggestions. They are good, and I’d like to share them with you.
7. Valuable Team Member: When your spouse is able to drive a vehicle off-road by herself she becomes an important member of a team that may be assembled to aid another driver. Consider this situation: You and your wife are sharing driving. Another driver is solo, gets injured and is unable to drive his vehicle; he might even need to be removed from the scene for medical care. Because your travel companion knows how to drive off-road, one of you can take charge of the injured person’s vehicle while the other continues to drive your vehicle
8. Keeper of the Extra Keys! Regardless of who you are traveling with and whether or not they have learned how to drive off-road you should each have a set of keys to the vehicle. While you lock the vehicle to keep all your stuff safe it also inconveniences your travel companion to access their belongings. They may need access to the vehicle at any time for a comfort item, to get out of the weather, extra clothing, water, food or medical/emergency supplies for you or someone else. With their own set of keys for the duration of the trip they can freely do this without the inconvenience of having to find you each time they want access. Consider this situation: You are away from the vehicle which you have locked. You slip, fall and become injured and need to be removed from the scene for medical treatment. With the one set of keys in your pocket, and you away for medical treatment no one can access your vehicle to drive it for you or for your travel companion to access their own items.
You both now share a new common interest, which can open a world of possibilities for you. Sitting around the house one day wondering what to do? Go off-road!
Four wheel driving is more than just learning how to drive the trails. It’s also about enjoying the great outdoors with family. Enrolling your spouse in a 4WD training course builds her skills and confidence, and helps her better enjoy your outdoor adventures together. Have her sign up today , and start planning your next off-road adventure together.
Author: Tom Severin Photos: Andy Palmer Editor: Lori Palmer
A while back, TAP published an article on Coyote Adventure Safari run by John Marshall, a Certified Off-Road Driving Instructor (I4WDTA), an Advanced level Emergency Medical Technician, and a Certified U.S. Marshal’s Desert Tracker who’s been off-roading and leading off-road expeditions for many years. While discussing the article, he mentioned that he had built his own off-road trailer. We were intrigued and asked him to tell us about it. Read on for John’s account of his trailer build.
I have been involved in the off-road world for over thirty years. In this time I have seen the technology that supports this passion continue to evolve. These advances allow those involved to not only go further into the wild, but to do it with a higher level of comfort. On the market today, I’ve seen a wide range of trailers emerge onto the off-road scene. Trailers packed with every imaginable comfort item needed for extended stays in the backcountry; cooking appliances, water heaters, showers, ice chests and refrigerators, solar panels, dry goods storage and a comfortable place to sleep. However, all of these wonderful amenities come with a price. I won’t talk too much about price, because that is what the buyer’s guides are for. However, it is safe to say that most of these trailers are priced between $10-$25 thousand dollars (U.S.).
I recently found the need to supply myself with the ability to feed and support 15 people on a multi-day expedition through the deserts of southern Utah. The biggest problem I faced was time. I only had a week to prep for this trip and found myself without the needed room in my 4 door Jeep JK. I needed an off-road trailer and I needed it fast. After a dozen phone calls, I quickly realized that ordering one of these manufactured beauties was not going to meet my tight schedule. With the departure date so close I had only one real option. Build my own Off-Road Trailer.
I considered many options and scoured the internet for ideas. I discovered that I didn’t need to look any farther than my own backyard for the needed inspiration. There staring at me was an old 1988 Suzuki Samurai. It had been given to me by a friend as a parts donor. I felt that this could be the answer to my schedule needs. I drug it from its resting place and stood back and gazed upon the Samurai’s body lines.
I then grabbed a tape measure and a Sharpie and began to apply cutting lines. With a Sawzall and a cut-off wheel, the rear section was free to live again in an archaic process that took less than 15 minutes.
I cut the Samurai just about through the middle of the shifter hole in the floor. This allowed me to gain a few extra feet ahead of the bed area.
Next I purchased a pair of 3500 lb. axle spindles and hubs with the lug pattern matched to my Jeep and built a heavy-duty axle. I then bent three 1.75″ matching roll bar hoops and began to enclose the little trailer. I cut two 14 gallon steel plates to fill the voids where the doors once fit. The trailer’s face plate was created by a section of 1/16 aluminum diamond plate to protect rock and mud damage. I also installed a lockable steel storage box that I picked up at my local metal yard’s scrap pile for $6. I used this box to mount all of the trailer’s electronics such as the solar charge controller, A.C. Inverter and batteries. Next I fabricated a fold out side table for mounting the stove and the all important coffee maker. This was made from 1″ box tubing and topped with expanded steel mesh. I then shifted my efforts to the hitch. I spliced and gusseted in 2″x4″ frame rails and tied them together at the apex with a military style, fully rotating pintal hitch. Next on the list was to make all of the specific brackets and mounts to securely attach all of my required gear: water tank, stove, solar panel, 3 folding tables, sink, shower, awning, Hi-Lift jack, propane bottle, batteries and more.
Once I had made the last weld and applied the last bracket, this trailer needed some paint. Fortunately, I happened to have a quart of paint leftover from when I had painted the Jeep. An hour of sanding and prep work and I was spraying paint. Once dry, I reassembled the trailer and began packing for my expedition. It could not have worked out any better.
I still found myself in the need for more cargo space. With all of this equipment accounted for, with a place for everything and everything in its place, I discovered that I still needed to travel with two large ice chests inside the Jeep. So I turned to the rear of my little trailer and decided to fabricate a bumper. This bumper would not only look great, but would also give me the ability to add a cargo rack to the rear. This afterthought turned out to be a perfect solution to the space problem. The rear rack makes getting to the ice chests fast and easy.
A place for everything, and everything in its place.
On the trail, the trailer was a rock star and took the obstacles, ruts, ledges and rocks in stride. My guests were amazed at how well it handled the terrain. Having running water for washing dishes and showers was worth every effort needed in the build. Everything else was just a huge bonus.
This build originated out of necessity and limited time. The unforeseen benefit was the ability to build the trailer specifically matched to my exact needs. Initially my biggest hurdle was the short timeframe, but it forced me to come up with a solution. As the build continued, I was slapped in the face by the reality of just how affordable I could build a trailer that could completely fill my needs. However, when all was said and done, I looked back and tallied the total cost for my build. Understand that some of the items were at no cost and still others I had bouncing around in my shop.
Samurai donor vehicle………………..(Free)
Cargo Roof Rack……………………….(Free)
Metal Cargo Box………………………..$6.00
Axle Build………………………………….$105.00
Roll Cage…………………………………..$96.00
Tires&wheels (used)……………………$55.00
Water Tank………………………………..$44.00
Water Pump………………………………$65.00
Shower Head ……………………………$37.00
Pintal Hitch………………………………..$70.00
Solar Panel (100 watt) yard sale…..$15.00
Solar charge controller ………………$50.00
Electrical 12v and USB ports………$40.00
Deep cycle battery……………………..$125.00
Awning Tarp………………………………$45.00
Color Matched Paint…………………..(Free)
All other building materials………….$100.00
TOTAL COST OF BUILD……………..$753.00
TOTAL TIME OF BUILD……………..( 5-Days)
It is true that not all DYI builds can come together this quickly, and yes, I do have an advantage in the fact that I have a very complete home shop. However, building your own Expedition Trailer is not as difficult as you may think. With any build project, a well planned design will save the builder countless hours. Before you begin, a true and honest evaluation of your needs must be put to paper. Begin by assembling a list of items you feel are necessary in your build.
LIST SHOULD INCLUDE ITEMS SUCH AS:
Amount of water you need, Cooking & Cleaning, Drinking
Electrical requirements & Batteries, Solar Panels
Recovery Gear, Jack, Straps, Hardware
Food Storage, Ice Chest, Fridge, Freezer
Cooking Gear and Supplies, Pots & Pans
Tools, Tents, Tarps, Ropes, Tie-downs
Other Fluids and Spare Parts, Extra Fuel,
First Aid
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS: (A). The environment that it will be used in:
If cold weather is expected, freeze protection and insulation must be incorporated to protect your water supply as well as your pumps and plumbing. If heavy rain is in the forecast, food storage, electrical and many other items will need added protection from the wet. Dust and deadly heat are also considerations that will play a role in your final design.
(B). The type of terrain will it be used in most often:
If your intended purpose of a trailer is simply to help bring supplies up groomed roads to your basecamp, your consideration list may be much smaller. If designed with a lower overall center of gravity and minimal ground clearance, your design will certainly be more stable on this type of terrain. If your trailer is to be used in any true off-road environment, then ground clearance will obviously play a major role in your design. Higher ground clearance will shift the weight skyward and inherently make your trailer less stable. Using your tow vehicle’s clearance as a benchmark may be a little excessive, but a good goal to aim towards.
(C). Length of a trailer is also an important consideration:
Length must be looked at in two different ways. First, length from hitch to axle. Second, the overall length of the trailer. When the distance between the hitch and axle are increased, the trailer is more stable at higher speed. But as this length increases, so does the trailer’s turning arc path. This is an important negative in the off-road world. If the tow vehicle is maneuvering between sharp rocks or trees, this will cause trailer tires to hit these undesirable obstacles. Due to this, most off-road trailers will tend to be on the shorter side. What they give up on highway stability, they make up on off-road maneuverability.
(D). Track width of the trailer axle in comparison to the track width of the tow vehicle:
On a straight road, if the two-track widths are the same the trailer will follow in the same tire tracks. This is a great concept especially if the terrain is deep mud or snow. This will allow the trailer to be pulled with must less resistance. But if the axle width is wider or more narrow than the tow vehicle, it will cause the trailer to wander from tire rut to tire rut, looking for a home in the mud and snow.
However, if the driving surface is typically dry and hard, we can use this to our advantage. As stated above, the trailer will always have a smaller turning arc than the tow vehicle. By utilizing a trailer axle track width that is less than the tow vehicle, we can help to avoid the tight navigational problems that come from the reduced arc path of the trailer. This will allow the trailer to stay within the steering path of the tow vehicle and avoid the nasty side wall tire punctures.
(E). Weight and balance:
It goes without saying that it is important to try to keep the lowest center of gravity possible. We all understand that we should pack the heavy stuff low and the lighter stuff on top, but remember that on the trail, things change. The heavy water jugs become empty and need to be shifted upwards, their space being replaced by something heavy that may have been stored higher. Also, picture a large water tank mounted sideways across the trailer. If this tank is full, the weight is quite static. However, as the tank becomes half full it allows the water to slosh from side to side. On a severe side hill maneuver, this shifting water may be all it takes to flip the trailer onto its side. Because of this, I try to use my 5 gallon jugs to refill my main tank before extremely difficult terrain sections. Balance of the trailer is another huge consideration in your overall design. As a generic rule, I was always told that the weight balance of any trailer should be as follows. 60% of the weight in front of the axle and 40% behind. For the most part, this ratio holds true. However, I have found that as the length of the trailer becomes shorter, I like to push this 60% to 65 or 70% off-road. This added tongue weight seems to not only add stability but it aids in tow vehicle traction and helps to quiet the pintle hitch in rough terrain. Also, remember that this weight also changes as supplies are consumed on the trail.
In conclusion, have fun with your build. Use safe and proven fabrication techniques. Test your build to the extreme before you take it out on an extended trip. Lastly, never be afraid to fail. You may not get it right the first time. But learn and try again. I have been building vehicles for nearly forty years and I still make plenty of mistakes. I do feel that on this Expedition Trailer build, I hit a home run, but it too will receive some winter upgrades.
The Author of this article, John Marshall owner of Coyote Adventure in Moab UT, offers single and multi-day training and touring trips as well as expedition type trips. Check it out to see more detail about the services that John offers.
Here at TAP we love a well built rig, so as fellow Jeep owners we reached out to Justin Dowey of Oz-Tent USA to take a look at his 2014 JKU Rubicon. This is what Justin had to say about his passion for off-roading and his latest build.
Love of Off-roading has been in my system since the 90s. Over the years I have had many different types of 4x4s and they all had one thing in common, they got me outside exploring and meeting like-minded people. My love of Jeeps started about 10 years ago with the purchase of a 2005 Electric green TJ. This was the vehicle that spawned my addiction that spans two continents, five Jeeps and many friends who I have met along the way.
When I moved to America from Australia I was told that I could not bring any of my Jeeps in my suitcase. Besides that, the steering wheel was on the wrong side! As soon as my feet hit the ground, I began a new build. I chose a 2014 Silver JKU Rubicon. It was just two weeks old when it went off to get a Teraflex 3” suspension lift to make room for the 35’s. Fox remote reservoir shox stopped them and me bouncing. MCE fenders were installed to cover the extra rubber and since then I have gone to 37” BFG ATKO tires. Ten Factory chromo axles keep them turning. Teraflex Big Brakes were added front and rear to ensure stopping. When I was picking up the components for the first mods, I was lucky enough to get a look around the new Teraflex facility. I was so impressed that I also purchased a front and rear bar, a set of alloy sliders and the Teraflex spare tire mount, eliminating the worry of a spare coming off on the rough trails. The mount also allows us to carry a Rotopax 3 gal fuel can and provides a place to mount the CB Ariel. A lot of Teraflex product you say? Well, they make good gear.
Under the hood remains relatively stock with the addition of some electrical upgrades to handle the extra power needed for all the accessories. A Genesis off-road dual battery tray and two Optima Yellow Top batteries provides more than enough energy to run the fridge, the Warn 9.5 winch and a blend LED spot and spread lights. These include a Baja Designs 22” light bar and 3 sets of Squadrons to make sure light goes in the right direction. With all those, night driving was covered. Switching for these is via a SPOD switch system, making the connection of all my extra lights a breeze. Someone once told me, “The more you can see, the faster you can go.”, I thought that was good advice. Try navigating an off-road trail in the dark and you will get it. I am an avid off-roader and have some epic overland trips planned, so the next thing I needed was something that would make be airing up, quick and easy. I had an ARB twin air compressor fitted on a MORE bracket to keep it all under the hood. This makes the re-inflation process speedy.
Genesis Dual Battery Tray with Optima Yellow Top BatteriesSPOD and ARB compressor
As we all know, storage in any Jeep is a problem and we had to fit enough gear for 2 adults and a 2 year old. Its amazing how much extra you need to take for someone so small. After looking into it a bit, we decided to install a Rhino Rack Backbone system with a pioneer tray. It has an internal frame for extra support, giving our Oz-tent somewhere to live and allowing me a flat tray to move items about if needed. It also gave us a lot more space inside the Jeep. We also took the Subwoofer out and replaced it with an OE sub eliminator panel for that extra little bit of space.
The stock seat are comfortable and have warmers built in and are great for the cold days. We did however, protect them with some BARTACT Mil-spec seat covers both front and back. The Molle attachments are handy for keeping essentials in easy reach and not flying around the cab.
So far this Jeep has taken us all over the place. Moab UT to the mountains of CO, to the Redwoods of CA, the Grand Canyon and as far north as Washington. The biggest being a 330 mile off road trek on the Kokopelli Trail. Trips for 2016 are still being planned.
Having fun in Moab, UT
A build is never finished but here is the list so far:
– Teraflex 3” Lift short arm lift, including track bars – Teraflex Steering Dampener, Fox – 2.5 Remote Res shocks – 5 X 37” BFG AT KO, 2 tires – 5 X 17X9 Rugged Ridge wheel with color matched rim guards – Teraflex Big brake kit Front and Rear – MCE Fenders – Teraflex Front and rear Bar – Warn 9.5i winch – ARB Twin compressor mounted on a MORE bracket – Genesis Dual battery tray with 2 Optima Yellow Tops – 6 Switch SPOD – 22” Baja Designs Light bar – 3 Sets of Baja designs squadron pros (2Pillar, 2Bar and 2 in the fog light holes) – Rhino Rack Back bone with a Pioneer tray – CB Radio – Ram mounts for phone and i-Pad mini
The wish list – Borla climber exhaust – 4.88 gear set – 10th Anniversary Hood – Roll cage upgrade – Head light upgrade – Cargo system
For more overland and off-road capable rigs, CHECK HERE
TAP always advocates safety when off-roading. Check out this write-up on Wilco Off-Road’s Tiregate VT. Don’t get caught out without a full-size spare. Read on and TAP into your next adventure!
Large tires are typically first on the list when outfitting a rig for more serious off-roading. The classic rookie mistake often made is to upgrade to four larger tires with a more rugged tread, but skimp out on the full-size spare. It’s all fun and games until things go wrong. Wilco Offroad wants to prepare you for the inevitable.
A flat tire without a full-size spare could mean limping along for hundreds of miles on a puny spare. Potentially doing damage to your gearing and suspension. Not to mention losing out on all the fun of using your vehicle to it’s full potential.
Anyone seriously looking to head into the backcountry knows carrying a full-size spare tire is essential. Trouble arises, however, when you try and fit that over-size spare in the stock location. It either doesn’t fit, or drastically reduces ground clearance and departure angle. Or to add insult to injury, maybe you have come prepared with a spare, but your truck is stuck in an all too common position where the spare tire is too close to the ground to be removed without massive amounts of earth moving.
Some turn to a roof-mounted solution, however, for many individuals lifting a 100+ pound spare overhead and thrusting it up onto the roof may not be in the cards. Others may opt for throwing it in the bed of their truck or back of an SUV. The obvious downfall to these solutions is the loss of precious cargo space. Whether on an overland adventure or just carrying your weekend toys, no one wants to lose half their cargo space for a spare tire.
Wilco Offroad has been manufacturing a solution to this problem for the past nine years with the Tiregate spare tire carrier. The Tiregate replaces the factory tailgate with a welded steel carrier that bolts into the bed of the truck with no drilling required. When it comes time to sell your rig the factory tailgate is easily re-installed with just a few bolts.
The patented swing-away design of the rack allows you to maintain all the functionality of a truck bed.
Wilco Off-Road’s Tiregate VT also has an available Hi-Lift Jack mount to safely secure your Hi-Lift and save precious bed space.
Wilco Off-Road’s Tiregate VT is sand blasted and powder coated for maximum corrosion resistance. Wilco Offroad backs all of their products with a lifetime warranty on the structural integrity of the product, and a one-year warranty on the powder coat finish.
Wilco Offroad ambassador Max Daines was recently filming for Overland Journal in collaboration with BMW Motorrad. Max covered 900 miles of the Utah Traverse in his Tacoma 4×4 loaded to the brim with filming equipment and camping gear. Being the sole four-wheel vehicle, Max had to be entirely self-reliant. On a time-sensitive high-profile film shoot, Max can’t afford to be unprepared.
Wilco Offroad’s general manager Luke Wronski: “Adventures like Max’s are why we do what we do. To equip individuals for whatever they may encounter, prepared for the worst case scenario. Built to endure the harshest conditions, where failure is simply not an option.”
Everything Wilco Offroad builds is proudly made in the U.S.A. and held to a standard of excellence. From the first bend of the tube to the final weld, to the last spray of powder coat, these products are made by a diverse team of individuals who truly believe in the products and stand behind them. Outdoorsman themselves, they understand the value in a product built to endure.
Because not everyone lives in sunny California, the Tiregate VT is also compatible with most camper shells to protect your gear from the elements. To check compatibility call 714-547-2000.
Wilco Offroad is located in Santa Ana, CA and manufactures everything in-house. The Wilco Offroad product line has been around for close to a decade, however founder and president Paul Wilkins has been fabricating parts for aerospace, Porsche, BMW, and the military special forces for over 30 years. They are no strangers to building for applications that demand perfection. Both as fabricators and soldiers, the Wilkins family has deep roots in the military special forces. “Wilco,” which in military speak means will comply, pays homage to their special forces heritage.
The Tiregate VT is available for most full and mid-size pickups including F-150 and Superduty, Ram, Titan, Tundra, Tacoma, Frontier, and more. To see all applications and other Tiregate models visit WilcoOffroad.com
Author: Luke Wronski
Photos: Max Daines
Editor: Lori Palmer
