Turning my Trail Rig into an Overlanding Capable Rig

[Scoop]

A few Bronco friends and I are planning an overlanding trip after the Bronco Super Celebration West in September. We did a 3-day trip last year from Buena Vista to Moab. This year will be the same departure and destination but over a different route and it will be 5 days! I just threw stuff in my trail rig last year and it worked OK for 3 days. For 5 days I need to carry a bit more and make some changes that were obvious from last year! This year's trip will include a number of new Broncos.

I am not trying to make the Bronco a dedicated overlanding vehicle - just a bit more overlanding "capable". (A rooftop tent is not in the works!!) The plan is to improve it in 4 areas:

1. Additional fuel and water storage.
2. A rack to increase carrying capacity - and be waterproof.
3. Mount a HAM radio for more range. And,
4. Add some auxiliary lights.

I saw a jeep a couple weeks ago that had Rotopaxs mounted on the spare tire. Not in the wheel but strapped to the tire. I thought it was a good way to go so I found the mounts at ExtremeTerrain. The ratchet strap provided replaced the strap I was using to hold my spare on. It also holds my trash bag.

I spent most of today fab'ing a couple of cross bars to attach to my cage to hold the rack. I modified the rack (shortened it) to be the same size as a soft vinyl car top carrier which will provide the "waterproof". I also added an antenna mount to the rear cross bar. plan is to mount a 30 inch light bar to the front of the rack. In the first 2 pics the rack is just sitting directly on the cage, not mounted.

I've never done a build thread on Classic for this Bronco - which I've had since before I joined Classic. I guess this will be a mini build thread!!

More to come . . .

 

[toddz69]

Subscribed! Wish I was coming along for this year's edition of the trip as well, Gary, but it's just not in the cards for me this year (maybe in 10 years I can retire and join you on more trips!). Looking forward to what all you do to the buggy to make it more capable for long trips. You have the most important element already - a well-built, capable rig!

Todd Z.

 

[okie4570]

You need a narrowed soft top for such occasions as this

 

[kselden]

Look at my post on Early Bronco Drivers...shows rack I built to hold several rotopaxes .

 

[Scoop]

Subscribed! Wish I was coming along for this year's edition of the trip as well, Gary, but it's just not in the cards for me this year (maybe in 10 years I can retire and join you on more trips!). Looking forward to what all you do to the buggy to make it more capable for long trips. You have the most important element already - a well-built, capable rig!

Todd Z.

It won't be the same without you this year Todd!

You need a narrowed soft top for such occasions as this

Actually I have an old Kayline top and hardware - just don't have the time to modify it before the trip!

Look at my post on Early Bronco Drivers...shows rack I built to hold several rotopaxes .

I did see your FB post on the Rotopax mount. Looks very nice. I want to keep the Rotopaxes on all the time and didn't want anything sticking out of the Bronco footprint. That's why I liked the mounts on the spare. I can change them to double mounts if I need more capacity. What are all the other colored packs for? (Besides red for gasoline and white for water?)

I'm open for ideas if anyone sees anything I'm missing that would be good for overlanding.

 

[sprdv1]

look forward to your progress and adventure sir....

 

[Scoop]

Got the cross bars finished to hold the rack. I made them to go around the bikini top. I'm using 2" muffler clamps to hold the bars to the cage. Bars are c-channel and square tube to make the width adjustable.

I'm doing some modifications to the rack to hold the light bar. I should have that done later today.

 

[Rustytruck]

I like to use plastic tote boxes with loop handles on them so they are easy to tie down. your big ass spare in the bed makes life difficult. cant slide anything out of the bed across the tailgate. maybe find a way to make that swing out over the dropped tailgate. I am a terrible camper as I have to carry so much stuff to be happy. I like a good chair and folding table and mostly BBQ while camping so that means a good ice chest too. the standard Bronco bed really fills up fast. If its highway and forest roads I have my military trailer so I can keep the Bronco empty with just Bronco survival gear.

 

[JeffG]

Looking good Gary. Like those crossbars you made and glad you decided on the cap nuts for the muffler clamps.

I'm hoping next year I can make it up to CO with my Bronco for an event and hopefully catch up.

I plan on copying this design to create some cross bars over the bed and utilizing the hard top holes:

https://compactcampingstore.com/collections/trailer-racks/products/pickup-bed-rail-base-brackets

 

[Scoop]

. . . your big ass spare in the bed makes life difficult. . . . I like a good chair and folding table and mostly BBQ while camping so that means a good ice chest too. . . .

Yes, big ass spare AND my fuel cell takes up a lot of my bed space. This will not be the ideal overlanding rig, just a bit more capable than it was last year! I do think I'll have room for a nice folding chair, a folding camp table and an ice chest.

Looking good Gary. Like those crossbars you made and glad you decided on the cap nuts for the muffler clamps.

I'm hoping next year I can make it up to CO with my Bronco for an event and hopefully catch up.

I plan on copying this design to create some cross bars over the bed and utilizing the hard top holes:

https://compactcampingstore.com/collections/trailer-racks/products/pickup-bed-rail-base-brackets

Yup, doing my best to disguise the muffler clamps (!) - but they work well and are strong. And I didn't want to weld to the cage.

The rack base you linked to is very nice. Would work great to support the rack from the bed sides. My bed sides are fiberglass skins and are not as strong as the roll cage.

 

[eaglenest66]

I'll be watching as well Gary! I wish you well and fun! I too am not going to make it. Other plans this year should allow me to return in 2022. Good luck, Tim

 

[gnsteam]

You know, you keep this up and you may get hooked on overlanding and will have to build another rig. Following along on your adventure as well.

 

[Rustytruck]

You know every overlander has to have Maxtrac boards, a hood snorkel and an electric fridge.

 

[garberz]

How is anyone gonna know it's an Overlanding vehicle, if you don't have a rooftop tent?

Mark

 

[Scoop]

NO traction boards, NO snorkel, and NO roof top tent!! LOL. Electric fridge might be good though . . .

Got the rack fully mounted with the light bar. I put all my weight on it and it seems very solid.

Also got the radio and antenna mounted and I installed a mount for my iPad. I still need to hook up everything electrically and adjust the light bar.

 

[Yeller]

Looking good Gary! I see I'm rubbing off on you with the tablet Only way to go for navigation.

 

[Rustytruck]

NO traction boards, NO snorkel, and NO roof top tent!!

Also got the radio and antenna mounted and I installed a mount for my iPad. I still need to hook up everything electrically and adjust the light bar.

Well If you insist in taking over-landing back almost to the stone age at least you shouldn't get lost.

Safe travels my friend.

 

[Scoop]

Well If you insist in taking over-landing back almost to the stone age at least you shouldn't get lost.

Safe travels my friend.

Thanks! But you erased my concession to modern overlanding: "Electric fridge might be good though . . . " So, not quite back to the stone age! LOL

As I stated previously, I am not trying to turn my "crawler" into an overlanding rig. Just trying to make it a bit more overlanding friendly.

 

[Scoop]

I'll be watching as well Gary! I wish you well and fun! I too am not going to make it. Other plans this year should allow me to return in 2022. Good luck, Tim

We'll miss you this your too Tim. It was great having the "little Bronco that could" do amazing things last year!

 

[Scoop]

I did a test load on the rack in the waterproof car top carrier. it will hold plenty - more than I will need for the upcoming trip.