Shakedown Run/Weekend Camp

[Offroadnewbie]

I’m in the early planning stages of a shakedown run/weekend camping trip to test everything I’ve bought and installed for the July trip in the other thread. It probably won’t be until April as the roof top tent I bought won’t ship for a few more weeks at best, but figured I’d throw an open invite out to people if there was interest. I haven’t fully decided where yet but it will most likely be somewhere along the front range of Colorado or into Wyoming. I’m also debating just doing a Moab run of which I’d leave early on a Friday and come back on a Monday just to make it worth my time but that is less likely at the moment.

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[molevich]

I’m in the early planning stages of a shakedown run/weekend camping trip to test everything I’ve bought and installed for the July trip in the other thread. It probably won’t be until April as the roof top tent I bought won’t ship for a few more weeks at best, but figured I’d throw an open invite out to people if there was interest. I haven’t fully decided where yet but it will most likely be somewhere along the front range of Colorado or into Wyoming. I’m also debating just doing a Moab run of which I’d leave early on a Friday and come back on a Monday just to make it worth my time but that is less likely at the moment.

Let me know. I am always down to camp. Probably won’t be able to do the Moab trip but something close to home would be great.

 

[FitfulGoat]

If it’s not a terrible drive from New Mexico I would be in. Let me know location and dates when you finalize ?

 

[Offroadnewbie]

Let me know. I am always down to camp. Probably won’t be able to do the Moab trip but something close to home would be great.

Will do. I'm still early in figuring out where but Moab is only a small chance at best. I've been in the state almost 3 years and still haven't explored much so I'm looking at places that look cool like Great Sand Dunes, or even the western half of RMNP. Those would be regular campgrounds but if I can find good dispersed camping areas in the mountains I'd be happier. I'm also open to suggestions even if no one else goes. I'm not looking to rock crawl just find cool areas and camp to make sure everything works well before the big trip in July.

 

[Offroadnewbie]

If it’s not a terrible drive from New Mexico I would be in. Let me know location and dates when you finalize ?

I'll let you know when I've got something more concrete!

 

[WILDHOBO]

Depending on when and where I’d likely be in. I’ll need a shakedown as well. It’s getting a big transformation this week. Will need to break in the gears for 1000 miles before loading it up for camping though.

 

[Offroadnewbie]

Depending on when and where I’d likely be in. I’ll need a shakedown as well. It’s getting a big transformation this week. Will need to break in the gears for 1000 miles before loading it up for camping though.

Oh nice! I remember you mentioning possibly going with different gears. Which ones did you go with?

 

[WILDHOBO]

Oh nice! I remember you mentioning possibly going with different gears. Which ones did you go with?

If it gets finished…this week it gets a JKS 3.5” lift, Fox 2.0 shocks, front RCV axle shafts, yeti steering upgrades, sumo springs to replace bump stops, ram 1500 rear springs to maintain load capacity for overlanding, 5:13.1 gears, and 37’s. Big changes. Last week I installed rock slide step sliders. It’s going to be a completely different vehicle.

 

[Offroadnewbie]

If it gets finished…this week it gets a JKS 3.5” lift, Fox 2.0 shocks, front RCV axle shafts, yeti steering upgrades, sumo springs to replace bump stops, ram 1500 rear springs to maintain load capacity for overlanding, 5:13.1 gears, and 37’s. Big changes. Last week I installed rock slide step sliders. It’s going to be a completely different vehicle.

It'll be closer to DocMike's now. Mine is also a daily drive as dumb as it is so I'm not planning too much on the suspension side but the springs might not be a bad idea. I've thought about the Falcon adjustable steering stabilizer as well. Most of my upgrades so far have just been gmrs radio, bestop sunrider and roof top tent.

 

[Chargingstar]

Will do. I'm still early in figuring out where but Moab is only a small chance at best. I've been in the state almost 3 years and still haven't explored much so I'm looking at places that look cool like Great Sand Dunes, or even the western half of RMNP. Those would be regular campgrounds but if I can find good dispersed camping areas in the mountains I'd be happier. I'm also open to suggestions even if no one else goes. I'm not looking to rock crawl just find cool areas and camp to make sure everything works well before the big trip in July.

Great Sand Dunes area is a great early season spot, plus Medano Pass that runs between there and Westcliffe is scenic and easy enough for a test run for your rig

 

[WILDHOBO]

It'll be closer to DocMike's now. Mine is also a daily drive as dumb as it is so I'm not planning too much on the suspension side but the springs might not be a bad idea. I've thought about the Falcon adjustable steering stabilizer as well. Most of my upgrades so far have just been gmrs radio, bestop sunrider and roof top tent.

It'll be closer to DocMike's now. Mine is also a daily drive as dumb as it is so I'm not planning too much on the suspension side but the springs might not be a bad idea. I've thought about the Falcon adjustable steering stabilizer as well. Most of my upgrades so far have just been gmrs radio, bestop sunrider and roof top tent.

mine is my daily driver as well. The build is being designed as a safe daily driver, with a combination or overlanding and rock crawling capabilities emphasized. I fully expect it to drive better than it did originally on pavement. With the axle upgrades and spring choices, it’ll get the clearance and articulation, without losing cargo or towing capacity. Not the cheapest, but should be great. Can’t wait to test it out after break in. This should be the end for the most part.

 

[Offroadnewbie]

Great Sand Dunes area is a great early season spot, plus Medano Pass that runs between there and Westcliffe is scenic and easy enough for a test run for your rig

Thats not a bad suggestion. I get a scenic view which is something I definitely want. Looking it up it is usually open mid to late May according to the website.

 

[Offroadnewbie]

mine is my daily driver as well. The build is being designed as a safe daily driver, with a combination or overlanding and rock crawling capabilities emphasized. I fully expect it to drive better than it did originally on pavement. With the axle upgrades and spring choices, it’ll get the clearance and articulation, without losing cargo or towing capacity. Not the cheapest, but should be great. Can’t wait to test it out after break in. This should be the end for the most part.

Good to know! Might give me something else to plan on. Currently my rear sway bar bushings are bad but supposedly the bushings are on backorder from Mopar according to the dealership. This is the same dealership that said a spare tire was on backorder for 2 months and they ended up not actually ordering it. Once that's taken care of maybe I look at the suspension upgrades. Do you have an idea of what MPG hit you are going to have with the gears and everything else?

 

[WILDHOBO]

Good to know! Might give me something else to plan on. Currently my rear sway bar bushings are bad but supposedly the bushings are on backorder from Mopar according to the dealership. This is the same dealership that said a spare tire was on backorder for 2 months and they ended up not actually ordering it. Once that's taken care of maybe I look at the suspension upgrades. Do you have an idea of what MPG hit you are going to have with the gears and everything else?

The bushings went bad already? How many miles? Yours is way newer than mine. Don’t know on Mpg, but it’s already low just because of what it is. I work from a home office usually, so don’t do many daily miles. Our other vehicle gets fantastic mileage, so we balance it that way.

 

[Offroadnewbie]

The bushings went bad already? How many miles? Yours is way newer than mine. Don’t know on Mpg, but it’s already low just because of what it is. I work from a home office usually, so don’t do many daily miles. Our other vehicle gets fantastic mileage, so we balance it that way.

Just over 6k miles. I'm not a fan of the dealership I took it to because of the spare tire situation but the next closest is Prestige in Longmont and that's too far to leave it all day. The Rebel Off-Road Rack I added seems to eat the mpg but it could also be the winter fuel mix. I'm anywhere between 16 and 17 mpg now when I was 17-19 mpg depending on the day.

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