Half the fun of getting a new truck is planning a new build, here’s some details on what you can expect to see in the upcoming months.
Unlike the 200 Series Land Cruiser, there are enough Jeep aftermarket parts and accessories available to fill a few Walmarts, so to say I have options would be an understatement. Thankfully a lot of these parts have been tested in the field by plenty of other people, making my selection process easier. So far here’s what’s planned (which surely will be changed/added to over time) – keep an eye out for the detailed installs coming in the near future!
Planned Modifications:
Powertrain:
Let’s start with the powertrain, the Pentastar V6 is a great motor, but it’s no V8, so “yeah it’s got a HEMI.” The plan is to swap in a 5.7 HEMI using AEV’s swap kit. Not only will it help with pushing 35″ tires, it’ll also help with the weight from additional mods and make it about twice as fast on the straights as the 4Runner…
Photo by AEV
AEV HEMI Swap Kit
5.7 HEMI V8
Tires/Wheels:
I don’t care what people say in regards to KM2’s, I think they are one of the best options on the market, and I’ve never had one fail on me. They’re quiet, wear well, and provide plenty of traction when the trail gets soft. Pairing them with a set of Hutchinson Beadlocks will make you damn near unstoppable, and you’ll never worry about breaking a bead.
Photo By Hutchinson Wheels
BF Goodrich KM2 35”x12.5
Hutchinson Beadlock Wheels
Exterior Modifications:
No truck can be called a true overland rig without an awesome roof rack, front and rear bumpers, and a snorkel (said tongue in cheek…don’t get offended). In keeping with the “overlanding standard”, we’ll be going with AEV bumpers (because they look good), and a Gobi Stealth rack because overlanding the JK has pretty limited interior space. The snorkel is cheap insurance but mostly looks bad ass, because let’s be honest, if you have water over the hood of a JK you’ve got bigger problems and are hopefully wearing swim trunks.
Photo By AEV
AEV Premium Front Bumper
Warn 9.5cti
Gobi Stealth Full Length Roof Rack
AEV Gen 2 Snorkel
AEV Tire Carrier and Fuel Caddy
Dual ARB Intensity LED Lights
Suspension:
In the suspension department we’re going with the Icon Vehicle Dynamics Stage 2 Adjustable Coilover Conversion. It’ll allow us to have the best compromise between performance both on pavement and on the dirt. Plus having ridden in Ben’s truck a few times, I feel like I have a good sense for Icon’s level of performance and vehicle-specific R&D.
Photo By Icon Vehicle Dynamics
ICON Stage 2 Adjustable Coilover Conversion
Interior Modifications:
First things first, you have to have a fridge. Not so much to carry food but to keep your beers cold. Also we’re going to be running an onboard air setup so we can air up our tires after a day on the trails. All of this is going to be hooked into a Piranha Dual Battery system powered by 2 DieHard Platinum Marine batteries.
Photo By National Luna
National Luna 50qt Weekender Fridge/Freezer
Adventure Trailers Fridge/Stove Slide and Drawers
ARB On-Board High Performance 12 Volt Air Compressor
sPOD w/ 6 switch mount
Cobra 75 WX ST w/ 48″ Firestik
Piranha Dual Battery System
Dual DieHard Platinum Marine Group 34M’s
So, that’s the “start” if you can call it that. Not everything is getting done in one fell swoop – I’m going to enjoy the process and the incremental modifications, done as time and parts availability allows over the next couple months!
You must be logged in to post a comment.