Hello From So Cal. | 4WDTalk - Overlanding and offroad Forum
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Hello From So Cal.

smritte

smritte

Well-known member
Found you guys today and decided to add it into my list of forums to read.
I have been offroading/camping my whole life and love building most of my own mods.

My off road toy is a 96 Land Cruiser and my DD is a (stock so far) 19 Tacoma. I spend most of my time running around the Mojave but have hit every major trail in Cal and some in Arizona and Nevada (Most with my TJ). My trips range from a couple of days to a week or more.
When I owned my Jeeps, I started dragging along an M-100 (cant have too much gear) which eventually ended up being converted to an "Overlanding" trailer with fridge and RTT.
Some of you may know how bad the desert winds can be so two years ago I built a square drop trailer to drag around.

Anyway, Hello to all. I'm always happy to meet new people to go offroading with.
 
Howdy! Welcome to the board, 96 LC is a nice rig. What have you done to it?

Almost a complete rebuild driveline wise. Trans is the last, then it should go another 25 years. Mods wise, 4" dobinson springs, same with their reservoir shocks. delta radius arms, Bumpers, winch......all the normal stuff. I down sized my tires from 35" to 33". picked up some drivability that way. I don't do hard core anymore since i sold my last Jeep. very little on the vehicle is stock. I try to build my rigs so I don't have to worry about the dumb things.

M100? You don't see many of those on the road! What size trailer did you build? BTW welcome here!!

No kidding. I picked it up......30 years ago? Registration is 1941.. Reworked the suspension put shocks and brakes on it and used it for when I use to to AAT work. I would drag it over black diamond trails with whatever gear or whatnot we needed. It has seen Rubicon, Fordice and Dusy behind my Jeeps as well as most of the lesser routes. About 15 odd years ago i saw my first RTT on one at a show and it got transformed. Two years ago i built my teardrop mostly to get out of the wind. Took me about a year to build. I've taken it a few moderate almost hard areas and it works real well.
If were able to insert an image, I'll post a couple.
Here's my build thread. I haven't updated it in a while and there's a couple of things I've changed. A few posts down there's an early shot of my Cruiser with my moded M-100 behind it. Not much M-100 left now.
 
Sweet looking rig dude. My neighbor has a 94 and 95. He's actually recently ordered a 4.2L diesel for his '95. Apparently I guess that's a killer engine. Welcome to the site, how often are you getting out?
 
Thank you.
I kicked around putting the aussy diesel in when I was getting ready to rebuild my motor. The problem was mines a 96. That means it has to meet american emissions. If it was a 95, I just swap it and go to AAA to get the registration changed to diesel. OH well. considered an LS swap but I'm tired of conversions which is why I wanted the factory diesel.
I try to get out once or twice a month. I like to take friday off to do it but my work doesn't so, ill do weekend trips from friday night fairly local. I prefer having another rig but sometimes I just head out by myself to escape.
I also do 2-3 long trips a year. The first is normally the week after thanksgiving. I lead a group for a week on the Mojave road. I normally post up in some forums and take the first 5-6 vehicles that sign up. Next is between christmas and new year. same as mojave only I'll go to Death valley. Last one will be a trip somewhere else, normally mountains.
 
Here's a couple of pics. Monache Meadows
Monache Meadows Camp small.jpg

Mojave road some years back with the small trailer. It rained every day

Camp.jpg

Mengo pass. Ive dragged the poor trailer through worse but don't have any pics.

Mengo 2.jpg
 
Great to meet you new friend! Action shots are killer! The owner of this board just came back from Monache Meadows and had a video posted, let me find.
 
Thank you for posting the video.
I wish that over the years, I wasn't the only one who took pictures. I have tons of everyone else but few of me. A few of the guys I run with now do some amazing video and stills so I finally get some shots.
 
Pro Drywall said:
Hell yeah, slick rig bud! Have you tried any cold weather camping with that trailer?
Click to expand...
I think the coldest so far was 20 degrees. I warmed the interior with a small tent heater for about 10 mins. The rest of the night it was fine.
I picked up one of the diesel heaters and mounted in a pelican case. I'm going to add a couple of ports from the outside for it. So far though, I don't think I actually need it but, I already have it so why not.
 
That is seriously a great set up you have. Now on that trailer, did I understand that you built that?
 
Travis said:
That is seriously a great set up you have. Now on that trailer, did I understand that you built that?
Click to expand...
Thank you. out of all the vehicles i've built this is one of my two favorites.
Here's a link to my build thread on the trailer. I haven't updated it in a while, but have made quite a few more changes. I kinda suck at build threads.
 
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