Building a Gladiator for adventure

[BobbyB]

For the backcountry hiking/camping my wife and I do we have a Jetboil. One person carries the small fuel cans, one person carries the JetBoil. It's lightweight and does all we need it to do but we also plan out meals for each day and meal and individually pack the meals.

[Flyin6]

For the backcountry hiking/camping my wife and I do we have a Jetboil. One person carries the small fuel cans, one person carries the JetBoil. It's lightweight and does all we need it to do but we also plan out meals for each day and meal and individually pack the meals.

I have heard of those. If we get up to doing Cirque de towers in Wyoming next year, I'll need that bc it is all packing on foot.

[Flyin6]

Mileage and performance report for the trip:
Number of days: 11
States visited: Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
Total miles: 1751.4
Fuel used: (Reg unleaded w/methanol) 109.59 Gal
Average mileage for the entire trip: 15.98 mpg
Worst tank full: 13.02 mpg
Best mileage: 17.22 mpg
Cruising speed: 63mph-69mph
Altitude encountered: 584 AMSL- 6,640 AMSL
Notes: With a light overland load (No food prep and a minimalist approach, but also with normal vacation baggage for a 5-day beach stay) the vehicle performance was satisfactory. Using the stated parameters as a baseline, I conclude there is no need to upgrade the powertrain to a V8. The cruising speed was low but comfortable. I was the slowest thing on the highway, roughly approximating the freight/semi-traffic. With a more top-heavy and less aerodynamic vehicle that does not have an abundance of power, I found it uncomfortable to loiter in the left lane where traffic would approach quickly. The slow march speed resulted in the need for an additional stop or two to use facilities or stretch out and therefore made for a couple longer than anticipated driving days.
All in all, the trip showed the Gladiator to be a great platform to take a regular or an overlanding trip in. Speaking of the overland portion. We spent several days in Pisque national forest camping and exploring. I did use 4WD a little but did not even air down so if anything, I would say we only did light obstacles. Most of the wilder access trails were blocked off by the US Forest Service so that in itself prevented us from really testing this higher CG configuration with our IKamper roof tent.
The next trip is already planned and set with some minor outings in between to test out new things as I add them.

[JR]

Sounds like a good trip. I would bet the tire size costs you some mileage. They look great but lots of drag, regeared or not.

[Flyin6]

Sounds like a good trip. I would bet the tire size costs you some mileage. They look great but lots of drag, regeared or not.

I agree.

[JR]

I am looking at the same for my Tahoe. I get a little rubbing and want a narrower smaller tire, like 32/11.5.

[Flyin6]

I am looking at the same for my Tahoe. I get a little rubbing and want a narrower smaller tire, like 32/11.5.

Did you view the study on narrow vs wide tires I posted up a little while ago? In the tires/wheels section.
I will stay narrow on the jeep and when I do upgrade tires on the Ram will go with a metric/narrower profile vs those stupidly wide 13.50 gas burners.

[Flyin6]

Update: Another weekend camping trip in the bag. Went over to Clifty Falls, IN for some hiking. I wanted to try out the new air mattresses.

DNR: State Parks: Clifty Falls State Park (in.gov)

I purchased the large and dual and the single Qomotop self-inflatable mattresses.
For the purpose of this trip, we just tossed them on top of the existing IKamper mattresses. That was a big step up in comfort and made for a good night's sleep.

I did not upgrade to lighting or fans at this point and both of those were sorely missed. I suppose they are next in Queue. No bears this time, just some noisy bikers and a bunch of kids. I ride and I love kids, so it's all good!

Last night I ordered a 5lb Propane bottle, a mount, and a six-foot hose. For the upcoming Colorado trip, I will be using my 2-burner Eureka stove with a rectangular grill plate. So that is coming.

The Awning is in and I should have that installed within the week.

So, question time:

I will need an electrical power source for the lights and the fans if used, and I will be adding a diesel heater and a 50 qt sized 12VDC frig. for the Alpine loop trip. So, I will obviously be adding a secondary electrical power source.

My thoughts go to something like the Jackery 1000 or possibly 1500 along with some sort of management panel/bus system and necessary wiring.

My questions are:

What is working for current overlanders with a similar setup?
How much reserve power do I need?
Should I charge it off of the Jeep's alternator or an independent solar system?
Buy a Red Arc system or put together my own?
What am I missing?

*I will ultimately select the lightest system that fits my minuscule power demands.

[JR]

My 12v fridge works great. It has an ice tray too but I rarely use it, just a hassle but it works fine. You hear it running when it kicks on and has an Eco and max mode. I leave it on eco and it keeps a bunch of drinks about 35 with no problem. It was running on a 100amp agm, charging that off 200 watts solar. Never went down. Now its on 800amp lithium, way over kill but hey.

I have had 2 (returned) and looking at a 3rd power station. Jackery is not cheap and uses regular lithium. I am looking at an Acemo 1350 unit, about $600. I'm not looking at name brand but good reviews and warranty. Unless you plan on packing it around, get a 1500 sized (about 30lb) and be sure it has lifePO cells. I would look at one or two, 100 watt flexible panels and charge when parked. Charge when you drive too but this way you don't need to start the jeep.

Everyone seems to to love those little diesel heaters, I just have a little buddy propane unit. I have a dewalt 20v fan, but got a little 12v cieling fan for camping

[Flyin6]

No time to dilly-dally here.

100Ah LIPO battery/charge controller/cables and a 175W flexible panel on order
Also ordered a 50 qt 12VDC fridge.
Need advice on which diesel heater to pick up? 5K or 8K?

The thing is we launch on the 20th of Sep, so have to get everything here so I can mount/sort everything before leaving.

[Flyin6]

Ordered the diesel heater, I think I mentioned the frig, a 5-lb propane bottle/mount/line for cooking.

The concept of the operation is to get everything in and start to see how it might all fit in the Jeep bed. I'll get everything mounted and where I like it, then I'll create an electrical box that is waterproof and start bringing all this home.

[Bigdave_185]

From what research I have read on the china heaters: the 5k vs 8k are one n the same unit.

Check your Facebook and I’ll send you a link there to a Chinese diesel heater group with lots of info and purchase info

Can you mount a hard panel to the roof of that tent deal?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JR]

Lipo, not Lifepo4? Lipos are the ones that can burn but not common. Lifepo have a much better life but 100amp might be OK.

50 qt is huge!, think Im around 25 but keep more drinks than food in it (normally get food for the trip. About 1/3rd of mine is motor, no separate freezer. I actually got a little icemaker if I want ice, 110v. The fridge will freeze but then you can turn back up (bluetooth)

[Flyin6]

From what research I have read on the china heaters: the 5k vs 8k are one n the same unit.

Check your Facebook and I’ll send you a link there to a Chinese diesel heater group with lots of info and purchase info

Can you mount a hard panel to the roof of that tent deal?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Dave. I just ordered a diesel heater that the Overland group folks use with great success...Only $199!
I am going to mount a flexy 175-watt solar panel to the roof with double-sided trim tape. That's what others do. The panel has been ordered, a Renology 175W flexible panel at 6.2 pounds...Still being weight conscious!

[Flyin6]

Lipo, not Lifepo4? Lipos are the ones that can burn but not common. Lifepo have a much better life but 100amp might be OK.

50 qt is huge!, think Im around 25 but keep more drinks than food in it (normally get food for the trip. About 1/3rd of mine is motor, no separate freezer. I actually got a little icemaker if I want ice, 110v. The fridge will freeze but then you can turn back up (bluetooth)

LiPO4

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084DB36KW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Yea, 50 is a good size. I am thinking of all the food for a 3 day trip.
I have a 75 qt ICECO, and a 75 qt rotomolded. I also have a 25 qt rotomolded that I have been using but takes Ice every 3-4 days. But no more of that nonsense!!!!

Oh and check out that battery. Light weight mini. I am keeping a sharp eye on the weight budget.

[Flyin6]

Have inbounds from multiple sources.

Let's discuss arranging all this stuff if we can so I can solicit ideas from the smart folks (Aviators are daring, but not smart...But we do get all the pretty girls ;-)

OK, I think the 5 lb. propane tank goes aft on the driver's side way up high.
I am feeling the frig is mounted on a slide-out tray on the right side and pushed aft as much as possible.
Right in front of that, I am envisioning a sturdy hard plastic waterproof shipping case for the battery and electrical components which I think should be mounted off the floor to free up space but also keep it out of standing/puddling water. I would like to keep the floor cleared for cargo if possible. So a bedside/rear hoop mounting. I think I would like to at least set the heater in a fixture held down by a strap that I could remove seasonally. The rest of the bed is a couple of action packers for stuff, a table and chairs and whatever else pops up.

Thoughts?

[oklawall]

Are you mounting water and fuel on the side racks?

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

[Flyin6]

Are you mounting water and fuel on the side racks?

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

I think I will carry 1 gal of diesel for the heater, 2.5 gal of gas just in case, and a standard NATO 5-gal water jug

Build starts tomorrow

[TexasRedNeck]

Why not this?

https://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/models/eu1000i


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bigdave_185]

From what research I have read on the china heaters: the 5k vs 8k are one n the same unit.

Check your Facebook and I’ll send you a link there to a Chinese diesel heater group with lots of info and purchase info

Can you mount a hard panel to the roof of that tent deal?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Dave. I just ordered a diesel heater that the Overland group folks use with great success...Only $199!
I am going to mount a flexy 175-watt solar panel to the roof with double-sided trim tape. That's what others do. The panel has been ordered, a Renology 175W flexible panel at 6.2 pounds...Still being weight conscious!

Well what is it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Flyin6]

Why not this?

https://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/models/eu1000i


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I went with the lithium battery solution. Water over the dam...

[Flyin6]

From what research I have read on the china heaters: the 5k vs 8k are one n the same unit.

Check your Facebook and I’ll send you a link there to a Chinese diesel heater group with lots of info and purchase info

Can you mount a hard panel to the roof of that tent deal?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Dave. I just ordered a diesel heater that the Overland group folks use with great success...Only $199!
I am going to mount a flexy 175-watt solar panel to the roof with double-sided trim tape. That's what others do. The panel has been ordered, a Renology 175W flexible panel at 6.2 pounds...Still being weight conscious!

Well what is it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have purchased the following items and will be installing:
Lithium battery
solar panel
Solar charge regulator
5 lb propane tank/lines/mount
LED light strips
Fans
Diesel heater
50 qt 12VDC fridge
Fridge slide

The stuff is piling up now.

Once I get the big things I want to lay them out in the bed to see the fit/function.

I will create some smart electrical control panel/box

Then I need to mount something like the stackable work boxes...I have some Bosch laying around to carry everything else

[TexasRedNeck]

All your problems solved

https://bruderx.com/exp-7/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sammconn]

All your problems solved

https://bruderx.com/exp-7/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Gonna get fired agsin Charles…

But they nice!

[Flyin6]

All your problems solved

https://bruderx.com/exp-7/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Those Aussies build some incredible stuff!

[Flyin6]

So I got after the Overland hardening of the back end of the Gladiator in preparation for the Colorado trip which is coming right up. Parts are rolling in 2X daily

[Flyin6]

Did I mention that I hate iPhones, and actually, most things Apple...Except for an actual apple. I like those.

OK so I have not the energy to fix another set of sideways pics that will detail the beginning of the awning installation.

I used some heavy wall Aluminum angle to extend the fishbone rack and give me a good flat to work off of.

[Flyin6]

The Awning was chosen because of its strength and lightness. This one does not require legs unless it is deployed in gusty winds. I am not sure I concur with that assessment having done many nights in the California desert where we saw wind speeds of 70 mph.

[Flyin6]

Although I had installed nutserts into the 3/16" aluminum angle, when I tightened the bolts, the nutserts pulled through (Learning experience there) so I ended up going with 5/16" bolts

[Flyin6]

I positioned that to pull up close to the rear of the tent.

[Flyin6]

With that done, I unboxed the battery and looked that over. I think I will be creating a project box for it.

It, too was fairly light at just over 21 and a half pounds. I noted it was heavier than the same rated power Braille battery I used earlier.

[Flyin6]

And in this set, you can see the difference in the mattress heights. The factory IKamper is nearly 2" each and has low density that allows your hip bone to get straight into the hard floor with ease.

The new Motop air inflatable/self-inflating is shorter in height.

I chose these because, I wanted/needed more comfort, I wanted better insulation, and finally, with the reduced storage height, I can possibly close the top with a sleeping bag still up there.

You are looking at one mattress on top of another and all that comes in a bit more than half the original height. When inflated, each air mattress increases to 4" in height.

[Flyin6]

Next, I started installing the LED waterproof light bars. So far, one in the overhead channel of the Fishbone rack, and a second on the bottom of one of the awning legs. That design layout is going to evolve.

[Flyin6]

Sorting through the electrical (stand-alone) system at the moment

Battery/electrical box construction in progress

[Flyin6]

New 50-Qt frig

[JR]

That awning looks nice.

I think those are the same batteries I have, but 200AH. So far they have been great.

[Flyin6]

That awning looks nice.

I think those are the same batteries I have, but 200AH. So far they have been great.

Good to hear!

[Flyin6]

Haven't worked on anything for over a week due to some significant healt issues.

I think I am ahead of it for a time, so I'm back in it.

I have a lot of little projects to pull together to get the rig assembled enough for the western trip. Launch time is coming right up later on in September.
I have to mount a solar panel and create an electrical distribution and power center. Mount a slide for the fridge, mount a gas bottle, and figure out the new pack-out arrangement. Additionally, I want to take Kat and visit REI or a similar store to pick up the warm stuff we will need.

Now this trip is a strange one, kind of like the last one. We begin with a 3+ day visit to Grapevine, TX (Dallas vcty) for a reunion of an Army aviation unit I once flew for. We are all family and I would not miss that. But it will be 100 degrees hot, and we will be hanging out, eating, taking in the sights. So the dress there is casual/shorts, "T's" and sandals. Leaving there it takes a two-day drive to get to Taos where we should fall way back to the 70's and chilly evenings. That means hoodies/jeans/shoes. (People in Kentucky do not always wear shoes ;-) But from there we will be in Silverton/Lake City/Ouray/Telluride, CO., and way up high above 12,000 feet where we may see a snow flurry or two. We will be living out of the Jeep. That's why I bought the diesel heater for the tent and why I think I am opting for two stuffable parkas and maybe even a down comforter + the sleeping bags.

[Flyin6]

I built that battery box to the point of needing a coating, and that's when I reassessed and canned it.

Simply put, it weighs too much. I'd place it at between 25-30 pounds.

Instead, I will procure a stout toolbox and create the power center. I would still like to mount it above the bed rail to keep everything open.

Additionally, if I can source a couple of pieces of "C" channel aluminum, I think I can get the step ladder securely held on the underside of the top of the rack.

[stlaser]

Why not a dewalt or Milwaukee pack out type box? Should be fairly easy to waterproof it if it isn’t already and with Milwaukee I’m pretty sure they have mounts for them too.

[Flyin6]

Why not a dewalt or Milwaukee pack out type box? Should be fairly easy to waterproof it if it isn’t already and with Milwaukee I’m pretty sure they have mounts for them too.

I'm using the Menards brand box...It's about 50% complete at the moment

[JR]

Glad you better Don, just had my turn too.

[Flyin6]

Glad you better Don, just had my turn too.

Well, as it turns out, not quite through the storm...Ever heard of Rheumatoid Arthritis? I am being tested for it and have it or not, I can say it is a real B_tch. The all-over body pain is one thing but having lost now about 75% of my muscle strength and the sore joints is really interfering with my work. I am getting maybe 2 hours a day max on the Jeep. Looks like I am going to be departing for the trip in an incomplete state. But I have been getting some things done.
Just the hand I have been dealt but my choice about how to play that hand. I choose to push ahead.

[Flyin6]

So I have set things up, then changed it up, then redone that yet again.

I was wrestling with the huge amount of space the frig slide was taking up in the bed, just witness the sheep of plywood representative of the thing's footprint. Additionally, that darned IronMan off-road slide must weigh every bit of 40 pounds. It just seems like dumb weight to me, and although I paid a pretty penny for it, I hated infusing it into the overall design.

[Flyin6]

I was discussing it with Kat at breakfast and she suggested we just put it in the back seat so we can access it while going down the road like we did with the existing cooler.
And just like that, I saw the simple brilliance of her suggestion. No complicated/permanent/heavy mount. I place the cooler in the back seat for the trip, then pull it out and store it when not overlanding...That was easy!

[Flyin6]

That Renogy 175-watt roof panel is only about 1/4" thick and weighs in under five pounds. Mounting it was super easy. I have successfully used that industrial Gorilla tape for permanent repairs in the past. I went to it to fasten everything down with the solar panel. I ran two overlapping seams on the sides and three on the ends. The panel naturally laid over the crown of the roof. I did use some 3/4" foam strip from where the center ridge drops away to fill the gap.

[Flyin6]

Here is that Menards toolbox I changed into the battery box and electrical control and distribution center.

[Flyin6]

I am keeping everything as simple and as light as I can. I decided to just build some retainer blocks that drop into the box that secures the battery. Since the interior of the box has all these prominent raised ridges, I just placed saw cuts into the base pieces to lock them into position.

With this system, the battery can barely move at all.

I later used urethane bed liner to seal them.

[Flyin6]

After drilling some holes between the adjacent "Cells" in the lid, I used expanding gorilla glue to secure them in place. The solar controller, ground bus, and fuse panel attach to the lid:

[Flyin6]

While waiting on all that to cure and set up, I mounted the 5-lb propane bottle