The Road Chose Me: Driving a Jeep Gladiator around Australia

[Grecy]

Hi All,

During my three years around Africa I relied heavily on my solar setup, which was fantastic. I have a lot of electronics to charge, and I enjoyed having a fridge so much I consider solar an essential addition for my overland vehicles. Free electricity just makes sense to me, and it means I can stay in one place for days without having to start the engine.
The primary way I want to improve the Gladiator compared to my Africa Wrangler is to keep the entire build lighter, so this time I've chosen a flexible 100W panel that weighs just 4.2lbs.

In this episode I mount the panel to my Rhino-Rack roof rack, starting the build-out of the entire isolated dual battery setup, which is so far ahead of what I designed and built last time I'm calling it "21st century dual isolated batteries". More to come on that in future episodes.



I still have A LOT of work to do on this build, and something tells me I won't be finished in 2 weeks like I had planned originally!

-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,

It's time to start designing and building the rear storage compartment in my Gladiator that will take the space of the 60% rear seat delete.
I'm one again using aluminium (ALUMINIUM!!) tube and plastic corner connectors, which worked flawlessly for me in the Africa build.
I really like this system because it allows someone like me without much woodworking skill to quickly build lightweight boxes for storage.
This system is super light, it's simple, and it works. That is everything I'm looking for!



-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi All,

In today's update I continue work on the rear storage box for the Gladiator.

I've decided to skin the lightweight frame I built with marine plywood and then I'll cover it with automotive felt to make it blend into the back of the Gladiator.

Dad and I also work to design and build a strong door with a fancy latch for the box, and it's all finished!


This storage system is inexpensive, lightweight, strong and simple to make at home with basic tools - which makes it absolutely perfect!




-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,

In today's HUGE YouTube episode I install what I'm calling 21st Century Dual isolated batteries with solar into my Gladiator.

Using a state of the art DC-DC charger with built-in MPPT Solar charge controller, a lightweight Lithium battery and a flexible 100W solar panel, this setup is a huge improvement in every way compared to my Africa Jeep.

If you've ever wanted to learn about dual isolated batteries, and the what/why and how of it all, this episode is for you!


I'm confident this is the best setup on the market for my needs, and I'm already impressed with how quickly and efficiently it's charging the house battery - and I don't even have the solar connected yet!





Let me know if you have any questions, I'm happy to help if I can.

-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,

On the weekend I installed a Warn Zeon winch into my factory Rubicon front bumper using the Warn mounting kit.
For where I explore as a solo vehicle, I find a winch to be essential, and this option mounts the winch nice and low, meaning it's not blatantly obvious I have a winch, and it's also not blocking airflow into the radiator.
If nothing else, the winch is good insurance against my own stupidity like when I flopped my Jeep in Uganda, and got stuck in slick mud trying to turn around in Northern BC.


The winch kit is a straightforward install that is easy to do at home with hand tools.


-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,

I just finished installing a set of Venom LED driving Lights from Lightforce, and I'm really impressed with the quality of the kit and the ease of install.

The Jeep LED lights are already the best I have ever driven with, and these driving lights still add an enormous amount of light.


I mounted them on the front bumper to keep them out of my line of sight, so there is no glare from the hood and so they're protected by the bumper hoop.

With the plug-n-play patch harness provided wiring was extremely simple, and I didn't have to cut or splice any factory wiring which I really like.
(I would prefer not to cut into factory wiring on a brand new vehicle if possible)


These lights push out 1 lux of light at 850meters! (half a mile), so the difference is staggering - I'll post some comparison photos with them on and off as soon as it stops raining!




-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi everyone,


It's been a lot of work on my Gladiator build so far, and I have a lot to go. Of course, it's taking longer than I thought, and covid is messing with my plans.

In this video I give an update, and discuss a lot of the future modifications coming like suspension, an aux fuel tank, a water tank, rear canopy and more!





I had hoped that flying to Australia would get me away from COVID, but it doesn't look that that is the case.
As things sit now, crossing borders in Australia is going to be a lot harder than crossing borders in Africa!

I'll get the build wrapped up and hit the road ASAP and see what happens.

-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,
Steel wheels have a ton of strength advantages over aluminium, and for getting as remote as possible on the planet I would never use anything else.

Something most people don't think about is the laws in different countries around the world. These Mopar Steel wheels will keep my new Yokohama Tires completely inside the guards, which is super important here in Australia so I get to spend my time actually enjoying my trip and not fighting with the authorities!

I'm editing together the install video of these steel wheels and X-AT tires now!

-Dan

[Grecy]

The Wheels and tire install video is online now, I think they look great and I'm sure they'll give me no problems!

I've chosen to run 285/75R17 tires (33x11.5) for a whole host of reasons I get into in the video.

Given how tough these tires are, I'm confident I'll only need the one set to explore all of Australia!


-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,


Continuing the build, on this episode I install a CB radio into my Jeep Gladiator.

I've never had one in my vehicles before thanks to what I call "The Ghostbusters problem" (Who Ya Gunna Call?), but here in Australia UHF CB radios are actually mandatory for some of the more remote desert crossings I'm planning.

I spend my time on this episode figuring out exactly where to mount the radio to best meet my needs, then get stuck in!





I'm *still* waiting for a couple of the biggest pieces of this puzzle, though there is forward progress and I'm getting close to hitting the road!

I'd rather get out on adventures sooner (that's the point, after all), so even if I go on a few advenures sort of close to Dad's house during September without the build being 100% complete I think that will be best. Then I'll circle back to Dad's house and finish everything off with a week in the garage before going further afield - if Covid restricitons will let me! Australia is *really* struggling right now, with well over half the population under extremely strict lockdown.


-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,

Putting branding stickers all over an overland vehicle is a controversial topic, especially for an international trip where safety is a concern.
On one hand it's good to have a vehicle that stands out so nobody will mess with it, while on the other hand it can be advantagoues to blend in as much as possible.

​
In this video I run through the pros and cons to branding your vehicle, show you what I've done previously and why, and then show the branding I've decided to go with for my Australian Jeep Gladiator.
Finally, I'll show you how to actually apply them, and the lessons I learned doing so - including a not so successful attempt.



-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi All,
After months of work, I just had a custom canopy installed on the bed of my Gladiator.
The goal is to keep everything in the bed out of the rain, sun and dust, while keeping it extremely lightweight - so it's made of canvas.

In this episode I give a detailed walk through of the pros and cons, and why I've chosen to go this way.




There are a few more major pieces of the build I'm still waiting for, and covid lockdowns here are now severe, which is going to have a very big impact on the trip.
Like my previous expeditions, I will just have to find a way!

-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,


My latest project on the Gladiator has been to build and wire charging blocks to keep all my electronics charged up and installing lights on the inside for convenience.


It's funny how the small "insignificant" projects are the ones that take the most time on an overland build!



-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,


For whatever reason when Jeep designed the Right Hand Drive Gladiator and Wrangler they mounted the steering stabilizer as the lowest point at the front of the vehicle. It actually has a HUGE bracket coming down low off the front axle, and it sits directly infront of the pumpkin - it's just begging to be smashed on a rock, and there are plenty of photos from people doing exactly that.


I'm all about upgrades that increase reliability and reduce the chance of problems on the road, so on this episode I relocate and upgrade the stabilizer to keep it out of harms way.



For anyone thinking about doing it themselves it's pretty straightforward and easy, just make sure you have a torque wrench, deep sockets and few different extension bars so you can get in where you need to!

-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,

I don't set out aiming to drive through deep water, though sometimes it's completely unavoidable.



The snorkel looks cool, though there is another job that needs to be done to prepare your vehicle for deep water - extending the breather hoses on the axles, transfer case and transmission.

This is another "Essential build" item you won't see discussed in magazines or shown off at SEMA, but it will go a long way to avoiding problems when you're in the remote corners of the world.

In the video I run through the why, the what and the how, showing exactly how I did it on my Gladiator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cBpj_5PtsU

-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,

For a while now I've been thinking an expedition around Australia would be a lot easier than my previous two - there's no language barrier, no borders, visas, I don't need to exchange money and of course there is MUCH more development. For all those reasons and more it was sounding pretty easy to me.


So much for best laid plans.


When I was planning this trip Australia had no covid and no restrictions of any kind, so while I was living in lockdown in Canada, this place seemed like paradise.


Now I'm actually here and ready to hit the road, the delta variant has escaped quarantine into Australia and I've been under a strict covid lockdown for many weeks, unable to go more than 5km (3 miles) from home. I also can't cross any state border, which makes an expedition a very difficult thing to kick off.


There is (hopefully) light at the end of the tunnel, but for now I'm trapped at Dad's house, unable to do any kind of travel.


In my latest video I explain how I got into this situation, how Australia got into the situation it's in and what my options are from here.
All my fingers a crossed the situation will improve sooner rather than later!




-Dan

[darthVWader]

Hopefully they ease the restrictions and you can head out soon. I always look forward to seeing your posts.

[Grecy]

Hi All,


Even though the build is not yet finished, we got out of lockdown and I decided to hit the road.
I literally threw everything in the back and went for it... and it was horrible.

I severely underestimated how much organization is required in the bed of a pickup, and so now I'm back at Dad's scrambling to sort out how to keep everything better organized.

For the first time ever I'm bringing toys on a major expedition, in the form of surfboards.

If I'm going to carry them, I want to make sure they're easy to use, safe and protected so they don't get destroyed during the trip

Here's how I'm doing that:





I've ordered a few things to help with more organization, and hopefully I'll be ready to hit the road again very soon!

-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi everyone,


The cutlery organizer I made for the tailgate table on my Africa Jeep was a huge success, and I always knew I would make another. I want my most often used items to be close and hand and super, super easy to use and put back, rather than have to dig through a drawer or tupperware container.
The organizer I made for Africa worked so well there was really no reason to change or improve a single thing!


If you want to make something like this to keep your cutlery close at hand, checkout my latest video where I show the process step-by-step.





Africa more than 5 years on the road the original still works as well as the day I made it, so I'm confident this one will too.

-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,

I'm packing to once again hit the road, and I can't help thinking about all the little details from my Africa Jeep that I miss on my Gladiator.
There are so many little things that were so great on that vehicle I didn't know about or didn't even appreciate, and it's not until I don't have them that I've started to miss them.

It's going to take a while until the Gladiator is a house on wheels rather than just a pickup with everything thrown in the back, and I'm enjoying the slow and steady transformation.


-Dan