The Road Chose Me: Driving a Jeep Gladiator around Australia

[Grecy]

Hi All,

I've been hard at work for the last week designing and building my drinking water tank, pump and filtration setup.
The system I had in my Africa Jeep was flawless and essential - it was easily the most used system on the entire vehicle and absolutely the most important.
I would do that trip without all the other systems in that vehicle before doing it without the water system.

In this video I talk through the design considerations, pros and cons, tanks, mounting and the whole philosophy:




In this video I get to work actually building it - mounting the tank, laying out all the components, bolting and plumbing it all together and then finally using the system at the end.


A solid drinking water setup is absolutely essential in an overland vehicle, and already I know all the hard work was well worth it, and I'll once again be relying heavily on this system.


Let me know if you have any questions about designing or building your own, I'm happy to help in any way I can.

-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,


I just finished installing the brand new EX full-width bumper from AEV. Made from stamped boron steel this bumper is not only extremely strong it's also lighter than steel options.
This bumper really looks the part, and has a ton of features that make it the clear stand out choice in my opinion.

The AEV bumper on my Africa JK has been brilliant, and I've really been looking forward to adding one to this Gladiator.

I also installed a Lightforce 20 inch LED light bar behind the skid plate in a place specifically designed for just that. I really like this option because it means I have a high performance LED lightbar mounted out of sight where people won't try to mess with it, and it doesn't scream "bling".

In my latest video I walk through the install step by step so you can see what is involved.


-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,


Over the next 12-18 months I plan to drive the most remote roads on the planet, which means I have to carry more fuel.
I'm installing an auxiliary tank from "The Long Ranger", so I'll have a combined capacity of 153L or just over 40 gallons.
This should result in a range of around 700-800 miles (around 1200km), which I'm sure will be a game changer.

How exactly an aux tank is connected to the existing systems is an art in itself - you have to consider how it will be filled, how it will be transferred and used, keeping the whole emissions system legal and not reducing the break over angle. On top of all that, I want a tank that requires no exhaust modifications to keep costs down and so I can install it myself at home.

In this video I through all the features and factors I considered before choosing the Aux tank that I have.



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


-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi All,

Dad and I completed the install of the 70L (18.5Gal) Auxiliary tank into the Gladiator.

Now I have a total fuel capacity of 155L / 42 Gal, which feels like a huge level up on my previous vehicles.
It's so nice not to mess with jerry cans, funnels or siphon hoses - no stinky gas on my hands and it's all stored so low down and centered between the two axles.


In my new video I show the whole install process, then fill it up and transfer the fuel across into the main tank, showing how all of that works.
As a bonus, it turns out the tank is even bigger than advertised!


Using just hand tools in Dad's garage we completed the install without any problems, so you can too!




-Dan

[zechs]

I don't have much to comment, but enjoy your posts. People are definitely watching this thread even if there isn't much commentary. Keep up the good work!

[Grecy]

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I don't have much to comment, but enjoy your posts. People are definitely watching this thread even if there isn't much commentary. Keep up the good work!

Cheers, I appreciate that!
Adventures FINALLY start now!

...

For a shakedown trip of the new Jeep I set out to explore Grampians National Park, getting out hiking, wild camping and exploring all the remote corners of the park.
I'm super excited to be on the road again, and in some ways it feels a lot like I'm still in Africa - sleeping and cooking and camping in and around the Jeep all feels so familiar.


Roll on new Jeep Adventures!!



-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,

What do you think is the most essential feature on an overland vehicle?
After 5 years and 100,000 miles through 56 countries, I feel very strongly it is living space.
Where you hangout when its pouring rain, when the bugs are bad or when you just want some down time will have a bigger impact on your enjoyment than anything else.

In this video I talk through what I've done with my past vehicles, and what I'm doing on my Gladiator to get living space.


-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,


For my South-American adventure the Southern tip of the continent was the end point of the expedition.

For my African adventure the Southern tip of the continent was the mid point of the expedition.
Now in Australia the Southern tip of the continent is the start point!

In my latest adventure I set out hiking in Wilsons Prom National Park, reaching the Southern tip of mainland Australia to kick-off my Australian adventure the right way!



-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi Everyone,

I've driven way over to the South-East corner of Victoria, a place I've never been before.
With a huge storm coming in I got a good chance to really put the new batwing awning to the test, and get the Jeep dirty in some deep-enough-to-make-you-squirm mud puddles.

I'm working hard on my filming, editing, music choice and pacing, and I really want to document this adventure on YouTube better than I ever have before.
I'd love to hear any and all feedback on this video - improving is the goal!



-Dan

[hampstor]

Thank you for the updates! I have introduced a former coworker to your travels. He's taking time off from life / work and your travels just might be an inspiration for his next adventure!

[Doozer]

I hadn't watched the previous trips, but started watching this Australia one with the Jeep build. Became a subscriber after watching the first episode, it's been good and highly entertaining. Keep up the good work!

[Grecy]

Hi all,

For my latest adventure I'm out exploring Big & Little Desert National Parks, learning how to drive my Gladiator in deep sand in preparation for the huge deserts I plan to cross later in the journey.


I've never had an automatic before, so it's a learning process to figure out the right combination of settings, speed and gear.

It's nice not to worry about the clutch getting it off the line in the sand, though it strange not to be in control of the gear once I'm actually climbing the dune.

Manual mode is great, though I was surprised it holds the gear I've chosen and won't go lower, so it's up to me to bump it down gears before it starts to bog in the sand.


Clearly, I need to air down more (I was at 19psi), but this was more about learning about the Gladiator than it was about getting to the top.


In the adventure video I tackle sand dunes & water, find remote and isolated campsites and even have a few great animal encounters!





-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi All,


After the desert sand and heat I have driven over to the "High Country" of Victoria, and I've been exploring on foot for a few days.
I went hiking in the stunning alpine, exploring a trail that crosses from one ski resort to another.
And yes, that is actual snow in Australia!!




Now I'm adding one of the final pieces of the build before I continue exploring the High Country with the Jeep!

-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,

My new kitchen is here and fully installed, and I couldn't be happier!!


I love to eat, therefore cooking is a huge part of my expeditions. Not only do I save money cooking my own meals, I also get to spend more time out in the wild rather than in a diner or drivethu lineup.

Here I have installed the all new Truck Bed Expedition Kitchen from Overland Kitchen into the bed of my Gladiator.

From Al the genius behind Overland Kitchen, it has so many features and well thought out design ideas I'm so extremely happy with all the new storage, keeping my fridge out of the way, down low and forward, the cutting board area, the integrated stove drawer and so, so much more.


In my latest YouTube video I run though all the details of the new kitchen.




If you'd like to pickup one yourself (or any of the other stainless steel vehicle kitchens they offer), use discount code 'theroadchoseme' at checkout for a $200 discount on the store https://overlandkitchen.com


Massive thanks to my friends Pete and Kathy for all the help installing it and making the custom wooden cutting board.

-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi All,

For as long as I can remember I'm dreamed about exploring the Victorian High Country in a 4x4 - and it absolutely did not disappoint!


Over a week we had absolutely epic adventures in the mountains - crossing rivers, exploring remote tracks and wild camping after seeing nobody for days on end.

The Jeep did great, though I quickly found the Gladiator's Achilles Heel with the breakover angle on the steep mountain tracks!


Checkout the latest adventure video, with more to come!




After a quick family Christmas I'm off to Tasmania, another huge part of Australia I've never seen and can't wait to roam around.


-Dan

[Grecy]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I just drove a couple of the most iconic tracks in the Victorian High Country - and WOW!!
Billy Goat's Bluff and Blue Rag Ridge are both ridge line track that go directly up into the alpine and do not disappoint.
In my latest video I show you what the stunning scenery looked liked, explore the break over angle of the Gladiator a bit more (i.e. scrape the belly) and get the most out of the High Country.

Jump over to YouTube to see the whole episode:


-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi all,


I've always felt that when looking at an overland vehicle build and trying to learn from it, the actual WHAT of a given modification is not really that helpful. Sure someone decided to add product X, but the really useful bit is WHY they added that - what is the benefit? How does it improve the vehicle? What are the tradeoffs and why that one instead of another brand or another way to solve the problem or meet the need?

So for that reason I've posted a video with all of the WHYS of my Gladiator build - not just WHAT I did, but getting into the WHYS.
Hopefully you can learn from what I've done, and apply your own reasoning to meet your own needs.

Obviously what I've done is good for me here in Australia, but I fully expect people to adjust accordingly for their own needs and to travel where they want to!



-Dan

[civic_stylez]

Always great to see the builds Dan!

[Grecy]

Hi All,

A couple of weeks ago we hopped a ferry down to Tasmania - the huge island state that is 40% UNESCO world herritage wilderness and National Park.
This place is incredible, and to really kick things off we just spent nine days in the wilderness completely self-supported.
I honestly had no idea Tasmania had wilderness and mountains like this, and it was utterly breathtaking!

In my latest video I show off the scenery, our camp and cooking setup, the food we cooked, the facilities along the way and a bunch of other random stuff!



-Dan

[Grecy]

Hi Everyone,

In my latest video I showcase the stunning Tasmanaian wilderness as we finish off our 100km (60 mile) wilderness hike over nine days on the Overland Track.

People often ask why I built an "Overland Rig" to then spend so much time on foot.

For me, an overland vehicle is just the delivery method to get into the adventures I want to have. Maybe it's hiking, hunting, fishing or surfing. Maybe it's even wandering a street market in the Congo, or poking lava with a stick in Guatemala.
Whatever the adventure, my vehicles take me there, and I continue to explore and enjoy myself as I jump out of the drivers seat and explore the world around me.

We all have a different goal in our Overland Journeys, and mine is usually to explore as far and wide as possible. When there are no roads, that means going on foot!



-Dan