Hi guys! My job situation may soon present an opportunity to allow an extended trip thru the west and hopefully up to Alaska.
Trip would be an extended duration (~6 month) "tour" of the west, which neither I or my wife have ever seen. We would like to get off pavement at least a little bit, but don't want to get too extreme. Don't want to travel when it's real cold or in any snow or ice (we're Florida "crackers" and don't deal well with cold), so we would travel probably April thru maybe September. We recently came back from a 1 month campervan trip thru New Zealand and really enjoyed it so we would stay in the truck camper on this trip pretty much exclusively.
Don't currently have a camper but will probably go with a FourWheel Keystone (good used if we could find one or order new with options we want) or similar/equal.
The truck I currently have is a 2000 F250 Powerstroke (7.3), Xtra Cab, 8' bed, 4x2 (2 wheel drive), auto trans. Truck is basically stock and is in excellent shape, only mods are an AIS air filter and BTM muffler. The 4x2 is my dilema: do we need 4x4 -or- can I make a few mods to the truck that I have, to get it acceptable for the type of trip we're talking about ? I realize we couldn't travel on some of the more rugged out-back roads, but hopefully could get "off road" on most of the groomed dirt etc. roads.
Mods for limited "off road" that I would consider:
- Locking differential (like an ARB or Oxlocker, possibly a Detroit True-Trac)
- Front bumper with a good winch
- Tires (have pretty good/new 265s now, but could get a couple of bigger "spares" with off-road tread)
- ???
Other mods which I will do, even if truck was a 4x4, for this trip would be: gauges, a DP chip, trans cooler and filter, 4" exhaust, air compressor, good shocks (bilstein or monroe or ?), maybe air bags.
If I need a 4x4 truck, I'll have to find a used one as I don't think the newer diesels are "up to snuff" and don't want to tie up the money in a new truck just for this trip (especially since I'll be looking for a new job when we get back). I would want another 7.3 Powerstroke F250/F350 SRW and you guys know how tough it would be to find a good one that hasn't racked up a lot of miles and been beat to death. Would rather not go to a dually.
Thanks for your advice on this.
Once we get the truck issue sorted out, I'll be asking for advice on the camper set-up and options, equipment to take, and then suggested routes/spots/etc. to visit.
Trip would be an extended duration (~6 month) "tour" of the west, which neither I or my wife have ever seen. We would like to get off pavement at least a little bit, but don't want to get too extreme. Don't want to travel when it's real cold or in any snow or ice (we're Florida "crackers" and don't deal well with cold), so we would travel probably April thru maybe September. We recently came back from a 1 month campervan trip thru New Zealand and really enjoyed it so we would stay in the truck camper on this trip pretty much exclusively.
Don't currently have a camper but will probably go with a FourWheel Keystone (good used if we could find one or order new with options we want) or similar/equal.
The truck I currently have is a 2000 F250 Powerstroke (7.3), Xtra Cab, 8' bed, 4x2 (2 wheel drive), auto trans. Truck is basically stock and is in excellent shape, only mods are an AIS air filter and BTM muffler. The 4x2 is my dilema: do we need 4x4 -or- can I make a few mods to the truck that I have, to get it acceptable for the type of trip we're talking about ? I realize we couldn't travel on some of the more rugged out-back roads, but hopefully could get "off road" on most of the groomed dirt etc. roads.
Mods for limited "off road" that I would consider:
- Locking differential (like an ARB or Oxlocker, possibly a Detroit True-Trac)
- Front bumper with a good winch
- Tires (have pretty good/new 265s now, but could get a couple of bigger "spares" with off-road tread)
- ???
Other mods which I will do, even if truck was a 4x4, for this trip would be: gauges, a DP chip, trans cooler and filter, 4" exhaust, air compressor, good shocks (bilstein or monroe or ?), maybe air bags.
If I need a 4x4 truck, I'll have to find a used one as I don't think the newer diesels are "up to snuff" and don't want to tie up the money in a new truck just for this trip (especially since I'll be looking for a new job when we get back). I would want another 7.3 Powerstroke F250/F350 SRW and you guys know how tough it would be to find a good one that hasn't racked up a lot of miles and been beat to death. Would rather not go to a dually.
Thanks for your advice on this.
Once we get the truck issue sorted out, I'll be asking for advice on the camper set-up and options, equipment to take, and then suggested routes/spots/etc. to visit.