Camuyano's Expedition Truck
(Version 1.0)

(Updated 02/02/2005)

Introduction

In the cruising sailboat world there is a common refrain that says, "don't wait for the perfect boat to go cruising in; just go." Using the same logic I have decided to, rather than wait for the perfect truck to come along, equip my current vehicle for overland expeditions.

The vehicle will be used mainly in North America but if, after testing the vehicle, we feel it is up to the job, we may use it for international trips. After all, during the Turtle Expedition's trip to Iceland, the camera crew used a nearly stock Dodge Ram 1500 that was able to keep up with the Turtle IV without major problems except for a warning light and almost running out of fuel.

I will document my upgrades through frequent updates to this page so that my experience may help others who are in the process of upgrading their vehicles for adventures close to home or in far away places.

The Truck

The truck is my 2001 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE extended cab with a Vortec 4.8 litre V8 that I have owned since new. It is a jack of all trades used to commute to and from work on most days as well as for running errands, long family trips, business trips, working on my land, transporting materials for home projects as well as for boating, kayaking and skiing trips.

To say that the truck is versatile is an understatement. It is extremely comfortable on the highway (friends say that it rides like a Cadillac) and the extended cab offers plenty of space for up to 6 adults. Although I have not spent much time off-roading with the truck, I've managed to drive it back into the woods on our property through rutted, muddy trails full of old logs. (I've also gotten it stuck to the axles just off my driveway but that was probably my fault.)

The truck is stock except for the addition of a Four Wheel Hawk pop-up camper along with the tidedowns and 12V wiring for the camper. A couple of years ago I added Dunlop Radial Rover tires since the factory tires were worn and they sucked in snow and mud. My two main concerns about the truck as an expedition vehicle are the following:

• Cargo capacity - Being a 1/2 ton, even with a lightweight pop-top, we might be slightly over GVWR when fully loaded for a long trip.
• Gasoline Engine - A diesel would be much better for expeditions due to its higher low-end torque and greater fuel economy.

To try to alleviate the first situation, I plan to upgrade the suspension and brakes. Although this will not raise the vehicle's GVWR, it will make the vehicle more comfortable and safer, even when slightly overloaded. The second thing is harder to solve but the gasoline V8 should be okay for trips in North America where fuel is relatively inexpensive. If necessary a conversion to propane and gasoline could be an alternative if venturing to places where fuel prices are higher but propane is plentiful.

Truck Upgrades

The following is a list of the planned upgrades for the truck along with the current status of each project. As projects are completed I will post links to step by step project pages.