Yes, building an expedition truck is a great way to go if you’re looking to save money and have a fun time. But it is a complicated process if you want to build something that’ll last. Hence, the following piece shows you the basic checklist of building a living truck.
There are many excellent expedition trucks out there, and they all have a lot to offer. From kitchen and dining setups to whole garages, you can have literally anything these days. But when you’re building a truck, you shouldn’t get carried away though.
You should know what you’re building the truck for. You must first think of the terrain you’ll be overlanding on. Will you be going to mountains, deserts, beaches, jungles, or just national parks? Also, who will you be going with (how many occupants)?
You’ll also need to think about your comfort levels. It’s great to have the most amenities possible on your living truck. But at the same time, you have to consider what your truck can handle. It should be able to carry all of that through all the terrains.
Your budget is quite important here, but regardless of how high it is, you should always get a used truck. Make sure you know how heavy it is and how much payload it can carry. Choosing between 4, 6 and 8 wheels is also a big decision.
If you plan on overlanding in rough terrains, then it should at least have the basics like 4x4 and locking diffs. It is imperative that you choose a truck that has a balance between power and fuel efficiency.
Also, you have to check what the licensing regulations in your state are. You may need special licenses for some trucks. You should also be able to properly drive and handle the truck.
Repairing and maintenance are a key factor in choosing a living truck specimen. You need to ensure that its parts are readily available in your region.
Once you’ve gotten your truck, you need to prep it for the great outdoors. It will be carrying quite a lot of weight so you need to choose only the most heavy-duty parts. You should try to save weight where it is possible. To make the engine more powerful, you can try a turbo or a throttle response improver.
A proper suspension system and bumpers for offroading is a must. In addition, you should upgrade all the filters, bearings, brakes, pumps, turbos (if there are any), and U-joints. You should add chunky offroad tires, a winch and more lights to the truck while you’re at it.
When all of that’s done, you’ll need to focus on creating the camper. You’ll have to construct the frame first. Then you’ll have to make the shell that’ll contain everything. But before you do all of this, you’ll have to choose the right building materials. The right ones should be tough, inexpensive and light.
The camper should fulfill some basic requirements as well. It should be able to withstand all sorts of weather conditions. The roof should be especially tough, and it shouldn’t be susceptible to leakage. You can find a handful of camper building plans available online.
You should create a CAD model of the layout you want, according to scale. Key things to keep in mind include the kitchen area, a dining area, a bathroom and a bedroom. You should always consider room for any sort of storage. The plumbing and wiring are better left to a professional though.
Then there’s the cooling and/or heating system, which is necessary in the cases of extreme climate. The power setup requires a generator or a battery combination. You can go a step ahead and add solar panels to the mix for clean energy.
To get your very own used expedition truck for sale by owner, check out our regularly updated listings.
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