Just returned from a nearly 3k mile road trip through the Canadian Maritimes. Having followed many of the threads in regards to my specific accessories, I thought it may be helpful to report back on my experiences with each. Driving was approx 80% highway, 15% city and side roads and 5% Forest Service type travel. We experienced flooding, rock slides, ice and snow storms and even a bombogenesis event. Also saw the Northern Lights, lots of pack ice and some caribou, so that was kind of fun.
Michelin Defender LTX 275/70r18's were as quiet and smooth as stock, but were much more capable and confidence-inspiring in the wet and snow-pack. Ran them at 41psi per @gaijin, and while the ride was firm, it was never jarring (and the potholes in eastern Canada are no joke). The psi barely wavered a pound or two between cold starts (0F) and all day running (40F) temps.
Westcott Designs Pre-Load Collars add 3" in front and 1.25" in rear. While these don't change any of the factory suspension geometry, they most certainly change the ride quality by effectively removing the rake. Cornering, braking and acceleration were all improved, and being able to easily recover after putting a wheel off a soft shoulder was comforting. I did have an alignment before leaving. Also, the collars require 1.25 spacers. I have Bora's and had no tire or wheel issues whatsoever.
Westcott Designs 3/4 Rack w/out basket floor. I mostly like the design of this rack (although for clearing snow, it's brutal). For my purposes (fishing gear and beach toys), it's all I need in terms of weight-bearing. It was quick and easy to install (45 mins), although I did have to trim one of the plastic oem rear leg covers to fit back on. It's very low profile, extremely light and doesn't require removing or installing any bolts. It is finished beautifully in a matte black powder coat, and the heavy duty wind fairing is cut to fit snugly against the roof just rearward of the sunroof. I didn't know it was there tbh. No rattle and when I returned everything was still snuggled up tight.
Gobi Ladder presented no problems. I was a bit concerned because mine is installed without the inside set screw on the bottom. I couldn't quite get it seated without the risk of clipping the pinch plate, so I left it off. The ladder is so light and comes with adhesive pads that keep it in place. As those adhesives pads break down, there may be reason for concern in the future. While I couldn't trace any noise to the Westcott Roof Rack, I could hear the Gobi Ladder at times. It whistled a bit in strong crosswinds, and the top of the ladder is at a 90 to the roof, so it creates a bit of mountain-wave buffering. Minor on both accounts imo, though.
Budbuilt skid plates are obviously super burly and extremely well designed. I thankfully didn't need them on this trip and only have them for occasional logs and flotsam on the beach. I don't have a piece that attaches to the trailing edge of the front bumper fairing, so they do manage to trap a bit of dirt and sand in there. I only discovered it when I raised the truck for a good undercarriage wash and oil change upon returning home. By no means is it a concern, just an observation. They are bomber and make changing the oil a snap.
The 600 lb gorilla of course are the current gas prices. A liter of regular in Eastern Canada was averaging $1.72 cad. Converted to $1.37 per liter usd and 1 liter = .26 gallons, it came to approx $5.40 per gallon. Not that out of line with what we are seeing in the Northeast, but plenty painful nonetheless. The Pedal Commander came in handy as I was able to drive the long stretches of flat, open road in eco mode. I averaged 12.6 mpg for 2900 miles of varied conditions.
Sorry for the long-winded observations, but hopefully there is a nugget or two that helps someone make a decision. I know this site has helped me immensely, and it's appreciated.
Michelin Defender LTX 275/70r18's were as quiet and smooth as stock, but were much more capable and confidence-inspiring in the wet and snow-pack. Ran them at 41psi per @gaijin, and while the ride was firm, it was never jarring (and the potholes in eastern Canada are no joke). The psi barely wavered a pound or two between cold starts (0F) and all day running (40F) temps.
Westcott Designs Pre-Load Collars add 3" in front and 1.25" in rear. While these don't change any of the factory suspension geometry, they most certainly change the ride quality by effectively removing the rake. Cornering, braking and acceleration were all improved, and being able to easily recover after putting a wheel off a soft shoulder was comforting. I did have an alignment before leaving. Also, the collars require 1.25 spacers. I have Bora's and had no tire or wheel issues whatsoever.
Westcott Designs 3/4 Rack w/out basket floor. I mostly like the design of this rack (although for clearing snow, it's brutal). For my purposes (fishing gear and beach toys), it's all I need in terms of weight-bearing. It was quick and easy to install (45 mins), although I did have to trim one of the plastic oem rear leg covers to fit back on. It's very low profile, extremely light and doesn't require removing or installing any bolts. It is finished beautifully in a matte black powder coat, and the heavy duty wind fairing is cut to fit snugly against the roof just rearward of the sunroof. I didn't know it was there tbh. No rattle and when I returned everything was still snuggled up tight.
Gobi Ladder presented no problems. I was a bit concerned because mine is installed without the inside set screw on the bottom. I couldn't quite get it seated without the risk of clipping the pinch plate, so I left it off. The ladder is so light and comes with adhesive pads that keep it in place. As those adhesives pads break down, there may be reason for concern in the future. While I couldn't trace any noise to the Westcott Roof Rack, I could hear the Gobi Ladder at times. It whistled a bit in strong crosswinds, and the top of the ladder is at a 90 to the roof, so it creates a bit of mountain-wave buffering. Minor on both accounts imo, though.
Budbuilt skid plates are obviously super burly and extremely well designed. I thankfully didn't need them on this trip and only have them for occasional logs and flotsam on the beach. I don't have a piece that attaches to the trailing edge of the front bumper fairing, so they do manage to trap a bit of dirt and sand in there. I only discovered it when I raised the truck for a good undercarriage wash and oil change upon returning home. By no means is it a concern, just an observation. They are bomber and make changing the oil a snap.
The 600 lb gorilla of course are the current gas prices. A liter of regular in Eastern Canada was averaging $1.72 cad. Converted to $1.37 per liter usd and 1 liter = .26 gallons, it came to approx $5.40 per gallon. Not that out of line with what we are seeing in the Northeast, but plenty painful nonetheless. The Pedal Commander came in handy as I was able to drive the long stretches of flat, open road in eco mode. I averaged 12.6 mpg for 2900 miles of varied conditions.
Sorry for the long-winded observations, but hopefully there is a nugget or two that helps someone make a decision. I know this site has helped me immensely, and it's appreciated.
