Returned from our Bama2Baja overland adventure a few days ago. I didn’t have time prior to the trip, so now let me catch you up on “what I did to my LC this week;” more like the past month. Prior to departure, finished up the suspension with Old Man Emu torsion bars, and of course, the stock (new in March) shocks weren’t long enough for the suspension travel. So ordered and installed the OME Nitrocharger Sport Shocks to match the rears. Also installed SPC upper control arms, and an Optima yellow top battery prior to our Mexico trip.
While down in Baja I noticed that the stock battery hold down was “chewing into” and eating up the top of the Optima battery. A certain section of the main “road” south of San Felipe was more like an off-road trail: lots of vibration. I rigged up some isolation using two pieces of firm foam (packing material on my ARB Adventure light), and a split piece of 3/8” hose. Worked perfectly.
Also while in Mexico, around day 3, I finally had the time to wire up the Renogy solar panel kit. I got the one with the thin flexible panel and set that up either outside on the windshield, or inside against the windshield, with the wires leading under the hood. Once I get a rear drawer set up, I’ll wire it in a proper “clean” location with the controller box neatly mounted back there. For now, things are tucked under the hood as neatly as possible with a lot of zip ties.
All the work and money put into the build paid off. 6,800 miles (including some pretty tough “roads” in Baja), and not a single mechanical issue. With a rather full load of equipment, gear, spare parts, tools, recovery gear, MaxTrax, camp kitchen, and ARB Elements fridge, it rode really well with the OME 864 springs. You never really know until you do it, and I’m happy that the choices I made were the correct ones.
Thanks to all my fellow IH8Mudders who provided insight and assistance over the past months to guide my build.
See you on the trail!