Preparation for Desert Trip VI

[DirtyLarry]

It is that time of year again where the K10 gets a major look over and lots of maintenance performed in preparation for our annual 7-10 day off-road adventure trip to the Southwestern Desert someplace. This year the trip will happen a few months earlier (Leaving in late March) instead of the usual July (we have a baby girl on the way that is due in July ) and we are going a bit further on this trip than the usual Utah and Arizona trips we’ve done over the past few years. This year we are going to check out the Mojave Rd that run from just South of Laughlin, NV to Zzyzx, CA (pronounced "Zye - Zex"). The Mojave Rd is an old Indian trading route of about 130 miles of nothing but wide open desert and beautiful scenery with lot of old rustic ruins to check out. Really neat place rich in Southwestern history. Check it out! After that we are headed up to Death Valley for another 3 or 4 days of trail riding, camping, photography and what not. The entire trip should come in somewhere around 2,500 to 3,000 miles depending what all side trips we follow along the way.

As you can imagine this truck goes through tires about every 2 years and this time around I wanted a bit heavier load range of tire but there isn’t much on the market in the way of 315/75R16’s Load Range E’s so I settled upon a set of Fierce Attitudes Load Range E by Dunlop mounted on Desert Rat Rattler Moab STR aluminum wheels. The bad news is the new tires and wheels are a bit wide and badly interfere with the front fender flares under moderate articulation so that is something I need to work out yet. Might even order a set of Xenon flares and move these WARN’s to the Suburban. These WARN flares hang down pretty low and have often gotten in the way of the tires anyway. Also had to go through the NP205 transfercase last weekend to address some old noise issues I’ve been dealing with for the last few years. I wouldn’t mind upgrading the alternator to around a 150 to 200 AMP unit before we leave as well.

Last year’s trip was only 1,555 miles where the big beast delivered 11.72 MPH for the entire trip. Not too bad for a big block powered, 8,000 lb. rig with the aerodynamics of a drive in movie theater screen.

Because I am a picture wh0re, here are a few shots of the winter tires, old desert trip tires and the new Fierce Attitudes. I love the new tires and wheels!

Old All-Terrain tires on cheap black steel wheels used for long distance desert adventures. These now live on the Suburban


Winter tires used for CO mountain trips. Still have these for local trips.


New Fierce Attitude tires on Rattler Moab STR wheels. You can see Pikes Peak right under the transfercase. These pictures were taken in the open space next to my house this afternoon.




Another with Pikes Peak under the truck




You can rest assure I will have plenty of Mojave Rd and Death Valley trips when we get back in April!

[68Timber]

Love your truck. I'll be living this trip vicariously, glad you're a pic whore.

[Greenlee]

I have enjoyed your pics from prior trips. I would love to go on a trip like this!
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[LEEVON]

I'm jelly. Can't wait for the pics!

[Duster]

I have followed your truck for a while now. Very impressive truck. My favorite part is the NV4500 swap. New wheels look good.

[Your41Plague12]

Love the truck. I also really like the new wheels! What are you using in the way of lug nuts? I have some cheap aftermarket ones on my truck, and I'm sick of them rusting out. Looking for something stainless.

[AntiGov]

great pics and looking forward to more....

[Hulk Will Smash]

Don't know how I missed this truck before but it's awesome!! Very nice job on the truck and thanks for the great photos.
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[DirtyLarry]

Thanks all!

Originally Posted by Your41Plague12

What are you using in the way of lug nuts?

They are just regular ole aftermarket deep 9/16 conical seat chrome lug nuts that I’ve had in it for the past 17 years. Actually, I use the same lug nuts on all of the different wheels it wears. These would probably rust too but we don’t use raw roadsalt here. The DOT only uses 6% salt in the sand mixture. Not really enough salt concentration to cause a rust issue.

[JCampbell]

The Mojave Road is right in my backyard. You'll love it.

[fun in dirt]

Originally Posted by BRUISER

Love your truck. I'll be living this trip vicariously, glad you're a pic whore.

x2

[Zoomad75]

Love the new shoes! Good choice on the wheel/tire combo. I got to stop by and check it out in person.

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by Zoomad75

Love the new shoes! Good choice on the wheel/tire combo. I got to stop by and check it out in person.

Yeah, come by dude. You know I am always in the shop all weekend.

Closer look at those Fierce Attitudes... They are like a mix between a mild mud tire or aggressive all-terrain

[Zane M]

Love the tires.
Can't wait to see some pics from your trip.

[bojak]

Cool tires and wheels. Love your truck. Can you tell me about your rig? Especially interested in that camper. Not familier with ever seeing one like that. Again, love your rig.

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by bojak

Cool tires and wheels. Love your truck. Can you tell me about your rig? Especially interested in that camper. Not familier with ever seeing one like that. Again, love your rig.

Thanks! The camper is a 2011 Phoenix Pulse built in Denver. I am going into my 3rd season with it. All Phoenix Campers are custom built to order so no two are exactly alike. If you notice I had mine built to fit inside the bed so the tailgate would shut and the camper is narrow where camper mirrors are not needed. It is built of aluminum frame work with composite siding. The father of the owners of Phoenix campers is actually the founder of the more well-known Four Wheel Camper. It is a great camper with a robust build. It has been shaken, bounced, twisted and baked in the desert sun with no issues although they are not cheap. A camper like this costs more than twice as the truck cost new in 1978.

The refrigerator is not the typical 3-way RV fridge. It is a full 12 volt South African refrigerator manufactured by National Luna used in world traveling Overlanding rigs and marine applications. The amp draw is so low it can run for days without even charging the battery. The fridge is flat out awesome. Nothing like drinking an ice cold beer or eating ice cream in 115 degree day in the desert.


The top bunk can be slid back to create a queen size bed. Here it is in single mode.

[beamn7]

Looks good dude!

[dieseldawg142]

wow! that is a top line price for a pop-up.what do those weigh approx.?

[84chevyguyid]

Those look awesome! How much lift do you have on the truck to make them fit?

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by dieseldawg142

wow! that is a top line price for a pop-up.what do those weigh approx.?

Yep, a lesser camper like a Palamino Bronco can be had brand new for half the price but the wood frame construction and aluminum siding make them extremely heavy and fragile. A few seasons running a Palamino off-road would turn into pile of match sticks.

This particular Phoenix weighted 820 lbs dry when I took delivery. It is all the crap I put in it that makes it so dern heavy. Both of the fender wells between the camper and bed sides are stuff full of recovery gear, tools and spare parts. All that stuff gets heavy fast even before loading the fridge, clothes, beer, beer and more beer. Sometimes whiskey too.

[dieseldawg142]

they sure do! plate on my camper lists weight at 1600lbs, by the time we're done it's around 2500

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by 84chevyguyid

Those look awesome! How much lift do you have on the truck to make them fit?

The truck has somewhere around a 6” to 7” lift. Kinda lost track of the lift gains with all the different stuff that has been bolted under it over past 17 years.

[bigblock73]

Probably my favorite truck on the board! Enjoy the trip, looking forward to the pictures.

Congrats on the upcoming new addition too!

[Bowed]

Larry , everytime I see your truck , I get new inspiration to get back working on my 77 shortbed .. lol .. it's only been 5 years .

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by bigblock73

Probably my favorite truck on the board! Enjoy the trip, looking forward to the pictures.

Congrats on the upcoming new addition too!

Thanks Jeff! We're really looking forward to the baby. Nothing like waiting until the last minute to start a family, I am 41 and the wife is 39 and we have been together for 20 years. This will be our first baby

Originally Posted by Bowed

Larry , everytime I see your truck , I get new inspiration to get back working on my 77 shortbed .. lol .. it's only been 5 years .

Thanks! Better get on it, we're not getting any younger