5 things to consider for your Overland Build:

When you're building out your truck for overlanding, one of the big questions that should come to mind is - "Can I drive this overlandy rig everyday, all day???" 

In theory, the answer is yes, yes you can - even if you have the most Mad Maxxy build this world has ever seen. But do you want to?

If you're going to go full bed rack, full side molle panels, full accessory mountage, full send, take a moment to read below 

Can you pull into a garage?

No matter where you live or what your travel plans are, being able to pull into a personal garage, or a public garage (as you're truckin' across the country), is a huge advantage. 

Before you press buy, we always recommend mocking up the total height of the bed rack you're buying + whatever you're planning to mount on top of your bed rack. For anything BillieBars the height called out (example: 5" or 8") refers to the height of the top of the crossbar, from the bed rail. Another way to say it would be, "the top of the 5" BillieBars sit 5" above the bed rail". 

Can I easily remove my bed rack if I need to haul something? 

Generally, if you're going with a full bed rack, which requires fixed positions, you're going to have a hard time removing the bed rack without the help of a hydraulic winch, a forklift, or a handful of your buddies.

This might not matter if you have another truck sitting around that you can use for hauling. But if your daily drive is an overland rig, consider what your options will be if you need full bed access. 

There are systems out there that allow you to have a more modular setup, removing just the crossbars for full bed access (cough BillieBars, cough cough).

Are you OK giving up the opportunity for an automated car wash?

This is an often overlooked thought in the buying process. By and large car washes will not allow you to pass through their automated line, if you're running any sort of bed rack. That's simply because they don't want you ripping down their machines if they get caught on your bed rack. 

You'll always have the option to go to the self service station but if you're the type of person that likes to go through the automated wash, and are set on having a bed rack, you'll want to consider something that can be removed quickly and easily. 

How will my gas mileage be? 

We've touched on this before in some of our other blog posts, so we're not going to beat a dead horse. But in case you missed it, the lower profile bed rack that you chose, the better your gas mileage will be. Who would have thought. 

Where will my weight be? 

If you plan on mounting an RTT (Roof Top Tent) on top of your bed rack, another consideration should be the dynamic load and how that will affect your movements on the trail - especially if you're doing any sort of rock crawling, or just typical hero stuff with your buddies. 

The rule of thumb here is the higher the bed rack, the higher dynamic load you're going to be putting on the bedside. Another way of thinking about this is the lower the bed rack, the lower the center of gravity, potentially making it easier and safer to explore those off the grid trails. 

If you do cab height with your bed rack, and are going to be doing some serious off-roading, you'll want to consider an aftermarket bed stiffener. 

Summary

Buying a new truck and building it out for overlanding is an exciting task - whether you're serious about getting out there every weekend, want to go on a trip once a year, or you just want a truck that looks cool - you'll still want to consider what it's like to drive your truck in that condition, on a daily basis. 

Please give us a shout with any questions you may have at [email protected] or give us a call it 1-800-963-6849