Suspension is one of the most important components of any overland vehicle build. The time, effort, and dollars spent on shocks and springs are realized each and every time you drive. You’ll be reminded of your good (or bad) suspension design on every corner, pothole, washboard road, or Mexican tope.

Indoor living space is coveted amongst the travellers we met on the road. Regardless of how well you plan a trip there are times when the weather (or season) forces you inside. We lived out of our old roof top tent for almost two years and longed for a little indoor space to sit where we’d be protected from the rain and wind.

The final thing we wanted to do to Red before we drop in a new 22RE was to install a Long Range America 125L fuel tank. We really want to avoid carrying jerry cans on the roof, and I (Richard) hate the weight/complexity/cost of rear bumper swing outs, so we decided to carry our extra fuel under the truck.

Our little 1990 Toyota pickup travelled effortlessly from Canada to Argentina and back with factory front and rear open differentials. Yes, we went overlanding without lockers! Could we have gone farther off the beaten track with some sort of traction-aiding differential? Most definitely. Were we willing to spend the money on a locker or two instead of spending those hard-earned dollars travelling? Absolutely not. Do you know how many tacos you could buy with the savings?

You might be surprised at what one of our first important vehicle upgrades was after completing a 65,000-kilometer overland journey. Replacing the suspension? Swapping the motor? Incorrect. On the top of the list for our 1990 Toyota pickup before undertaking another long trip were the seats. They looked fantastic, especially considering how much dirt and coffee had soaked into the upholstery.

The basic PU-5 controller requires a mere click of the on/off button and a turn of the heater control knob to set the heat output temperature. But how well does this 2-kilowatt diesel air heater work in 150 cubic feet of uninsulated camper? Keep in mind that the sides of the camper are aluminum and fabric, whereas the sides of the truck box are thin 1990’s Japanese steel. There is very little keeping the heat from escaping this living space.