In the previous articles we’ve had on overlanding vans, we’ve already established the fact that vans make great overland vehicles once you transform them into rugged and capable 4WDs. They offer ample space for all your camping gear, and they’re not that enormous, making them easy to maneuver off-road, as with trucks and SUVs.
Now, how do you make a van ready for overlanding? The whole process is called “van conversion” if you are on the #vanlife side, but in overlanding we call this “vehicle modification” or simply, “mods.” This article will discuss the necessary vehicle modifications to transform a used van into a 4×4 off-road vehicle ready for any kind of adventure in remote destinations.
How Do You Make a Van Ready for Overlanding?
Since there is no vehicle that is manufactured for the sole purpose of overlanding, the only way to have an overland vehicle is to make use of what you have and make the necessary modifications to have it ready for overlanding.
Here are the top five items you should do to get your van ready for overlanding:
- Convert Your 2wd Van Into a 4wd Vehicle
- Upgrade Your Suspension System
- Upgrade Your Wheels and Tires
- Take Advantage Of Your Huge Cargo Space
- Equip Your Van With Overland Gear and Accessories
But before you build an overland rig out of a used van, consider your budget, your needs, your van’s capacity, which can tell you how far you can upgrade, and your van’s model to know if there are available parts you can source in the aftermarket. Keep your upgrades simple and appropriate. Let’s take a closer look at the conversion items.
1. Convert Your 2WD Van Into A 4WD Vehicle
In order for a van to be able to overland anywhere in the North, Central, or South America, where rough terrain is unavoidable, it has to be a four-wheel drive. Yes, AWD and 2WD vans can go off-road, but maneuvering will be difficult.
When overlanding, where you travel to remote places, expect the unexpected. Not all the trails you’ll encounter are flat and smooth. The least you can expect is rocks, which can cause a bumpy ride and flat tires, or the unescapable sand on the beach.
If you get yourself lucky, your adventures can be found at river crossings, boulders, and steep cliffs.
To prepare your van for overlanding, invest in making your 2WD van into a 4WD. The process is not simple and requires the help of a mechanic, but if you plan on being a full-time overlander, it will be a worthwhile investment.
A four-wheel-drive system, when engaged manually or automatically, will give power to all four wheels so that your tires rotate at the same speed, resulting in improved traction. This increase in power will keep you going and moving forward despite the rough terrain. If your overlanding routes include rough terrain, a 4WD is a must.
2. Upgrade Your Suspension System
A necessary part of a vehicle modification in overlanding is upgrading the suspension system. Most of your overland journey will be off-road and because remote places are home to uneven road surfaces, you need to capacitate your van with a rugged suspension system.
An off-road suspension system can give you a comfortable ride, keep your tires on the ground, and enable your vehicle to carry heavy loads.
Equip your van with a suspension system for overlanding like this one from Bilstein. It will meet your van’s requirements and your needs. Shock absorbers are an important component of your suspension system because they are the ones controlling the impact and rebound movement of your vehicle’s springs and suspension. Choose one that you think is enough to make your van capable off-road.
3. Upgrade Your Wheels and Tires
You’re probably wondering why you need to change your original tires when you think they’re enough for off-road driving. The main reason is to increase your van’s ground clearance.
Ford Transit, which is the most popular van in the vanlife movement, has a ground clearance of 5 inches. This is not enough for overlanding. You need at least 8 inches of ground clearance to be able to overland on trails with deep mud and deep ruts.
Upgrading to bigger tires can also improve your traction off-road when you air down. In overlanding, you need as much traction as you can get.
Of course, you have to take into consideration the recommended wheel sizes and tire options of your van’s manufacturer when choosing wheels and tires for your van. A 15″ wheel is an ideal wheel size for overlanding. Remember that a small-in-diameter wheel can make you fit a larger tire with a bigger sidewall.
This kind of tire can give you more contact patch or footprint when you air down off-road. When it comes to tires for overlanding, you can never go wrong with 33s. You can choose between an all-terrain tire and a mud-terrain tire.
The only difference between the two is that mud-terrain tires are mainly for off-roading. Remember that there are tires specifically designed for vans. They can carry much heavier loads and withstand rougher road surfaces.
4. Take Advantage of Your Huge Cargo Space
You’ve probably noticed that overland vehicle modifications are centered around making the vehicle rugged for off-road driving. This is because any vehicle will do for camping, but not all perform well off-road. In overlanding, you need to prioritize off-road capabilities first, and the three things mentioned above are key to this.
We’ll now go with the camping aspect of overlanding and how you can make a van that not only performs well off-road but also provides the best camping experience in remote places.
Vans offer a huge cargo space inside. Take the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van, for example. This van offers a cargo area that is 133 inches long, 70 inches wide, and 67 inches tall. Unless you need a rooftop tent, a roof rack will not be necessary for you can fit all your camping gear and accessories inside your van.
You don’t need to worry about storage solutions because the space can accommodate all that you want to bring on your overland trip. Carefully design your layout and make the most of your available space. Add a kitchen, shower area, bedroom, and living area if you deem it necessary. You can also install solar panel kits on your van’s roof for a free and clean source of energy.
Just don’t forget that all you bring are additional weight your tires and suspension have to carry, and it can negatively affect your fuel economy. You can use camper van conversion kits like this one from Adventurewagon.com for a simple van interior design.
5. Equip Your Van With Overland Gear and Accessories
Overlanding is self-reliant travel, which means that you have to equip your van with the necessary gear and accessories for a safe and comfortable overlanding experience.
The two most important accessories for overlanding are recovery gear and an air compressor. Let’s start with the recovery gear. Getting stuck in deep mud or soft sand is inevitable when you seek adventures in jungles or coastlines.
Recovery gears include items that can help you get out of this deep mud or sand. Invest in a recovery kit like this one from All Top, traction boards by X-Bull, and a Smittybilt shovel.
When you drive off-road, you need to air down for more traction. Airing down means reducing air pressure inside your tires up to the recommended tire pressure for each off-road condition.
For easy airing down, you can get a tire deflator from ARB for your van, which comes with a gauge to easily control your tires’ PSI. For the air compressor, you can choose between a portable air compressor by EP Auto for your overland van or an onboard air compressor. You also need a Hi-Lift Jack so you can easily lift the chassis up and replace flat tires all by yourself.
What Van Brand is a Good To Convert Into An Overlanding Van?
There are three popular van brands when it comes to camping, traveling, and off-roading: Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vans, and Volkswagon. Ford Transit is undeniably a good van brand to convert to an overlanding van.
Most camper vans use the body or chassis of Ford Transit because these vans also make a good platform for a Class B motorhome. Ford Transit is mass-produced, which means it would be easy for you to find a used one or source parts for your 4WD van conversion.
Ford Transit offers three size configurations and several engine options. Affordable maintenance and repair costs are also a good aspect of Ford Transit. These vans are rear-wheel drives and AWDs, but you can easily have them converted to a 4×4 with the help of a van conversion company in the US. Lastly, Ford Transit has a good fuel economy which is 16 miles per gallon.
What Is The Least Expensive Van to Convert?
Building an overland rig from a used van can cost from $10,000 to $20,000. The price will vary according to the model of your van because parts are difficult to find for a vehicle that has shortages in aftermarket support.
If you’re looking for a van brand that is the least expensive to convert to an overland rig, you can go for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vans. Although there are factory 4×4 options for this van brand, they cost a lot and are difficult to find. Finding a used 2WD Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van is easy, and converting it to a 4WD overland rig is relatively cheaper.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van, like the vans from Ford Transit, are also popular, which means that it would be easy for you to find accessories and parts needed to convert it to a 4WD van.
The chassis of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vans are also used to build a Class B motorhome. This popularity will cause no shortages in aftermarket support, which further means that you can find affordable parts and accessories for your van conversion.
Sprinter-specific conversion starter kits are also available. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van conversion can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000, depending on how much you want to upgrade the van.
Wrap Up
Vans not only make great camper vans for the #vanlife movement, but they also make great overland vehicles. In order to make a van ready for overlanding, focus your vehicle modification on improving its off-road capabilities.
The main issues with using a van for overlanding are its height and weight. However, with proper upgrades to the suspension system, tires, wheels, and drivetrain, you can transform your van into a rugged and capable overland rig.
Overland vehicle modifications for vans are similar to those for trucks and SUVs. However, your van model can make it difficult for you to find accessories in the aftermarket.
For easy van conversions, you can go for Ford Transit vans or Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans.
