My name is Scott and my wife and I live in Kingman, Arizona. I plan to semi retire in Feb. of 2019. I had kicked around purchasing a travel trailer to pull behind our 05 F-250, but came to realization that the type of camping I like to do is back country, and knew I couldn't afford the high dollar trailers to get me back there. My wife suggested getting rid of the F-250 and buying a Jeep to set up as an overland/expedition vehicle.

Then I thought I have a perfectly good 2001 Mazda B4000 x cab 4x4 with a 4.0 and 5 speed trans, that is paid for sitting in the drive way. Why not change fluids, complete tune up, hoses belt, etc. and set it up? This where I need help from you all. My thoughts are to raise the torsion keys 3 turns, and 2" shackles at the rear springs and go to the middle setting. Then have an alignment done. I have 16" aluminum wheels with Cooper Discoverer AT's (LT 245 75 R's), and am considering going to 15" steel wheels with 31x 10.50 75R's. I forgot to mention I have pro comp shocks on it also. I want to purchase a Wilco high lift solo swing out spare tire rack and add the high lift jack and 3 gallon roto pax.

A buddy of mine gave me a Leer camper shell, and I'm going to build a rack to install on the top of it. Add license plate light bar and a 20" LED light off of Amazon and call it good! Load it with camping gear and go explore NW Arizona to start with.

Please let me know if any of you have made any of these mods and whether or not they were successful, complete disasters or what. I have to do all of this plus update some camping equipment on a 5K budget. The truck is in very good shape and only has 82,000 original miles on it. I'm not going to take on the Rubicon in this but will go on my some rocky trails and don't plan to just beat the crap out of it. Your suggestions and knowledge will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

01 Mazda