Gremlin4x
Member
Bought a brand new 2018 Power Wagon back in October.
View media item 27210Before I talk about my Wagon I must explain the name "Gremlin." For the last 4.5 years the wife and I have been exploring and rock crawling in a slightly modified 2012 FJ Cruiser. A long the way we've encountered a few mechanical set backs, some self inflicted do to skill level and some self inflicted do to lifestyle choices. Over time we learned to embrace all the little gremlins we've experienced as learning opportunities and great fodder for all the stories we'd later tell.
View media item 27214As our family grew we decided it was time to step up to something bigger, so logically the Power Wagon was our first choice (sorry Raptor guys). First impression? Well, this thing is huge! Its like trying to rock crawl an Aircraft Carrier.
View media item 27212View media item 27213Not willing to leave well enough alone the mods have begun. I have big plans for this rig but with a move to Alaska looming it was time to upgrade some lights. I began with installing a sPod mated to an AEV switch bezel above the radio.
View media item 27216View media item 27217Next came the lighting
View media item 27218The idea for the lighting set up was stollen from a build over on expedition portal
https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/surus-2017-power-wagon-build.184709/page-17
In the fog light pockets are Baja Designs amber Squadron Sports and clear Squadron Pros. A pillar mounts are from SDHQ with Baja Designs Squadron Racers. My littlest kid had a great time helping me install them.
View media item 27219View media item 27221View media item 27220All in all I'm pretty satisfied with the set up. The Amber lights are wired to the factory fog light light switch while the Pro's and Racer's are on separate circuits.
Before leaving Arizona we took the family out for one more day in the desert. My oldest is really starting to get into the offloading and wanted to show off his rig next to the Wagon.
View media item 27222View media item 27224Mid February it was time to start north to Alaska. People raised their eyebrows at the thought of driving the Alaska Highway in the winter but I had no issues and the scenery was breath taking. For full disclosure, we've lived here before and the roads came at no surprise to us.
View media item 27225The lighting worked out great and was super helpful for avoiding any wild life up in the north country.
View media item 27226A note on the stock DuraTracs. I've read a lot of threads of folks complaining about the DuraTracs. I've only got about 10,000 miles on them but they've seem to do really well on the snow and ice through Canada and up here in Alaska. As for there durability, I guess time will tell.
View media item 27227We hope to add to this truck and this forum in the future, but now that we've made it up here its time for our pocket books to recover slightly before I begin the next mod. I think I see 37s in my future!
View media item 27210Before I talk about my Wagon I must explain the name "Gremlin." For the last 4.5 years the wife and I have been exploring and rock crawling in a slightly modified 2012 FJ Cruiser. A long the way we've encountered a few mechanical set backs, some self inflicted do to skill level and some self inflicted do to lifestyle choices. Over time we learned to embrace all the little gremlins we've experienced as learning opportunities and great fodder for all the stories we'd later tell.
View media item 27214As our family grew we decided it was time to step up to something bigger, so logically the Power Wagon was our first choice (sorry Raptor guys). First impression? Well, this thing is huge! Its like trying to rock crawl an Aircraft Carrier.
View media item 27212View media item 27213Not willing to leave well enough alone the mods have begun. I have big plans for this rig but with a move to Alaska looming it was time to upgrade some lights. I began with installing a sPod mated to an AEV switch bezel above the radio.
View media item 27216View media item 27217Next came the lighting
View media item 27218The idea for the lighting set up was stollen from a build over on expedition portal
https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/surus-2017-power-wagon-build.184709/page-17
In the fog light pockets are Baja Designs amber Squadron Sports and clear Squadron Pros. A pillar mounts are from SDHQ with Baja Designs Squadron Racers. My littlest kid had a great time helping me install them.
View media item 27219View media item 27221View media item 27220All in all I'm pretty satisfied with the set up. The Amber lights are wired to the factory fog light light switch while the Pro's and Racer's are on separate circuits.
Before leaving Arizona we took the family out for one more day in the desert. My oldest is really starting to get into the offloading and wanted to show off his rig next to the Wagon.
View media item 27222View media item 27224Mid February it was time to start north to Alaska. People raised their eyebrows at the thought of driving the Alaska Highway in the winter but I had no issues and the scenery was breath taking. For full disclosure, we've lived here before and the roads came at no surprise to us.
View media item 27225The lighting worked out great and was super helpful for avoiding any wild life up in the north country.
View media item 27226A note on the stock DuraTracs. I've read a lot of threads of folks complaining about the DuraTracs. I've only got about 10,000 miles on them but they've seem to do really well on the snow and ice through Canada and up here in Alaska. As for there durability, I guess time will tell.
View media item 27227We hope to add to this truck and this forum in the future, but now that we've made it up here its time for our pocket books to recover slightly before I begin the next mod. I think I see 37s in my future!
