Nelson Off-Road Tours Build Thread

These are the steps we are using. I like them. They say they are rated to 325lbs fully extended so fingers crossed the safety rating will be enough to handle any overloads.



You also can't beat how small they fold up.



One modification I made to the tail gate is to remove the latches and their chain and mount them on the truck instead. For someone who opens and closes the gate as much as I do this lightens it up more than you might think and shortens the task by a bit. I was always fumbling with the chains as they got in the way. Mounted with an S hook to the troop seats/sides latch they do not get in the way anymore. It also doesn't interfere with the functioning of the latch. Was a winning modification for what I am doing.

Very nice!

Who makes the ladder and where can they be found?

They are from a company called Torklift.

http://www.torklift.com/products/glowstep.php#appguide

Prep for winter.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po_HK-Aijuc

A little update as we get on towards winter. Looking forward to seeing how it moves in the deep snow. Plan on taking it out to the farm (where we have equipment big enough to pull it out) and play in the drifts. Any ideas on how much she can push through?


Ken

I had my 925 pushing snow with the front bumper last winter and didn't have any problems. It was a light snow, the kind that blows and drifts but there were places you couldn't see the tops of the fence posts and it didn't have a problem. In fact, when I drove out to the highway, I found the snowplow driver there trying to get through on the road I had just driven. I was wishing later that I had taken some pictures. I haven't found anything it couldn't go through yet - but I'm sure I will.

How about two seats one side, one seat the other. I've been on mini busesses in South America configered this way. The busses had Pop Down jump seats filling the walk way. The foward seat could run take the whole width facing backwards.

or all seats one side walkway on the other. How long is the tour? You can fit more people with a bench seat.

Ken, GREAT video! I really like what you've done with that monster. I think it looks great. When you have time, perhaps you can share with me over this forum (or email or PM) how you plan on monetizing on your business. Do you have any revenue and/or profit goals for 2014? How will you be drumming up business?

Any additional videos of your setup would be just great! Best of luck with everything!

Brent
Colorado Springs, CO

acme66 said:

Managed to work in a lot of progress in the last few days. Finally worked out with the state of MT what my intrastate MDOT designation will be. You are now looking at a 16+ passenger limousine. Yea baby! Why not, they turn anything into a limo these days. It really simplified things and it means I know longer have to argue with them about installing an escape hatch into a canvas roof. Yep a full escape hatch, up to code and everything, in a canvas roof... with open sides. All the seats and belts are in, sides built and top bows bent. As soon as I can get those bolted up we can order a canvass top.

Made great strides on the wiring. I had put relays in a while back but now I have a pair of 24 to12 volt 30amp converters installed along with a full fuse panel and terminal strip to tap off for the various accessories. One of the 30 converters is dedicated just to electric trailer brakes, the other drives the PA system, sound system, dash power ports, CB and GPS speedometer with taps for the twin camera system (back-up and passenger view). I think it is a lot to ask of one Chinese 30amp converter so I have ordered a 3rd to move all the PA and sound systems off to their own dedicated line. So far those huge AC solid state relays haven't given me any trouble on 24V DC but we wired it to make replacing them if they do simple. All the converters and relays are mounted to a massive aluminum heat-sink under the passenger seat.

I relocated the exhaust under the bed exiting to the rear and while I can see where it could be better the system works and I am happy. Didn't quiet down the cab as much as I hoped but in the bed it really did. Did a separate thread on that to make searching for it simpler later.

Parts come in to modify the air cleaner system today so by this weekend I should know if and how much the better airflow effects motor performance. I will put a separate thread on what and how in the 5ton modifications side.

The video is a walk through of the seats, a look at the top bows and a peak at what happens when you violate one of the commandments of big trucks and back up without looking behind first.

-Ken

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVaNrVxAYbY

Click to expand...

We got hammered finding insurance despite assurances of every agent we talked to that it would be easy. Didn't find it until after the season was over so all chance of running in 2013 died. Ready to hit the ground this year however. My odd-jobs summer work usually helped the family out with another $4-5000. We are setting our expectations low but if I could clear after taxes and operational costs in the $6000 range I would be very pleased. Our drought is breaking here (sorry CA) so the chances of them closing the forests early are very low. I guess that technically that wouldn't stop us but if you have ever dealt with an overtaxed rural fire district, they get touchy. I am sure they would like us not to run in the afternoon if fire stage reaches critical and I would like to stay in good with the community. Long story short I see no reason, barring massive mechanical failure, that the modest goal we have set isn't attainable. It will mean clearing about $10,000-$12,000 in 3 months, but I think I can do it ok. The script and info we have written/gathered is fun and interesting. I really feel people will get a kick out of the whole experience but then I am a history/truck nerd.

Right now I am getting the loading zone contracts in writing and then we plan on contacting all the local business to talk about trading promotion on our tour for promotion in their stores. I need to get the website fixed and operational asap. When that is in hand I was going to start handing out tickets to the people in town good for one free ride or 50% off a group up to 20. We might be operating at the start in the red (full truck, no sales) but my hope is that it will get a buzz going and provide some goodwill. We are going to be at odds with at least one very territorial (and very different) operation. He however is a dick (pardon my french). A real Richard Cranium. I think if we come in with a positive, generous, can-do, awe-shucks attitude the rest of the owners will swing to our side very quickly. Beyond that, IDK, start sending flyers to Butte and West Yellowstone. Finding time to get it all going with a full time teaching job and an active 4 year old has been daunting.

...and a Steel Soldiers member discount of course

-Ken

Ken, thanks for the update. I'd be interested in your "per seat" price for the tours.

Also, regarding drumming up business, I like what you've outlined above. I would also have you consider the following "local" advertising techniques. I'm not familiar with your town so some techniques may not be applicable to your location.
1) Groupon.com From speaking with local small business owners, Groupon can be a great option for driving awareness and building a "book of business". I believe Groupon has no up-front cost to use. They do, however, take a significant chunk of the Groupon revenue (>60% or so if I recall). The nice thing about Groupon is that it has no up-front costs and a lot of people use it. So even if they don't purchase your Groupon, they still saw your ad and you've just increased visibility.
2) ValPak (www.valpak.com) is a neighborhood physical coupon service (Business-to-Consumer: B2C). I spoke with the "Grout Medic" when he did some work on our bathtub. He said he used the service and he is book solid. From our conversation, he did mention pricing and I recalled it being surprisingly affordable. This may be another great advertising channel to drive local business.
3) Google+ local business listing: It's free and I really think you should create a Google+ business account. That way, if (when) someone Googles, for example, "Montana off-road tours", your business can showup in the results. People can also provide ratings here. I think ratings are important as MANY consumers now purchase based on ratings. I sure do!
4) Check out Montana-specific travel guides (and tourism guides), especially the ones on-line. They have areas for vendors to post a listing and even advertise. People looking for entertainment on their Montana trip can find you and click the link to your online booking plugin (you can probably get a Wordpress plugin for this).
5) Co-promote with local venues such as a sporting goods store. Perhaps consider giving them coupons for X% off for their customers. I wouldn't waste time on co-promoting with businesses that don't have any alignment to off-roading. For example, I wouldn't recommend that you co-promote with a salon or deck builder.
6) This isn't an advertising method, rather a process workflow: Be sure you really detail out the workflow for how someone becomes a customer. Is the process easy? Could it be even easier? Think start-to-finish. Think "what happens once someone sees an ad for my off-road tours and they want to sign-up? How does that process work"? Can they visit your site, fill out a sign-up form and even pay online? Is there a phone # they call? Do you send them a confirmation email and reminders? Etc.
---> This can get cumbersome if you don't have a plan. Feel free to reach out to me for assistance and a "brain buddy".
7) I almost forgot: You should contact your locals press (news stations and newspapers) and see if they're interested in running a COOL story about a new local business. You have something unique and interesting for them to share with their viewers. And news outlets are ALWAYS looking for news! It's a great way to get in front of your local audience and it costs you NOTHING!

Take care,

Brent

Getting the truck ready for operation and that included putting in a camera system. As it says in the video description, the company I bought from and I still need to work out an issue. If that is resolved satisfactorily I will post where it came from. I know problems of liability are discussed often on here and with the explosion of camera tec this might be one way to limit your exposure. That is why we are doing it. Working with the public I figure it is not if some one sues us because they spilled their drink but when. I am hoping having the camera system on board will help with that. Also the reversing camera does an awesome job filling in a huge blind spot.

*UPDATE* After reviewing my correspondence with the company I feel what we had was an assumption on my part and a communication issue on theirs. The monitor on this unit has a bunch of features such as individual triggers on each of the cameras (like a door opens or a backup light comes on that activates that camera and puts it full screen on the monitor) I assumed that adding the recorder would not effect that functionality but it does. It preempts all of it. Instead we have a system that runs whenever the battery switch is on. I feel this should have been made clear but acknowlage that it was never promised. For less than $400 it is still a good system and does what we need it to do even with out the bells and whistles. I would deal with the company again. They are called "XORIES eBay shop" and you can search for them on eBay. I think that in order to search for a specific store you have to do a special eBay search. Google it. Or you can look for "reversing camera, DVR, 4Ch" and hunt for their listing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSE7XScnFC8


-Ken

I will have to come visit you this summer in my 5 ton. I have a place near Polson and will be moving my truck there sometime this spring/summer (I hope). Plains isn't too far away. I am looking forward to driving my truck off road up there.

Tour update.

We are just starting our third weekend (fri-sun right now)and business is picking up if not booming. Had a few $200 days and a few we get nothing or give away rides. Assuming I work for free we are paying the fuel and maintenance bill with enough left over for some top romin...most days. Weather has been crappy but we are still getting the word out. The truck has been running like a champ except for a few little things. Sometimes getting it back out of low range can be a beast. I once drove it all the way down the mountain in low because I just could not get it out. I had the wife lean on the lever and I gave the rod ever the lightest taps and it came right out. I concluded it was linkage not transfer case bind and oiled it all. Seemed to help but still... The truck has developed a small air leak behind the dash that bleeds the tanks down to about 90psi in 45 min or so. Irritating and I keep promising myself I will track it down but haven't. Had some sudden brutal tire feathering on the drive down so checked the alignment and it was 3/4 toed in. No idea why I didn't do the alignment after I had those king pins apart. I knew better. Now I hope the tire wear will even out.

The transmission oil swap is lovely and it is still shifting great. Pulling that washer off the high/low linkage has proven to be an unexpected treat. Lets me turn around at the top of the mountain with out tearing so much up and I know the ability to unload that front axle a few dozen yards before trying for high range helps tremendously. Still keeping an eye out for newer tires. I think the rubber is old and hard because the crawl up the mountain is chunking these Goodyears really bad. Interesting that it is doing it because other than some downhill rear wheel hop if I forget to re-lock the front axle, the tires never slip a tread. I have my eye on some out of Washington I might bid on but they are the 385s and I was hoping not to have to change sizes from my 14.00s.

I contacted Military Vehicles magazine and offered them a free ride and they seem interested so maybe that will pan out. There is always the Steel Soldiers 50% member discount if you ride with us.

Ken

Like us on facebook (no serious, it helps): Nelson Offroad
Web page (don't use the email listed here, broken) http://www.nelsonoffroad.com/

or call us at :406-546-9787

PS: Here is something you don't see every day a 923 used to teach letters. My son and I try to work through letters or numbers every morning before the first tour. lots of places on a 5 ton make an excellent chalkboard.

I found this summer in all the wet Ms red mud we had that the transfer case shifts in much better at 120 psi air.

Good luck on your business.

Love the chalk board

Full to the bursting point today! She sure rides nice with that many people on it, we should do that more often!

How expensive is that step for the rear of your truck. I looked on the website, but did not find a price list.

If you enter the step name into google it should come up. I don't think the company sells directly to the consumer. Prices ranged from a lot to a whole bunch at the various camper sellers. We don't use ours anymore because it just didn't work for having hundreds of people on and off and it really needed full guardrails not the single partial guardrail I had come up with. We use a much heavier non folding set that has full rails. I have thought about selling ours and if I do will keep you at the top of the list but it would be winter before I do anything with it.

Ken

Look I made a simple and effective nail catcher!


That is number 3 I think. So far (knock on wood) they have all hit the steel belting and deflected along the top going sideways. I spent some time getting up close and personal with the transfer case interlock and we work much better as a team now. For instance I know she doesn't like to be rushed, works best if I give it 4 or 5 seconds to think about letting me shift before I try to shift. Some strategic oiling and I have very few shifting issues now. We made a video because that is what we do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpdGcv7d-N0

Also got my persistent rear end leak to stop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzl4qBNnCgw

It has also started fuel loading on that first massive low-range downgrade where I have it compression braking for about a mile between 1,200 and 2,000 rpms. When I get back on the skinny peddle huge puff of polar bear killing unburned fuel smoke. If it gets worse I might make a tread on it so I can be yelled at about reading the TM. Right now if I give her a bit of injector cleaner with each fill that cuts it back some, otherwise I just try to let it out a little at a time quietly rather than one huge embarrassing puff. Sort of like a fart in church.

Ken

Fixed your link for you. Good luck and continued success.