Build for Off-Road

The legendary FJ45 is back in the shop, and Ian is ready to take it to the next level! He gets the aluminum bed coated for a rugged, showstopping finish, dials in the steering, and hand-builds a bulletproof transfer case to bolt right up to the beast.

How do you prep your offroad vehicles for their next trip? That's what Ian is going to show you today. He's getting his LJ buggy, which has been on the trails for almost seven years, ready for an end-of-your-off-road adventure.

Ian takes a bare Jeep Gladiator bed and turns it into the ultimate overlanding trailer! Starting with a rugged kit tube frame, Ian welds in an arsenal of custom accessories built for adventure, then lays down a killer paint job to match his custom Jeep.

A sunbaked Jeep JK tub is reborn as a no-holds-barred, Southern-style throwdown buggy. Ian begins with a custom chassis to cradle massive axles, long-tube suspension, and towering 40-inch tires -- all backed by big horsepower and an even bigger attitude.

For part 2 of Ian's southern-style JK buggy build, he builds out monster axles to handle the kind of abuse only 40-inch tires can dish out. Sparks fly as he cuts and clears the inner fender wells, making room for all that rubber and travel.

Ian transforms a Factory Five Racing XTF test mule into a hardcore support rig for the Build for Off Road Adventure Ride. He starts by breathing life into the engine, and then it's all about strength and control.

Ian wraps up the JK Buggy with powerful off-road lighting, durable protective flooring, a custom infotainment system, and one-of-a-kind exhaust. With the build complete, there's only one thing left to do -- get this rig in the dirt and put it to the test.

Ian dives into one of his favorite body styles, a low-center-of-gravity crawler. This TJ build keeps lift to a minimum while running massive 40-inch tires on JT axles. Making it all work takes plenty of welding, clever fabrication, and ingenuity.

Ian already transformed a vintage C10 into the ultimate prerunner-style shop truck. Now he tackles the final wiring and preps for a dyno run. He upgrades the transmission, radiator, and more so it can handle the boost and put the power to the ground.

Ian teams up with friends and industry partners for the 2025 Adventure Ride. Rugged Jeeps and capable chase trucks tackle some of the toughest trails in the western US, starting in Big Bear, California, then descending into the legendary Johnson Valley.

The Build for Off Road Adventure Ride continues as Ian and the crew head into the legendary Johnson Valley, home of the world-famous King of the Hammers. The team takes on the brutal Sledgehammer Trail, then faces the infamous Backdoor Trail.

Ian and the crew shift gears and head toward Kingman, Arizona, for fresh landscapes, breathtaking views, and a new kind of off-road experience steeped in American history. After a few stops, they finish the adventure at the 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.