FULLSIZE INVANSION, MOAB

THE BIGGEST TRUCK ON THE ROCK

As a barrage of Jeeps pull into Moab, Utah, for the annual Easter Jeep Safari event, a small group of rogue full-size trucks and SUVs also descend on the red rocks to enjoy what has become a world-renowned week of four-wheel-drive action. During its 51 years, the Easter Jeep Safari has become a main event and trade show for a lot of the off-road and truck community, bringing in all types of radical vehicles and enthusiasts from all over the world. But a decade ago when the Jeep JK Wrangler came onto the scene in such an attractive daily driver/grocery getter/weekend wheeler/family hauler package, droves of enthusiasts sold off their old 4×4 to grab a JK. Moab became flooded with new Wranglers and the wide variety of vehicles diminished. Seeing what was happening, a couple old magazine editors, John Cappa and Jerrod Jones, decided to put the call out for full-size trucks to come join them in Moab. Thus, the Fullsize Invasion was born.

There were a total of four trail days run this year—Moab Rim Trail, Hell’s Revenge, Gold Bar Rim, and Behind the Rocks. Originally it was just one day the group would get together during the Easter Jeep Safari, but after having so many vehicles show up the Fullsize Invasion expanded to have multiple (and permitted) runs.

Did you know that fullsize Jeep trucks and Cherokee were offered with a diesel engine for a few years? This J10 belonging to Samuel McIntyre doesn’t have an oilburner under the hood, but it sure is cool!

The first trail day the Fullsize Invasion group hit is known as the Moab Rim Trail—an amazing cliffhanging trail that overlooks the town of Moab once at the top. Shane Dunne’s common-rail Ram 2500 had no issues with the Rim on his 37-inch Toyos. This was Dunne’s first time joining the group in Moab this year, and he said he’ll be back for sure next year, too.

Dave Hellman and Xtreme Tours have become essential to making the Fullsize Invasion runs happen and organized the permits for the group this year. Hellman brought out this absolutely pristine OBS 7.3L Power Stroke F-350. On 35-inch X3 tires, the truck went everywhere it needed to, but there was more frame flex than suspension flex going on!

This clean squarebody Suburban has taken Matt Johnson and Patricia Sorrentino on multiple adventures across the country. They are regulars to the Fullsize Invasion runs, and always manage to maneuver that big ‘Burban rear end through all the trails with zero body damage.

Bullet Proof Diesel’s Excursion came out to run the Hell’s Revenge trail on 35- inch Toyos and a mild lift. The trail can be extremely intimidating your first time out, but this big 6.0L SUV made it through with no problems at all.

Offroad Design’s Stephen Watson is the longtime trail leader of these fullsize trips. Watson was bringing groups of fullsizes to Moab before the Fullsize Invasion was even thought of, and he has been with the group since its inception. While he cannot lead all trail days, he always leads at least one or two runs for the group. His clean solid-axle swapped Chevy 2500 shows off the parts he makes.

How many people would bring out a brand spanking new F-250 Power Stroke truck to wheel in the rocks? The BDS guys did. And they got it a little light in the rear on this one obstacle.

John Mears seems to forget that his Super Duty is not a Jeep sometimes.

In a seemingly repeat performance on the same obstacle, John Mears of Lost River Off Road gets his Super Duty on three wheels in the same spot that the BDS Super Duty did.

Our very own Editor in Chief, Adam Blattenberg, shooting on the trail.

What was a small, unoffi cial protest to the lack of vehicular diversity, the Fullsize Invasion quickly became a hit. It turns out that there are a lot of full-size enthusiasts out there that want to experience the splendors of Moab for the first time. Some have decided to make it an annual trip, rejoining friends every year in an off-road paradise. The Fullsize Invasion group loosely organizes trail runs throughout the week, setting up meeting times, assigning trail leaders, and getting permits for coordinated runs that stay out of the way of the Easter Jeep Safari groups. The difference between this full-size group and the rest of the trail club runs that go on during EJS: Everyone is welcome, and no one has to pay. This wouldn’t be possible without a few supportive companies that pitched in to pay for permits, so we need to thank BDS Suspension, Bulletproof Diesel, Daystar Products, and Lost River Off Road for supporting this event.

Subscribe Our Weekly Newsletter

Jim Lake’s second-gen 5.9l Dodge is a super clean sleeper. Under its low-profile looks is a fully custom suspension with reservoir shocks and hydraulic bumpstops.

odd Farrand finished this Excursion just in time to make it out to the Fullsize Invasion. The 40-inch Toyos on Trailready beadlocks fit with generous fender cutting and some Mercenary Offroad bumpers.

The Howitzer is almost impossible to miss on its giant Trepador tires. Diesel Power Products took this cool single cab, shortened the frame and replaced the long bed with a short bed while retaining all the emissions equipment.

This classic Grand Wagoneer is stuffed with a 24-valve Cummins diesel engine and chugs right along wherever Toby Boyer points it.

It wasn’t full size, but everyone is always welcomed on the Fullsize Invasion runs. But look closely at the hood! There’s an inline 6-cylinder Cummins diesel humming away under that hood.

K and K Custom Fab brought out the absolutely longest truck, running a crew cab long bed OBS truck through all the trails on some old BFG Baja T/A tires. They whomped on this truck all week and it’s still going!

Benjamin Russell came out all the way from Rhode Island to run with the Fullsize Invasion crew…and broke not one, but two driveshafts over the course of the week! It was a bummer to lose him on two different trail runs, and we hope he comes back to Moab next year!

If your truck is set up for some off-road action and you want to experience Moab next year, we’ll be rejoining the Fullsize Invasion out in Moab next year, too. Come on out and let’s make this Diesel Invasion!! You can find their trail day information on there as well as our social media pages, or you can just show up in Moab next year and try to find them during the Easter Jeep Safari. They’ll be the line of forty-something trucks rumbling through town on the way to the trail, and they’ll welcome you, no matter what you drive.DW

Up next

Diesel News 12.10.18

Author

Adam Blattenberg

Tags

Share article