Jerry Zaiden's Overland Raptor Build

We’re not your typical trail riders or campers, we like to go to remote off-road locations FAST! When Jerry Zaiden one of the owners of Camburg wanted to build up his Ford Raptor, he did so with strength, organization and comfort in mind. He wanted something he could drive during the week to work, to run errands, to take the family to dinner and head down to the beach to surf. On the weekends and for road trips he wanted something that he could run hard down in Baja to chase the races with but also hit the forest & desert trails and crawl if need be to an isolated camping spot all while being self-sufficient.

For the suspension we outfitted his truck with our Camburg Elite Performance System. It’s made up of FOX 3.0 front & rear shocks, our Camburg KINETIK series upper control arms and our rear bump stop system with Deaver leaf springs. This combination of parts works awesome for the wide range of uses Jerry operates his truck in. He’s able to adjust and dial in the FOX front DSC coilovers and rear bypass shocks for how he wants it to ride. When it’s time to hit the trails, he can stiffen it up for more bottoming control all while still having a soft plush ride. The KINETIK billet upper arms use larger FK uniballs and heims joints for maximum strength and to correct the geometry to improve the handling both on and off-road. This allows for maximum wheel travel and zero deflection or binding under hard braking and off-road use. Our Camburg rear bump stop kit not only strengthens the frame but adds a ton of bottoming control when you need it most from the FOX 2.5 bump stops. With the added weight and higher COG, we used Deaver’s heavy duty leaf pack to not only add load capacity but also lift it a little for more up travel and eliminate the factory block to reduce axle wrap. It’s also a more progressive spring pack which helps with bottoming and allows the shocks to run cooler.

Front Suspension

Rear Suspension

For added ground clearance, strength and a better performing tire, we went with General 37” tires on Method race wheels. Even with an aggressive tread, the General Grabber X3’s wear great on the road and work awesome in the dirt, snow & mud. The Method wheels are the correct offset for our suspension and geometry, are lightweight and super strong for hard off-road use. We powder coated them our custom race team colors, but they are available in a wide selection of colors and styles. We use General tires and Method wheels on all our race trucks, chase trucks and project vehicles.

With the larger tires and added weight, we wanted to gain some performance and went with a K&N filter and Magnaflow exhaust system. Not only does the turbo charged engine sound and breath better with them, but they are much higher quality parts than stock. We also use the complete line of Amsoil oils & fluids for the hard use and extreme temps the truck see’s off-road.

To go camping for days on end, you need a place to sleep and tons of storage for food, supplies and tools; “just in case”. Those aspects are what usually regulate how fast and hard you can drive and makes the trip from point A to B, much slower. With the GFC Camper and Goose Gear storage system, everything is organized, secure and able to thrash down the trails without making the bed of your truck look like a bomb went off. You’re able to pull into camp and in less than 5 minutes pop up the GFC tent and Tepui awning and enjoy your stay.

Once you’ve parked, you can swing open the RIGd tire carrier, pop down the tailgate, open the hardwired Dometic fridge, crack open a cold beer and take the Igloo cooler over to the campfire area. The RIGd tire carrier holds the 37” tire no problem but also swings out of the way to access the Front Runner table to cut those limes for group tequila shots and to prepare your dinner steaks. It’s also able to mount a Rotopax gas can for those “I hope I don’t run out” situations.

After sunset you can open up the sides of the GFC camper and use the Switch-Pros keypad to control the Rigid led work lights. You’ll have no problem finding things in the middle of the night like the Power Tank CO2 tank or the Scosche boom bottles for some classic rock around camp. Making sure your truck starts the next morning is a Full Throttle AGM battery and Scosche jump starter if you accidently leave the lights and accessories on all night.

When you’re off the highway especially at night, there are two things that make navigation a whole lot less stressful. One, knowing where you’re going and two, being able to see where you’re going. Using OnX Offroad’s GPS navigation app on an Ipad located on the dash with a Scosche mount is almost cheating. It shows all the local roads and trails along with property boundary lines and a ton of detailed information. You’re able to record your trail live and set waypoints as you go or just follow along with what’s already loaded. This is the next level of off-road GPS navigation for all types of uses and vehicles. We also use this in our Can-Am X3 UTV with an Iphone and Scosche magic mount. With Rigid’s fog lights and LED light bars on the front bumper and above the cab on the GFC camper, you will never not see ahead of you. These lights are low profile, energy efficient and put out a ton of light exactly where you need it. Way down the trail, right in front of you and off to the sides for taking those tight corners on an off-camber mountain side trail.

Most times you’re not alone, so being able to communicate with your friends or worst case calling for help is a priority. We outfitted Jerry’s Raptor with Rugged Radios 60-watt VHF radio kit. It’s compact and easy to mount out of the way. If you’re leading the pack you can let everyone know of an upcoming washout or rut. If you’re trailing behind you can let your buddies know you’re just cruising, listening to some yacht rock and taking in the scenery. Either way you’re in contact at all times miles away from one another.

Rugged Radios RM-60 Race Radio Kit

Rounding out the build we use an assortment of Scosche mounts and accessories throughout the truck for Jerry’s iphone, GoPro camera’s, Scosche Boom Bottle bluetooth audio speakers and fire extinguishers. You can never be too prepared or know what you could come up on. When the trip is all over, with a quick washer and detail, the desert pin stripes are gone using Mothers assortment of cleaners, polishes and waxes. Gotta make sure the paint and stickers look prime at all times.

Hopefully this answers some questions and gives you some insight on how and why we built Jerry’s Raptor the way we did with the companies and products used. All these products can be purchased through us or through the companies themselves.

Click on the individual product links for more detailed information and pictures. Also check out the videos below to see the truck in action and let Jerry give you a tour of his truck, along with a detailed photo gallery.