Hey everyone. I’m new to the forum and I’m looking to see if anyone has built a true Palisade overland vehicle? (Roof rack, lights, tires, etc) I have a 2023 XRT and I’m looking for a starting point.
soccrscot11
Not the vehicle I would start with. Lack of 4low really limits the terrain you can traverse. You'll run into its limits soon and realize you should build from a different platform.
Having experience in both building and "overlanding" (I call it camping and 4 wheelin) I would do this:
Start with 18 wheels and a set of all terrain tires. You need the extra sidewall hiehht for offroad. Stock size equivalent would be 245/60r18 assuming you have 20"wheels and 245/50r20. Every inch down in wheel size you add 5 to the spect ratio to keep the over all outside diameter of the tire. Going up one size from stock is generally ok for clearance and drivetrain strain but they don't make a 245/65r18 only a 70. That might be too big but up to you how much fender trimming and potential drive train issues you might incure. Up to you, everyone wants big tires. Basiclly only bfg kos come in that size. As far as which at tire in stock size to get it is up to you. All major brands are about equal. I'd stick with an sl vs an lte load/construction tire.
Next you need a recovery point front and rear. Hitches make a good rear point but the low hanging version really limits your departure angle and easy to get stuck on. Does your rig have the hidden bumper panel hitch? For the front the stock tow eye will suffice. Get a decent strap, some soft shackles, and a hitch shackle. Forget if the Pali has a rear tow eye if you don't have a hitch due to low hanging type of earlier models.
Now fill it with camping gear and find some dirt roads to explore. You can sleep two 6 foot or under adults comfortably inside with the seats folder down. Stop when you feel that clearance is starting to be an issue.
If you find yourself wanting more. Then add a front skid plate. I see a few on line.
Then a small lift. Know that a lift puts the car out of its design suspension ride height and many things will suffer. Best to keep it small. There are spacer lifts and lift springs. For the front I would go with a spring spacer or lift spring rather than a strut top spacer. The strut tops pushes the suspension travel beyond it intended range and tends to brake things or require additional modifying. Spring spacer or lift springs just puts your ride height lower in the travel stroke.
For the rear your car likely has the auto leveling suspension. These are a bit problematic for lifting as the shock is designed to ride at the factory set height. The autonlevel shock provides some spring load the the corresponding spring is very low riding. I just found lift spring sets for the palisade so probable better than getting the non auto leveling spring and adding a spacer. Then you need a non auto leveling shock. Kyb is sold to be coming out with a set if not so already. Front you can keep the stock strut with either a spring spacer or a lift spring.
That is about the extent that I would mod a palisades for overlanding.
If you came here looking for advice on how to bolt a bunch of do das on the outside of your rig and roof top tents and crap I can't help you. But otherwise I'd be willing to share my knowledge on the topic.
Having experience in both building and "overlanding" (I call it camping and 4 wheelin) I would do this:
Start with 18 wheels and a set of all terrain tires. You need the extra sidewall hiehht for offroad. Stock size equivalent would be 245/60r18 assuming you have 20"wheels and 245/50r20. Every inch down in wheel size you add 5 to the spect ratio to keep the over all outside diameter of the tire. Going up one size from stock is generally ok for clearance and drivetrain strain but they don't make a 245/65r18 only a 70. That might be too big but up to you how much fender trimming and potential drive train issues you might incure. Up to you, everyone wants big tires. Basiclly only bfg kos come in that size. As far as which at tire in stock size to get it is up to you. All major brands are about equal. I'd stick with an sl vs an lte load/construction tire.
Next you need a recovery point front and rear. Hitches make a good rear point but the low hanging version really limits your departure angle and easy to get stuck on. Does your rig have the hidden bumper panel hitch? For the front the stock tow eye will suffice. Get a decent strap, some soft shackles, and a hitch shackle. Forget if the Pali has a rear tow eye if you don't have a hitch due to low hanging type of earlier models.
Now fill it with camping gear and find some dirt roads to explore. You can sleep two 6 foot or under adults comfortably inside with the seats folder down. Stop when you feel that clearance is starting to be an issue.
If you find yourself wanting more. Then add a front skid plate. I see a few on line.
Then a small lift. Know that a lift puts the car out of its design suspension ride height and many things will suffer. Best to keep it small. There are spacer lifts and lift springs. For the front I would go with a spring spacer or lift spring rather than a strut top spacer. The strut tops pushes the suspension travel beyond it intended range and tends to brake things or require additional modifying. Spring spacer or lift springs just puts your ride height lower in the travel stroke.
For the rear your car likely has the auto leveling suspension. These are a bit problematic for lifting as the shock is designed to ride at the factory set height. The autonlevel shock provides some spring load the the corresponding spring is very low riding. I just found lift spring sets for the palisade so probable better than getting the non auto leveling spring and adding a spacer. Then you need a non auto leveling shock. Kyb is sold to be coming out with a set if not so already. Front you can keep the stock strut with either a spring spacer or a lift spring.
That is about the extent that I would mod a palisades for overlanding.
If you came here looking for advice on how to bolt a bunch of do das on the outside of your rig and roof top tents and crap I can't help you. But otherwise I'd be willing to share my knowledge on the topic.
Welcome to the forum. I'm new here too. Have my eye on the new 2026 Palisade XRT Pro. Will be giving it a good hard look at the coming 2026 Auto Shows in my area and plan to test drive one soon. The only thing holding me back from what I've seen and read so far is the $50K+ MSRP. Currently driving a 2022 Santa Cruz SEL AWD ($30K vehicle).
Anyway, like you my "overlanding" (if you can really call it that) is (will be) mostly dirt roads and snow. No rock crawling or seriously difficult terrain, but don't want to get stuck and perfer that extra edge of AWD and Limited-Slip. I'm not familiar with how the 2023 Palisade XRT is equipped from the factory, but if it doesn't come with a Limited-Slip rear differential and one can be added, I'd do that and tires.
The new 2026 Palisade XRT Pro has the basics built in: 1" more lift than other trims, reasonable All Terrain tires off the show room floor and Limited-Slip out back; plus you get a little more interior space/length for sleeping and gear. Personally I like having the ability to sleep inside the SUV at rest stops when traveling to a destination. I tow a Yakima Easy Rider Dual Level Kayak/Sport trailer with a Roof Top Tent up top on one side and a stainless steel counter top on the other for my kitchen workspace. This is my trailer.
![Image]()
I tried the RTT over my Santa Cruz truck bed, but found I prefer to not be required to break camp to take the vehicle exploring. Plus I can carry 1 or 2 pedal fishing kayaks on the bottom level (size dependent). Hope to get a Hobie Mirage Lynx in the future (very light weight for this retired 65+ year old and I'm a bay or fresh water lake fisherman, no rough water). Just installed a large platform roof rack on the bottom level for camping gear and Home Depot runs if I give up my versatile Santa Cruz truck bed.
The best thing to do IMHO is get out there and see what you can and can't do. If you are new to "overlanding" or camping with light wheeling to get to remote locations, you will figure out what works best for you by doing what You yourself enjoy the most.
Have fun out there!
Anyway, like you my "overlanding" (if you can really call it that) is (will be) mostly dirt roads and snow. No rock crawling or seriously difficult terrain, but don't want to get stuck and perfer that extra edge of AWD and Limited-Slip. I'm not familiar with how the 2023 Palisade XRT is equipped from the factory, but if it doesn't come with a Limited-Slip rear differential and one can be added, I'd do that and tires.
The new 2026 Palisade XRT Pro has the basics built in: 1" more lift than other trims, reasonable All Terrain tires off the show room floor and Limited-Slip out back; plus you get a little more interior space/length for sleeping and gear. Personally I like having the ability to sleep inside the SUV at rest stops when traveling to a destination. I tow a Yakima Easy Rider Dual Level Kayak/Sport trailer with a Roof Top Tent up top on one side and a stainless steel counter top on the other for my kitchen workspace. This is my trailer.
I tried the RTT over my Santa Cruz truck bed, but found I prefer to not be required to break camp to take the vehicle exploring. Plus I can carry 1 or 2 pedal fishing kayaks on the bottom level (size dependent). Hope to get a Hobie Mirage Lynx in the future (very light weight for this retired 65+ year old and I'm a bay or fresh water lake fisherman, no rough water). Just installed a large platform roof rack on the bottom level for camping gear and Home Depot runs if I give up my versatile Santa Cruz truck bed.
The best thing to do IMHO is get out there and see what you can and can't do. If you are new to "overlanding" or camping with light wheeling to get to remote locations, you will figure out what works best for you by doing what You yourself enjoy the most.
Have fun out there!
It takes far more than a rack, lights and tires to make for an overlander. The most important part is starting with the correct vehicle.
The Palisade is not it - not even remotely close. Even if you mitigate many of the other shortcomings via bolt-ons - the first time you get into some interesting terrain and it just completely bails out on you for power delivery (even with all the traction control and stability control nannies turned off and the diff locked) it will quickly and harshly re-frame its abilities and your expectations (ask me how I know).
The Palisade is not it - not even remotely close. Even if you mitigate many of the other shortcomings via bolt-ons - the first time you get into some interesting terrain and it just completely bails out on you for power delivery (even with all the traction control and stability control nannies turned off and the diff locked) it will quickly and harshly re-frame its abilities and your expectations (ask me how I know).
My 2022 has only 7.5" inches of clearance to the front bumper skirting. Most curbs are high enough to warrant caution when parking. Won't take much of a typical sunken track country road to have it start plowing/scraping the center.
What I think of when I hear the word overland.
![Image]()
My truck when new, zero mods. Spent a week in the desert.
![Image]()
My truck when new, zero mods. Spent a week in the desert.
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