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25 public builds
Real progress. Every chapter.
01 / BUILD STORY2022 Ford F-150 Raptor Shop Build
2022 Ford F-150
Our 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor keeps its factory foundation, with Geiser springs at all four corners, 37-inch Nitto Trail Grappler tires, and Raceline Rogue wheels. Beyond those changes and the bed equipment, the truck is stock. The bed carries our F-150 BASE System and the new bed storage components we've been developing around it. This is where we put that equipment to use, from gear organization to carrying spare tires and fuel jugs.
02 / BUILD STORY2026 Ford F-250 Super Duty Tremor Shop Build
2026 Ford F-250
Our new shop truck is a 2026 Ford F-250 Super Duty Tremor, a Platinum Plus with the H.O. diesel engine. The goal is a full trail and tow build: a truck we can take into the mountains and put to work with a trailer behind it. We're at the beginning. The current setup pairs a leveling kit with 37-inch Nitto Ridge Grapplers on 18-inch Raceline Omega wheels. Our Ford BoxLink Fuel Jug Mount Kit is also installed at the bedside. Beyond these additions, the truck is stock. This page starts with that setup. As the build progresses, we'll add the parts we choose, why we choose them, and what we learn using the truck.
03 / BUILD STORYMike's 2-Door Jeep Wrangler JL Build
Jeep Wrangler
Mike Bradshaw's Jeep Wrangler JL puts the space behind the front seats to work. An Overland Shelf adds an upper level of storage, while the 2-Door JL Storage Platform provides the foundation for the cargo equipment below. Open the tailgate and the layout comes into view: a secured cooler, drawers with red handles, and a slide-out work surface with wood and metal panels. The photos below show the system stowed, extended, and in use at the American Adventure Lab shop.
04 / BUILD STORYJeep Wrangler 4XE - Sparky
2024 Jeep Wrangler
Sparky is our 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4XE shop build. Its cargo area brings together a fridge, drawers, a prep surface, water, and an auxiliary electrical system. The challenge is fitting those jobs into the 4XE's available space while keeping the equipment accessible. This Jeep also serves as a development vehicle. In the shop walkthrough, Brit demonstrates shorter, 4XE-specific ultralight cargo components alongside our existing MASS Cargo Shelf and VersaTable. Some of those components were prototypes when filmed. The guide below explains that configuration and the fitment decisions to check before planning your own. Vehicle: 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4XE Cargo Focus: Shorter modules, layered storage, and equipment access Configuration: Shop walkthrough; prototype details are identified below Sparky, our Wrangler Rubicon 4XE shop build. The original photo gallery remains below.
05 / BUILD STORYJeep Wrangler JK 2-Door Overland Build - Panda Express
2015 Jeep Wrangler
Panda Express is our 2015 Jeep Wrangler JK Sport two-door, built around a simple question: how much gear do we need to travel comfortably without giving up the trail manners that make a short-wheelbase Jeep fun? In July 2025, Brit and his son took this setup through Colorado and Utah with the AAL team. The trip included the Alpine Loop, Black Bear Pass, the La Sal Mountains, and Onion Creek. Back at the shop, Brit unpacked the Jeep on camera to show what came along, where it fit, and what he would change. The layout uses the space behind the front seats for a cargo platform, slides, an Overland Shelf, and separate storage for smaller items. Cooking equipment and water work from the tailgate; recovery equipment has its own mounting locations. Vehicle: 2015 Jeep Wrangler JK Sport, two-door Rear Seating: Removed for this cargo layout Configuration Shown: July 2025 walkthrough and the build gallery below Panda Express on the trail. The walkthrough below explains the equipment carried for the July 2025 trip.
06 / BUILD STORY5th Gen Toyota 4Runner Overland Build - Mounty
2011 Toyota 4Runner
Mounty is our 2011 Toyota 4Runner Trail, named for the mountain graphics along its sides. It has been part of AAL for years, carrying family-trip equipment and making a run through Baja while serving as a development vehicle for our 4Runner MASS system. The photos show what the system needs to do at a stop: bring the fridge into reach, open the drawers, and provide a place to prepare food. They also show different stages of the truck’s setup. This guide explains the visible layout and the product choices to check when planning your own. Vehicle: 2011 Toyota 4Runner Trail, 5th Gen Cargo System: MASS platform, drawers, and slides Photo Record: Multiple trips and development stages Mounty, our long-term 5th Gen 4Runner shop build.
07 / BUILD STORYJeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 - The Hydro
2024 Jeep Wrangler
The Hydro is our Hydro Blue 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392, built as AAL’s first turnkey vehicle project intended for sale. It debuted at SEMA 2024 with an equipped Adventure Trailer Kit (ATK) trailer and has since gone to its new owner. Inside the Jeep, the layout puts the fridge and drawers beneath a cargo shelf, with water and a working surface at the tailgate. The trailer adds another equipment area behind the vehicle. This page documents that combination so you can see how the parts fit together and decide which pieces suit your own build. Vehicle: 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Color: Hydro Blue Cargo: MASS platform, drawers, fridge slide, and shelf Trailer: AAL Adventure Trailer Kit The Hydro and its ATK trailer, photographed together before the build went to its new owner.
08 / BUILD STORYJeep Gladiator Shop Build - Whistler
2021 Jeep Gladiator
Whistler is our 2021 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon EcoDiesel, used for shop work, overland travel, and product development. Its bed layout has changed as we have tested storage, mounting, and enclosure ideas. The photos document those different stages: an open rack carrying camp equipment, drawers and slides extending over the tailgate, and the Load-Bearing Enclosure (LBE) with exterior accessory mounts. Use them to compare layouts and access, then check the current components for your own truck. Vehicle: 2021 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon JT Powertrain: 3.0L EcoDiesel, 8-speed automatic Bed Systems: Rack, modular storage, and LBE development Role: Shop truck and development vehicle Whistler, AAL’s EcoDiesel Gladiator shop build.
09 / BUILD STORY"Cheap Jeep" - Our Shop 2012 Jeep JKU Build
2012 Jeep Wrangler
Cheap Jeep is our 2012 Jeep Wrangler JKU MW3 Edition, bought through a CoPart auction and developed into a shop and family-adventure vehicle. Its name came before the years of equipment, testing, and changes that followed. The build combines a manual-transmission Wrangler with MASS cargo storage, a fridge and prep area, and a tailgate kitchen. The gallery shows those systems at camp and on the trail, including different stages of the setup. Vehicle: 2012 Wrangler JKU MW3 Edition, four-door Powertrain: 3.6L V6, six-speed manual Recorded Gearing: 4.88:1 Role: Shop development and family adventures Cheap Jeep, our four-door JK shop build.
10 / BUILD STORYBlack Wrangler JL - 2-Door Cargo Buildout
Jeep Wrangler
This black Jeep Wrangler JL two-door shows a compact MASS cargo installation with a slide beside stacked drawers. The rear passenger seat is removed, giving the system space behind the front seats. The eight shop photos document the installed layout and mounting details. They offer a useful view of the cargo system before a fridge or other travel equipment is added. Vehicle: Jeep Wrangler JL, two-door Layout: Rear-seat space converted to cargo storage Components: MASS platform, fridge slider, and drawers The black two-door JL with its rear cargo installation open in the shop.
11 / BUILD STORYJeep Wrangler JLU Build the OG - J-Low
2018 Jeep Wrangler
J-Low was our 2018 Jeep Wrangler JLU Rubicon, the first JL we could get our hands on and the vehicle behind AAL’s first blog-style YouTube video. It became a development platform as the cargo layout and other equipment changed. This page is an archive of that build. The early video shows its beginnings; the gallery includes later trail and camp configurations, with MASS storage, a fridge slide, drawers, and a tailgate table. Vehicle: 2018 Wrangler JLU Rubicon, four-door Powertrain: 3.6L V6, eight-speed automatic Role: Early AAL JL development vehicle Photo Record: Multiple stages of the build J-Low in a later photographed trail configuration.
12 / BUILD STORYAAL Ford Ranger Raptor
Ford Ranger
Our Ranger Raptor is a shop development truck for bed mounting, cargo slides, lighting, and interior storage. The useful part of this build is how those systems divide the space: equipment on the bed floor, mounts along the bed walls, gear above the bed, and a separate cargo area inside the cab. The gallery follows the truck through different trips and configurations. Use it to understand the layout and the mounting decisions, then check the current product version for your own truck. The Ranger Raptor on a mountain trip. Bed loads and accessories change between the photos below.
13 / BUILD STORYChris's Silver Jeep Gladiator
2020 Jeep Gladiator
Chris’s silver 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon was equipped for daily driving and adventures with his family. The photographed build brings an AAL Load-Bearing Enclosure, bed storage, and exterior mounting surfaces together around the truck’s rear cargo area. The gallery records installation and equipped configurations. It shows how the enclosure opens, how the slide and drawers extend, and how equipment is carried above the bed. The parts list below preserves the documented setup. Vehicle: 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon JT Powertrain: 3.6L V6, eight-speed automatic Bed Layout: LBE, rack, drawers, and fridge slide Photo Record: Installation and completed configurations Chris’s Gladiator with its equipped bed enclosure and upper storage.
14 / BUILD STORYJeep 392 White Rim Edition Build
Jeep Wrangler
The White Rim Edition was an AAL Wrangler 392 spec-build prepared for the 2023 SEMA Show. Its concept was a Jeep organized for a weekend on the White Rim Trail, with cargo storage, refrigeration, on-board air, auxiliary power, and lighting brought together in one build. This vehicle has sold. The page documents its equipment and layout as a reference for planning a similar Jeep. The original sales and dealership-financing program described here belonged to the 2023/2024 build period; contact AAL to discuss the scope of a new project. Vehicle: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 Build Concept: Weekend travel and camp equipment Recorded Cargo: MASS system, fridge slide, drawers, and shelf Status: Sold vehicle, archived configuration The White Rim Edition in its photographed build configuration.
15 / BUILD STORYRAM Power Wagon - Overland Build
Ram 2500
This RAM Power Wagon build uses the bed walls for recovery and camp equipment, while the space behind the front seats carries a separate storage and electrical installation. The workshop photos show the mounting panels, rear-cabin platform, and equipment during assembly. The gallery is a record of this particular layout. Use it to compare where gear sits and how it can be reached, then discuss the dimensions and mounting requirements for your own truck. Vehicle: RAM Power Wagon Bed Layout: Wall-mounted equipment and upper rack Rear Cabin: Cargo platform and electrical installation Photo Record: Workshop installation and equipped views The Power Wagon in the shop, with its upper bed rack visible behind the cab.
16 / BUILD STORYGaye's JL
Jeep Wrangler
Gaye’s white four-door Jeep Wrangler JL combines a fridge and drawer layout at the rear with storage above the cargo area and equipment carried on the roof. The photos show the Jeep in the shop and outside, with the cargo system both packed away and extended. This guide focuses on the photographed layout: where the fridge sits, how the drawers and work surfaces share the rear opening, and which clearances to check when planning a similar setup. Vehicle: Four-door Jeep Wrangler JL Rubicon Rear Cargo: Fridge, stacked drawers, and upper shelf Working Area: Slide and tailgate surfaces Photo Record: Shop and exterior views Gaye’s JL with its roof-mounted equipment and rear cargo installation.
17 / BUILD STORYShop 392 Build
2022 Jeep Wrangler
This AAL shop build is a 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 in Gobi. Its equipment record combines a MASS cargo layout, rear seat deletes, auxiliary power, on-board air, recovery equipment, and communications. The photos show how those systems share the Jeep’s space: the fridge and drawers at the tailgate, electrical equipment beneath the cargo floor, and gear mounted around the spare tire and inside the cabin. The gallery includes different stages of the build. This shop Jeep also serves as a platform for testing and prototyping AAL products through use on the trail and at camp. The earlier build record lists Teraflex Olympus beadlock wheels, 38x13.5R17 Nitto Trail Grappler tires, and 4.88 gearing by Revolution Gear. Those specifications document a stage of this build, rather than a requirement for every 392 setup. Vehicle: 2022 Wrangler Rubicon 392, Gobi Recorded Suspension: Teraflex 4.5-inch long-arm kit Recorded Tires: 38-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers Cargo: MASS Plus, drawers, slides, and rear seat deletes The Gobi shop 392 in a photographed exterior configuration.
18 / BUILD STORYSumner's Down Under JK
Jeep Wrangler
Sumner’s Down Under JK is a red, four-door Jeep Wrangler with a distinctive zebra-striped exterior. Its photo record follows the interior installation: cargo platforms behind the front seats, a fridge at the rear opening, a battery mounted beside the cargo area, and overhead equipment within the cabin. The installation stages make this a useful reference for planning the space around your own gear. Look at the mounting surfaces, access paths, and equipment clearances together before choosing a similar combination. Vehicle: Four-door Jeep Wrangler JK Photo Record: Cargo and cabin installation stages Rear Layout: Fridge, cargo platform, and tailgate surface Sumner’s red zebra-striped Wrangler JK at the shop.
19 / BUILD STORYErick's JKU
Jeep Wrangler
Erick’s gray four-door Jeep Wrangler JK pairs red exterior accents with a cargo arrangement built around a fridge, a stack of drawers, and surfaces that extend beyond the rear opening. The shop photos show the equipment both stowed and open, while exterior views show storage carried around the spare tire and above the roof. The useful detail is how those spaces work together. The fridge and drawers remain accessible from the rear, and the extended surfaces provide room to set out equipment beside the tailgate. Vehicle: Four-door Jeep Wrangler JK, also called a JKU Rear Cargo: Fridge, stacked drawers, and upper storage Exterior: Spare-tire storage and roof-carried equipment Erick’s gray JKU with red wheels and equipment mounted around the rear spare tire.
20 / BUILD STORYBryce's Jeep Wrangler Recon Edition
Jeep Wrangler
Bryce’s green four-door Wrangler Recon Edition combines a rear fridge installation, upper cargo storage, an extending drawer, and equipment mounted around the cabin and exterior. The photos also look beneath the finished surfaces, showing compressor equipment under the cargo platform and the inner-fender installation. This build is a useful reference for the space each system needs. Compare the stowed cargo layout with the open drawer and installation views before planning a similar arrangement. Vehicle: Four-door Jeep Wrangler JL Recon Edition Rear Cargo: Fridge, drawer, and upper storage Installation Views: Compressor, connection panel, and inner fenders Bryce’s Wrangler with equipment carried above the roof and along the rear exterior.
21 / BUILD STORYFroncoBronco's Bronco
Ford Bronco
Imported from the American Adventure Lab build gallery. Original customer and vehicle attribution is preserved.
22 / BUILD STORYMark's Jeep JL Wrangler 392
Jeep Wrangler
Mark really pushed some of the boundaries of what is possible for sleeping inside of a Jeep JL Wrangler. With this setup, we are using our Hanging Fridge Brackets to mount a Dometic CD20 drawer fridge from the bottom of our Jeep JL MASS Cargo Shelf. The blue powder coat color is called Illusion Blueberry from Prismatic Coatings. Mark also opted for the ARB Single air compressor mounted in the cubby of the cargo area using our 392-specific mounting bracket. This was plumbed into our Jeep JL Compressor Remote Kit.
23 / BUILD STORYJohn's Sting Gray Jeep JL
Jeep Wrangler
Imported from the American Adventure Lab build gallery. Original customer and vehicle attribution is preserved.
24 / BUILD STORY2019 Ford Transit Van 250 EcoBoost
2019 Ford Transit
Follow along on social media using hashtag #ProjectStanTheVan to see this 2019 Ford Transit van evolve into a pro-level bike hauler. We have a ton more planned for this vehicle and will be showcasing top products from the Transit Van world from companies such as VanCompass, BFGoodrich, Method Wheels, and many more. *Unfortunately, Stan's owner traded him away (Ford Raptor) before we could build out the dream van. Hopefully we'll get to build another one similar soon! Stan is a Long Wheelbase Medium Roof Transit Van. It was ordered as a cargo van with two opposing sliding doors - very cool setup!
Sample builds
Real HotDAM photos.
Example build stories.
Explore a few ways to organize a build. These examples are separate from community projects.
SAMPLE BUILDJeep Gladiator · Basecamp
A sample plan for a truck that carries camp with it: organize the bed, make room for overnight gear, and document the setup outdoors.
SAMPLE BUILDFord Bronco · Cargo, sorted
A sample build journal centered on rear cargo organization: plan the layout, document storage access, and capture the finished arrangement.
SAMPLE BUILDJeep Wrangler · Small space, big plans
A sample story about making a compact cargo area work harder, with dedicated places for equipment and a work surface when you need it.