Help Me Adventure-ize my XJ

[Harmgrissom]

I have a 96 XJ that I'm hoping over the next 6 months to turn into my adventure rig. Already have a lift & 32"s in the works which should give me the stance/control/clearance i'm hoping for.

But honestly I have done a lot more backpacking than driving to the remote places, and never to some of the areas posted by our other members here and they've inspired me!

Basically I'm looking for "rules" of what are your "must have" items for your trips. For me thats pretty simple -

water filter (Katadyn Hiker),
firestarter (flint/steel, matches),
tent (depends me/kids/whole family),
sleeping bag(s),
Cot
shovel,
axe,
shotgun/rifle,
food/water,
lanterns (winding),
Flashlights (spare batteries)
GPS
Gasoline
Firewood (depending on season/location)
Sunscreen
Hat(s)
Binoculars
Camera
Come-Along
Hi-Lift

Now the IMPORTANT questions

1. What am I forgetting? Its been a long time since I'm camping for more than 2 days or so.

2. (and why this is in the Jeep forum - mods if innappropriate let me know) I'm in an XJ - and I've got kids - so space is at a premium here - How do you pack it all on?

I do not have a roof rack yet which is making more & more sense and I'll probably have to get one of those clamps for the hi-lift along the rack. Much of the assorted gear, water filter, flashlights, gps etc. goes into the backpack(s).

But thats still a lot of gear. So help me plan this out? And if there is a product I "MUST" have please feel free to share a link - I submit myself to the greater knowledge of those who are more recently practiced than I.

 

[The Adam Blaster]

I just want to be the first to say it...


Oh my God!! An axe??? Seriously????
:jump:


To the OP - it's a joke about a thread that was probably way too long.

 

[The Adam Blaster]

Your list looks pretty good to me, but I didn't see a spare tire in there...

As for the storage, there are lots of options, many examples of drawers in the cargo area, or special shelving. It's not a bad idea to look into one of those dividers that separates the rear cargo area from the back seat, then you can load the cargo area right up to the ceiling and not worry about it flying forward in a hard braking or accident situation.

I'm not a fan of the roof racks, they act like a little parachute up there and kill your fuel economy. I prefer to carry extra equipment behind the vehicle on a hitch-mounted carrier.

 

[Harmgrissom]

I just want to be the first to say it...


Oh my God!! An axe??? Seriously????
:jump:


To the OP - it's a joke about a thread that was probably way too long.

Eh? Are you ridiculing my "e" :REOutShootinghunter


The Adam Blaster - Sorry I didn't even think to list that as the spare is already inside the Jeep, but yes thats taken care of.

I had the same thought regarding a roof rack. Concerned about the height, and lets be honest - I drive home along the foothills every day and I get ROCKED from the winds just moving across the valley. Its nuts. I can't imagine adding 6-10" in height. Of course I could always take it off I guess but...

Any ideas on specific storage setups that work well?

 

[shovelbill]

you'll be needing recovery gear for that Hi lift jack. how about a field medical kit?

i used to have a Cherokee.....if i was going to do that again i'd seriously consider a trailer, not to say you can't pack up an XJ.

what lift are to going to use? a 3" OME and 31's will take you quite far....won't kill your effictive gear ratio to bad either. where do you plan on going?

 

[Harmgrissom]

Shovelbill - recovery gear as in? I have the come-along/cable to yank myself out. Was there something else you feel that ought to go along with it?

Regarding medical - something I didn't think to mention because again its already inside - I carry 2 medical kits with me. A blowout kit for gunshot wounds and then a more general - scrapes, bumps, bee-stings etc. kit. I figure the blow-out kit would also be appropriate for any major trauma trailside. The regular aid-kit is a big-un, blow-out kits not so much - they don't have to be.

Regarding the lift this is the exact one I'll be putting on it - although it appears I typo'd earlier and listed 32's. I'll only be running 31"s -
http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=rustys&Product_Code=RK-300SPC-XJ&Category_Code=sus_xj_kit

 

[Harmgrissom]

Regarding where I'm hoping to go... anywhere? everywhere? I live in Southern Arizona. Hoping to hit up Moab in a few years. Northern Arizona is always inviting, maybe into California, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. Eventually some bigger trips wouldn't be unexpected. No major plans just yet - wherever the road takes me :smiley_drive:

I'd like to have a kit capable of most good off-road trails so that if I hear about something cool I can just take off for a weekend - grab the kids and bags and go.

 

[shovelbill]

Shovelbill - recovery gear as in? I have the come-along/cable to yank myself out. Was there something else you feel that ought to go along with it?

some gear to make the Hi Lift more adaptable to recovery situations. there's a guy on here selling one now. you should have at least a 2" X 30' tow strap also.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60530

a jump pack would be good too.....a dual battery setup is better.

 

[Black Dog]

The Adam Blaster - Sorry I didn't even think to list that as the spare is already inside the Jeep, but yes thats taken care of.

Inside the jeep, so is that a full size spare or a donut? Donuts should be outlawed world wide and full size spares mandatory. If it is a donut and you're running 32's, ditch it and get another 32 inch tire. The problem then is that a bigger spare takes up more room inside, so you could put it on your roof rack or better is a bumper mounted tire carrier, which means extra expense. One way to get around that though is to get the Detours Backbone system that adapts some recovery points and a tire carrier to the stock rear bumper.

And speaking of recovery points, they are an essential part of any offroad vehicle. Otherwise where else are you going to hook up winch lines and tow straps? That is one place where XJs are lacking but the aftermarket has filled in.

Another thing to think of is some rocker protection (under the doors) and a gas tank skid plate. Nothing will ruin your day more than whacking a rock and loosing all your fuel miles from civilization.

 

[jaxs1984]

If your a cook you need a stove and some gas. I use a JetBoil and just heat the water and use MRE or instant coffee. It works wonders in the morning. Some chairs , I would also invest in a CB if your going with some people. And don't forget paper maps of the area to show topo.

 

[shovelbill]

And speaking of recovery points, they are an essential part of any offroad vehicle. Otherwise where else are you going to hook up winch lines and tow straps? That is one place where XJs are lacking but the aftermarket has filled in.

ha ha....that was a big assumption on my part. i never heard of Detours before...sure wish i would have thought of those products in the early '90's. thanks for that link.......got me thinking on things for my K5 now.

can jack the rig up from the sliders too. onboard air and a tire repair kit. i'd want at least one locker.....2 selectable lockers are the best. Dana 44 rear or Ford 8.8....chromo shafts. inverter.............etc.

 

[The Adam Blaster]

You can go pretty far with a lot of mods and a lot of money, but have you taken any trips with the kids and gear loaded up yet in stock form?
I've got an XJ and a young son, so I imagine how quickly that cargo area would fill up, especially with a wife that likes to over pack everything for the little guy. lol

You may very well be stuck with either a roof rack or trailer hitch carrier, or both. I think if I were you, I'd start laying out everything you want to take on a trip, an then start subtracting stuff until it fits. haha

As for mods on the Jeep's drivetrain and suspension, I'd take at least a couple of camping trips with the family first before you spend thousands of dollars on lift/tires etc. that you may not actually need for the places you want to go. There are members here on the board that have a stock XJ and are very capable of getting to remote camping spots.
I've got a '98 XJ with a 4.5" lift on 33's but I wish I would have stopped at 3" and 31's. It's been super expensive, I had to get new driveshafts, regear the axles, work on the t-case, do a bunch of cutting to the body and adding of extra wide fender flares to stay legal. In the end it's been a giant money pit, and that extra 1" of space below the belly isn't really worth the quality of ride I've given up, or the decrease in fuel economy.

Try out the Jeep as is before you jump into spending thousands of dollars.

 

[TerryD]

Something else to think about is what kind of parts to buy if you do go bigger. I'm near 4" of lift on my 1998 XJ right now. I used some parts I can source from a local parts stores. My front brake lines are not the super trick S/S stuff but rather factory lines for a 90's Chevy C10 pickup that can be bought at any parts store you happen into.

I do miss the factory ride qualities but the extra clearance is worth the trade off for me and some of the places I take it. But I did take mine out stock, with 1.5" of lift and decided that 3-4" is where I wanted it to be. I'm wanting to long arm the front now to help with ride but stop with 32" tires and no trimming.

 

[Spectyr]

Have a look at my build thread for my 1996 Cherokee. I recently (3 months ago) installed the Detours Tailbone system that was referred to earlier. It's a great system.

I build a cargo system in a weekend and it needs some tweeking but it is functional...and allows for the back seats to stay in if needed. I am running 33" A/T tires on a 4.5" lift.
Regarding recovery, a winch would not be a bad thing to budget in in the near future. Saves everyone doing a lot of digging etc. I picked up a used Warn 9.5 for a few hundred and replaced the original solenoid pack with one from Albright which is more durable and weatherproof. Anyways, it's all in my thread there at Overland Canada.

Good luck!

 

[Eric S.]

How long of a trip are you planning to take? What kinds of roads or trails? Are you going to be far away from help if you have problems? A rear mounted tire carrier frees up a fair bit of space so you can pack more inside (It fills up fast with a family!) also it would make an ideal location for fuel storage. Some type of divider to keep the stuff in the back when packed makes things safer as well as stops the avalanches on to the kids (of not pack the light stuff on top ). It would be nice to make the divider so that it can be opened so you can access the back from the passenger compartment though.
One upgrade that is a MUST for an XJ especially in Arizona is to add a manual switch to the electric fan or add one if it does not, and make sure the cooling system is is very good shape.

A tool kit, spare fluids, serpentine belt, Rad hoses, Duct Tape
With 32's you are going to need either to trim or a lift of at least a couple of inches.