Have owned my 05 LJ since new, and have had a few incarnations of it since then. A few lifts, a few different tire sizes, and many different uses. Played in the rocks a lot the first few years (before kids!) and after wearing out a 4" lift kit and 35" tires I stepped back down to narrow 33's and 3" AEV springs, which have been great. Main focus now is family camping and to that end I've added a Kongo Kage (easy to remove - but I find I like it on in the summer as it makes last minute camping trips that much easier) and found a Bantam trailer to haul behind it for the family gear.
The Bantam isn't done - not close - but I've decided not to go the RTT route, with two rough & tumble little boys it'd only be a matter of time before somebody fell out and bonked their head, and I decided to keep the Bantam as original as possible while still customized for our use. Due to the tailgate, structural modifications would have been required for a top. So I'm working on stake sides and top bows instead (oak stake sides and white cedar bows) and will have a canvas top made to keep everything dry.
We had the first family trip with it a few weeks ago and everything worked great. Another trip soon will test out the cargo rack with both the Thule box and some kayaks!
Wouldn't change much at this point, except maybe 1" wider tires (these are 255/75r16 IIRC) and a little less lift, but I like the progressive springs as I load it anywhere from no back seat, no top to family of four with gear on the roof, and the ride stays predictable and with very little sagging when loaded down. I'm seriously considering a Rock Jock 60 rear axle, I'd like to regear to 4.56 or 4.88 and upgrade to ARB's, for $3200 you can't get much beefier or easier. My axles have been fine but I'd like to do a longarm someday and want the axles set up for the long term before I get into that. Someday...
Here's a few pics, I enjoy ExPo and don't have much time to get online nowadays but thought I should contribute once in a while!
The wood in the back of the trailer is the oak for the stake sides - fresh from the sawmill.
First camping trip....my helper chillin by the heep
The Bantam isn't done - not close - but I've decided not to go the RTT route, with two rough & tumble little boys it'd only be a matter of time before somebody fell out and bonked their head, and I decided to keep the Bantam as original as possible while still customized for our use. Due to the tailgate, structural modifications would have been required for a top. So I'm working on stake sides and top bows instead (oak stake sides and white cedar bows) and will have a canvas top made to keep everything dry.
We had the first family trip with it a few weeks ago and everything worked great. Another trip soon will test out the cargo rack with both the Thule box and some kayaks!
Wouldn't change much at this point, except maybe 1" wider tires (these are 255/75r16 IIRC) and a little less lift, but I like the progressive springs as I load it anywhere from no back seat, no top to family of four with gear on the roof, and the ride stays predictable and with very little sagging when loaded down. I'm seriously considering a Rock Jock 60 rear axle, I'd like to regear to 4.56 or 4.88 and upgrade to ARB's, for $3200 you can't get much beefier or easier. My axles have been fine but I'd like to do a longarm someday and want the axles set up for the long term before I get into that. Someday...
Here's a few pics, I enjoy ExPo and don't have much time to get online nowadays but thought I should contribute once in a while!
The wood in the back of the trailer is the oak for the stake sides - fresh from the sawmill.
First camping trip....my helper chillin by the heep
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