2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Camping Machine

[theksmith]

how do you figure? there's the i6, 4.7, and 4.7HO. there's lots of basis for "what's better". but whatever. the v8 gets better mpg than the i6, and i honestly havent heard any horror stories about any engine in a grand cherokee at all except the high output like i have. hell, my old wj had the same i6 as your xj, so how is that better?

he's probably talking the 5.2 or 5.9 - the 5.9 is nice, but i'll keep my 4.7HO and just try to never over-heat it again

the 4.7HO is actually an exceptional motor in all respects except fuel efficiency, more info: http://www.wjjeeps.com/ho_engine.htm

 

[03DubyaJay]

amen. that's why i added a spare tstat to the toolbox. where did you get your replacement engine? was it reasonable? are there others out there that offered stroked ho's or whatnot?

 

[JeffRRC]

Looks good. My son is rolling in our old ZJ now. He has 205,000 miles and it is still going strong. Glad to see someone representing the Grands!

 

[JChatary]

Sweet! Another WJ! Welcome to ExPo! :beer:

 

[jhc5]

... got a custom luggage/tool rack for the trunk space...

What's your storage setup? I do lots of camping in Seattle in summer in my 010 WJ, but so far just use action packers. Would love to see a pic. Great looking WJ. Mine is currently stock, and I'm in the stage of planning what I'd like to do.

 

[03DubyaJay]

i'll get a picture next time i go downstairs. i think he said it's 1/2" square tube. a little shelf that my spare and jack slide under, and i can put my toolbox, tent, etc up top and strap down.

decided to do the rear tire carrier today. looking to keep the stock rear bumper while freeing up some storage space in the trunk so I can put 4 people in the dub again. ordered the hinge and mount plate from A to Z Fabrication. Haven't decided on a latch yet. This is what it should look like when complete:

 

[jhc5]

Very cool. Are you taking the design from the folks that have done them recently over on JF? Those look sweet.

 

[03DubyaJay]

yeah. that's where that pic is from. couple others have done it with great feedback. getting started this weekend!

 

[03DubyaJay]

updates on the build....

going to gulches orv park in south carolina in september http://gulchesorvpark.com/ , so i'll be trussing the rear with the 4-link clayton truss and adding a btf 44a cover. also sleeving the d30 with iron rock's sleeves and strengthened c-gussets. this should be enough for me, as i don't plan on pushing too hard; that's for the big guys in the club. i will however, be trailering it up there. 500 miles each way is just too much.

update on the tire carrier...

got the tire mount ($20) and hinge ($60) in the mail, pretty beastly. when i went to buy 4' angle ($.88/lbs with $5 cut = $25) last week, i found the perfect de-sta-co latch ($10) at the yard. went to ace and got a retainer pin ($1), and voila! you can see where i marked for the retainer pin and then the 1/2" mount the bolt will slide into. the 2x4x3/16 for the base will be a 5' piece that we'll trim the ends off accordingly. saginaw steel quotes is at like 6.8# per linear foot, and the price is $.99/lbs, so i'm looking at about $40 after i pay the $5 cut fee to get a large piece cut down. i don't know the price on the 2x3x3/16 that we're using for the swing arm, but once again, saginaw quotes it at 5.6#/LF and i assume it'll be a few cents cheaper than the 2x4. 5' plus cut, and i'm lookin at about $30. anyway, here's where we are, and the hinge, latch, etc...

 

[duanewhatley]

What's your storage setup? I do lots of camping in Seattle in summer in my 010 WJ, but so far just use action packers. Would love to see a pic. Great looking WJ. Mine is currently stock, and I'm in the stage of planning what I'd like to do.

I too would like to see pics of this. I'm trying to design a rear partition with storage.

 

[03DubyaJay]

update on the tire carrrier...

Got the hitch fitted up...need longer bolts by maybe 1/2". Fitted the 2x4 on the angle so that the hinge would clear the tailgate, and then tacked it in. Also, some pics of the reinforcement where the angle was notched around the hitch. It'll be fully welded, those are just tacks

the 2x4x3/16 was $39 and some change for the 5'. gotta get another hole saw. all ace had was 1 1/2" which i got and the 2x4 promptly chewed up, so gonna hunt down a 1 5/8" this week to finish up. also picking up the 2x3 for the swing arm this week.

oh, and pics of the rack in the trunk for ya'll. take it easy.

 

[Septu]

Very very nice. Love the body style of these. If the JKU's hadn't come along, I would have picked up one of these.

OP doesn't have the tire size?

 

[03DubyaJay]

33"

 

[03DubyaJay]

haven't updated this in a while, but then again, i don't get much feedback. anywho, the tire carrier's about finished. it's being angled like /---\ around the rear curvature instead of being straight like it is in the pic, the tire mount will be shortened once it's mounted so we can get the tire to a comfortable distance from the rear hatch, and the 90* welds will be gussetted, along with backplated on where the tubes come together for rigidity. going to work something out for the latch and license plate holder on sunday when we finish it up.

also, picked up a set of cragar 15x8 with 4" backspacing, and i'm picking up a set of 5 mickey thompson baja claw's friday night after my buddy comes and pays me for my wheels/tires. the baja's have 75% tread left and the spare has never touched ground. so now i've gotta get another cragar to mount my purdy new mickey t on the back of the dub

got my d44a cover in from blue torch fab, and got that painted up with the kilz "hammerite" paint. looks freaking sweet. also wire wheeled the gas tank skid and rear axle, then gave em each a few coats of hi-temp grill paint. (i'll get a thorough brush and re-paint when i drop the axle to truss it later this summer. enjoy...

 

[duanewhatley]

Looks good, can't wait to see it finished. Did u make those rock sliders?