2007 Jumping Jack Build
- Thread starter dnellans
- Start date
Been a while since I posted on this thread but thats mostly because I've been happy as a clam with my JJ. Taken it from Austin, TX to Idaho and back. Austin, TX to Chicago and back. A bunch of around town trips with the driftboat/raft on top of it and some weekend camping trips with the boys. Getting ready to do another 2 week live out of the JJ trip over thanksgiving so did a few minor modifications that I thought were needed while airing out tent and making sure it was ready this weekend.
Over the course of a bunch of trips I've been unhappy with the built in "table". It was both too high and too wobbly. First improvement was to chop 2.5 inches off the legs and then try and tweak them to be "straighter" when tightened down. Going from 35 inches to about 32.5 made a big difference in table feeling usable for making lunch and less wobbly. Will see if I want to chop another inch or two off after this trip started with 1.5 and that wasn't enough so did a second inch.
The clanking was driving me a tad nuts so found just the right material finally to just put some rubber isolator pads in various spots on the trailer. All for corners of the "wings" got pads, as did the center mating surface on the front and rear rails where the bounding is most obvious. I also needed a few pieces for my custom dirtbike loading rack that was wearing the paint off from road vibration. The material looks great and was easy to work with, I'm actually going to get some more and replace the stock stuff underneath the table when mounted to front of the trailer, this is slightly thicker and i think it will make it even quieter.
The clanking was driving me a tad nuts so finally found just the right material to just put some rubber isolator pads in various spots on the trailer.
All for corners of the "wings" got pads, as did the center mating surface on the front and rear rails where the bounding is most obvious.
I also needed a few pieces for my custom dirtbike loading rack that was wearing the paint off from road vibration.
The material looks like it should hold up well and was easy to work with, I'm actually going to get some more and replace the stock stuff underneath the table when mounted to front of the trailer, this is thicker and hopefully will make it a bit quieter.
https://www.amazon.com/GatorSkinz-P...&qid=1477931931&sr=8-1&keywords=3m+gatorskinz
There is the link to the stuff since I had a hard time finding something appropriate. Its rubber, not gritty, so won't wear paint finish. One pack is plenty to do the trailer IMO, I just forgot about the table or could have easily saves a little bit in other places to have enough, oh well.
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All for corners of the "wings" got pads, as did the center mating surface on the front and rear rails where the bounding is most obvious.
I also needed a few pieces for my custom dirtbike loading rack that was wearing the paint off from road vibration.
The material looks like it should hold up well and was easy to work with, I'm actually going to get some more and replace the stock stuff underneath the table when mounted to front of the trailer, this is thicker and hopefully will make it a bit quieter.
https://www.amazon.com/GatorSkinz-P...&qid=1477931931&sr=8-1&keywords=3m+gatorskinz
There is the link to the stuff since I had a hard time finding something appropriate. Its rubber, not gritty, so won't wear paint finish. One pack is plenty to do the trailer IMO, I just forgot about the table or could have easily saves a little bit in other places to have enough, oh well.
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I had been using a stool that came with the trailer, and I think is the one jumping jack will even sell you. Its great for getting in and out, but a little too short to try and use a step to get up onto the trailer when its all closed up, as you walk a bike up the loading ramp. So I've been riding my bike up the ramp which is always a tad nerve racking. I found a little bit taller and two step version on amazon that seems pretty sturdy so decided to give it a try. Time will tell if this works or not.
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I'm also thinking I might cough up the $150 for the "new" style camp kitchen plastic. it seems like a total rip off but the original aluminum plus plastic tub i've got sort of sucks, its not big enough to actually wash anything and the aluminum is too flexy to put anything with weight on it like a table. Maybe that will be my big new purchase for the jumping jack this year :sombrero:
Semi-Hex
Enfant Terrible
We are at the end of our fourth season with ours at a total of 78 nights this year and have to say that outside of the fact we can't do much winter camping, we have had a blast in it.
That said, we have been looking at a teardrop for the next season mainly because of the two issues we have. One is wind, the other cold.
That said, we have been looking at a teardrop for the next season mainly because of the two issues we have. One is wind, the other cold.
78 nights?!? awesome! i'm happy to get 25 and that's about 10x more than anyone else i know with small kids
i've had the JJ in some high (50mph) winds but only for a day or two. it's a little noisy but blocks it nearly completely without any worry of structural stability. has your experience been any different?
for heating we've been using the big buddy with a grill bottle that will keep the JJ so hot it's unbearable at near freezing as long as you're willing to burn the propane. open bottom of door for CO venting and also windows for fresh O2, and we don't worry about safety anymore either aside from kids touching hot burner on table potentially. you guys have a heat plan?
my wife might prefer a hard side, but for a family of four a teardrop doesn't really cut it without getting really big. what is your family sitch? post up some pics of your ride and must have kids!
Semi-Hex
Enfant Terrible
It's just my woman and I so we have plenty of room. I have a propex heater that does pretty well unless it gets too cold (we don't do cold often). The tent starts to collapse on its hinges around 63 mile per hours gusts in the Mojave desert, we did this twice.
I have to tell you, it we were happy with just fair weather camping we wouldn't think twice about keeping it.
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I've tried to make the pics the right direction but to no avail. I'm sure it's easy to fix.
I have to tell you, it we were happy with just fair weather camping we wouldn't think twice about keeping it.
View attachment 373155
I've tried to make the pics the right direction but to no avail. I'm sure it's easy to fix.
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I can totally hear you about mojave desert winds getting old if you're out there regularly. Where I take this 2 week trip is literally off the mojave road outside laughlin so know what you're talking about. We haven't had any issues with stability but 60mph wind is no joke, hard side teardrop is going to be shaking around like crazy too.
Looks like you've done a bunch of cool mods to your trailer in the pic - do you have a build thread by chance? interested in the stairs, levelers? and how you've got the stock table mounted? giving me some more ideas for improving!
Looks like you've done a bunch of cool mods to your trailer in the pic - do you have a build thread by chance? interested in the stairs, levelers? and how you've got the stock table mounted? giving me some more ideas for improving!
Semi-Hex
Enfant Terrible
Seriously I take my pics with a iPhone and if I could figure out how to make this windows based forum turn them in the right direction, I would have a thread. Last time, I sent the pics to someone who fixed them and sent them back to me.
But yes, I went with a scissor stairway, I cut up that table and mounted a section on the tailgate which is really useful and I did put leveling jacks in. I also lifted it and have matching wheels.
But yes, I went with a scissor stairway, I cut up that table and mounted a section on the tailgate which is really useful and I did put leveling jacks in. I also lifted it and have matching wheels.
get on a real laptop/computer and rotating pictures is easy. not sure what you mean by windows based forum, i dont use windows at all but sometimes have to rotate photos as well from my phone before posting... would love to see a full build thread, leveling jacks and improvements to the table would be interesting for sure!
Semi-Hex
Enfant Terrible
This is the back end of my trailer showing my extra water, stairs and my rear jacks. I also have two backup lights that work by remote control (so I don't blind the person behind me).
This is only part of the table that you get when you buy the trailer. I made it useful for us.
And this is at camp. You can see we have a water pump for our 32 gallon water tank, matching wheels and the leveling jacks are doing their job.
It is eight inches taller now but still very bottom heavy.
I'm on my mac now and the pics are better behaved.
Very cool setup indeed - the levelers are attached to the wings and not the fixed frame it looks like. just to give the sleeping platforms more stability? they can't really level the whole tent with the pivot point in between.
Got another pack of that gator skids tape off amazon and put some around the front of the JJ where the table fits in, I can't believe how much quieter that is now. I actually think that is where the 99% of the clatter was coming from, $20 well spent in my book.
Getting ready to head out to the Mojave saturday morning for 14 days - woot!
Got another pack of that gator skids tape off amazon and put some around the front of the JJ where the table fits in, I can't believe how much quieter that is now. I actually think that is where the 99% of the clatter was coming from, $20 well spent in my book.
Getting ready to head out to the Mojave saturday morning for 14 days - woot!