2007 Jumping Jack Build
- Thread starter dnellans
- Start date
calicamper
Expedition Leader
I have the baby Jumping jack the original Lifetime tent trailer 4x6 version of the Jumping Jack made by the same Utah shop. My bunks are queen sized so volume wise my rig is similar to the original Jumping Jack. I use the little Buddy Heater occasionally to warm up the tent. Cold mornings or maybe during book reading time before bed. I only need to run it for 5-8 minutes before the tent starts to reach sauna mode.
My only major modification was building a 50cal ammo box 18ahour solar generator bolted to the front of the trailer. Inside I have LED light strips sewn into the privacy curtains with switches. Also a 12v charging station and a rear facing ATV flood light on the bottom of the trailer for backing into dark sites. I have two small 10watt solar panels I set out when camp is setup. Going on 3 yrs with the solar set up works great. Using a small 20am max $30 solar controller mounted in the ammo box
My only major modification was building a 50cal ammo box 18ahour solar generator bolted to the front of the trailer. Inside I have LED light strips sewn into the privacy curtains with switches. Also a 12v charging station and a rear facing ATV flood light on the bottom of the trailer for backing into dark sites. I have two small 10watt solar panels I set out when camp is setup. Going on 3 yrs with the solar set up works great. Using a small 20am max $30 solar controller mounted in the ammo box
calicamper
Expedition Leader
Oh I had to replace the steel wheels with Aluminum due to wobbly wheels after about 4yrs of abuse. The Aluminum wheels have stayed true and look nice. Same tire size. We have really enjoyed the trailer. rei 2inch thick self inflate back packer pads under the stock pad made the bunks nearly as good the bed at home.
tlin
Adventurer
As someone else mentioned, a battery powered CO monitor is your friend....jealous of everyone's JJ's, have been on the fence for a few years now. Please keep the updates coming, fun to read!
Ridgerunner81
New member
Thanks to all who have been posting their mods in here. I've just come across the thread yesterday and am really glad to have found it. Anyone ever mod up a shower set-up? Have some ideas of doing so once I get my JJ, but always like to reinvent the wheel if it's been done well from the start.
Thanks again!!
Thanks again!!
Well after years of looking I am finally biting the bullet. It helps that I am now divorced and have money again lol. Found a nice 2006 JJ local for a pretty good deal and am jumping on it. I am excited and can hardly wait till morning. I already started organizing the garage...I have a LOT there and not much in the house lol. Think it's time to thin my garage a tad...maybe. This hunting season should be much more comfortable with the JJ.
Not sure what my first mod will be. I do need to wire up a 7 pin on my jeep as I only have a 4. The current owner says he is t sure why it has a 7 as it doesn't have brakes or anything. Is that true? If so then I will chop that plug off and rewire it.
Eyeing that foam mod for the top and under the pads. Thinking I will swap out rims and tires too. Never been a fan of trailer tires.
Did I mention I am excited? Lol.
Not sure what my first mod will be. I do need to wire up a 7 pin on my jeep as I only have a 4. The current owner says he is t sure why it has a 7 as it doesn't have brakes or anything. Is that true? If so then I will chop that plug off and rewire it.
Eyeing that foam mod for the top and under the pads. Thinking I will swap out rims and tires too. Never been a fan of trailer tires.
Did I mention I am excited? Lol.
Sounds awesome! I have to admit that the foam pieces to "level" out the bedding seems like an absolute must to me having done months worth of nights in it now. you could probably get by with putting dirty clothes or towels or something else underneeth it, but without those its really a 1 inch bar across your back and legs everything 12 inches or so, might even be worse than my sofa bed! its the one mod i don't think i'd be able to live without. everything else is just icing on the cake.
they all come with 7 pin on them because trailer brakes were an option. you could chop it off or you could just buy a 7->4 adaptor for a couple bucks and be done with it. if you were carrying 2 4x4's on top of it you might actually want trailer brakes, or with a itty bitty car, but behind a tacoma or f-150 class truck its like nothing is there.
if anyone reading this thread needs a pair of the "saftey bars" for 4-wheelers - i've got an set i never intend on using since i'm a dirtbiker. i'll let 'em go for a bottle of wild turkey and shipping =p i might have a few other accessories around that i'm not really using either, i'll have to look.
they all come with 7 pin on them because trailer brakes were an option. you could chop it off or you could just buy a 7->4 adaptor for a couple bucks and be done with it. if you were carrying 2 4x4's on top of it you might actually want trailer brakes, or with a itty bitty car, but behind a tacoma or f-150 class truck its like nothing is there.
if anyone reading this thread needs a pair of the "saftey bars" for 4-wheelers - i've got an set i never intend on using since i'm a dirtbiker. i'll let 'em go for a bottle of wild turkey and shipping =p i might have a few other accessories around that i'm not really using either, i'll have to look.
Well it’s a few months after my hunt trip and solo voyage of the trailer. Sorry minor hijacking about to happen. 
Trailer handled amazingly well. Temps dropped to the 20’s and we even had snow and rain. I cut the 7 pin off and rewired the end especially once I saw the other wires terminate just behind the tongue.
One issue but not really, the two small red marker lights in front of the wheel wells exploded...gravel road and rocks hit them. I doubt I will replace them unless I find something better.
It looks like one hub might need to be repacked but we will see. A project in next few months, jeep repairs and upgrades first.
Overall I am very happy with the trailer. And now...JJ porn. Lol.
Last note, there is a stain on the door of the tent but doesn’t effect function. Not sure what it is either. May try some canvas cleaner but not too concerned.
Trailer handled amazingly well. Temps dropped to the 20’s and we even had snow and rain. I cut the 7 pin off and rewired the end especially once I saw the other wires terminate just behind the tongue.
One issue but not really, the two small red marker lights in front of the wheel wells exploded...gravel road and rocks hit them. I doubt I will replace them unless I find something better.
It looks like one hub might need to be repacked but we will see. A project in next few months, jeep repairs and upgrades first.
Overall I am very happy with the trailer. And now...JJ porn. Lol.
Last note, there is a stain on the door of the tent but doesn’t effect function. Not sure what it is either. May try some canvas cleaner but not too concerned.
love it! that canvas stain is definitely ugly though, is there a matching one on the roof of the tent wehre something leaking into the bag while it was close up? i've had good luck with just resolve carpet cleaner and/or a mixture of just oxyclean in a bucket and a sponge for getting a couple of accidental stains out. that one looks like its pretty set in there however!
how big are your jeep tires? you could potentially match the JJ tires to your jeep so you always have a spare handy. your rims looks suspiciously like the same american racing rims i'm using on my JJ
how big are your jeep tires? you could potentially match the JJ tires to your jeep so you always have a spare handy. your rims looks suspiciously like the same american racing rims i'm using on my JJ
Dnellans thanks for all the great info on the JJ. My husband and I purchased a used one at the end of December. We can’t wait to the weather is warmer so we can spend more time in it.
We’ve already camped in cold weather and though we have a Mr Buddy heater I am too paranoid to run it at night. I’ve looked at digital Carbon monoxide detectors so I can see how fast oxygen is lost, but ultimately with a great sleeping bag I’m more worried about my dogs getting cold than I am myself. Lol!
Questions about cleaning the canvas.......
Have you ever had to clean mildew stains? Do you think the oxyclean would work? Did you have to reseal the tent after cleaning?
The guy we bought ours from got wet on a camping trip and didn’t dry it out when he got home. It doesn’t smell or anything. It’s just ugly to look at. ?
We will post some photos of our JJ later as we make some modifications.
We’ve already camped in cold weather and though we have a Mr Buddy heater I am too paranoid to run it at night. I’ve looked at digital Carbon monoxide detectors so I can see how fast oxygen is lost, but ultimately with a great sleeping bag I’m more worried about my dogs getting cold than I am myself. Lol!
Questions about cleaning the canvas.......
Have you ever had to clean mildew stains? Do you think the oxyclean would work? Did you have to reseal the tent after cleaning?
The guy we bought ours from got wet on a camping trip and didn’t dry it out when he got home. It doesn’t smell or anything. It’s just ugly to look at. ?
We will post some photos of our JJ later as we make some modifications.
My Jks tired are currently 33’s. I had 35’s and loved them but 33’s seem to be a sweet spot of my jeep and mileage/lack of power lol.
Only stain is on the door. Haven’t cleaned it yet but the annoyance of it grows.
Few things I have been debating...in no real order.
1-adding a stabilizer rear jack. There is a spot for one but it is missing.
2-adding a 2” rear hitch for potential extras(light weight items in rack(s) or hoist and gambles for hunting trips
3-replacing jack with a-gram ultimate jack, adding propane rack on tongue and swapping out from box
4-adding jerry can mounts behind the rear wheels
5-maybe adding some water storage under trailer...3” pressurized pvc pipe.
Only stain is on the door. Haven’t cleaned it yet but the annoyance of it grows.
Few things I have been debating...in no real order.
1-adding a stabilizer rear jack. There is a spot for one but it is missing.
2-adding a 2” rear hitch for potential extras(light weight items in rack(s) or hoist and gambles for hunting trips
3-replacing jack with a-gram ultimate jack, adding propane rack on tongue and swapping out from box
4-adding jerry can mounts behind the rear wheels
5-maybe adding some water storage under trailer...3” pressurized pvc pipe.
Patina - I've never cleaned any stains on my tent with more than just a little bit of "Resolve" and a sponge - which I assume is the equiv of oxiclean. I wouldn't hesitate to use oxyclean on canvas... Its canvas after all. http://www.kodiakcanvas.com/care-instructions/ this is sort of the gold standard in canvas tents on the ground, figure the care instructions there for cleaning/waterproofing should work the same on our JJ's.