Desert Rigs: Ideas to help keep cool. Share

[chilliwak]

I am really happy that I have found this thread. I have an aluminum canopy, and can say it gets baking:Wow1: hot? It gets hot that it can unbearable to be inside. I was thinking of painting the roof, but how does the products mentioned in this thread adhere to aluminum? Please post experience and any other comments you wish to add. Cheers, Chilli.

 

[88Xj]

To get it to adhere the best, I would obviously wash first with soapy water. Then sand lightly, maybe 150-200grit...not doing a 100% job, just roughing it up a wee bit. Then wipe down with rubbing alcohol or mineral spirits..rubbing alcohol is cheap when you can get 3 for 99cents at the dolor store

Anyway wipe it up real good..just buy some throw away terry cloth towels to wipe it down. Then paint away. A light sand, a good wipe with alcohol or mineral spirits & then paint. Easy peasy!

 

[Zam15]

Solar panels or a RTT will also keep the direct sunlight off the cab and keep the temps down. :costumed-smiley-007 I have also cut sun shades for every window.

 

[Revco]

Lizard Skin is your friend. I've applied about 50 gallons of the stuff in various customer cars over the years. I love it.

If you want something to stick to aluminum...use aluminum primer and paint as an adhesion promoter. Scuff the paint, then apply the Lizard Skin, or sticky insulation stuff of your choice. Any local paint supplier should have the primer & paint for aluminum. Any real sign shop could also get it for you...not the decal sign shops, but the real sign fab shops that create signs. 95% of commerical signs are bare aluminum that has been welded, sanded, primed, and painted.

 

[FellowTraveler]

While this thread is focused on the vehicle I'd like to bring to everyone (s) attention black colored sun screen used by growers its available in different % of screening w/90% being best in any hot or tropical environment. This product is used as a canopy and is better than any solid fabric when layered w/airspace you get 20+ degree F difference under it way better than the old parachute canopy trick. Black is the best performer and stays cool to the touch because of air flow through fabric.

Other uses are covering windows, headlights and the like for military and contractor vehicles to eliminate light reflection off those objects, it works like the ARD on weapons scopes, binoculars etc...................................:ylsmoke:

 

[Yudda]

Check Tom Sheppards solution.... He is considered the authority on Desert expeditions.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...eppard-and-his-G-Wagen?highlight=Tom+sheppard

For the past month here in the middle east, I've been daily driving my 110 with a broken a/c.

We've had record high temps and it's been fine....yes hot...but doable. The fresh air vents are a godsend.
http://www.d-90.com/mod/vent_seal/index.html

Hope it helps.

 

[FellowTraveler]

Check Tom Sheppards solution.... He is considered the authority on Desert expeditions.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...eppard-and-his-G-Wagen?highlight=Tom+sheppard

For the past month here in the middle east, I've been daily driving my 110 with a broken a/c.

We've had record high temps and it's been fine....yes hot...but doable. The fresh air vents are a godsend.
http://www.d-90.com/mod/vent_seal/index.html

Hope it helps.

Nice job on those vents, the expanded screens are of similar construction as my homemade radiator grille.

 

[Yudda]

Those arent my pics, but all older defenders have them.
in fact on that linked page he mentions those inserts are from a earlier land rover.

also like Mr Sheppard you can install one on your vehicle.
http://www.iwsti.com/forums/pictures-photography/165975-jdm-spec-c-roof-vent.html

i guess they are big with the rally crowd. that would mean quality components or kits should be available.

 

[Yudda]

Glad you mentioned shade cloth.

90% of the people here use shade cloth instead of canvas or poly.
When I first got here I was searching for a canvas tarp and no one knew where to buy one...then
After a few trips I saw that everyone used agricultural shade cloth in black like you posted.

Great stuff...cooler and much lighter / bulky than canvas.

 

[Ace Brown]

Look to truck supply sources for simple and reliable vents. We used to instal them in older Jeeps that had zero insulation. They would go into the sides about where the Jeep logo sits and brought in plenty of fresh air to cool the hot floorboards. One nice feature was they could be opened/closed with your foot. They are weather tight and could be mounted on any flat surface. They used to be very common on big trucks but now with AC not sure. Another excellent source for vents is marine suppliers. Because sailboats don't generate a lot of wind venting is required and there are many solutions available. One I've always wanted to instal is the solar powered round vents. They will only help a car sitting in the sun to stay cooler, not much help when moving. Also there are lots of portholes and small hatches that are much better quality and really weather tight compared to what is available in the RV stores. Think of a sailboat being pounded by 15' waves.

I am no engineer but the question of flat versus gloss paint seems simple enough: which finish reflects more light and heat? Glossy.

I have a ARB roof rack that fully covers the roof with an open mesh. I have often pondered how I might add some kind of shading surface without compromising the racks usefulness or adding wind noise or rattles/flapping. You might think that would be available from a company located in Australia.

Speaking of which I discovered a material sold at Lowes called Coolaroo which comes from Australia and is supposed to be a very effective sun block. It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes that could be used to shade a truck bed or other.

Ace

 

[FellowTraveler]

Glad you mentioned shade cloth.

90% of the people here use shade cloth instead of canvas or poly.
When I first got here I was searching for a canvas tarp and no one knew where to buy one...then
After a few trips I saw that everyone used agricultural shade cloth in black like you posted.

Great stuff...cooler and much lighter / bulky than canvas.

Yep, don't see too many here using it but I swear by it.

 

[FellowTraveler]

Speaking of which I discovered a material sold at Lowes called Coolaroo which comes from Australia and is supposed to be a very effective sun block. It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes that could be used to shade a truck bed or other. Ace

I'd bet it's the sunscreen just marketed under a catchy name, if so, the 95% is best under all conditions.

 

[IdaSHO]

I dont know about other types of sun screen material, but coolaroo is VERY good stuff. It isnt cheap though.

We sell it at my work, and also use it to cover our 30k square feet of lawn and garden center at work. We have at least 6 years of use out of the stuff that is up right now, with no signs of degradation.

Previously we had to replace the material every 2-3 years.

 

[Xtreme XJ]

Some don't have a/c, some delete it for OnBoardAir. Honetly I have it & it works. But when out eploring it waste more gas..which you can only carry so much of. & I'll also be converting it to OBA.
But also just general modifications as well...you won't be running your a/c thorugh the night, so having mods that reflect heat, or vent air, or tint windows/shade to block light/heat & pearing eyes. The mods will not only help while you run your a/c but most importantly help whle your not running it! QUOTE]

So help me out here... where are you at in So. Cal. or the S.W. that an XJ's fuel tank won't get you back to a gas station ??
You have A/C and you live in the desert, but you'd rather abandon it for OBA ?? why not buy a 5 gal. gas can & call it even... use the air ??
Admittedly there's a large volume of air to cool, but the A/C is fairly efficient at that...

I don't fault you for wanting to keep the XJ as cool & as insulated as possible, but I don't get abandoning the A/C for OBA & MPG... buy a compressor & a 5 gal. can.

I go underground in the summer cause I have no business being out in the desert in 115*(or more) temps.

I'm not trying to be an *** I'm just confused... I live in it.. occasionally work in it & try not to recreate in it until the fall... I've been ALL over the S.W. and one really has to work at being that far out...

Again no offence I'm just confused...

Curt

 

[88Xj]

Well we have taken the jeep out numerous times & its not soo much the distance you go..but once your there you explore & camping trips end up being 3-5 days which is where the issue arises
I've modded my tank to hold an extra 5 gallons of gas already. Look up the gojeep.com write up for it! I can fit 25 gallons in my tank without any spillage! I've topped it up to 26 gallons, but had some spill out, so I just leave it at 25.

On the road unloaded my xj's getting 18/22. Its a 2-3" lift, 31's & 3.55's with a 5speed. When my new, much more efficient 4.2L mini stroker is done, I'd expect maybe 1mpg more everywhere. Offroad that mileage drops to maybe 13 to 14mpg. Add in the a/c and its down to probably 12mpg. So not including the gas used to get to the desired destination...assume I had 25 gallons in my tank when I arrived there! I would get around 300 miles to that tank. Thats also not factoring in the mileage when its loaded down, or has the rack up top ect! Mileage and range is limited when you get down to it..

So yes I'd assume you can get back to forth with carry more jerry cans or what not. But its also more weight & hassle..and if I were to carry extra fuel, I would use it for extended range vs running my A/C. Buying a compressor would work for OBA, but the A/C setup is all ran and ready to go..much easier, cheaper & cleaner usually! To run my a/c would help without a doubt..but even still having done all these mods, & use the a/c stll it would be even cooler still Like when you first hope in your truck after it sitting in a parking lot for hours. Its like a darn oven currently! These mods should knock that temp down some & help keep it cool!
Now I do use my a/c when daily driving or even out in the desert sometimes, but I'm trying to break free of that & make the jeep cooler for when the a/c is actually gone!