EarthRoamer XV-JP "Northwest Edition"

[PaulJensen]

Forty-Four...

Forty-Four...

(above) On the priority list, getting the spare tire moved off the roof rack to just forward of the rack, was next...The picture shows the pattern / template that I took to the welder...Below it is the inside the roof part of the mount...

(above) Raw steel gets primed and painted...

(above) It was great to have a dry day...First thing to do up on the roof was to wipe the ice away...Yeah, it's still winter up here...

(above) Tire and cover...You can also see the swing up step that has been worked to how I want it...If the swing arm was more sturdy (I don't think it is needing improvement, it is great) the step width could be wider, but making it wider moves the fulcrum point too far outward for the step to be safe...it would flex a lot...Being narrow like it is, it is firm enough in the right place...You gotta keep in mind, it's to help you get in and out, not an escalator...Some user skill required...

(above) Blank canvas, let's make some mess...

(above) The placement of the mount required for the outer part of the mount to be notched for the roof rib...BTW, the roof is firm and can easily support one or two people walking around up there...Nice job E.R....!!!...

(above) With the flange trimmed and placed, the three holes were drilled for the bolts to go through...

(above) Tire mount slide up from the inside...I used a short block of wood between the bed and the flange to keep it in place while working from the top...It was easy...I used the good stuff to seal the deal...

(above) Flanged, bolted and tightened...

(above) Cleaned up...

(above) Primed again and painted...To accelerate the dry time, I used a heat gun ...

(above) Up the ladder with the tire and slipped in place...

(above) The nuts were wrench tightened beyond finger tight by a few full revolutions, then the nut and thread were taped with electrical tape to keep them from loosening because of vibration..The semi-wet paint on the threads should help that way too...

(above) And it looks like this now...

(above) "That's the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it, uh huh, uh huh..."

(above) With the tire placement resolved, I can now figure out prime placement for the remaining junk that goes up there...(No I don't mean junk, it's just a word I use)...

(above) Back inside, here's a too contrasty view of the back rest in place...

(above) The back cushions fit on the bed when not needed...The 3/4" wood dowels that join the separate cushions together fit in there too...

(above) For the lounger position, just one cushion goes like this....This is a place I could while away a few hours in, no problem...

(above) The tire mount, inside looking up...

(above) A 12 volt power tap was installed here on the top of the curb-side pneumatic ram tube...Oh yeah, the pneumatic system lifted the roof and tire set-up no problem...Something I had concerns about given where the wheel / tire weight was placed...Mike assured me it would be more than fine, and it is...

(above) Sleeping pad in place when not in use...The pad - http://www.moontrail.com/exped-megamat-10-lxw.php - is 78" long x 30.3" wide x 'Princess And The Pea' thick...Yeah, roughing it...

(above) Finally (for today) this power tap was installed here on the rear wall of the curb-side, hard against the window...

More tomorrow (after I surf)...

 

[1leglance]

Enjoy the surf Paul....I commend you on the "work/life balance" thing..it really comes through in your quality craftsmanship.

As interesting as all the major build bits were I am actually really enjoying watching your mind at work on the little details, that "devils in the details" phrase comes to mind.

There is a part of me that is wishing this build would just go on forever, but another part of me can't wait to see a trip report by Mike with pics of his "Jensen Coachwork Jeep" out in the wild.

 

[mhiscox]

To save people the trouble of asking . . .

The spare tire:

is a 7.50 x16 Mastercraft Courser Traction MT on a 16" Jeep rim. I found it available online from an ag supply company in Nebraska for about $100.

As you might guess, I got this tire because it is the lightest, narrowest tire available with the same diameter as the 17" Goodyear DuraTracs. I didn't know how big a circumference difference the Wrangler's traction control and ABS systems would tolerate, so it seemed best to match things up. And it has plenty of weight carrying capacity. Hence the purchase.

I know the issues involved in carrying weight on the roof, but I'd been driving around for two years with the tire and more on the roof rack before Paul and I committed to this permanent mounting. It causes no handling problems--here's the one case where all the weight the Jeep is carrying low down becomes a benefit--and the ability to get in and out of the cabin easily is more than worth it. (I would, in fact, travel without a spare before I'd go back to blocking the rear cabin door with a tire carrier. I hated it that much.)

The tire cover is a standard RV piece from Camping World and is important to keep sunlight from deteriorating the tire sidewalls.

 

[bahndo]

Paul-
Nice work on this whole project- truly amazing attention to detail!.
Did you go out to Seaside today? I was headed that way but got sucked into work instead, checked the web cam and cried...

EDIT: I forgot you don't live in PDX, hope the surf was good

 

[Piet]

Ever play with the concept of mounting the tire on the hood? or the front bumper?

 

[mhiscox]

Ever play with the concept of mounting the tire on the hood? or the front bumper?

Yep. Didn't work. Not that the Wrangler's half-vast windshield has much of a view anyway, but you couldn't see well enough to drive safely. (Wasn't even close, really.)

Not to mention issues with raising the thin hood with the heavy tire. All in all, a considerable fail.

 

[alosix]

is a 7.50 x16 Mastercraft Courser Traction MT on a 16" Jeep rim. I found it available online from an ag supply company in Nebraska for about $100.

Dude. Thanks a TON.. I've been looking for something in that size to use on M101 as the XLs on it are getting old. Was fearing I'd have to break down and use something wider on the trailer.

 

[Ford Prefect]

Ever play with the concept of mounting the tire on the hood? or the front bumper?

Yep. Didn't work. Not that the Wrangler's half-vast windshield has much of a view anyway, but you couldn't see well enough to drive safely. (Wasn't even close, really.)

You know, it would also be a bad idea for driving around IMHO, but I think it would be interesting to see it mounted over the rear driver's side tire like they did with the old jeeps. It would amuse.

 

[Sheep Shagger]

I know the issues involved in carrying weight on the roof, but I'd been driving around for two years with the tire and more on the roof rack before Paul and I committed to this permanent mounting. It causes no handling problems--here's the one case where all the weight the Jeep is carrying low down becomes a benefit--and the ability to get in and out of the cabin easily is more than worth it. (I would, in fact, travel without a spare before I'd go back to blocking the rear cabin door with a tire carrier. I hated it that much.)

The tire cover is a standard RV piece from Camping World and is important to keep sunlight from deteriorating the tire sidewalls.

I wouldn't worry much about the weight of the wheel/tire up there, I'd be more concerned with over tightening the bolts that keep the wheel on. Just a small amount of overtightened pressure and while driving you may put too much stress on the top and crack the gell coat (or how ever that top is made). Then with the constant tire pressure changes from just leaving it up there, I think those bolts will be loose / tight etc. Is their any chance you could run another bolt under the wheel, so you're kind-a setting the height of the wheel on the stud, then when you tighten the nut you're just clamping the wheel between two nuts rather than forcing it onto the roof? You may need to machine a cone on the new nut as to not damage the wheel face though.

 

[PaulJensen]

Will do...

 

[PaulJensen]

Forty-Five...

Forty-Five...

(above) One thing that's been bugging me is that there isn't a single, simple shut-off for the rear cabin electrical...The pilot lights on the gauges and switches now stay on all the time and wear on the system (albeit a burly one) slowly...Also, I'm not of the opinion that all that electrical stuff is failsafe, and having the option of shutting it down when not needed is a good thing...It just makes sense...So this is where that switch will go...

(above) A simple, less than $6.00 battery disconnect switch...

(above) As always, modification is needed to get things to fit...

(above) ...and it does...Not an easy install, but again, what has been...

Note on the quick connect LPG: It is in a great place if you want to hook up a Zodi portable outside shower or to connect a gas fired BBQ...Nice to have options...

(above) Good location + easy to use = worth the hassle of installation...

 

[PaulJensen]

Forty-Six...

Forty-Six...

(above) The ceiling...The existing one had bolts for the roof rack extending in, and the adhesive from the previous ceiling was dried hard and un-removable without grinding...The clearance I have with the fold-out bed is pretty tight, so to work over the existing surface I added the silver foam and added plywood furring strips around the perimeter and one across the center...

(above) Into the plywood are Tee-nuts to add attachment points to hang things...

(above) The roof is a fiberglass/foam/fiberglass sandwich, that has good enough insulating values...The foam and plywood are there primarily for adhering the 1/8" plywood to...

(above) I need to open up the plywood for access to the tee-nuts so I made a "story board" to lay-out their locations...Keep the measuring to a minimum...

(above) Another plywood story board for the lengthwise...

(above) Ready to drill and cut out the notches for the roof lifters...

(above) Over the cheap plywood will be veneer and veneer thin copper...Helping with the ceiling is my good friend and artist, Mike Cummins...

(above) Mike lays out a "rising sun" pattern on the ply...

(above) ...and then the horizon...

More on this later...

 

[PaulJensen]

Forty-Seven...

Forty-Seven...

(above) "Sand Ladders" ...There's a pair that need to come along for the ride...The options for where to store them were focused on the roof rack area...The best place for these seldom used, but nice to have when you do need them, is a place that will not limit storage of other things so I decided to locate them under the roof rack...

(above) But the racks were an inch too low...So I made some vertical spacers...I cut a few on the tablesaw until the windstorm we had yesterday knocked out the power...So I made a simple, nail together, jig for cutting the electrical conduit connectors to length...

(above) Ready to install...The washers keep the spacers centered on the bolts...I unbolted the rack and slipped these between the rack and the rubber mounting studs...

(above) Ready to go up...The industrial strength 36" nylon ties will hold the tracks tight to the bottom of the rack and off the roof...

(above) Track #1 slipped in place...

(above) #2 in place and both tied to the rack bottom...

(above) Perfect fit in the most unused space on the roof...

(above) And how it looks from on top...

I left the roof lifted while doing this work and was up and down on it for a couple hours...I climbed onto the rack and worked from there with the roof up and I can say I was surprised that the pneumatic rams that lift/hold the roof up, never moved...Close to bombproof I'm sayin'...

You can also see on the far side that the shovel / ax holder is now bolted directly to the rack...It used to be "clamshell clamped" to the rack...

(above) Test fit for carrying a paddle for the paddleboard... Succeed...

(above) I'm going to add tie-down bolts up here, onto the oval bracket up front...

(above) Like these but with longer threads to get through the roof to the ceiling...

(above) Next, I installed the mount for the touchscreen mobile computer...

(above) To get the power base to fit the mount, I cut and modified it...

(above) From the driver's seat...

(above) It's all very tight in there and this location offers safe visibility of the road and easy to use positioning...It swings out of the way and disconnects in seconds, nice features when you don't want it there...

 

[1leglance]

oh that roof panel is going to really be cool!
Please have another project lined up Paul because I don't think coming to Expo without a Jensen build will be near as fun

 

[PaulJensen]

Forty-Eight...

Forty-Eight...

(above) With hot coffee in hand, I survey the working conditions for the day...

(above) Maybe not the day to work on the rack...

(above) I probably won't go paddle after work today either...

(above) So it's up front in the toasty warm cabin...I removed the tablet computer mount and re-evaluated it's positioning...

(above) After testing out several placement options, this is the best place for the mount...That swing arm thing moved way too much...Too long, too much plastic...So I cut away and discarded everything except for the ball-joint mount...It's similar to a camera tripod head...I cut it to fit around the round bar, then reinforced it with epoxy filling between the plastic molding cavities..."Reduce the flex" is my mantra...

(above) There was a lot of in and out, fit and test, to optimize the purposefulness of the bar...There needs to be an electrical power junction box up there and this is the starting point...

(above) From that, it went to this...The plastic trays that were in the original configuration fit the bar perfectly, but flex a lot (remember my mantra) so it was reinforced underneath like this...Later it was fiberglassed and epoxied...

(above) One of the hard things on my 'To Do' list just got easier...I found power and ground leads for the mirror electrical connection...Whew...I was envisioning having to pull the radio to get to these...

(above) With the heater making the interior comfortably warm, I prepped the ceiling for installing the 1/8" plywood that will be the underlayment for the rear cabin ceiling...

(above) Plywood fitted and pin nailed in place...Layout lines for the fir / copper / zebrawood ceiling Sharpie'd onto the plywood, then covered with a thin coat of epoxy...Gonna be cool...

(above) The teak floor is subjected to real world conditions...Snow and ice, rain and mud...This isn't just a show pony, it's a work horse...Just wanted to be clear on that...

(above) Behind the driver seat, I installed the fuse panel for the Ham and CB radios, the tablet computer, the rear view camera, the two sets of interior lights (low vision and bright white) and the 12 volt accessory outlet...In the front panel there will also be a single 120 volt outlet fed from the big inverter in back...That's all...

More tomorrow...