Fourth Time is a Charm: 22JTR

[korisu56]

Like many others, I took a hiatus from building Jeeps due to work, kids, etc. I've had an 84 CJ, 93 YJ, and 04 TJ, but finally pulled the trigger on a 2022 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon when we returned from living abroad. It's a dream Jeep for me and I could not be happier with the decision.

My boys (10 and 8) and I just bought our 2022 JTR after returning from living in Japan. Going to take the next few years to build and prepare for retracing the Lewis & Clark Trail.

Vision. Build with my boys (11 and 8) for big trips to teach them how to dream big and start small.

Dream Trips. Lewis & Clark Trail and the Pan American Highway.

Vehicle Info. 2022 JTR, hard top, hitch, automatic. Upgrades/add-ons below:

• RSI Smart Cap EVOa. (ordered 27APR23; received/installed 20JUL23)
• 1Up Bike Rack (MAY23)
• Anvil Overland Dash Bar w/ accessories (MAY23)
• Vector E-Dock Contour & Tablet Mount
• Front Runner Slimline II RSI Smart Capack Kit (ordered 31AUG23; pending delivery)
• OVS Nomadic 4 Extended RTT (ordered 31AUG23; pending delivery)

Priorities.
1. Comms. Currently have cell and Garmin InReach Mini. Looking to go GMRS, HAM, and cell extension (more out of nerding out vs. need).
2. Shelter. Tent camping is fine, but stoked to go RTT.
3. Kitchen. Kids have food allergies, so food storage/preparation is critical to extending trip range.
4. Recovery. I will stay away from harder stuff until we can recover. Kids have food allergies, so comms remains #1.
5. Range extension. Looking at LRA, like most others.

Big Trip Log.
SEP2023. Allegheny NF; Susquehannock State Forest.
AUG2023. Outer Banks, NC

Original.


Current. Full-on adventure locker right now. Picture of trip to Cocoa Beach for SpaceX launch and some surfing.

 

[AggieOE]

Sounds like a great start to getting the family involved! Roof-top tents are great and will probably be super exciting for kids but I would recommend oversizing for comfort and space. That or RTT for kids and ground tent or trailer for adults.

 

[korisu56]

Weekend project to get the Frontrunner Slimline rack and OVS Nomadic 4 installed.

Took the advice to plus up. 4-man tent for us three. Couldn’t be happier. Break in run scheduled for two weeks.

 

[AggieOE]

Man this would have been so cool as a kid!

 

[korisu56]

Been a while. Lots of life happening with hard work and another move. Still made some time for smaller updates on the Jeep and some trips!

My oldest and I spent the coldest night of our lives on Flagpole Knob, VA for Presidents Day:







Learned alot about diesel heaters, campsite locations, and securing the hose that night, but it was an amazing experience.

Then in May, the whole family went to Susquehannock State Forest for Memorial Day. My wife came out since the weather was much nicer.



At the end of June, we had a cool experience taking the Autotrain from Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL as part of our move. The jeep has officially gone by rail now. No good photos of the Jeep going on/off or secured in the car, but I caught a glimpse of the bike rack before they shut the rail cars.



I've also added some RokBlokz mudflaps and the Blue Ridge Overland Attic for the back seat. Both are definitely quality of life updates and I'll grab some photos.

 

[korisu56]

Finally have power in the bed! I followed this YouTube episode for inspiration and a parts list. I would not say that the video accurately reflects the effort needed to make the panel fit in the hole (cutting required), but that's probably more of a "me" problem than the content creator.

At any rate, I'm stoked to have some power for my SUP pump, odd and end item charging, and a cool little DIY feeling.

 

[korisu56]

A roller coaster of emotions the last couple of days. I saved up for the Joolca Mounted Single Ensuite because I thought it looked the cleanest and we'll be using it a lot outside of overland/road trips as we love the beach/surfing/SUP/etc. The ensuite arrived with a damaged box; no issues since nothing was missing. Then I open it up and the mounting frame is gouged up near where the arms are mounted to the plate.

There was a hole in the box, but I think this is more important.


I contacted customer service to ensure that the damage is superficial only, won't affect functions, or won't affect the warranty. To their credit, Joolca refunded $30USD for the damaged product and said I was still good for the warranty. At this point, I'm still stoked to be in the game. Then I installed it with the Front Runner Quick Release Awning Mount Kit. The blemishes continued, including a spot of concern about the stitching on the front door of the shower.



Surprisingly more helpful than the dog.


Quick releases (QRs) ready to go. Was not stoked to undo rack bolts, but thankfully they all came undone without issue. Highlighted the need to do some maintenance.


Had to remove and reverse install the bolts shown at center here so they wouldn't interfere with the QR.



Blemishes:






I was fine with the blemishes, though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little perturbed. I'd rather I scuff/scratch/damage my setup myself, with each mark having a story behind it rather than "oh, I bought it full price like this" haha. Then when I went to stow the ensuite for the first time, the upper expanding bar punched holes into both sides of the ensuite. So frustrating.





I've got a customer service inquiry in on the same thread from the delivery issue. I'll update it. Otherwise, I'm stoked to have a place to rinse off and change clothes after my next SUP adventure.

 

[korisu56]

Update: Holy smokes, the customer service is amazing. Was in a text conversation from the initial issue, sent some photos of everything going on, and they are sending a new travel case and tent. Working with Joolca has been amazing and they've earned me as a loyal customer moving forward. Love it when a company does right, and even happier to throw more money their way as I continue building out.

 

[korisu56]

Finally got around to installing my fire extinguisher after months of it sitting under the backseat in a box. Nothing like a hurricane for motivation!

 

[korisu56]

Not part of the build, but I took my youngest out on a section of the Florida Adventure Trail last weekend.

 

[korisu56]

I spent the last few days installing an ARB Bondi bumper and Badlands Apex 12k winch. Pretty stoked to be able to self-recover so I can spend more time on the trail practicing for the Lewis and Clark trail.