Jeep XJ STORAGE!

[hankimus]

I have been building this storage/sleeping platform for a vacation I have been planning to Colorado. I dont have any build pics, just finished pics. I am 5'10 and can sleep on my side no problem. I have a small Mr. Heater propane heater to keep warm, and a window fan to keep air circulating so windows dont frost in the cold. I have enough room to carry a weeks worth of gear/food for snowboarding in the rockies. I plan to cook on my small MSR burner. I also keep spare parts/tools in the back pull out compartment.

 

[Marcie's Disco]

Clever. I like the circulation fan. Have fun with the set up and post up any feedback once you've used it. Keep us posted if you make any changes or improvements.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

I'm curious if you've actually spent a night sleeping on that platform? I think I'd be claustrophobic.

I dig the window fan idea also. :victory:

 

[hankimus]

Well I left Chicago on Monday for Colorado. Spent the night in the jeep Monday night at a truck stop, it's a little tight but not too bad. I arrived tuesday morning and while getting my gear on to snowboard, a local woman happend to see the inside of the jeep. She asked me "do you live in there?" I told her I was planning on it for a few days, she insisted that I stay with her while I was in town. So I did. I have to say, you colordo folk are quite hospitable! The heater works great with the exaust fan, windows barely fog up. I had to put some 1/2 inch foam on the windows where the sleeping bad is, cause the first night my sleeping bag was a bit wet from condensation. I tried that rain-X no fog, waste of money, doesnt work!

 

[Hill Bill E.]

I love the window fan! I spent 2 weeks in CO last Sept, running the mountain passes.

My platform is lower, only 8" above the XJ floor, and I still banged my head on the roof, alot!

For ventilation, I used my Ryobi fan, it runs on the 18V batterys. I recharged the batteries while driving. I like your idea better! Going to build one.

Enjoy CO! It's a great place!

 

[hankimus]

Like I had stated earlier, I am from the flatlands of the midwest. I had a little trouble making in through some of the passes. I have the ax-15 5 speed and a magnaflow exaust with high flow cat, any ideas for a little more power. I was suprised that I had to downshift into 3rd gear as much as I did. Do engines have a "memory" from always driving at low altitudes?

 

[Hill Bill E.]

Do engines have a "memory" from always driving at low altitudes?

Don't know about that, but we always have 'problems' in CO.

My local club runs from MN to Moab every spring, through CO.

Usually have 4-5 XJ's in the mix, and they struggle with some of the passes.

Could also be that we are running 33" tires and the stock 3:55 gears:snorkel:

Last April I took my CJ through. 258CI (4.2L) T4 4 speed and 4:10 gears with 33" tires.

I was down to 2nd gear on some climbs, and even into 1st gear on one long haul west of Denver!

I did have my M416 trailer in tow, but it was crazy!

Even with the fuel injection on the XJ, you can feel the difference in higher elevations, especially coming from the flat MidWest!

 

[JCMatthews]

Like I had stated earlier, I am from the flatlands of the midwest. I had a little trouble making in through some of the passes. I have the ax-15 5 speed and a magnaflow exaust with high flow cat, any ideas for a little more power. I was suprised that I had to downshift into 3rd gear as much as I did. Do engines have a "memory" from always driving at low altitudes?

If you have the AX-15, your stock gears are only 3.07s. I had the same tire, transmission, gear set up on my XJ and struggled just pulling out. If you want to run over Mt. passes, you need to install 4.56 gears. They make it just slightly lower (combined with the tires) than stock. It will run really good, and you will not struggle over Mt. passes, and you'll only have to use 4th. The gear swap was one of the best mods I ever did to my XJ.

 

[Topgun514]

When I took parleys Canyon in Utah moving from SLc to Park City for the summer, I had everything I owned plus my roommates bikes. I had about 1000 lbs of stuff in it and was in 2nd gear on the highway getting passed so fast. Now, I have put in new exhaust, lightened the Jeep a bit, bored TB but added 31's onto the jeep instead of the older 235's. I only use 3rd gear to keep her above 45 on Parleys (I drive like a grandma, 65 is my max speed) and thats typically with the Jeep loaded with skis and people. I bet with my old tires I would cruise in 4th but I can feel the power with the bored TB especially. I am doing a snorkel which supposedly gives some oomph but regearing is in the distant future for me.

 

[codybutz]

Hankimus -

nice platform great ideas. I will have to barrow some when I build my platform. I too am from Chicago and snowboard. where you live by? we'll have to meet up some time to compare jeeps and boards. - Cody

 

[rctr03]

great idea, i really like the fan idea!

jimmy

 

[bldeagle10]

Well I left Chicago on Monday for Colorado. Spent the night in the jeep Monday night at a truck stop, it's a little tight but not too bad. I arrived tuesday morning and while getting my gear on to snowboard, a local woman happend to see the inside of the jeep. She asked me "do you live in there?" I told her I was planning on it for a few days, she insisted that I stay with her while I was in town. So I did. I have to say, you colordo folk are quite hospitable! The heater works great with the exaust fan, windows barely fog up. I had to put some 1/2 inch foam on the windows where the sleeping bad is, cause the first night my sleeping bag was a bit wet from condensation. I tried that rain-X no fog, waste of money, doesnt work!

you know. ive watched alot of movies and documentaries about people traveling the country and even the world, and its always suprised me that when on expeditions as such, people are extremely hospitibal. offering up their homes and cooking hot meals for complete strangers out of pure generosity. it really helps make a trip spectacular. meeting new people and making friends all over the place. its just great.

Like I had stated earlier, I am from the flatlands of the midwest. I had a little trouble making in through some of the passes. I have the ax-15 5 speed and a magnaflow exaust with high flow cat, any ideas for a little more power. I was suprised that I had to downshift into 3rd gear as much as I did. Do engines have a "memory" from always driving at low altitudes?

alot of cars have this issue. at higher elevations the air is thinner, the ecu needs time to basically, reprogram to compensate for the lack of air. a good way to look at this. is if you tune a car to i think, 425hp in colorado. then you take it to the beach in california. it will end up being 500hp cause of the air density changes.
along with regearing and such as needed. your motor runs weaker because of all this not much you can do short of sticking around that elevation long enough for your ecu to adjust. or re tuning lol. hopefully when my xj is all built up it wont have this issue. it will. but i should have enough done that when it looses the hp it ends up being right around stock hp lol

 

[cico7]

I have been building this storage/sleeping platform for a vacation I have been planning to Colorado. I dont have any build pics, just finished pics. I am 5'10 and can sleep on my side no problem....

I like your platform, but I would be rolling off of it. I am liking the rooftop tent idea for camping trips.

 

[scarysharkface]

I like your idea of sleeping above the floor. That has lots of potential. The exhaust fan is nice as well.

John