Land Rover ideas for Jeeps

[jscherb]

This image was in a recent Instagram post from Exmoor:

The trailer is interesting because of the fenders - the fenders allow the tires to be completely outside of the tub.

Why is it interesting for this thread? Many people make trailers from Jeep tubs, and generally keep the inner fenders, which reduces the space available inside the tub.

When I was making my fiberglass Jeep-tub trailer that became the Dinoot j-series (https://compactcampingstore.com/products/dinoot-j-series-tub-kit) I posed a set of tub parts with several different fender styles. I designed the kit to use Jeep flares on the outside and made molds for fiberglass inner fenders, but at the time I was also thinking that fenders that kept the tires outside of the tub might be a good idea for people who needed to maximize room inside the tub so I made the molds for the side panels without fenderwell cutouts.

This photo shows a trailer with traditional Jeep flares and inner fenders and a set of kit parts on the driveway with external fenders similar to the ones in the Exmoor photo above except that these fenders are wide enough to cover typical Jeep tires instead of the skinny ones in the Exmoor photo:

Fenders like this could be very useful for a cargo trailer designed for maximum interior volume, or a camper like this teardrop concept:

Worth considering if you're building a Jeep-tub trailer and want to maximize interior space.

 

[Zeep]

Do you ever sleep?

 

[84-4runner]

I built a J-series dinoot trailer a few years ago. I bought the frame plans long before I bought the kit. I
built the frame then order the kit. I thought about doing this to have more payload footage but was too
far along at that point. I built a M-series (M-416) after this and made a few modifications to few up space
inside the tub since they are even more limited. It would be nice if Scott from dinoot would draw up some
frame plans for individuals who don't mind a wider trailer.

 

[jscherb]

In the early days, camping used to be a ground tent and a Coleman stove. Then came roof top tents, then you had to have a fridge. Now maybe a complete kitchen with running water in the back of the Jeep like the MORryde Trail Kitchen. What's next, an oven?

Maybe so, this was in a recent issue of Land Rover Owner:

In the December issue is an article about a Disco 3 with a slightly smaller oven than the one above. He's removed the third row seats and replaced it with a bulkhead that includes a second battery (for the oven and fridge), a dual battery charge controller, solar controller and a 2000kw inverter.

That oven is here: https://fourby.co.uk/epages/950004277.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950004277/Products/oven

Mmmm... fresh baked pies at the camp site?

What's next after that, electric remote control roof top tents? Maybe...

 

[Jurfie]

Geez, we’re all getting soft.

 

[rnArmy]

Camping and roughing it are not necessarily the same. I like to be comfortable. Call me soft. Speaking of ovens....

I've got one of these Camp Chef stove/oven combos. It takes up some space, but it is nice when cooking dinner on the stove and making biscuits in the oven below. Mine's a basic one bought probably ten years ago. They're sold at lots of places (they have basic to fancy models now) starting just over $300 for the basic model. It uses the one-pound green propane cylinders (I haven't tried it with a larger propane tank). IMO it is a little too much to carry if you're traveling light and solo, but there were two of us overlanding on this trip in Alaska and we were pulling my little trailer, so we had room. Those are Red Lobster cheddar cheese biscuits (they sell them in the grocery store in ready to mix packets). On the stove is chicken alfredo (from a box mix and a can of chicken). One night on this trip we made pizza on Greek flat bread with it. I like to eat well when camping. An oven opens up so many more possibilities.

Camping Oven | Camp Chef



I've also got one of these little folding Coleman ovens (had it for literally decades - they've been around for ages). It works well too and takes up very little space when folded up (especially compared to the Camp Chef combo unit above). To use it you put it on top of a stove burner. You're looking at around $40 plus/minus. Last time I used it I made blueberry muffins for breakfast while running the TAT. Picture below was taken at home while testing it out on my little one-burner stove. It is very primitive, and you have to watch the temperature while using it (actually, you have to do the same with the one mentioned above too), but it works. Lots of us older folks grew up with their parents cooking with these while camping. Some folks will make a cover out of a welding blanket to use while cooking with this oven to help keep the heat in.

Coleman Camp Oven Stove Topper (midwayusa.com)



Carrying case made from a military surplus bag thingy. It fits nicely in my trailer along with the little gas-one stove pictured above.



I came across this Hike Crew oven/stove combo recently (a new brand for me); haven't seen it in person but it looks pretty cool. Price is $229 - $249 on Amazon; slightly more elsewhere. And it comes with a carrying bag (costs $75 extra for the Camp Chef combo carry bag). They come in black, red, and OD green, and the reviews seemed good. It only runs off a larger propane tank according to what I've read. I carry a five-pound propane tank on my trailer, so that's not an issue. Not that I need another camp oven, but this one seems new on the camp stove/oven combo market - at least I haven't seen it before. Looks to cost a good bit less than the Camp Chef one.

Hike Crew Outdoor 2-in-1 Dual Burner Camping Stove and Oven with Carrying Bag-HC210BWS - The Home Depot



If you've got the space for an oven when camping or overlanding, these larger combo ones are sure nice. Especially when cooking for more than one person. You could possibly leave the stove at home when taking one of these stove/oven combos.

 

[Jurfie]

Camping and roughing it are not necessarily the same. I like to be comfortable. Call me soft.

To be clear, I was referring to the “electric remote control rooftop tent”, not the oven. It really isn’t that much effort to flip a RTT open.

An oven could be handy, though. I would enjoy some warm, freshly baked cookies with ice cream from my freezer whilst camping. ?

 

[jscherb]

In the February 2022 issue of Land Rover Owner there's a travel article that's a better idea for a Jeep than a Land Rover (I only say that because the trip is in the U.S. and there are more Jeeps here than Land Rovers). It's a trip on the Transamerica Trail - a mostly dirt road coast-to-coast route across the U.S.

The trail has an official web site (https://www.transamtrail.com/) and on it one can purchase maps and GPS coordinate lists for the roads/trails used. Seems like a great expedition (or excursion, if you only wanted to do the parts close to you).

It's in a Land Rover magazine and it's definitely a great Land Rover idea for a Jeep. I'm going to research the various segments of the trail with the idea of doing selected segments piecemeal.

 

[Zeep]

That would be something nice to try in retirement!
Definitely, no time for that now.

 

[jscherb]

DIY Pop-top camper

It sure would be nice if factory Wrangler hardtops had separate bolt-on roof panels like Defenders (and my Wrangler Safari Cab hardtops). This DIY camper is featured in the February 2022 issue of Land Rover Monthly:

Since the roof panel unbolts, it's not a huge task to hinge it, support it with some gas struts, sew some canvas sides and fabricate a sealing surface/sleeping platform to bolt between the roof and the side panels. Wouldn't it be nice if the Wrangler hardtop unbolted like that.

It has a complete custom interior...

It's also got portal axles for increased ground clearance:

 

[jscherb]

Today's Land Rover idea for a Jeep - stronger body panels?

In the first photo in my last post, the owner of the featured vehicle is pictured standing on the bonnet (hood) of his Defender. Anyone want to try that with their Wrangler hood? Definitely not me. Photos of people standing or sitting on their Land Rover appear all the time in the magazines, I guess the Land Rover body panels are stronger than Jeep panels.

Almost every issue of both of the Land Rover magazines I subscribe to has one or more photos of people standing or sitting on their Land Rovers.

I stood on my fiberglass flat fenders to test how strong they are but it isn't something I do every day. I definitely wouldn't do this with Jeep factory fenders...

Would be nice if the Jeep factory panels and roof were a bit stronger like the Land Rover panels.

 

[Jim K in PA]

If the intention is to use the body panels as access to the roof, then they need to be designed for that purpose. More strength, however, usually means more weight. I prefer to add hardened points for foot or hand use to access the roof, and not turn the hood and fenders of my LJ into a dance floor.

 

[jscherb]

In the March 2022 issue of Land Rover Owner there's an article about Australia's National Military Vehicle Museum. The article features some photos of some Australian Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment Defenders.

They carry lots of extra fuel. I also like the profile of the soft top on this one, lots of extra headroom room in the back.

Even more fuel on the back.

Putting tools on the hood is fairly common on Land Rovers but not often seen on Jeeps:

I couldn't resist a few photo-edits...

On an LJ.

 

[pith helmet]

I also like the profile of the soft top on this one, lots of extra headroom

Since I really like my Jeep soft top which actually is a little roomier than the hard top, lately I have been wondering About the possibility of a soft top that expands in length and or height like an old pop up camper trailer. Could be a hard sided base with an expandable top, Not just a pop up roof like the Ursa Minor, though, Have you seen anything like that in the LR world?

 

[jscherb]

Since I really like my Jeep soft top which actually is a little roomier than the hard top, lately I have been wondering About the possibility of a soft top that expands in length and or height like an old pop up camper trailer. Could be a hard sided base with an expandable top, Not just a pop up roof like the Ursa Minor, though, Have you seen anything like that in the LR world?

I posted this earlier in this thread (https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/land-rover-ideas-for-jeeps.218029/page-16#post-2840590):

The problem with that idea is that the Jeep's roll bars would restrict how much usable width you'd have in the pop-out.

There was also a few similar Jeep ideas in that post.

Another one I posted early in this thread (https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/land-rover-ideas-for-jeeps.218029/page-5#post-2829242):

I liked that idea so I built one:

Actually I built two - a first prototype sewed using a cheap Harbor Freight tarp, and the version above made with nicer canvas.