hpierce301
Adventurer
my fishing xj - this is freeman park, carolina beach nc.
Overland XJs Unite!
- Thread starter OBX Seafari
- Start date
MudderNutter
Adventurer
Nice pic at Freeman! I live in Wilmington, and take my XJ out there all the time. Its a bummer that they upped the price of the season passes this year. I just missed the 50% off deal as well!
Cascade Wanderer
Adventurer
My son has a really well set up 1998 Cherokee: 4.0 liter, automatic, 4.56 gears with air-operated Ox Lockers front and rear, 5" long arm suspension and Fox Shocks. 33x12.50 Mickey Thompson mud terrains (siped for better performance in snow and ice), good LED lights, and a Warn M8000S winch. It really is quite the rig. Very comfortable ride over rough terrain. Sometimes I feel like trading my 2012 JK for it! Bit by bit he's becoming an Overlander kind of guy. Getting enough time off from work is the usual problem. Even if he can't go on big trips, he's out almost every week, no matter what the weather, here in Washington State.
Compressor switch along with the front and rear locker switches:
The four-wheeling, camping and sharing the great outdoors have given us something to share, father and son, even now that he's a big, grown up guy. It's really been a nice thing for us. Took him camping and wheeling in the desert and mountains when he was only two years old, and it apparently stuck.
Regards, CW
Compressor switch along with the front and rear locker switches:
The four-wheeling, camping and sharing the great outdoors have given us something to share, father and son, even now that he's a big, grown up guy. It's really been a nice thing for us. Took him camping and wheeling in the desert and mountains when he was only two years old, and it apparently stuck.
Regards, CW
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
North of The Arches Provincial Park, Portland Creek, NL.
Caribou and the Long Range Mountains in the background.
~~ 51°31'37.7"N 56°08'05.5"W
I won't bore everyone with how massively overbuilt the Jeep is. It works and is mostly worry free but sometimes stuff happens.
I don't know what it is but there is something about this picture that I really like... the "utilitiness" of the Jeep is expressed well maybe. Could just be me.
Caribou and the Long Range Mountains in the background.
~~ 51°31'37.7"N 56°08'05.5"W
I won't bore everyone with how massively overbuilt the Jeep is. It works and is mostly worry free but sometimes stuff happens.
I don't know what it is but there is something about this picture that I really like... the "utilitiness" of the Jeep is expressed well maybe. Could just be me.
Last edited:
iluv83vettes
Adventurer
Do you have a pic with the whole pop-up behind the XJ? I've been thinking of getting one like that.
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
Waiting for the ferry back to the mainland at Port-Aux-Basques, NL.
Not the greatest picture. When we are travelling we seem to not take many pictures of the vehicles used.
For the record, running heavy like this we are pushing 9,000 lbs in GCVW weight (Jeep @ 4200 lbs, trailer @ 3000lbs, balance in gear and cargo). I don't recommend other people do this with an XJ. There's either a bigger truck (UZJ100) or a stroker engine in my future.
Opened:
Last edited:
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
I used to tow a trailer a little smaller than that one with my lifted XJ... totally killed my rear leafs in 2 years. Now I tow the camp trailer with the 2005 Grand Cherokee (5.7L Hemi) and it is like it is not there.
Leafs nearly toast...
GC = Much Better (before I had the rear airbags in the coils).
Leafs nearly toast...
GC = Much Better (before I had the rear airbags in the coils).
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
I've been pretty lucky with the leaves I guess. I lifted the Jeep with these springs in ~2008 and we got the trailer in 2009 IIRC. I've got maybe 20k kms on the trailer at this point and the leaves are still fine. They are Rubicon Express springs... forget which model number. If anything the front RE springs have sagged over the years due to the ARB bar/ winch setup.
The biggest problem I have with the set up is highway towing and in hilly/mountainous terrain. Anything more than about 55 mi/h hour and the aero drag really starts to take hold since the trailer is wider than the Jeep.
It doesn't like steep grades on the coastal mountains but I'm kind of tolerant of that since it is not a regular thing.
In both cases a stroker would fix me right up. Might even get more than the 12 mpg I get when towing heavy like this since the engine wouldn't be working as hard.
Otherwise it tows well but the Jeep empty is over 1000 lbs heavier than stock and it has WJ front brakes and rear disks so the rest of the issues around towing with a XJ are not there in this case.
The biggest problem I have with the set up is highway towing and in hilly/mountainous terrain. Anything more than about 55 mi/h hour and the aero drag really starts to take hold since the trailer is wider than the Jeep.
It doesn't like steep grades on the coastal mountains but I'm kind of tolerant of that since it is not a regular thing.
In both cases a stroker would fix me right up. Might even get more than the 12 mpg I get when towing heavy like this since the engine wouldn't be working as hard.
Otherwise it tows well but the Jeep empty is over 1000 lbs heavier than stock and it has WJ front brakes and rear disks so the rest of the issues around towing with a XJ are not there in this case.
Last edited:
hpierce301
Adventurer
since we're talking pop ups and XJs, i'll add mine photos. my camper is not as heavy as others here, and it towed fine, but the XJ isn't the most comfortable ride for the 5 hours it took us to get to Hatteras on this visit.
and if one is considering a pop up, i'd recommend some towing mirrors. my camper is also wider that my jeep
and if one is considering a pop up, i'd recommend some towing mirrors. my camper is also wider that my jeep
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
I really need to get some towing mirrors. I've stopped into a few places to buy them but every set I've seen have been very chintzy looking. I wasn't confident they would either stay on or vibrate so much that they'd be useless. What brand are the ones that you have? You are happy with them? How do they attach?
Comfort is a factor. Our road trip this past summer saw us doing 10-12+ hour stints of driving. There was lots of stopping for fuel so that helped. I'm fine in the driver's seat but my wife doesn't like the Jeep seat very well (bad back) and my boys are just on the cusp of being too big for the rear bench. It's not the most comfortable vehicle for long trips. It's part of the debate to either stick with the machine (add WJ seats) or move on to something else and use this Jeep for trail riding in the local area exclusively and/or as a winter beater.
Comfort is a factor. Our road trip this past summer saw us doing 10-12+ hour stints of driving. There was lots of stopping for fuel so that helped. I'm fine in the driver's seat but my wife doesn't like the Jeep seat very well (bad back) and my boys are just on the cusp of being too big for the rear bench. It's not the most comfortable vehicle for long trips. It's part of the debate to either stick with the machine (add WJ seats) or move on to something else and use this Jeep for trail riding in the local area exclusively and/or as a winter beater.
Last edited:
Colorado_Outback
Adventurer
Here's my old setup. I had it scaled at 2500lbs loaded, it was fun but definitely some white knuckle moments. I have since gotten a Chevy to put the camper in and pull the jeep.
Before the spring over..
Before the spring over..
hpierce301
Adventurer
http://www.autoanything.com/mirrors/77A2990A2343075.aspx they vibrate, but are better than nothing. i try to stay out of the left lane. be passed instead of passing anyone.
and i'd love to have WJ seats in my ride. it's on the list of mods. one day.
Last edited:
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
Yeah I like those mirrors too.
I have some, but they are only OK. They vibrate a lot, and attach with rubber straps. I dont need them with the WK because it is a lot wider than the XJ is. Those mirrors look pretty slick hpierce301.
I have some, but they are only OK. They vibrate a lot, and attach with rubber straps. I dont need them with the WK because it is a lot wider than the XJ is. Those mirrors look pretty slick hpierce301.
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
I really like that slide in... gives me an idea for a toy hauler behind the MJ if I ever get around to finishing it.
What make/model is that slide in? Was it 2500lbs with the trailer or just the slide in itself?
What make/model is that slide in? Was it 2500lbs with the trailer or just the slide in itself?
Colorado_Outback
Adventurer
The camper is a Mitchell, made here in my home state of Colorado. Its a bit of a mystery what this camper was made for, it was built in 88, 7'6"long. Its too short to clear the cab in my 94 Chevy, and much narrower than it would need to be. Had to be made for a mid size of some kind. I looked long and hard for this camper, its hard to find smaller hard siders that don't cost a fortune.
It weighed in at 2380 with the jack down. The tag says its just over 1000lbs dry, the trailer tag lists at 890lbs I rounded it up to 2500 because I was missing the beer and food coolers, both I could easily lift in the camper myself. Every thing else you would need for a week of fun in the Colorado sun was in there.
Ultimately I decided to go with a bigger truck because it felt like I was pushing the XJ too hard even though the weights were in line. I'm sure if I lived in a flatter area it would be just fine, but traversing steep grades here in the Colorado mountains just wasn't my cup o tea.
Going to trade the 6x10 the camper was on for a car hauler to put the XJ on this spring.
