trying to work out how to Jeep camp with my 5 year old and 8 month old
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ZONE ZERO
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Ghetto Fab.
Member
I'm pretty much in the same boat with two boys that are now 8 and 8.5yrs old.
You can do the trailer thing if your not going that hard or plan to base camp somewhere. If your going to really wheel though, the trailer can become a large liability on the trail. I remember a friend borrowed another acquaintances camp trailer. Half way through the trail, the trailer started getting caught on every rock and bending the end of the trailer axle. We would straighten it out with a winch, go another few hundred feet and half to stop again to re-straighten it. The problem with a trailer is the wheels aren't driven, so every time you come up against a sizeable rock, its just a huge wheel chock your pulling against. Ideally you'd put the largest narrowest tires you can find on the trailer. I have seen a trailer that was super small and basically a skid with small wheels on it. It pretty much slid over everything and was small and light enough that you could just pick it up and move it if needed. It got just enough stuff out of the vehicle to make packing easier.
I don't wheel a jeep. Nothing against them, I have access to several at work and I do like them. I would love to have one as I think the family would be much more comfortable in something newer that wasn't cobbled together. I'm not buying one though as I know they simply don't have the storage space my current 4runner has. Its not even close. I've considered a gladiator as it does have the space, I'm just not sure how I would pack the bed, its realllllly long for what I do, and I can't make it work out financially without giving up a lot, but its tempting.
What I do have is 1994 4runner. I didn't pick it specifically, its a long story how I got there, but it works, has 4 doors and oddly more storage space than even new 4runners. I've been doing a lot of research on this over the years looking for something newer, more comfortable, more power, but can't find anything better than my cobbled together 4runner. The 4runner is the smallest thing with the most space. It seems that back when SUVs were more based on actual truck platforms they all had close to 44-45cuft of cargo space in the back. As newer versions came out, invariably the wheelbases grew (104" back then to 116" now) and so did the seating areas, but the cargo space oddly enough took a hit. Most newer SUVs(JKU, JLU, Grands, Patriot, Compass, Durangos, 4th gen+ 4runners, land cruisers, explorers) all have less space, usually 39-40cuft or less, some have less than 30cuft. If you want more space you basically need to go up to a tahoe, sequoia, or expedition, or deal with the 130-140" wheel bases of the 4dr pickup world.
You can do a few things to help on trips.
Take shorter trips. Seems obvious, but shorter trips require less stuff. You just need to resist the urge to bring more food, drinks and clothing than you need. If we are packing a family of 4 out of my 4runner for a trip in the sierras we only plan for a 4 day trip. If we want to take a longer road trip we take the big crew cab dodge and don't plan to do much wheeling.
On a 4 day trip, we only carry enough food for 5 days, same with clothing. Only take what's necessary. I guess somewhat luckily, but all the fire restrictions in the sierras these past few years means we can only cook on a propane stove, so no need bring the BBQ stuff anymore. You really need to prep the significant other on the less is more mentality, then make sure the kids have a decent limit of toys to bring. I try to keep anything out of the back seats so the kids have some space and that is where all there toys, blankies and stuffies for them go. That way they have them for the drive and it limits what they can bring.
Get a portable fridge. Besides being more convenient, I don't have to pack extra ice and I don't have to keep all the drinks in the cooler from the get-go. I only have a few drinks in the cooler as I need them, the rest is food.
Get some stacking totes to keep stuff in and organized. Besides keeping stuff organized and contained, you might just realize you don't need half the things your carrying if you can find what you need when you need it.
Build a shelf in the back. I actually just made a homebrew fridge slide to make the fridge more accessible, but I then added a shelf on top and its a great help. I try to keep all the light stuff like clothes and bedding up top and the heavy stuff like cooking stuff, food, tent, air mattresses down below. What's even better is when your taking the tent down, you now have the storage space to actually pack away the bedding and clothes instead of having to stick them somewhere temporarily till your done with the rest of your heavy stuff. It also makes getting to lunch stuff or snacks for the kiddos on the trial easier. No need to unpack everything to get the fridge out.
Get or make a roof rack for the top. I converted my old jeep buggy rack to fit the 4runner. Once again I try to stick all the light stuff up top. It gets the chairs, sleeping bags and a few other things out of the back. Whatever you put up there will depend on the weather of course. I may try to pack an inflatable boat on top of ours this summer and I need to figure out how to get the kids fishing poles up there.
Anything you can do get spare parts or tools out of the back will help. I normally carry an air compressor in a bag in the back. It takes up some space like that. I'd like to permanently mount it under the hood or somewhere to get it out of the back.
Sorry for the wall of text. These are just my thoughts and observations from wheeling the past 20yrs and having a family this past 8. While I wheel a 4runner, the challenges are the same no matter what platform. In any case, the most important thing is to just get out there. Maybe you have to car camp in campgrounds for awhile, but at least you'll be doing something and not sitting at home. Eventually the kiddos grow up. Make some memories now with them while you can!
Kevin
You can do the trailer thing if your not going that hard or plan to base camp somewhere. If your going to really wheel though, the trailer can become a large liability on the trail. I remember a friend borrowed another acquaintances camp trailer. Half way through the trail, the trailer started getting caught on every rock and bending the end of the trailer axle. We would straighten it out with a winch, go another few hundred feet and half to stop again to re-straighten it. The problem with a trailer is the wheels aren't driven, so every time you come up against a sizeable rock, its just a huge wheel chock your pulling against. Ideally you'd put the largest narrowest tires you can find on the trailer. I have seen a trailer that was super small and basically a skid with small wheels on it. It pretty much slid over everything and was small and light enough that you could just pick it up and move it if needed. It got just enough stuff out of the vehicle to make packing easier.
I don't wheel a jeep. Nothing against them, I have access to several at work and I do like them. I would love to have one as I think the family would be much more comfortable in something newer that wasn't cobbled together. I'm not buying one though as I know they simply don't have the storage space my current 4runner has. Its not even close. I've considered a gladiator as it does have the space, I'm just not sure how I would pack the bed, its realllllly long for what I do, and I can't make it work out financially without giving up a lot, but its tempting.
What I do have is 1994 4runner. I didn't pick it specifically, its a long story how I got there, but it works, has 4 doors and oddly more storage space than even new 4runners. I've been doing a lot of research on this over the years looking for something newer, more comfortable, more power, but can't find anything better than my cobbled together 4runner. The 4runner is the smallest thing with the most space. It seems that back when SUVs were more based on actual truck platforms they all had close to 44-45cuft of cargo space in the back. As newer versions came out, invariably the wheelbases grew (104" back then to 116" now) and so did the seating areas, but the cargo space oddly enough took a hit. Most newer SUVs(JKU, JLU, Grands, Patriot, Compass, Durangos, 4th gen+ 4runners, land cruisers, explorers) all have less space, usually 39-40cuft or less, some have less than 30cuft. If you want more space you basically need to go up to a tahoe, sequoia, or expedition, or deal with the 130-140" wheel bases of the 4dr pickup world.
You can do a few things to help on trips.
Take shorter trips. Seems obvious, but shorter trips require less stuff. You just need to resist the urge to bring more food, drinks and clothing than you need. If we are packing a family of 4 out of my 4runner for a trip in the sierras we only plan for a 4 day trip. If we want to take a longer road trip we take the big crew cab dodge and don't plan to do much wheeling.
On a 4 day trip, we only carry enough food for 5 days, same with clothing. Only take what's necessary. I guess somewhat luckily, but all the fire restrictions in the sierras these past few years means we can only cook on a propane stove, so no need bring the BBQ stuff anymore. You really need to prep the significant other on the less is more mentality, then make sure the kids have a decent limit of toys to bring. I try to keep anything out of the back seats so the kids have some space and that is where all there toys, blankies and stuffies for them go. That way they have them for the drive and it limits what they can bring.
Get a portable fridge. Besides being more convenient, I don't have to pack extra ice and I don't have to keep all the drinks in the cooler from the get-go. I only have a few drinks in the cooler as I need them, the rest is food.
Get some stacking totes to keep stuff in and organized. Besides keeping stuff organized and contained, you might just realize you don't need half the things your carrying if you can find what you need when you need it.
Build a shelf in the back. I actually just made a homebrew fridge slide to make the fridge more accessible, but I then added a shelf on top and its a great help. I try to keep all the light stuff like clothes and bedding up top and the heavy stuff like cooking stuff, food, tent, air mattresses down below. What's even better is when your taking the tent down, you now have the storage space to actually pack away the bedding and clothes instead of having to stick them somewhere temporarily till your done with the rest of your heavy stuff. It also makes getting to lunch stuff or snacks for the kiddos on the trial easier. No need to unpack everything to get the fridge out.
Get or make a roof rack for the top. I converted my old jeep buggy rack to fit the 4runner. Once again I try to stick all the light stuff up top. It gets the chairs, sleeping bags and a few other things out of the back. Whatever you put up there will depend on the weather of course. I may try to pack an inflatable boat on top of ours this summer and I need to figure out how to get the kids fishing poles up there.
Anything you can do get spare parts or tools out of the back will help. I normally carry an air compressor in a bag in the back. It takes up some space like that. I'd like to permanently mount it under the hood or somewhere to get it out of the back.
Sorry for the wall of text. These are just my thoughts and observations from wheeling the past 20yrs and having a family this past 8. While I wheel a 4runner, the challenges are the same no matter what platform. In any case, the most important thing is to just get out there. Maybe you have to car camp in campgrounds for awhile, but at least you'll be doing something and not sitting at home. Eventually the kiddos grow up. Make some memories now with them while you can!
Kevin
ZONE ZERO
Active member
Ghetto fab, your definitely right there’s no way to drag a trailer down the wheeling trails out here in the north east most of the trails are tight for a Jeep tj, body damage is almost always guaranteed . My hard core wheeling days are probably in my past. After I ditched my rotted 4Runner I built a ridiculous camper or as I called it a campulance it was a heavily modified cucv M1010 locked axles 40 inch tires with 2 full size spares 3 fuel tanks queen size bed/ couch with a crib mattress for our first daughter. The cab was gutted and a 60/40 split seat from an f350 went in. full insulation extra heater, solar, 4 batteries, awning, fridge stove, the hole thing Was nuts . it was a damn beast off road and was an Instant conversation starter anywhere I took it. I was lucky I could do 65 on the highway but it didn’t even blink at 3-4 feet of snow or mud we camped all over the north east with it and right before Covid we had planed a trip to Labrador and newfound land. I sold that because we had “covid baby” number 2 on the way. I toyed around with the idea of getting a crew cab square body, dropping the ambulance box on the back adding the cut through doing a front bench and 2 rear buckets. Stick it on 42s and Cummins/nv4500 swapping it.
I smartened up and went back to a Jeep. So here I am . Heading out for a small camping trip the 28th with a broken foot and the wife driving. Should be interesting.
I smartened up and went back to a Jeep. So here I am . Heading out for a small camping trip the 28th with a broken foot and the wife driving. Should be interesting.
ZONE ZERO
Active member
I’m trying to talk my uncle out of his Jeep trailer , he’s had it 40 years for a yard trailer and hasn’t touched it in 10 year it’s just in his barn. I think it has 10 different colors of paint on it but besides the springs and axles it just needs sand blasting and a coat of paint