What makes an XJ an "expedition" XJ?

[yossarian19]

This may sound like a silly question but I've gotta ask.
After tens of thousands of miles in the XJ and living / camping out of it for 6 months in southern utah I've never found a need for a lift or bigger tires than a 235/75/15. I might step back to a LT / C rated 30" tire like I used to run but I also might not. Bigger tires = more repairs or *lots* of money spent in axles to keep from breaking parts.
So, aside from a CB radio, OBA & maybe a mini fridge - what really gets used in your expo-Jeep?

 

[SSF556]

Bigger tires do not always mean more repairs or lots of money spent.....I went to a 32" tire on my Grand Cherokee and it is not breaking axles.

Expedition in todays world, especially in the USA, is a state of mind.

 

[GR8ADV]

For me (although not a jeep) I have a fridge, built in propane, heat exchanger shower, tent facilities, stove, winch, auxillary lighting, large built in water tank, suspension and lift, axe, shovel, new f/r bumper, an air compressor, built in power inverters and a dual battery set up. I have and do use most all of it on a fequent basis.

I know people who have taken trips to Alaska and Central America with none of that. Just depends on what/how/where you do it, I guess.

 

[yossarian19]

Yes, fair point. I probably could run 33s on my xj without breaking anything, though operating costs and performance would take a hit

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jim K in PA]

An "expedition" is a trip, not a vehicle. The vehicle is the means of travel. What makes any vehicle an "expedition" vehicle is the driver and where he/she takes it.

 

[Hilldweller]

What makes an XJ an "expedition" XJ?

A destination.

 

[MtnClimber]

:iagree:

Just make sure the journey is part of the destination.

 

[deniz merdano]

A destination.

This is probably the answer. Having just driven 15000miles through backroads of East,south and west coast USA. I can say that a well maintained 20+mpg XJ is far more useful than any mod. Even with 800lbs of camping and poersonal equipment, we mostly maintained 15+ mpg on a 200.000miles engine!
With the right drive train it took us to the most places we wanted to go. all in all it cost us $1000 in gas. bigger tires lift could have doubled that easily.
our 1996 XJ is prehistoric in comfort standards compared to the other trucks of the same decade. But it is nimble, agile and small enough to fit in tight spots.
All that said, 3" lift with 31" tires would make this truck just about perfect for a DD and expedition vehicle.

 

[reece146]

Umm, yeah. 4.5" lift with 33" tires and towing a ~3000 lb trailer with the four of us in the Jeep saw about 16 mpg on our last trip.

And the unibody didn't fold in half like a taco! Amazing!

 

[88Xj]

Umm, yeah. 4.5" lift with 33" tires and towing a ~3000 lb trailer with the four of us in the Jeep saw about 16 mpg on our last trip.

And the unibody didn't fold in half like a taco! Amazing!

As everyone's said small and simple works. Taking your jeep out and using it is wiser than parking & building it. I've plated y frame front to rear. Did rocker replacement and some other crap, built axles, 3" on 33x10.5s ad its still not finished. I wish I would of done a budget boost and 31s and lockers and had fun instead its a never ending ride it seems now.

 

[Hilldweller]

But you can build them too.
It's all good. It's an XJ.

 

[reece146]

Hills rarely look steep on camera - that must be really steep because it looks it.

 

[yossarian19]

Yeah, I think 2" budget lift and 30s is the sweet spot for low involvement, low buck XJs. Even stock height & on 235s, it has taken me a lot of places where the passengers had a cheap thrill & I had a big dopey grin. A few road trip accessories, a few MPG mods and call it a day.
Sooner or later I'm going to put a build thread up here.

 

[Mekcanix]

I am with the others mine was built to run rocks, took out 2" of lift and its a shorter rocker. I tried to be like all my buddy's and built a rock crawler /DD. now its parked beside garage getting ready for a major rework. I want a adventure Jeep. so I will rework it to do just that and plate it front to back. if i didnt have money tied up in axles, gears, lockers and suspension I would sell it and start over. 2" lift and 31s and drive it all over creation.

 

[DaJudge]

An "expedition" is a trip, not a vehicle. The vehicle is the means of travel. What makes any vehicle an "expedition" vehicle is the driver and where he/she takes it.

This is the answer to the title of this thread!

The answer to the question about what do you use....

Everything! (except the winch..never used that) Even with a 4.5" lift and 33" inch tires (on D30 and C8.25 axles with nothing ever broken) I have dragged the belly pan on ledges! Lockers have seen me up things others in front of and behind me had to winch up. Some of my favorite mods however have been the WJ seats and the cruise control!

That being said...Many times I have wished I had left it at 3.5" of lift and 31" tires! It drove better and got better gas mileage. I think any modification needs to be well thought out. If you are going where you want to go without a lot of mods, leave it alone!