What would you do to a YJ for a Cross US trip from East to West and back...

[TEC3]

Hey Guys,

I have a 95 YJ Rio Grande(read 2.5) with a Spring over on 31's. Stock Springs need to be replaced as they are badly negatively arched. I have a Super 35 kit with an Auburn E locker. Open front end but I have a Lockrite on the shelf for it this winter.

Mechanically It has 136K, regularly maintained and it does have an SYE on it.

Next June 3 families will be driving out west starting at yellow stone and working our way through ID, UT, CA and CO. We plan on mild to moderate Offroad as much of the trip as possible.

What adjustments, add-ons, etc... would you make before our trip. I am use to building jeeps more for rock crawling and would like advice for setting one up for reliable and "comfortable" as possible.

All suggestions are welcome. I am not new to Jeeps, this is my 12th Jeep most being built to crawl and sold. Going a different route with this one.

Thanks,

Tommy

 

[HAFICON]

Well I had a 95 Rio Grande 2.5L manual hard and soft top anything over two hours was killer on that thing and I was young then. For a cross country in something like that I would make the seats as comfortable as possible, good audio, hard top, full steel doors, sound deading for the floors. That's a start anyway.

 

[SDDiver5]

If you have a built and ready Tundra like your sig says, why not bring that instead? No offense, but, a long trip in a YJ seems awful.

 

[TEC3]

The build and ready tundra is also going. We have 3 families and mine is the largest with a family of 6. I am taking the tundra and my brother and his wife will be in the YJ. I am sure we will be rotating driving though. I do realize what I am asking. A YJ is not high on my list of vehicles to take across country. Just looking for advice from those that have done it or have good ideas.

 

[twiisted71]

I wont repeat the good advice already given: here's a few things off the top of my head to think about between now and June
)
*Sway bays with disconnects. SWB rigs can be squirrely at interstate speeds. This is of extra importance to those not used to driving one daily
*comfy junkyard seats--mine are from a ford windstar, if only 3 people in this rig you may consider a bucket in the rear as well for comfort as well as additional room
*Make sure AC is working
*Hard doors
*Upgraded headlights and LEDs in taillights
*Balance/rotate tires and an alignment
*Check caster after new springs, a wanderer really begins to suck when fighting it day after day!
*If it has cruise control make sure its working
*Is it geared to pull 31s at highway speeds ok?
*Padding on cage. This can be a biggie for people not used to a Jeep!
*Change your fuel filter before heading out if its been a while
*muffler? If you've. Been running around in the woods with a glasspack or a "ricer can" this might be a great time to slip in a true muffler of some sort. I used to go to car shows (6-8 hours each way) with a friend in his jacked up Ram 1500 with straight pipes, after 2 hours I was begging to swap into another vehicle! We only took his truck that one time!

 

[Lucky j]

I have an offroad built Yj with 6" lift and 4,56 gears. When on trips, I put it on 33" mud that I got for cheap insted of my 35 boggers and will do up to 700 hundred miles on a single day. No sway bars, no track bars. But good seats up front.

I just love that thing on and off road. Got the jeep new in 94 and if not to save it from milage and gas price, this would be my daily. No Ac, no floor carpet in summer and hard top only come with the winter cold.

Call my crazy if you want.

Make sure the suspension can take the extra load of passengers and luggage, will remain stable on the road, have good seats ( i upgrade to recliner racing style). A good fonctional roof system.

I still run oem light all around.

You will be good to go.

So how do you like to drive your jeep?

 

[Rubicon4URE]

You definatley want to add sound deading material, hard doors, AC, i agree yes a quiet muffler! I once took a 6 hour round trip in a 88 YJ with a glass pack that was right under the passenger side, holes in the floor with no carpet or soundeading material, no AC, i did have a hard top with full steel doors and a good radio that helped. With 2 guys and packed to the roof with stuff it was super hot in there with no AC! I had 32 km2s and they did fine with a 4 cylinder on the highway.

 

[haven]

If you value your hearing, ear plugs for everyone onboard.

 

[SSF556]

Avis

 

[Idahoan]

Sounds like the theme is replace it with a new JK. I had a 95 and thought it was pretty comfortable... Having grown up in CJs. I'd change the oil, do an alignment and hit the road.

 

[jaxyaks]

If it's not a wanderer, turn the radio up, sit back and enjoy...I always get a kick out of people saying that you can't travel cross country or far in anything less that a JK...people have been traveling cross country on motorcycles, surely you can enjoy the yj. I've owned a yj, and TJ and have a CJ now, I personally liked the ride and room of the YJ better, I've also rode cross country on a triumph scrambler. Just make sure all those going to get around to fixing are taken care of, fluids topped off and enjoy the ride.

 

[aluke0510]

I took my old YJ on a couple 2000 mile drives several years back. It did just fine.

Best advice is reducing fatigue in the cabin. Main source of fatigue is noise and wind. A sound deadening foam insulation on the floor followed by carpet (carpet is really just there to keep your feet from tearing up the foam). Make sure it is so you can easily peal it up to let it air and dry out if you get some water in there... If you can crawl in there and take some time then put a separate piece of the sound insulation on the inside of the firewall. It takes some time but well worth it. Best if you can keep the windows up as well; while they seem nice to have the fresh air it is a huge fatigue source.

I have a CJ now and I put in an inline marine bilge fan that draws fresh air from the cowl vent and has louvers that can blow onto driver/passenger face or legs. I also integrated into it the ability to run it as an evaporative cooler using the water pads from these guys (http://swampy.net) Lower noise and still get plenty of fresh air. When temps creep up rather than lowering the window I use it as an evaporative cooler and also place a damp towel around my neck and over my shoulders. Survived my first summer here in Phoenix that way with no AC and my Jeep is black.

Minor things to ponder for long trips:
Also making sure the alignment is all right, the steering wheel is centred, and a hydration bladder so you can have hands free water. One thing I want to do also on mine is add another set of visors to the roll cage to cover the side windows (you should be able to do that to a YJ also by screwing them into that bar between the window fame and roll bar). And add that 4" of window tint at the top of the front window. Driving into the sun is a killer and side protection is missing on our Jeeps.

Otherwise polarised sunglasses and ear plugs are pretty handy personal items.

Edit: Another personal item I like is fingerless leather gloves for driving. You can buy standard leather gloves and cut the fingers off then sew up the ends so they don't unravel to go on the cheap. Or look at mountain bike gloves or aid climbing gloves (rock climbing but on big walls), better breathability and padding.

 

[Kevin108]

Check tire pressures and fluid levels. Despite access to professional tools, I do most of my work with the tools I travel with so, should the situation arise, I know how to work with what I have on board. It also helps me know what additions to make to my tool kit. I carry a spare crank position sensor, cam position sensor, fuel pump, 2 sizes of u-joints, and a serpentine belt. JB Weld, a ViAir compressor, a collection of fuses and relays, a tire plug kit, and some other odds and ends round out my goods. CB radios or FRS handhelds so all the vehicles in your troop can talk with one another are nice for long trips.

 

[playhard]

I agree completely with aluke0510. I have lived out of my yj or a friend's cj during week long trips several times. Fatigue is my biggest problem. If there is any question about the frontend, take it to the shop for a balance, alignment and tie rod end inspection. A good pair of junk yard seats are money well spent. My yj as Sunfire seat. Some of those 12v fans that you can find at truck stops would be on my list if you don't have A/C. The more wind and noise you can cut down the better. On my yj, headlight replacement was a must. I could hold a flashlight out the window and get more light than my stock headlights. I used an IPF replace light if I recall correctly. I also grease or replace rear drive shaft u-joints. Then of course, change all fluids and grease anything that moves. It's always easier to work on it at home than on the side of the road.

 

[Lucky j]

IMO having the top on create more noise and fatigue than going topless. And you do not ear road noise as much and do not suffer from engine heat. I do have a web shade over the roll bar for sun protection. But all depend if you will be driving in the cold or in warm weather.

For the rest, I consider mine like a car. If well maintain, does not need yo carry any extra if not going off road. If it does not break on a 5000 miles commute, why should it break on a 5000 miles road trip?

Enjoy your road trip.