Converting from rock crawler to overlander

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Trail_pilot

Trail_pilot

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so I originally had a plan in my head when I bought my Jeep to have a 33" tire and a simple suspension.

it started with a set of tires and getting to know the trails in my area ... many years ago lol.

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Trail_pilot

Trail_pilot

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after wheeling it for a few years and keeping it low, the breakover angle was just not cutting it on the trails I was running and the 33s went on with some flat fenders and a small lift.

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Trail_pilot

Trail_pilot

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This kept me bust with camping and trail runs for a while but there was always the itch to get just a little deeper into the trails and a little further from civilization.
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Trail_pilot

Trail_pilot

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well... because of the groups I go out wheeling with and the trails we started running a larger tire was needed to keep from banging over every obstacle ...

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Trail_pilot

Trail_pilot

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not having any close friends who actually go out wheeling to go camping, and really only camp if they NEED to. I ended up going for more day trips than weekend camping or long trips out. so They Jeep turned into a more of a crawler.
I swapped out the axles and put a Dana 44 in the front with a high steer, e-lockers front and rear, 37" tires and took it from north or Toronto out to Rausch Creek offroad park for a week.

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BCMoto

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I like your setup for crawling and i wouldnt change it
 
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Trail_pilot

Trail_pilot

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it never really drove quite right with a store bought "bolt on" lift kit. pulled everything out and purchases a bunch of part to build one. it now has an upper triangulated 4 link in the rear, a 3 link front, and a high clearance belly plate ( don't think I have a picture). A Currie antirock sway bar in the front allows me to adjust the body roll and not have to disconnect at the trail head. this thing drives like a new Jeep, but i need to find a way to rout the exhaust because at the moment there is just a turndown off the cat.
 
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MWBREWCO

MWBREWCO

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I am work on converting mine now too. I use to pull a offroad trailer I built back 15 years ago. Now just want to make it as light and be able to camp with it. Its. Been fun
 
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Trail_pilot

Trail_pilot

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James
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Girard
MWBREWCO said:
I am work on converting mine now too. I use to pull a offroad trailer I built back 15 years ago. Now just want to make it as light and be able to camp with it. Its. Been fun
Click to expand...
as soon as my wallet recuperates from building the suspension I am planning on putting a roof rack together and a small drawer for tools as the base of my cargo area. The reason I am going back to more of a comfort and camping setup ( as much as I can with a Jeep) is because I just recently had a kid and I am looking forward to taking trips out with the family. I am likely going to run some sound deadening mats on the floor to help with engine/road noise as well as cut some of the heat down coming off of the transmission tunnel.
 
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smritte

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My biggest issue with my TJ was the 5.13 gears. Due to the lack of room, I put together an M100 trailer for camping (it was my Adopt a Trail gear hauler). Some of my trips were several hundred miles. The comfort level of the Jeep was great, fuel mileage was the issue for me. The tires and gearing netted me almost 9 mpg hwy. I bought my cruiser to do more "camping/distance" drives and the thought was keep the TJ to go play in the rocks. Like you, my "rock" friends were diminishing and I ended up selling the TJ last year.

As for the heat, I wrapped my exhaust and added insulation to the tunnel area. My drive-line was raised a couple of inch's and with the belly pan, It got hot on low speed driving.

Oh yea, I had gotten rid of my hard top. That would have made it better.
 
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Trail_pilot

Trail_pilot

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James
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Girard
smritte said:
My biggest issue with my TJ was the 5.13 gears. Due to the lack of room, I put together an M100 trailer for camping (it was my Adopt a Trail gear hauler). Some of my trips were several hundred miles. The comfort level of the Jeep was great, fuel mileage was the issue for me. The tires and gearing netted me almost 9 mpg hwy. I bought my cruiser to do more "camping/distance" drives and the thought was keep the TJ to go play in the rocks. Like you, my "rock" friends were diminishing and I ended up selling the TJ last year.

As for the heat, I wrapped my exhaust and added insulation to the tunnel area. My drive-line was raised a couple of inch's and with the belly pan, It got hot on low speed driving.

Oh yea, I had gotten rid of my hard top. That would have made it better.
Click to expand...
I am running 4:88s with 37s. It may be a little sluggish but I think for the amount its on the highway I probably wouldn't change it. was thinking about swapping the T-case if i really feel like i need more gearing on the trail. I am going top try to work on the fuel economy a little bit and try a few things out but I know it wont change much... last time I did the math on it I was running about 8 MPG. I still have the hard top for mine witch is nice for making things quieter, but I really don't like hitting trails with it because its really hard to find an LJ top if i ever do any damage to it. I am looking into a new soft top too because I leaned my current one into a tree and stretched a zipper a little too much. when I build the roof rack for it it may also act as sort of an exo-cage to protect the top, although I wont be doing the harder trails with the family in the Jeep lol.
 
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Trail_pilot

Trail_pilot

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James
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Girard
brought The jeep into the shop to text out the suspension and I am happy with how it turned out. the Drive is way smoother than before with the longer control arms and the speed bumps in the rear. the steering is a little bit twitched because the steering stabilizer decided to kick the bucket on the weekend and is pouring fluid out.. whats left in it. waiting for the bills to get paid and see how much I can set aside towards a ram assist steering.

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Trail_pilot

Trail_pilot

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Enthusiast III

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James
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Girard
Boostpowered said:
Put some atf in your steering if its a seal that going bad atf will swell it up and stop leaking.
Click to expand...
its a brand new PSC steering box that is ported for ram assist when I decide to to it down the road. The issue is it has a Currie anti-rock sway bar that may need a bit more adjustment and I actually have more steering movement available than the throw of the steering stabilizer allows. before the suspension swap I was having death wobble issues so the steering stabilizer was working overtime and probably shortened its life significantly and its worn out. .... it had a rough year.
 
Trail_pilot

Trail_pilot

Rank III

Enthusiast III

830
First Name
James
Last Name
Girard
I decided to lay down some sound deadening to reduce as much of the noise as I could. did the front and rear floors ( only took pictures of the rear) and then sealed it in with a layer of bead liner. I have to say it doesn't do much to reduce the exhaust noise from having next to no exhaust, but it got rid of a lot of the rattles and echos from in the cab. I put all the carpet back in after it was dry and was fairly surprised. it was a 150 mil closed cell PE foam liner so it didn't add any weight to the Jeep and it helped a little with heat over the trans tunnel but not as much as I was hoping for. I may try to run a bit more of an adhesive foil layer over the trans tunnel but the console is a pretty tight fit as it is.102895328_263408168339531_5449973122056242320_n.jpg101707514_867952313726363_517233375282855500_n.jpg102453366_182987876425578_8858740447547092632_n.jpg
 

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