Enthusiast I
- 404
- First Name
- Benjamin
- Last Name
- Murphy
- Member #
-
30758
- Service Branch
- Coast Guard
Jeep TJ
- Thread starter coastiecxn
- Start date
Enthusiast III
I went thru several reiterations with my TJ. First couple of week long trips, I way overpacked (bump stops - check!). Plus, I added a swing out tire carrier - a negative wrt to an extra 100# of steel (just the carrier, not including fuel cans & spare) hanging on the rear bumper. Figure out what you need to camp (I use a Gazelle T3, fits across inside the TJ) and what type of trails you intend to tackle. Be careful with trending fads, unless you think it’s absolutely required, or you’ll be testing the compressibility of your bump stops. I have a 2” lift (Tera) with a size up 265 tire (4.0 w/5spd man 04 Rubicon). Replaced the rear springs with OME 2” med/hvy duties. A Morryde reinforced tailgate hinge so I can carry 2x2 gal Rotopax fuel cans on a slightly modified (flap wheeled some material from the wheel hub passthru to fit inside the TJ center rim hole) EVO JK license plate relocate/Rotopax can mount and trash bag. ARB single compressor mounted on that tray under the brake booster. Warn 8k winch (one use so far, paid for itself). TeraFlex belly-up kit w/Novak t-case shifter and Woods rear drive shaft. Extended range fuel tank. 2x2.5 gallon water cans plus several Nalgene bottles/canteen w/cup. I’ll add 2 cases of water from a local store (just prior to the trail) and place those on the front pax side floor.
Advocate I
Great advice there!
I haven't owned/Overlanded a TJ, but I have had lots of friends with them and spent a decent amount of time in/around them. I'd say the single biggest thing, particularly with a 4cyl like you're considering building is not to go too big/heavy. TJs are exceptionally capable and don't need to be on 37"s for Overlanding. I'd say 33"s tops and even then with a 4cyl you'll want to re-gear accordingly (IMHO I'd go so the math works out to a little deeper than stock gearing and tire size). Keep bumpers, sliders, etc. as light as possible. Avoid heavy racks and heavy RTTs. With a 4cyl TJ you need to almost pack like a backpacker.
-TJ
Enthusiast III
We’ll said tjZ06, almost like backpack camping. And yes, the TJ is a very capable off-road machine. The Cooper Discoverer ATP 265/75R16 tires (~32”) and 2” lift have taken me all over Canyonlands Maze & Needles (Elephant Hill exiting several days later via Bobby’s Hole) Districts. A tad more challenging for me on the red trails than those with the highly modified suspensions but still fun. Highly recommended to travel with at least 1 other vehicle and both vehicles with at least a good tow/snatch strap/rope.
Enthusiast I
- 404
- First Name
- Benjamin
- Last Name
- Murphy
- Member #
-
30758
- Service Branch
- Coast Guard
The couple of trips I have taken have been with other vehicles. Currently I have a 2.5 inch lift on 33s. I have a front bumper and a winch. I am looking at doing the new gearing. A friend suggested 4.88 or better. And an extended range fuel tank. The 13 gallons just isn't enough.
Enthusiast II
I built storage / kitchen in the rear. I use alot of backpacking equipment. Small and light. And I try to use every bit of space efficiently.
Attachments
Enthusiast I
- 404
- First Name
- Benjamin
- Last Name
- Murphy
- Member #
-
30758
- Service Branch
- Coast Guard
Member III
Not bad. I Ran 33's as my street tires. If your going to weigh it down, 33's are the limit on your front axle.
4.88 and 33's will work but limit your speed. Steep highway hills will be very slow without them. I wouldn't go lower with that front end. What little fuel milage you had at this point is rapidly diminishing.
Mine held about 35 gallons. Make sure it's got a good skid on it. Add in a spare and swing out, now there's a ton of weight on the rear. You can get air bags that go inside your rear coils. I ran them on my TJ for five years and have run them on my Cruiser forever. I inflate them when I would add cargo or pull my trailer.
Off-Road Ranger I
- 2,865
- First Name
- Donald
- Last Name
- Diehl
- Member #
-
0745
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- WRPN 506
I used TJs for about 15 years. Keep everything light. Keep the stock bumpers. The stock tire carrier can be modified so that 33” tires will clear the rear bumper by using 1” nylon spacers and longer grade 8 bolts on the bottom tilting the bottom of the tire out just enough to clear the bumper. Get rid of the rear seat, it’s just dead weight taking up valuable cargo space. If you must get a roof rack, get aluminum, ( all that was available back then were steel roof racks) Use either airbags to support any additional weight, or spend 1,000 on an OldManEmu heavy suspension upgrade. After 5 years I purchased an I-6 model. The six cylinder actually got better mpg than the 4 cylinder on long road trips. Use skinny tires, the 255/85/16s are nearly a perfect match for Jeeps with 4:88s, however the ruby I had with 4:11s did quite well. Be ready to downshift, a lot. Our first trip with the 98 I-4 was up to Canada. I rarely lifted into 5th gear. Any headwind or the slightest of upgrades will bog it down, quickly. Stay on top of your gears and keep your rpm’s in the sweet spot. The worst I ever experienced, ( it does make a great story) was coming across Texas with strong headwinds. We were dropped down to 3rd gear at 3500 RPMs to maintain 55 mph, and that was with the ruby. That day we managed to get 5 mpg. I would have had to park a 4 cylinder. The TJ is an iconic vehicle and here in the states it can be a great overlander, as long as you only ask it to do what it is designed to do. I miss mine, however I don’t miss those really long drives (6-7 thousand miles) while driving one. Here are a couple of photos of our old jeep, doing what it did best. 
Enthusiast III
Enthusiast III
To carry these supported by a Morryde tailgate reinforcement (upper mount connects to the rollbar mount and the bottom is bolted to a backing plate):
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Enthusiast III
I built simple wood racks to make storage and accessing heavier items such as water/tools/recovery gear easier. I glued outdoor carpet (similar to the interior color) to all surfaces and bolted on D-rings to secure items (not pictured):
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Enthusiast III
I discovered my 2004 Rubicon was wired for the temp/compass rear view mirror. All o had to do was buy the temp sensor (mounts between the radiator & grill, driver’s side) and a compatible mirror w/wiring harness (Amazon). The temp sensor plugs into its respective harness in the front. I had to modify the inside connections since I was not able to locate an OEM wire harness to connect the mirror to the connector under the panel you remove to access the center dash bolts.
