Home made rooftop tent for XJ

[MHead]

I must say, very impressive build! I need to get organized like that with my LJ.

On a side note, were the pics in the first post taken in a side canyon just though the narrow part of Canyon Sin Nombre? I swear i have been there before....

Good Eyes! Recognize that nice Anza Borrego alluvial mud and sand. However I think that picture was actually taken in one of the canyons in the north part of the park. I think this one is just off Truckhaven Trail. There's an alcove just to the left of the picture. We parked really close into this alcove the previous night due to really high winds. This was the only place we could find that was mostly sheltered.

Good suggestion about air levelers. I hadn't thought about these. The stock leafs bottomed out with only passengers and not cargo so I replaced them with heavy duty leafs. Haven't noticed bottoming out since. The back end does get a bunch lower however. Think levelers would improve the ride?

 

[MHead]

MHead:

Very nice job!

Reminds of my own rooftop (bought 10 years ago and modified for 30seconds setup and 2min or less to be packed and stowed! )
I also built an interior setup (Jeep XJ) that sleeps two plus gear (but it's for a two-door model and the front seats have to fold forward).
On the stroker, my 4.7L runs on 87 Oct. These things need to be properly built, there's no question about it.

Nice pictures too (must be DSLR). Oh, and then you got that CA outdoors advantage... no 95/95 (95F at 95 percent humidity, --which makes the outdoors miserable during July/August many places east of you)

I didn't read the whole thing, but your rear leafs may be happier if assisted with those air levelers (usually for heavy trailer use), and this would be the perfect application.

AR.

Stroker on 87 octane? I'm interested... Do you have a recipie that describes what parts you used, quench height, and other dimensioins? I still have the stroker bug and would like to find a recipie that works. I'd assumed that 89 or better octane was just the way it has to be.\

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

MHead!

This is awesome stuff you have done! I think we think alike!:ylsmoke:


I don't know how I've missed this thread for over a year, other than to say I now need to become a better Jeep Thread "Lurker"........! :costumed-smiley-007 :friday:



Carry On.........!:beer:





.

 

[Dave Bennett]

AWESOME!!!:beer: :beer:

 

[Xtreme XJ]

MHead!

This is awesome stuff you have done! I think we think alike!:ylsmoke:

I don't know how I've missed this thread for over a year, other than to say I now need to become a better Jeep Thread "Lurker"........! :costumed-smiley-007 :friday:


Carry On.........!:beer:

.

Maybe you need to come to the JEEP side... :smiley_drive:

Curt

 

[MHead]

MHead!

This is awesome stuff you have done! I think we think alike!:ylsmoke:


I don't know how I've missed this thread for over a year, other than to say I now need to become a better Jeep Thread "Lurker"........! :costumed-smiley-007 :friday:



Carry On.........!:beer:


.

You are in San Diego. We should do a fall Anza Borrego or something.

Thanks for the appreciation!

 

[MHead]

Here's the next installment...

Traveled to Oray, Colorado, to try out the jeep on some high passes. All the junk makes the jeep heavy. Just two of us on this trip so we weren't as loaded as with 4. Managed to get the engine really warm though, on a hill at 103 deg F with the AC on. Looks like I should look into replacing the engine mechanical fan with an electric. If I can get the engine to run reliably cool then it's time to revisit the stroked motor.

First picture shows the usual load, but at the top of Engineer pass. 12,800 feet. Yes the rig performed well... sort of.

Second picture is the proof!

But then there's the third picture . Another breakdown. This one is my own fault. I replaced the rubber bushings in the front suspension with polyurethane. In doing this I installed the bolt on the upper passenger side control arm backwards from the factory position. Doesn't seem like a big mistake but the excess bolt beyond the nut now sticks out towards the engine. As the front suspension compresses on a bump this excess bolt comes up and hits the edge of the motor, just at the point where the transmission cooler lines pass. These are steel tubes. One pinched and all my transmission fluid gradually got away. Fortunately the trans stopped working AFTER we got off the steep pass part. Picture shows us getting a tow to a camping spot.

Forth pic is how we recompose. Civilized!

And the last picture is camping at 11,200 feet in the Rockies. We spent the night. I carry various tools and repair parts. Cut out the pinched point and installed a bit of fuel line in its place. Hitchhiked to Silverton about 10 dirt road miles for more trans fluid. Poured it in. Drove more than 1000 miles!

Not pictured but worth mentioning is that we got our first rain test of the rear canopy. Afternoon thunder showers in Oray all the week we were there. We had gentle to moderate rain without wind. Under these conditions we were able to stay dry and fix simple meals on the stove. We put our chair against the back bumper and sat back and enjoyed the rain. Worked really well and had good drainage, the hatch edge giving a central high spot to the canopy.

Seems like I should have more than a travel log in this post so next time I'll show the details of the spare battery and solar recharge for the Engel fridge.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

Still very cool! Glad to see you taking advantage of your hard work :beer: <- where's the whisky smiley ??

 

[granitex1]

We played leapfrog all of the way up the mountain that day,

Because of my passangers we had to go a bit slower than you did, I think that you were in Animas when we came through, did you loose the tranny fluid after that?

By the looks of the reain in the one oicture the timing would have been about right.

 

[AlabamaDan]

I joined just to say WOW! Nice rig, fun trips and a great thread!!!!

 

[cnskate]

Cool setup. It's nice to see someone stuff more camping stuff in their XJ than I do. I've also noticed that you really have to go out of your way to find a campsite you can't take an XJ with good tires and a small lift. I'm considering the rear airlift myself.

 

[MHead]

Granitex1: Small world! Somewhere on the road in your picture I must have gone over a bump and compressed the front suspension to the point where it cracked the trans cooler line. I don't see any oil in your picture so maybe it hadn't happened at the time pictured. Anyway... we went on up to the top and then came back down. Fortunately for us the trans worked all the way to Animas. But it gave up on the small bridge into Animas. So we stayed the night just outside of Animas.

Cnskate: You are correct. I have only slightly larger tires on the XJ. They are BFG AT and are tougher than stock. The XJ has a 1" lift with heavy duty leaf springs in the back. I've managed to go just anywhere I've been interested in going. You only need lift for big tires and only big tires for serious off road like big rocks. With all my cargo I'm too heavy for serious stuff anyway. But there are lots and lots of dirt tracks and I do just fine. Lift has its disadvantages since with cargo on top the vehicle gets ever more top heavy. And it's a pain to put cargo up right now with the rack relatively low. I keep wanting a lift for looks but I can't find any function.

Thanks for the compliments!

 

[Funrover]

Awesome Awesome Awesome!!

 

[JIMBO]

:archaeolo Super job, ya just gotta remember, that EVERY trip, no matter how simple it is

IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE

And thats thow mine have always been, every trip I learn to streamline my systems and then the next trip--I've forgotten something-


Maybe it's just me, but thats what keeps our camping trips from being DULL

Great job

:REOutIceFishing: :REOutIceFishing: JIMBO

 

[BigAl]

I really like the table built into the trie carrier. What is under the driver side rocker?