Overlanding with "stock" 4X4

[Billiebob]

Interesting you should say that. I used to drag my 4x6 trailer behind our 04 Rubicon, cross country and I always found the “ride” and driving pleasure to be increased with the trailer. The side winds were less buffetting, curves at highway speeds were much better, and it tracked straight ahead a lot easier. My trailer is very well balanced with not any more than 175lbs of tongue weight. That well balanced extra axle and length actually added to the stability of the short wheel based TJ. The same phenomena occurs with our 80 series LC.

absolutely correct, I've been towing with a TJ for 12 years, and a YJ before that
2K# here, I tow for at least 8K miles a year, for work, on a schedule

 

[Trail_pilot]

You can do one of two things JAMES, You can buy patch panels for jeep floors (easier to cut out big sections) and flux weld in new panels, OR you can leave the holes so your passenger can stick his foot in the hole for extra stopping power. :-)

Just finished putting new floors in it on the weekend ... Apparently I don't have a finished product picture... I was probly too interested in grabbing a beer for a good days work done lol

 

[PCO6]

Just finished putting new floors in it on the weekend ... Apparently I don't have a finished product picture... I was probly too interested in grabbing a beer for a good days work done lol

Me too! I just had to do half of the driver's side footwell AND the torque box (full length) beneath it in my LJ. The previous owner used basic flat floor mats and not Husky liners (for example) which pool the winter slush & snow instead of allowing it to soak into the carpets where it never dries out. The rest of the floor boards and the passenger side torque box were all good.

Very few pics here too. It's such a pain in the butt job (especially the torque box) that I wasn't in the mood. Definitely needed a beer … or two.

 

[Trail_pilot]

Me too! I just had to do half of the driver's side footwell AND the torque box (full length) beneath it in my LJ. The previous owner used basic flat floor mats and not Husky liners (for example) which pool the winter slush & snow instead of allowing it to soak into the carpets where it never dries out. The rest of the floor boards and the passenger side torque box were all good.

Very few pics here too. It's such a pain in the butt job (especially the torque box) that I wasn't in the mood. Definitely needed a beer … or two.

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I was lucky and my torque boxes were still in really good shape but both pans were pooched. once the seam sealer cures I need to figure out if the carpet is going back in or not. I am planning on doing some sound deadening in it for the wife and may spray bed liner over it but I think the carpet may still be needed .... we will see.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Just finished putting new floors in it on the weekend ... Apparently I don't have a finished product picture... I was probly too interested in grabbing a beer for a good days work done lol

Excellent, should do for another 20 years. Yup, beers will do it, ha ha ha.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Me too! I just had to do half of the driver's side footwell AND the torque box (full length) beneath it in my LJ. The previous owner used basic flat floor mats and not Husky liners (for example) which pool the winter slush & snow instead of allowing it to soak into the carpets where it never dries out. The rest of the floor boards and the passenger side torque box were all good.

Very few pics here too. It's such a pain in the butt job (especially the torque box) that I wasn't in the mood. Definitely needed a beer … or two.

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Good job !!

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

I was lucky and my torque boxes were still in really good shape but both pans were pooched. once the seam sealer cures I need to figure out if the carpet is going back in or not. I am planning on doing some sound deadening in it for the wife and may spray bed liner over it but I think the carpet may still be needed .... we will see.

You didn't weld them ? How good is seam sealer ?

 

[Downs]

I was lucky and my torque boxes were still in really good shape but both pans were pooched. once the seam sealer cures I need to figure out if the carpet is going back in or not. I am planning on doing some sound deadening in it for the wife and may spray bed liner over it but I think the carpet may still be needed .... we will see.

NOt a Wrangler but I ran no carpet/padding in a previous XJ of mine for about a week then put it back in as fast as I could. It was miserably hot and loud.

 

[Trail_pilot]

You didn't weld them ? How good is seam sealer ?

they are fully welded all the way around and tacked to the torque box where they meet, then seam sealer over all the welds to make sure its good an sealed also to help protect the seams from further corrosion.

 

[Trail_pilot]

NOt a Wrangler but I ran no carpet/padding in a previous XJ of mine for about a week then put it back in as fast as I could. It was miserably hot and loud.

ya thats pretty much what I was thinking. its loud to begin with at the moment because it doesn't really have an exhaust and I know the transmission tunnel gets hot enough to cook on LOL.

 

[Tcooler02]

How about some discussion, or a YouTube, about overlanding in a stock 4X4? Seems most info is about mod rigs as if to say one can't go overlanding to adventure in a stock vehicle. It seems that the manufacturers of 4X4's wouldn't agree given that they have invested no small amount of effort in R&D and they outfit with suspensions, drives, AT tires (etc) and market specifically claiming that capability. What are the realities of overlanding in a stock 4X4? What are the capabilities and restrictions associated with "stock"? Why do you say that larger tires and lifts are "required"? Does adventure require investments into a modified rig? I'm an old sailor and we had the expression that "paradise looks the same regardless of the size of the cockpit".

I have an All Stock 2016 jeep Wrangler Sahara 4dr unlimited soft top, and I go Overlanding about 3 times a year, N.C. TN. North Ga. Mountains, I LOVE IT, no bbn problems at all. Not doing any Rock climbing.I even went to Uwharrie N.C. jeep park, saw flatbdds with Broken Jeeps Everyday. I took the moderate trails. Had a Blast. NOTHING BROKEN.LOL

 

[PCO6]

Good job !!

Thanks. I've done similar work on many uni-body vehicles but other than some British cars that are easy to remove the body from, this is the first time I've worked on one like this with a frame. It was a pain in the butt because, to replace a torque box without having the body totally off of the frame, you have to remove 6 of the 11 body/frame bolts, tilt the body up on the side to be replaced by about 4" and snake in the new torque box. Of course it never fits on the first try so you have to do it several times. You leave the remaining bolts on the opposite side in so the body doesn't shift on the frame while it's tilted. The whole job requires a lot of swearing and as mentioned, beer when you're done, if you can wait that long.

 

[PCO6]

NOt a Wrangler but I ran no carpet/padding in a previous XJ of mine for about a week then put it back in as fast as I could. It was miserably hot and loud.

Minor technicality (lol) but Trail_pilot's and my LJ are not Wranglers. In Canada, I'm pretty sure the name Wrangler did not appear until the JK's came to be. Prior to that GM had the name on one of its pickup trucks so Jeep couldn't use it.

I hear you re XJ's without carpet. I tried that too and did NOT like it.

EDIT: JK's not XJ's which is what I first wrote.

 

[Trail_pilot]

Minor technically (lol) but Trail_pilot's and my LJ are not Wranglers. In Canada, I'm pretty sure the name Wrangler did not appear until the XJ's came to be. Prior to that GM had the name on one of its pickup trucks so Jeep couldn't use it.

I hear you re XJ's without carpet. I tried that too and did NOT like it.

about 87 when the YJ came out is when Wrangler goes back to as far as I know. basically any model past that including LJ JK 2 and 4door and JLs all classify under the designation. The LJ is kind of a redheaded step child that a lot of people who don't really know Jeeps don't even know exists, but that makes aftermarket hard to come by too.

 

[MeHere!]

You're right, 87 was the first year and really was more XJ than YJ

 

[Trail_pilot]

You're right, 87 was the first year and really was more XJ than YJ

I've never heard an XJ be referred to as a wrangler.

 

[MeHere!]

I've never heard an XJ be referred to as a wrangler.

I suppose I was not that clear, what I meant was that the first year Wrangler YJ borrowed a lot from the XJ (Cherokee) while it was still body on frame like the CJ, with the same wheel base most of the int. drivetrain and suspension was out of the XJ

 

[Trail_pilot]

I suppose I was not that clear, what I meant was that the first year Wrangler YJ borrowed a lot from the XJ (Cherokee) while it was still body on frame like the CJ, with the same wheel base most of the int. drivetrain and suspension was out of the XJ

aahh gotcha yes I could see that.

 

[MidOH]

My 94 YJ was identical to every XJ I ever saw. Same engine, trans, xfer case, axles.

I could be wrong.

 

[MeHere!]

When I was younger my old man started a project that unfortunately he never completed, one that I think I would love to try at some point, we had both an 85 SJ and a 73 Mercedes 280, the old man's plan was to mount the body of the 280 on the chassis of the SJ