Expedition XJ Build, Tech & Sources Thread

[markw]

I'm looking at that belly skid and remembering what they look like before you wheel it. I've still got to move my DPG skid to the new jeep and wondering if it will fit.

I've also found back country navigator pro for android, and there are some inexpensive 9.7" tablets from Le Pan that look like they'd work nice with good gps software. I grabbed topo maps and the hammer trails in johnson valley this weekend and threw it on my Nexus 7, it looks pretty cool, but we'll see.

 

[OutkastBoss]

Hey guys I wanted to share this article on expo tire size that caught my attention when deciding on tire size .

http://www.expeditionswest.com/research/white_papers/tire_selection_rev1.html

 

[KTMqdracer]

Thought I'd share my radio set-up. Nothing spectacular but clean, functional, and a good use of space. Radio and speaker are underneath driver seat.

 

[X E Ryder]

Good Stuff My Brothers!

Hey guys I wanted to share this article on expo tire size that caught my attention when deciding on tire size .

http://www.expeditionswest.com/research/white_papers/tire_selection_rev1.html

Nice article! I was REALLY on the fence about 10.50 vs 12.50 width, but ended up going wide due to the prime need here; snow/ice - I air down to like nothing and all that meat really claws away at the slick stuff (at that point there is no sinking through, you are on plowed ice which is horrific on a 17% grade).

I'm looking at that belly skid and remembering what they look like before you wheel it. I've still got to move my DPG skid to the new jeep and wondering if it will fit.

I've also found back country navigator pro for android, and there are some inexpensive 9.7" tablets from Le Pan that look like they'd work nice with good gps software. I grabbed topo maps and the hammer trails in johnson valley this weekend and threw it on my Nexus 7, it looks pretty cool, but we'll see.

Post up some pics after you have tried it and tell us what you think of the apps and function, if you can.

And New For Eating !

For eating we got a Camp Chef Outdoor Camp Oven like This http://www.sears.com/camp-chef-outd...x000001&kpid=00602785000P&kispla=00602785000P

We LOVE this thing , we were able to cook a full size Enchilada Casserole In Below Zero weather for the Potluck at Winterfest .

Wow! How did I miss that link? What a sweet idea - it looks worth the space taken for the function!

Thought I'd share my radio set-up. Nothing spectacular but clean, functional, and a good use of space. Radio and speaker are underneath driver seat.

Yes I like these type radios that put the majority of the radio out of the way. I went with the cobra because I can bring the speaker and controls right to my face (I'm not saying anything about my hearing or vision here hehe).

Finally put on my Riddler covers and a couple other goodies - XJ has been fun to take out on days off.

 

[REVROK]

Didn't really have a build thread, posted a few questions before. I have an insane amount of things on it but its all for reliability or durability

I added the TNT stiffeners and adams sliders. I also have the tomiken gas skid, aev engine skid and the jcr front and rear bumpers. I put a 10k warn winch with the wireless kit.

I used a rusty's 4.5" lift which lowered quite a bit once all the equipment was installed. I also upgraded to the currie steering and riddler diff covers. It has 31" bfg all terrains, jcr disco's and misc other little things.

I did install the wrangler dual battery kit and dual optima yellow tops, the spectra cowl kit, mean green alternator, dual hid warns, libby lights and hid head lights.

The electronics are pretty great actually. I use the ipad 2 3g for mapping etc, a wilson cell amplifier, cobra cb, a 2500 watt inverter, 2 solar panels and 2 way radios for communications/electronics.

I have a ton of recovery equipment, tools, straps, parts that I haul around and have plenty of room for a weekend trip.

Biggest thing I did was for cooling. New 3 core radiator, high flow water pump, high flow thermostat housing, vents in the hood etc.

I just made the offroad run from vegas to reno and stopped in a few ghost towns etc, performed flawlessly.

No lockers, no long arms and it goes anywhere.

Where did you get the steel box with the piano hinge? The gun racks especially... those are hard to find, but a great idea! Clean setup!

 

[REVROK]

Cabela's and Amazon had the gun racks... would love to source that box!

 

[srmitchell]

Hey guys I wanted to share this article on expo tire size that caught my attention when deciding on tire size .

http://www.expeditionswest.com/research/white_papers/tire_selection_rev1.html

I LOVE my KM2's in the 255/85/16 size. Pizza cutters rock. They tuck nicely, look great from all angles and grip like crazy. No complaints. They're actually lighter than my previous 265/75/16's treadwrights too.

They roll really well too.

 

[djlarroc]

If you can remember, how do they ride/roll compared to the 245/75 MTRs? Since they are a 9.5" wide tire I think.

I have the 245/75 on Moabs, and am looking at 255/85, 285/75, or 33x12.50 in a 15x8.. mainly for the wider stance.

My xj drives really nice now. Don't want to screw up the ride.

 

[X E Ryder]

Exedition: Mendocino Mational Forest

Hello Expedition XJ’s! Great posts, glad to see some nice rigs and always welcome the innovations for fine tuning! Well I wanted to share some fun we had last weekend, up in Mendocino National Forest. It was a great overnight trip and really hot up there.
The trip started by heading into the forest via Upper Lake, CA then looping up and around several old tracks. The road in was decent and the road leaving (M12) was well groomed, but the stuff we found in between was quite challenging. Along the road we found blackberry bushes loaded with ripe berries so we stopped and my wife picked half a zip-lock bag of them.

Here is a screen of the first sortie we made, you can see where we had to backtrack (recorded in MotionX HD).

At one point, we ended up on a track that showed no evidence of any travel for some time; it got so bad and tight, we couldn’t fit anymore and the washouts were too nasty. After brush raping the sides of the XJ far enough we found enough space to do a multi-point U-turn and headed back to roads we could fit down. We scared up a good sized Black Bear on the trail but he was too fast for a picture!

This was getting really tight, and it left zero room for negotiating the nasty ruts and washouts.

We started to consider our fuel range so we headed out at the M12 fork and fueled up, and went for take 2! We wanted to get to some fishing holes, so we decided to make a second sortie in, this time turning up Bear Valley road, and into Indian Valley Reservoir. We found it pretty much dry and were getting a bit tired so we found a camping spot and setup.

A nice place to take a breather up near the summit - the XJ survived the bush whacking pretty well but we almost blew out a window! Stored on top with spidernet: Wolfman heavy PVC clothing bags, chairs, queen sleeping bag.

We failed to find a fishing hole and catch fish, so our punishment was to have a Hot Dog entrée! We had Anaheim peppers with cheddar and bacon, hot dogs, and the fresh blackberries and whip cream for dessert. A couple cold beers later, we called it for the day.

Our site uses a Coleman kitchen and grillstove, catskills expedition table, chairs, REI Kingdom 6 tent, queen cot, airbed and sleeping bag. We can setup/break everything pretty quick.

The next morning it was my favorite: Strong coffee in my old camping percolator pot, cheese eggs and bacon. We broke camp and picked up some trash left by previous lame campers and headed out. Partway down the hill we found a shooting range and stopped to shoot a few rounds before finally heading home.

Packed in this pic left to right top, then left to right bottom: Fishing pole, spade, Campsite box (lanterns, hammer, axe, saw etc), Kelty dry food bag, Cooking box (pots, pans, plates, utencils, etc), big axe, ropes, fire extinguisher, Grillstove, Vi-air, cooler, Emergency parts/fluids box (lots of spare items and fluids), water jug, CLC toolpack, propane. Not pictured in backseat space: Kitchen, tent, tarp, cot, airbed, porta-leu, collapsing trashcan.

I can’t say enough about how capable and well balanced the XJ is for this stuff – a full-size would have been out of the question, and when needed it climbs like a cat! We pull the rear seat lower cushion and everything stays put inside with some rings and ties. Anyone been up here? It would be fun to plan a trip, we did not see one other vehicle on the trail portions.

 

[XJensen]

Re: Exedition: Mendocino Mational Forest

[FONT=
[FONT=Calibri]I can’t say enough about how capable and well balanced the XJ is for this stuff – a full-size would have been out of the question, and when needed it climbs like a cat! We pull the rear seat lower cushion and everything stays put inside with some rings and ties. Anyone been up here? It would be fun to plan a trip, we did not see one other vehicle on the trail portions.[/FONT]

Stopped off at tower mart....lol. I grew up in Lucerne. There are some more great roads back there past Pinnacle Rock. I also heard the county purchased the road going up to the comm equipment on top of konocti and it is open to the public now.That would be a great view.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[REVROK]

Re: Exedition: Mendocino Mational Forest

I can’t say enough about how capable and well balanced the XJ is for this stuff – a full-size would have been out of the question, and when needed it climbs like a cat! We pull the rear seat lower cushion and everything stays put inside with some rings and ties. Anyone been up here? It would be fun to plan a trip, we did not see one other vehicle on the trail portions.

I can't agree more...love my XJ! Thanks for sharing your rig and pictures! I am terrible at taking them, but when my daughters go I'll get some of theirs and post up!!

 

[OutkastBoss]

I started my expedition trailer build !

I figured this would be of interest to the ppl in this thread.

http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1103987

 

[RainShadow]

How did you attach the Gun Racks to the cargo windows ???
Have been thinking about doing this for a about a year, but need it
mounted solidly so it will not pull out.

thanks, Randy [email protected]

 

[X E Ryder]

How did you attach the Gun Racks to the cargo windows ???
Have been thinking about doing this for a about a year, but need it
mounted solidly so it will not pull out.

thanks, Randy [email protected]

They carefully slip down into the window weatherstripping, and once pressed all the way in, you tighten the hardware and they cannot recede or pop up and out of the gasket. I added a secondary piece of aluminum to tie mine together and they have not fallen out over some pretty harsh terrain. Only limitation might be trying to put something really heavy in them. :idea:

 

[CAPE83]

Great thread

 

[jonoabq]

Awesome thread. My build plan is more minimalist, DD/hiking/climbing/camping, but I'm only six months in...you know how these things morph over time.
Just finished putting Detroit Truetracs & ARB covers front and rear since I spend so much time in sand/snow, now moving on to gear storage and recovery stuff. Many thanks for getting this thread started.

 

[X E Ryder]

Awesome thread. My build plan is more minimalist, DD/hiking/climbing/camping, but I'm only six months in...you know how these things morph over time.
Just finished putting Detroit Truetracs & ARB covers front and rear since I spend so much time in sand/snow, now moving on to gear storage and recovery stuff. Many thanks for getting this thread started.

Glad you like! Yes I am also a big fan of TT diffs on ice, they have saved me from sliding off the road by my own hand (foot).

 

[DunmerBoy]

This is great info! I'm working in this direction, mostly looking at desert travel. I'm in college so a lot of this in on a budget. I love the info here and hope I can contribute some

 

[X E Ryder]

What You Did With The Right Rear Cubby Space

Hey XJ Expedition Type Peoples! Sorry I've been so busy I have not posted up in a while.

Well what have you done with your right rear "cubby hole space"? I have seen a custom made speaker box and some other nice ideas. I wanted to share mine as related to our expedition build focus.

Most of my free time is spent in volunteer firefighter / ems service, so I have a "thing" about trauma packs, first aid kits etc - we have one in each vehicle because I don't ever want to be caught unprepared. You can see where this is going huh?

This is a AAA hardcase zippered auto first aid kit, which as usual I have re-packed and overstuffed with a ton of additional supplies so it barely zips shut.

You know those short loops of bungee cord with the round plastic ball on them for holding tarps? I cut the ball off (lol), tied a knot on each end so it fit the kit with some stretch. Then drilled a hole on either side of the kit, and pushed the knot through the hole with a phillips driver. Now I have a nice bungee hold-down built into the cubby hole to hold this.

I'm thinking about adding a SAM splint to the upper triangle part with the same holding technique!

 

[devildog0]

Here's mine currently. I don't plan on going any bigger than the 235s on there now MAYBE some 30s or 31s but I doubt it. Not even going to put a lift on it per se. I'm going to install UpCountry replacement springs and hardware and just roll with that. Any other mods will be geared towards living out of it, navigation, and reliability.

Still working out some of the other little kinks from buying it to get it back to tip top running shape but overall as happy with it was I was with my 94 and 00.