Looking for some Overland build advice. I just traded in my 07 Sahara JKU for a 15 Willys JKU. I'm trying to decide which direction to go with tires.

1. Install my 35/12.5R15 MTRs that I took off my last JKU.

2. Leave on the rubicon KMs that came on it.

3. Sell the 35s and stock ruby tires to get 285/70R17 KM2s

I'm just trying to think through the the cost / benefit of each option since I'm trying to get this build right the first time around.

 

I would leave it with what it has and get your bumpers, armor, etc. first. Might as well put a few miles on what it came with and when you lift it swap over your 35s and sell your takeoffs.

 

If you have the 35's and they have a lot of tread, use them. I sold my Rubi tires pretty quick for $500 and that helps with other purchases. You don't really need 35's for an overland type vehicle but I think they look a lot better. Just a personal opinion.

 

I second this. I have 33s on now, but only because I almost got them for free and they were practically new. But I'll be going to 35s once I've worn these down enough. And while I'm geared more to wheeling than overlanding... I do trips almost as much as I wheel - especially this summer when half the people I wheel with have broken rigs.

Am still tossing up whether spending ~2 grand in gas is worth the 9000km trip (5500 miles?) to Moab next spring with some friends from down south... OR to wait until July/August and do a week trip of wheeling different trails and camping in different places every night for 8 days between Terrace BC and Prince George BC (only about 1200 miles from me). Guess we'll see how the saving goes between now and then...

 

Yeah, the 35s only have 1,800 miles on them so they are practically brand new. I'm just not sure if I want to turn this jk into an 11mpg rig like my last one. Maybe the 3.6 w/ 3.73s will do better than the 3.8 w/ 4.10s.

 

I have a 2014 with 35s and the 4:10 rear end and I get about 15-15.5 in daily driving.

 

It's been a while, figured I'd post some updates to my rig...

Went from this:




To this:


















While I loved my Gobi, and having all your kit on your rig is obviously great for getting up in some really difficult terrain (mountain switchbacks, etc), I wanted to camp up off the ground but couldn't have a tent on the rack 24/7 with the amount of driving I do. Decided to sell the rack and lighten up my configuration a bit.

Love the versatility of the Trektop, but from an overland perspective you do lose some cargo room. I'm running an Ace interior cargo rack, and it still fits with the slant back and safari straps. Lightened up to some M/T alloy wheels from the steel Cragers. Went from halogen to LED to save on power draw, and added much more light all powered through an sPod.

The trailer is built by ManleyORV. I had been eyeing trailers after selling the rack (and needed ability to haul cargo when needed, and when I saw the Manely trailers at Jeep Beach 13, I was sold. Took delivery in July '13. Spendy, yes, but worth every penny...plus the amount of kit and creature comforts I can bring out camping now makes it that much more enjoyable. The rig is now built to be a very capable rock crawler, but can also double as a more capable overlander. I enjoy the ability to setup camp with the trailer and still use the jeep to take runs without having to pack camp in each time I want to leave, plus, I only burn gas when when towing as opposed to running around with an empty rack. It also let me get back to the real reason I bought the JK in the first place...doors and top off. The Gobi was nice and could drop the top still, but no where near as easy as popping the two latches and pushing the Trektop back. All and all...this is just about my ideal setup...but I'm still working on some more.

Loaded the trailer with a shade canopy, a few pelican cases with camp equip (kitchen, lights/cords/etc), two folding tables, flag pole, a whole bunch of stuff to either camp remote site or at a camp ground...plus all the scepter fuel and water cans extend my range.

Hoping to get back out West and really get out and do some overlanding. Since leaving Idaho...Louisiana and Florida have offered much different terrain.

 

How much fuel do you plan on carrying with you? If you want to overland, then MPG will make a difference and I would think 11mpg would limited your off road travels.

I have a 2013 JKUR with 3:73 gears and can get as high as 22mpg (stock wheels/tires), now my high has been 20mpg (285/70/17) and avg around 17mpg. For a month going to,around and from Alaska, while pulling my trailer (about 1300lbs) with 285/70/17 all around I avg 17.5mpg. There was one part where, I used my extra 9.5 gals to get me to a station that was open.

 

Nice set-up with good pictures: thumbsup:

 

Hi

Ordered a window mesh (sox) to keep bugs out and give my airflow when I am sleeping in my unlimited. It only costed about 13 dollars with shipment. I ordered the one in medium size.



From Black Mesh Window Sox Car Sun Shades Socks Fit Most Car | eBay

It will not be a exakt fit.

More exakt fit for wrangler can be found here

Window SOX « Shevron Auto Accessories Australia