SOLO-JK-Xpedition Project:

Right now I only go out for 1 or 2 days. So I don’t have much Gear to take. I stick to easy/moderate trails. I don’t take risk I use my 4 wheel drive to stay out of trouble not to get into it. I will be upgrading to 235-85-16s on stock wheels no lift or gear change required. I plan on building an outback trailer for longer trips or when someone happens to join me. But until then I will be turning my 2Dr JK into a SOLO sleep in Jeep.
I will start by taking out the front passanger seat. (back seat is already out). Then I will build a platform that will cover the rear cargo area and extend into the passenger seat area. In the rear cargo area I will have about 4-6 inches of storage area under the platform. In the front seat area I will have about 12-14 inches of storage. My sleeping area will be on the right side of the vehicle. The platform will only be about 23-25 inches wide in the passenger seat area. So I will be sleeping with my leg extended here (sometime it’s nice only having 1leg) with my head near the tailgate. The Dog (Missy) will sleep behind the driver seat. It took me about 15 minutes to take out the front seat. So I think it will take me about 30 to 60 minutes to load up for a 1 or 2 day trip. I will be doing the build soon, So i will be posting pictures .
Pros
1. I can build this in a weekend for less then 150 dollars. If I keep it simple.
2. More then enough room for my Lab and I.
3. Room for all my gear. (not much)
4. Room to add more.
5. Everything in one vehicle.
6. Quick camp set-up.
7. Keeping It Simple.
Cons
1. No passengers allowed. Except for the Dog.
2. Not for long trips. (maybe)
3. Loading for a trip will take some time.(removing and installing the front seat every trip)
4. Storing platform when not in the Jeep
The Gear: I don’t have much at all right now.
1. Sleeping bag
2. Small cooler
3. Camping stove
4. GI shovel
5. CB
6. GPS unit
7. Chair
The Gear I want:
1. Warn winch w-air comp.
2. Hi-lift jack
3. Rear bumper with tire carrier(dual-spare tires when on a trip)
4. Dual gas can holder.
5. Off-road lights
6. port-a-potty
7. Awning
8. Custom roof rack.
9. 2M radio
10. Better GPS system
11. DVD player
12. Small Honda generator(when I get the trailer done)

If you have any suggestion or idea send-em. I'm willing to listen.

Jerry

 

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Hell.. I've slept in my 2-door 2x already. Once with the passenger seat reclined all of the way and the other was across the backseat (not recommended, head & feet were sticking over the sides). I believe without the backseat in, I could push the passenger seat forward all of the way / tilted forward and rest on it if the footwell was filled in w/ a blanket.

btw.. scratch the dvd player. You dont go out into the woods to watch movies. That's where you go to get away from everything. I look forward to seeing what you come up with though.

 

hmmm for your needs i would suggest the following for the Jeep:
1. a winch definitly with rope, not wire (for safety issues)
2. front and rear bumpers. Rear bumper you probably want to have jerry can racks
3. highlift with the attachments for using a strap to pull yourself out
4. CB radio
5. aggressive off road tires (lets face it, you wont always have something around to winch on)
6. a locker in the front atleast
7. -IF- you get bumpers i would suggest half inch or 3/4" spacers to keep a good ride height
8. shovel

for your personal camping stuff its all a little diffrent depending on weather, number of days camping and such so thats something you got to decide

 

Just a thought ,but what about making the platform to conform to the shape you want,but instead of mounting it to the floor and having to take out the pass seat,suspend it from the roll bars.They are stout enough to hold the weight of say a 3/4 ply "floor" & you. You could then raise it all the way up out of the way when not in use.Lower it when ready and just recline the pass seat back.This way,you could store all your belongings underneath till you get where your goin',then set up camp & lower the bed.You would still have a sizeable amount of storage under the platform.

 

Just kiddin' I would hope you post up pics with whatever you decide to do... Sounds interesting.....

 

x2 - I wouldn't have thought of this, but reading the suggestion, I think this is genius: would keep you nice and isolated from a potentially cold floor. You would just have to rig a few cables/bungies to keep the suspended platform from swinging around while driving (if you don't feel like reattaching it to the rollbars each time when not in use).

 

Often doing just the same, sleeping in a vehicle when on a fishing trip or just enjoying of being deep in a forest away from civilization, and during few times every year going for safari with other 4wd vehicles to russian side wild east no limits territory. This is a reason i now have 4-door JK, easy to fold rear seats and it will make a quite good platform to sleep on. Might be i will remove rear seats away totally, lets see.
I used to have a LR Defender 90, which i had rear sideways facing seats removed. Front passenger seat at its foremost position and folded i was able to fit in a bunk for myself (6´3" long) made out of two equal size plywood boards (near 2x3´) set on top of two 5 foot long 2x4s, using roundhead bolts (not to scratch my back) +wing nuts to tie together. Fairly quick and easy to set up and after a trip to dismantle and take to storage room. I once tried of hanging a hammock inside but gave up as tie-up points were not far enough to get it tight.

 

http://www.offivaruste.com/catalog/p...ge.php?pID=869

This is a handy often to be with. Can pull 6000LBS+ (3300kg). I used to have winch at front and at rear, then removable to switch bck and forth. But with this you can also make back/side pulls.

I would recommend also you to have OziExplorer installed to your laptop, then scan your maps of areas you are going to visit and you always see easily where you are at. I think these GPS units are not yet up to this what Ozi can do...i mean you can make and store your own offroad tracks and paths to share and use later. Or am i not up to date..are there gps units avail with this feature i would like to know ?

Sorry for being a little off-topic.

 

1) Solo is no fun

2) Tents are cheap

Jeff