Okay, so here's the deal, in about half a year I will be graduating college and what I'm going to do is pretty much explore the entire west half of America by using nothing but backroads and camping at night. The only time I plan to go into town is for supplies and of course refueling and maybe some nookie

I'll be starting in Arizona and going up to Utah, Colorado, then to Wyoming and Montana, cross through Idaho and into Washington, down to Oregon and all through California and end up back in Phoenix, AZ.

Now I'm prepping my JK so I can make this trip with as little strain on my Jeep as possible. However I also need to be aware of off-road hazards. I have a summer job so I will be able to put at least 5 grand into my JK by the end of summer, and another 1 grand or so after my B-day.

So I need everyone's input and suggestions on what i should to Keep my JK alive in this massive excursion.

Here's what I have planned so far...

2.5" teraflex HD boost lift (one with coils & shocks)
Cragar 16x8 wheels with BFG 33x11.5 AT's
Hanson Stubby Front Bumper
Hanson Rear Bumper
Full Traction Front Adjustable Track Bar
Full Traction Rear Adjustable Track Bar
Warn x9000i winch with a Yellow Top Optima Battery
*Trying to custom fab a gerry can mount, but don't know where to mount it.

This is all I got so far, remember, I only have about 5K to drop into my JK. But I need some suggestions. Tell me if what I'm doing will work or if I should add something to the list. But everything needs to be reasonable. Oh, just to give you some info, I have a 2 door JK with 3.73 gearing. And I will be going with one buddy who has a deck-out '97 Range Rover sitting on 34" supper swampers - he'll be fine! And don't worry about me, I've been backpacking before. I just need to prep the Jeep to pretty much survive a long roadtrip and non-stop offroading. and that's why I need all your insight.

Thanks and once my Jeep is all decked out, I'll post pics - they won't be until July though after I get all my cash and when my JK is looking mean.

 

I Would Recommend An Affordable Snorkel Kit So Your Engine Has Clean Air To Breath On Dirt Roads And In High Waters.....they Really Make A Diff.

 

So if you're leaving a half year from now that will be almost November. That'll be some cold camping/backpacking/'wheeling weather and probably lots of snow.

The mods sound goo. Don't forget rocker guards/sliders though. You'll probably need them.

Don't go too crazy w/ the mods. Save some $$$ for gas, you'll need it for that trip!

 

No offense to the guy that recommended the snorkel....but you will not run into more dust in any of those western states than you will while wheeling at home here in Az. I don't have a snorkel and my jeep runs great....just check your air filter once or twice while on the trip and clean it if needed...or take a spare filter with you...which would probably be overkill....but cheaper than buying a snorkel system.

Besides, IMO, if you're going on a long excursion, I would avoid major water crossings that you're not familiar with in the first place cause you won't know how deep they are and it would bring an abrupt ending to your trip if you sub-marined and fried your Jeep. Hell...many people here in the AZ Virtual Jeep club have done this while wheeling trails in their home state.

Get a good GPS unit. I have TomTom One unit and it works pretty good. Also make sure your cell phone is GSM so you can call for help in case you guys get stranded on a trail out in BFE....aka Idaho. Also make sure you guys can communicate with either CB set up or 2 Way radios.

2.5" HD BB is a good investment if you're running 33's, but not sure how much clearance you'll really have after adding those aftermarket bumpers. Just something to keep in mind...cause you may be limited in level of trail your rig will run with that small of a lift...at least in AZ. This brings up a good point...get some sliders first and foremost!!! Even if they are Rubicon take offs. Also, you could save a lot of money by doing the front and rear bumpers later and instead use the money to just install a winch plate on your stock front bumper, install to tow hooks if dont already have them, and then use the money instead to regear to 4.10 or higher so you have decent power for your roadtrip.

Definitely spend money for some good alloy wheels that can take a beating. I do not recommend steel wheels since you live in AZ and Im sure I'll get flamed for this by the east coasters and/or web wheelers in the west, but quite a few wheelers in AZ have had issues with steelies on their JK's out here because our trails have a ton of rocks and our wheels get beat to hell and cause ESP issues. Having to suspend your trip so you can make a side trip to a dealership in another state because your wheels are out of round would be a pain in the ass.

Also, an additional spare tire would be nice, but if you only plan on taking one spare tire, I suggest gettinig BFG KM2's or some other brand of MT that has the STRONGEST sidewalls available while still being tame on the road. Also get yourself a nice tire plug kit and learn how to use it. ARB makes a good kit.

You might consider building your own 20lb CO2 air tank system. You can make one for about $150 so you can air up your larger tires many times and also run air tools on the trail if and when you break. Otherwise get yourself a decent portable air compressor and just deal with towing your rig into town if you break.

Recovery gear will be key. Bring a shovel and if you plan on hitting any beaches in CA or OR bring some rolled up pieces of carpet. Saw you mentioned a winch....thats good....might consider some accessories for the winch like snatch block...also make sure you have rear recovery points as well and a tow strap in case you need to get pulled off a rock from the rear of your rig by another rig that does not have a winch. Also consider a Hi Lift Jack and a decent bottle jack.

JP Coolers are nice space saving coolers and designed for Jeeps and I think they are carried by a couple sponsors of this forum: www.jpcooler.com

Not sure how hard you will be wheeling it, but may want to look for some spare drive shafts...I've seen take offs go for $50 a piece recently.

Another option, if you can afford it, you can also consider doing an overhead cargo rack which will allow you to carry a spare tire overhead with your camping gear and then you could go for a custom jerry can mount on your stock spare tire carrier like what's pictured here: www.gojeepin.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=176&p=1402#p1402

 

Sounds like fun.



I'd do 33x 12.5, not 33 x 11.5 as long as you're getting new rims anyway. (Get ~ > 4.5 - 4.75" of BS on the rims)

For the BFG AT ko's, in a 16" tire, the 305/70/16 is great. If the mud is deep/gooey...AT's are not great though....and your buddy is on bigger tires, Boggers no less.

For back roads though, AT's should be more than enough, and the AT ko's last WAAAAY longer than Boggers will, like 75-80K no problem.

For the gerry cans - consider the wide flat cans, like they sell at Cabella, etc...for ATV's....they tuck in tight, and lay flat, and are easier to mount. They have water, gas, etc, versions. (You need a lot of water)



You don't mention skid plates or sliders, or other recovery gear other than the winch....Sliders are a minimum...for back roads, possibly enough...but, if the "roads" punch a hole in your tin foil stock plates, and for example all your fuel leaks out, or your oil, etc....you're f-ed.

Sliders are also a good place to hi-lift yourself out of ruts and help fend off rocker damage, provide a recovery point for side slides, etc.

 

sliders should be near he top of the list
the 2.5bb and the 33s should get you through alot of it with good spotting

 

Honestly man, while I'm pretty new at working on Jeeps, I kind of know what I'm talking about when it comes to camping/overlanding. I would be much more worried about you than your jeep. It can handle the trip. If anything I would drop a dual battery tray in it with two Optimas and a mean green alternator. You do NOT want a dead battery on a backroad 150 miles from anywhere. You also might want to add a few auxiliary lights. I don't know if you plan to drive at night but those backroads can become accident prone without proper lighting. Other than that and the few mods you have planned like a winch you don't necessarily need much more.

However, for yourself, your going to need a whole hell of a lot to stay warm and safe. Whenever you go out a long way from so called "civilization", you need to make sure that, no matter how reliable, you can survive if your vehicle of choice breaks down. Its just erring on the side of caution. With that in mind, pack some extra items:

-A few extra Gerry Cans for potable water (I like Scepter).
-Chemical Water Purification and Water Filtration.
-A few different implements for starting a fire. Lighters, Waterproof Matches, and Magnesium fire sticks are all great, so take some of each.
-A good multi-tool
-Tools for the Jeep. Take any sockets and wrenches for commonly used bolts on the JK.
-An extensive first-aid kit. I'm not talking about a Walmart kit with a few bandages in it. You need to be able to sow yourself back together if worst comes to worst. Check military surplus, they usually have some good stuff, but know that any meds in them will probably be expired.
-Good shoes and moleskin. Hey, even if your jeep is fine, do you know how annoying working the clutch would be if you had a blister on your heel?
-Pants and Jacket suited for extreme cold. The time of year you are leaving and the areas you are driving in could catch you in a freak storm. You need to be able to dress for the occasion.
-A machete. For clearing brush or cutting firewood. Military surplus usually has them cheap, with ripsaw on the back edge. As a bonus, they fit perfectly in the jack cubby in the rear of your JK.
-A trustworthy, bright, flashlight. Surefire LED tactical are great. You want one on hand in case you need to signal or do repairs in the dark. It needs to be 80 lumens+.
-A .22 Rifle. This is great for any number of reasons, but you shouldn't do something like your planning without it. It is also legal in all of the states you are driving through. Just keep it secured in a gun case with the ammunition separate.
-And for god sake man, pack a few MREs in your jeep! They take practically no space and are cheap. Plus, while you will probably be fine, if something does go terribly wrong don't you want to eat?

I know this might sound like overkill but honestly, I would much rather people overlanding/camping in their jeeps be prepared for the worst and never need it than get stuck out there. Pick up any hiking/backpacking survival guide for more in depth review on the basics. Always go prepared.

 

Just from my research and stuff, save the money and dont get the TF shocks. Dave at Northridge said the stock shocks are actually better. Also, I don't think a front trackbar bracket is necessary with just the budget boost.

 

I would have to disagree. I know my X does better on wash board road with the TF shock compared to stock. .02

 

I suggest using expeditionportal.com as a resource, not for anything Jeep specific but quite a few people over there live and die the expedition lifestyle.