zone zero

Well after 2 years of having my latest cherokee, my fiancé and I have desided to build the cherokee for long distance overland travel. Our trip will start in the spring of 2015 we are due to get married December of 2014.
I've build 11 jeeps from older yj to a tj rubicon even a liberty. I know my way around these tin cans.

Goals for this build.
Making a good reliable driver, to head to Moab Colorado and most of the northern states .then Come home through the south back up the east cost to New Hampshire.

What I have done so far

Installed a new 4.0, transmition, with all the typical parts that go along with that.
3.5 rustys lift mix and match with BDS shocks and track bar.
Extended Non disconnect sway bar links.
New front u joints
New brakes all around
rear detour tire carrier mounted in the receiver hitch
5- 265/75r16 gard dog Mts from tread wright mounted on 16/7 jeep liberty rims
1.5 wheel spacers
Arb snorkel (I hydro locked 2 engins before, so I like the insurance) New England can be wet.

We built a platform in the back to cover the rear seat it allows us to pull the front seats forward to add a 8 inch memory foam mattress that we custom cut to fit the back, we then added removable magnetic screen windows to the back doors.

What we need, for the inside is a set of front folding seat brackets from a 2 door 97 and up. I need more room in the back I'm 6'0 it's tight.
I would also like a small but useful fan to keep the air moving at night

All of our storage has to be outside the jeep, as the inside is for sleeping.
I was given a huge Thule box to keep everything dry.
So I'm building a half rack to run down the drivers side of the roof, with a led light bar across the front.
With an awining,
On the back I want to add at least 5 gals of gas (thinking roto pax)
A high lit jack
Maxtrax
And some type of trash storage on the spare tire.
A detour back bone and winch on the front


One issue I'm having is I'm not changing the axles but I'm going to regrear to 456, not interested in a front locker but will do a lunch box locker in the back.
It's an 8.25 and I'm fine with that I'm not hardcore wheeling anymore.
I'm thinking 456 due to weight and I know 410s are not going to be enough.


I'm open to ideas,
And I will be posting pictures as I go.

I would like help with some of the electronics and security storage. My soon to be wife is a professioanl photographer
We would like to have wireless Internet in the truck with USB charge ports front and back.
Along with a good ham/cb radio.

exterior camp type lighting is also something we would like.
I might go with solar panels on the hood or back of the roof.

So thoughts ideas ????

dohc91gli

Sounds cool. One question, Are you independently wealthy? Long, LONG distance with 4.56's sounds very expensive.

HS00XJ

sounds fun road trip...high miles on tread wrights sounds scary.Their retreads right?

xjheep92

Nothing wrong with guard dogs great tires. I would be completely confident with them across the country.... they do hum but you prob know that

HS00XJ

cool nice to know ive never bought a set but my brother n law had a set and the tread was coming apart..(not guard dogs though don't know what kind)

PocketsEmpty

Let me start off with this:



I really, really want to see some pics of your Detours Knucklebone setup. Doesn't seem too many people run one, and I'm seriously considering one for my rig.

HS00XJ

You cant call worthless in his personal thread can you? Haha

zone zero

Well not sure if anyone else saw my other thread but my soon to be wife crashed the cherokee into a pole during the snow storm we had in the north east.
the jeep is at the doctors office and we will be fixing it.
Since the last time I posted here I added a full set of 255/85x16 maxis bighorns
I'm working on a aluminum roof rack design that I hope will be modular.
And will be ordering a set of notch customs fender flares to add to the parts pile along with a heavy front bumper and winch. Wish me luck.

About the back bone I was the first person to test it out it was the proto type that Mark came up with and I can tell you it has over 70,000 miles on it with a 265/75x16 , all I've had to do is touch up the paint , it took a direct hit during the crash and survived. It only broke the "off the shelf latch." Well worth the money IMO.

zone zero

I forgot, if we were wealthy I would be going in a different direction with the build as in I would do it all at once, I'm just a teacher at an outdoor education facility in southern New Hampshire.

I can tell you something about the guard dog MTs if you rotate them every oil change you will get 40k out of them. I did and in the snow and ice they were hands down the best tire I've ever used. I will be getting another set at some point.

94XjSport94

KTM drove to Moab from Maine or wherever he lives.

Sounds like a fun trip and your plans are pretty in line with what I would be looking at. Although i wouldn't do a lunchbox locker in the rear for such a long trip.

zone zero

I might decide to ditch the cheap locker out back, and just do the winch in the front the reason being it will be easer on the drivetrain and better on the road. If I do get stuck I'd rather pull line than over stress the axle.

94XjSport94

I run mine up front with no problems, and I would agree a winch would probably better suit you, as long as you have something to run cable to.

PocketsEmpty

Thanks for the info! That's cool. Now where are the pics??? lol. Do you have the angled knucklebone, or the straight one? Any rattling issues?