Hey guys, just wondering what's the longest roadtrip you've ever made in your Cherokee? I am probably going to drive my XJ from Traverse City, MI to Kelowna, BC, roughly a 2200 mile trip. I'm really nervous about it, and through searches I can't find any threads about long trips in XJs. Just trying to decide what preparation needs to be done.

So far:
Changed all oils/fluids, lubed/greased all parts, flushed radiator, all new u-joints, steering, hubs, and brakes.

 

I took her for a 30 min drive one way once.

My coworker took hers from Milwaukee WI to Palmer AK in one trip. Didn't exactly make it in one piece.

 

Wow, that's one hell of a drive . What problems did she end up having?

 

Some seal blew out, causing her to loose oil pressure or something.

All I know is she told me the motor was toast. Then when she told me (eventually) what the actual problem was, a total [facepalm] was in order.

The truck would have been fine if she had any mechanical ability. Unfortunately that wasn't her strong suit and the XJ found a new owner.

 

Richmond Va to Valdosta Ga up to Fayetteville NC back to Valdosta Ga. No issues at all. 200K on the clock. Just had to add oil along the way as I have a toasted rear main seal. Ive also taken it all over north Florida and south Georgia and up to Atlanta in traffic that would rival Los Angles.

 

Went from Newnan, GA to Oak Island North Carolina. It had 166800 miles on it when I left. It was an 8 hour trip one way.

 

I've had several road trips in mine over the last couple of years.

The first I moved my friend from Yorba Linda, CA to McAllen, TX. That was 1600 miles. Then I drove 500 miles north to Arlington, TX to visit my uncle. Then drove 1400 miles back home. So that was about 3500 miles total.

The next was a visit to my grandpa's house. I started in Placentia, CA and drove to Grand Junction, CO, about 750 miles away. Round trip was about 1500 miles.

My latest was when I moved from Placentia, CA to Iva, SC. That was about 2400 miles.

My Jeep has never given me any problems on any of my trips. Just check your oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, tires, antifreeze, battery (clean off any corrosion and add water to it if needed), and windshield washer fluid (I hit a LOT of bugs, lol).

 

1100 miles. Went from Indiana to louisiana...was the worst heat the jeep an have ever been in....then I drove home an a few days later recharged my ac .. soooooo 2200miles plus 187xxx on the dash plus a 2500lb trailer and nothing went wrong.

 

Check/change the serpentine belt and hoses? If its reliable enough to be a DD, it should be good to make the trip.

We've been using the 159K mile '96 Sport for 850+ mile round trip long weekends. It seems quite happy at 70mph on the slab as well as right at home on the 35-45 mph rural backroads.

 

Dan, I've had a few long trips in my very stock 2001 XJ (automatic, 158Kmiles) from Atlanta, GA to northern Michigan and back. About 950 miles each way, all in one day. Winter and summer, no problems. Worst issue I had was heading back south last spring running into 30+ mph crosswinds in the flat parts of Michigan and Ohio....the Cherokee is as aerodynamic as a shoebox. I also got stuck in a 7-hour complete shutdown of I-75 in Kentucky once. Haven't had any issues with the XJ itself, though.

I chimed in because I'm planning a solo 12-day road trip next June or July to Montana. It'll be 4700 to 5000 miles round trip depending on how many detours I take. I want to take the XJ so I've been going over it stem to stern making sure everything's ready. The longest one-day leg will be 980 miles, all on interstates.

Your trip to B.C. looks like mostly U.S 2 and interstates, all good road. My advice from experience...if you're driving big chunks of the trip all at once, cruise at no more than 70mph and take a little walk-around break every 4 hours or so, whether you feel like it or not. The XJ seats are nice but get less comfortable after a few hundred miles. Keep your night driving to a minimum. And bring a good map book, don't rely on GPS. Other than that, just cruise and enjoy the scenery.

Sounds like you've got all the essentials taken care of. I've done the same. I'm bringing a spare oil pressure sending unit (I've had a couple blow out) and a spare serpentine belt, a quart of oil, a quart of trans fluid and the usual tool set, just in case. And make sure your heater works...nights are colder in B.C!!

 

iv took mine on a little over 4 hour round trip twice in the last year with no problems at all other then it drinking gas LOL

 

From Maine to Florida 3 times. To North Carolina twice. To Virginia 3 times (all seperate trips). To upstate New York 8 or so times and to SE Mass at least twice a year for 9 straight years (MIL's house). The Mass trip alone is is 380 miles one way if we dont take detours to visit other family (which we always do). Usually that Mass trip puts close to 1K each time. All of my family in Maine is far too: FIL is 4 hours one way and we go there a handful of times a year. My grandparents are 149 miles from driveway to driveway and 135 of it is highway, and we make that trip once a month. But I dont have an old beater off-road Jeep either. She's a '99 with 140K on her that I bought in '02. She is our DD and I take GOOD care of her. All fluids are changed regularly (synthetic oil, trany, trans, diffs, coolant, brake, power steering) and I give her a tune up every other year regardless. I grease everything and inspect her regularly. I keep her clean, out of the water and overall baby her. You treat them right and theyll last forever and go anywhere.

 

Setting mine up for a 28 hr trip rapid city, sd to denver to houston. This will be the first trip in the jeep but have done it in a ranger twice, burban once and a crappalier twice. As long as the vehicle is well maintained it should be fine. Just finished my fluid changes and greasing.

 

I bought mine in Kalkaska, MI (right next to Traverse City) and drove it to Nashville, TN (700 miles). A few years later took it from Nashville to Pensacola, FL (450 mile). Most recently Pensacola to Abilene, TX (900 miles).
My Jeep prefers highway driving.

 

Drove from Blue Ridge ,Georgia to Southern Indina with only three stops. She did real good.Bout five time.now back n fourth