Is a Jeep ever really “done”? Maybe not, but for what I set out to create – a comfortable long-range travel vehicle that supports self-contained camping for an extended period of time, I can put a bow on this project and call it good.
I had originally budgeted $25,000 for the purchase of the Jeep and $20,000 to mold it into what it has become, today. So how did I do? Not too bad, actually. After paying $26,000 for a low-mileage, bare-bones Jeep JKU Sport, I spent the better part of the next 18-months and $20,610.13 on the modifications. The big-ticket item of course, was the Ursa Minor top which came in at $9,020.00, installed. Other big expenses were the cargo management system from American Adventure Lab ($1,882.21) and the BF Goodrich 35×12.5 KO2’s on 17×8.5 AEV Salta Wheels ($2,651.82).
Of course the big question after spending $46k on an adventure rig is how does it perform? I tried to keep the Jeep as light as possible, but it definitely feels heavier. Granted, I went from a soft top which was basically no weight up-top, to the Ursa Minor which is 250 lbs. of mostly high weight, but I can tell that the factory rear sway bar is struggling, and a vehicle that was once fairly neutral in the corners now has a slight oversteer. It does not handle poorly, just different. It is not enough of an issue that I would consider replacing the rear sway bar with a larger Hellwig unit.
There are no complaints once the Jeep leaves the pavement, though! The OME 2618 rear springs with Air Lift 60817 air bags handle the extra weight well, while still being soft enough to articulate over obstacles. Even over washboard, the suspension keeps the Jeep tracking straight and is not harsh or jarring. This is my first experience running air bags and a lot of my preconceived notions about them have proven to be untrue. They do not make the suspension feel stiffer, I do not have to change the air pressure in them when I go offroad, and they do not leak. They really do seem like the best of both worlds, taking the sag out of the rear suspension without altering the characteristics of the rear suspension.
So, how much weight is in the back of my Jeep? Here are all of the major hitters that I always carry:
- Cargo drawer system and upper shelf: 155 lbs.
- ARB 37 qt. refrigerator/freezer: 46 lbs.
- Sceptre 5 gallon water can with water: 47 lbs.
- Tool kit: 20 lbs.
- Recovery gear: 50 lbs.
- Hi-Lift Jack: 30 lbs.
In total, this is 350 pounds of additional weight, not including the the Ursa Minor top, which is about 150 pounds heavier than a factory hardtop. I should also note that the 35×12.5 KO2 spare tire and the aftermarket rear bumper also add about 100 pounds over the equivalent factory pieces. Should I have gone with the heavier (+600 lbs. over stock) OME 2620 springs? I will never know for sure, but I suspect that they would not have paired well with the front 2615 springs, which are only 95 lbs. over stock.
I did compromise in several areas, in the interest of weight-savings. I kept the factory front bumper (35 lbs.) even though an AEV bumper with the bull bar (110 lbs.) sure would provide a lot more protection. I just could not justify the additional weight. Also, I am running a single AGM battery (44 lbs.) instead of dual batteries (about 100 lbs. including the mount). The single group size H6 AGM battery will operate both the winch and the ARB refrigerator, just fine. On my last trip, the ARB app was showing 12.7 volts on the battery, after 15 hours of operating just the refrigerator. That is basically still 100%. For backup, I carry an automotive jumpstart battery pack that weighs 1.5 lbs. and has USB ports for recharging electronic devices. In fact, I primarily use it to run the ARB awning light, at night.
I think that the best part of this build is that it has had a very minimal impact on the overall drivability and performance of the Jeep, itself. I am down exactly 2 MPG versus similar trips on no lift and 33-inch tires and it does not handle quite as well on the highway, but the overall gains in offroad travel and livability have been more than worth these small sacrifices. If you think about it, this is pretty much a modern-day version of a Volkswagen Westfalia Syncro, which gets 15 MPG on a good day, and that’s without a lift and larger tires. There are a lot of great Westy’s here in the Pacific Northwest, and they were certainly an inspiration behind my Jeep build.
This journey began in November of 2019 when I found a low-mileage, manual everything, 2016 Jeep JK Unlimited Sport in Seattle, Washington. Nineteen months and $21,000 later, I think that I’ve really put together a truly world-class adventure vehicle. The only thing left to do is to eventually re-gear from the factory 3.73 gears, to 4.56’s. With the 35-inch tires, I cannot use 6th gear on the highways nearly as much, and offroad in low-range is now 2nd and 3rd, as opposed to 3rd and 4th with the 33-inch tires. So I have pretty much lost a gear on and off the highway. This is not a huge deal and I am getting by for now (I’m sure the manual transmission helps a lot!), but it is definitely not optimal, and it is something that I need to address in the future. Unfortunately, changing differential gears is a bit out of my wheelhouse so I am going to have to get that done, professionally. In 19 months, other than mounting and balancing tires, I have done everything on this Jeep, so I am not very excited about turning it over to someone else for re-gearing (except for my lack of tools and knowledge!).
As always, if you have any questions or comments hit me up on Twitter and I will be happy to help in any way that I can.
