Modifying a Jeep XJ for camping. 

Thank you for watching the video and for the kind comment. Your adventures we're part of my motivation to do this build. Anyone who has spent 7 months travelling in an XJ is an expert at what works and what doesn't in my opinion. As far as the seats go, they are at the full forward position and at full forward tilt. I have heard that seats from a two door XJ tilt, which would help, but like I said, finding any XJ's in my area is near impossible. However, I think I have enough room. As for the bed, I have a thin self inflating back packers type mattress under the foam mattress and in a test they seem like a comfortable combination. An overnight is planned to test the bed and the kitchen galley system. I will be taking everything camping related I can fit in there and determine what works and what doesn't, following the experts suggestions. :)

wyattoneable Hopefully you video your test nights. Would be great to hear how it goes as you ate working through the bugs. I just showed my girlfriend your build. She gasped when she saw you drop down kitchen storage and had me rewind it so she could see it again. That was a genius use of space and organization 👍

@@simpleoverlander (ha ha) I like freaking people out.

Me too. Doris wants to meet Helga someday but as you know it's hard to get away from these animals. I'm headed Southwest to get onto highway 10 or 20 and head West to California to visit family and friends, then to Oregon to visit my dad. I have to be back before June 13th because were going to N.C. for a wedding. I'll be busy this summer.

Thank you for leaving a comment.

Laying in the back of the Jeep made me feel like a kid again. Like many kids did back in our day, we use to make forts and sleep in them overnight. I till have some work to do before the road trip but nothing happens until this knee heals. It's proving to be a long process. Thanks for the view and for leaving a comment Dave.

I appreciate your comment. The build was not that expensive as I had most of the material on hand. Travelling is expensive however, especially gas. But the adventure is out there for you to explore. I hope you find way to get out there and see if the cost is worth the memories you will make.

That's very kind of you. I had fun working out the best solutions for this build. I can say now that I spent 17 nights in it during my last road trip everything worked as planned. Getting to my utensils from the drop down shelve was sometimes a pain because I had to move some things out of the way to gain access, otherwise the system was fun to use. I like you idea of painting the name "Options" on the side of the hood. I may try something. I appreciate your time here and come back anytime.

I sure appreciate your comment Felix and thank you for subscribing. The Jeep has been a real treat to own and drive, but after the long trip I took I have decided I need something bigger. You will see future videos on the vehicle that will replace the XJ soon. I hope you will continue to watch and comment.

Thank you for watching my video and for the comment. I've really enjoyed watching your channel. You do really nice camera work.

@@wyattoneable Thank you very much mate. Your channel is great too.. I love to be in the workshop.. Here I can watch you working on it :)

I really appreciate the comment. I watched a lot of camper builds before putting my system together. RU-vid can be very helpful and fun to watch. Sadly, I had to sell that Jeep because it just wasn't big enough for daily use. Camping for me only happens a few times during the year so I got something better for daily use. But I sure had fun in that XJ and this has been one of my most watched videos.

Thank you! Yes, take out the passenger seat. It's only four 13 mm bolts and it gives you so much more room. I had to keep my seat in for when I got to my dads house. Have a good mattress and keep the bed clear of becoming a storage area if at all possible. It's nice to be able to get into bed with all your stuff in the Jeep. That way everything is secure and out of the weather. Good luck with finding that perfect Jeep.

Thanks so much!

Thank you for leaving a very nice comment.

That's so true. I had way too much on a 28 day trip I took after this build, but I was comfortable. :)

It was a great set up. It just so happens I have a video coming out that shows some major changes based on the passenger seat coming out. That gives us much more room to spread out a little so I had to change the bed to the other side and that affected where other things go. The good thing about this set up is we can change things around. Have fun building up rig and thanks for the comment.

In this build I needed to keep the passenger seat for my dad. But now I am working on a modification to sleep on the passenger side like you have done. My XJ has been out of service for 100 days waiting on the seats to be reupholstered. I'm getting upset with the shop for taking so long, but once I get it back I will complete the modification. Thank you for leaving a comment. I hope you are enjoying your XJ.

Thanks Moe!

Thank you for the comment. I appreciate you.

Much love hope all is well for ya pal

Wow, good for him. I think I'll be very comfortable. Once I'm settled down I don't need to move around much. Like your brother-in-law, I'll be in the South for the most part so it should be warm.

Low buck all the way baby! To tell you the truth I completely forgot about your link. My bad. Hope your doing well out there. I took some notes when you showed your system and how you organized everything.

Thank you!

My table worked out great but thanks for the suggestion. Having a tub under a cooler that has a drain might be a good idea. I did a 20 night road trip and the worse part was the heat. Trying to sleep was difficult. Getting in and out of the little side door was a bit of a pain, but not terrible. I did a "lessons learned" video about that trip. Good luck on your build. I had a great experience with my Jeep.

That camping arrangement worked out good for a 20 day trip I took to the West coast. Now that I won't need the passenger seat for future trips I will be modifying the system for more room. I sure appreciate you leaving a comment. Good luck with your build.

It's a small platform for sure.

I'm in recovery for having a new knee replaced so perfect timing to "self quarantine". I haven't been able to do anything in the shop or around the house for 5 weeks now and I'm getting a little stir crazy but I have time. I need to finish up some details before leaving for my road trip but yes, I plan on making a vlog and have a record for myself and to share. Thanks for leaving a comment Mike.

You are so kind

Thank you for the kind comment. It was a fun build and it worked 98% perfect for the trip I took. Have fun with your build and adventures!

I'm traveling! Thanks for the comment.

I sure do thank you for all the encouraging words. I've always been good at figuring things out and since I'm retired I have time to think about it more. I'm pretty happy with the set up but it will be tested as soon as I recover from surgery. Thank you for watching and hope to see you here again.

I sure appreciate the kind comment. It was a fun build.

Hello Hooligan and welcome. No, not really. The trip I took to the West coast was a great experience but an experience that taught me I'm getting too old to enjoy "roughing it". I have done a couple of camping trips (one trip is another video) and I enjoyed that, but long distance driving and a long time away from home is not for me. However, with the right people, I consider another overlanding/ extended camping trip.

I thank you for your time spent here. I know you're a busy guy.

I've been on the road now for a week and I can tell you it's not easy. Getting older brings along some limitations and this small space will remind you of them. However, the reason to build an XJ is for the manuberability. Getting off road to find seclusion has been pretty cool. But next time I'm buying a Class C camper and pull the XJ. 😁

@@wyattoneable Good tips! If I can't find a good priced camper to tow my XJ behind, I can build a small 8 to 10 footer the XJ can tow. We're not getting any younger so we have to think about comfort a little more than we did 50 years ago. aha

Thank you! It was a fun build.

Thanks! Now that I've used the Jeep for a 20 day trip I can say most everything worked well.

My man from Canada! So nice that you watched. I appreciate that.

I need to learn how to cook for myself. (ha ha) I'll keep watching you and Helga's channels.

Thanks for all the support Lloyd.

Thanks so much Joe. It's a small space for my large body but overall it worked out well while on my road trip, in part to Colorado. :)

@@wyattoneable well don't stop now. Maybe consider a little budget trailer next. I can post a link in the comments to one I found really neat and the guy claims it's less than 800# and less than a $2000 budget and it's a lot like your current build with reclaimed garage door parts and RV windows. I think you'd enjoy it as well.

@@wyattoneable take a few minutes and get a pencil and paper, maybe this can spark an interest. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JMkfg5bJ1Bk.html

@@josephpacheco7508 I have considered a tear drop trailer actually. I've seen a few for sale in my area but they are getting expensive, especially for a guy who goes camping once or twice a year.

@@josephpacheco7508 I watched the video. He did a great job saving money on his build. Way cool!

(ha ha) That's right Steve, I like making things overly complicated.

Thank you very much. It was a fun build.

Thank you for the comment Conner!

I've gotten more comments about that drop down shelve. I thank you for your comment as well.

Thank you, It was a fun build.

Thanks Steven. I appreciate the kind comment.

Thank you for the comment. I like the interaction I have with other owners of the XJ. I learn a lot from you guys. I had to replace my carpet and I left those metal slats out. I also removed the back seat and use plywood as a base. That gave me about 64 inches. If you can find seats from a two door XJ, those seats fold forward which give us more room. I hope you take a short trip and check out your sleeping options.

Thank you Thomas. It was a fun build.

I think I have a good start on being comfortable in my travels. I have a few more things to do like black out the rear windows, but building this box was the biggest part. Thanks again for watching and leaving a comment. You're a great RU-vid friend.

Thank you for the positive comment. It's fun coming up with ideas that freak people out. (ha ha) It is practical however, using every possible inch of space in a small Jeep.

So far I think that's possible. If my knee heals as expected I hope to leave around the 1st of May. If I can get down there I will give you plenty of warning so you can move out of State. (ha ha) The good thing is I'll be self contained. :)

@wyattoneable I don't think Brad can move again, there are only so many times in a lifetime where you can do battle with a new post office. Its like the nine lives for a cat deal. ;-)

Thank you very much

Thank you Ahmed.

Thank you Christine. My travels have been completed for this year. :)

Thanks so much! I appreciate your comment.

@@wyattoneable You're welcome. Inspired me on how to move forward with my XJ project.

@@brentlaube568 That's great! Just today I removed both of the front seats to have them reupholstered. While they are out I'm going to reconfigure my set up to sleep on the passenger side for more room. But I will be able to use the front passenger door for entry and exit. Getting in and out of the little real door was a pain for a guy my size.

You do what works. This has been one of my most watched videos and has been a lot of fun to see the comments as well. Thank you for adding your comment.

Ellen in the house! So good to see a comment from you. I'm really looking forward to seeing if this works.

Thanks for the tips. I have a two night stay planned within walking distance of home for the reasons you have suggested. Not only to make sure the bed is comfortable but how to take care of business and shower when not in a camp site.

wyattoneable Longtrailside made some great points. Rule #1 before bed though; Always go to the bathroom right before bed. Even if you don’t have to. Learned that early on and it is the difference between getting up at 4am or 7am :)

@@simpleoverlander For sure, I do that at home now. At the risk of sharing too much information, I have a pee bottle stored for those long nights after drinking too many cocktails. :)

I appreciate the kind words Smitty. This is my specialty...piddling around until I make it over complicated. (ha ha)

Thank you leaving a kind comment.

@@wyattoneable my rig is not a budget build, but may provide some ideas for your future projects. My 4 wheel drive Cherokee includes a full Kitchen on heavy duty slides which enables ARB Fridge & ClearView Pantry to pull completly out of the Jeep's cargo area, Roof-Top Tent (RTT), 10'pop-up screen room, and a pop-up bathroom/changing room. I can carry up to 7.8 Gallons of potable water (1 WaterPort & two 2 gallon plastic RotoPlex carriers). My Yeti Goal Zero 1250 power generator provides 3 days of electric before needing recharge. The Goal Zero power generator recharges either with AC or while the Jeep engine is running. The power generator can also be recharged with solar panels but my current energy needs don't necessitate additional alternative charging capabilities. My 15000 BTU portable stove can use either Butane or Propane for fuel. The campers' assets are totally modular which affords the flexibility to deploy optional resources as needed. If boondocking/primitive camping, I have my own water & electric power for up to 3 days. If staying in a campsite which provides water, electric, and showers/bathrooms, I can just use my RTT and kitchen. My pop-up screen room gives me a place of refuge from mosquitoes in under 2 minutes. BTW ... I always get a lot of interest and "thumbs up" comments from curious lookielou's who walk up and ask questions when the sunshade is deployed on the Jeep's rear hatch. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-lGWL7Pp9igg.html&authuser=0

Thank you Rowdy!

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a great comment!

Thank you John!

Good question! 😁 I told to my wife I would like to buy a Harley. She said, don't buy it if there is only one seat. 😂 BTW Wyatt, this is GREAT!! 👍

She has no interest in going Chris. We have too many animals and she's just as happy to be home. If she did come we'd be in a hotel every night. She's not a camper at all. When I worked I was gone a lot and she enjoyed her solitude. She'll be fine. :)

@@V8AmericanMuscleCar Thank you very much!

Thank you. It was fun.

So true Terry. I'm planning on a 30 day trip but I've been on a schedule all my adult life so it may also be possible that I get bored and just go fast!

Thank you!

Roach! Good to see you buddy. So glad your still around

Thank you!

Thanks so much!

I appreciate that E.

Hi Ben, thanks for the nice comment. Your not going to believe this but I sold the Jeep! I now have a 2001 Yukon that I'll be building up to camp in so stay tuned. Have a great holiday .

@@wyattoneable You too, glad you were able to upgrade. I’m buying a jeep Cherokee here soon and this video was great inspiration. Love the video and keep up the great work!

@@benagy2733 That's exciting. There are a lot of good Jeep channels so have fun learning about them. I loved mine, but I'm a big guy who needed more room.

You bet I will! I'm going to get Doris up there one day. She wants to meet you and hang out in your barn with the animals one day. We just need to make arrangements to have our animals cared for and make it happen. If not, I'm coming alone just for your hug! (ha ha) By the way, a portable toilet is on my shopping list!

Thanks for the information about the other channels. I'll look them up. Yes, we have access to supplier's for roof top tents, but we are behind in this overlanding stuff because most everywhere we go in the US your still within 50 miles of a town. I won't be going that direction, those tents are expensive. I do want to get an awning however. I want to take it to the Overlanding Expo held in Flagstaff, Arizona on May 15-17;to check out all the gear. Thanks for writing.

Thank you Terry. I'll be doing some videos from the road trip but not too many, just the highlights. :)

I appreciate the interest.

I wrote that comment before it even got to the part in the video with the drop down kitchen extension from the ceiling. Amazing. So smart to set the utensils in to foam to prevent rattling!

I appreciate your comment. It was a fun build that worked out great for a 20 day long trip I took a few months ago.

Sorry I missed this one Paul. Not all comments show up in my notifications. Anyway, thanks!!

@@wyattoneable mine does this too...so hard to keep up 🙄❤

I almost didn't post that part. Wow. I'm like a sardine in that Jeep. But I'll manage. While in the Army I slept in much worse places. :) Nice that you stopped by!

I'm not sure what you're referring too. I showed the battery in it's location while the drawer was empty but the battery is in a "battery box" with a cover on it. The food is sealed as well so I see any issues, nor did I have any problems during my trip. Thanks for stopping by.

This will be a solo trip buddy. The wife has no interest in camping at all and to be honest, she's ready for me to be "out of her hair". I have some material ordered to work on blacking out the windows. There is still work to be done for sure but this is a good start.

I can't wait to get on the road and do some camping along the way to the West coast. Thanks Sunshine.

@@wyattoneable I do miss some good camping!! :-))

I'll be in the hospital for a knee replacement starting today but I'll get two out to you asap! Thanks for the interest. Email me at: wyatt.admin09@gmail.com with your address.

Since being retired I too have been getting interested in the over landing videos. I won't be prepared to be travelling over rough trails or rock crawling, but with a stock 4x4 and dry weather a guy can still get off the beaten path and take some trails for that perfect camping spot. That's the plan anyway. This Jeep is stock, no locking diffs, no lift kit and small tires so I know my limitations. But I think I can still have fun.

@@wyattoneable LOL...I hear ya Wyatt, I won't be doing any Rock Crawling either 😉 I plan on keeping mine stock for the most part too but the Limited Slip Diff is already giving me some concerns about traction....and that's just getting in and out of my driveway during the inclement weather 😲

When your young you can deal with a lot of uncomfortable situations. But as we get older we need a little more comfort. As long as I can get 6 hours of sleep I'm good to go. The cooler stand is just a simple expandable stand that was not in the shot. I found it at a flee market and will work perfectly. Thanks for the comment.

I'm just the opposite. After being in aviation for 40 years I don't even want to look at an airplane. Thanks for the comment.

Thanks Wally. I hope this all works out and I can get on the road by around the 1st of May.

I had a lot of fun thinking up ways to incorporate my tools. Of course one hopes I never need them, but I like having them just the same. I know you feel the same way. :)

@@wyattoneable you got that right! Never leave home without them! Lol If I were to, I bet that's when I'd have trouble & NEED them. Lol 😅😅

I actually thought about that and have a plan to keep me from getting out of the Jeep in the middle of the night. And yes, an extra cocktail will be on the menu. Guess what? Your place is my first stop on this adventure!

@@wyattoneable All ways welcome here.

Thank you very much. It was really handy for a trip I took.

@@wyattoneable Welcome. Gotta watch more of your videos. Would be cool to see a vlog of one your trips with the xj.

@@KRALTAIR47 I have many videos already posted about the trip I took. Thanks.

@@wyattoneable I'll check them out. Subscribed too! 😀

@@KRALTAIR47 Thank you for letting me know you subscribed. I don't get those notifications any longer.

A soon as I recover from knee replacement I'm taking the Jeep out for a trial run near the house. That way if I forget something or the bed mattress is too this, I can rethink my system. Being of the "prepper" mind set I believe you and I are pretty good about thinking what we would need on the road. I hoe so anyway. Stand by for updates! The road trip isn't until May, but I'll be doing other work before I leave.

@@wyattoneable one things for sure when we get a little older we have to put a little bit more thought into the things that we do and it seems like you have put quite a bit of thought into this. And I hope the knee replacement recovery time is short and complete.

Thank you Les. It's been a fun project. I still have a few things to finish but I have time. :) Famous last words.

It was a lot of work in the details but as you know, very satisfying. Thanks for spending some time here.

Thank you for leaving a comment!

Agreed! That blew my mind!

It's getting better each day I work on it. Thanks!

Your the second guy who suggested using soap on the area where the wood slides against each other. I'll be doing that today. :) Thanks for the comment Dave.

@@wyattoneable old trick on antique furniture. 😁