Overlanding trip, looking for suggestions

[Flyin6]

My wife and I are planning our early fall trip this year. We will start in Taos NM for some hiking then over to Silverton for some trails. Then we drive to Moab, and finish with a couple/few days in Breckenridge for hiking and maybe an alpine drive. From there over to Colorado Springs vcty just to buzz up Pikes Peak.

We will mostly stay in hotels adventuring during the day. The reason we will be doing that is I just don't see this JT of mine with the weezer V6 gas as being able to haul much else other than a six-pack of ginger ale! As we all know the gas motor is pathetic, and I have lightened my truck to the tune of -250 lbs just to try and give it some help. Thanks to MOPAR installing a new computer system that will not allow a power adder, I am stuck with two hundred something torque to haul this thing and all my stuff.

Honestly, I would have ditched this truck after three months because of its lack of power, but I have decided that the rest of the thing is outstanding and so I'll bolt in a V8 in a year or so. Now, that truck will be exactly what I want.

So back to the upcoming trip. I would have installed a Go-Fast or I-Camper or something if I thought that motor would accelerate the increased mass 0-30 in a minute, but frankly, I doubt it. Therefore I have no tent per see to sleep in overnight in the alpine. Another thought, normally aspirated motors lose power with increasing altitude. Can this Jeep even move at all at 10,000 feet? OK, yea I am being a bit sarcastic, just the abiding disappointment in the power coming out.

So, certainly, others are driving these things cross country and adventuring at altitude, so for those who do, how do you do it? I am having trouble maintaining 70 MPH indicated in Kentucky on hills without dropping all the way to 6th sometimes. I have 37s and 5.13 gears. Well, you can look at the signature to see the setup. Am I just stuck driving 65 across the country and then relying on low range in the alpine?

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[stampedingTurtles]

My wife and I are planning our early fall trip this year. We will start in Taos NM for some hiking then over to Silverton for some trails. Then we drive to Moab, and finish with a couple/few days in Breckenridge for hiking and maybe an alpine drive. From there over to Colorado Springs vcty just to buzz up Pikes Peak.

We will mostly stay in hotels adventuring during the day. The reason we will be doing that is I just don't see this JT of mine with the weezer V6 gas as being able to haul much else other than a six-pack of ginger ale! As we all know the gas motor is pathetic, and I have lightened my truck to the tune of -250 lbs just to try and give it some help. Thanks to MOPAR installing a new computer system that will not allow a power adder, I am stuck with two hundred something torque to haul this thing and all my stuff.

Honestly, I would have ditched this truck after three months because of its lack of power, but I have decided that the rest of the thing is outstanding and so I'll bolt in a V8 in a year or so. Now, that truck will be exactly what I want.

So back to the upcoming trip. I would have installed a Go-Fast or I-Camper or something if I thought that motor would accelerate the increased mass 0-30 in a minute, but frankly, I doubt it. Therefore I have no tent per see to sleep in overnight in the alpine. Another thought, normally aspirated motors lose power with increasing altitude. Can this Jeep even move at all at 10,000 feet? OK, yea I am being a bit sarcastic, just the abiding disappointment in the power coming out.

So, certainly, others are driving these things cross country and adventuring at altitude, so for those who do, how do you do it? I am having trouble maintaining 70 MPH indicated in Kentucky on hills without dropping all the way to 6th sometimes. I have 37s and 5.13 gears. Well, you can look at the signature to see the setup. Am I just stuck driving 65 across the country and then relying on low range in the alpine?

I'm a bit confused as to why you say you are having trouble maintaining speed up hills without dropping "all the way to 6th" as though the downshifting is a problem. 6th gear is 1:1 ratio, 7 & 8 are overdrive gears. If the truck downshifts to 6th or 5th to maintain speed going up a grade, is that a problem?

 

[Jefe1018]

Once you have the V8 it won’t be as much of a problem or at least better masked.

I honestly don’t think it is as much of a problem as much as it is a “what the hell this thing was $XXXXXX and won’t do the speed limit”.

Jeep’s have never been about doing 90 down the interstate, especially with bigger tires and what not. At some point you are just fighting physics. Once you get to the Moab trails you’ll have that “oh I get it” moment.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Once you have the V8 it won’t be as much of a problem or at least better masked.

I honestly don’t think it is as much of a problem as much as it is a “what the hell this thing was $XXXXXX and won’t do the speed limit”.

Jeep’s have never been about doing 90 down the interstate, especially with bigger tires and what not. At some point you are just fighting physics. Once you get to the Moab trails you’ll have that “oh I get it” moment.

I may or may not have did 101 MPH in mine in West Texas catching up with my group. On stock 33s.

Never again I'll save those shenanigans for my Camaro...

But yes - exploring Moab will make you forget all about any shortcomings you think the truck has. It's another world.

 

[badger719]

I run a Go Fast camper with a couple extra hundred pounds of camping gear on a routine basis in my base Sport with 35s and the stock 3.73 gearing.

It's fine, honestly. These things were never racecars to begin with and they're still way faster than say a Class A diesel pusher or larger rig.

 

[smlobx]

I have taken my fully outfitted for overlanding rig all across Colorado, Utah and other places to elevations over 11,000 feet. You’ll be fine….

 

[Flyin6]

I'm a bit confused as to why you say you are having trouble maintaining speed up hills without dropping "all the way to 6th" as though the downshifting is a problem. 6th gear is 1:1 ratio, 7 & 8 are overdrive gears. If the truck downshifts to 6th or 5th to maintain speed going up a grade, is that a problem?

Well, that's a good point! I suppose it would not be except that I am used to vehicles with power. Dived a supercharged Suburban and a 2022 Ram Cummins. They do not downshift, just torque up hills. I have very little experience with motors that are (IMO) so short on power.
But no, I do not think I could just maintain 70 without really getting into the skinny pedal. I think this jeep is using most of its available power where I am used to having huge reserves.
But I DO NOT LIKE the lack of power.

 

[Flyin6]

Once you have the V8 it won’t be as much of a problem or at least better masked.

I honestly don’t think it is as much of a problem as much as it is a “what the hell this thing was $XXXXXX and won’t do the speed limit”.

Jeep’s have never been about doing 90 down the interstate, especially with bigger tires and what not. At some point you are just fighting physics. Once you get to the Moab trails you’ll have that “oh I get it” moment.

You're right. I started Jeeping with a new 1979 CJ7. I have a lot of experience with them. I have always thought Jeep should put a real motor in the thing so that instead of spinning a small motor hard, one could just cruise with an abundance of torque.

Never been to Moab, so this is the return to Mecca moment for me. Plenty of time in the Daniel Boone National Forest and similar places though

 

[Flyin6]

I have taken my fully outfitted for overlanding rig all across Colorado, Utah and other places to elevations over 11,000 feet. You’ll be fine….

OK, what I was hoping to hear. I'll find out soon enough.

It's the pilot in me, perhaps. A lot of power is not enough in our view. ;-)

 

[Flyin6]

If you stay near Pikes Peak I recommend this place
https://www.thecliffhouse.com/
My wife and I stayed there when we rode our Road Glide up the mountain.
If you have a chance, check out Bishop Castle
https://www.bishopcastle.org/
And of course there’s Royal Gorge
https://royalgorgebridge.com/

I have flown down in the "gorge" in my trusty Chinook back in the day. Also dropped into Grand Canyon, like a couple thousand feet down in there. Someone took a great pic of four of us in a perfect diamond formation way down in the canyon. Always wanted to fly under the bridge at the gorge...But go and fly into a bungee jumper and you're gonna make everyone's headlines ;-)

I'll check out the Clift house...Thanks!

 

[chorky]

IMO the truck has more than enough power. Modern vehicles are a crazy improvement over something even just 10 years old. I get your gripe. But... 1st world problems. I live in a much more mountainous area than most people, and I am maxed out on load almost all the time. I have no problem getting up to 80 on the interstate in a reasonable time, no wobbly driving, it's just fine. Would more power be cool? sure...but not worth the reduced mileage. This thing is twice as fast as my old 7.3, and much faster than the TJ.

It begs the question, and not to sound harsh, but what are your expectations? If you want to do 0-100 in 2 seconds and haul 6,000 pounds and also get 25mpg, and have a small yet nimble vehicle - thats just not realistic. And then there is also the factor of other traffic. You may be able to do 0-100 in 2 seconds at max GVW - but you're not gonna do that when there is a 50 mile line of traffic in front of you doing 55 during summer tourist season.


Either way I hope you post up some pics of the trip. It sounds like a really great time!

 

[Flyin6]

I run a Go Fast camper with a couple extra hundred pounds of camping gear on a routine basis in my base Sport with 35s and the stock 3.73 gearing.

It's fine, honestly. These things were never racecars to begin with and they're still way faster than say a Class A diesel pusher or larger rig.

And that is the camper/tent top I am wanting. Was holding off until the arrival of the V8 to buy one...

 

[Flyin6]

IMO the truck has more than enough power. Modern vehicles are a crazy improvement over something even just 10 years old. I get your gripe. But... 1st world problems. I live in a much more mountainous area than most people, and I am maxed out on load almost all the time. I have no problem getting up to 80 on the interstate in a reasonable time, no wobbly driving, it's just fine. Would more power be cool? sure...but not worth the reduced mileage. This thing is twice as fast as my old 7.3, and much faster than the TJ.

It begs the question, and not to sound harsh, but what are your expectations? If you want to do 0-100 in 2 seconds and haul 6,000 pounds and also get 25mpg, and have a small yet nimble vehicle - thats just not realistic. And then there is also the factor of other traffic. You may be able to do 0-100 in 2 seconds at max GVW - but you're not gonna do that when there is a 50 mile line of traffic in front of you doing 55 during summer tourist season.


Either way I hope you post up some pics of the trip. It sounds like a really great time!

Corky, Naw, I am no 0-anything guy. I want to torque up hills like my LS-powered Burb or even better, my Ram CTD does. And I want to be able to pull this cool homebuilt off-road camper sitting in my garage. Burb will pull it and the burb is super capable, but it's not a jeep. IFS and all that. I think that for what I want out of a truck this JT is perfect without taking into consideration the engine. So, for me, it makes sense to drop the money into an engine swap.

But strictly speaking for myself, I am very dissatisfied with the lack of power from this little V6 gasser. I doubt I will ever be satisfied with it.

 

[chorky]

I'm not sure what kind of mileage folks with the engine swap are getting but I doubt it is anywhere above 13mpg. I'm curious if long range is a factor for you? There are a couple options for aux tanks - of course that adds more weight and reduces performance.

 

[Flyin6]

I'm not sure what kind of mileage folks with the engine swap are getting but I doubt it is anywhere above 13mpg. I'm curious if long range is a factor for you? There are a couple options for aux tanks - of course that adds more weight and reduces performance.

After I swap engines I plan to add an aux tank or just design a custom replacement.

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