In need of some storage and setup suggestions from members that camp and overland

I've been playing with solutions for the past few years in my TJ. My main goal is to take my family of 4 on a 2-4 day camping trip with a comfortable amount of space in the Jeep. This means carrying the load externally as much as possible.

Few things I've learned along the way:
  1. This suggestion might be the hardest pill to swallow, but lower your expectations on what gear is REQUIRED to camp or overland. If I can survive in the backcounry for 4-5 days with a 65L back pack, than you SURE AS HELL can do that with a Jeep. This means disregarding half the crap that gets shilled to you by "influencers" on social media. BE SMART WITH YOUR GEAR CHOICES. Think compact camp chairs, backpacking stoves, nesting cookware, etc.
  2. Ditch the hard coolers. Soft cooler tech is as good as (if not better) than most of your standard hard coolers. With various, malleable shapes, it's the perfect solution for a TJ. The Yeti Hopper 30 and 40 fit perfectly in the trunk of a Jeep.
    https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/cooler-behind-a-tj-rear-seat.10776/post-209381https://www.yeti.com/en_US/coolers/soft-coolers/tote-bag/m30/YHOPM30.html
  3. If you have a swing out, carry luggage on that. Trasharoo is a good option, but durability is questionable. The Ferro Concept TruckRuck is superior in every way (but slightly more expensive)
    https://ferroconcepts.com/products/truck-ruck
  4. Hitch racks are an economical solution, but if departure angle is important, you will be sacrificing all of it. I carried one for a while, and you're constantly dragging it over any sort of terrain modulation.
  5. Get creative! For $50, I rigged up a harness that secures a full size duffel to the spare tire. I'm able to fit 2-3 folding chairs in there plus other gear.
  6. Worst comes to worst, get yourself a roof rack. Gobi is my personal preference, but lead times are currently 6 months (thanks Covid).
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I've been playing with solutions for the past few years in my TJ. My main goal is to take my family of 4 on a 2-4 day camping trip with a comfortable amount of space in the Jeep. This means carrying the load externally as much as possible.

Few things I've learned along the way:
  1. This suggestion might be the hardest pill to swallow, but lower your expectations on what gear is REQUIRED to camp or overland. If I can survive in the backcounry for 4-5 days with a 65L back pack, than you SURE AS HELL can do that with a Jeep. This means disregarding half the crap that gets shilled to you by "influencers" on social media. BE SMART WITH YOUR GEAR CHOICES. Think compact camp chairs, backpacking stoves, nesting cookware, etc.
  2. Ditch the hard coolers. Soft cooler tech is as good as (if not better) than most of your standard hard coolers. With various, malleable shapes, it's the perfect solution for a TJ. The Yeti Hopper 30 and 40 fit perfectly in the trunk of a Jeep.
    https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/cooler-behind-a-tj-rear-seat.10776/post-209381https://www.yeti.com/en_US/coolers/soft-coolers/tote-bag/m30/YHOPM30.html
  3. If you have a swing out, carry luggage on that. Trasharoo is a good option, but durability is questionable. The Ferro Concept TruckRuck is superior in every way (but slightly more expensive)
    https://ferroconcepts.com/products/truck-ruck
  4. Hitch racks are an economical solution, but if departure angle is important, you will be sacrificing all of it. I carried one for a while, and you're constantly dragging it over any sort of terrain modulation.
  5. Get creative! For $50, I rigged up a harness that secures a full size duffel to the spare tire. I'm able to fit 2-3 folding chairs in there plus other gear.
  6. Worst comes to worst, get yourself a roof rack. Gobi is my personal preference, but lead times are currently 6 months (thanks Covid).
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I got given an Engle soft Cooler for Christmas, cheaper version of the yeti but it stays cold longer than my hard cooler. That big duffle bag is a good idea! acts as a reversing into tree cushion when you cant see out the back. lol
 
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How do you get that out? I built a simple shelf full width that fits lower in the hardtop channels for lighter gear, its narrower than this because of seatbelts/roll bar but wider
If you look at the top main square I have 3 bolts per side drilled and tapped and it uses the stock hardtop bolt locations for the side mounts. It’s a 3 piece setup so pretty easy to put in and take out.
 
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I’ve also been developing this thing. It saddles on to the spare so you should be able to use it with most setups. It attaches simply with a ratchet strap and this one has a chainsaw holder, shovel and axe holder as well. The next revision will include a flip down table and I’m looking at doing more press brake iterations to save some additional al weight and welding.

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Depends on how big your dogs are but I built this for our two Jacks. Made it high enough for coolers underneath and the dogs ride on top. It has a padded top now but this is what the design looks like. I think it was Pro Comp that has this and I copied and modified for my own needs.

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Could you please share a link for this?
 
I don't see anyone with what I plan on making. Maybe it's not a good idea? I'm getting a German Shepherd soon so I want more storage in the back without taking away the ability for my dog to stand, even though he will be pretty tall.

I plan to build a platform that's about 10" off the bottom of the jeep, countered around the wheel wells the best I can do. Sleeping bags, the tent, and my chair are rolled up tight so should fit under there, along with my stove and little propane bottles. That leaves around 32" for the dog (measured to bottom of roll bars) so he should be able to fully stand up, especially with the hard top off, without being "really high" in the jeep where I feel he'll fall out. Not sure if anyone else has built a low-profile platform like that?
 
I don't see anyone with what I plan on making. Maybe it's not a good idea? I'm getting a German Shepherd soon so I want more storage in the back without taking away the ability for my dog to stand, even though he will be pretty tall.

I plan to build a platform that's about 10" off the bottom of the jeep, countered around the wheel wells the best I can do. Sleeping bags, the tent, and my chair are rolled up tight so should fit under there, along with my stove and little propane bottles. That leaves around 32" for the dog (measured to bottom of roll bars) so he should be able to fully stand up, especially with the hard top off, without being "really high" in the jeep where I feel he'll fall out. Not sure if anyone else has built a low-profile platform like that?
I haven’t seen anything but it would be pretty simple to build one like that.
 
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I’ve also been developing this thing. It saddles on to the spare so you should be able to use it with most setups. It attaches simply with a ratchet strap and this one has a chainsaw holder, shovel and axe holder as well. The next revision will include a flip down table and I’m looking at doing more press brake iterations to save some additional al weight and welding.

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Where does the rear bracket part fit, closest to the window? I like the rear high basket but dont want to drill into my tailgate. (I dont have a swing out tire carrier)

Cheers
 
Where does the rear bracket part fit, closest to the window? I like the rear high basket but dont want to drill into my tailgate. (I dont have a swing out tire carrier)

Cheers
The back portion uses the tire as a stop so it can’t move off the back, that’s where I am attaching shovel and axe holder. It doesn’t physically attach to anything, merely sits on top of the tire with some grabbers and the ratchet strap secures it. More testing to be done but so far it hasn’t moved at all with a load on it.
 
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I have the Garvin rack also, and it is very useful. I have to tip it when I take my hard top off and on, but hard top stays off most of the summer. I like the Garvin because it has the full 6'x4.5' basket. I made a couple slotted 2x4s that drop onto the rim of he basket to make easy on/off extended width cross bars when I have 2 or more kayaks or canoes on it. I have hauled cargo of all sorts including drywall and plywood, I have slept on it with a 6' single air mattress and I have even hauled long log sections back to camp to process firewood on it without having to cut them shorter where I felled the tree. the slight inconvenience of unbolting to tip it when that is needed has been highly outweighed by the usefulness for me. there are 2 bolts in the rear and 2 nuts at the top of the windshield that have to come off to tip it. Fast at home with the air ratchet, a bit slower on the trail, but I have never needed to do it on the trail.
 
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I don't see anyone with what I plan on making. Maybe it's not a good idea? I'm getting a German Shepherd soon so I want more storage in the back without taking away the ability for my dog to stand, even though he will be pretty tall.

I plan to build a platform that's about 10" off the bottom of the jeep, countered around the wheel wells the best I can do. Sleeping bags, the tent, and my chair are rolled up tight so should fit under there, along with my stove and little propane bottles. That leaves around 32" for the dog (measured to bottom of roll bars) so he should be able to fully stand up, especially with the hard top off, without being "really high" in the jeep where I feel he'll fall out. Not sure if anyone else has built a low-profile platform like that?
I'm planning to build something like that also, not quite sure of details yet. If you make one, please take photos and post them!
 
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The back portion uses the tire as a stop so it can’t move off the back, that’s where I am attaching shovel and axe holder. It doesn’t physically attach to anything, merely sits on top of the tire with some grabbers and the ratchet strap secures it. More testing to be done but so far it hasn’t moved at all with a load on it.
It could be braced with a right angle square tube coming off a bike carrier square tube fitting that comes out of the centre of spare but you would have to modify the chainsaw position.
 
I haven’t seen anything but it would be pretty simple to build one like that.
Yeah I'm not great with wood working so the simple design is definitely one of the draws for this haha.

I'm planning to build something like that also, not quite sure of details yet. If you make one, please take photos and post them!
Will do! I think I'm planning to start work in the next 2 weeks or so... I'll be sure to post pics!

Since I suck at woodworking, my plan for now is to ratchet strap it down using the tiedowns in the back incase it turns out a total flop, I don't have holes in the tub for no reason.
 
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It could be braced with a right angle square tube coming off a bike carrier square tube fitting that comes out of the centre of spare but you would have to modify the chainsaw position.
It doesn’t need any additional bracing and has so far been secure. The goal was lightweight, easily removable without tools and to fit a variation of spare tires.