Travelling long distances in a Jeep Wrangler TJ

[DETOUR]

Howdy All

There’s a few of us up here , in the peace country area, in north eastern British Columbia , CANADA, with a Long term goal to tackle the rubicon trail
• distance from VANCOUVER is approximately 1600 km, plus ad on another 1200 for us to get to Vancouver
• total of ~ 2800 km / 1600 miles one way
•your travel recommendations be much appreciated eg:
• each one roading, trailering, flat towing, carhauler (no fun, where do you put all drivers and spotters )
• as for roading each JEEP, what’s a bearable daily pavement driving distance in our rigs
• possibly considering to run on pizza cutter wheels n tires plus pack trail wheels, just saying

Thx in advance

DETOUR

 

[macleanflood]

I'm in the middle and have actually done both trips...Fall Creek OR to the Rubicon.

And from here to Sooke (and then back down the WABDR. (After an eight day thrash to tub and frame swap the TJ after it got totaled.)

We're building a shop at the moment and are on 17 acres 20 minutes outside Eugene/Springfield. You're welcome to PM me and I'll send you my phone number. You're welcome to camp out on the property too if you want a halfway point.

And depending on when you hit the Rubicon I might just join you! @CMBD and I were the only ones who made it this year on a forum organized trip. We need to plan next year's!

-Mac

 

[DETOUR]

I'm in the middle and have actually done both trips...Fall Creek OR to the Rubicon.

And from here to Sooke (and then back down the WABDR. (After an eight day thrash to tub and frame swap the TJ after it got totaled.)

We're building a shop at the moment and are on 17 acres 20 minutes outside Eugene/Springfield. You're welcome to PM me and I'll send you my phone number. You're welcome to camp out on the property too if you want a halfway point.

And depending on when you hit the Rubicon I might just join you! @CMBD and I were the only ones who made it this year on a forum organized trip. We need to plan next year's!

-Mac

Mac

Thx for your offer. No set dates yet, just having our feelers out. Sam, our son has 2026 in mind

DETOUR

 

[Nightmare9]

Long story short:

We flew from Southern California to Denver and drove our new Jeep home.

5 Days

1400 Miles

5 States (Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California)

5 National Parks (Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion)

We didn't do any serious wheeling in Utah, just a couple easy trails in Canyonlands. Mostly because it was just the one vehicle.

My buddies wanted to run the Rubicon Trail last month. I could have easily drove my Jeep up and back. But just in case I broke anything, I borrowed a trailer and drove the truck. Truck or Jeep, the 10+ hour day up and then back was a long day.

At some point I will have a box trailer to tow behind the motorhome. Then you can just stop anywhere along the road to take a break.

 

[Moglocker]

Howdy All

There’s a few of us up here , in the peace country area, in north eastern British Columbia , CANADA, with a Long term goal to tackle the rubicon trail
• distance from VANCOUVER is approximately 1600 km, plus ad on another 1200 for us to get to Vancouver
• total of ~ 2800 km / 1600 miles one way
•your travel recommendations be much appreciated eg:
• each one roading, trailering, flat towing, carhauler (no fun, where do you put all drivers and spotters )
• as for roading each JEEP, what’s a bearable daily pavement driving distance in our rigs
• possibly considering to run on pizza cutter wheels n tires plus pack trail wheels, just saying

Thx in advance

DETOUR

We have made several trips out west from Florida in our tj w/a rtt .300 or so miles a day and have extra Jerry can of gas just in case.with the coil springs,tjs ride pretty good if you have cruise control helps.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

in a word...don't. lol

In seriousness, I do a trip about once a year that's 800 miles each way. I'll do about 650 in a day, so I drive that far, crash at a friends house, and then we caravan the rest of the way the next day. On the way home, I split it about halfway so it's 400 each day.

I'm in a soft top with soft upper doors, so the wind noise is pretty tiring. I wear ear plugs and crank the radio so I can hear the music through them. That helps a lot. I also plan my route around avoiding interstates whenever possible so no one expects me to exceed 65mph. There's a lot of difference in noise level from 65 to 75.

If I trusted the 160k mile 4L60E in my pickup just a little more, I would flat tow that 650 miles 11 times out of 10.

 

[deserteagle56]

All I can say is that anyone who is able to do a long road trip in a TJ has a lot more tolerance for noise and discomfort than I do. If it's 200 miles or more away my TJ goes on a trailer.

 

[JEEPSTEVENANAIMO]

IM in nanaimo and would love to join!

 

[Amorget]

I drove my TJ from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Seattle over a weeks time, though only really 4 days of driving. The killer was from Cualican, Siniloa, MX to Tuscon, which was 680 miles and 12 hours of driving according to Google that we did in one day and had to make it to the US border during daylight hours for safety reasons.

We had a hard top and full doors, and those are life savers. Would have been even better if we had a rear hatch on the hard top, or if the hard top latched at the windshield, but we survived even with 100+ degree temps and no A/C. We did bring earplugs but never ended up really using them.

 

[Apparition]

I think it's worth the experience to do it.

First Moab trip we went from Minnesota to Kansas City for a wedding then to Moab for a week and then back to Minnesota in the LJ with all our gear and even the Dometic fridge. Then I bought a trailer as I don't see the need to do it again. Running the Trektop NX w/ trail doors.

When I bought the 2nd LJ we flew to get it and road tripped it 17 hours straight, no cruise, radio didn't work and with half doors and soft top.

 

[Quigley]

All I can say is that anyone who is able to do a long road trip in a TJ has a lot more tolerance for noise and discomfort than I do. If it's 200 miles or more away my TJ goes on a trailer.

View attachment 555853

It's like a race team!

 

[Moglocker]

All I can say is that anyone who is able to do a long road trip in a TJ has a lot more tolerance for noise and discomfort than I do. If it's 200 miles or more away my TJ goes on a trailer.

View attachment 555853

I know it sucks,but other options like buying a truck and trailer are expenses that we don’t need now on fixed income.

 

[AndyG]

in a word...don't. lol

In seriousness, I do a trip about once a year that's 800 miles each way. I'll do about 650 in a day, so I drive that far, crash at a friends house, and then we caravan the rest of the way the next day. On the way home, I split it about halfway so it's 400 each day.

I'm in a soft top with soft upper doors, so the wind noise is pretty tiring. I wear ear plugs and crank the radio so I can hear the music through them. That helps a lot. I also plan my route around avoiding interstates whenever possible so no one expects me to exceed 65mph. There's a lot of difference in noise level from 65 to 75.

If I trusted the 160k mile 4L60E in my pickup just a little more, I would flat tow that 650 miles 11 times out of 10.

Ear buds- man they will save the day.

No bigger sin than earplugs safety wise

 

[BC Moto]

Long trips require a trailer or flat tow for me, if theres something going on out of my state I would prefer a tow in case I break something. Anything in the state I would drive it. Feb next yr ill drive the TJ to socal then off to KOH

 

[Space Naught]

Ear buds- man they will save the day.

No bigger sin than earplugs safety wise

Really wished I had earplugs the first time I drove my TJ out of state.... Work trip from DFW to OKC. The wind noise alone on I35 was what made me decide that I will rent a car for that trip next time it comes around.... If the TJ is needed, its getting towed.

 

[Apparition]

These make trips with others better, easily talk to each other, listen to Bluetooth music and take a call from your phone if needed.

 

[Woodrow]

These make trips with others better, easily talk to each other, listen to Bluetooth music and take a call from your phone if needed.

View attachment 555873

I've only done a couple of just under 200 miles trips in mine and that would be my personal max for a day. The noise (wind especially, but also tire and exhaust is tiring). Last time, I used noise cancelling bluetooth headphones and it was a lot better. Over all though, I prefer towing it with my truck and trailer for most freeway driving. That also allows me to keep spares and more tools with me and if it really breaks, I can still get home.

 

[Apparition]

I've only done a couple of just under 200 miles trips in mine and that would be my personal max for a day. The noise (wind especially, but also tire and exhaust is tiring). Last time, I used noise cancelling bluetooth headphones and it was a lot better. Over all though, I prefer towing it with my truck and trailer for most freeway driving. That also allows me to keep spares and more tools with me and if it really breaks, I can still get home.

Definite advantages to the tow rig and I think most who can would take that option.

 

[TheBoogieman]

I drove my TJ from Charlottesville Va to Key West Florida. I kept speeds up beyond 80 mph the entire way and only stopped for gas. Luckily my wife and her kid (#3 wife, not kid) slept until we hit "South of the Border". I loved the 18+ hour drive. They were awake on the drive back, so it sucked.

 

[E-Ticket]

Not a TJ/LJ, but I just put on 5,000 miles in my JLR 2 door over 23 days. We had 8 long sectors, 6-9 hours each and back to back each time to get from MN to CO to CA and back to CO and home to MN. My JL has no lift, mild AT tires and an insulated hard top. Even then It was loud and cramped and we had many "WTF" moments going 80 mph hitting bumps that pushed us off track.

After that, my wife said "enough of that" so I just swapped my 1/2 ton truck for a 3/4 ton with a high spec interior and now looking for a trailer so we can take the LJ next time and ride in comfort, not worry as much about a busted Jeep, bring all the crap we want to and own the road.