Travelling long distances in a Jeep Wrangler TJ

No disrespect intended, but for what reason would you drive a TJ 80mph, or even 90mph as I have read several have on different threads??????
 
Took ours for a long western trip last year. Found that 600 miles is the max I am willing to do in a day. 500 or less is much better. That said, when we went we had a soft top. Have a hard top now and love it. Will never go back to a soft top. Might be able to do a little more in a day with a hard top but probably won't. Planning another long trip out west next year. I'll go out a few days before and wife will fly out and I'll pick her up. We'll drive back together. My longest planned leg of the trip will be my first day by myself and it will be just under 600 miles. The rest of the days' mileage will be less than that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: thrownclear
No I don’t normally drive under the posted speed limit. Nor do I normally drive my TJ on the freeway where the speed limit is 70, unless it’s the only option getting to my destination.

South Dakota is 80 mph, I’ve driven the Jeep across it multiple times. Does just fine at 80+.
 
My wife and I drove our '78 CJ-7 from Long Island to KC and back, twice. Once in winter. Spent the night somewhere along I-70 in Ohio. Two days of 'thump-thump-thump' over the expansion joints gets old fast. Now I have an '06 LJR which I have driven from SA to KC 7 or 8 times. I-35 is about the most boring highway I have ever driven, so I usually go on 69 highway, just to break things up. My rig is mostly stock, so I can drive at 70 or 75 all day, and I do. Aftermarket radio with USB input and a WD external drive with a couple of thousand songs.
Make sure your phone stays charged. Take plenty of water and some snacks. Don't buy gas at no-name stations, many of them have card data stealers. I take a handheld CB radio, but have never needed it. I also have AAA road and towing service, and have never needed it. I carry a few hand tools, a decent first aid kit, fire extinguisher, tow straps, and a bottle jack.
Remember, it's an adventure!
 
  • Like
Reactions: MichaelGH
Love my TJ and spending a day behind the wheel on the trail, but freeway driving for distance is another thing.

With the speed limit 75 in AZ, anything under 85 will get you the #1 salute, if not run off the road.

While the TJ is rock solid at 75+, the road noise, dealing with blow by from larger vehicles and not so spacious setup for big guys bring the fun factor way down on long highway stints.

Anything over 2.5 hours away on the freeway = flat tow.

20231109_130310.jpg
 
No disrespect intended, but for what reason would you drive a TJ 80mph, or even 90mph as I have read several have on different threads??????
Because of low traffic density, wide open spaces and local speed limits, in many places out west 80+ is standard highway speed. For me, going much slower than traffic is not relaxing. Recently, in another thread, I mentioned taking my TJ over 90. I joked it was “for science” but I actually had a question I wanted to answer other than “how fast will it go?”: That was related to drive shaft speeds. I’m currently geared at 4.11 but plan 5.13 ASAP. My normal max speed in the TJ is about 75 (and we probably agree that routinely going faster isn’t really desirable). However, to get my driveshaft speeds to what they will spin at with 5.13 gears and 75MPH, I needed to hit 93.6 MPH with the 4.11 gears. The test was a success. I was able to exceed the necessary velocity in a safe environment and no driveshaft or other vibes were noted. So I expect the new gears won’t create that issue, at least.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMT and Apparition
I drove to Riverside in July and recently returned to Tucson while running no windows on the soft top and trail doors.

Later in life, I’ll cherish these times even more than I currently enjoy them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: John Cooper
FWIW, the longest I've driven mine was about 250 miles in (part of) one day. 65 and 70 MPH most of the way on the outward leg, 55 and 60 on the slower roads on the way home (Fragile cargo in a towed utility trailer on the way back). No problems, but I have a hard top. I'd drive it further if need be, and probably will eventually. I drive the speed limit.
 
Part of me wants the most comfort I can get and part of me feels like I could drive to Canada topless some days.

When you get tired/road weary top noise is brutal.

I knew a couple that took a stock one cross country around 03/04 I think, seems it was new. Hard doors, soft top. They were both athletic and married late and seemed to love it. They ended up at Mt. Rushmore on 4th of July and said that was pretty amazing.

If the rig is dialed long hauls are doable. Practical? May be another story.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Moglocker
We’ll for certain post something once we’ve got our plans more solidified 😉
Thanks to All for your feedback

• 400 km / 250 miles has been my longest in our LJ with cruise control , but I could see myself adding another 160 km/100 miles per day
• 90 km/h - 55-60 mph is max for traveling on pavement with a JEEP , just my opinion


🚧DETOUR👋🏾
 
  • Like
Reactions: WV Native
Thanks to All for your feedback

• 400 km / 250 miles has been my longest in our LJ with cruise control , but I could see myself adding another 160 km/100 miles per day
• 90 km/h - 55-60 mph is max for traveling on pavement with a JEEP , just my opinion


🚧DETOUR👋🏾

Are you considering this with a 4bt? I'd cut those numbers in half
 
Longest haul on my stock 97 was the day I got it (around 215,000 miles) from Cleavland to Denven and other than the rear diff breather hose coming out it ran like a top. I do Denver to Salt Lake and back in a weekend a few times a year, and do many in state long day destination trips. Sitting at 290,000 now and would leave to take this thing to the other side of the country confidently and over 80mph for a vast vast majority of it.