Building a tourer JK

[SharpWraX]

Excellent summary. Encouraging that a SWB Wrangler CRD did the trips. I'm hoping for similar towing Ultimate. Any other tips? Where did you fit spare battery?

[jklad]

If unsealed outback roads are on the agenda, I'd replace the stock plastic-insert front ball joints with the heavy-duty aftermarket ones; a reasonably inexpensive fix.

One thing ball joints don't particularly like I've found out unfortunately in the past is continuous corrugations and potholes, and the JK's stock ones are known to be not so good. With the solid axels and short wheelbase (if you're in a 2-door anyway) you'll shake yourself (and the weaker components in your suspension) to pieces in no time.

[micko]

I've just finished my around australia trip, 2 1/2 years and 75000km towing a camper trailer and without any major problem. The jeep handled everything with ease from snow driving around perisher, beaches in coffin bay, a muddy gibb river road and the frenchmans track, old telegraph tracks with 1.1m river crossings.

I left Brisbane in a stock 1 week old 4dr jk and modified things as i went around. Worked in perisher for a season and got a 2 inch lift, bullbar and installed a dual battery and spot lights in a park. The next was down to Melbourne to pick up an aev snorkel and installed that in a caravan park, which got a few looks when i got the grinder onto the jeep. Made our way over to WA via flinders rangers, eyre penninsula and down to cape le grande National park. Stayed in Margaret River for a while and built a set of draws for the back and installed the uhf again in the caravan park. we made our way up to broome via all the beautiful beaches and crossed the Gibb River Road. We got locked in at few places and had to wait for the road to open and dry out. The Bungle Bungles was awesome and then went into NT and across the Savannah Way to Cairns. Took 1 month up the cape which was probably the highlight of the trip .

Only problems i had was bolts coming loose every day even with locktite. So had to replace the sway bar links in Darwin. Didn't get any punctures along the trip which was bloody lucky. Saw quite a few other cars broken down along the way with radiators, front diffs and suspension mounts but not one jeep.

There are so many people travelling around Australia even in the most remote places and they are always willing to give a hand. Only thing i would suggest is get a few nuts and bolts of various sizes as you will need them on the corrugations. Don't go changing every thing in your jeep (cause it would make it most places pretty much stock) just get out there and do it.

[95xjcherokee]

Can't wait to do the same in our JK in a couple of years! Great story mate, you only live once!

[SeaComms]

Micko - great story mate and good to see the major problems were just bolts vibrating loose! Sounds like you had a really good trip too, I am envious but will plan the same one of these days.. My parents are currently on their way back to Gold Coast from Broome for their grand daughters wedding, they have been on the road for the last 3 months. They go away for 3 to 4 months at a time at least once a year and love it. Though havent educated them well enough yet as they are still driving the Ford Territory...

[Pebble]

This is all great info I've bookmarked for my Husband. I'm sure we will be doing plenty of touring with our new pride and joy in time to come. Have just ordered a snorkel for starters and hopefully the tyres will be here within a few weeks.
I can easily believe about the nuts and bolts though, our brake lines were rather loose when we got the new JK home, which is a bit of a surprise!