Prepping an 04 LJ for a teen to go west for a month or so

[1leglance]

TRIP PLANNING THREAD
Make sure he post up a trip planning thread here and maybe a jeep forum you guys are on..
Just like others mentioned this will give me some folks to can be resources along the way.
On Advrider there is a tent space thread that someone could use to travel and have a nice bed, meals and new friends all along the way.

I for one will offer to host him in Phx, my son is the same age and we are going to do a Moto trip in South America around the same time, but if we are here we are ready for him.

 

[Night_Prowler]

The aluminum radiators are a crap shoot. Some are great and others are nothing but problems. Avoid three row for sure. I would lean to factory myself. For the cost and considering the original got you 160,000.
Change the thermostat and hoses while your at it.
Also with that mileage the heater core probably isn't far behind. They do clog and will cause a restriction in the cooling system.

 

[Mitch502]

Sounds like you've gotten a great bit of information! New quality OEM radiator/cooling parts, standard off-road vehicle parts, and then extra parts as needed.

I agree with a ground tent. If I was 16 and you offered me a RTT, I'd be hyped about it. In 10 years I'd tell you that I would have rather had $2000 or more for the trip and been able to go for another week, buy more food (I'm a foodie), buy more reasonable equipment (fridge, bumpers, etc).

Make sure your son realizes anything he buys or takes he will be lugging around for the remainder of the trip. It doesn't really apply too much to the vehicle preparation, but I'm the person who would want to get something from everyplace I visit when I was that age to remember it by...now I realize that some cell phone pics backed up and my memories are enough.

I wish I was in a position to do that at 16!

 

[kojackJKU]

Never even had my licence as 16, we get ours at 17, He is one lucky person to be able to do this.

 

[GFA]

X whatever on radiator flush. Replace the T-stat, hoses, and radiator cap (I always forget to replace the cap, it is crucial).

Other than that, service everything and inspect everything, it should be fine. The only other area of concern I'd have is in the front axle. Seems like the Dana 30 U-joints go and so do the unit bearings (mind you, this comes from experience with others who wheel the piss out of their TJs). So I'd say go to the junkyard and get a spare set of front axle shafts with unit bearings attached. That would be super nice. Also update the U-joints on what you've got, assuming you haven't done it already.

Also replace the track rod bushings. I've seen these go bad and then the entire front end shakes like crazy. It isn't fun.

Other than that, give em an air compressor, a ARB plug kit (aka, a real plug kit), a decent cooler, and let it go. See what happens. And yes, ground tent. He is young.

Most all of that has been done already so we're pretty good there. It has an adjustable trac bar that's was new with the lift so it should be good. Plug kit is on the short list for sure.

TRIP PLANNING THREAD
Make sure he post up a trip planning thread here and maybe a jeep forum you guys are on..
Just like others mentioned this will give me some folks to can be resources along the way.
On Advrider there is a tent space thread that someone could use to travel and have a nice bed, meals and new friends all along the way.

I for one will offer to host him in Phx, my son is the same age and we are going to do a Moto trip in South America around the same time, but if we are here we are ready for him.

Thanks for the offer Lance. Well start a thread in the future for the actual trip planning and offers such as yours may even be taken up on. I plan to send him off with a decent amount of money but picking up odd jobs along the way for a tank of gas and a hot meal I'm sure would be welcomed, especially from trusted members such as those on here.

SB

 

[GFA]

The aluminum radiators are a crap shoot. Some are great and others are nothing but problems. Avoid three row for sure. I would lean to factory myself. For the cost and considering the original got you 160,000.
Change the thermostat and hoses while your at it.
Also with that mileage the heater core probably isn't far behind. They do clog and will cause a restriction in the cooling system.

I've read that about the aluminum ones also. Well try out something this spring and change out if necessary. Hadn't thought of the heater core and I'll have to at the minimum show him how to bypass it.

Thanks

SB

 

[GFA]

Sounds like you've gotten a great bit of information! New quality OEM radiator/cooling parts, standard off-road vehicle parts, and then extra parts as needed.

I agree with a ground tent. If I was 16 and you offered me a RTT, I'd be hyped about it. In 10 years I'd tell you that I would have rather had $2000 or more for the trip and been able to go for another week, buy more food (I'm a foodie), buy more reasonable equipment (fridge, bumpers, etc).

Make sure your son realizes anything he buys or takes he will be lugging around for the remainder of the trip. It doesn't really apply too much to the vehicle preparation, but I'm the person who would want to get something from everyplace I visit when I was that age to remember it by...now I realize that some cell phone pics backed up and my memories are enough.

I wish I was in a position to do that at 16!

I'll be buying myself a RTT this spring but he's gonna have to tuff it out in a tent.. Haha

He's a minimalist unlike myself. I'm kinda like you it sounds, I brought home rocks and crap like that from last years trip out west...

 

[jscusmcvet]

Knot Knormal - congrats on helping your son like this. I have a fair amount of left over stock parts from over the years. Make a list of what you'd like for him to have along on his trip and I'll dig and see what I can help with. I am only about an hour or less south of you, so logistics should be no problem.

 

[Jeepinaaron]

I did this, drove from NC to Moab Utah and spent a week when I was in college. Went in my 99 TJ SE back in about 2004. Teach him some basic mechanical skills if he doesn't know already. The only thing I had go wrong on my trip was a D-30 u-joint went out but I knew how to fix it from working on my Jeep in the past.