is it ok to use a slide in camper on mj's?

i was under the impression that, due to the frame/no frame design, you should not use mj's to haul slide in campers around. i always thought the weight and flexing that a slide in camper would case would damage the structural integrity of the vehicles unique uni-body/frame design. if i recall, when they came out, jeep even cautioned against it.

i understand the reasoning behind this, but it does strike me as odd since some of the mj's have such a high load capacity.

i've seen some of the pic's on the sig's and see that some of you do haul slide in campers so i was curious.

Well somebody got to become knowledgeable about it to inform the rest of us. Load one up and test it on and off road and provide feed-back.

http://www.comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13444

PM Luke, or summerinmaine

http://www.comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13444

PM Luke, or summerinmaine

You rang? :brows:

The owner's manual agrees that you should not carry a camper.

My camper weighs 1000# which is the load limit for a stock MJ bed. But fitted out with the metric tonne upgrades, I just don't see the problem. And I'm offroad a lot.

is it ok to use a slide in camper on mj's?

I hope so cos I ain't buying another truck! :D

You rang? :brows:

+1 :yes:

The MJ's happily carried ours a few thousand miles round the BC mountain roads now :driving: and no problems so far, touch wood!

Being an odd sort :nuts: I actually bought the MJ specially for carrying a camper. Ours is a fairly small import size one (~1045lbs with propane and water(Please don't anyone tell me what the max is supposed to be!! :no: not unless it's more :D )). I did need to fit air springs though and I drive very steady.

Some pics FYI

Maiden voyage before fitting Air Springs.... not good! Hit the stops every pot hole and rolled worryingly.

After Air Springs.... poor pic but you get the idea, it now rides nice & level with minimal body roll and no bottoming out even on wash board roads :thumbsup:

Wow Luke,, You just set up camp in the middle of the road don't you...... Now thats gangster...

Wow Luke,, You just set up camp in the middle of the road don't you...... Now thats gangster...

Yup hardcore, tea drinking, pie eatn' all weather backwoods man. That's me

OK, maybe just the tea drinking bit then :yes:

I would also upgrade the front swaybar with a v8 ZJ unit and try my best to adapt a rear one in.

And for what it's worth, "load carrying capacity" is only one of the aspects that make a vehicle safe when carrying a slide in camper. :thumbsup:

I would also upgrade the front swaybar with a v8 ZJ unit and try my best to adapt a rear one in.

 

And for what it's worth, "load carrying capacity" is only one of the aspects that make a vehicle safe when carrying a slide in camper. :thumbsup:

Good points.

But have you ever heard of the unibody frame/no frame issue mentioned by the OP? I can't see how a slide-in camper would present any unique stress issues for the frame, separate from the load capacity/suspension strengthening/stability issues.

I would also upgrade the front swaybar with a v8 ZJ unit and try my best to adapt a rear one in.

 

And for what it's worth, "load carrying capacity" is only one of the aspects that make a vehicle safe when carrying a slide in camper. :thumbsup:

 

Good points.

 

But have you ever heard of the unibody frame/no frame issue mentioned by the OP? I can't see how a slide-in camper would present any unique stress issues for the frame, separate from the load capacity/suspension strengthening/stability issues.

I was always under the impression that it was a problem with how small the MJ was. Light and thin do not make a good base for a tall wind-catching camper. That uniframe should take anything you can throw at it (assuming it hasn't been bitten by the rust bug).

I was always under the impression that it was a problem with how small the MJ was. Light and thin do not make a good base for a tall wind-catching camper. That uniframe should take anything you can throw at it (assuming it hasn't been bitten by the rust bug).

That has been my impression, too. When I wqas shopping for a camper for mine (an idea totally squelched by SWMBO), I was looking for a pop-top like Summerinmaine's rather than a full height unit like Luke's, in order to keep the center of gravity lower on the road and to reduce windage.

I think I would be more concerned with the narrow track of the Comanche and the barely adequate brakes they came with from the factory.

I think I would be more concerned with the narrow track of the Comanche and the barely adequate brakes they came with from the factory.

Hmmm . . . I've actually found the brakes to be surprisingly good. Had some @##$%^^ down in Ensenada pull out in front of me while she was rolling a red light, then slam on her brakes about ten meters later. I threw out the anchors, and stopped just fine, and that's with a brake booster diaphragm that has a hole in it.

Narrow track is another issue, but with wider rims and tires I haven't experienced any instability in cross winds.

What do you use for camper tie downs?

Willy

What do you use for camper tie downs?

 

Willy

Chains and turnbuckles to eye bolts mounted inside the bed.