Hi, I’m Mike from NH. I have a 93 Grand Cherokee Laredo 4.0L, which I’d like to build a sleeping top on. I just purchased it with this in mind. The basic idea would look something like a commercial van that has the raised top for head room. It would be about 10’ long starting behind the windshield on the top, and extend about 3’ past the back, resting on something attached to the bumper or tow hitch. It would be about 2’ over the current roof line. I would climb in from the back. The idea is a place to sleep in which I don’t have to move stuff around, rest areas, trailheads, Walmart?

I would like to get some drawings of what’s under the headliner and find out how to remove it. I would also like any free manuals that I could find. I found schematic for my Outback online that showed all the welds, that was pretty handy.

I have an unprotected gas tank and was thinking that maybe I could incorporate something to attach the overhang on into a skid plate for the gas tank? I would like to lift it a little also, as I get some $. I ripped my mufflers off my Outback last fall, and almost ripped a heater hose off about 30 miles from nowhere, out in CO, or WY.

Any help would be appreciated; I got a pretty thick skin, so………laugh if you want to.


I'm not sure if this is the correct place to put this thread?

Mike

 

have you looked into a roof top tent? i think that would be easier and ideal to what you are after.

 

X2, lots of choices there and a better one for off road.

 

Hi Caged,
A tent won't work, I want to pull over and sleep, with out setup, 7 weeks on the road last fall, I paid once to camp, and 2 motels.

Fred,
I don't do much real 4 wheeling anymore, just bum around on the NF and BLM roads. It will be a little high, 7.5' but other then that I think I know what I want, might even work?

I want to have it open above the front seats, maybe a opening sized for a sun roof, but I don't want to install it, maybe put it in the top of the build, I will want some kind of venting. Sealing that is a big concern. I would like to find out how to remove the head liner first, I tend to break a lot of those clips and whatnot.

I'd love to get a complete manual for the vehicle, thought I found one but couldn't download it.

Mike

Mike



Thanks

 

Here you go pacificcoastmanuals.com FSM for your model and year $7.95 in PDF format. I think they have them for ones that year.

 

Sell or trade the Cherokee for a vehicle designed to have a hippy shelter built on top.

 

Thanks Fred, I just got the manual downloaded, is there one for the body, interior etc. anywhere?

Jimbo Slice I just bought this to put the top on. I think it's what I need.

 

Have you read it yet? If it is a true FSM, it should have everything in it.

 

roninofako I went through it twice, it's a service manual. I'm sure it will be useful but not what I was looking for. I want something that tells me how to take things apart.

I first want to get the headliner off without breaking all the little plastic clips or whatever holds it on.

 

What is it you're looking for? My FSM has interior breakdowns...no, it isn't a step by step...at some point you just need to get in there and do it...it's interior removal, not an engine rebuild.

It's a 23 year old vehicle. Accept the fact that some things might break. Plastic gets brittle with age. Replace them when they do.

If you're letting something like this stop you, how are you going to do the mods you speak of?

Grab some tools, get in there, and figure it out. You aren't going to find whatever it is you're looking for, unless you do it. I suggest taking pictures as you go. Then post it with a description of what you did. Good luck.

 

Just buy a van.

 

I have to ask, what type of material will these sleeping quarters be made of?

 

http://www.coloradocampervan.com/

You mentioned building yourself though, you could try and reshape a Westfalia top on. I don't think salvaging the parts from a van would work unless you have glassing experience, the vans would probably need to be shortened. Then you have the ZJ's roof radius to contend with.. that's the issue for me and my RTT on a ZJ. 73" length on roof panel iirc.

I'd also imagine you'll want to cage the chassis, the roof is structural.

 

I'm thinking 8 foot john boat with camo curtains and little bitty windows.

seriously tho, here is the video

 

I understand this type of roof tent is put up with a single crank in less than 1 minute. And you can leave your bed all setup inside.

Bonus: You can have it down before the cop walk to your vehicle to tell you to move-along.