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Overlanding | Trade JT For 2 Door--Am I Crazy?

At Risk Ute

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Taking out the rear seat and soft top windows... 2 door rear reminds me of a baby pickup bed. Con is it can get dusty! YMMV.
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buckeye1996

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I have a 2019 2 Door JLR and absolutely love it. If you like to travel and camp with mountain bikes, kayaks, canoes, etc. keep the JT. If you prefer the "ultralight life" make the change to the 2 door. I've thought about moving to a JT because I'm often bringing canoes, kayaks, and mountain bikes on a small trailer. Moving to a JT may eliminate the need to tow, but I just can't stand the thought of giving up my JLR. The only correct answer may be both... A JT Mojave and a JL Rubicon would be the ticket in my mind.
 

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Make sure you're not giving up more space than you realize. You're going from the room-galore Jeep to the no-room Jeep. 2-doors are always an exercise in efficient use of space, especially if you don't remove the back seat.
What he said. If youā€™re seriously camping, esp if anyone else is with, space in a 2dr can get ā€œinterestingā€. I love my 2 dr Jeep, and I loved the previous 2drā€™s I had, BUT space was always at a premium. Look at what you are carrying/planning to carry and be sure itā€™ll all fit comfortably .
 

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I say don't do it. You're already planning on making the JL what your JT already is, which I think this is a bit of a chase. Stick with the JT. You have a nice build that looks very carefully done, no one will enjoy it as much as you do.
 

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I've been overlanding with my 2 door JK for about nine years, mostly 4 day trips in the remote desert. Trading it in for a 2 door JL Rubi (also a manual transmission!) in a couple weeks and had no qualms about staying with the 2 door.

Whether a 2 door is enough space has everything to do with how many people you're taking and what your style is.

I typically travel solo, but took my dog everywhere until he passed in February. Taking the dog honestly took up more space than if I had brought a second person, since he required use of the backseat. If you're trying to camp with the backseat in use, you can forget about having any space. You can barely squeeze a medium sized cooler in there like that. I had to wedge gear in every available crevice. And I couldn't carry a large cooler at all.

I'm now dogless and still solo, so I'll be yanking the backseat out for long camp trips. With that space freed up, you can fit a lot more. More than enough for 1-2 people.

That said, I come from a backpacking background. So most of my gear is already ultralight. I've never really gotten onboard with the super heavy overlanding style.

Main thing I swap out is the kitchen gear for car camping, because I'm not about to force down another mushy Mountain House when I can carry a cast iron skillet, a cooler full of fresh food, and a two-burner stove. But even most of that gear is light. Roll up table, fold up chair, etc.

With thoughtful packing, you can probably go a week in a 2 door. And you can park it just about anywhere. And it's super maneuverable and nimble on the trails. I love it. It's the perfect fit for me.

But if you have any expectation of taking a whole family or kids or a bunch of friends, probably stick with the JT. Same for if you want to install a fridge or drawers. Even finding compatible mounts for things like that is difficult in a 2 door, much less finding the space to install it.

I'm ride-or-die for the 2 door, but if I was going to build a serious long-haul overlander, I'd probably go for a JT myself.
 

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You already own the JT. And you built it per your likes. Keep it and enjoy the extra space. As someone said, your JT will go anywhere your JL will go. And you can carry your kitchen sink with you in case you want to do dishes in the campground. :LOL::LOL:
 

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Remove the rear seat and youll have plenty of space for cargo. I go on forest roads/trails and camping a lot with my 2 door. What is your sleeping platform?.

Consider towing a small trailer. I just had a baby so I dont have the luxury of rear bench delete any longer. I ordered a 1,000 lbs 5x8 offroad squaredrop from hiker trailer. You can even get a lighter option if you opt for a trailer with RTT.

The beauty of the 2 door is that you can roll with 33s. They look great and due to the short wheelbase you can tackle anything the JLU can on 35s. 33s are lighter and much better for the pavement as well.

I can take kayaks + mountain bikes with my coming set up. Trailer is the way to go imo.

Overlanding with a 2 door is all about simplicity, lightness, etc... I love it, and wouldnt let it go unless I had another kid + a dog.

Also when you are not overlanding and just using it as a toy it is way more fun.

Id say go for it. Youll love the 2D.
 

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That is a big drop in space to carry stuff. I adore my 2 door but unless you plan on taking out the backseats, it really doesnā€™t hold a lot.
 

entropy

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Also to add. Ive been camping for my entire life since I was a kid, backpacking too. I am always doing something outdoors. A trailer offers the most comfortable sleeping experience by far. Nothing compares. You can get to wherever you wanna sleep, set the camper and go play around with a light Jeep.

Since the moment I rented a small teardrop to try it out, I am no going back. RTT is just an expensive ground tent, nothing else. And sleeping in a truck bed or trunk is like sleeping in a coffin.
 

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TheHops

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More comments than I expected! Thanks for all of the input!

I think you'd be crazy to give up the truck bed if you're really into overlanding. Since you mostly go solo, you could make a JL 2-door work, but I'd ask myself honestly how many places I've tried to go that my JT couldn't get me there and a JL would. Chances are not many (or maybe even none). You'd be giving up huge amounts of utility.

It's whatever you want, though. This thread is gonna attract the 2-door people who take out their back seats and then claim to have found an extradimensional rift in the back of their rig and can store more stuff than a Tahoe. The daily reality of living with a 2-door generally isn't as rosy as it's made out to be on the internet, especially in an enthusiast forum. Heck, some of the realities with a 4-door really aren't up to par with most other modern vehicles on the road if we're being honest lol
An extradimensional rift...haha! I get you though. You make some great points. I've yet to hit the limit of the JT, and in all honesty I doubt that I ever would based off of the terrain that I typically tackle. I'm not a crawler. I think the primary pros for going 2 door are lighter weight, more economical, more maneuverable (urban commuting), and I can actually park it in my garage. That last one is actually a huge pro for me.

I have no illusions that I'd be giving up a large amount of space, but I'm a firm believer in the old saying that goes something like "the more space you have, that harder you try to fill it." I know that I don't need half of the shit that I take in the JT, and I'd welcome the challenge to pack a bit lighter.

So I have a two door and late last year went out to Utah and rented a Gladiator with rooftop tent etc. I loved it! So much fun and at some point wouldn't mind owning a Gladiator. But I still loved getting back to my 2 door. One of the main reasons is actually just how quick the little 2 door feels compared with the Gladiator. You could absolutely feel the weight of it on the highway. I will say however that the longer wheelbase and increased weight did make for a smoother ride... although that also could be to do with me living in Chicago with some horrendous roads. But overall I still prefer the two door. I do a lot of camping and road trips and it serves me well. If it is just yourself or you and one person, the two door is fine and a lot of fun!
I was surprised by how smooth the ride was in the JT. The steering was a bit of a pain, but that was remedied by the steering box TSB. 95 times out of 100, I go solo. I think I've only had a second body with me three times that I can recall, and I get out pretty frequently.

I'm honestly thinking about going from my 4dr JL to a JT because of overlanding needs.

Crazy to think someone would downsize from JT to a 2dr..
I'm a pretty light packer honestly, and I almost always fly solo. Rooftop tent aside, I like to camp fairly spartan, so I don't *think* that space would be a concern. For 2+ people, for sure, I don't think that the JT can be beat. I can camp for a week perfectly comfortably though on my motorcycle with a couple of saddlebags, so I'm hoping that I could make the 2-door work if need be...

Taking out the rear seat and soft top windows... 2 door rear reminds me of a baby pickup bed. Con is it can get dusty! YMMV.
I've noticed that in pictures. Looks pretty cool! I'd likely end up running a hardtop with rooftop tent while actually out, so hopefully dust wouldn't be as big of an issue.

I have a 2019 2 Door JLR and absolutely love it. If you like to travel and camp with mountain bikes, kayaks, canoes, etc. keep the JT. If you prefer the "ultralight life" make the change to the 2 door. I've thought about moving to a JT because I'm often bringing canoes, kayaks, and mountain bikes on a small trailer. Moving to a JT may eliminate the need to tow, but I just can't stand the thought of giving up my JLR. The only correct answer may be both... A JT Mojave and a JL Rubicon would be the ticket in my mind.
I have a folding kayak (well, I will whenever it arrives...been on order for months) that I'll be taking with me when I get the itch, but aside from that it's just me, and some essentials. The ultralight lifestyle appeals to me, and I've been wanting to downsize in general for some time now (selling stuff off, getting rid of things I don't need/use, etc). Maybe this dilemma is that thought process spilling over in to my transportation lol.

I overland with my 2 door JL with RTT and Gobi Rack. Love the 2 door look but sometimes wish I had more storage space. I just installed a fridge slide and it takes up more room than I expected.
That's likely the direction that I would go--Gobi rack, and my Skycamp Mini. What fridge slide and fridge did you install? Do you have any pics of your cargo area handy?

What he said. If youā€™re seriously camping, esp if anyone else is with, space in a 2dr can get ā€œinterestingā€. I love my 2 dr Jeep, and I loved the previous 2drā€™s I had, BUT space was always at a premium. Look at what you are carrying/planning to carry and be sure itā€™ll all fit comfortably .
I camp almost exclusively solo. Even if I did bring someone along, maybe the space premium would convince them to pack lightly as well...

Good suggestion though--step one may be to sit down and make a list of what I currently have in the JT, then slash things that I don't need to see what would fit in the JL.

I say don't do it. You're already planning on making the JL what your JT already is, which I think this is a bit of a chase. Stick with the JT. You have a nice build that looks very carefully done, no one will enjoy it as much as you do.
True. I would build out the JL similar to the JT, albeit a much smaller version, which is the primary appeal.

Appreciate that! You're absolutely right about that last part--I put a lot of time and thought in to it. Granted, I'd take it back to bone stock prior to a sale/trade, but you are right.

I've been overlanding with my 2 door JK for about nine years, mostly 4 day trips in the remote desert. Trading it in for a 2 door JL Rubi (also a manual transmission!) in a couple weeks and had no qualms about staying with the 2 door.

Whether a 2 door is enough space has everything to do with how many people you're taking and what your style is.

I typically travel solo, but took my dog everywhere until he passed in February. Taking the dog honestly took up more space than if I had brought a second person, since he required use of the backseat. If you're trying to camp with the backseat in use, you can forget about having any space. You can barely squeeze a medium sized cooler in there like that. I had to wedge gear in every available crevice. And I couldn't carry a large cooler at all.

I'm now dogless and still solo, so I'll be yanking the backseat out for long camp trips. With that space freed up, you can fit a lot more. More than enough for 1-2 people.

That said, I come from a backpacking background. So most of my gear is already ultralight. I've never really gotten onboard with the super heavy overlanding style.

Main thing I swap out is the kitchen gear for car camping, because I'm not about to force down another mushy Mountain House when I can carry a cast iron skillet, a cooler full of fresh food, and a two-burner stove. But even most of that gear is light. Roll up table, fold up chair, etc.

With thoughtful packing, you can probably go a week in a 2 door. And you can park it just about anywhere. And it's super maneuverable and nimble on the trails. I love it. It's the perfect fit for me.

But if you have any expectation of taking a whole family or kids or a bunch of friends, probably stick with the JT. Same for if you want to install a fridge or drawers. Even finding compatible mounts for things like that is difficult in a 2 door, much less finding the space to install it.

I'm ride-or-die for the 2 door, but if I was going to build a serious long-haul overlander, I'd probably go for a JT myself.
Sorry to hear about your pup...I know how that is. It sounds like he had a hell of an adventure with you.

I would absolutely be pulling the rear seat. I don't have any need for more than the front two really. My trips are *typically* longer in duration, but shorter in range--segmented portions of long trails, remote camping in BLM areas or national forests, etc. It sounds like I have lots to think about. I honestly don't think that I could go wrong with either.
 
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TheHops

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You already own the JT. And you built it per your likes. Keep it and enjoy the extra space. As someone said, your JT will go anywhere your JL will go. And you can carry your kitchen sink with you in case you want to do dishes in the campground. :LOL::LOL:
Haha, true that. I see your point though. It is a purpose-built machine, and it does what I tailored it for pretty damn well.

Remove the rear seat and youll have plenty of space for cargo. I go on forest roads/trails and camping a lot with my 2 door. What is your sleeping platform?.

Consider towing a small trailer. I just had a baby so I dont have the luxury of rear bench delete any longer. I ordered a 1,000 lbs 5x8 offroad squaredrop from hiker trailer. You can even get a lighter option if you opt for a trailer with RTT.

The beauty of the 2 door is that you can roll with 33s. They look great and due to the short wheelbase you can tackle anything the JLU can on 35s. 33s are lighter and much better for the pavement as well.

I can take kayaks + mountain bikes with my coming set up. Trailer is the way to go imo.

Overlanding with a 2 door is all about simplicity, lightness, etc... I love it, and wouldnt let it go unless I had another kid + a dog.

Also when you are not overlanding and just using it as a toy it is way more fun.

Id say go for it. Youll love the 2D.
I'd be removing the rear seat the moment I got back to my garage from the dealership. I really don't have much use for them. Right now, my sleep setup is an RSI SmartCap over the bed, with a Frontrunner rack on top, topped off by my iKamper Skycamp Mini--plenty of space for myself, and comfortable for two adults.

I hadn't thought about the perk of 33s...that's actually a very good point, and another pro for the JL. That lightness and simplicity is the primary appeal for me, I think. Thanks for the perspective!

That is a big drop in space to carry stuff. I adore my 2 door but unless you plan on taking out the backseats, it really doesnā€™t hold a lot.
I'd absolutely take out the back seats. That'd be the first order of business as soon as I got it home.

Also to add. Ive been camping for my entire life since I was a kid, backpacking too. I am always doing something outdoors. A trailer offers the most comfortable sleeping experience by far. Nothing compares. You can get to wherever you wanna sleep, set the camper and go play around with a light Jeep.

Since the moment I rented a small teardrop to try it out, I am no going back. RTT is just an expensive ground tent, nothing else. And sleeping in a truck bed or trunk is like sleeping in a coffin.
I kicked around the idea of a trailer, but was always turned off by the reduced economy as a result of towing it. Granted, Jeeps aren't very economical anyway, so that may be negligible. I may need to rent one and give it a try.
 

Vinman

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While I have a 4 door and my previous two Jeeps were LWB TJā€™s, you can absolutely camp out of a 2 dr JL.
Search Youtube for ā€œI am Jakeā€, the guy lived in his YJ for nearly 4 years and on occasion had a passenger living with him.
And I agree with the old ā€œgive me more space and Iā€™ll fill itā€ thought pattern.
 
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TheHops

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While I have a 4 door and my previous two Jeeps were LWB TJā€™s, you can absolutely camp out of a 2 dr JL.
Search Youtube for ā€œI am Jakeā€, the guy lived in his YJ for nearly 4 years and on occasion had a passenger living with him.
And I agree with the old ā€œgive me more space and Iā€™ll fill itā€ thought pattern.
Damn! 4 years out of a YJ? I'll definitely check his channel out. Thanks for the recommendation.
 

johnnyj

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Generally I think people should overland with the smallest vehicle that does what they need. A JT is great because it has lots of space, but it's long and isn't suited as much as a 2 door or even a JL on some of the tighter forest trails. That said, if you've never had a 2 door I'd spend some time with one. They're....small....and the JL's are bigger than the TJ's.

I went with a JLU specifically for the larger room and possibility of an Ursa Minor top for this build (Probably picking my top up this week, fingers crossed).
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