The Dirty White Willy

Figured it's about time to share a little bit about my 2022 JL Willys Sport 6-speed manual, coined the "Dirty White Willy" by my coworkers.

I ordered my Jeep in April 2022 and received it in October 2022. I upgraded from a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek (manual as well) as I found myself reaching its limits off-road during my camping trips in Southern California and Baja. I could not be happier with my purchase and really enjoy the simplicity of the Sport edition, and have been truly impressed with its performance off-road. Currently sits at 12,000 problem-free miles.

My modifications so far have been simple and functional, based on my usage as a daily driver and weekend camping rig. My favorite upgrade has been the Apex AutoLynx quick disconnects, which I use every time I go off road. Other additions include AirLift 1000 helper airbags to reduce rear end sag when loaded with gear, Antidote roof rack with a C6 Rev Tent, Rockblockz mudflaps front/rear, Rough Country hood lights, stubby antennae, Rugged Ridge floor mats, Ironman 4x4xawning, and a ShadeIdea sunshade for topless days.

Upgrades I would like to make down the line include re-gearing to 4.56 or 4.88, installing Eaton TruTracs front/rear or selectable lockers, and adding Rubicon take-offs (preferably with the white lettering) and 4:1 transfer case. The stock 3.45 gearing is definitely my biggest gripe, as 6th is effectively useless and I find myself stalling from time-to-time on simple obstacles even in 4L. I'd also like to install an ACT or Centerforce clutch if the upcoming recall does not solve some of the current clutch issues.

Alabama Hills


First night with the C6 Rev Tent outside of Big Bear, February 2023. It got down to 23 degrees and we were nice and comfortable.


Testing out the Apex AutoLynx disconnects in Sandstone Canyon, Anza Borrego Desert State Park.


Found a quiet backcountry site just off of Silver Canyon Road in the White Mountains of California.


First time in the snow, taken near Holcolmb Valley.


Loaded down with four people and all of our gear on a trip to Guadalupe Canyon Hot Springs in Baja California. This trip spurred my purchase for the AirLift 1000 airbags to reduce rear sag.


Checking out the hot springs outside of Mammoth Lakes.


Out near Dos Cabezas, after a day exploring Valley of the Moon.

I've learned a lot from this forum and want to thank you all for your input and guidance. I'm excited to see where this lil Jeep continues to take me and what I continue to make of it. Let me know if you have any specific questions about my setup or input you would like to provide!

How did you stay warm in the tent?

Awesome. From one white Willy to another lol. Cheers!

m3reno said:

How did you stay warm in the tent?

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It's a four season, double wall tent, so that alone kept us pretty insulated from the cold temperatures. Between that and our down sleeping bags we were good.

I'll add that I love this tent. I wanted a tent and rack system that would be easy to put on and take off during the week, which meant that a more study option (e.g., Maximus) that would involve drilling through the roof was off the table. The Rev Tent is very lightweight (~85 pounds), so I felt comfortable putting it on a gutter mount rack like the Antidote that I have. It only takes me about 4 minutes to take it on and off using my makeshift rachet hoist system. All-in, I'd estimate that the rack, tent, awning, and my homemade shower weight around 175 pounds, more than the 150 pound maximum recommended by Jeep but I've had zero issues after many miles off road.

Rooftop tents are quite popular in Europe. I was just in Norway and seen a number of them. Even a Smart Car and an MB Wagon had tents on them.

Jeremynolan94 said:

It's a four season, double wall tent, so that alone kept us pretty insulated from the cold temperatures. Between that and our down sleeping bags we were good.

I'll add that I love this tent. I wanted a tent and rack system that would be easy to put on and take off during the week, which meant that a more study option (e.g., Maximus) that would involve drilling through the roof was off the table. The Rev Tent is very lightweight (~85 pounds), so I felt comfortable putting it on a gutter mount rack like the Antidote that I have. It only takes me about 4 minutes to take it on and off using my makeshift rachet hoist system. All-in, I'd estimate that the rack, tent, awning, and my homemade shower weight around 175 pounds, more than the 150 pound maximum recommended by Jeep but I've had zero issues after many miles off road.

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What about the additional 300ish pounds when 2 people are in the tent?

rdfact said:

What about the additional 300ish pounds when 2 people are in the tent?

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You bring up a good point, and one that I was concerned with when I decided to take this route for my roof rack.

With two people in the tent, the static weight of the rack+gear+people is definitely closer to 475-500 pounds. For what it's worth, Antidote states that the maximum static weight limit for the half rack I am using is 600 pounds. What metrics they used to come up with that figure, I do not know, but I have confidence in the system. The weight of everything is distributed across six ~5'' mounting "feet" on the gutter rails, so assuming 500 pounds of weight divided by 6 mounting points, that places approximately 83 pounds on each mount. However, much of our weight is also distributed downward onto the ladder when the tent is in use so that number is likely quite a bit lower. That's the thought process I used when settling on this system.

I've used the tent for seven nights now and have had the rack system on my roof for approximately 500 miles of off-road driving in Southern California and Baja . The roof does get creaky from time to time, but that is also the case when I have nothing on the roof at all so I just attribute it to being a Jeep thing. I'll certainly eat my words if that ever changes!

rdfact said:

What about the additional 300ish pounds when 2 people are in the tent?

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From their site.
I think most people do not remember that the weight of the rack counts against the limit as well.

Half Rack Platform:

Dimensions: 5ft3in long x 4ft7in wide

Rack weight: 58lbs

Adds approximately 3in of overall height to your Jeep

Recommended Maximum Dynamic Weight Limit: 175lbs

Max Static Weight Limit: 600lbs



Full Rack Platform:

Dimensions: 7ft3in long x 4ft7in wide

Rack weight: 75lbs

Adds approximately 3in of overall height to your jeep

Recommended Maximum Dynamic Weight Limit: 225

Max Static Weight Limit 700

Jeremynolan94 said:

You bring up a good point, and one that I was concerned with when I decided to take this route for my roof rack.

With two people in the tent, the static weight of the rack+gear+people is definitely closer to 475-500 pounds. For what it's worth, Antidote states that the maximum static weight limit for the half rack I am using is 600 pounds. What metrics they used to come up with that figure, I do not know, but I have confidence in the system. The weight of the everything is distributed across six ~5'' mounting "feet" on the gutter rails, so assuming 500 pounds of weight divided by 6 mounting points, that places approximately 83 pounds on each mount. However, much of our weight is also distributed downward onto the ladder when the tent is in use so that number is likely quite a bit lower. That's the thought process I used when settling on this system.

I've used the tent for seven nights now and have had the rack system on my roof for approximately 500 miles of off-road driving in Southern California and Baja . The roof does get creaky from time to time, but that is also the case when I have nothing on the roof at all so I just attribute it to being a Jeep thing. I'll certainly eat my words if that ever changes!

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Don't forget to subtract the 58lbs also. The dynamic load rating is actually only 117 lbs.

Just curious why you did not go with a rhino rack system. For most roof top tents, you only need the three cross bars, so the price would be cheaper than the antidote one. You can also remove the cross bars very easy. Just some key locks.
I would doubt the load figures a bit. Even the rhino rack can only hold 260/580 lbs.

Do they factor in the dynamic weight shifting during, er, um, "seggsy time."

pablo_max3045 said:

Just curious why you did not go with a rhino rack system. For most roof top tents, you only need the three cross bars, so the price would be cheaper than the antidote one. You can also remove the cross bars very easy. Just some key locks.

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If my memory serves me, the Rhino Rack system wasn't available for 2dr models when I was looking for a rack. Maybe they came out with a 2dr system since I purchased my rack. I'm in Southern California so I got free shipping and a local's discount on the Antidote rack, which came out to be much cheaper than other options. From what I can see now, the Rhino Rack system for the 4dr is almost 4x the price I paid for the Antidote.

I know that I'm likely exceeding some of the recommended weight limits, but based on my experience so far those limits are somewhat conservative. I have no intentions of adding any other weight to the roof, and have even contemplated selling the awning since I dont use it very often.

rdfact said:

Do they factor in the dynamic weight shifting during, er, um, "seggsy time."

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I guess I should add a few pounds to my static weight estimate to account for this!

Dirty White Willy, crack me up!

That's a great set up buddy. I wish I was younger to use a Jeep fort like that. I wrote a small article on here awhile back about camping next to a couple with a set up similar to yours. To summarize; the gentleman had a bad case of the sheets, he climbed down that ladder as fast as he could many times. I felt bad for him even though it had become somewhat amusing. He was sliding down the ladder like a fireman. Eventually they packed up and left. It definitely made me realize, I'm too old for that but I sure am glad to see you're out there enjoying it.

Have fun!

rdfact said:

Do they factor in the dynamic weight shifting during, er, um, "seggsy time."

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Just make sure the swaybar isn't disconnected.