Jeep Wrangler & Patriot Camper Trailer
2022 – 2024
The Story
What car do you need to explore Australia?
That was our question back in 2021. Like many others, COVID changed the way we travelled. We needed a vehicle suitable for our daily life in Noosa, but also for more adventurous weekend trips on the Sunshine Coast. With K’Gari (Fraser Island), Moreton Island and Double Island in our backyard, there was only one option. We needed a 4WD!
The newly launched Jeep Wrangler caught our eye, especially with its four-year warranty. Some peace of mind goes a long way when you’re buying a Jeep. In September 2021, we purchased our first 4WD: a brand-new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Night Eagle 3.6L Petrol in the beautiful colour of Sting Grey.
Initially, the plan was to install a roof rack with a rooftop tent, rebuild the rear with a slide-out fridge, additional storage, a dual battery, and more. However, we soon realised this would be expensive and impractical to drive around every day.
After doing tons of research, we ended up buying a Patriot Camper Trailer. It is the perfect 4WD trailer for weekend getaways and exploring our backyard. Weekend trips soon turned into three-month adventures, and we fell in love with travelling off the beaten track, exploring the most remote areas of Australia.
The Build and Features
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Night Eagle 3.6L Petrol in Sting Grey.
We asked the guys from Murchison Products to supply us with the perfect suspension package:
- 2.5 Inch Front CRDSTU Lifted Coils
- 2 Inch Rear CRDSTU Lifted Coils
- Bilstein 5100 Long Travel Mono-Tube Shocks
- Mopar Extended Swaybar Links
- AEV Stamped Geometry Correction Brackets
- Factory Dampener Cut-Off
- Bilstein Steering Damper Swap
We replaced the factory wheels with 17-inch Method Race Wheels (703NV) and fitted them with some Toyo Open Country M/T 35-inch tires. Exactly what the Wrangler needed after that lift.
We ended up with a bullbar from Offroad Animal, a Warn 10-S Premium Winch integrated into the bullbar, and a GME Heavy-Duty antenna.
When travelling on your own, we would highly recommend the above.
Why a patriot camper trailer?
The main reason we chose to buy a Patriot Camper Trailer was its flexibility. When you’re not travelling, it doesn’t burden you with extra weight. We’ve seen many impressive setups in the back of cars and utes, but that’s quite impractical when you’re not full-time on the road. The weight, loss of storage, and expensive gear are always with you. It is a different story if you travel full-time.
Do you want to learn more about the capabilities of a Patriot Camper Trailer? You can find all the info on their website. After travelling for two years and covering over 50,000 km without a single issue, we believe it’s fair to say that a Patriot Camper Trailer is the best 4WD Camper Trailer on the market.
Pros and cons of a patriot Camper trailer
Pros:
- A 4WD Camper Trailer that isn’t too big and too heavy, weighing just under 1000kg!
- That trailer follows your 4WD EVERYWHERE.
- It’s a home on wheels, equipped with a hot water shower, 150L of water, a 55L fridge, a baby Weber BBQ, a cooking stove, ample storage (2000L in total), two gel batteries, and a 2000W inverter to charge all our essentials.
- We opted for a Hard Shell Rooftop Tent from The Bush Company because it’s probably the best RTT on the market. Very spacious, featuring an 85mm mattress, power plugs, an LED light, and resistant to any weather conditions.
Cons:
- Towing your way through Australia comes with its challenges.
- This set up is entirely outdoors. With the X1N model, there’s no escaping the weather. During heavy winds or rain, the only refuge was our rooftop tent, which can be a burden when travelling full-time.
- Extra costs, such as insurance, road taxes and service expenses.