Purchased a 1 owner JKUR from a dealership in Chicagoland as a reward for managing to graduate college and turning out as a decent human being. May have payments for the next 5 years but dang is it worth it. Traded in my 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix GT with 94xxx miles. Miss the supercharger but def worth trading the speeding tickets and high-schooler look for the Jeep lifestyle.
Current game-plan is to turn it into a mild overland rig to be used for hunting, fishing, and camping excursions with trip durations of up to 14 days. As such, I plan to add "feature" capability before aesthetic "capability". After spending 3 months self educating on this forum and others, before purchase, I sided with many veteran Jeeper's.... "a stock Rubi will take me to places I never imagined, I just need to add the required equipment to protect from breaking something then self recovery gear". During this build I will be using it as a daily driver with a 40 mile round trip to/from work Mon-Fri for the next 18 months before moving to a different production plant.
Picked up two 5-gallon leak-proof gas tanks from NAPA then a shovel, ratcheting tie downs, various hand tools, and two Stanley Fat Max tool boxes from Home Depot and Menards. One tool box I keep in the Jeep stocked with tools required for basic repairs/work. The second I stock with more unusual parts and tools for trips and throw in when hitting the road or trail. I like these toolboxes because they feature a removable tool tray to carry to the point of use and a full gasket around the edges to block moisture and prevent tool rust.
This past weekend I was able to make a trip back to the great state of MN and a more extensive tool supply. Living 7 hrs from home is really turning out to be a bummer as I don't constantly have access to my extensive tooling. However, I was able to install the following from Quadratec:
Rampage Products Extreme Sport Grab Handles
QUADRATEC ENTRY GUARDS JKU FRONT/REAR
DOOR HINGE PROTECTOR 88-14 WRANGLER
RAMPAGE LOCKING HOOD CATCH JK BLACK SS
SMITTYBILT RECOVERY STRAP 20K 2INX30FT
2 weeks ago I met a fellow Jeep owner and wrangler forum member catching dinner at Panda Express. He had just installed the locking hood latches, which was next on my list. I make frequent trips to the Chicago area so I can't afford to have something under the hood tampered with or stolen. He had mentioned that the latches are a real PITA to install and use because they make the hood very tight against the rest of the body where as stock you are close to getting an inch of hood flutter on a windy day. This installation took 3 attempts to complete. The 1st time I just went for it and bolted stuff on per the included instructions; wasn't even close to getting the latch to gain clearance over the hood catch and be able to lock. The second time I adjusted my installation and was close, but luckily realized that if I forced it to latch, I would be screwed and wouldn't be able to open the hood because it was so tight. So I stopped trying until I got home and had more tools. For the 3rd attempt I used a Dremel to grind the leading edges of both the hood catch and the latch. This enabled relatively easy securing of the hood and opening of the hood when needed. It was a big learning experience that something this erasy could be so finicky. Here are pics of the Dremel work. I figure I removed 1/8" each of material from the hood catch and the hood latch. It now works like a dream
I have since been able to touch up the rest of the paint on the hood locks and catches as they had been damaged while I tried to install them. For what it's worth, the Rampage hood latches are secured by two pins which are secured by what I will call "cotter washers". If you managed to secure the hood and are unable to unlock it, use a simple flat head drier to pop off the cotter washers and then a phillips drivers to bump out the top pin. This causes the two halves to seperate and more work to be done and adjustments to be made.
I have since coated the bare metal with POR-15 undercoating
Sounds like a solid build plan. I am going for the same thing with mine, I just want something that will get me down the fire roads in OK and CO. I did some pretty hard trails this last weekend with a stock JKR and that thing ate the trail up. It's shocking what the Rubicons can do stock.
FYI. If you are building for adventure take
You might want to check out the Aqua Bumper kit by Jeep Karma Off Road Accessories, LLC. It was being demonstrated at the Jeeptoberfest this weekend in Ocala FL.
It would make a great camp shower
The website is jeepkarma.com
Have made a few improvements over the past 4 months and finally getting around to uploading the pictures and share my successes/failures...
First, I had really wanted a fold out tailgate table, but after doing some brainstorming figured I would be able to build one for much less than purchasing one. It has come in handy while camping on several occasions. I used aluminum diamond plate to save on the weight and to keep it from rusting. For the hinges, I found some heavy duty fencing/gate hinges at Menards. I attached these to the thin-walled inner door panel using "rivnuts". This was my first time using such a device, but I somehow managed to not screw it up and they are holding up great after several months of use. Just be sure you use steel rivnuts (not AL) otherwise your door will start to rust out at the rivnuts due to the dissimilar metals. I then used stainless steel cable and cable clamps to support the table while in use. I drilled two holes on the inner door panel, then fished the cable down thru the pre-stamped vents on the bottom of the tailgate and back to the table. A bonus design feature that I had not planned for is that while the table is not in use it stays in the stowed position due to the friction of cable and the way I routed it thru the door panels. When the tailgate is closed, the stowed table is securely held in place by the subwoofer box and does not rattle.
Second new project was finding a way to mount a 800 watt power invertor, Viair 380c compressor, and a 30 ft retractable work light with extension cord feature. I started searching this forum for other folks who had made shelving solutions for the rear of their Jeeps. I was able to pick up a lot of different ideas along the way that lead me to my final solution. Again, I could have purchased a metal rear deck/shelf from a vendor, but the cost drove me away from that. I started with 1/2 inch plywood and two parts 1"x4" lumber. I used a jigsaw to remove u-shaped sections to accommodate the roll bars. The entire unit rests on the inner lip of the tub/hard top.
I used commercial grade black entry-way rug, from Home Depot, to go over the shelf and attached it using a ridiculous amount of small wood screws and washers on the bottom side. I then drilled 12 holes thru the front and back of the shelf to attached eye bolts so I can strap town cargo in the back if needed. I only installed 6 eye bolts, but the alternate holes are still available if I need to reconfigure their arrangement. I attached these using wing nuts to make this task easier when required.
While working in the evenings, I realized that I could now no longer see under the shelf due to lack of light. I picked up 6 marine grade white LED light modules off of eBay and wired them in to the bottom of the shelf. I wired in a switch which will be shown in the following posts.
Part Two of Project Number Two: installing the power invertor
NOTE: This installation was completed prior to the completion of the rear deck/shelf I just described in the prior post. All I had to do was loosen the u bolts and move the assembly further up the roll bar to accommodate the new rear deck.
I was tempted to just mount everything to a rear deck/shelf I had been building at the same time, but really didn't want to take up a bunch of that real estate with other goodies. The rollbars were just there and in the way, anyways. So I decided to utilize them. I picked up some stainless u-bolts and hardware and used some stainless steel plate to fabricate a standoff mounting solution for power invertor on the driver side roll bar. I used nylon lock nuts for this part of the project. I do not have access to a welder, thus why I needed to use all the hardware, which I did not want to have come loose or start rattling 2 months later.
I then cut off the excess protruding threading from the ubolts and mounted the power invertor.
Project Two Part Three: installing Viair compressor and 30 ft retractable extension cord with work light.
I wanted to make sure that I would have proper lighting and 120 volt power anywhere around the vehicle, whether because I'm working on something, making a repair, or need a camp light and power source. I picked up a Craftsman 30 ft retractable work light w/ built in electrical outlets, from Ace Hardware. I simply drilled a hole in one side of the mounting bracket for the reel and bolted it to the rear deck/shelf. I installed a LED light in the work light to minimize the load on the invertor while gaining the equivalent of a 150 watt incandescent bulb. The LED is a good choice because I don't have to worry about breaking the filament or any glass bulb, plus there is minimal heat output.
For the compressor, again, I simply bolted it to the rear deck using existing mounting locations on the compressor. I wired a switch which will be shown in a following post. The braided stainless steel hose run off the compressor connects to a standard 3/8" air hose that is coiled up under the deck and behind the rear seats. I have this terminated with a quick connect coupler to provide for air chuck attachment or other uses.
I used a handheld MAP gas torch to fabricate a mounting bracket out of a small piece of stainless steel. I drilled two holes and installed a light duty and a heavy duty switch. These control the LED lights under the rear deck and the compressor, respectively. I supplied the rear of the vehicle with a shielded 2 gauge cable run all the way from the power invertor, up the driver side roll bar and back down behind the steering wheel thru the firewall to the engine compartment. It is fused at the battery terminal. This is where I am drawing the power for the compressor, invertor, work light, and anything else I may install. Additionally, each accessory is appropriately fused where it connects to the 2 gauge cable run.
I'm not one for a bunch of stickers on the exterior of the jeep, but that doesn't mean I don't like them. Bottom of stowed tailgate table is perfect location.
Also mounted a 2.5 lb Halguard fire extinguisher from H3R Performance. Figure it's cheap insurance should I ever need it. Mounted it to the passenger side roll bar using two pipe clamps
I installed a bolt on hitch kit from 4WD that had good reviews. I used this to tow a fully loaded 6x12 ft uhaul trailer when moving to the Milwaukee area a few weeks ago. It was a little tricky to get it on without removing the rear bumper, but just took a little bit of sweat and beer to get it done. In all fairness, this was called out in the product reviews that I read prior to purchase. Attaching the wiring for the trailer light connector took no more than 10 minutes and was completely plug and play.
Next, I installed a JKE full length dash dock from Vector Offroad. Very simple and straightforward install. To this I mounted a GoPro/camera mount, and 3 x-Grip mounts all purchased from RAM Mounts. I use one xGrip for a Garmin GPS unit, because at times I like to track routes to two different destinations. Additionally, I get very annoyed because the built in GPS unit has a safety nanny and does not let you change destination or use other features unless the vehicle is in PARK. The 2nd xGrip I use for my cell phone and the 3rd xGrip is oriented to be used by a passenger.
Picked up a Yakima Sparetime folding 2-bike rack off a fellow Jeeper, from Craigslist. Easy to install and works great. Holds 2 heavy mountain bikes very securely. I especially enjoy the built in locking features which prevent someone from walking off with the mount or your bikes.
I picked up a YETI bottle opener at Cabela's and mounted it to the tailgate. After extensive testing, I can truly say that it Works Great!
Next project was figuring out what to do with the HiLift jack taking up the entire floor of my rear seat area. After researching many options, and deciding that a rear bumper tire carrier combo w/ hilift mount is not in the current budget, I found possibly the best solution from a retailer called JeepSwag. They sell a "Stealth HiLift Mount Kit" from Dominion Offroad that mount to the upper rear roll bars. Additionally, they sell a kit that uses "Quick Fists" to attach an axe and shovel to the HiLift once mounted. I purchased both and solved 3 storage problems: hiLift, axe, shovel; all at once. Installation was a little tricky for me, as it required a tap and die set, which I had never used before. After watching some YouTube videos and figuring out what and what not to do, I got to it.
Let me be extremely clear here, if you have the ability to remove your hard top or have a soft top, you are already miles ahead of where I was at this point. Do this before starting the installation! The instructions are a little vague, but not hard to figure it out if you look at Google Pics of other Jeeps with this kit. Keeping in mind that this was my first time using a tap and die set, it is beyond a pain the ### to tap the round frame brackets with the top on. I absolutely thought 100% that I was going to mess up the threading to the point where I couldn't complete the installation. Turns out I absolutely messed up the threading, on both sides. However, I was able to get the 1/2 inch main bolts threaded about 1/2 way before they hit the threading I messed up. I just used a breaker bar on the ratchet and drove 'em home hoping that I will never have to remove the brackets.
From there you can mount the HiLift and the accessory mounts with the Quick Fists. Pretty neat design actually, but will for sure take 5-10 mins to remove if I ever need the HiLift. Mounted the axe first then the shovel last.
WOW !!! This is probably one of the BEST and most well thought out build that I have read on this forum. Congratulations !!
Two things that I would like to point out.
First, be sure to upgrade the headlights and aux lights. The stock headlights are pathetic (although you prob know this, from other threads in the forum).
Second, is an inverter really neccessary, given the number of lighting systems, tools, etc, that will run directly off of 12VDC ?? This would simply be alot more efficient use of the on - board power.
Good Luck !!
Awesome work. Always good when someone is thinking it out and planning their mods to be functional.
As for the navigation only while in park, I found out the local stereo shops have a nice bypass for that! Now I can (although it may not be smart) control navigation while driving....or I mean while NOT in park!
I like what you have done! I have been working on something similar but out of aluminum. I roll bar mounted my OBA my 2 rechargeable flashlights are mounted next to the outside edges of the back seat.
After several months of research and hmmmm-ing and hahhhhhh-ing I finally decided on a front bumper and winch solution. For the bumper I chose a Rock Hard 4x4 Patriot Series full width bumper because it is made in America, fully seam welded (no spot welds), full 1/4" plate steel, 3/4" d-ring and has a lowered winch mount. I required a full width due to my common upper midwest environment of mud and trees and not much boulder hopping. I love the look of shorty bumpers but didn't want to slide into a tree (or other object during winter) between the bumper and the tire and destroy my front end components. Again, as my 1st post stated.... functionality and practicality over form.
It was easy to remove the stock bumper and a simple bolt on for the new one. Make sure you have the roller fairlead installed first. Once installed, I also had to cut and extend the wiring harness on both sides for the fog lights as the factory harness no longer reached each fog light.
I selected a Quadratec 11500i self recovery winch. I wanted a Warn winch, but as other forum members have pointed out, I can purchase an additional 2 discount replacement winches for the price of a single Warn. I was unable to comprehend a situation in my immediate future where my life was going to depend on having a Warn that I knew was going to work no matter what or having a discount brand that will work 95% of the time. I also selected steel cable over synthetic due to abrasion durability. I want to be able to wrap around whatever anchor point I have and not have to even think about a frayed cable. I also purchased ARB d-rings and winch line dampeners.
About 4 months ago, I had also purchased and installed two Rigid Industries LED Dually D2 spotlight pods for long distance lighting. You can see these in the attached photo. I am a huge fan of Rigid Industries. I originally got into the LED light scene due to Surefire flashlights which led me to Vision X. However, in my opinion Vision X was incapable of competing with new outfits like RE in price and quality. These days there are many discount manufacturers that produce LED JK lights, such as I chose with my winch. Unlike the winch, as an engineer, I will not sacrifice when it comes to optics. I will stick with RE all the way for LED and Lightforce if I ever go HID.
I also threw on Quadratec quick disconnect square safari mirror mounts for when I have the chance to take the front doors off.
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