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The Grinch

66K views 332 replies 27 participants last post by  DBL 
#1 ·
This will be my build thread and my first significant post. Many will say I am insane for building up a 2010 in 2017 but I wanted the experience and had a budget in mind. Really happy to be getting this going. Been lurking here for a while learning about this interesting new Jeep world. Over the past 6 months I rented a couple of jeeps to try out the lifestyle (TURO.com if you haven't tried it). As my wife was due for a new family hauler, and she was justifiably CERTAIN that I would not be taking her new Escalade deer, pig and duck hunting like I did with her old one (ask me about feathers, blood stains, pinstriping and deer musk), it seemed that a confluence of events had occurred. Got her taken care of in January and was already shopping. Had been eyeballing 2010-11's, knowing the engine was squirrels in a box but for my uses felt fine (plus gives me an excuse to learn about headers, FI and exhausts!). I knew I wanted a Rubicon and wanted it pretty much stock so I could create some memories of wrenching and driving with my 7 and 10 year old kids. Offered on a few but ended up working a deal in Houston for my new (to me) Jeep. Brought it home in late January. It required some imagination given that previous owner had some questionable taste in accessorizing - tire, grill inserts and wheel cover selection, but I could tell it was a fit. I've always been a silver or white car guy, but the Rescue Green (or Diarrhea Green or Goose Poo green as my wife and kids call it) is just too cool to me. Here it is as I bought it. After much debate about names, The Goose, Pooper and other fecal related cognomens, we decided that the perfect match between color and Dad's personality is... "The Grinch". Hopefully havent stolen that from anyone else! :iamhappy:

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#2 ·
First things

So of course I have a detailed list of things I want to do to the jeep, ranging from the pratical - like secure storage, off road oriented tires and grab bars, to the more impractical and amazing, like hemi swaps or superchargers. Initially though, I knew I wanted to do some basic things to make it look better and perform a bit better on our hunting lease and for some medium off roading (aspirational on the latter). The minute I got home, I also got rid of that chrome grill insert! So number one was lift, tires and wheels. I planned originally to do the lift myself, but so much going on at work that I knew it would be months before I could do it. I decided to have a local shop do it (after searching around for positive reviews I went with Screamin' Lizard Customs in Bedford, TX). Given that I plan for mostly an overland type use of hunting and camping with the family, I decided to go with AEV for the lift and went with 3.5" because... well because 3.5" looks aweseome, gives great clearance, AEV gets good reviews especially for a time pressed, inexperienced wrencher, onroad manners are reputed to be excellent (had experienced bad lift death wobble in one of the rented jeeps) and I wanted 35" tires... From the moment I started researching wheels I loved the AEV Savegre black wheels and knew they would be on my truck when I got it. Also decided that I needed to upgrade the carrier. Timing of new bumbers is up in the air, so went with the Terraflex figuring it will be something can keep or if I go with something else I can recoup most of the cost easily selling it used. Within a week I had it with the guys at the Lizard and got it back within a few days - best homecoming at DFW Airport I can recall!: Land vehicle Vehicle Car Jeep Off-road vehicle
:awesome:
 
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
Yikes

So I had no clue at the outset how addictive working on the car can be. My wife has already come out to the garage a few times with a look of total bewilderment on her face to ask what on earth I am doing. Since I got the Jeep last month, not one week has gone by without me being out there (sometimes with the kids, sometimes solo) working on the Jeep. I will try to be better about documenting, but so far I have added:

AEV 3.5" Life
AEV Savegre Wheels
AEV Rubber Floor Mats all around
JW Speaker Headlights, tail lights and fogs (fogs not installed yet, stripped the cheap screws on the plastic factory bumper piece and have to address that AND receive the japanese adapters)
Drake Off Road Black anodized Billet shifter, ebrake and transfer case selector
JWM Grill Insert
FM Toppeak Door sill guards
13" Antenna X
MORE Driver Dead Pedal
Precision LED Interior LED lights
MOPAR Gas Hood Props
OPAR Grab Bars front and Rear (EASY Install, less than 20 minutes start to finish)
IJKP Rear Seat Recline
Metal Cloak Rear Seat Support

Here are a few pics of the things I have done to date.

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#4 ·
Initial Thoughts/Reviews

So now that I have had the Jeep about a month and have made some significant headway on getting it where I want it, some thoughts:

AEV Lift - Very similar to stock, I like this. Havent off roaded yet, family schedule and work have been too hectic. Will be out at our hunting lease this coming weekend to see if any pigs are tired of living, that will be our first real test. Wish I had put it on myself, but time is precious. LOVE the height, drives great. Wife review - "still a horrid color but the new stance makes it look really good... for a diarrhea car." Kid Review - "Daddy, we can't get in the Jeep, its too tall"

35" Toyo Open Country Tires - Pretty quiet, I do not notice a significant difference compared to the street tires that I drove back from Houston. I am very happy with the 35"s at present. I think the look is great, the driving feel and noise are great. Having a little TPMS sensor problem, not sure if I have a leaky tire or a bad sensor (we did use the AEV Procal, the light just comes on and off with no apparent correlation to tire pressure).

JW Speaker Headlights - just no comparison, awesome. Easy, easy, easy install. Jason at Krawl Off Road gave me a nice wrangler forum deal on the package.

JW Speaker Tailights - I love them, super easy install. Wife review - "those tailights look weird on a jeep, isn't there something more jeeplike?"

IPJK Rear Seat Recline - Easy-ish install with Breaker Bar and Torque, wouldn't want to tackle without those. I think it took about an hour. Kids helped! Noticeable difference.

Precsion LED Interior Lights - did this in 5 minutes in a parking lot while waiting for Indian takeout. Easy as pie. The included trim tools were a nice touch and made it easier.

AEV Floormats - fit well, have a deep enough holding area, only complaint is that the rear seat mat has holes for carpet buttons that my Jeep doesn't have ( I think 2010 didn't have them period?). The front seat AEV mats came with replacement buttons instead of the stock hooks. I think the rear should have as well. I will fiund some somewhere, but for the price they should have been included.

MOPAR Gas Good Props - Easy install, 20 minutes on a nice day. VERY nice addition, hood just lifts itself when unlatched. Highly recommended lazy man mod.

Drake Off Road Black Anodized Billet Aluminum Handle Set - total useless Jewlery but i Love them. Hardest part was the transfer case handle removal, didnt have a strap wrnech. Destroyed the old handle. Don'treally care but probably should have gotten the wrench.

OPAR Wild Boar Grab Handles - i really struggled with this. I wanted to go with the Grabbars, but I real so many reviews about how hard the install was that I decided the reviews of how EASY the Wild Boars were made sense. Cost was a nice benefit but I'd have rather bought US made. IK have to say, these things were insanely easy. It took me 5 minutes per, would have been less but it was darkish in the garage that night and doing alone was a little hardto get the bolts started. Really easy, fit perfectly, BIG improvement to those crappy velcro handles.

Items in the garage awaiting time to install:

1) Ace Rock Sliders (the kids and the small wife need help getting in and we want a little rocker protection) - Joe at Elevated Off Road gave a great Forum deal
2) MOPAR Fuel Line tube - I have the Jeep fuel burp, hoping this will fix it like it did for others
3) Morimoto harness and JW fogs - I was going to wait until I figure out the front bumper situation but I don't knwo when that will be and I hate the mismatched look
4) Performance Pedals Black anodized aluminum gas and brake pedals - more jewelry, its a disease, I really had no idea

Things I am contemplating for the future:

Really like the AEV Bumpers. I know they are insanely expensive.
Skids
Winch, of course
CAI, Headers, Exhaust
Big Brakes
Tailgate Table - probably springtail with the custom plastic table insert that others have worked out
Mounts for fuel, high lift, etc, depends on final bumper choices
Tuffy stuff
Backup camera (that hitch mounted tire, yikes)
I'm fine with the radio but maybe the Kickers
Softtop, found a ton used on Craigslist around $500
Hitchmounted carrier, a la Harbor Freight or the like, to carry game outside the vehicle
SPOD and some broad and narrow off road lights, still debating and thinking here
ARB on board air
it doesn't end...

I welcome questions or comments. I would be interested in knowing where fellow North Texans go to do some off roading. I'm new so need some novice stuff to learn. This is so fun!
 
#7 ·
Ryans_JK - Thanks for the reply. I'd say I do have a full blown case of mod bug-itis. I haven't had this much car fun since I had my 1998 BMW M3. This Jeep gives me as much joy every time I get in as that car did, obviously for totally different reasons! Having kids and family responsibilities I have put off car joy for the last decade, told the wife there are far worse mid-life crises... so far she is a supporter, if not an understanding one!
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
Busy Weekend

Looks like it should be a fun weekend if I can get the time carved out...

  • Ace Rock Rails
  • MOPAR Door Hinges so my kids will top getting bopped with the doors
  • Mishimoto Harness Came in for JW Speaker Fogs
  • Maximus 3 Mag Lite Bracket
  • If I have time, I will also add the check valve replacement as I am firmly in the fuel burp scenario

Pics with installs...
 

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#139 ·
Looks like it should be a fun weekend if I can get the time carved out...

  • Ace Rock Rails
  • MOPAR Door Hinges so my kids will top getting bopped with the doors
  • Mishimoto Harness Came in for JW Speaker Fogs
  • Maximus 3 Mag Lite Bracket
  • If I have time, I will also add the check valve replacement as I am firmly in the fuel burp scenario

Pics with installs...
Sorry, new to being a Jeep owner.. What is fuel burp? burp out filler neck?
 
#11 ·
Ace Rock Slider Install

So last night I had my typical jet loag insomnia due to returning from Asia to Texas and decided, what better use than installing some Rock Sliders... Overall very happy with them, took me about 45 minutes alone. Would have been faster but for some stubborn bolts. I had seen a couple of recent issues with weld and powder coat quality on the ace rails, no issues here, looks great. Will report back if any issues develop. Install does lead me to make some observations I had not seen in other installation reviews:

1) The body mount bolts have a stubborn nut in the frame that doesn't always want to let lose or reengage. I struggled with two of the six on my JKUR. Had to pull down as hard as possible on the washer to remove all the way and to reinstall I had to use all my strength to push the bolts in while tightening in order to rengage the nut. PITA.

2) Jack mounts make a solo install easy. Put in a piece of towel or something to cushion the rail from the metal of the jack mount. If you do not, you may end up with an early bit of rash. I know they will get scratched, dented etc from use but it sucks when you do it during install. Ask me how I learned...

Very happy with these post-install. I wanted them for a few reasons. 1) protect the rockers from rock impacts. 2) Steps for kids and short people on my 3.5"/35" setup. 3) aesthetics. Kids still need a little help but checks all the boxes.

Pics and After...
 

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#12 ·
JW Speaker Fogs

Installed the JW Speaker Fogs today. Had ordered the Morimoto adapter harness to avoid splicing but apparently I ordered the wrong thing as it didn't work with my 2010 ends. Decided to just punt and splice with heat shrink. Had to tap the screws holding the factory trim piece that sits behind the bumper. Under the grill. Otherwise easy as pie. Haven't tried the night lighting yet but will tonight.
 
#13 ·
MOPAR fuel tank cover

Installed the MOPAr fuel tank cover. As others have done, I first removed the annoying silver screws and rattlecanned them flat black (was also a good opportunity to hit the annoying silver screw in the Drake Offroad Black anodized shifter). Very easy install. I like the look a lot. Admittedly a pricy bit of jewelry that fulfills exactly the same function as the stocker, but it looks nice!
 

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#14 ·
Maximus 3 Maglite Bracket and "Bust a cap" Maglite end replacement

Installed the Maximus 3 bracket for my 3 cell maglite today. Started out by mistake with a multmaterial, but obviously non-metal, drill bit. Mistake. Rescued that and painted over the scarring with some flat black paint, more for rust protecction as its totally covered by the bracket. The bust a cap, basically a glass breaker end cap replacement for a D cell maglite, is pretty cool. Handy to have some light at hand, pun intended, and the glass breaker saves trying to put one somewhere... I like it.
 

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#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
Custom Backseat Grabhandles for Kids

After the AEV 3.5" Life and the Toyo 35" tires, my 7 and 10 year old (not to mention my wife) are having a rough go getting in the Grinch. I have the Wild Boar grab handles (they can't reach) and the Ace Rock sliders but the kids are still too small. I searched around online and saw things like stirrups but nothing that really resonated... until I saw the idea to tie some rope to the front seat headrests. Just tying some rope would kind of be a little blah, so I found on another forum someone who nicely tied a double fisherman's knot into a handle. Perfect, and adjustable as they grow!
 

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#17 ·
Gas Tank Overflowing on Fill Up...

The day I test drove my new to me 2010 yet-to-be-named Grinch, the salesman and i needed to get some gas. The tank overflowed, I totally thought it was the pump since I had never had a JK before... Got home from Houston and had it happen again. Went on the forums... learned about the check valve problem. Immediately ordered Mopar CNNNX321AC and just got around to installing. Thanks to forum member TheAngryBird's writeup, install went easy, other than noting that you can overtighten the hose clamps. Busted one of them and had to uninstall, pirate one from the old unit and then reinstsall. Probably an hour given that mishap and difficulty accessing the bolt heads from a prone position under the jeep. Heading to get gas now... Will require bravery to let it go...
 

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#18 ·
Check valve update

The day I test drove my new to me 2010 yet-to-be-named Grinch, the salesman and i needed to get some gas. The tank overflowed, I totally thought it was the pump since I had never had a JK before... Got home from Houston and had it happen again. Went on the forums... learned about the check valve problem. Immediately ordered Mopar CNNNX321AC and just got around to installing. Thanks to forum member TheAngryBird's writeup, install went easy, other than noting that you can overtighten the hose clamps. Busted one of them and had to uninstall, pirate one from the old unit and then reinstsall. Probably an hour given that mishap and difficulty accessing the bolt heads from a prone position under the jeep. Heading to get gas now... Will require bravery to let it go...
Total success! Filled up all the way, no overflow, gas pump clicked off like a normal car... :iamhappy:
 
#19 · (Edited by Moderator)
Drake Offroad Dash Console Tray

Purchased the Drake Offroad Dash Console Tray the other day. Really debated whether it would work since some places say that if you have sattelite radio it won't work, while others say that it will. Decided to give it a try since Extreme Terrain and others how installs on Satellite radio equipped JK's. Ended up buying on Amazon. Installed this AM. Intallation was far from what was expected but happy with how it worked out. To start with, removing the existing piece is simple and the Drake piece looks great out of the box. I had some trim tools that came with my Precision LED interior light bulb switch kit. Handy. Trim tool popped existing piece right off.
 

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#20 · (Edited by Moderator)
Drake Dash Tray install continued

The description Drake provides of what to expect for where the compass module is mounted were incorrect. Mine was mounted on a bracket attached to the dash vs the underside of the upper dash trim piece. Further, the bracket didn't match the holes provided on the Drake piece (neglected to get a photo of that). Lastly, the screws that Drake provided and explicitly stated were crucial to use to attach the compass to the new dash piece did not fit into the holes in the piece anyway!
 

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#21 ·
Drake Dash Tray install completed

So I decided to get resourcful... I used plyers to rip out the unremovable plastic screws holding the existing bracket, used a dremel tool to saw off the mounting tabs Drake molded onto the new piece and purchased some 3M indoor/outdoor mounting adhesive to attach the compass module where it needed to go (no other spot would work due to clearance). Followed the instructions the rest of the way and am pleased. Time will tell if the dash heat will prove too formidable for the glue. We will see.
 

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#22 ·
Springtail Solutions M-Pac Tailgate Table & Molle Bags Install and review

I received the Springtail Solutions M-Pac table and molle bags yesterday from Springtail. Based on other forum member suggestions, I simultaneously ordered the TAP Plastic cutting board to install at the same time. Packaging of both items was solid and everything arrived in great condition (although I have to say that I hate packing peanuts...). Install was straight forward though I did have some minor issues with the locking pin bolt hanging up on the table when folding it in. I also bought some Quickfists to attach a few tools. (I found that the 5/8" #10 machine screws and nuts were a perfect fit.). Only other comment on the isntall was that I did NOT break any of the plastic pins nor the locking pin bolts that receive AMPLE warning on the videos and in the isntructions. Generally easy process, I just took my time. It appears that you need to work it a few times to get the weather stripping to compress a bit and allow it to lock easily. I trimmed the cutting board for the various intrusions and it fits perfectly. I really think that Springtail should sell this with the table. Nice add. So... I love this table. I really wanted a table AND Molle storage ad think this solution is far superior to the Teraflex option with the partial cutting board. The install is smooth, the fit SUPER tight, not one iota of movement on our totally messed up roads. The bags included look super solid. I'm stoked to try this one out wen I get a chance in a few weeks on my Father kids camping trip!
 

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#26 ·
6th Bottle Opener - License Plate

Installed another piece of silly but fun jeep jewelry this morning also. License plate bottle opener from Upper Bound on Amazon. Was buying other stuff and got me with an impulse buy. Yes I know the doors latches all work, but what if five of my friends are all opening their beers at the same time? Always prepared...
 

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#28 · (Edited by Moderator)
Drake Off Road Black Billet Aluminum Door Inserts

I saw a Jeep the other day that hadthe Drake Off Road Door inserts and it pushed me over the edge. Ordered them, but like many products, they included silver screws to go with a black item. Hate that... I mean, aesthetically why have mismatched screws? So, like on my Mopar Gas cover (see prior), I grabbed some cardboard (a handy use for shipping boxes I have found) and some Rustoleum black primer/paint and fixed it! Paint drying today, if my work dinner doesn't go late I'll get them on tonight.
 

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