2014 JK Unlimited Rubicon X Build thread….. how did this happen?

Maxcustody

Adventurist
Updated 8/7/15 on page 5

Good morning all. I have titled this as a build thread, but is so much more……my story documents the journey of our Jeep and its transformation, as well as how I became a member of this great community! This has occurred over the course of 10 months…........ In this short amount of time several things have changed, I included. Hope you all enjoy it…….


First a little background, my first Jeep was a Willys (can't remember year) on 44 inch tires, yes I know….. but it was High School! It was a money pit, but looked cool. Over the years I have owned various Jeeps: YJ, TJ's, JK's (Wranglers) and XJ's, ZJ's (Cherokee). After ownership of many different vehicles, you hope you learn what you like and don't and what works well and what doesn't? However, I think we all understand the minute you think something is done, you see something new and think…….that would look or work great on my rig! It is a never ending battle with the mind and wallet.

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My past off-road experience consisted mainly of Hunting and Forest roads, located in the Pine Lands of New Jersey where I grew up.

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Since that time, we have lived all over the country. However, until our transfer to Virginia and the purchase of our current rig, we were not very involved in off-road travel, camping or "Overlanding" due to my job. I was on call 24/7. This is no longer the case and we are able to pursue the great outdoors and all it has to offer! It seems I have a problem when it comes to hobbies……..I go all in!

We purchased a new Jeep in April 2014. A (JK) Unlimited (4 door) Rubicon X Edition. There are a few items which make the X edition stand out: dual red tow hooks on both front and rear bumpers, premium rock rails and a rear bumper capable of accommodating a spare tire carrier. The steel front bumper has removable end caps for improved clearance while approaching rocks and obstacles. The bumper is winch-capable and includes integrated fog lamps. Black 17-inch aluminum wheels with LT255/75R17 black sidewall off-road tires. The custom hood design features functional vents for added cooling and performance.

Ours also came equipped with Rock-Trac[SUP]®[/SUP] transfer case, a 4:1 low gear ratio, brake lock differentials, Tru-Lok[SUP]®[/SUP] electronic locking differentials, an electronic front sway bar disconnect, Dana 44 solid front and rear axles and a standard 4.10 rear axle ratio, we opted for the 6 speed manual transmission.

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So why did we get this package you ask? It looks great and as I said to my wife, “it has all the additional upgrades and there is no reason to do modifications…… it is perfect the way it is”! Famous last words! The stock jeep lasted about a month and to the dismay of my wife, the purchases and installation began. It began small. Grab handles; of course this will make it easier for my wife to get in the jeep. A shorty antenna; clearly this is a great addition; I don't want to poke anyone's eye out with that stock one, safety first! I also Line-X'd the hood, this came out great!!

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A few weeks had passed and that little voice was telling me, we need a lift. Who am I to argue? I know from past experience, I did not want anything too radical. I installed a Teraflex 2.5 inch lift with coil springs and shocks. I would do the install myself, we can save some money and I will learn about our jeep. An additional selling point, we will keep the stock tires and wheels…. after all they are new and no reason to replace them, I told myself and my wife. More to come on that….. The install of the lift went fairly well, especially since this was my first time ever doing something like this and in my garage. I am very happy with the Teraflex lift and have no issues since the install. As a matter of fact, my wife always comments when she sees a stock Jeep….. Look at that little Jeep with no lift! No offense to anyone……..

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A few weeks later that pesky voice returns……You know 35’s would look great with that lift! After surfing the web with all the cool pictures of Jeeps with 35 inch tires, something had to be done! So, “we” ordered 35-12.5-17 Goodyear MTR tires. Also a set of spydertrax 1.5 inch spacers, so I could use the stock wheels. No needs to get new wheels, the stock ones are perfectly fine….. Anyone see where this is going? The stock tire carrier will not hold up to the weight of that 35 inch tire, we better get the Teraflex replacement, just to be safe. We also need new rock sliders, those stock ones were not going to cut it! So it begins……….

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But wait there is an update …..Since purchasing the Goodyear MTR’s I was not happy with them. I could not get them to balance and the ride and road manners were terrible! I had them for a few months, we replaced them with Hankook Dynapro MT (actually stands for Maximum Traction) 315-70-17 and new wheels. I ended up selling the Goodyear tires with the stock X wheels and this in turn paid for the new tires and wheels.

I am very happy with the new wheel and tire combination. The tires are quite on road for being a fairly aggressive mud tire. As well, the handling is excellent, no pulling or wandering like the previous Goodyear tires. Really the difference is night and day….

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We now have a trail capable rig…. nothing else needed, right? This changed on a Saturday morning. I was headed to meet with our local 4 wheel club to do some trail repair and also test out the modifications we have done. Well, that did not turn out so well, for my wallet that is…... The guy’s in the group are airing down their tires for a trail run; I don’t have one of those cool deflators. My tires are rubbing inside the stock fenders when I flex; I must need new fenders! I just scraped the undercarriage on some rocks; I definitely need some added protection and skid plates. We return to camp……..wait a minute; they are putting air back in their tires? How is that possible? I need one of those cool air compressors too! I returned home and told my wife all about the day and made a list of new purchases….. She was not as excited as I was! What is going on here?

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On a Friday, I was meeting our local 4 wheel club for a great weekend of camping and trail riding in the George Washington National Forest. However before I could go, I had to stop by a local shop and pick up a Hi-Lift jack. The Hi-Lift, an item which all capable off-road rigs must have I told my wife… again safety being a top priority! They say everything happens for a reason…… I had no idea this stop at the local shop would change my outlook and point me in an entirely new direction in regards to my build and the great adventures in the outdoors. What shop happened to carry the specific jack I am looking for? Iron Pig Off Road! Imagine my surprise when Tim “Tango” hands me a business card….. American Adventurist! He mentions my rig would be a great Overlanding rig. Up until this point, I was not very familiar with the term Overlanding or what it involved. Tim shows me his awesome Toyota and tells me all about American Adventurist. He also gave me a tour of the entire shop and all the great rigs they were working on. I was impressed, not only by the shop and his awesome rig, but he took the time to talk to me and inform me of all the great adventure opportunities out there. I was there for over an hour, this is when I found out about the Appalachian Rendezvous! I left feeling excited and anxious to get involved in the community and take part in as many events as I could.

After an awesome visit, I continue to my weekend of camping and trail riding. Our group meets up and I spot something new…... 2 of our members have off-road trailers, one has a tent on the top, how cool is that! My first thought, I like for everything to be in its place and organized. I have a bit (my wife may say more than a bit) of OCD. The addition of a trailer would solve some storage issues; everything would not be thrown in the back of the jeep….. The tent would be off the ground and I think my wife would enjoy camping so much more with a trailer and tent like that!

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As soon as I arrive home, I am excited to tell my wife all about Overlanding and my conversation with Tim…. Oh and don’t forget about the trailer with the tent, real important conversation! It was then I joined American Adventurist. We talk about the trailer and tent……we would be so much more comfortable with a set-up like that and she would not have to sleep on the ground. After all, I did not want my wife to be unhappy with our camping experience. I found a trailer that fit “our” needs perfectly, a Manley ORV! It took several weeks for them to build it and I made the 800 mile round trip to pick it up……I did need it in time for my next trip!

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In September, I attend the Annual Virginia 4WD event and did some awesome rock crawling and trail riding with my local club. My wife and I had a great time! I did come to the realization, as cool as the rock crawling is….. this can become very expensive! The jeep is my only vehicle and I don’t want to have major body damage from driving over boulders or drive lines ripped from the undercarriage!

During this event we used the trailer for the first time and it was awesome! Set-up worked great and my wife really did appreciate not sleeping on the ground and all the extra storage. I am sure the trailer will also be an ever evolving project……

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My next trip was in October, I attended the Overland Expo East in North Carolina. This was my first event like this……and it was a great experience! I enjoyed seeing all the modified rigs, talking with the vendors, meeting new people and immersing myself in the event. I was hooked!

Although due to my current obligations, I am not able to travel the world self-sufficiently, as some of you are…….I am able to participate thru this site with you to faraway lands and explore. As well as adventures and events I can attend like the Appalachian Rendezvous!


The end of October, I was on the road again to North Carolina for the Appalachian Rendezvous! This would be my first event organized by Dave and all the great folks here! I was traveling by myself and have not met any of the people attending or organizing the event before. I arrived at about 6:30 am on Friday morning; most were still sleeping….. However, one person emerged and happily greeted me at the entrance; even at this early hour…..it was Mark (Haggis)! He welcomed me and told me make yourself at home and set-up anywhere I wanted. ….I had a great weekend and met some new friends! I am looking forward to 2015!

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During Overland Expo East, I purchased an ARB 50 quart fridge. I had the fridge in the back of the jeep and plugged into the 12 volt rear outlet. The first time I used it was at the Appalachian Rendezvous and it seemed to work well. However, one issue was the fridge panel kept showing a trouble code. I researched this and seems to be a common issue; the outlet does not drawer enough power to properly control the fridge. To remedy this, I hard wired the fridge to the battery. This is a much cleaner set up and seems to work perfect without any issues.

I have admired many of the storage systems in vehicles. I love the clean and uncluttered look these options provide. I have gone back and forth with different ideas and concepts. . I have thought about trying to make something myself; however I don’t really have the skills, tools or the time to craft something to my high standards which I am looking for. There are some amazing systems out there, but they also come with a price tag. I have experimented with a couple different options; plastic storage containers, pelican cases, a plywood platform with a slide for my fridge……..all seemed to work adequate for my needs, but in the end, it was not the clean, quality, organized system I was looking for.


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I have decided on AT Overland Equipment. I love the quality and the system is specifically made for my application. I feel it will suite our needs perfectly and compliment an already great vehicle.

I have ordered the AT JK composite storage stage 1, and combo slide; JK stove, 5lb. propane tank and JK propane mount for the hardtop.
In addition, I already installed the JK Trailgater table….. The install of the table was quick, easy and it is a quality product.

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To complete the stage 1 installation, I prepped the rear cargo area…......I removed the subwoofer enclosure and both of the plastic cover panels in the rear. I will update when it is complete……….

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As the Jeep sits now.........

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Thanks to this forum, the great people I have met!!

Updated 3/5/15

I have since received some needed recovery gear from Steve at Southeast Overland.

I have also been researching winch options. I ordered a Warn Zeon 10S. I was originally going to use the stock X bumper which is "winch capable' not ready...........in addition using the stock bumper, I would have to order an additional winch plate, centering plate and I was going to add a hoop to protect the winch from damage, ( I know may not be needed), but it also looks cool! These additions to make it work, would have been over $600. So I decided to get new front and rear bumpers. Stock ones are for sale...........off sets the cost and comes out even. Easier to convince my wife that way. Bumpers are JCR.


Update 3/16/2015

Over the weekend, Mainline Overland in West Chester, PA installed my AT setup. It took almost 30 days to receive everything from AT in Arizona. The tolerances on this setup are exact and a ton of measurements are needed, this is why I had the professionals take care of the install for me. I am impressed with everything and could not be happier........the drawer and combo slide are quality, and nothing rattles around. I still have to install the 5lb. propane bottle and I will also add the AT interior rack.

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Loving this build.. I'm really itching to get back into a jeep, so for now, I'll just live vicariously through you... :) Nice rig dude.
 
I don't know how I missed this thread? Nice job and thanks for the kind words! I can't tell you how important your comments are to us - they are the motivation that gives us cause to carry on and do more.
 
I thought I had a photo of your setup at Overland Expo East, I remember seeing it there. I did get one at the Appalachian Rendezvous....

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Great camping setup. How do you like the Manley trailer?

-Andy
 
I thought I had a photo of your setup at Overland Expo East, I remember seeing it there. I did get one at the Appalachian Rendezvous....

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Great camping setup. How do you like the Manley trailer?

-Andy

Here is one from the Expo.....
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I love the Manley! It is the perfect size for us, especially with the low towing capacity of the JK..... Quality and attention to detail is outstanding. Also the customer service with Josh Manley is second to none.
 
I see your from NOVAJeepers. When I had my TJ I was a member a few years ago but let it expire and didn't rejoin. There was a lot of problems between the new leadership and the original members that wouldn't give up ownership of the webpage/forum so there was a lot of infighting; I think in six month period three separate Presidents resigned and two different Vice-Presidents resigned. Hopefully thats all worked out now.
 
I see your from NOVAJeepers. When I had my TJ I was a member a few years ago but let it expire and didn't rejoin. There was a lot of problems between the new leadership and the original members that wouldn't give up ownership of the webpage/forum so there was a lot of infighting; I think in six month period three separate Presidents resigned and two different Vice-Presidents resigned. Hopefully thats all worked out now.

I was a member, I let mine expire too..............
 
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