Shreddy

Purchased with 23k miles on the odometer, in Lynnwood, WA at Northwest Motorsports. Customer service stopped when the sale was signed - do not recommend as a dealer. It's an automatic - the compromise I made with my wife. It's a "Slingshot" package from Dave Smith Motors - will update with their details when they get them to me. We added the Kargo Master rack and a Garvin Industries Wilderness rack for our first trip across the country. Overall goal is a good overlanding rig for my wife, myself, and our two large puppers. We need a few more amenities in our personal day to day self-care, so dirt-bagging isn't as much of an option as it used to be. Power and a fridge for medications is most notable for any actual expeditions beyond a week. We live in the PNW - so as much as I'd like to be topless and crawling all the time, we have to be able to be self sufficient in winter conditions.

Shreddy

Few pictures from Shreddys first trip. Gave us a chance to get to know this Jeep and it's quirks, and we're happy. No problems, and only a couple small electronic blips.

I put two large crossbars on the Kargo Master rack, and mounted a Yakima skyrocket to that. The hinges of the box failed in a windstorm in Nebraska. **** Yakima. I returned the bottom of it to REI. **** yea, REI. We used a hitch-mounted Thule box as well, it stayed solid throughout all of the same weather. Will be looking for another option for mirrors for running doorless - the ones I have sway back in high winds. Recommendations welcome!

Shreddy

Decided I didn't like the noise and sway of the Kargo Master. Removed it, and the wilderness basket, and picked up the Smittybilt ExoSkeleton. Went down to CVT and picked up the Denali Summit Series with annex. Link to the "write-up": https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-w...on-jku-340299/.

Oh, and added Olympic 4x4 Reversa-bars fairly early on. Love em, but went to switch them to the upward position today, and couldn't get them free. Seems like an obvious problem now that I'm having it.

Slept in the tent in a windstorm in the Skykomish Valley. Gusts to 50, sustained at ~25. Dogs were terrified of the noise the annex made though. The tent is solid, the construction exceeds expectations. Tons of space. Customer service from CVT has been phenomenal.

Before:
Attachment 666412

Shreddy

Went and poked around a bit today. Ordered 5 new 35's from Procomp, Poison Spyder Crusher Flares, and CB Equipment. Still hoping to get lucky on good lights before buying those. I still have a stock rear bumper, so I may end up having to shave that. Mounted my hi-lift up top behind where the lightbar will go. We'll see if it makes too much noise there.

Gman*2007

Looks like a very solid rack.....Beautiful country!

Shreddy

So I started the install on the front fenders. I live in the PNW, so I knew rust was an issue. I'd thought I ordered the blacked set, but the box came with steel in em, and I paid the steel price, so I figured I'd just move forward and take the opportunity to learn more and get some experience. I'm glad I did - As much DCI (detailed corrosion inspection) work as I did in the Navy, I still underestimated how fast real damage could happen. It's put other repairs way farther up on my priority list - I want my Jeep to last 30 years, as I don't believe they'll be so freely available in our greener future - and the PNW climate is my first enemy now.

With the Poison Spyder install - you install the flare partially, and then remove it, and repeat this process several times. The directions say not to paint until ready for the final install. I wish I'd primered first, and then started the initial fitting - it would have saved me a lot of work. Things ended up taking longer (shocking) and I ended up leaving the bare steel flares on for a day and a half, and I accumulated enough rust to start putting a bit. I got to learn all about rust removal in the auto world, and then got the front's primered with Krylon Rust Tough. I'm waiting for my Ampd PYC paint to get here - going to two tone them with that a bedliner black paint. Color matched bedliner is really hard to find online, as is color-matched engine enamel (high heat). I've called around Seattle locally and haven't had any luck - anyone have any idea on that? I wanted to to black on the flats and orange around the tubes, but I figure putting the bedliner on the rails and the gloss on the flats is far more functional.


Pictures are being weird - will edit them in.