karmynsbeep

Well I figured it's time to actually start a build thread, now that it's time to turn my mall crawler into a half ass capable trail rig for our family to enjoy....

karmynsbeep

So here's what I started with


We bought it used in November of 2012 with 16k miles on it.... I was the happiest guy in the world!
The specs
2012 JKU
35" bfg km2s
17" vtech warriors
3"procomp lift
Smitty built xrc front and rear bumper
Smitty built xrc rails
Smitty built 8k winch
Some ones grab handles

Like I said I was the happiest man in the world.... Until I joined this forum and learned about caster, sagging procomp coils, and cam bolts..... But we will save that for later.

karmynsbeep

So I still had in my head that I currently owned the most capable off road rig ever built short of an Abrams M1 tank... So I started focusing on recovery gear. I went and got a 16 foot 4 ply strap, a ten footer and a 4 footer rated at well beyond the loads I'll ever demand from them, four 3/4 ton d-rings, and a tractor supply snatch block. While at tractor supply I picked up a Reese brand 42" farm jack. ( never used it in a real world setting other than practice in the driveway and already wish I'd sprung for a high lift but like I said painfully cheap build) Next I was cruising the for sale section on the forum and discovered some SWEET katskinz seat covers! When I say sweet that's totally relevant to weather you like BRIGHT FREAKING ORANGE! I quickly learned buying such a loud item with out consulting the wife is a HUGANTIC mistake! She hated them! Thankfully after seeing them after a friend and I installed them she actually really likes them! Our daughter, Karmyn loves them too!

karmynsbeep

So after constant hounding from my wife over keeping the jeep to clean, and being anal over keeping the frame waxed. I know I have a problem. I caved and went out for a day of wheeling.... I was hooked!

karmynsbeep

Now while out wheeling on our first trip we discovered a few things

#1 the factory throw out bearing sucks
#2 procomp suspension sucks
#3 my wife loves jeeping

Just_Q

I have to ask. Do you hand wax the frame? How long does it take and last? Just looking for detailing ideas for when there is a show and shine. I am glad your family is enjoying off roading. I look forward to seeing your build.

JK505

Sub'd

karmynsbeep

While in the shop getting the shifter boots and the third and fourth gear assembly replaced under warranty, the tech installed my center force throw out bearing at no extra cost so that rocked!

Now I was onto my next aftermarket pursuit... A 52" led light bar! But in the back of my mind the thought of my procomp suspension sucking kept eating at me... I ignored the voice and began my quest to find amazing auxiliary lighting for you guessed it cheap!!!

I settled upon an eyourlife 52" dual row bar from amazon. Placed my order to china, guilt laden for not buying an American bar. At the end of the day they're just to damn high to justify. So six weeks later my bar made it through customs and to my house!

As for wiring I did buy rigids wiring harness which I was very happy with and the Deutsch connector to wire up my bar to rigids harness .

With all that done it came to mounts.... I opted for HMF fabrications 52" brackets without pod mounts. The reasons I chose theses brackets are as follows

1 they're made in my home state of Kentucky
2 the owner of the company talked to me for an hour over the phone
3 they are supposed to be one of the quietest mounts on the market
4 they look freakin awesome

When they came in the were bare metal so I hit them with a can of duplicolor bed liner and bolted them up

karmynsbeep

It takes about an hour after hand washing the jeep. I just use turtle wax ice but I do it weekly, I do the underbody as well as the wheel wells and it lasts about a week in wet weather conditions. But after of roading the clean up is sooooo much easier

karmynsbeep

So I am extremely happy with my light bar mount combo! I've only heard it whistle one time, in a 45 mph cross wind running down the interstate and when it did it was literally a second then it stopped!


Pics don't do it justice!