Shreddy

Alright, so I purchased this via Lynnwood 4 Wheel Autoparts, installed myself in the driveway. The instructions alright, any tech writer could do better for them though. I've attached photos of what they provided. The install took a total of 20 hours or so I'd say - it was my first time drilling a vehicle body, and working nutcerts. They include minimal tools for the nutcerts, they (and I) recommend you buy a tool specifically for installing these. The biggest takeaway is that the entire skeleton should have been installed an inch lower than I did - I lined initial pieces up the way they suggested in the instructions, and it ended up sitting too high. The windshield brackets will cross the gusset line if installed correctly, and not be pretty, imo. Pictures detail this aspect. At several points, I needed to find leverage to get the components to fit together. One picture shows a solution to a 2 hour problem for me - the hammer on the door hinges was a HUGE find for getting the last post in. The cage seems to get some of it's rigidity from requiring a bit of flexing to fit all the way into it's final position - this is what ended up with mine being an inch high.

Positives: This thing is solid, and light. It doesn't make a lot of noise, (I have a squeak at a point of pressure at one junction), and it adds rigidity to the overall performance of the jeep. I feel a lot more tank-like. The integrated catwalk is huge for me - it makes working rooftop a lot easier.

Negatives: It's easy to end up with uneven rails - my CVT tent install required spacers. It doesn't come with extra nutcerts. At night, it creates some shadows that take some getting used to. Rocks bounce off of it constantly. Because it's not welded, I'm constantly worried that the rocks are screws coming loose. They aren't, but it feels that way. Filing and painting should be done to prevent rust, and water coming inside the tub. Honestly, I wish I'd done a professional install so I didn't have to stress about it - I'l prolly end up taking parts of it off and re-checking shit out of paranoia.

Thanks for readng!

Shreddy

Gman*2007

Nice write-up. Thanks for sharing.