JK505's East Coast Hunting and Weekend Toy Build
Thread Starter
JK Super Freak
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,813
Likes: 0
From: Nokesville, Va
Honestly, I love the soft top. I run topless and doorless anytime it's above 28-32*F depending on my mood and I like being able to "carry" the top with me while it's folded back. The road noise however is absolutely insane. Between my after market exhaust, M/T's and the wind noise, talking on the phone is actually impossible without headphones. (FWIW I lost part of my hearing over the last few years) Even with the wind noise, I wouldn't trade it for the hard top again. If you have the Uconnect phone system it is much easier to deal with the wind noise, but if you don't have it you better pack some headphones.
JK Jedi
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 4,482
Likes: 2
From: Neenah, Wisconsin
Yes sir it was before i went all out....
Thread Starter
JK Super Freak
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,813
Likes: 0
From: Nokesville, Va
Well the jeep is at the shop... Went ahead and put some Teraflex BJs I because the stickers were pretty much done. Also I was sent two rear D44 master install kits so luckily, Chaos had a Yukon install kit (Overland Off Road ordered correctly but whoever shipped their parts out to me dropped the ball, shit happens). Chaos is awesome northern Va Folks. Fab work is the prettiest I've ever seen, It's almost art! And they've been breaking and building this "TJ" for 15 years now... If you can even call it a TJ anymore? Lol
Thread Starter
JK Super Freak
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,813
Likes: 0
From: Nokesville, Va
Axle swap: Check
4.88 gears: Check
ARB rear 35 spline locker with chromoly shafts: Check
Front locker: Check
Rear locker: Soon.
So this update is going to be 100% truthful for anyone who may read this and be planning to go the route I did, and sometimes, the truth hurts.
I got my work done at Chaos Fab shop here in VA. The work was really top quality and in that aspect, I am completely satisfied. However, their customer service left a lot to be desired. As a note, their shop phone is also the owners cell phone.
I was scheduled to drop my jeep off at 0900 on Thursday and pick it up by close of business Friday. I believe if you aren't 10 minutes early, you're late. I showed up at 0830 Thursday and the first employee was there at 0845. The shop was not opened until 0920. The should've been my first red flag but I was excited to be at this point and over looked it. After the shop opened the owner didn't show up until around 10, meaning my jeep didn't move until then. I was picked up at 1030 and when I left my jeep wasn't in the shop. I wasn't too upset about it because they had other vehicles in the lift.
Well, I went about my day and around 3pm I gave them a call to let them know I would be hiking the next day and would likely not have cell service. There was no answer and the voice mail box was full. I went to bed and called again the next day at 11 but again got no answer. I decided that I would shoot the owner a text and tell him which he did reply to. After hiking I called at 4 to see what time I should pick up my jeep. Again, no answer. I lived an hour away and the shop closes at 7. I call again at six and the owner answers and says he is on a test drive and it wasn't the best time and then either lost signal and didn't call me back or hung up on me (I SERIOUSLY doubt he hung up on me). I was already frustrated at this point because I felt ignored and the last I knew, they had taken the wheels off and discovered bad ball joints, a wrong install kit and a leaking caliper. I said go ahead and fix it all and use the install kit the had in stock. Well I call again at 7, and no answer. Now the shop is closed and I have no jeep for work in Sunday. I text him again and get no response until 2100 Friday. He informs me they have "everything done except the caliper isn't there." I told him I needed the jeep back Today to get to work tomorrow. He said he'd try to get somebody in the shop and I again stressed that I needed my jeep and reminded him that I was told by 1900 Friday I would have my jeep. Well I get a call again at 2300 Friday. They drove around and found a caliper, and I was able to pick my jeep up tomorrow morning, but he would like to sleep in so it would need to be later in the morning. Well here's a twist, today was my fathers birthday and I got to make a call telling him he would be spending it alone. I'm pretty much fuming at this point when he tells me my $900 labor quote has now over doubled and no longer includes wiring my lockers apparently?! I get in an argument with his employee who essentially says I'm lying to the owner and my quote never included wiring lockers.
Well I call him this morning at 10 and ask if 11 would work. He says yes and he's leaving now and will be there by 1030. I show up at 1055 and shops locked, but the owner shows up right after me. All is well. We go inside and my jeep is done and he says so are we good? I looked it over with a fine tooth comb and then asked where my d30 axle was along with my axle shafts and he said he didn't know! So I started digging around till I found them and threw them in my jeep. So I reluctantly pay my $1800+ bill for non wired lockers and gear install and go on my way and HOLY SHIT! What a difference! I can't even describe it, it feels like a new engine and in first gear, almost like a diesel. After 2.5k rpms in first you don't accelerate, it's all gone in a good way.
So I got my front locker wired today and ran the air lines (leak free) and now need to fab a bracket for my solenoid (because a fab shop doesn't have scrap metal they can bend really quick for a bracket) and run the wires to power the solenoid and it should work... I hope. Anyways, it's awesome to have gears and lockers. I knocked 89/500 miles out today and hope to go through the remaining 411 asap to get back out there a wheel!
4.88 gears: Check
ARB rear 35 spline locker with chromoly shafts: Check
Front locker: Check
Rear locker: Soon.
So this update is going to be 100% truthful for anyone who may read this and be planning to go the route I did, and sometimes, the truth hurts.
I got my work done at Chaos Fab shop here in VA. The work was really top quality and in that aspect, I am completely satisfied. However, their customer service left a lot to be desired. As a note, their shop phone is also the owners cell phone.
I was scheduled to drop my jeep off at 0900 on Thursday and pick it up by close of business Friday. I believe if you aren't 10 minutes early, you're late. I showed up at 0830 Thursday and the first employee was there at 0845. The shop was not opened until 0920. The should've been my first red flag but I was excited to be at this point and over looked it. After the shop opened the owner didn't show up until around 10, meaning my jeep didn't move until then. I was picked up at 1030 and when I left my jeep wasn't in the shop. I wasn't too upset about it because they had other vehicles in the lift.
Well, I went about my day and around 3pm I gave them a call to let them know I would be hiking the next day and would likely not have cell service. There was no answer and the voice mail box was full. I went to bed and called again the next day at 11 but again got no answer. I decided that I would shoot the owner a text and tell him which he did reply to. After hiking I called at 4 to see what time I should pick up my jeep. Again, no answer. I lived an hour away and the shop closes at 7. I call again at six and the owner answers and says he is on a test drive and it wasn't the best time and then either lost signal and didn't call me back or hung up on me (I SERIOUSLY doubt he hung up on me). I was already frustrated at this point because I felt ignored and the last I knew, they had taken the wheels off and discovered bad ball joints, a wrong install kit and a leaking caliper. I said go ahead and fix it all and use the install kit the had in stock. Well I call again at 7, and no answer. Now the shop is closed and I have no jeep for work in Sunday. I text him again and get no response until 2100 Friday. He informs me they have "everything done except the caliper isn't there." I told him I needed the jeep back Today to get to work tomorrow. He said he'd try to get somebody in the shop and I again stressed that I needed my jeep and reminded him that I was told by 1900 Friday I would have my jeep. Well I get a call again at 2300 Friday. They drove around and found a caliper, and I was able to pick my jeep up tomorrow morning, but he would like to sleep in so it would need to be later in the morning. Well here's a twist, today was my fathers birthday and I got to make a call telling him he would be spending it alone. I'm pretty much fuming at this point when he tells me my $900 labor quote has now over doubled and no longer includes wiring my lockers apparently?! I get in an argument with his employee who essentially says I'm lying to the owner and my quote never included wiring lockers.
Well I call him this morning at 10 and ask if 11 would work. He says yes and he's leaving now and will be there by 1030. I show up at 1055 and shops locked, but the owner shows up right after me. All is well. We go inside and my jeep is done and he says so are we good? I looked it over with a fine tooth comb and then asked where my d30 axle was along with my axle shafts and he said he didn't know! So I started digging around till I found them and threw them in my jeep. So I reluctantly pay my $1800+ bill for non wired lockers and gear install and go on my way and HOLY SHIT! What a difference! I can't even describe it, it feels like a new engine and in first gear, almost like a diesel. After 2.5k rpms in first you don't accelerate, it's all gone in a good way.
So I got my front locker wired today and ran the air lines (leak free) and now need to fab a bracket for my solenoid (because a fab shop doesn't have scrap metal they can bend really quick for a bracket) and run the wires to power the solenoid and it should work... I hope. Anyways, it's awesome to have gears and lockers. I knocked 89/500 miles out today and hope to go through the remaining 411 asap to get back out there a wheel!
Last edited by JK505; Mar 14, 2015 at 07:34 PM.
Thread Starter
JK Super Freak
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,813
Likes: 0
From: Nokesville, Va
Got my ARB rear locker completely wired up this afternoon after goofing around with my buddy's drag link this morning for 3-4 hours. Hooking it up actually isn't too difficult, the hardest part is finding the right brass fittings to make it work. I put a "T" in mine so I could use the locker or air up without switching hoses and such. I also decided to not be lazy and run my electrical the best I could. Up until the last 6" you would never know it wasn't factory and everything is hidden under the trimming from the seats forward.
JK Freak
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 670
Likes: 0
From: Nokesville, Va
How am I just now seeing this thread? Anyway, fear not the new axle shafts are about to be ordered in the next week or two 
As far as Chromoly goes, it seems like G2, Ten Factory, and Alloy USA are all made in the same shop in India. I guess it shouldn't matter too much which one to go with, eh?
As far as Chromoly goes, it seems like G2, Ten Factory, and Alloy USA are all made in the same shop in India. I guess it shouldn't matter too much which one to go with, eh?