Slow but Steady
 

Hi all. New to this forum. Have lurked for brief spurts off and on for several years.

Anyways...just entered the JK world in January of 2014, when I purchased my 2014 JKU (Anvil) new.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psxnh7pvnh.jpg

Have had big plans for it for a while. Just been accumulating parts for it along the way over the last couple of years. Took advantage of some sales.

First major thing I did was build my front bumper. I had seen many bumpers out there that I liked, but nothing that had all elements that appealed to me in one bumper. I still love looking at them though, because I'm a pipe welder by trade, and admire the creativity and craftsmanship on many of them I see. Anyway...it all started with a mock-up, using a bunch of scrap 3/16" plate drops from work (hence all the surface rust)....

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pspypaprx1.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psfy7oqos4.jpg

And then into the final product...

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps2wr4rymf.jpg

There's a recessed winch-mount in there somewhere lol.

So along the way, I did the light bars. The small 20" on the bumper hoop was the first one. I do a lot of driving in some Nat'l Forests, on some crappy roads at night. It comes in handy out yonder. It's a Chinese knock-off I picked up for about $60 shipped. At this time, I've had it almost 2 years now. It's ran submerged while on, through all kinds of weather, beaten by stones and gravel...and it still rocks.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psmkvoz5bh.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psbj60ns53.jpg

Oh wait...there's more....lol

Cont...
 

So, continuing onward...

I had plasti-dipped the wheels (needed some cheap, quick stuff to do to get my fix), did the old grill mesh mod, and got some decals for it.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pskhoabpkc.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pshyhpysj4.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psjvu1wje5.jpg

The stick family decal has been really popular at the jobsites lol.

All the while I was deciding just how I wanted to approach my build. What lift, yada yada. I decided that no one kit offered what all I wanted, so I pieced it all together. Got some RK 3.5" triple rate coils, RK adjustable LCA's for the front (just for starters to get the caster dialed in), Rancho RS7000MT shocks (31 front, 30 rear), Rancho exhaust crossover (yet to be installed), RK upper C gussets, SuperLift front and rear adjustable track bars (the new kind with the dual durometer bushings), an Artec rear track bar mount (weld-on).

Finally got around to installing all of that. So I can run 37's. I know I can run it on 2.5", but I wanted to leave a little room to grow. And, having a 4dr, it's not quite as bad on the rear as it would be a 2dr.

Being that I have a JKU Sport, and the D30 front, I am going to cryo the front gears, throw in a lunchbox locker, and wheel it hard (no bouncing). I wanna see just what it's gonna take to crater it. I have a set of Ford 1 tons sitting out back, already stripped down :)

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psleejoh0g.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psrizhqyn2.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psljywhvzm.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psioigjjli.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psixnoy7kq.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psml3csuvm.jpg

I had thought that I had a pretty good chance of needing a drag link flip, but turns out I'm about dead-nutz between the drag link and track bar in front. It handles great on the road.

Next fabrication project is gonna be a rear bumper with swing away tire carrier.

Love the switches. LOL

Haha. Thanks. The step daughter saw them and wants that middle one in her Ford Escape...she said she doesn't care if it is hooked to anything or not...lol.

This coming along nicely! Everything looks great.

Thanks! Have a few more pre-trail mods, then it's off to wheel the dog-snot out of it.

Update...
 

So this is the prototype to the rear bumper and tire carrier I built. I can't say a whole lot more (looking into vendor membership now), other than to just show it. It's been a royal PITA to develop, that I CAN tell you haha. But it's definitely different, which is what I was after. Also...building an above-spare rack that will bolt on as well. This thing will hold up to a 40x13.50 (yep...it's in the future plans).

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps6vqmj6ny.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psqxqqipdd.jpg

Pat