jscherb

I have a way to make the mold so that different versions can be made in the same mold - inboard lights, outboard lights, or no lights at all (maybe someone wants to do JL-style lights on the fender lip), so I'll make the mold to accommodate all of those options.

2qik2see

There ya go, appease the masses! Lol..I'm sure there'll be masses with this as well. Awesome ideas as always!!

jscherb

A week or so ago I installed the prototype MORryde Overland Rack that I brought home from SEMA and posted photos of it on my Jeep. After the install I sent the company a list of things that needed to be tweaked/added, one of which was support for carrying a HiLift jack. That was in the original design and in the plan for their product, but it didn't make it into their prototype before SEMA, so I added the feature to their prototype. Here's the rack in my workshop with HiLift support.





I have to return it to them next Monday because they're using this prototype in another show. Hopefully I'll have time to install it once more on my Jeep for another quick test before then.

And speaking of MORryde, I got this from MORryde yesterday, someone sent this photo of their Jeep to them thanking them for their "awesome off-road equipment" (I'm not sure what MORryde gear the person has). The sticker is in good company on that window - ARB, Poison Spyder, etc...



If anyone bought MORryde gear before the company started putting stickers in the box and wants a sticker, you can contact Austin at Austin.Conrad@morryde.com and ask him to send you some stickers. Be sure to mention what MORryde gear you have and tell him I sent you.

jscherb

Testing the final hinges, I installed a second skylight today. I took photos of each step in the installation for use in the instructions, which I'll write over the next few days. I'll make the instructions available so people can review them and let me know if they think this installation is something people might do themselves.

Four Low

Happy Thanksgiving ! I think the Skylight will be a popular DIY

jscherb

Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving to you to!

I'm working on the skylight installation instructions this morning, hope to make them available for review soon.

jscherb

I put the prototype Overland Rack on one more time to check it out with a HiLift installed.





Now I have to take it off to return it to the company, they'll be showing it at a trade show next week. I'll be attending the show, I'll post an update from there.

jscherb

Yesterday I finished a first draft of the installation instructions so now I'm done with the Freedom Panel Skylight project. I turned the instructions over to a company that's expressed interest in marketing the kit. Now it's up to them, they can decide if they want to go ahead with the product.



It was a fun project even if I can't use the end result with my hardtop but I'll save them in case I ever have factory top on my Jeep again.

jscherb

Finally got around to installing the complete set of prototype HD door hinges. Up until now I had only installed one on each side to test and use the door hinge steps; last week I installed one more to test some ideas for hinge mounted Rotopax and HiLift carriers, and today I finally installed the rest of the set.



With a step installed:



I like the look of these hinges a lot better than the factory ones.

Next I need to repair the corrosion underneath the hinges that was designed-in by Jeep - every JK/JKU up through sometime in the mid-2015 model year (and maybe later models too) will have corrosion under the hinges due to a bad design decision made at Jeep. As I'm fixing the corrosion I'll write step-by-step instructions for the fix.

jscherb

The door hinge steps worked out so well that I'm now experimenting with other ways to use the new HD door hinges. Last week I made up a bracket that bolts to the hinges to carry a Rotopax:







Also works with Rubican containers:



And here's a grid that mounts to the HD hinges. Left to right: the empty grid, a pair of Quick Fist clamps, and HiLift mounting studs:



A HiLift on the left, and on the right a shovel mounted in the Quick Fist clamps.



I wanted to try out these ideas to see how they'd work, and they both work just fine. I don't know how useful they'd really be, but they were very quick to fabricate so they were worth trying.