Although I, like most people, get tired of "What should I get" threads, I would like to share my build plans for my 2013 JKUR. I have some specific questions about a couple of the components I've chosen and so hope some members might chime in with some info for me. While I'd love to drop my rig off at ORE and tell them to go crazy, that just isn't in the cards for me. Plus it's too dang far away. Instead I'll be having Trail Jeeps in Boulder, CO do the work for me. They've been throwing EVO bolt-on coil overs and other EVO components on everything that even resembles a Jeep that passes within a mile of their shop so they are really familiar with the EVO stuff.

People always (correctly) ask, "Just what kind of wheeling do you intend to use your JK, for?" when asked questions about components, lifts, etc. So here is what my JK will realistically be used for. 85-90% of my driving will be on-road as this is my daily driver. 10-15% will be off-road with the vast majority of that being on rocky Colorado passes and fire roads. This will never be a rock crawler although some of these roads do occasionally throw in some ledges and things that will require some crawling capability. Additionally, Moab has become a bit of an obsession for me and my family after our last trip so I see two to three trips there a year limited to mostly moderate trails. I'll never be running Metal Masher with my Jeep but do plan on running many of the trails that do have ledges and larger obstacles. So that is my finished rig's intended use.

Planned Build Components:

EVO ProTek Skid System
EVO Rock Sliders
EVO Rock Skins
EVO DoubleD 4" Lift
EVO C2 Axle Gussets
New Driveshafts, front and rear
ATX Slabs
Nitto Trail Grapplers-37"
LOD Signature Series Shorty Front Bumper
LOD Signature Series Shorty Rear Bumper with Tire Carrier
Warn Powerplant
TrekTop NX

Much as I would like to just do everything at once, that really isn't realistic for me so I've broken the build into the following stages:

Stage 1:
This is the not-as-fun-but-functional portion of the build. I'll actually be installing these components myself late fall/winter.
EVO ProTek Skid System
EVO Sliders and Skins
LOD Rear Bumper

Honestly just the EVO armor will take care of 90% of my off-roading needs but I do need more clearance for that last 10%.

Stage 2: (Purchase and hold during the winter)
ATX Slabs, maybe
Nitto Trail Grapplers-37"


Stage 3: (Early Spring)
EVO DoubleD 4" Lift
EVO C2 Axle Gussets
Custom Front and Rear Drive Shafts

Stage 4: (Sometime in the future)
LOD Front Bumper
Warn Powerplant
Trektop NX

So now to some specific component questions.

1) For those of you with the ProTek system and a long-arm lift, what are you doing to protect your exhaust crossover since that skid won't work with the long-arm kits?

2) I keep going back and forth from the DoubleD to the Enforcer kits. It seems like the DoubleD is a more complete package so I'm leaning heavily that way but could easily be talked into the much cheaper Enforcer if someone convinced me it's fine for my needs. I really need a nice on-road ride. My wife refused to ride in my last lifted Jeep because the on-road ride was so horrible.

3) The jury is still really out for me as far as the wheels go. I know I'm in the minority here but I really love the look of the new Rubicon wheels combined with the Dark Cherry paint on my JK. I'm really thinking about just running Spydertrax spacers and keeping the stock wheels. How low can I reasonably air down with the stock wheels? I don't want to pop a bead out on the trail somewhere. Conversely, while I love the Slabs, I'm still a little hesitant about running beadlocks since I have no real experience with them. Everyone seems to love the Slabs, though, so they are obviously top quality. The Spyderlock wheel place (Rock Rods) is just north of me by about an hour and forty-five minutes, though so I'm really looking at them as well and they have a large following. Has anyone really ever had a beadlock wheel let loose on the highway? Or has anyone had any balancing issues with either of these wheels with the Nittos? I know the tire is the bigger portion of the equation for balancing since the outer bead is getting pinched with these wheels so deforms the tire somewhat from round.

Any information is appreciated. I'm pumped to finally be getting started with a good Jeep build as opposed to the El Cheapo ones I've done in the past.

Thanks.

Jim

 

The only question I can answer is the third one..

You can get a company to turn your stock wheels into beadlock if you air down a lot. I would go that route if you got the cash and like the stock wheels

 

Trailjeeps is an awesome place, very good choice....i got my EVO sliders there.

My JK is stock for now (only had it since July) so take that into consideration, however if you absolutely never plan on doing trails harder than moderate I would say that build is way overkill, like insanely overkill....although it will look awesome and youre getting great stuff and i will be following suit shortly.

I've never been on Metal Masher but I was going to do that one with my stock rubi, just didn't have time for it when I was there a month ago....I did a lot of other trails there though and a stocker will get you extremely far, given you have the proper protection (which you obviously plan on getting) and if you know how to drive

All i'm saying is thats probably around $10k installed and if metal masher is kind of a benchmark for as "hardcore" as this jeep will see then you would be fine running trails stock. I do live in Denver so am familiar with what we wheel here. If i were you I'd just get protection, leave suspension alone and bypass the winch so you're not forced to get new coils.

 

Oh I agree. It's definitely more Jeep than I will probably ever need. But I figure that this time I'm going to buy once, cry once. I have a very bad history of buying suboptimal equipment for multiple different hobbies to save a buck and then end up spending more than I would have if I would have just bought very good equipment to begin with when the sub-par stuff doesn't pan out and I end up getting the good stuff anyway. Skiing, precision rifle shooting, backpacking, you name it. I've easily doubled the cost in equipment purchases by not just getting what I wanted in the first place. So with this JK build I'm going to make sure it exceeds what I need to start and it still leaves some room for upgrading easily should I actually need to in the future.


If I knew I'd never succumb to peer pressure and not want to follow some of my friends who are far more insane than I when it comes to off-roading then, like I said earlier, armor would take care of 90% of my wheeling. It's that last 10% that the rest of the build is for.

Oh, and this is important too, it's going to look bad-ass.

 

I use my jeep about the same as you, 85-90 onroad and 10-15 offroad, I would think 35s would be fine. That's what I run and I love them. Then you wouldn't have to mess with gears and all that. Plus 35s look pretty good too

 

Ive run the Rubi KM1's at 13 to 15 pounds off road with no adverse effects. They flex and spread really nice at that poundage and for such a small tire/foot print they really get good traction. As far as your build plans sounds like way overkill for what you describe but hey its your money man. Right now Im running a 3" lift and pretty much everything else stock and this Jeep will do some amazing things. Cant wait till I can afford bigger rubber. Heck if I had a two door I think a leveling kit or budget boost and 33's/35's would be about all youd ever need for 90% of whats out there.

As far as a winch I think everyone should have one as well as the proper tools and accessories to implement it. Not to mention all the other safety/recovery stuff that should be a part of everyones kit. I used my winch on about 10 recoveries this summer, fortunately every time I was pulling someone else out or thru a obstacle and managed to not get stuck myself.

Anyways good luck with your build.

Rob

 

Yeah the 37s may be a bit of overkill, but really badass. The issue though is that the stock axles and gears often have trouble with tires that big so you may be looking at spending a lot more than you are planning to. But really awesome choices in your equipment and good luck

 

yea, having more than you need is always a good idea, and this will definitely look badass. BTW, i'm headed to eagle rock/saran wrap this coming saturday (10/27) if you are interested....like I said i'm only stock with armor so if you want to go with let me know!

BTW, I don't know what you're looking at for tires, but I already tore a sidewall on my stock KM2's and had to get a new one......on a relatively easy trail (jenny creek) so i will not be getting another set. I have also heard bad things about snow and ice...they are mts so not surprised.

Let me know if you want to go with, i'm going with at least 1 IFS nissan xterra so I expect it should be manageable for a BAJK!

 

Thanks for the info. I didn't know you could get that done.

 

Hey, thanks for the invite. My family and I are actually already going out with a couple other guys and their families or I would absolutely go. I'm not sure where we are going. They just grin at me and tell me I'll love it.

I'd love to hit some trails in the future, though.