Any Jeepers in here?

[Principal Skinr]

Well, I finally did a little upgrade to the old JK that I've wanted to do for a good while. The Jeep has been remarkably rust free, except for the gas tank skid plate and the rock rails. The gas tank skid plate can go a few more years, but the rock rails were starting to uglify the Jeep, so they had to go. I picked up a "new" set off Craigslist for 50 bucks. They were off a 2015 Rubi and had only been on the seller's Jeep for 5k, so they were in perfect condition. I took them over to Mellenial Linings on Raceway Rd. and had them coated in Line-X. I picked them up today and they looked great!

This evening, the old ones came off surprisingly easy, and the new ones went on even easier. They took some age right off that old Jeep! It darned near looks new! In recent weeks I detailed the interior and installed some much needed new Bestop floor liners. The simple refresh really changed the feel of the Jeep. My wife, who always loves driving it, was very impressed. Here are a few pics....

Rusty old rock rails....Off they go!

Next to the new....

Pics of the end result are up next!

 

[Principal Skinr]

...And here it is after the minor makeover!

 

[eldirector]

I need to find a way to mount my Hi-Lift in the bed of the Gladiator. Wanted inspiration, so while out and about....

If I had the bed-tie-down option, they make a mount. Looks like I will need to mock up my own.

 

[Principal Skinr]

I need to find a way to mount my Hi-Lift in the bed of the Gladiator. Wanted inspiration, so while out and about....

If I had the bed-tie-down option, they make a mount. Looks like I will need to mock up my own.

I'm starting to see people running a mount that goes ust benind the front left fender flare. I think it must probably attach to the hinge bolts. I see a lot with hood mounts, but what I don't like about those is they block the windshield fluid spray.

I went down there when my JL was new and bought an extra set of wheels off their JL they built for shows. I figure after 8 to 10 years, I will have beaten the crap out of my wheels, and they sold them to me dirt cheap! Great folks at Hi-Lift!

 

[eldirector]

I'm starting to see people running a mount that goes ust benind the front left fender flare. I think it must probably attach to the hinge bolts. I see a lot with hood mounts, but what I don't like about those is they block the windshield fluid spray.

I've never liked the exterior mounted jacks. Too much junk gets in the mechanism, and too easy to steal. I figure I've got a truck bed with a bed cover.. may as well use it.

Need to find my collection of 'poser' Hi-Lift pics. My black CJ, my wife's JK, and now my JT. Need to get my current red CJ road-worthy for its glamour shot.

 

[Principal Skinr]

I've never liked the exterior mounted jacks. Too much junk gets in the mechanism, and too easy to steal. I figure I've got a truck bed with a bed cover.. may as well use it.

Need to find my collection of 'poser' Hi-Lift pics. My black CJ, my wife's JK, and now my JT. Need to get my current red CJ road-worthy for its glamour shot.

I agree. I've been looking at a mount for the JL that fastens it to the rear upper roll bar. It doesn't interfere with the hard top or soft top. I just have hesitated for two reasons, the first being I just don't want the added weight. The second is that every time I go for more serious off-roading, someone else has one. Still, the classic Hi Lift it pulls at me....pun intended! If I do go for one, I'll get the shortest and lightest one that can service my Jeep.

 

[eldirector]

A JL weighs, what, 4500# dry? Don't think a Hi-lift will matter!

We do enough backroads exploring, I've always kept a pretty decent set of gear with me. INVARIABLY, it gets used, and I'd rather have it with me than have to beg/borrow/rig something. Jack, strap, tools, and such. I prefer to be pretty self-sufficient, even when wheeling with friends.

My current jack is almost 20 years old. Won it at a raffle. It is pretty well worn. Think I might have it blasted and powder coated.

I agree. I've been looking at a mount for the JL that fastens it to the rear upper roll bar. It doesn't interfere with the hard top or soft top. I just have hesitated for two reasons, the first being I just don't want the added weight. The second is that every time I go for more serious off-roading, someone else has one. Still, the classic Hi Lift it pulls at me....pun intended! If I do go for one, I'll get the shortest and lightest one that can service my Jeep.

 

[Principal Skinr]

A JL weighs, what, 4500# dry? Don't think a Hi-lift will matter!

We do enough backroads exploring, I've always kept a pretty decent set of gear with me. INVARIABLY, it gets used, and I'd rather have it with me than have to beg/borrow/rig something. Jack, strap, tools, and such. I prefer to be pretty self-sufficient, even when wheeling with friends.

My current jack is almost 20 years old. Won it at a raffle. It is pretty well worn. Think I might have it blasted and powder coated.

By itself it won't matter. But add bumpers, skid plates, and other mods and the weight gets far beyond 4500. 10lbs here, 20lbs there, and it starts to really add up. My buddy weighed his 2 door JK after all his mods and he was 1,000lbs above the published stock weight. Ouch! Added weight causes more wear on components, less fuel economy, saps engine power, hurts acceleration, and requires more tractive force to get it unstuck or moving. So, my philosophy has always been to keep it as light as possible, saving weight wherever I can. My JK is at 140k miles and I've never broken a drivetrain or suspension component. Besides that, add 1k lbs to an already anemic 3.8 and you'll have a real dog on your hands.

Just my 2c and an explanation of my thinking.

 

[craigkim]

https://i1368.photobucket.com/album...-8E65-44CE-BF55-617BE9CBBF43_zpsjvluilta.jpeg
https://i1368.photobucket.com/album...-A031-4325-AC87-C27510899975_zpshv23k7ml.jpeg
https://i1368.photobucket.com/album...-988F-4AE9-93AF-DA9CEEDAAE3C_zps6wureosr.jpeg

I got my tube doors put on a couple of months ago, but now I am trying to learn how to use photobucket. Please bare with me. They are rugged ridge. Very smooth and nice fitting but required some work to get them that way. I also had ot have them send me adjustable bumpers, as the supplied ones did not prevent rattle.

 

[Principal Skinr]

https://i1368.photobucket.com/album...-8E65-44CE-BF55-617BE9CBBF43_zpsjvluilta.jpeg
https://i1368.photobucket.com/album...-A031-4325-AC87-C27510899975_zpshv23k7ml.jpeg
https://i1368.photobucket.com/album...-988F-4AE9-93AF-DA9CEEDAAE3C_zps6wureosr.jpeg

I got my tube doors put on a couple of months ago, but now I am trying to learn how to use photobucket. Please bare with me. They are rugged ridge. Very smooth and nice fitting but required some work to get them that way. I also had ot have them send me adjustable bumpers, as the supplied ones did not prevent rattle.

Those look great!! Nice Jeep!

 

[jclark]

99 TJ is my daily driver.

 

[Bfish]

I bought new fenders due to rust in one. Had the fenders, flares, and grill repainted. I’m trying to remember this is supposed to be a cheaper toy and not sink a bunch of money into it. But with a rust spot in the typical place and a grill so chipped it looked like dead bugs it all had to go! The hood still has several blems but I’m going to buff it and we will see! Pretty happy with it!


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[Bfish]

Also did a Rhino line job on it. Bought a u-pol raptor kit and sprayed it myself. It honestly looks even better in person, I’m pretty happy with it!

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[Bfish]

I also brought it outside the door where people’s feet had beat them up. It looks great with doors off and it’s covered if the doors go on.

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[Principal Skinr]

Nice Jeep and nice work! I had Line-X done on the inside of my YJ, but wished I had done Rhino instead. Rhino is thicker and keeps things from sliding around better. I think it would dampen sound better, too.

 

[Chase515]

Good bye Jeepers! Traded in the 2015 Wrangler on a 2018 Dodger Ram Long Horn today. Boat and camper are on the list of next things to buy. Talked with the wife and she agreed I've spent enough on the jeep and could have already had a boat. I'll be listing some extra jeep parts in the classifieds. I still have a set of tires and rims, shock relocation kit front and rear, power steering sector shaft brace and frame bracket. Not cheap parts but will be priced fairly.

 

[eldirector]

Cleaned up the two white ones the other day. Posed for a pic.

 

[Principal Skinr]

Cleaned up the two white ones the other day. Posed for a pic.

Nice!

I put a Bestop mesh targa top on the JL Sunday. It cuts down on the sun quite a bit. It was a pretty easy installation and it barely flaps at highway speeds, so so far, I love it. The hard top is off for the summer and the soft top will go on in a week or so.

Chase515, sounds like you bought a really nice truck!

 

[Forkmylife]

I miss my Jeep

 

[eldirector]

Nice!

I put a Bestop mesh targa top on the JL Sunday. It cuts down on the sun quite a bit. It was a pretty easy installation and it barely flaps at highway speeds, so so far, I love it. The hard top is off for the summer and the soft top will go on in a week or so.

Chase515, sounds like you bought a really nice truck!

How do you think that would work with their Sunrider? My wife LOVES her sunrider, and we will likely get one for the JT as well. The only thing we DON'T like is the direct sun all day. Think we could run the mesh targa UNDER the sunrider, and still flip it open/closed?