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C2U5H's 2012 JK Rubicon — Miss Cheeto

33K views 110 replies 39 participants last post by  C2U5H 
#1 ·
This Jeep is now SOLD! Please feel free to PM me if you have any mod questions-I'll poke in every once in a while.

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Mods:
Quadratec floor liners front, rear, and cargo
MOPAR door sill/entry gaurds
Corbeau grab handles
Daystar Hood Wranglers
Grill mod
Blinker mod
Quadratec auxiliary light mounts
Susquehanna Motorsports (RallyLights.com) custom triple-relayed H13 to H4 wiring harness
Truck-Lite Phase 7 LED headlights
Clover Leaf soft top window storage
EVO ProTeK oil pan skid plate
Customized Rugged Ridge A-pillar switch pod
Chopped stock front bumper
Rock Krawler 2.5" Max Travel lift kit with Old Man Emu Long Travel Sport shocks and Teraflex bumpstops
Teraflex exhaust spacers
Superlift steering stabilizer relocator
Homemade seatbelt de-flappers
37" x 12.5" x 17" Nitto Trail Grapplers on stock Moabs
Spydetrax 1.75" wheel spacers, new lug nuts all around
M.O.R.E. Hide-A-Step for passenger side
→ Trimmed rock rails 4" in rear
→ Trimmed front flares and liners
→ Trimmed rear flares and removed liners
→ Removed spare tire, spare tire carrier, bumpers, etc.
Superlift double steering stabilizer
Yakima roof rack (hard top)

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BUILD PLAN:

[X] Phase 1:
  • [√] Rock Krawler 2.5" Max Travel
  • [√] OME Sport Long Travel shocks
  • [√] Teraflex bumpstops
  • [√] Hose/worm clamp rear coil spring retainers
  • [√] Adjust ABS wiring for slack
  • [√] Teraflex exhaust spacers
  • [√] Chop front bumper
  • [√] Stock 32" tires on stock Moabs
[ ] Phase 2:

  • [ ] RK adj. rear trackbar
  • [ ] EVO Rock Star rear CA/shock skids
  • [ ] Artec Industires front D44 axle armor kit
  • [√] Rancho RS9000 XL adjustable shocks (OMEs are so stiff!)
  • [ ] DIY hydraulic-assist steering
  • [ ] Beefier tie rod
  • [ ] Brackets to raise front shocks 1.25-1.5" - still sourcing ...
[√] Phase 3:

  • [√] 37" x 12.5" x 17" Nitto Trail Grappler x4 ($1,700)
  • [√] Superchips Flashpaq F4 3872 ($350)
  • [√] Spydertrax 1.75" wheel spacers ($200)
  • [√] Chop stock fenders w/LED side indicators up front
[ ] Phase 4:

  • [ ] RK upper control arms
  • [ ] 5th tire
  • [ ] Move license plate to tailgate
  • [ ] Tire carrier (Teraflex bracket? OR-FAB swing-out?)

Miscellaneous: On-going buid items not related to moving up to 37" tires and are not tied to a certain phase of the build. Pretty much, whenever I have the money and desire.
  • [√] EVO ProTeK oil pan skid
  • [ ] AEV snorkel
  • [ ] Poison Spyder Extreme Duty Transmission Crossmember
  • [√] MORE Hide-A-Step
  • [ ] EVO ProTek tranny and crossmember/exhaust skid plates
  • [ ] Riddler D44 covers F/R
  • [√] Rugged Ridge A-pillar switch pod custom outfitted with McMaster-Carr components
I can always fall back on 35's if this is too much, but I'm shooting for 37's. And I WILL be upgrading the brakes and steering as well in the future ... it doesn't seem to take priority on the Rubi 37 builds.

Current state:
 
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#2 ·
Story:
On 9/14/11 I ordered my dream Jeep and one month plus six days later (10/20) I had her in my possession. I actually got the rare opportunity to watch her being offloaded from the truck, one of two being delivered to the dealership that day. What a day!

Here are the specs on the order:
  • 2012 two-door JK Rubicon
  • Crush orange
  • 6-speed manual
  • 4.10 gearing
  • Black leather interior
  • Heated seats
  • Power convenience package
  • Connectivity group
  • Trailer tow group
  • Dual top group
  • 430N navigation/DVD w/Infinity seven speaker sound system
  • Automatic HVAC
Basically a decked-out Rubicon! This will be my DD, and will also take occasional trips up to Rausch Creek, PA as well as GWNF, VA whenever possible, after some armor, of course.

In order to even afford my new ride, I had to sell my beloved '99 TJ that I have been building since '04 to my liking (under the screen name JeepinTJ99). With ~109k miles on her, but in great condition, I got $6k out of the deal that went right towards the down payment of her replacement. It was SO worth it, though!
 

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#8 ·
Thanks for the compliments - I put a lot of thought into what I wanted and got exactly what I was hoping for. rymanrph is correct, it is the Crush orange, not Dozer yellow/orange which is actually a lot lighter than it looks in comparison photos: in real life, Crush is much nicer :)p). The leather is friggin' sweet, so sweet than my friend said they are just as nice as the ones on his '11 Challenger that he traded to get his Cosmos blue '12 JK Rubi. That's saying something.

The engine is absolutely phenominal - I don't know how some people can drive an equally equipped 3.8L against the 3.6L and think they're even close. You can wave your dyno charts around all you want. The 3.8L is acceptable ... the 3.6L is money shot. Chirping 3rd gear on 32" MTs? Seriously? It squats the rear and lifts the front under hard acceleration. Not to metion it brings the beef in the noise department. Can't wait to throw a cat-back on (MBRP, are you listening?)!
 
#9 ·
D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-amn. That's a nice lookin JK buddy.
 
#16 ·
Thanks again, guys, this is really a dream come true for me. I've owned three vehicles in my life (I'm 26 now): an '85 Cherokee I got passed down from my dad that I drove into the ground with 230k miles, my '99 TJ I got after freshman year in college I sold to get the JK with 109k miles on it (owned since 32k in '04), and this JK ... so yeah, I'm a Jeep guy, lol. This machine does everything I want and more, while being cushy at the same time. Dream come true. The color wows me every day I see it. I'm definitely going to throw at least a leveling kit on and armor before I wheel it.

The plan so far, and this is months down the road after my bank account heals up, is as follows:
  • Misc. small items (Q-tec floor mats, door sill gaurds, mesh grill mod, etc.)
  • Lift
  • Cat-back exhaust (hear that, MBRP or aFe? Get on it!)
  • Stubby the front bumper
  • Armor
That's really in no particular order, other than cheaper items first to keep the interior nice, then skids probably, then lift and non-essentials for wheeling up at Rausch Creek. I'm still green on the JK scene, so if anybody has any better suggestions or additional prerequisites, let me know!


The black leather was only available during the second dealer allocation of the 2012's ... the first '12 JKs and JKUs could only have the saddle/black leather. The black leather was a little-known option that I found out on WranglerForum and my dealer confirmed it. It's seriously ridiculous ... my friend that traded in his decked out '11 Challenger for his 2012 JK Rubicon said that the black leather is on par with the Challenger's. The heated seats aren't too shabby, either. :cheers2:
 
#14 ·
I WILL PAINT MY XJ THIS COLOR! No joke, I've never seen this color before. I'm sold.
 
#22 ·
I'm on there, just not very active. Handle JeepinJosh there, but will get it changed to the one I have here soon.

For armor I would also get a Evap canister skid, I got one and it got a few scrapes in Moab so I was glad to have it. As for the diffs, I wouldn't skid them for now.

And the sway bar skid I'm going to get: http://www.quadratec.com/products/12049_0103_07.htm Reasoning=> It looks stocky and its made by AEV.

Look at this thread for stubbying the front bumper/adding a winch, its my winter break project when I'm off of school: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f96/winch-ideas-needed-stock-jk-front-bumper-795921/ Look at post #7 and pm the guy, he is very helpful.

Other than that wheel it because as I can tell you firsthand this puppy can handle some of the toughest trails in Moab stock so I'm sold on it!
Thanks for the info on the stubby bumper.
The 2012's actually come with an evap skid stock, so I'll just be wheeling it as-is until I need to upgrade it. I had a 2.5 gallon air reservoir in the same location on my TJ and it never came close to being damaged, so we'll see how it goes.
The AEV swaybar skid will not work with the stock bumper, which I plan on keeping for a while until I need to upgrade -- I'm going with the MOPAR one.
Other than that, I'll just be wheeling it until I need to upgrade, just like the TJ!

Why not just save some coin and some hassle relocate the Evap canister all together?

Sent from my iPhone using JeepForum
Eh, if need be I'll relocate it, but for now the stock skid makes me feel warm and cozy until I rip it off, haha.
 
#21 ·
Why? It's not like you gain a lot by relocating it and it's also a little less and much easier IMO to just skid it. I've relocated one with a friend and I'd say skidding it is just as easy if not easier. :dunno:
 
#26 ·
Thanks for the kudos -- coming from a TJ I built myself over six years or so, even I'm jealous that I have it. Stock, the JK Rubi is seriously stout and ready to go. I added some Quadratec brand floor liners front and rear, as well as MOPAR door sill/entry guards to keep my big clumsy boots from scratching everything up like on my TJ. The floor mats are nicely molded, deep-dish to keep all the slush and mud in, but it sucks that it has to have to damn hold in it for the carpet hook. Seriously: what's the point? Ugh ... catering to the lowest denominator. Anyways, I'll get some pictures of those tomorrow, not that they're anything exciting.

The theory for the build is to get up to 37" or so tires using 2-3" suspension lift, and flat fender it. Keeping the front bumper stock but gonna' stubby it.
 
#30 ·
I forgot to mention that I also did an oil and oil filter change at 1,021 miles ... just out of habit. Found a few small flecks of metal in the folds of the oil filter so I like to think it was warranted. Pretty much the easiest oil change I've ever done, and I've done a lot. From here on out, I'll change again at 5,000 miles and every 5,000 miles thereafter.

• 6 qts of Mobil1 5W-30 full-synthetic
• MOPAR oil filter
• 15/16" socket (oil filter cap)
• 6" extension (oil filter cap)
• 1/2" socket (oil pan drain plug)

I must have missed the replacement O-ring for the oil filter cap in the MOPAR oil filter box b/c I thought it was supposed to include a new one ... oh well. With only a month's worth of time on the original O-ring, there was no need to replace it anyway. Just removed it, lightly lubed it with new oil, and reinstalled. Oil filter cap has 25 N•m (~18 ft-lb) on it, but it's hard to torque it correctly because of the spring the oil filter is loaded with. You'll see what I mean when you do it: it's not hard. It's not a load-bearing fastener anyway, so I'm not worried about it.

Still need to get some pics of the floor liners and sill gaurds ... major mods I tell you! Major mods!!
 
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