[SubAtomicGenius]

2011 Jeep JKU Sahara, White-on-white. Cheers and thanks for following along!

[SubAtomicGenius]

Lol, here she is unmodified, fuzzy dice and all!!! She was the first white-on-white Jeep JKU in town - though there are now several others. I had originally wanted a black Jeep - but having a manual transmission was the first priority. All the black Wranglers on the lot were autos - and I didn't like any of the other colours. The only manual on the lot was a white Sahara. Having owned several white vehicles in the past - it wasn't too much of a stretch go go all white with black windows.

Now, that being said - I ***JUST*** made another internet order off of Northridge4x4.ca for Poison Spyder front/rear aluminum flares, LED lights, aluminum body armor, rock sliders, beefy transmission cross-member, light bar and a Viair 450C IG compressor. SO, she'll be losing more of her "Sahara" look once again in a couple of months when the order comes in...

[JK_Driver]

Jezz, I think I will follow this build! Good luck with it. Hey, do parts usually take "a couple months" to get to you? If so, that has to be a real pain..... no immediate satisfaction at all!

[KrawlOff-Road]

Nice JKU and looks like you have a great plan! Congrats!

-Jason

[ArticRubi]

I thought it was about time this Jeep get it's own build thread. Awesome!

[SubAtomicGenius]

Ok, so the first thing I bought was purely cosmetic - white tail lamps, side markers and indicators. Unfortunately, the tail lamps don't work - they don't make red 3157 bulbs to my satisfaction. I've been thinking about getting LED bulbs, but I haven't split for them yet. Stock tail lamps until then!!!

I don't know why I went with white instead of "smoked" - I suppose my line of thinking at the time was that shw was all white - I would have went "smoked" with a black JKU.

Then I bought a pair of Alloy USA 1.5" wheel spacers. They were great at the time, gave the stock Jeep a whole new look. Can't seem to find any pictures, though. They quickly went by the wayside when I made my first big order...

3" TeraFlex Full-Flexarm Lift Kit
TeraFlex Monster Front Adjustable Track Bar
General Tire Grabber 35x12.5x17's
ProComp 17" Black Rims
AEV ProCal Unit

Here's my rationale: I did a LOT of reading before deciding on my purchase. First, I inquired with my dealership about putting on bigger tires and a lift. They got back to me and said that any mods/bigger tires would void my warranty. Taking it for what that was worth, I weighed in on their advice, then dug in and went for it anyhow. I am mechanically inclined and I like to do my own work on vehicles, and there isn't really anything that I'm afraid of doing myself on the Jeep anyhow. I have confidence in my more-than-routine maintenance and care and I've rarely had difficulties with my vehicles that I couldn't handle (knock on wood). That being said, the *other* Jeep/Dodge dealership in town (yah, the one I didn't buy from!) IS mod friendly. So, in the event that I do have issues (cross fingers), I will try to resolve it, fight if I need to, and probably end up at the other dealership. Whoever deals with me in the best way if the time comes will get my continued business.

Anyways - I went with the 35's on 17-inch rims in the end. According to my dealer, 33's were bigger than stock and they would violate their policy anyhow, so I went the next-size up (go big or go home). I chose General Grabbers because I liked their look (somewhat "army" patterned), they were unique, and they claimed that they were "road quiet" - which they are. The 17's were a balance between form, function and looks. I would also have went with 16's, but the Procomp 17's had the look I wanted. Because I chose 35's - the minimum 3" lift went with my tire selection and allowed me to defer having to buy drive shafts. I chose a full-flexarm kit to maintain correct caster angles, avoided long-control arms/welding because my kit was a simple bolt-on, and I took Joe's advice from TeraFlex on the front adjustable track bar to re-center my front axle (rear is currently on an adjustable track bar bracket). Poison Spyder front and rear Rockbrawler bumpers were hard to swallow for price (!), but the build quality is amazing and they look so very bad-***. I purchased my order from National 4x4 Center in Fredericton, NB due to the great deal I got in shipping. More than $8000 dollars later, my tires, wheels, lift kit and bumpers showed up on two pallets in town. I went out to the warehouse and picked them up in the Jeep. Five tires stacked on a pallet over five-feet high smack-dab in the middle of the warehouse floor with flat-black rims, what a sight!!! Buddy at the warehouse said "man, those are some big tires - are you putting them on your truck??" He rolled up the warehouse loading ramp door and there was my Wrangler backed in - I said, nope, they're going on her!!! The moment was priceless. And when I got them home, my wife never screamed at me - so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones!!!

Pictures of the tires and lift in my garage: Please mind the mess in my garage - and I know someone is going to ask about the genuine CCCP Russian Flag on the wall!!! My wife served as Canada's Prime Minister's Honour Guard in Moscow, Russia in 2002 (Jean Chretien). She got to have breakfast with Prime Minister Putin and she bought me a whole bunch of Russian military stuff at a flea market - Hence the flag (I'm kind of a military buff, too). I hung it on the wall below the Canadian, US, German, Finland and Bavarian flags...

[SubAtomicGenius]

Originally Posted by ArticRubi

I thought it was about time this Jeep get it's own build thread. Awesome!

JK Driver - yeah, that's what happens when you live on the "rock." First, everthing I seem to order isn't in stock - so it has to come from the good ol' USA first. Then, it has to be shipped to me!!! HOWEVER, I must say that I am VERY pleased with Northridge 4x4's shipping rates and prices - they are going to get a lot of business from me in the coming months. Besides, the long wait times give my little lady a little time to cool off between orders (lol).

Thanks, Jason, though I haven't ordered anything on Krawl Off-Road, I wouldn't hesitate! You've got a great presence here and you've got my respect for your contributions to our community.

Thanks, ArcticRubi, I've been procrastinating a lot on this build thread. Got to pull up my socks now that I have another big order coming!!!

[ArticRubi]

How's the wheeling on the island? Looks like a lot of available real estate for it!

[SubAtomicGenius]

ArticRubi - Wheeling on the island is great! Lots of real estate, that`s for sure, considering that the entire island population is under 300,000....


Ongoing background...

SO it took me three days on-and-off to install the lift by myself. Not solid work hours, now - but during the days while the kids were in school. I work on a rotation (three weeks at work, three weeks at home) so I had plenty of time during the day to work.

I got everything greased up and assembled, checked the parts lists and instructions and then I started tearing her apart!!! I started on the front end and by the time I had her lowered back down to the floor wow!!! What a difference!!! My advice to anyone who has to do this: make sure you have a spring compressor!!! I made it work with a ratchet strap, but I can only imagine the PITA it would be with bigger springs....

Other than that - I took my time and it was a piece of cake. Lowered, adjusted and torqued. I used a paint marker as I went and double-checked all of the nuts/bolts, greased her up good and rust-checked the hell out of her. And how does she drive? Perfect! I haven't had a hitch with the lift whatsoever, and she's got good on-road and offroad characteristics.

Here are some pics just before and right after I rolled her out of the garage for a spin, before I got the bumpers on (just before Halloween) (PS: I don't know who that guy is wearing the urban-tac camo pants and the Kyuss Lives! t-shirt, though he insisted on getting a picture beside the Jeep... )

[raw_speed]

Man, I'm following this thread for the scenery if nothing else. Nice looking rig so far - digging the white!

[SubAtomicGenius]

Thanks for following along!!!

Ok, remember when I said that I didn't have any trouble with the lift??? Well, I didn't. And, in the meantime, it took me some time to figure out exactly what I wanted to do with the POISON SPYDER front and rear ROCKBRAWLER bumpers. Prices for linex were through the roof, and prices for powdercoating weren't very much better - in the end, nobody could do it for me on time, before I went back to work for three weeks, so impatiently I did it myself. I went out and bought some INDUSTRIAL flat-black epoxy paint called "BAR-RUST 235", sandblasted and buffed the hell out of my bumpers, put three coats of epoxy on 'em (five around all the edges/seams) with a small foam roller and two coats of flat-black tremclad. I took a chance on the epoxy because it is made for pipes, vessels, ironwork, etc... but I soon found afterward that it is freakin' HARD AS HELL. Works great. Plus, I've got 3/4 of a gallon left over for the soon-to-be-coming fender flares, light bar, body armor, rock sliders and crossmember!!! HOWEVER, do you know why they charge so much for Linex and/or powdercoating???? BECAUSE IT IS WORTH IT!!!!! It took me another three days to finish both bumpers after all of the prepwork was done and waiting between five coats. UGGGHHHH!!! I'm such a sucker for punishment.

ANYWAYS - when I was finally finished I went out into the pouring November rain (BRRRRR) and slapped the bumpers on. Then I admired my handywork.... Looks Great!!!

Then, for the next week, I keep getting a bump-bump-thump whenever I go over the slightest bump....

[SubAtomicGenius]

So, I've posted this before - I was getting a bumping sound from the back end after I installed the Poison Spyder rear bumper.

Turns out the bumping was from the side mounting flanges contacting with the body of the rear of the Jeep. When I took off the bumper, I noticed a wear mark on each side of the body in the spray rockerguard I had put on the body... and another wear mark on the bumper mounting arms themselves. You can see the little wear marks in the pictures. Time to get out the grinder and the touch-up paint!!!

After I cut the marked section off the bumper mounts, no more bump! bump! bump!

Interesting to me if others have had this problem with the Poison Spyder Rear bumper....

[SubAtomicGenius]

Originally Posted by ArticRubi

How's the wheeling on the island? Looks like a lot of available real estate for it!

Wheeling on the island is great. I'll have to take some more pics next time I get out. We've got a great club on the island called NOVA4x4 (Newfoundland Offroad Vehicle Association) and though I haven't had a lot of opportunity to hit the trails with them, they're a great bunch of guys.

While I look at the videos in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California - I long for trails and scenery like that! Then I realize that we've got some pretty great scenery here in Atlantic Canada - and some pretty challenging climbs.... Lots of experienced 4x4 people here. My buddy just bought a new 2012 Rubi and we're planning a four-five day Central Newfoundland offroading adventure. I'd be wise to take a winch for that!

[SubAtomicGenius]

Originally Posted by raw_speed

Man, I'm following this thread for the scenery if nothing else. Nice looking rig so far - digging the white!

Thanks, Raw Speed, the white does have a tendancy to grow on you. I wasn't entirely pleased with it at first, but it is unique 'round these parts.

[1222]

Nice build thread jezzalachis and now we get to follow along and see what your up to. Do you have a fare amount of places to wheel your Jeep and also how is the Jeep population in your neck of the woods?