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Omelet's Build Thread (aka The Bison)!

1M views 3K replies 325 participants last post by  Rican142 
#1 ·
That's right, I am FINALLY making my build thread! I have been modding this Jeep for three years now so I have a lot of catching up to do. Just bare with me, because this is going to take some time to get through. I will start from the beginning and try not to miss anything. :2thumbsup:

It all started in 2004 when I saw the beast that AEV and SuperLift made.



Not only did it look awesome, but it boasted some incredible performance. A Jeep Grand Cherokee with QDII coupled to a HEMI! I had to have it! Unfortunately, being a lowly military man also trying to support a family I could not afford a $45K vehicle, let along the $5K+ for the lift tires and other goodies.

Finally after the market took a crap in late 08 the time had come! I started looking around and pricing the different models and option. By then the CRD had also come out which I wanted more than the Hemi, but I could not find one in Cali :thumbdown: I found a few in other states, but they were too far away and more than I could afford. So I ended up scoring a 2005 Limited with every option available that year and 40K miles for $16K! It seemed no one wanted to buy a big Hemi powered vehicle at that time, so local dealers were pricing them very low. Even a year after I bought it I couldn't find a better deal :thumbsup:

This was the day I brought it home!





Yes it is dirty because I insisted on swinging by a trail on the way home to test out 4lo! I wanted to make sure the t-case and ELSDs were working properly. :D In fact the first mod I made was to remove the front air dam before I hit the trail.



***************************************************************************
Below is a list of mods I have performed. Click on the mod and it will take you straight to it. This should help with the confusion of trying to find what you are looking for :2thumbsup:

-Volant CAI
-MBRP Exhaust
-LED Taillights
-Aries Taillight Guards
-OME MD Lift with 255/75/17 BFG MT tires on Moabs
-HIDs in the Lows and Fogs
-4xGuard Front Skid
-4xGuard Matrix
-Chrome Grill Slats
-Rear Hitch Mod to clear a New 255/75/17 MT
-4xGuard Rear Skid
-Midland CB in the Cubby
-HM Engineering Chromoly UCAs
-Stillen Rotors
-ARB High Output Compressor and Tank Plumbing Pics
-285/70/17 BFG KM2 Tires
-Rear Fender Mod
-JKS Quicker Disconnects (Front)
-4xGuard 12 Bolt Diff Cover
-Grooved the KM2s
-Painted Side View Mirror Covers
-Taylor Shorties
-BT Catch Can
-Fastman Trottle Body
-1.5" Rear Coil Spacers
-Rusty's Extended Rear Sway Bar Links
-Rusty's Strut Spacers (Stacking Two of Them)
-Firestik 3' CB Antenna on a Saguaro Mount Installed a Stainless Spring
-4xGuard Belly Skid
-4xGuard Sliders
-295/70/17 Nitto Trail Grapplers
-OME HD Coils
-Bump Stop Extensions (Front)
-Painted the Matrix and Front Skid
-SuperLift Rear Shocks
-Rear Brake Line Extensions and Fuel Tank Notch
-JKS Quicker Disconnects (Rear)
-Rusty's Adjustable Track Bar
-Bumpstop Extensions (Rear)
-Rigid Industries D2s
-Refurbished My Hi-Lift Jack
-Fox 2.0 11" Remote Reservoir Shocks
-Saguaro Switch Panel
-Gobi Stealth Roof Rack
-Hidden Winch
-Painted My Moabs (Set #1)
-LED Switchbacks
-LED Rock Lights
-MOPAR Badge
-Limiting Straps (Front)
-Rigid Industries 20" E-Series
-Painted My Washer Fluid Bottle
-Cargo Area LED Strip Mod
-Bedlined Rear Step
-08+ HID Projector Headlamps
-Ouch Band-Aid!
-Over Head Switch Panel
-Bedlined Rockers
-ORT Wheel Decals
-BT Under Hood Kit - Completed Kit
-ASFIR Front and T-Case skids
-Steel Armadillo Sliders
-Armor Weights
-WeatherTech Floor Mats
-ORT8 Badges
-10" Stainless Steel Antenna
-7 Watt Cree Reverse Bulbs - Night Pics
-Billet Low Pro Door Locks - Instal Pics - Low Pro OEM Locks
-Throttle Body Grounding Wire
-Fumoto Engine Oil Plug
-35x12.50R17 BFG KR Tires - Instal Pics
-MOD Status
-Expanded Sheet Metal Grill
-Mopar Fuel Tank Door
-Painted My Moabs (Set#2)
-Painted Caliper Covers (Rear)
-SuperLift Instal
-Mopar Stripes
-Modified SuperLift Steering Stops
-Front and Rear View Camera System
-Staun Tyre Deflators
-Tough Light 42" Black Series - Night Shots
-BullyDog WatchDog
-KC LED Utility Light
-Painted Side View Mirrors
-Front Bumper Trim
-New Laser Etched Switch Cover
-Pillar Pod
-Insulated The Intake again
-Brightt USA 19" LED bar
-AFE Pro Dry Filter PN:21-45003
-JBA 6" rear coils
-Fox 2.0 12" Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks with C/D adjust
-5lbs CO2 tank
-Front Inner Fender Liners with room for 35" tires
-Custom Rusty's Rear LCAs
-Custom Safari Snorkel - - - Finished the plumbing
-Custom OTRATTW Switch Covers
-AEV EGR Module
-Reupholstered Steering Wheel
-Custom Side Exit Exhaust
-08 HID Projector Headlamps MK-2
-Jeep-Core LED Cup Holder Rings
-Cobra 75 CB
-SprintBooster
-HD Front Drive Shaft
-Sonnax Transmission Line Pressure Booster
-Modified ARB Bar
-Under Cover Fabworks 12 Bolt Cover
-Custom AM/FM Antenna
-Bilstein 5100 Struts
-37" Maxxis Trepadors (bias) - - - Glamour Pics
-Aspen Creek (S4xC) Boulder Grill Insert
-RCV Shafts
-Crawl Offroad Stainless Extended Brake Lines
-LED High Beams
-50" Curved LED Light Bar
-Blue Hood Hash Marks
-BrakeMotive Rotors and Pads
-Custom Rear Tire Carrier
-Relocated Rear Licence Plate
-Odyssey 34/78 Battery
-ARB Twin Compressor (CKMTA12)
-TransGo Reprogramming Kit (45RFE-HD2)
-BFGoodrich KO2 35x12.5R17 Tires
-LED Strip Brake Lights
-TRE Soft Shackles
-Gobi Rack Bike Mounts
-JeePerf Polyurethane Bushings
-Shovel Mount
-JeePerf Chromoly SuperFelx Tie Rods

A more current picture:


Future mods (in no particular order) :

- Tablet Dash Instal
- Custom Coilovers
- 6.1L Headers
- Rear 3-link Long Arms
- SRT Seats
 
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#2 ·
Bro, this is going to be a monumental task for you to tackle! :eyebulge: I wish you luck in
your journey to put this build thread together. Your WK was such a simple creature when you brought it home, innocent.
I'm lookin forward to watching this thread. :popCorn:
BTW - both WKs we've owned were bought from Carmax. They usually have some good deals and ther's no bs to deal with.
 
#3 ·
Well about a month later I got a killer deal on an intake and exhaust from autoanything.com

First to go on was the new Volant CAI.





The Volant was designed for the 6.1L, but fits just fine on the 5.7L. The only thing needed to make it a bolt on instal is a longer .5" hose that I picked up at the auto parts store for a couple bucks. I picked the Volant over the others because of the inclosed filter design. The filter is housed inside the box which completely shields it from the hot engine compartment. The only air entering the intake is from outside!

Later I wrapped the intake tube and box with cool tape to help insulate it from the hot engine during off roading (slow going when there isn't much air passing through).



A little while later I added a K&N DryCharger PN: RF-1020DL.



After the intake was the MBRP exhaust.





I notched the bumper so the tip wasn't so low. I didn't want it getting hung up while off road. It still scrapes sometimes, but it is better than it would be and I don't want to completely hide it.





It had a killer tone to it. A nice deep gargle!

http://www.yoututube.com/watch?v=Z98RG8BbqI

After about a year the wife decided the drone from the exhaust was just too much. So I installed a 12" reso towards the tailpipe. That helped but wasn't enough. So I ditched the MBRP muffler in favor of a 3" inlet/outlet Magnaflow. That changed to tune a bit which was good for appeasing the wife, but it no longer had the gargle to it that I loved. However, it still sounded good and the wife was happy! And as any married man can tell you, "A happy wife = A happy life" or "If the wife isn't happy, no one is" :2thumbsup:

After said changes:

 
#6 ·
My lucky stars! It's finally happening! ;)
 
#9 ·
Sounds nice Nate! Btw I hear Hemi tick! Haha! ;p
 
#10 ·
The next thing to get swapped was the taillights. I got a set of the red LED lamps off eBay and popped them in place of the OEM lamps.

A comparison, LEDs on the left and OEM on the right.





I also through in a set white 60 LED clusters for the revers lights.



And once they were installed.



 
#1,251 ·
Hey man I was planning on getting these and I was wondering if you bought any different actual bulbs for the lights, and if so which ones. I plan on ordering the actual lights off ebay but i don't know if I need to get any bulbs or if the ones that come with it are crappy. Thanks!
 
#14 ·
Ok enough with the fancy stuff! I snagged a set of 5 Rubi wheels and tires off craigslist for $300. One (the spare) was new and the other four were around 60% left.



Test fit :D





They got to sit around for a bit until I got my lift :D



Eventually, I sold my stock chrome clad wheels to a guy with a Commander for $450! He had the Laredo. He needed new tires and these were practically new, plus he wanted chrome wheels. Not a bad way to make $150 :D



In the mean time I installed a set of Aries taillight guards I got off eBay new for $60. I eventually modified the mounting brackets because I didn't like how far they stuck out. These pics are after the modification.









 
#17 ·
Eventually I got all of the Old Man Emu (Medium Duty) lift goodies I ordered from Kolak! Just in time too. I had a trip planned with my dad over the weekend. Thursday came and I was still missing my front struts. I started by doing the rear and the struts ended up coming that afternoon. I finished the install that evening and then set out first thing in the morning to go to my dad's.

Started tearing into the front end at about 1500!



While trying to compress the new MD coils, I snapped one of my cheap spring compressors. So don't cheap out on those, spend the extra money and get the good ones! Luckily there was a PepBoys down the street that was open until 1900. Besides that the install went fine.

The next morning right before leaving:





This was my initial lift configuration. The Full OME MD lift, 1.25" spacers, Rubi Moab wheels, and Rubi BFG M/T 255/75/17 tires.

*Oh and for those who are afraid to install anything by them self, to date I have successfully done everything to this Jeep solo! And I am no mechanic or anything special. So don't let not having any help stop you from doing anything :thumbsup:
 
#20 ·
Haha! Thanks guys! It will be nice to have everything in one spot. It gets tiring trying to find info or pics that I have posted for others all the time :D A while ago I took the time to turn my sig into hyper links, but that is only good for what I currently have.
 
#21 ·
So I go the lift done and headed up to my dad's. Once I got there I pulled my front inner fenders out so I could take care of the pinch welds before hitting the trail. It was uneventful other than the fact that the mini sledge my dad bought broke after a couple of hits :eek: So we had to run out and exchange it for a new one! Then it was TRAIL TIME!!!

We headed out to a place called Rock Front in the Los Padres National Forest. My dad brought his new 08 JK 4DR Rubicon. Nothing too exciting, just to test thing out.

















 
#23 ·
I just noticed I skipped my HIDs! Originally I installed 35W 6000K in both the lows and fogs. I also made my own relay harness because I was too cheap to buy one :D Then I swapped the fogs to 3000K. Later I swapped the lows to 5000K and eventually 55W 4300K. Lets just say I now have a stock pile in case I ever decide to change something else.
 
#28 ·
Yep! I saw the blueish tinge and then I remembered I did the HIDs right before the lift. I know I won't get most of the little mods in order, but the bigger mods should be easier.

Nice to see how it all came together.
Thanks Bud! Still have a ways to go...

We'll just make this the unofficial fan club meeting place... :laugh:

Sounds good to me! This is were I will be hanging out for the next few days :D

Can't wait to get to a computer that shows pictures from online storage websites (work blocks all flikr and photobucket type websites - boo!!)
I get that at work too. So annoying!

haha - I remember some of these relic pictures, Omelet, lol. I always enjoy seeing the transformation over the years. Looks fantastic.
Yes AJ! Come reminisce with me :highfive:
 
#29 ·
The Next set of mods was the long awaited 4xGuard front guard along with the newly released Matrix! Unfortunately I got the newer (3rd GEN) front guard with the shorter sides. It was a little lighter than the Gen 2, but I didn't like the look of it as much. Oh well what are you going to do right! I was really excited about getting the Matrix. I had seen Russ' first 2 designs and when he finally released the production version I had to have it. I wanted to get the hoop as well, but I couldn't bring myself to spend $150 plus shipping on a 2' piece of pipe. I had planned on making one eventually, but then other mods got in the way (literally :D)







Oh, I also installed some chrome molding in my grill. I thought it looked good at the time :D
 
#2,499 ·
*Sorry, not exactly sure how to quote specific quotes*

For your chrome grill inserts, was this simply the universal snap on type chrome trim available at any auto store? or are they actual inserts used to replace the vertical slats in between the grill openings? If it is the latter please send a link to where I could buy some replacement grill inserts, I cant find them anywhere (not positive but I think the entire grill and inserts may be one piece which is why I cant find grill inserts).

My CRD is missing an entire section of the black plastic grill slats, looks like she is missing a tooth lol.

Also, kick *** write ups and even more kick *** rig! Thanks for all of it!

If you have any useful parts lying around that you no longer want, I may be interested.

Cheers!
 
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