Stage 1 complete of Rubi Build (PICS)

ROLLTIDEtj · 06-19-2009, 05:22 PM

I bought my 04 Rubicon in July of 2008 with a little over 20,000 miles on it. It had been a toy for the guy before me, something to drive around with the top off on nice sunday afternoons. It had never been off the pavement and he didn't really have a clue as to what is acceptable and what isn't in the jeep world. So I basically started off with a clean slate with the exception on a 3" body lift and some 305/70/16 BFG AT's. Great I know, but I was ready to be out of my Avalanche and into something a little more sporty and fun. So she basically sat stock for an entire year with the exception of moving my hella black magic light and audio from the old truck to the jeep and a rough country stinger + winch plate for christmas. I'm a 5th year senior in college now and haven't had a job till a few months ago so I haven't had any money to play around with it. Now that I have a job I'm finally getting around to doing some of the mods I've been researching about. So here is a list of all the mods currently on the jeep in the stages I plane to complete them.

Stage 1: (Done)
-Rough country 2.5 progressive kit with the 2.2 shocks, 1.75 front spacer, and track bar relocation bracket
- 35x12.50x15's on cragar soft 8's (15x8, 4" BS)
- RC front stinger and winch plate
Taken from my old truck:
-Hella black magics, 2 on KC windshield mounts, 2 on custom L brackets at the front
-Kenwood excelon deck with Ipod direct connect
- 5.25" JL TR 2-way speakers
Came with:
-Edge trail jammer kit complete with intake
-3" PA body lift

Stage 2: Near future
- Trail gear rear tire carrier bumper with 35" spare
- Rusty's steering upgrade: massive new tie rod and heavy duty adjustment sleeve
-Smittybilt xrc8 winch or Superwinch EPi9 (depends on money)
-Rock hard rear bar and rear angle bars (to start) and paint roll cage red
- EBC yellow pads and centric rotors (for stopping power)

Stage 3: Pretty far down the road
-Nth tummy tuck
-CV rear driveshaft
-Full set of RC adjustable control arms
-Rockhard sportcage front

Here are some pictures a few days after I bought it followed by some current shots of her as she sits today. Thanks for looking!

Now current pics:

BayHarbor · 06-19-2009, 05:31 PM

Looks Great youe left your poor lab at home this time

**GOLENJEEPTJ** · 06-19-2009, 05:36 PM

Looks nice, except for the body lift?

corndogduff · 06-19-2009, 05:44 PM

nice jeep, BUT you need to ditch that ugly useless body lift or take it down to 1" for the tummy tuck

GroceryGetter01 · 06-19-2009, 07:05 PM

Great looking rig!

Bill M. · 06-19-2009, 11:43 PM

Maybe I am blind, but on the new pix looks like you did away with the 3 inch body....

KUDOS TO YOU!

Some guys find it perfectly fine to have a 3 inch BL, but to most Jeepers, we look at it as you are too cheep to do it the right way...

Flame me all you want everyone... but I think you get waaaay more "street cred" if you get your lift from your suspension...

Looks good on the current pic.. I wish I could have a rubi....

Lol I had a buddy who basically stole a stock rubi ( Payed 6 grand to an old lady who just couldnt get into it anymore, she had bad hips) and he was considering trading me my 4 banger for it, plus 2 grand.. then he came to his senses and told me to urinate off.. * lol.. love the bad word filters*

He was kidding as he is one of my best pals...

Sooo close... lol

I was like.. dude.. I have soo many mods...

LOL

ROLLTIDEtj · 06-20-2009, 04:53 AM

I actually have the 3" body lift still. As I see it, it doesn't hurt anything besides looks and it prevents me from having to bump stop the hell out of it. Everyone hates it, but it serves its purpose well. I'll consider cutting it down to two inches soon though. We'll see after my first run offroad to see how it works out.

**Imped** · 06-20-2009, 07:07 AM

I'd cut it down man. There's absolutely no reason to have that much space between the body and frame. I'm running 35s on the RC 2.5, 3/4" spacers up front, and 1.25" body lift with GREAT results. I would recommend cutting yours down.

Scotch740 · 06-20-2009, 09:14 AM

If you wheel it I would suggest a beefier tie rod. My went out on the 2nd trip when I went to 35"s. Also assuming you actually wheel it get a matching spare and integrate into rotation. Makes them last longer and when you need it it should be worn about the same VS having 3 at 50% and one at 100%. Also make sure you rotate them very often (every oil change).

As for the body lift. Yeah ugly as hell. But that will let you do a flat TC skid and still have plenty of clearance between the drive train and body. Also see if you cant make a custom gas tank skid to get it higher. I think the current aftermarket ones only take advantage of a 1" BL but with a 3" you have some serious room to tuck stuff up there.

ROLLTIDEtj · 06-20-2009, 10:59 AM

The tie rod issue will be addressed in stage two of the build. I should have it on in the next 6 weeks or so. I'm going with the rusty steering package which seems to address the two major week points in the stock steering: the tie rod and the adjustment sleave. Yes the currie system is nice and strong as hell but I find it hard to justify $400 when I can spend $140 and have a system that is plenty strong enough for what I wheel. Take a look at it here:
http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RS-STRPK&Category_Code=ste

As far as the full size spare, that also is being addressed in stage 2. I already have the 5th wheel. When I buy my rear tire carrier bumper, I will purchase a 5th tire. I fully plan on integrating the spare into the rotation this time. The previous owner did not do that with the BFG AT's so now I have a completely unused spare. What a moron.

Also as far a the gas tank skid, I have been seriously tossing around the idea of trying to fab one up. I could get it with in an inch of sitting flush with the frame rails which would be nice because with the combination of that and the trail gear bumper, I could have a pretty awesome departure angle.

ROLLTIDEtj · 03-03-2011, 05:20 PM

So I haven't updated this in a long time but I've got some new updated pics of the rig as it sits now.

This that have changed since last pic:
-Body lift removed
-RC 2.5 replaced with RC 4" kit. 2.2 shocks and adjustable front trac bar
-Rock Krawler X factor plus steering
-Trail gear rear bumper with tire carrier, hilift jack
-Painted sport bar red

It's a fully dedicated mall crawler for the next few years considering I'm moving to Atlanta after I graduate in May. Once I can get a decent paying job ill start to rebuild it for off roading. I'll be replacing the 35's with some 33" goodyear mtr w/ kevlar this summer to help get back some of my power and mpg for all that highway cruising I'll be doing. Anyways, here are the pics, compliments/criticism welcome. Enjoy!

This pic was taken before I removed the BL. Just to show the rear bumper.

**Jeffro06** · 03-03-2011, 05:27 PM

Much improved.

**MisfitSeven** · 03-03-2011, 05:34 PM

plan on keeping your roll bar red? start painting your other accessories red. your stinger for instance. and maybe the swing away on your rear bumper.

ROLLTIDEtj · 03-03-2011, 05:50 PM

Yea the roll bar is staying red, I'm eventually going to go to a full add on cage once I get the necessary funds. I don't think I'm going to go with any more red at the time. I like the fact that its an accent color here and there and it's not in your face. It hard too tell because of the lighting but the tie rod is actually the same red as the roll bar is.

**RUBICON_TERRY** · 03-03-2011, 06:30 PM

your jeep looks nice . like the red roll bar. i am looking into rough countrys 6 inch long arm kit seems to have a decent price