After being a consummate lurker / semi-stalker on the forum for quite a while, I have decided to finally create a build thread for our 2011 JK. As most of the work on the Jeep has been completed and I didn't get pictures of everything in progress, I'll do the best I can to back fit and post in chronological order what we've done.
We don't have a garage to work in so the work has been done in the driveway on weekends and most times late at night under construction work lights. We have a few more things to add when time, money and a good weather window allows. Going forward I'll try to document things a little more thoroughly.
My husband (TOGM) has done all the work himself with the exception of the powder coating and Rhino Lining. I do help him when I can but it usually consists of holding the dumb end of the tape measure or handing him something while he's under the Jeep. For full disclosure I am neither a mechanic nor a technical writer. If you have a question about anything I post, I'll try to answer or if I don't know, I'll get the answer from the real expert. Feel free to comment, compliment, critique, criticize, and please enjoy this slightly different perspective on a Jeep build.
TOGM is fabbing up brackets for a CJ mirror conversion. This is a mod that I have been super excited about and a long time coming. Finally getting rid of the plastic monkey ears!
Dry Fit:
Money Shot!!!!!:thumbsup:
Now I have to wait for the paint to dry to get final install pictures.
CJ mirror brackets painted and installed. This is by far one of my favorite mods! Gained full visibility on the passengers side, lost a little on the drivers side with the soft doors but all in all, much better than the relocation kit of the stock mirrors.
Between the tube doors and the soft doors, the door hinge bushings were pretty chewed up. Thanks to Tanimal for the replacement recommendations. The Delrin bushings installed easily, fit nicely, and hopefully will hold up better than the stock. They only come for four doors so we have an extra set that will go to one of the girls for their Jeep.
Definitely a good investment, I split the 4 door set with another 2 door guy. Really happy with them so far. Getting the old ones out was brutal though.
Took it out for a Jeep run for the first time in a couple of months. There was a nice variety of old and new models represented. I have to say the JKs certainly held their own and then some! It was a chilly 17 degrees all day but everyone had a blast.
An absolutely awesome thread that I have really enjoyed reading. Thank you for taking the time to post this and with so much detail. It's very inspirational! An absolutely stunning jeep. :thumbsup:
Thank you. I learned a lot by following builds that came before me. A couple I followed like it was a religion until they went over to the dark side and turned their nicely built Jeeps into trailer queens. :laugh:
Seriously, there is a lot of good information and many helpful folks on this forum.
TOGM just hated the look of the Craven stubby antennae so he ordered a Drake billet replacement. I can't tell that there is any difference in performance but it does look better and is still out of the way of the mirror.
While the daughter with the white Rubicon was home for the week-end TOGM took off the TJ mirrors (he converted earlier in the year when she got her soft doors), installed our spare set of door hinge bushings, and put her full doors back on for the winter. He also installed the stubby antenna, and added a set of flag decals. She was a happy camper!
It is the Bestop All Weather Trail Cover. We leave the top off all summer and I can throw it on if I know a rain storm is coming. Easy and completely waterproof .... one of the best investments.
I researched a lot on this forum and all across the Jeep community about the DIY bed liners and just couldn't convince myself (or TOGM) that we could come close to the professional job of Rhino Lining. To preempt the criticism for not DIY, let me just say he had the bed of his Dodge Ram done in 2002, it has been worked hard, sits in the weather 365 days a year and it still looks and performs great. This sold us on the Rhino Lining.
BTW ... I came home from a business trip to find the truck with this in the back headed to the local sawmill. TOGM had loaded it by himself using a come-along and the brace from the basketball goal. :eyebulge:
There are a million of these little plastic clips and studs across the tub. To neaten things up we ground off the stubs, removed the clips and enclosed most of the wiring in loom tubing.
Had to drive it to New Hampshire (2 hours) with no top in pretty nippy weather to drop off for the Rhino Lining. This is one time I didn't argue about who should drive. :laugh:
Thank you. Love your Jeep too! I also envy your wheeling opportunities in TN. I grew up an hour south of Knoxville and playing in the Tellico Mountains (many years ago). I know they've closed off a lot of those places but I'm sure there are still more trails than we have in New England.
During the Holidays, I got a little behind on the build thread but will catch it up over the next couple of days.
While we had the Jeep stripped for the Rhino lining, we decided to paint the tan colored interior pieces. When we bought it, I briefly thought Khaki might be the "accent color" on the black Jeep so I didn't mind the oddly mismatched interior. When silver seemed to be the better fit, the tan colored pieces really stood out. They were a combination of molded tan plastic as well as black that had been painted tan. We used Krylon Fusion for Plastics Black Satin. It did a great job of covering over the pieces … hopefully it will hold up ok. It is not a perfect paint match but close enough.
While we still have the Jeep interior torn apart for Rhino Lining, TOGM went on a quest to replace some of the interior parts (Back Hatch cover and Glove Box) with metal locking components. We went with all Tuffy products. Since they are metal, we painted with Duplicolor black bed liner in a can. It is much, much thinner than the Rhino Lining and has a less sturdy feel but seems to cover ok and will help protect them from the elements. We are very pleased with the quality and fit of the Tuffy products.
We also wanted to add some security boxes under the front seats. Apparently there aren't acceptable off the shelf boxes for under the 2011+ 2 Door JK seats so he had to modify both the boxes made for the JKU and the seat frame cross members to make it work. We ended up with very roomy storage lock boxes under both seats.
Again we used Duplicolor black bed liner in a can to touch up the Rhino lining and paint the new steel boxes, it is much, much thinner than the Rhino Lining but seems to cover ok. Time will tell how it holds up.
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