[coop5508]

Hello ROF! It's been a long time since I've been active on ROF. Had an 04 Rubicon and learned A LOT on this forum. Sold that one in 2013 and got back into the game with a 2018 JLUR 2 years ago. I have since added a 2019 JLUR (both are Mojito and almost exactly the same), which is staying stock.

Over the last 2 years, I've added quite a few parts to increase the 18's on and off road capabilities. Currently, it has:

2.5" Rock Krawler Adventure Series 1 lift, Fox 2.0 IFP shocks, Fox 2.0 steering stabilizer, Synergy tie rod, Synergy drag link, Synergy track bar/sector shaft brace, Synergy parking brake relocation bracket, front and rear Dana Advantek chromoly axle shafts with FAD delete, Warn VR-EVO10S winch with Factor 55 1.5" fairlead and Pro Link, Artec FAD skid, Maximus 3 SLP front hoop, Metalcloak front diff cover and skid and rear diff cover, Nitto Trail Grappler 37x12.50R17 tires, Vision Nemesis wheels (17x9, -12mm offset), Metalcloak Sportgate tire carrier, Dynomax muffler delete, Hikeit X9 throttle controller, and Tazer Mini.

I have the following parts sitting in the garage waiting for install:

3.5" Rock Krawler front and rear springs, Fox 2.0 IFP shocks, Rock Krawler X-Factor control arms, Rock Krawler No Limits front sway bar links, Clayton rear track bar, Adams 1350 CV front drive shaft, Rock Hard rock sliders, Poison Spyder aluminum rocker armor, Metalcloak Undercloak armor system, RCV axle tube seals, Factor 55 flat link, PowerStop front and rear pads and rotors, Dana HD ball joints.

I do all of my own installations, learning the vast majority of my skills from this forum and it's members. Once I finish the build on my 2018, it'll be time to tackle the build for my 2019. Still not sure the direction I'm going to going to go with that one yet......

 

[Mouse]

Nice looking jeeps! Where do you take them out wheeling?

 

[Norminator]

Welcome back to activity!
I just looked at your thread where you flopped your old Jeep. Glad I dodged that bullet. I should start a thread.

 

[coop5508]

Nice looking jeeps! Where do you take them out wheeling?

I live in Reno, NV, so in the Sierra Nevada mountains. We like to wheel up around the Tahoe and El Dorado National Forests.

 

[coop5508]

Welcome back to activity!
I just looked at your thread where you flopped your old Jeep. Glad I dodged that bullet. I should start a thread.

Haha! Yeah, that was a hell of a day!

 

[hutchman]

Two good looking Jeeps!

 

[TheWickedWinch]

Dang! What company are you the CEO of haha! Welcome back & nice looking rigs!

 

[coop5508]

Dang! What company are you the CEO of haha! Welcome back & nice looking rigs!

I’m so far away from being a CEO, it’s laughable! I did retire after 20 yrs, now I’m working as a contractor overseas, and my kids are grown. So I’m finally at a point in life where I can do those things I couldn’t really afford to do before.

And thanks! If you couldn’t tell, I really like the lime green colored Jeeps!

 

[TheWickedWinch]

That’s awesome - I want one of those teal colored JLs that looks like a 90’s windbreaker... that’s my jam lol

 

[coop5508]

My son and I have spent the last week doing the following:

Removed the RK 2.5" Adventure Series 1 kit for an RK 3.5" X Factor lift with Fox 2.0 shocks and No Limits front sway bar links. Also added a Clayton rear track bar to get rid of the RK rear TB bracket (needed the room on the rear axle for a rear diff skid in the near future). While doing the suspension, I also added the Rock Jock front upper control arm axle bushing kit.

Now that I have a suspension which can really flex, I installed an Adams front 1350 drive shaft and Teraflex front brake line anchors. The anchors required removing the brake line brackets (ones which attach at the base of the coil springs) and re-routing the lines behind the shocks.

Once that was done, we swapped out the stock ball joints for Dana Spicer HD ball joints. These were a major improvement in handling. The stock ball joints were pretty loose at 30k miles. While doing ball joints, I also added RCV axle tube seals and Power Stop Z36 front and rear rotors and pads.

We then moved on to some armor upgrades. This included Poison Spyder aluminum rocker armor and Rock Hard 4x4 rock sliders. I was REALLY dreading the Rock Hard slider install due to having to remove all of the body mount bolts and reading about the numerous incidents of broken bolts. With a lot a patience, physical labor, and liberal application of heat from a propane torch, all of the body bolts were removed without breakage. While this install wasn't as bad as what I feared, I definitely don't want to do it again any time soon.

I still have a Metalcoak Undercloak skid plate system to install and Rigid Spot and Flood lights to mount and wire up.

 

[Norminator]

Someone’s been busy! Nice work.

 

[hutchman]

Very Nice!

 

[coop5508]

Last of the upgrades/mods for a few months:

Installed a Metalcloak Undercloak skid plate system. Before doing so, figured it was the right time to drain and fill the transfer case with new synthetic ATF+4 fluid.

Then my son wanted a black grille, so he Plasti-dipped it. Initially, I wasn't sure about the Plasti-dip and figured I would just get the satin black Mopar grille. But for $15, it turned out pretty well and can decide later if we want to get the actual black grille or not.

Installed a pair of Rigid Industries D-SS PRO Side Shooter flood lights on the stock steel bumper and Rigid PRO Midnight Series spot lights on KC HiLites A pillar mounts:

Followed up by installing 3 new Synergy tie rod boots due to tearing them when I removed the tie rod and drag link when doing my ball joints.

Now that I have the ball joints done, I just found out Reid Racing has just released their new ductile iron knuckles....damn!! Those will have to wait a few months as I really don't feel like tearing my front end apart again. Otherwise, my next round of mods will be 5.13 gears, metal tube fenders, and aluminum inner fenders......possibly by June/July before we go to Moab, Rubicon Trail, Fordyce, etc.

 

[Mouse]

Looking really good. Post some wheeling pictures when you get it on the trail. The color really pops!

 

[johncanfield]

The skid plates are impressive looking . Now get out on a trail and scratch them up!

 

[coop5508]

Looking really good. Post some wheeling pictures when you get it on the trail. The color really pops!

The skid plates are impressive looking . Now get out on a trail and scratch them up!

Hopefully will hit a few local trails within the next week or so!

 

[katswuy]

I have the Side Shooters on both our Jeeps, they are pretty neat units!