James & The Sahara Build Thread

[tomtaylz]

Wow just spent a few hours reading through all your thread. I thought you said you were on a budget, your budget is higher than mine apparently .

Good stuff though! Gave me lots of ideas and I like your spreadsheet to keep track of things, I think I'm going to steal that and make a Google Sheet for my build.

What are you hoping to do with the CS degree?

Also loving the brown hardtop, haven't really seen that combo with white before and the more I see it the more I like it.

 

[JamesAndTheSahara]

Wow just spent a few hours reading through all your thread. I thought you said you were on a budget, your budget is higher than mine apparently .

Good stuff though! Gave me lots of ideas and I like your spreadsheet to keep track of things, I think I'm going to steal that and make a Google Sheet for my build.

What are you hoping to do with the CS degree?

Also loving the brown hardtop, haven't really seen that combo with white before and the more I see it the more I like it.

Yeah the hardtop is quite sweet. After the last wheeling trip I wish I still had it on!

I am on a budget, just this stuff gets expensive way too quickly!

Being quite honest this semeter I took a break on programming classes and trying to make sure the major I’m after is what I really want. I’ll let you know after this semester ahahaha.

 

[tomtaylz]

Yeah the hardtop is quite sweet. After the last wheeling trip I wish I still had it on!

I am on a budget, just this stuff gets expensive way too quickly!

Being quite honest this semeter I took a break on programming classes and trying to make sure the major I’m after is what I really want. I’ll let you know after this semester ahahaha.

Yeah I get that about the major. It's what I do (and live the the stereotypical Silicon Valley life) so feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

 

[JamesAndTheSahara]

Yeah I get that about the major. It's what I do (and live the the stereotypical Silicon Valley life) so feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

I interned remotely for a company in silicon valley for a little over a year. Great experience . Thank you!

 

[JamesAndTheSahara]

Today started with me dropping the passenger handle unprotected down a flight of concrete stairs. Powdercoat held up great lol!

Door teardown:

I know this plastic serves a purpose but dang is it a pain:

Old vs new:

Definitely take the glass out, putting the slides back in with the glass in is impossible, ask me I tried!

Fully installed driver’s side crown replacement handle, fits perfectly flush and works like a charm:

Time for the passenger side, you can see it has sprung:

Glass out. Pro tip, don’t lay the glass flat near your work space where a hammer can fly out of your hand and hit it. I am unbelievably fortunate to only receive a scratch from the impact vs it breaking:

Old vs new, passenger. You can really see a difference here:

Somehow I managed to break a new seating clip and had to reuse an old one. Works great!

Skipping forward the new magnetic mount for the cb mic is unbelievably handy!

PA and small amp installed today:

Airbag pulled:

Pulling the steering wheel:

Seating new steering wheel:

Man that is 3 different vehicle donor parts, look at the color differences ahahaha.

Can honestly place this new $40 steering wheel in my top 5 interior mods for the TJ:

Ram mount installed, finally don’t have to look down for Google Maps:

Incase anyone was curious what I can get on a 2ft firestik. That my friends is a perfect score on channel 20 .

Got a ton done today, tomorrow need to fix the center console, reconnect sound bar speakers, & hopefully get the visor hung.

 

[Chris]

Okay, so what is that plastic under the door panel even for? I've never been sure what it's purpose is. I assume you didn't put it back on, did you?

Looks like I'll be getting some Crown handles then. Are the windows easy to remove?

 

[JamesAndTheSahara]

Okay, so what is that plastic under the door panel even for? I've never been sure what it's purpose is. I assume you didn't put it back on, did you?

Looks like I'll be getting some Crown handles then. Are the windows easy to remove?

Windows are easy to remove just be unbelievably careful of the white clips hanging up on the door cables. I kept the plastic, underneath the door. I think it is to keep out the elements but I really don’t know.

Having never done the job before, first door took an hour, second door took 30 minutes.

 

[Chris]

Windows are easy to remove just be unbelievably careful of the white clips hanging up on the door cables. I kept the plastic, underneath the door. I think it is to keep out the elements but I really don’t know.

Having never done the job before, first door took an hour, second door took 30 minutes.

Nice! Looks pretty straight forward, and those Crown handles look good too. I think all the people complaining about them must have not installed them correctly, hence the "gap" they were speaking about.

That plastic is held on with glue or something?

 

[JamesAndTheSahara]

Nice! Looks pretty straight forward, and those Crown handles look good too. I think all the people complaining about them must have not installed them correctly, hence the "gap" they were speaking about.

That plastic is held on with glue or something?

Agreed. Yeah some type of adhesive that doesn’t set well a second time around ahaha.

 

[Chris]

Agreed. Yeah some type of adhesive that doesn’t set well a second time around ahaha.

That's what I figured. Sounds the same as other vehicles I've owned in the past, which is why I always left it off.

 

[cliffish]

Where did you find the crown handles? My drivers door one is getting weak as I need to push the door in to open...at least with a half door I don't have to worry about the window

 

[Chris]

Found the answer:

"The vapor barrier keeps the odd drip from the window from splashing on the window mechanism and wetting the speakers and other electronics in the door panel, but if you are getting enough water to wet the carpet, there must be a blocked drain hole.

The black goo that holds the vapor barrier is made by 3M."

In other words, we don't need it on our Wranglers, since we don't have power anything inside the doors! No speakers, power windows, etc.

 

[JamesAndTheSahara]

Found the answer:

"The vapor barrier keeps the odd drip from the window from splashing on the window mechanism and wetting the speakers and other electronics in the door panel, but if you are getting enough water to wet the carpet, there must be a blocked drain hole.

The black goo that holds the vapor barrier is made by 3M."

In other words, we don't need it on our Wranglers, since we don't have power anything inside the doors! No speakers, power windows, etc.

Great info Chris!

Where did you find the crown handles? My drivers door one is getting weak as I need to push the door in to open...at least with a half door I don't have to worry about the window

Amazon had them with prime for $22.00 each.

 

[cliffish]

More amazon purchases, I swear they are at my house 2-3 times a week! When my wife gets on my case I start shipping them to my work.

 

[Squatch]

Found the answer:

"The vapor barrier keeps the odd drip from the window from splashing on the window mechanism and wetting the speakers and other electronics in the door panel, but if you are getting enough water to wet the carpet, there must be a blocked drain hole.

The black goo that holds the vapor barrier is made by 3M."

In other words, we don't need it on our Wranglers, since we don't have power anything inside the doors! No speakers, power windows, etc.

It's also used to protect the unfinished backside of the door panel, as well as acting as a block against drafts. On our TJ's, the door panels are plastic, so no biggie. And drafts? Need I even ask? LOL Old cars used to run a hardboard material, and the plastic aided against warpage. Not as much of an issue these days...

 

[Chris]

It's also used to protect the unfinished backside of the door panel, as well as acting as a block against drafts. On our TJ's, the door panels are plastic, so no biggie. And drafts? Need I even ask? LOL Old cars used to run a hardboard material, and the plastic aided against warpage. Not as much of an issue these days...

Yeah... on a BMW or something I can see how it would serve a purpose. But on our TJs, it won't do much at all, as these things are hardly even sound proof as it is!

 

[JamesAndTheSahara]

Today was an easy day!

But first, I have two of these and one of provides power to both speakers and center soundbar light. The other provides nothing. No other plug in sight.

Properly powering the soundbar now:

Out with the old:

In with the new:

Was a great tight fit and the rubber was solid!

Been wanting to give this a shot:

So far so good:

And wow, seriously one of the best cheapo brackets for a cb I’ve ever used it. It pinches the console and bolts through to secure it. You can angle the CB in any manner, for me this was the preferred placement:

Had to make the quadratec order over $49 to get free shipping so grabbed a set of these:

They had to be trimmed to fit:

Petty mod, but helps clean up the TJ.

Windows went on today, heading to the beach Friday. Really hoping this cold weather lets up.

 

[JamesAndTheSahara]

I guess I did a bit more than anticipated today... also changed the oil and rotated the tires.

Very sad to have the windows back on, but dang she does look good

 

[JamesAndTheSahara]

Well on my hunt for a shift boot last friday and found Stronghold Shift boots. A guy in his garage handmaking a bunch of vinyl shift boots. Purchased one on friday, got it today. I can only say that this thing is remarkably thought out. The corners/stitching/mounting tabs make it so simple to install. Finally starting to look like I have a finished Jeep.

I really enjoy supporting products like this and am comfortable reccomending this $30 shift boot above all others. Comes in any vinyl/stitch combo you want.

 

[Squatch]

I can only say that this thing is unremarkably thought out.

Bet this isn't what you actually meant to say...