Are you a billet junkie?

[Tray Burge]

I love adding billet accessories to my Jeep and these just came in last night.
Carolina Metal Masters billet grab handles and they are sweet.
Not only are they made here, but they're also made on an American made and built CNC milling machine, HAAS CNC's.
Somebody here had said they shy'd away from gooseneck fittings because they basically racked their nuts too many times on their handle bars on BMX bikes. Well I'm here to tell you these are so tight if you push and pull on one the whole Jeep rocks back and forth, they're not going anywhere!
I love em, and they also have a billet mirror kit that installs into one of the loops holes if you want to eliminate the hinge mirrors when the doors are off. I may upgrade to those later, but I like my hinge mirrors for the time being.
At $160 plus shipping they're quite a steal in my opinion.

 

[Viking Jeeper]

Carolina Metal Masters billet grab handles and they are sweet.

I love em, and they also have a billet mirror kit that installs into one of the loops holes if you want to eliminate the hinge mirrors when the doors are off. I may upgrade to those later, but I like my hinge mirrors for the time being.


View attachment 153189

I had hinge mounted mirrors and they were just ok. Through this forum I found Dietech Offroad mirror brackets for the factory mirrors. I could not be happier with them. Also made in America.

 

[Goatman]

I have never been a 'bling' fan. Always seems a waste of money. A stock valve cover works as good as some $500 high zoot cover. And in truth a lot of the 'bling bling' parts end up being worse than stock parts. Chrome lipsticks and shiney air filter covers just never impressed me. Add a ton of chrome and shine parts to an engine and it just ends up running hotter.
If that is your jam, then fine by me. But I've never been into the big chains and gold teeth crowd. If it makes you happy, then great. I'm sure some things I buy would seem like a waste of cash to you.

 

[Tray Burge]

I have never been a 'bling' fan. Always seems a waste of money. A stock valve cover works as good as some $500 high zoot cover. And in truth a lot of the 'bling bling' parts end up being worse than stock parts. Chrome lipsticks and shiney air filter covers just never impressed me. Add a ton of chrome and shine parts to an engine and it just ends up running hotter.
If that is your jam, then fine by me. But I've never been into the big chains and gold teeth crowd. If it makes you happy, then great. I'm sure some things I buy would seem like a waste of cash to you.

Yeah I agree, I don't like "bling, bling" either, that's what's nice about high quality billet. It not only looks great, but is highly functional too and will last forever. I get a lot of people like to go with cheap crap, but I prefer quality stuff myself.

 

[BuildBreakRepeat]

Yeah I agree, I don't like "bling, bling" either, that's what's nice about high quality billet. It not only looks great, but is highly functional too and will last forever. I get a lot of people like to go with cheap crap, but I prefer quality stuff myself.

If I had the money, I would mill all my parts out of billet aluminum.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I used to love putting billet stuff on my motorcycles, and my 280Z. Not just for the sake of being billet, but usually it offered some functional benefit over the part it replaced and billet was the only way it was available, and the fact that it looked cool and expensive was a bonus. As a manufacturing method, it's great for small volume stuff because of the low setup cost compared to casting or forging, which is at least part of the reason it's used so much on race cars and motorcycles and is popular among startups and smaller shops because a CNC mill is more accessible than a forge or a foundry.

The only "billet" item I think I have on my TJ is the motor mount lift blocks.

 

[Tray Burge]

If I had the money, I would mill all my parts out of billet aluminum.

And it just plain looks really cool too, not to mention the over-the-top functionality of it.

 

[Tray Burge]

I used to love putting billet stuff on my motorcycles, and my 280Z. Not just for the sake of being billet, but usually it offered some functional benefit over the part it replaced and billet was the only way it was available, and the fact that it looked cool and expensive was a bonus. As a manufacturing method, it's great for small volume stuff because of the low setup cost compared to casting or forging, which is at least part of the reason it's used so much on race cars and motorcycles and is popular among startups and smaller shops because a CNC mill is more accessible than a forge or a foundry.

The only "billet" item I think I have on my TJ is the motor mount lift blocks.

I just ordered the Footman loop, window rest pads, antenna and housing in billet also, should go well with the other billet already on.

 

[jjvw]

Never cared for the machined billet aesthetic. If there is a functional reason for it, then fine. Otherwise, it quickly gets heavy handed and cluttered with facets and angles that don't need to be there.

 

[Tray Burge]

Never cared for the machined billet aesthetic. If there is a functional reason for it, then fine. Otherwise, it quickly gets heavy handed and cluttered with facets and angles that don't need to be there.

I don't like things that are just there for looks either, they serve no purpose. That's what's so nice about items that are either replacement upgrades or added improvements made out of billet, they just scream quality and give your build a level of something extra special.

 

[L0jik]

Wouldn't replacing the rubber window rest pads with something made of metal defeat the purpose? I get that 99.5% of Jeep owners don't fold down the windshield, but still......

 

[Tray Burge]

Wouldn't replacing the rubber window rest pads with something made of metal defeat the purpose? I get that 99.5% of Jeep owners don't fold down the windshield, but still......

Yep, solid billet. Don't need rubber for something that's never gonna happen. They match the Footman loop.

 

[jjvw]

I don't like things that are just there for looks either, they serve no purpose. That's what's so nice about items that are either replacement upgrades or added improvements made out of billet, they just scream quality and give your build a level of something extra special.

I can't think of anything on mine that would have benefitted either aesthetically or functionally if it were specifically billet for the intent of being billet. But I also have gone to great lengths to keep my highly modified Jeep looking as understated as I could. Again, I don't care for the billet aesthetic.

 

[Goatman]

The word 'billet' does not mean better performance. It does not mean improved quality. A billet shift knob in no way makes the transmission or transfer perform any better. Nor does something non-billet mean lesser quality or performance. It does mean higher price. A grab bar made of steel is not inferior to one made of aluminum. It is just more affordable. There are plenty of 'billet' items that are less functional than the same item made differently. I doubt a 'billet' seatbelts latch would be stronger or better in any way that the steel latch your Jeep came with.

 

[steelhd]

I don't think you understand what the word billet means. All it means is that the finished product started out as a solid block and was machined. If you are buying mass produced "billet" bolt on stuff then its a good bet that the quality of the material itself is low.

 

[Goatman]

That is my point. And I also think the OP gave up on this thread.

 

[steelhd]

And I also think the OP gave up on this thread.

It was a strange one to start.

 

[EzPeezy]

$160 for a pair of grab handles is ridiculous, but if they have a buyer for it then good for them! It seems like they're running out of things to make that make sense to make.

 

[Jramos013]

^x2, $160 for a pair of handles is too much, American or Asian made.

 

[L J]

It seems like they're running out of things to make that make sense to make.

On the other hand, if it's profitable it makes sense to make.