Anyway back to getting parts in the Jeep. The hinge kit went on with the typical old TJ problems but other than that it was straight forward.
20 years of incrementalism or Blackjacks 98 SE
- Thread starter Blackjack
- Start date
Had to pull the taillight so I had these Grote full bucket grommets for a while.
Had to move the backup light and third brake light. Trying out these crimpers from OTC. I like them and they also make an angled head version as well.
Had to move the backup light and third brake light. Trying out these crimpers from OTC. I like them and they also make an angled head version as well.
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Couple more the pics of the tire action. Not gonna take long to get used to not having a separate swing out for the tire and it is six inches lower.
While I was at it I threw the Rampage Cab Top on. I hoped that they might have tweaked it since the Rusty Pony days but alas they did not. So this will be a continuing series of what it takes to make it truly usable.
The top goes on pretty easily. It drapes over the roll bar and has cam buckles drawing it to the cage.
The top goes on pretty easily. It drapes over the roll bar and has cam buckles drawing it to the cage.
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Few shots of the top on. Have black upper door halves coming and will get some outdoor shots later.
I might raise it up a touch but not the primary thing as i am happy bringing it down and closer to the tub. I want to build a replacement for the stock tire mount that works for 35s on the Morryde without the extra brackets and not spacing it out. There is one other thing that I am taking ques from some old schoolers I knew that give you some extra parts on the trail.
So these cab tops like any frameless top will have a tendency to be a bit floppy in spots and thus noisy. What I have done is to stuff foam in the space above the boomerangs just like the Rampage frameless.
Next is control of the flop in the center of the top. Too bad Rampage did not add the fiberglass rods like the full top. My solution is the CBrack along with a foam and canvas cushion to take up the slack. You could easily fab up any number of things here if you want to.
Next is control of the flop in the center of the top. Too bad Rampage did not add the fiberglass rods like the full top. My solution is the CBrack along with a foam and canvas cushion to take up the slack. You could easily fab up any number of things here if you want to.
After some rummaging I found the tail “visor” I fabbed up when I was first running the cab top. This is just a simple piece of sheet metal that I cut and broke to attach where a soundbar would normally reside. This serves to block a bit of the sun when we get it, cut down on window contamination, as well as a platform for a third brake light, place to mount a CB antenna and other goodies. While I do like my glowing spare tire third brake light, this will make my new tire carrier easier to fab if I do not have to deal with it. It needs a fresh coat of paint and I will replace the Trucklite CHMSL lamp since the old one is beat up a bit.
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So getting the tail visor for paint I wondered what moving the backup lights up there would be like. So I borrowed a Vision X mini and clamped it up. The Mrs says it looks Redneck so I guess that is a no go.
Cleaned up and threw some hammerite on it.
Third brake light installed and wired in. Switching over to bare connectors and shrink with adhesive. The OTC pliers seem to work ok. Could have used the bent head ones a couple times.
While I was at it I swapped out the Optronics Glolight taillights for the Glolight Fusion with integrated backup lamp. They require swapping to metripack from PL3 and adding the plug for backup.
Few crappy action pics. Will get more later.
And the backup lamps minus the work light.
From the drivers seat.
Wall shot.
With the work light.
From the drivers seat.
Wall shot.
With the work light.
I do as well but with all the stuff that is available now I would probably think long and hard about taking a holesaw to the tub if I were to do it again.