A Story of Indecision and Frivolous Spending

Hi Chris, I was reading through your build thread and clicked on the grab handles you have linked. Are those the exact handles you used? and if so did you have to do anything special to make them fit as I noticed they are made for jks?
Thank you
 
Hi Chris, I was reading through your build thread and clicked on the grab handles you have linked. Are those the exact handles you used? and if so did you have to do anything special to make them fit as I noticed they are made for jks?
Thank you

Nice catch! I had linked to the wrong ones.

The ones I have are these ones:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015440O34/?tag=wranglerorg-20

They are meant for a TJ, and they are the original, made in the USA GraBars (not the Chinese knock-offs).

They fit perfectly without any issue at all, and they're made with a very thick and durable metal. Some of the cheaper ones I've seen are a bit thinner and seem more flimsy. I'm sure they all work, but these ones are so sturdy that they aren't going anywhere.
 
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Nice catch! I had linked to the wrong ones.

The ones I have are these ones:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015440O34/?tag=wranglerorg-20

They are meant for a TJ, and they are the original, made in the USA GraBars (not the Chinese knock-offs).

They fit perfectly without any issue at all, and they're made with a very thick and durable metal. Some of the cheaper ones I've seen are a bit thinner and seem more flimsy. I'm sure they all work, but these ones are so sturdy that they aren't going anywhere.
Awesome, thank you man!
 
Yep, that's probably what I'll be doing as well. Fortunately while these AEV / Mopar bumpers aren't aluminum, they are surprisingly light... like really light.

I think my Jeep will end up being very, very overbuilt. But, as men, we tend to enjoy tinkering with stuff just for fun. And I always figure that with all this building I'm doing, when the kids are a bit older, by that point the Jeep will be built like a tank, so that might make a Moab trip that much more fun!
Where did you get your “light” rock crawler front bumper at?? Lol mine weighs a ton!
 
Where did you get your “light” rock crawler front bumper at?? Lol mine weighs a ton!

Well, it's light compared to the front bumper I had on my old TJ Rubicon (the black one), I'll tell you that much! That thing was a behemoth!
 
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What are you doing to the interior?

I am considering painting the tan out of the dash tastefully or replace it if I can find a new on that is not tan. I plan on all new carpet. Bartact seat covers. Maybe a double din Stereo. Possibly, but probably not an amp and sub somewhere, but I don't really want to give up realestate, so that may be a deciding factor. Finally mount my aux power ports somewhere cool in the back they are just kind of tied up to the roll bar for now. You know stuff like that.
 
I am considering painting the tan out of the dash tastefully or replace it if I can find a new on that is not tan. I plan on all new carpet. Bartact seat covers. Maybe a double din Stereo. Possibly, but probably not an amp and sub somewhere, but I don't really want to give up realestate, so that may be a deciding factor. Finally mount my aux power ports somewhere cool in the back they are just kind of tied up to the roll bar for now. You know stuff like that.

Ahhh yes, sounds like s good plan. I’d probably throw in some Recaros if I didn’t love how comfy the stock TJ seats are. Honestly the most comfortable car seats I’ve ever sat in. Maybe I’m just crazy, but I love them.
 
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Ahhh yes, sounds like s good plan. I’d probably throw in some Recaros if I didn’t love how comfy the stock TJ seats are. Honestly the most comfortable car seats I’ve ever sat in. Maybe I’m just crazy, but I love them.
I am really starting to hate you!! haha
 
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Oh snap, just got the call! The Jeep is done.

Going to pick it up in an hour. Can't wait to test out these 5.38 gears and the big brake kit!
See if you can lift the rear wheels at the next stop light.
 
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Oh snap, just got the call! The Jeep is done.

Going to pick it up in an hour. Can't wait to test out these 5.38 gears and the big brake kit!

Argh I wish my shop was as fast I am still waiting for my rear diff. I hope he is taking a long time because he is doing some really cool shit to it. Although. I don't know how much cooler you can get with a 8.8 with an E-locker and gears. Probably taking a while to get parts.
 
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You are going to be amazed by the transformation with that gear change. You'll think you've added a super charger and didn't know it. The brakes are pretty dang amazing too. Be patient and follow the break in procedure TO THE LETTER.
 
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Well, so much for picking it up today. I went to get it, drove it home, and on the way home I nearly wrecked the thing. I was going through a corner about 40 mph and noticed the Jeep literally would not turn left. I was fighting the wheel as hard as I could, but that thing just wouldn’t turn. I had to come to a complete stop through the corner (pissing everyone off behind me) and slowly inch through the corner, which even then was still hard.

All the while my front locker light was flashing repeatedly. I managed to drive it back to them barely being able to make turns at all.

They got it up on the rack and told me that the front locker is binding up and is partially engaging itself from time to time. He told me this didn’t happen at all when they test drove it, so he thinks the front locker switch wasn’t reinstalled correctly (I know @Jerry Bransford had a part about this in his gear write-up).

They told me they have to take the front apart again, but they’ll have it done tomorrow.

That scared the piss out of me!
 
No doubt Chris they didn't know how to install the carrier so the the locker actuator plate would allow the locker sensor to correctly seat behind the actuator plate. Rubicon axles are tricky to install new gears into if you haven't done one before.

The sensor plunger needs to be on the 'far' side of the actuator plate so it can tell when the locker is engaged to stop the locker light from flashing. If it's on the wrong side of the actuator it will push against the actuator and partially engage the locker which will make it hard to turn left or right.

That toothpick holding the sensor fully extended has a piece of fishing line on it so once the locker is reinstalled with the buttonhead of the sensor on the far of the locker actuator plate, the fishing line is pulled to pull the toothpick out to release it.

Toothpick-in-Sensor.jpg
Rubicon locker sensor drawing by danb303.jpg
Toothpick-in-carrier-wide-angle.jpg
 
No doubt Chris they didn't know how to install the carrier so the the locker actuator plate would allow the locker sensor to correctly seat behind the actuator plate. Rubicon axles are tricky to install new gears into if you haven't done one before.

Oops posted too soon a couple more pics are coming...

The interesting thing is that the rear was apparently done correctly, it’s just the front that wasn’t installed correctly.
 
Well, so much for picking it up today. I went to get it, drove it home, and on the way home I nearly wrecked the thing. I was going through a corner about 40 mph and noticed the Jeep literally would not turn left. I was fighting the wheel as hard as I could, but that thing just wouldn’t turn. I had to come to a complete stop through the corner (pissing everyone off behind me) and slowly inch through the corner, which even then was still hard.

All the while my front locker light was flashing repeatedly. I managed to drive it back to them barely being able to make turns at all.

They got it up on the rack and told me that the front locker is binding up and is partially engaging itself from time to time. He told me this didn’t happen at all when they test drove it, so he thinks the front locker switch wasn’t reinstalled correctly (I know @Jerry Bransford had a part about this in his gear write-up).

They told me they have to take the front apart again, but they’ll have it done tomorrow.

That scared the piss out of me!

Sounds like a fun commute
 
You're lucky they got one installed right, it's tricky even with experience. :)

Which is funny, because these guys almost exclusively do Jeeps! That was quite a scary feeling, I’ll tell you that.

Sounds like a fun commute

Ha! I about shit myself when I couldn’t make a turn!
 
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