FreeBird
New Member
Great looking Jeep! It was fun catching up to speed. Those refreshed beadlocks are going to be icing on the cake.
I've Never Figured Out When Enough Is Enough
- Thread starter EternalHobbyist
- Start date
OP
OP
Alright, so I made some more purchases related to being ready for Moab. You guys are probably getting sick of me talking about it, but Moab has always felt like a pipe dream to me. Something I could think about and dream about, but something I'd never really find the opportunity to do. Finally having my Jeep in good shape, timing work out, and my budget able to handle it, feels like the stars have aligned. So I am doing everything I can to plan in advance so that when I get there, I can just enjoy the experience and not have to worry about what things I maybe should have done to make it better.
Anyways, this mindset led to another round of purchases today:
I decided to go ahead and get my GMRS license. I programmed my Baofeng UV-5R handhelds and figured they would work in a pinch. Then I watched far too many hours of NotARubicon's videos and decided to just set my rig up with a mobile unit. It seems extremely straight forward, and will be much handier (Not to mention actually legal) than the handhelds.
I started with the Wouxon KG-1000G Plus Mobile Radio:
https://www.buytwowayradios.com/wouxun-kg-1000g-plus.html
I chose this radio, because it has a detachable faceplate that can be mounted separate from the main radio unit. I like the idea of having the body of the radio under the seat and just running a cable up to the head unit mounted on the dash somewhere. Plus, it is a powerhouse of a mobile unit.
With the plan to put the radio under the seat, I decided to go ahead and grab some seat risers:
https://www.extremeterrain.com/roug...12d043f4236319c4abdc2008382c4fa4&gclsrc=3p.ds
I mated that with the Midland MicroMobile MXTA26 6db Gain Whip Antenna:
https://www.buytwowayradios.com/midland-mxta26.html
and I figured I would mount that (hopefully) to my MC rear tire carrier using this mount:
https://www.buytwowayradios.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Midland+MicroMobile+MXTA23+Mounting+Bracket
And finally, for some easy reading.... I went up and picked up this guide to Moab, UT Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1934838292/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Just more little projects to add to the list I guess!
Anyways, this mindset led to another round of purchases today:
I decided to go ahead and get my GMRS license. I programmed my Baofeng UV-5R handhelds and figured they would work in a pinch. Then I watched far too many hours of NotARubicon's videos and decided to just set my rig up with a mobile unit. It seems extremely straight forward, and will be much handier (Not to mention actually legal) than the handhelds.
I started with the Wouxon KG-1000G Plus Mobile Radio:
https://www.buytwowayradios.com/wouxun-kg-1000g-plus.html
I chose this radio, because it has a detachable faceplate that can be mounted separate from the main radio unit. I like the idea of having the body of the radio under the seat and just running a cable up to the head unit mounted on the dash somewhere. Plus, it is a powerhouse of a mobile unit.
With the plan to put the radio under the seat, I decided to go ahead and grab some seat risers:
https://www.extremeterrain.com/roug...12d043f4236319c4abdc2008382c4fa4&gclsrc=3p.ds
I mated that with the Midland MicroMobile MXTA26 6db Gain Whip Antenna:
https://www.buytwowayradios.com/midland-mxta26.html
and I figured I would mount that (hopefully) to my MC rear tire carrier using this mount:
https://www.buytwowayradios.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Midland+MicroMobile+MXTA23+Mounting+Bracket
And finally, for some easy reading.... I went up and picked up this guide to Moab, UT Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1934838292/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Just more little projects to add to the list I guess!
OP
For what it is worth, I am now a licensed GMRS radio user. It came in my email this morning.
I also went ahead and purchased a timed entry into Arches NP, and my annual NP pass.
I am slowly understanding more and more what this upcoming trip will look like.
What are you guys using for navigational apps? What do you find to be the most user friendly? Are there any that will work on AppleCarPlay?
I also went ahead and purchased a timed entry into Arches NP, and my annual NP pass.
I am slowly understanding more and more what this upcoming trip will look like.
What are you guys using for navigational apps? What do you find to be the most user friendly? Are there any that will work on AppleCarPlay?
OP
I finally have a few entertaining (at least for me) updates to bring to my thread! First, I will start with several packages that have come in the mail over the last couple of day. Probably on my third post, I will bring a Jeep update with pictures that are pretty satisfying.
OK, first off, my Factor 55 package came in! This stuff is very high quality. I was pretty impressed looking through it.
Carrying case - I was a little bit worried about getting the right size, but their website did a good job of helping make the right choice. It is VERY sturdy, and ended up being the perfect size to fit everything I purchased plus a few other things that needed a home as well.
I got a 10" Soft Shackle:
This is a shorty strap. I may get a few more of these and use them to help with tie-downs on the trailer, but I really need to get the trailer first before I make that call.
This is the fast fid that they make. I watched a video on these, and they seem really slick.
Of course this is their tow strap.
I have never had a tree saver, but I have rigged tow straps to do the job before.... this is a much better option!
I got these straps to keep my tow strap and tree saver nice and tidy in my bag.
AAAAAND here is the case, fully loaded.
I'm pretty thankful for the ability to purchase these items. I'm the type of person that prefers to be over-prepared, and doesn't want to create unforced errors. So these types of things bring me a lot of peace of mind.
OK, first off, my Factor 55 package came in! This stuff is very high quality. I was pretty impressed looking through it.
Carrying case - I was a little bit worried about getting the right size, but their website did a good job of helping make the right choice. It is VERY sturdy, and ended up being the perfect size to fit everything I purchased plus a few other things that needed a home as well.
I got a 10" Soft Shackle:
This is a shorty strap. I may get a few more of these and use them to help with tie-downs on the trailer, but I really need to get the trailer first before I make that call.
This is the fast fid that they make. I watched a video on these, and they seem really slick.
Of course this is their tow strap.
I have never had a tree saver, but I have rigged tow straps to do the job before.... this is a much better option!
I got these straps to keep my tow strap and tree saver nice and tidy in my bag.
AAAAAND here is the case, fully loaded.
I'm pretty thankful for the ability to purchase these items. I'm the type of person that prefers to be over-prepared, and doesn't want to create unforced errors. So these types of things bring me a lot of peace of mind.
OP
Secondly, I got a couple of my ARB products in. Just like Factor 55, I'm very happy with the quality of the products. I will say this, some of the accessories that come with the ARB compressors are garbage... but they will work in a pinch. The compressors however, are pretty impressive packages imo.
I got this carrying case from ARB because I wasn't sure if the hard plastic case that the compressor comes in would hold all of the accessories that I purchased to work with my air system. As it turns out, they don't fit. So, while this case is larger than I would have preferred, it will at least allow some room for a few additional tools and things that I will want to bring along. I don't have a picture of it loaded simply because I haven't loaded it yet.
The big item that came in, was the portable dual air compressor with tank. I am actually very excited to try this thing out. It comes in a very impressive package.
I got this carrying case from ARB because I wasn't sure if the hard plastic case that the compressor comes in would hold all of the accessories that I purchased to work with my air system. As it turns out, they don't fit. So, while this case is larger than I would have preferred, it will at least allow some room for a few additional tools and things that I will want to bring along. I don't have a picture of it loaded simply because I haven't loaded it yet.
The big item that came in, was the portable dual air compressor with tank. I am actually very excited to try this thing out. It comes in a very impressive package.
Not to rain on your parade but I would not trust that shackle. Looking at the left side of the picture, see the smooth slope from the melted knot all the way to the rope. The picture makes it look as there is no "shoulder" for the loop to bite into. This can allow the loop to slide over the knot and let everything drop. Just my $0.02.
OP
Hey man, feel free to rain. Nothing wrong with that. I put it together, and it was a very tight fit. In person, it gave me plenty of confidence. However, I'll keep that in mind the first time I use it and keep an eye on it. Thanks for the keen eye.
OP
OK, now for an actual Jeep update. This part of the project was not at all fun. It sucked. But once I figured out the best tools to use, and got a system down, it really went pretty quick.
First off, I got the hardware in for the beadlocks.
I'll explain the process that I was taught years ago when I first assembled these wheels. Aside from rusting, they have performed flawlessly with this method of assembly. First thing I did, to address the balance of the wheel/tire combination, I put just under half of a red solo cup of airsoft bb's into the tire. Real scientific huh?? haha
Then, I used some bead sealer that I picked up from the auto parts store. I applied it between the bead and the wheel before I set the ring on top of the bead.
This time, I used stainless steel hardware to hopefully help prevent further rust issues. Because it is stainless, I had many people both on this forum and at the local hardware store tell me to use antisieze on the hardware if I hope to remove it someday. So after applying that, I installed the hardware.
The annoying part, is tightening 32 bolts per wheel evenly. I used the same cross pattern that you would use to tighten lug nuts. Then I used a dewalt impact gun to just snug up the nuts to the point where none of them moved freely. Then, using a torque wrench, I tightened each bolt to 210 inch pounds. The bolts have to be torqued down more than once, because as you tighten it down, previously 'tight' bolts have less resistance on them and they needed be snugged down further. I ended up torquing all bolts two times before I was satisfied. There is a chance I will lose air and have to circle back to that, but I guess I'll find out tomorrow morning when I see if they held their air. I'm expecting it to be just fine from previous experience.
Here is the bead sealer that I used:
And here is how I held the tire up to apply the sealer:
This is the first wheel with its new hardware:
AAAAND without further ado..... Here are some before and after photos of the jeep with its 'refreshed' wheels:
Before:
And After:
First off, I got the hardware in for the beadlocks.
I'll explain the process that I was taught years ago when I first assembled these wheels. Aside from rusting, they have performed flawlessly with this method of assembly. First thing I did, to address the balance of the wheel/tire combination, I put just under half of a red solo cup of airsoft bb's into the tire. Real scientific huh?? haha
Then, I used some bead sealer that I picked up from the auto parts store. I applied it between the bead and the wheel before I set the ring on top of the bead.
This time, I used stainless steel hardware to hopefully help prevent further rust issues. Because it is stainless, I had many people both on this forum and at the local hardware store tell me to use antisieze on the hardware if I hope to remove it someday. So after applying that, I installed the hardware.
The annoying part, is tightening 32 bolts per wheel evenly. I used the same cross pattern that you would use to tighten lug nuts. Then I used a dewalt impact gun to just snug up the nuts to the point where none of them moved freely. Then, using a torque wrench, I tightened each bolt to 210 inch pounds. The bolts have to be torqued down more than once, because as you tighten it down, previously 'tight' bolts have less resistance on them and they needed be snugged down further. I ended up torquing all bolts two times before I was satisfied. There is a chance I will lose air and have to circle back to that, but I guess I'll find out tomorrow morning when I see if they held their air. I'm expecting it to be just fine from previous experience.
Here is the bead sealer that I used:
And here is how I held the tire up to apply the sealer:
This is the first wheel with its new hardware:
AAAAND without further ado..... Here are some before and after photos of the jeep with its 'refreshed' wheels:
Before:
And After:
OP
Just remounting the wheels to the jeep was enough of a workout for me! haha
OP
I made a tiny bit of progress last night.
I have previously had my CB antenna mounted directly to the tailgate, and I've always hated it. The cable hangs down and get pinched in the door when I'm trying to close it, so I have to lift it up and slam it quick. My intent with getting the new tire carrier has been to move the antenna out onto the tire carrier and reroute the wires. I decided to tackle that little project last night.
Here is how it was previously mounted:
After mounting the tire carrier, I wanted to move the antenna to this location:
I got this fairly cheap amazon aluminum roll bar mount as an option:
But it was too thick to mount the antenna... So i angle grind that sumbeech right on down:
I didn't bother painting it because it is aluminum, and I didn't have that matte black paint laying around. I may circle back to it some day, but for the time being I'm not worried about it.
Here is the final product. I am in the middle of working on a separate wiring project, so I didn't get a completed shot like my before picture.
I went ahead and used blue locktite on the set screws in the hopes that it will hold together and not rotate. Only tike will tell.
I have previously had my CB antenna mounted directly to the tailgate, and I've always hated it. The cable hangs down and get pinched in the door when I'm trying to close it, so I have to lift it up and slam it quick. My intent with getting the new tire carrier has been to move the antenna out onto the tire carrier and reroute the wires. I decided to tackle that little project last night.
Here is how it was previously mounted:
After mounting the tire carrier, I wanted to move the antenna to this location:
I got this fairly cheap amazon aluminum roll bar mount as an option:
But it was too thick to mount the antenna... So i angle grind that sumbeech right on down:
I didn't bother painting it because it is aluminum, and I didn't have that matte black paint laying around. I may circle back to it some day, but for the time being I'm not worried about it.
Here is the final product. I am in the middle of working on a separate wiring project, so I didn't get a completed shot like my before picture.
I went ahead and used blue locktite on the set screws in the hopes that it will hold together and not rotate. Only tike will tell.
OP
The other little wiring project that I referenced above, was moving my rear view camera to my new license plate bracket, and installing/wiring my license plate bolt lights that I got. This was a pretty satisfying thing to see light up and mounted. I did a fair bit of research to figure out a way to light up the plate without distorting the camera, and I am pretty happy with the end product. I am still waiting on the rest of my bolts to come in so that I can reassemble the spare tire bead lock wheel, so I will need that finished before I can actually finalize the routing of the wires and clean it up to look its best. But last night I at least got all of the wires run and spliced in to the correct locations. Everything works.
Here is what the plate bracket loos like on my workbench at least: Looks like my camera focused on the wrong thing in the first photo....
Here is what the plate bracket loos like on my workbench at least: Looks like my camera focused on the wrong thing in the first photo....
OP
A lot happened on the Jeep this weekend. Very productive. I'll continue on in the spirit of my last post, although it will not be perfectly in the order of when I accomplished things.
The bolts finally came in to assemble my spare beadlock. This was holding a lot of things up. I needed to mount the spare, so that I could get my wiring finalized. I couldn't know the best place to run it without having the spare on the tire carrier. Needless to say, I tackled that project right away. I was so busy this weekend, that I forgot to take pictures as I go in some cases. So you will just get to see what I remembered to photograph.
Another thing I had been waiting on arriving in the mail, was my rotopax. On the MC website, they make the claim that their tire carrier can take two 3 gal. rotopax, so I ordered them. This turned out to be the first of three MC problems that popped up this weekend. The second problem, is that the mounting location has the mounting bolt hole too close together. So I had to drill out the rotopax mounts to make them work. I'm assuming rotopax has change this product since MC designed their mounts. But still, I'd prefer not to have to drill into brand new products. Anyway, all said, I mounted the fuel cans, and this is what I found:
They wouldn't close. grrr. They were hitting on the tailgate hinge. Now, this could be solved by converting to the CJ tailgate with the truck bed style drop down tailgate. That would solve the whole problem. But for now, that doesn't help me at all. I do plan to do some research and see if there is a different shaped rotopax that would fit. For today though, I just pulled it off and set it to the side. Too many other things to think about.
After this, I mounted the spare and tidied up the wiring.
I am planning to wrap that wire to protect it and make it look a little cleaner, but I can't do that until my GMRS antenna wire gets here. Should be in the mail tomorrow I believe.
I will happily take any feedback for how I ran this wire back into the cab. There is a spot there where it can go in just fine, but I would probably have preferred to drill a hole in the tub and run it through there. The reason I didn't, is because I didn't have the time to research the right product to project the wire from the metal where it passes through the tub. I assume some sort of rubber grommet.
And finally, here is the finished product! First time I've had a spare mounted back on the jeep in a year and a half!
Of course, I'll top it off with a glamour shot.
The bolts finally came in to assemble my spare beadlock. This was holding a lot of things up. I needed to mount the spare, so that I could get my wiring finalized. I couldn't know the best place to run it without having the spare on the tire carrier. Needless to say, I tackled that project right away. I was so busy this weekend, that I forgot to take pictures as I go in some cases. So you will just get to see what I remembered to photograph.
Another thing I had been waiting on arriving in the mail, was my rotopax. On the MC website, they make the claim that their tire carrier can take two 3 gal. rotopax, so I ordered them. This turned out to be the first of three MC problems that popped up this weekend. The second problem, is that the mounting location has the mounting bolt hole too close together. So I had to drill out the rotopax mounts to make them work. I'm assuming rotopax has change this product since MC designed their mounts. But still, I'd prefer not to have to drill into brand new products. Anyway, all said, I mounted the fuel cans, and this is what I found:
They wouldn't close. grrr. They were hitting on the tailgate hinge. Now, this could be solved by converting to the CJ tailgate with the truck bed style drop down tailgate. That would solve the whole problem. But for now, that doesn't help me at all. I do plan to do some research and see if there is a different shaped rotopax that would fit. For today though, I just pulled it off and set it to the side. Too many other things to think about.
After this, I mounted the spare and tidied up the wiring.
I am planning to wrap that wire to protect it and make it look a little cleaner, but I can't do that until my GMRS antenna wire gets here. Should be in the mail tomorrow I believe.
I will happily take any feedback for how I ran this wire back into the cab. There is a spot there where it can go in just fine, but I would probably have preferred to drill a hole in the tub and run it through there. The reason I didn't, is because I didn't have the time to research the right product to project the wire from the metal where it passes through the tub. I assume some sort of rubber grommet.
And finally, here is the finished product! First time I've had a spare mounted back on the jeep in a year and a half!
Of course, I'll top it off with a glamour shot.
OP
The other side project that I had going, was the GMRS radio install, and the CB radio relocation.
My CB radio, use to be installed on the right hand side of the center console. It was fine at the time when I didn't have children and had pulled the back seat. I had no need for the ability to tumble the passenger seat. Well, those days have passed, and I now have three little children that LOVE jeep rides. So I needed to free up my passenger seat again to allow easier access to the back. This meant relocating the CB.
I decided to purchase 1.25" seat risers, and install the CB under the passenger seat, and install the GMRS under the driver seat.
I worry a little bit about passengers getting in and kicking that CB mic plug, but just decided I'll remind people when they get in. I already mentioned it to my gf. lol
The driver side worked out much better.
The GMRS radio that I purchased (Wouxun KG1000G+) has the option of a remote faceplate. So I mounted that to my dash down low. Here is what I came up with for a mounting solution:
For the antenna mounting location, I am in the process of fabbing up a little mount to my tire carrier. This is a work in progress, but you will get the idea of where I intend to go with it. I had to stop at this point, because I need to know the exact size of the magnetic mount as I plan to contour the mount to that shape before I paint it.
My CB radio, use to be installed on the right hand side of the center console. It was fine at the time when I didn't have children and had pulled the back seat. I had no need for the ability to tumble the passenger seat. Well, those days have passed, and I now have three little children that LOVE jeep rides. So I needed to free up my passenger seat again to allow easier access to the back. This meant relocating the CB.
I decided to purchase 1.25" seat risers, and install the CB under the passenger seat, and install the GMRS under the driver seat.
I worry a little bit about passengers getting in and kicking that CB mic plug, but just decided I'll remind people when they get in. I already mentioned it to my gf. lol
The driver side worked out much better.
The GMRS radio that I purchased (Wouxun KG1000G+) has the option of a remote faceplate. So I mounted that to my dash down low. Here is what I came up with for a mounting solution:
For the antenna mounting location, I am in the process of fabbing up a little mount to my tire carrier. This is a work in progress, but you will get the idea of where I intend to go with it. I had to stop at this point, because I need to know the exact size of the magnetic mount as I plan to contour the mount to that shape before I paint it.
OP
And now for the dumbass moment of the weekend! I wish I could blame this one on someone else.... but nope. This little eff up was all me.
I have been trying to come up with a good solution to mount my subwoofer box permanently to the tub. I don't want it loose when off-roading, and I also would like the help with theft prevention. So I decided to use rivet nuts and bolt it down. The one problem that I was going to have, is the little tie down loops that are rivetted into these jeeps from the factory. I had been debating about whether I really wanted to remove them because they were in my way. Long story short, I decided to drill them out.
I'm going to give you one guess as to what is directly beneath these little guys....... yup. the fuel tank. What's worse, is I KNEW IT. I just really badly didn't want to have to drop the tank to drill four holes. So I figured I could be careful enough. I didn't even feel plastic fuel tank with the drill. That damn bit went through it way to fast. haha
So, after a moment of panic, and quick confirmation that I did indeed just drill a hole in my fuel tank, I proceeded to drop the tank anyways. I guess I should have done it in the first place. #facepalm
Here is the moment of panic:
And here is the damage that I found:
So after some online research, I discovered that you can solder these holes back shut. Fantastic! So, I got the trusty solder gun out and got busy. I went amazing. This is a photo of the repair:
I checked it, and it is air/fuel tight.
After this, I ran into a second little problem. My subwoofer hadn't been sounding very good lately, but I hadn't driven the jeep enough to really notice enough to do anything about it. Well, when I pulled the sub for this project, I found a hole in the middle of the sub. Apparently, when I flipped up the rear seat one time, the seat belts flew out and punched a hole in my sub. grrr
Fortunately, I was able to run to the local car audio store, and they had something in stock that fit well into my box. It is a little under sized compared to the sub that I had in there before, but once installed it is way more than enough to meet my needs. very happy with this new sub:
I didn't take a picture of everything mounted back into the jeep because there really isn't much to see. Just the box sitting behind the rear seat.
After all of that, I cleaned up the shop and called it a night!
I have been trying to come up with a good solution to mount my subwoofer box permanently to the tub. I don't want it loose when off-roading, and I also would like the help with theft prevention. So I decided to use rivet nuts and bolt it down. The one problem that I was going to have, is the little tie down loops that are rivetted into these jeeps from the factory. I had been debating about whether I really wanted to remove them because they were in my way. Long story short, I decided to drill them out.
I'm going to give you one guess as to what is directly beneath these little guys....... yup. the fuel tank. What's worse, is I KNEW IT. I just really badly didn't want to have to drop the tank to drill four holes. So I figured I could be careful enough. I didn't even feel plastic fuel tank with the drill. That damn bit went through it way to fast. haha
So, after a moment of panic, and quick confirmation that I did indeed just drill a hole in my fuel tank, I proceeded to drop the tank anyways. I guess I should have done it in the first place. #facepalm
Here is the moment of panic:
And here is the damage that I found:
So after some online research, I discovered that you can solder these holes back shut. Fantastic! So, I got the trusty solder gun out and got busy. I went amazing. This is a photo of the repair:
I checked it, and it is air/fuel tight.
After this, I ran into a second little problem. My subwoofer hadn't been sounding very good lately, but I hadn't driven the jeep enough to really notice enough to do anything about it. Well, when I pulled the sub for this project, I found a hole in the middle of the sub. Apparently, when I flipped up the rear seat one time, the seat belts flew out and punched a hole in my sub. grrr
Fortunately, I was able to run to the local car audio store, and they had something in stock that fit well into my box. It is a little under sized compared to the sub that I had in there before, but once installed it is way more than enough to meet my needs. very happy with this new sub:
I didn't take a picture of everything mounted back into the jeep because there really isn't much to see. Just the box sitting behind the rear seat.
After all of that, I cleaned up the shop and called it a night!
My guess is that the smaller Rotopax 2 gallon will fit on the hinge side. They are thinner than the 3 gallon.
One shot here.. but since you were comfortable reworking the gas tank, could you possibly warm the spot where the RothPax is making contact with the hinge and soften it enough so it deflects around the hinge?
Like you, I am looking for a solution to route wires from the tire carrier (Bestop HighRock Oversize Tire Carrier) back into the tub on the hinge side. I am already drilling into the tub to mount the carrier so one more isn't a problem. Just curious what others have done.
I am thinking something like a firewall grommet...
Like you, I am looking for a solution to route wires from the tire carrier (Bestop HighRock Oversize Tire Carrier) back into the tub on the hinge side. I am already drilling into the tub to mount the carrier so one more isn't a problem. Just curious what others have done.
I am thinking something like a firewall grommet...
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OP
I thought the same thing. I need to take some measurements and figure it out yet.