Vader - 2013 Oscar Mike JKU - Trail Rig Build

Speartip · Dec 2, 2022

Dirty Dog said:
Especially if you can do the rear seat delete. Or add a roof rack. I've seen spare tires mounted up there, but I don't care for the idea. Primarily because (A) I don't want to lift anything that heavy alllllll the way up there (I don't really want to lift the spare as high as the tailgate mount, to be honest) and (B) I don't want to shift the center of gravity higher than it already is. Because rolling down a hill will scratch the paint...

Don't think anyone running 42" is doing the roof rack spare .
Be practically impossible to take down or put one up there without
a forklift or 3 guys. Most def raise the centre of gravity to where you don't
want it .
It'll be interesting to see direction @Qaddiction goes with the spare.
Happy Building

Dirty Dog · Dec 2, 2022

Speartip said:
Don't think anyone running 42" is doing the roof rack spare .

I've seen some awfully large spares mounted up high... But I suspect they were mall crawlers and unlikely to ever be needed. Either that, or the owner of the rig was a MONSTER!

Speartip · Dec 4, 2022

Here's your solution .
Haha

Qaddiction · Dec 4, 2022

Had some time available this weekend. First I removed the factory sliders. While doing so I started thinking again! I thought I should just go ahead and start trimming the back wheel opening. Grabbed the Sawzall and started hacking away. Not sure if it's enough, but it's a start. I sanded down the rough edges and hit it with some paint. That allowed me to justify mounting the back fender flares.

I know I mentioned hating that silver grill, it was almost warm enough to paint so I gave it a try. While waiting between coats of paint, I installed the JW Speaker headlights and Pro 6 accessory lights. The Pro 6 aren't hooked up yet, but are mounted. That's when things came to a halt. Daughter was sick all weekend and I started feeling bad Sunday. I mustered up enough energy to re-install the grill just in case it needed to be driven. Unfortunately, the paint job didn't turn out as well as i had hoped. Probably a touch to cold outside. It will work for now. Again, not a show car and it looks OK from a few feet away. I can always repaint it this summer. That's it for now, we will see how long this cold keeps me down.

Speartip · Dec 5, 2022

Looking good brother
That “rail” that runs towards
the rear tire . Don’t even know why it sticks out so far towards the tire . Think most have to cut off when you get larger than 35”.
Fenders look awesome .
JW’s are the bomb . Will light up the road that’s for sure

Dirty Dog · Dec 5, 2022

That little area looks weird when you open up the flares, and I think it's probably where my wife rubs with her 35's on a 3" lift. It's too cold to paint right now, but come spring, I think I'll be breaking out the angle grinder and doing some trimming.

Qaddiction · Jan 2, 2023

Took me long enough, but I finally got the VKS rear bumper installed. The frame chop bumper said that the stock exhaust could be in the way. A quick pre-fit made me realize the stock exhaust needed to go. I didn't look around comparing as much as I usually would, but I ended up going with an AFE Rock Crusher system. I removed the stock exhaust right after the Y pipe. Removing the stock exhaust was 80% of the job. Installing the new exhaust was super easy. I guess it helps when the Rock Basher exhaust turns down before the rear axle. It's definitely louder. We will see how annoying it is as time goes by. I never had a chance to drive it, just started it to see.

Speartip · Jan 2, 2023

Qaddiction said:
Took me long enough, but I finally got the VKS rear bumper installed. The frame chop bumper said that the stock exhaust could be in the way. A quick pre-fit made me realize the stock exhaust needed to go. I didn't look around comparing as much as I usually would, but I ended up going with an AFE Rock Crusher system. I removed the stock exhaust right after the Y pipe. Removing the stock exhaust was 80% of the job. Installing the new exhaust was super easy. I guess it helps when the Rock Basher exhaust turns down before the rear axle. It's definitely louder. We will see how annoying it is as time goes by. I never had a chance to drive it, just started it to see.

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Looks really good !!
Hopefully exhaust isn’t to annoying on the trail .
If memory serves Flowmaster makes a decent muffler that’s inline .
If the new one is annoying check out the FM.
Jake @ JK Gear & Gadgets did an install & review on his UTube channel .

Qaddiction · Jan 8, 2023

This weekend I replaced my front fender flares. Ripping off the stock flares didn't take much time. I cleaned up underneath, then started to figure out how to mount the new Nemesis Crawler fender flares. Fairly easy install overall. Even for a hack like me with limited ability! Mark 4 holes and drill. Then use the drill to enlarge several existing stock holes. Mount 2 provided brackets and finally the fender flare. I can tell already my rattle can paint job isn't going to hold up to well once rocks start flying up. Oh well, at least they are aluminum. I'll just have to touch them up often, or eventually have them sprayed professionally.

I have some Artec inner liners, but with anticipation of an upcoming lift, it will be one less thing they have to mess with removing.

BLACKJKU · Jan 9, 2023

Qaddiction said:
This weekend I replaced my front fender flares. Ripping off the stock flares didn't take much time. I cleaned up underneath, then started to figure out how to mount the new Nemesis Crawler fender flares. Fairly easy install overall. Even for a hack like me with limited ability! Mark 4 holes and drill. Then use the drill to enlarge several existing stock holes. Mount 2 provided brackets and finally the fender flare. I can tell already my rattle can paint job isn't going to hold up to well once rocks start flying up. Oh well, at least they are aluminum. I'll just have to touch them up often, or eventually have them sprayed professionally.

I have some Artec inner liners, but with anticipation of an upcoming lift, it will be one less thing they have to mess with removing.

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I like those fenders, do the stock tires stick out past them much?

Dirty Dog · Jan 9, 2023

Looks good. But I wouldn't bother having them painted. Powder coating is a much better option.

Qaddiction · Jan 9, 2023

BLACKJKU said:
I like those fenders, do the stock tires stick out past them much?

I took a couple pictures. I placed the level in the center of the tire. The stock tires stick out 3.75" past the Crawler fenders. The crawler fender flares are about 4.5" wide in the middle of the fender well. Nemesis makes 3 different widths of flares. These Crawler flares are the narrowest. The Notorious are middle of the road and the Odessey are the widest. I have a set of Odessey flares on my 2016 JKU. I believe I have a picture of those on stock tires as well. I'll see if I can find it and attach it here.

Qaddiction · Jan 9, 2023

I found these side markers a couple weeks ago. I must have had them leftover from Detonator, my 2016 build. I set them aside figuring I could use them on Vader. I had to drill out the holes slightly in the flares, but they fit like a charm after that. It didn't take too long to wire them up. I cut the wire at the marker lights on the stock fenders so I could just use the stock connectors.

I also installed a Superchips TrailDash 3 Programmer. I will use this to change the gearing, tire size, etc. once the time comes. Someday I plan on this being attached to a Genright cage, but for now a suction cup to the windshield will have to do.

Qaddiction · Jan 19, 2023

Last night I took the time to wire up the Switch Pros - RCR-Force 12. This is what I will be using to connect all of my accessories (lights, lockers, compressors, winch, etc.). The install was fairly straight forward. I need to research a little more on how to start programming the switch panel now. The only accessory I have mounted at the moment is the JW Speaker Trail 6 Pro lights. Looks like those will be my test subjects!

Its amazing at how small the complete package is. I just have the switch panel laying loose for the moment. I'm not certain on exactly where it will be mounted yet. I'm thinking it will be off of the roll cage which doesn't exist yet. The only pictures I got were while mounting the controller; before I started wiring...

Qaddiction · Mar 5, 2023

Took some time to figure out the Switch Pros. I was finally able to get my JW Speaker Trail Pro 6 lights powered up. I also pulled two wires from the loom and programed them for front and rear lockers. Lockers you say? Good news....the Fusion Elite Kingpin 60 / Elite 80 axles have arrived. The shop doing the work has me scheduled for the beginning of April. I'm anxious and nervous all at the same time. I need to think about what else needs done before I deliver it to the shop. Stay tuned.

Qaddiction · Mar 30, 2023

This is the weekend I have been waiting for! I take the Jeep in to have the new axles, suspension, steering, and wheels installed. I have waited quite a while for all of the parts to come in and the shop to get me scheduled. However, somehow I still managed to procrastinate enough that I don't have everything done that I would like, or should have done. That stock front bumper is not going to work. The tires will not be able to turn.

I have had a VKS Fellon front bumper in my basement for several months. It's just been too cold to paint it outside. Last night I got to work. I removed the stock bumper. That was easy. Then I pulled out the sawz-all. No turning back now! I had done a frame chop bumper on my other JKU so at least I knew what I had to do. I got everything cut off that I needed to and cleaned up the edges. I removed the 4 stock sway bar bolts, put the bumper in place, then re-installed the stock sway bar. With the bumper was in place, I marked the 4 holes I needed to drill out for installation. Finished that up and then called it quits for the night. Unfortunately, it got late and I forgot to snap a picture of the raw bumper installed.

Now I need to remove the new bumper and paint it along with the cut frame rails. My daughter has soccer practice tonight, so I don't think I will have any time to work on it. That leaves me with tomorrow night to get this bumper painted and re-installed before it heads to the shop. I at least would like to get some primer on it in case it has to sit outside.

Speartip · Mar 30, 2023

Qaddiction said:
This is the weekend I have been waiting for! I take the Jeep in to have the new axles, suspension, steering, and wheels installed. I have waited quite a while for all of the parts to come in and the shop to get me scheduled. However, somehow I still managed to procrastinate enough that I don't have everything done that I would like, or should have done. That stock front bumper is not going to work. The tires will not be able to turn.

I have had a VKS Fellon front bumper in my basement for several months. It's just been too cold to paint it outside. Last night I got to work. I removed the stock bumper. That was easy. Then I pulled out the sawz-all. No turning back now! I had done a frame chop bumper on my other JKU so at least I knew what I had to do. I got everything cut off that I needed to and cleaned up the edges. I removed the 4 stock sway bar bolts, put the bumper in place, then re-installed the stock sway bar. With the bumper was in place, I marked the 4 holes I needed to drill out for installation. Finished that up and then called it quits for the night. Unfortunately, it got late and I forgot to snap a picture of the raw bumper installed.

Now I need to remove the new bumper and paint it along with the cut frame rails. My daughter has soccer practice tonight, so I don't think I will have any time to work on it. That leaves me with tomorrow night to get this bumper painted and re-installed before it heads to the shop. I at least would like to get some primer on it in case it has to sit outside.

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That’s awesome !! Excited for you brother .Was kinda wondering when axles and suspension were being done . But I do hear you about procrastination . Can be a hurdle at times

Qaddiction · Mar 31, 2023

I rushed home from work and took a few pictures of the raw bumper attached to the frame rails. This is where it will sit on final installation. I'm not sure if you can tell, but it's tucked pretty tight to the front. It will definitely help with the front end approach angle. I placed my winch on the bumper for fitment. It will sit right up against the metal bar in front of the radiator. The grill will have to be trimmed for it to fit.

The pictures show the fitment of the VKS Felon front bumper. You can see the holes through the top of the frame rail that I had to drill to mount the bumper. Well, the back two holes were already there. I just had to enlarge them slightly. Then drill the front holes on both frame rails. The bumper also uses the factory sway bar holes underneath. I removed the 4 bolts holding the front of the sway bar in place, lowered the sway bar, slid the bumper back into position, then raised the sway bar back up and reinstalled the 4 bolts. I did get a couple coats of paint on the cut frame rails before I had to take my daughter to soccer practice.

I guess its off to the shop tomorrow. Next pictures should look a little different!

Danarch · Mar 31, 2023

Qaddiction said:
I rushed home from work and took a few pictures of the raw bumper attached to the frame rails. This is where it will sit on final installation. I'm not sure if you can tell, but it's tucked pretty tight to the front. It will definitely help with the front end approach angle. I placed my winch on the bumper for fitment. It will sit right up against the metal bar in front of the radiator. The grill will have to be trimmed for it to fit.

The pictures show the fitment of the VKS Felon front bumper. You can see the holes through the top of the frame rail that I had to drill to mount the bumper. Well, the back two holes were already there. I just had to enlarge them slightly. Then drill the front holes on both frame rails. The bumper also uses the factory sway bar holes underneath. I removed the 4 bolts holding the front of the sway bar in place, lowered the sway bar, slid the bumper back into position, then raised the sway bar back up and reinstalled the 4 bolts. I did get a couple coats of paint on the cut frame rails before I had to take my daughter to soccer practice.

I guess its off to the shop tomorrow. Next pictures should look a little different!

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Looks great. Guess the bolts go all the way through the frame?

Qaddiction · Mar 31, 2023

Danarch said:
Looks great. Guess the bolts go all the way through the frame?

Correct. The holes are drilled through the top and bottom of the frame rails. The bolts are fairly long. The bumper has the mounting holes in it. So I set it in place then center punched the top and bottom of the frame. I didn't have long enough drill bits to get all the way through from one side. When I was done drilling I test fit the bolts and they fell through with no issues. Now I am going to get it painted so I can permanently attach it when I get it back.

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